Jeff Milner has put together some Flash backmasking recordings of parts of songs played backwards and forward — along with text keys — that have what some people have called backwards satanic messages. Songs like Stairway to Heaven, Another One Bites The Dust, Hotel California and more. A few songs I’ve heard complained about are missing, among them Snowblind by Styx.

Most bands and record execs I’ve ever read questioned on this stuff have claimed backwards masking is bogus; it’s all phonetic. In other words if you say certain words in a certain way they will sound like something backwards unintentionally. Put enough of those words together backwards and you might be able to make a sentence that sounds like something else; maybe even something about Satan.

Just like anything else I’m sure there is — or at least was — a small element of marketing truth in these alleged backwards maskings. But really, why would anyone put — or even want to put — in a song like Pokemon Rap: I love Satan, I love Satan, I love Satan … ???

(that one sounds like a bunch of hiss, IMO, btw)

I agree with the artists, it’s all phonetic.