Newly recruited diplomats in Norway are being educated about the history of black metal as part of their training.

According to a report in Kerrang!, the Norwegian Foreign Service has educated 20 of its newest diplomats in black metal, its history and the perception it presents of the Scandinavian country.

Steinar Lindberg (pictured below), a spokesman for the Norwegian Foreign Service said: "The objectivity is to show Norwegian culture in all its diversity. In Italy, Japan or France, young people are learning Norwegian to decrypt the lyrics. Black metal is an export product and it's important that future diplomats are interested in it."

Black metal has a turbulent history, with church burnings, murder and violent crime among the unpleasant associations with the genre.

The genre's most notorious occasion came in 1994, when Varg Vikernes, singer in black metal band Burzum murdered Øystein Aarseth, singer of fellow band Mayhem. He was released from prison in 2009.