Christian metal

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Christian metal is a form of heavy metal music and its many subgenres with Christian lyrics and themes, a genre of metal created by Christian bands.

[edit] History

Christian metal has its origins in the early 1970s. Generally, Resurrection Band and Jerusalem are cited as the ealiest Christian metal bands. During the late 1980s, the band Stryper helped to popularize the genre, as they were the first Christian Metal band to reach platinum. (AP article on Stryper)

Because Christian metal is largely characterized by lyrical content there are various musical subgenres within Christian metal. In the 1980s the Christian metal bands followed very closely with more mainstream bands producing a large amount of glam metal such as Stryper and Whitecross. , Many speed and thrash bands such as Tourniquet, Deliverance, Vengeance Rising, and Believer also began to appear. In 1990 the band Mortification became the first widely recognised Christian death metal band. Though they played an old style of death metal very close to its thrash roots their 1992 release Scrolls of the Megilloth is still considered a classic death metal release in both Christian and secular markets. At roughly the same time the band Living Sacrifice was creating thrash/death metal and Paramaecium became one of the largest Christian doom metal bands and would influence later Christian bands such as Pantokrator. Horde is widely considered to be the first Christian black metal band. As a one man band with only one release (Hellig Usvart-1994) Horde created relatively large controversy within the extreme metal community by breaking into a market that was largely cornered by Satanic and National Socialists (Nazi/White Power) bands. The cds title Hellig Usvart means Holy Unblack which is now often used as a replacement name for black metal made by Christians by those who see black metal as exclusively Satanic. The black metal band Antestor existed previous to the release of Hellig Usvart but their music was not yet musicly considered black metal. They as well as Crimson Moonlight and others make up today's more polished style of Christian black metal compairable to more mainstream high production black metal bands and sharing in their influence from various other metal genres. However, the more traditional and raw low production black metal bands such as Abdijah still exist on record labels such as Son of Man Records. There is a Christian metal band for virtually every sub-genre of metal today. Extol with their mixed and changing style is one band with significant popularity among both Christian and Non-Christian metal fans. Divinefire, Narnia, and Rob Rock are the most prominent Christian power metal bands. Rob achieved initial fame as the vocalist for guitar virtuoso Chris Impelitteri's band during the 80's and 90's and then went solo with his Rage Of Creation album. He also performed guest vocals for the heavy metal band Warrior. There are many other notable bands out there such as Becoming the Archetype, Immortal Souls, Aletheian, Slechtvalk, Crimson Thorn, Saviour Machine, Soul Embraced, and Veni Domine among others.

Certain Christian artists have found mainstream acceptance selling millions of albums to both Christian and non-Christian fans, including P.O.D. and Stryper. Many of metalcore's largest successes are Christian bands, including Underoath, Norma Jean, Zao, As I Lay Dying, Still Remains, and Demon Hunter.

[edit] Controversies

Several general market metal bands who do not identify themselves as a "Christian band" but still use their lyrics to portray God in a positive light. There are some bands, Virgin Black and Klank, for example, who have Christian members but prefer to remain in the general market. Other more notable mainstream acts that feature Christian members are Anthrax (Dan Spitz), Iron Maiden (Nicko McBrain), Pyramaze (Lance King), Shadow Gallery, Magnitude 9, Killswitch Engage, Dream Theater, Alice Cooper (who himself is a Christian), Savatage, and Megadeth (Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson).

Much more controversial are artistis such asTom Araya, Slayer's lead vocalist, who claims to be a Roman Catholic despite singing overtly anti-Christian lyrics and the band Deicide which is known for their Satanic and anti-Christian themes recentley added guitarist Ralph Santolla who is also a professing Roman Catholic.

Fans of metal who are anti-Christian often consider the use of Christian lyrics to be opposed to what they believe is the "true" purpose of metal. Certain Christian groups, most noteably those in some King James Only demonitations consider all types of rock and metal music opposed to their faith, reguardless of lyrical content or the lifestyles being led by band members. However, many metal fans and artists see metal as a genre of music such as any genre be it blues, classical, jazz, punk, hip-hop or otherwise. The lyrics of any song reflects the beliefs of the piece's author. They see the instrumental music itself as a median, the person behind it and the message it conveys it what makes it Christian. Therefore Christian metal is created when these metal artist write in such a way that reflects their faith in Christ.

[edit] See also

• List of Christian metal bands
• Heavy metal music

[edit] Record labels

• Facedown Records
• Flicker Records
• Mono Vs Stereo
• Raging Storm Records
• Rivel Records
• Solid State Records
• Tooth & Nail Records
• Blood and Ink Records
• Harvest Earth Records

[edit] External links

• Andy's Dungeon of Extreme Christian Metal Christian metal linkage.
• GrrrRecords.com Grrr Records is the Label of Resurrection Band, Glenn Kaiser and Many More.
• The Christian Metal Realm A community of Christian metal fans. Features areas for metal music discussion, off-topic general discussion and a prayer and Bible study area.
• MetalForJesus.org Comparisons of Christian Metal to Black, Death, Heavy and other Metal genres
• Reign Radio Streaming Christian Metal
• DanielsMusic.com Concert Photography
• Tongues of Fire News and Reviews of Modern Christian Hardcore and Metal
• Christian Hard Music A Fan forum for all styles of Christian hard music ranging from blues to metal to modern rock
• Firestream A Christian rock and metal fan forum
• Godcore.com Christian Music Database

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