xSTALKERx

“Veganism, to me, is rooted in the belief that all living beings deserve autonomy and the right to make decisions about their own lives. It’s a refusal to participate in the exploitation of others for personal gain.”

xSTALKERx is a Vegan Straight Edge Hardcore band from Trondheim, Norway EST in 2025.

What was the moment or experience that first pushed you toward veganism?
Did your path into veganism come before or after getting into hardcore / straight edge?
Was there a specific band, record, or scene influence that opened that door for you?
How did your friends, family, or local scene react when you made that shift?
Was it an immediate commitment, or something you grew into over time?
Miriam: I became a pescatarian in 2010, at the age of about 14, while having dinner with my parents. We were discussing animal slaughter and the origin of the meat we were eating, and I realized that the meat industry was something I didn’t want to be a part of anymore. From then on, until I became vegan in 2016, I gradually educated myself through books, documentaries, and YouTube videos. The more I learned about the ethics of animal exploitation, the less I wanted to participate in it. After a trip to Berlin in February 2016, where I discovered how easy it was to travel while being plant-based, I realized I had no excuses to not become fully vegan. Going vegan wasn’t about hardcore music or anything like that; I discovered that later. My friends and family were okay with it. They knew that once I set my mind to something like this, there was no arguing with it, so they simply accepted it. Haha! In the past few years, I’ve had many more of my friends go vegan as well, which is really cool.
Nikolai: I transitioned to veganism in 2024. In my late teens and early 20s, I briefly experimented with a “plant-based” lifestyle, but now I’ve come to realize that a principled approach for the animals is essential for me to commit to a lifelong veganism. The hardcore vegan community undoubtedly had a profound impact on my understanding of veganism.
Vegard: Initially, I adopted a vegetarian diet. Throughout my life, I engaged in discussions with various vegans, and we often shared the sentiment that we both believed it was the right choice and that it wasn’t as challenging as it seemed. I owe a great deal of gratitude to my community, who happen to be musicians, for their patience in educating me about this topic.
Basse: I’m not sure if it was a specific moment or experience that triggered my “first push” towards veganism. However, becoming friends with vegans and learning from them that it’s entirely manageable to live by their lifestyle had a profound impact on me. Therefore, hardcore veganism became my path into veganism, as I met these friends through it. Naturally, I delved deeper into the topic by reading and watching documentaries. At this point, it would be foolish not to commit to veganism. My favorite reaction was from my grandmother, who sincerely and well-intentioned asked, “what do you eat now, bird seed?”

For you, how connected are veganism and straight edge— are they inseparable or distinct choices?
Do you see veganism as an extension of straight edge ethics, or its own independent stance?
How do you respond to people in the scene who embrace one but not the other?
Miriam: Veganism, to me, is rooted in the belief that all living beings deserve autonomy and the right to make decisions about their own lives. It’s a refusal to participate in the exploitation of others for personal gain. Straight edge, on the other hand, is a more personal choice that allows me to be the person I want to be, both for myself and for those around me. While both stem from the same core philosophy, they are distinct choices made for different reasons. That’s why I understand how some people choose only one of the two. However, I view veganism as an obligation that we all have as human beings, not a “personal choice.” Therefore, I believe everyone should consider going vegan, regardless of whether they choose the straight edge label.
Nikolai: I’ll echo Miriam’s point about the distinction. In my opinion, they are separate ethical frameworks, yet both can be encompassed within the broader umbrella of anti-capitalism.

What role did the hardcore/metal scene play in shaping your beliefs?
Do you feel like the scene today is more or less aligned with vegan values than when you started?
Nikolai: Growing up, Punk and Hardcore music undoubtedly shaped my beliefs and ethics. For instance, I wouldn’t have read Proudhon or Kropotkin during my teenage years if it weren’t for Punk music. Even today, Hardcore music keeps me vigilant about the meaning of being an individual within a movement, facing various systems that try to suppress us, and the necessary vigilance required to stay true to our principles. Anecdotally, I observe a greater vibrancy in straight edge bands compared to the early to mid-2010s. However, veganism continues to face significant challenges and obstacles.
Vegard: Veganism and straight edge are not at all commonplace in Norway, so the fact that we have enough members to do a XVX band in our city is insane to me and goes to show that the scene is slightly more aligned with those values now.
Basse: Coming from a scene built on anarchism, it’s strange that animals are considered inferior to humans. This directly contradicts the anti-hierarchical principles of anarchism. It’s astonishing that so few have questioned this, and those who have been ostracized. However, over the past two years, both veganism and skepticism about substance use have led to some small changes. So, I still continue to have hope.

What kind of impact do you hope your band has on listeners?
Have you ever heard from someone who changed because of your music?
Do you think music can genuinely shift people’s behavior, or just reinforce existing beliefs?
Miriam: I don’t necessarily believe that music alone is the most effective tool for activism or behavioral change when it comes to veganism and straight edge, but it can certainly play a significant role. In my opinion, what’s more effective, or at least what I’ve observed, is creating a community and actively participating as a member of that community, embracing veganism and straight edge, and sharing your experiences and perspectives. In our hometown, Trondheim, Norway, we’ve witnessed a substantial increase in people adopting veganism and straight edge in the past few years. I attribute this growth primarily to the thriving community we’ve built here, where individuals have consistently embraced veganism and straight edge from the outset, openly discussing their challenges, beliefs, and essentially creating an environment where it feels natural and even encouraged to make such a transition. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that we wouldn’t have had this community if it weren’t for the shared musical interests we all have. I firmly believe that music can be a valuable part of someone’s journey towards making this switch, so it’s all interconnected.
Do you see veganism as inherently political?
How do you balance music with direct action or activism, if at all?
What issues within the broader movement do you think aren’t being talked about enough?
Miriam: I firmly believe that veganism is a political stance, and it deeply concerns me when people dismiss it as anything less. Boycotting a large-scale industry that actively profits from enslaving and consuming living beings is, in my opinion, an essential component of anti-capitalism. The struggle for liberation and equity for all living beings is undeniably political. I sense that many people are hesitant to label things as political these days, perhaps even more so outside the hardcore scene, but they fail to recognize that politics are deeply intertwined with every aspect of our lives, whether we like it or not.
Nikolai: It's a political issue, a political struggle - and your personal choice in the matter is just the beginning.

Looking back, would you approach your message differently?
Where do you see the vegan / straight edge movement going in the next decade?
Vegard: Since we’re still a relatively new band, there’s not much to reflect on. However, I hope we can maintain the kind of environment that inspired me to become both vegan and straight edge, and that we can continue to stay committed to both beliefs.

Final Thoughts:

First band that made you think differently:
Nikolai: I distinctly remember the band PUNCH introducing me to veganism as a concept early on, with the song “FEMINISTS, DON’T HAVE A COW”.
A lyric you’ve written (or heard) that still hits hardest:
“AND IF YOU WON'T WISE UP CONSIDER JUDGE YOUR ENEMY“.