Father Dionysios Tabakis, a Greek Orthodox priest whose drone-metal guitar performances recently gained online attention, has responded to accusations of homophobia and links to fascism. His statement acknowledges that his views on homosexuality follow long-standing Orthodox Church teaching, while saying gay people deserve love and acceptance; critics note he did not disavow blog posts using explicitly derogatory language or reject the framing of same-sex attraction as sinful.

The controversy also concerns a 2013 video showing Tabakis blessing offices for Golden Dawn, the Greek neo-Nazi group later designated a criminal organisation. He says the church assigned him to conduct the routine ceremony as Nafplio’s local priest and denies nationalist beliefs; his record label similarly says such blessings do not themselves amount to political endorsement. Tabakis has since withdrawn from Philadelphia’s Making Time ∞ festival, where he had been due to perform.