Seeking Advice

I'm a long time lerker here and on the no life til metal site. I've recently become a christian and I know there are quite a few christian metalheads on here. I was just kind of wondering how you guys deal with the perception metal and being christian cant go together and also what are some good christian death/black metal bands not named Mortification and Antestor.

I always ask people why they think something having Christian lyrics and metal music cannot go together. Normally they reply its about rebellion or not being part of the establishment or Christians dont know how to rock or another in a line of cheesy answers. I would ask why they place limits on metal? Who says its supposed to be a certain way? Challenge the limits they place on the music and let them try to defend why metal cant be a certain way.

As for bands I would check out Immortal Souls, Sympathy, Extol, Vaakevandring, Crimson Moonlight, and Kekal.

Exactly. Music should be for anyone regardless of religion. Its just a form or entertainment and some people just take things a little too seriously and blow things way out of proportion. You can be Christian and listen to Non Christian Death Metal. Your views don't necessarily have to be the same as the person who writes those songs, but if you enjoy something then why limit yourself to whats out there because of a religious belief? What if you come to fnd out religion meant nothing your whole life and you missed out on certain things?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not religious in any way but I respect peoples beliefs and to each his own. I just think people should just live their lives and be happy with everything they do and not worry about who has a problem with it.

Personally I just love contradiction.

Are you more concerned about what Christians think about metal (Christian or Otherwise), or how non-Christians feel about Christian+metal?

As for bands, I second everything exact33 said, and would add Miseration and Metanoia (for death metal). I would also add Living Sacrifice. I've given up trying to put them in a genera, but considering your age, I think you would dig some of their newer stuff and you may even be able to find them at the Christian Bookstore.

Please note, God is more concerned about your heart than the style of music you like.

Also, adapting music (secular) to express worship or a "Christian" world view is nothing new. Ever since there has been popular music, one generation's popular music becomes the next generation's worship. You will find that many Hymns were once "sing-along" songs from pubs in Europe.

I wasn't raised that christianity and rock were antithesis to each other so I didn't worry about that issue much as a young person. I would and have asked at what point does music speed or syncopation or volume become evil? There's a lot of classical music that is loud, discordant and fast yet it's not called the debil's music. Mostly, I don't deal with the issue much and try to just stay away from those who have problem's with it as it usually just ends up a fight and seems pointless to me.

I would add:

Feast Eternal
Becoming The Archetype Deathcore
Demon Hunter the earlier stuff is more core
Living Sacrifice
Pantokrater

I ignore 90% of what 80% of 75% of people say 100% of the time.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I ignore 90% of what 80% of 75% of people say 100% of the time.

Kinda the same way I feel about your posts. I'm only kidding I just couldnt resist saying that hahaha

I stopped caring a long while what people from church thought of me listening to punk and metal. I find it more worthwhile to listen to something I agree with lyrically no doubt, but when its not, all you are is an observer...its not like you are personally involved with the music. Thats my opinion.

I have always found it amusing that a lot of people in the church dont like Christian metal but an equal number of metal heads feel the same the way - because it is Christianity.

I'm not exactly Charlie Church...I'm one of those "Christmas Eve and Easter" type church goers... but as for the music, I couldn't care less if a band is into God, Satan, Captain Kirk, or the Teletubbies. If it's a good band, it's a good band. Nevermind what others think.

Welcome to the board!!!!!!!! Any of the "you can't listen to this or that" is all legalistic BS created by man. Read the Bible and what Jesus actually said - he didn't say "come to me and be come a clone". So much of today's Christianity is SO FAR from what Jesus actually said. It didn't take long after he died for people to create man made institutions and add rules and regulations. Jesus was about the state of the heart and being restored to God, not following rules and regulations (don't drink, don;t smoke, don't dance, don't listen to "secular" music, etc). These same people slamming music and signing the old hymns are the ones that don't know their own church history and the fact (like ryanmetalman mentioned) that the old hymns were once drinking songs with the lyrics changed.

Fat Freddy wrote:

I'm not exactly Charlie Church...I'm one of those "Christmas Eve and Easter" type church goers... but as for the music, I couldn't care less if a band is into God, Satan, Captain Kirk, or the Teletubbies. If it's a good band, it's a good band. Nevermind what others think.

You know that Metal music belongs to the devil, so just send all your evil music to me and be a good christian!

"It's not what goes into your body that defiels you but what comes out."

That is what I try to live by. There is way too much stuff going on everywhere, that it is almost impossible to sanely avoid anything/everything with potential to be called "worldly", "ungodly", "unedifying" or whatever lil catch phrase a pastor can tell you. I hear earloads 'bout my listening habits, yet they go and watch the latest blockbuster at the cinema or kick it in the local sports arena. I file it under "same thing, only different". Some folks have convictions and that is kewl but in the end, noi matter how you seek to be entertained. If you as a believer gets this sense of something ain't quite kewl. It more than likely has an aspect or two that needs to be scoped out.

In conclusion.......really ! If we spend too much time focused on what others say or think regarding the living of our daily lives than how do we
have an honest claim in saying we are doing what God has called us to do.
God can use "ANYTHING" at anytime and anyplace by anyone to glorify Himself. Our focus as believers should be in the role of ministers first, calling somebody out on a style of music is, if applicable, far down the list.
Then only if that action bears bad fruit. Sounds pretty simple to me.

Laterz

Olafsto wrote:

You know that Metal music belongs to the devil, so just send all your evil music to me and be a good christian!

but God whooped the Devil so send me all your music

Being a Believer of God myself. I listen to metal, and when I hear some metal bands like Slayer and VEnom that have some stupid lyrics against Christianity, it makes me feel uncomfortable so I don't listen to metal with atheist lyrics.

So If you feel uncomfortable by listen to certain bands that contradict your beliefs, don't listen to them. Listen to what you feel is right.

To me religion is a personal relationship with God, and I do what I think and feel God would tolerate and accept. So it's a constant routine to feel accepted by God not by religious rules.

Some christian metal bands come to my mind
METANOIA
Lament(I LIKE THEIR LYRICS )
EXOUSIA(one of the best lyrics)
PARAMECIUM
MORPHIA
PANTOKRATOR
CORPSE
SCREAM OF CHAOS
CRUCIFER
EXTOL
ETHEREAL SCOURCE
EMBODIMENT
OBLATION
OBLITERATION

I appriciate all the reponses guy's and I see the general point you guys are making. I'm making god number one in my life but by no means do I want to give up metal because its been such a huge part of my life and something that I enjoy so much and has gotten me through many rough patches in my life.

I appriciate all the suggestions as well.

Music is a gift from God and that includes all genres and forms of music. Nobody has a monopoly on music and it's rediculous to put such limitations on it. As for black metal suggestions, there have been plenty of good ones but here are some more:

Antestor (did anybody else mention this legendary band?)
Azmaveth
Exousia
A Hill To Die Upon (awesome black/death metal band-I highly recommend it)
Parakletos
Holy Blood
Angel 7 (the guitar solos are worth the price of the their album Black & White)

Look for the right church one that is not conformist and always seeks for more. A place that will keep teaching you what you need to go by, and a place that is very tolerant and understanding.

Look for the videos I have on youtube. my user-name is powermacho

black metal bands:

antestor
slechtvalk
immortal souls
crimson moonlight
deborah
acoustic torment

Also I used to have a website that was for the purpuse of guys like us that want to hear some positive message on heavy metal. Back then in 2003 there wasn't youtube and christian metal sites were a bit of a mess. So I did mine.

powmetalmusic.bravehost.com

MH123, once you realize that there is no such thing as secular and/or christian metal, it'll make it all that much easier (labels seem to be more about marketing than anything else, I think). All I hear when I listen to metal music is Metal. The music itself is not the words but the sound, the feel, the energy, the attitude. Don't worry about other peoples perceptions, create your own.

You're not gonna turn any holier listening to Mortification or unholier listening to Mayhem...