Heavy Metal Music

[theresaforjesus]

Dear Souls Whom Jesus Loves Infinitely,

I’ve been browsing the posts here because I myself do like heavy metal, but I am EXTREMELY SELECTIVE! It does indeed matter what we listen to. If we really love Jesus, then we would never want to offend Him. It’s impossible to serve God and Satan both. Most heavy metal bands definitely serve Satan, unfortunately. However, as much as I am completely against the bad heavy metal bands, I think it’s spectacular that there are so many Christian metal bands out there, especially Stryper! I thought it was really neat that someone had posted on here awhile back that they were praying Stryper would become Catholic - I’m going to pray for that, too. Anyway, even with the Christian bands I’m finding that research is needed. For example, I listened to samples from Jacob’s Dream and loved it, but when I read the lyrics to their song “Crusade” I was bitterly disappointed because they were downing the Catholic Church. Virgin Black is supposedly a Christian group and I was listening to some samples of their stuff - it had a beautiful sound but is dark. Apparently, they explore the difference between faith and “man-made religion.” We have to be careful here because the Catholic Church is not man-made religion but came directly from Jesus.
I think groups like Barren Cross, White Cross, etc. are okay. I’d have to research their lyrics more to make sure there is nothing against Catholicism. It can be difficult - it’s a dying to self. But Jesus died for us, and we don’t want to hurt Him by being eternally lost. I support the idea of Christian heavy metal because I see it as God’s way of trying to reach all the people that are listening to the other stuff. I hope the Holy Spirit is leading me…

God bless and keep you all,

Theresa

 

[theresaforjesus]

Dear Friends in Christ,

I just wanted to add on that it may be difficult to put out the fire of rock music with the water of classical music right now. I see it as fighting fire with fire - fighting the fire of hell with the fire of God’s Holy Spirit, of fighting satanic heavy metal rock music with Christian heavy metal rock music. My motto: Kick the devil out of heavy metal!

God bless all of you abundantly and have a wonderful weekend,

Theresa

 

[JFonseka]

Slayer I must say IS Satanic, Tom Araya claims to be Catholic, but all that he says in his lyrics is really disrespectful, whether or not it’s for show…would Jesus be proud of people portraying him like that?

A lot of people claim to be this and that, but what they say and do is different. Some heavy metal is OK and some is NOT. Some heavy metal may not be satanic but they can have a negative effect on people. Like me for e.g. I used to listen to Megadeth a lot, but it didn’t help me as an individual, listening to stuff like Tornado of Souls, Sweating Bullets, In My Darkest Hour made me more angry when I was angry and turned to the music to help me.

I don’t need someone telling me “it’s just music man, you can take your anger out by listening to it” yea…right…music made by people angry in their youth or younger days clearly reflect their mental state and anger in the lyrics, why do we need to listen to anger to get out anger? It doesn’t make any sense.

James Hetfield claims that the music helped him…whilst I agree it probably saved him from the horrible childhood days he had, where he sought out the music and hated God…years later he reflects upon all those days he used to wake up with those addictions, anger, in bed with someone he doesn’t know, etc. (I am not lying, I was a huge fan of James Hetfield at one point, go read up interviews or see the interviews he talks in) and realizes what kind of horrible life he lived, he even said that they used to treat women like dirt, just as sex objects because in his youth he was like an outcast. (I am not kidding, this was in an interview)

So while music may help the individual get out his frustration, that may not be the same for the listener, can someone explain to me how lyrics from ‘Dyer’s Eve’ is going to better someone:

“Dear Mother
Dear Father
What Is this Hell You Have Put Me Through
Believer
Deceiver
Day in Day out Live My Life Through You
Pushed onto Me What’s Wrong or Right
Hidden from this Thing That They Call Life”

“Dear Mother
Dear Father
You’ve Clipped My Wings Before I Learned to Fly
Unspoiled
Unspoken
I’ve Outgrown That ****** Lullaby
Same Thing I’ve Always Heard from You
Do as I Say Not as I Do”

We must seek Jesus, not the lyrics of some song to help us, and honour thy mother and father not make a case against them. Whilst Hetfield loved his parents, at one point he was severely in anger with them for their “christian science” ideologies, we aren’t called to live this kind of life. It hurts me to use an example of James Hetfield, but I don’t hate the man, and I’m glad he changed his ways and came to a realization and was really glad he rehabilitated from his alcohol problem and keeps his family as priority now. Metallica was and is probably my favourite band,(but i’m trying to stop listening to all this heavy metal, it really affected my younger years and I don’t need it anymore) but the music of Metallica can be extremely negative to some people, and is definitely not the music for angst ridden teens who have broken lives. It is powerful music, the messages are strong and they are against Biblical teachings.

Many heavy metal musicians label rappers as this and that against woman, but the truth is the ideology behind “sex, drugs and rock n roll” isn’t that great either. Modern rap is horrible in terms of lyrical content, they are contrary to what the Bible teaches, and so is a lot of heavy metal music.

So use caution.

God Bless

 

[PoliSciProf]

Gee, I always thought heavy metal musicians were tuba players.

 

[Mirror_Mirror]

If you are interested in quality hard rock/heavy metal check out Disiple a great Christian band. Not Catholic, but very christian! Great music, great lyrics, great passion. You can watch their new video on their home page.

You can even check out Pillar

 

[repo_man]

i listen to some metal, but mostly hardcore punk. and in punk there’s a lot of animosity towards order: namely the government and christianity (specifically the catholic church).

i think probably the best hardcore band of all time is reagan youth. however one of their album covers is john paul II shaking hands with hitler. i find that to be very offensive. i like their message in a lot of songs (“i hate hate”, “new aryans”, and even “jesus was a communist” to a degree), but i think because of their disposition to rebel, they gravely misunderstand the church. i’m glad some of it offends me, whether i voice it or not. to me that’s a sign of being sincere in my beliefs. some would argue it’d be more sincere not to listen to it at all. but i really like the music and the energy, and i don’t mind my faith being tested along the way because it will always eventually win over music. i can listen to a lot, but the only band i cannot listen to is bad religion. they basically preach that religion is the source of all trouble in the world. i’ll give them credit for doing it cleverly by trying to weave in biblical allusions to back their stance up. it’s creative, but it makes me mad.

on the subject of tom araya … i think he made a good point, regardless of my opinions of his actual songs, if a song causes you to go back on your beliefs, it’s your fault not the song’s, for having a very weak faith. however i kind of disagree with this because younger people are naturally rebellious and subject to absorb their environment around them so it’s not really fair to them. but whatever …

 

[archonnx]

I feel that music, in and of it’s self, can not be evil. It is the, words and or intent of the song that makes it evil, and I belive suhc songs should be rejected, because it does do spiritual damege if not just plan offfensive. Also, I belive music speaks to the soul of a person, and each persons soul is different. I consider myself to be a very passionit person and when I hear , for one exsample, the band Red singing “I will fight my way though you” " dont even try i will push you away", i think of temptation and my role as a soilder of Christ, and all of a suden, saten cant touch me, the song becomes a prayer. ( I do not mean that I am all powerful, but that the song reminds me of the Grace of God and how evil has no hold on me.) also, the song Breath into me, I can see myself before God screaming as he does in the song,Breath into me, as well as the other lyrics, because when I beg God to help me in my darkest moments i am Screaming, and begging, GOD BREATH INTO ME! I understand not eveyone thinks this way, but I do. I am very aware of my sins when i hear music of this sort and so i feel i cant scream loud enough out to God. Also there are other songs that make me think as St. Taressa, what can satan do to me? I am a servent of God. I find it to be very emboldening. Ok on a side note, can any here tell me of any other Christian heavy bands? I know of Demonhunter, As I lay Dying, Red, Living Sacrafice, underoth, Kutless. I am looking for more like Red and As I Lay dying and demonhunter.

 

[Paladinus]

While ago listened to ‘Saviour Machine’. The first Christian Gothic I ever heard and I liked it. Can it be some more good Gothic, please?

 

[Joe_5859]

While ago listened to ‘Saviour Machine’. The first Christian Gothic I ever heard and I liked it. Can it be some more good Gothic, please?

I second that recommendation! **Saviour Machine **is a great band!

I would also highly recommend Theocracy. They are symphonic power metal band. Ther solo album was pretty much a one-man show. The same guy wrote the lyrics and music, sang, and played all the instruments! He’s since assembled an actual band which will appear on their second album, due out soon.

Another good Christian power metal band is Narnia. I don’t like them as much as Theocracy, but they’re still good.

A great Christian doom metal band is Veni Domine. Excellent stuff.

And, of course there’s always Stryper!

 

[Paladinus]

I would also highly recommend Theocracy. They are symphonic power metal band. Ther solo album was pretty much a one-man show. The same guy wrote the lyrics and music, sang, and played all the instruments! He’s since assembled an actual band which will appear on their second album, due out soon.

Another good Christian power metal band is Narnia. I don’t like them as much as Theocracy, but they’re still good.

A great Christian doom metal band is Veni Domine. Excellent stuff.

And, of course there’s always Stryper!

Narnia is good too. I like their progressive though their power is quite typical.
Will try Theocracy.

 

[tommyberryhill]

I feel that music, in and of it’s self, can not be evil. It is the, words and or intent of the song that makes it evil, and I belive suhc songs should be rejected, because it does do spiritual damege if not just plan offfensive. Also, I belive music speaks to the soul of a person, and each persons soul is different. I consider myself to be a very passionit person and when I hear , for one exsample, the band Red singing “I will fight my way though you” " dont even try i will push you away", i think of temptation and my role as a soilder of Christ, and all of a suden, saten cant touch me, the song becomes a prayer. ( I do not mean that I am all powerful, but that the song reminds me of the Grace of God and how evil has no hold on me.) also, the song Breath into me, I can see myself before God screaming as he does in the song,Breath into me, as well as the other lyrics, because when I beg God to help me in my darkest moments i am Screaming, and begging, GOD BREATH INTO ME! I understand not eveyone thinks this way, but I do. I am very aware of my sins when i hear music of this sort and so i feel i cant scream loud enough out to God. Also there are other songs that make me think as St. Taressa, what can satan do to me? I am a servent of God. I find it to be very emboldening. Ok on a side note, can any here tell me of any other Christian heavy bands? I know of Demonhunter, As I lay Dying, Red, Living Sacrafice, underoth, Kutless. I am looking for more like Red and As I Lay dying and demonhunter.

Disciple is a pretty cool rocking christian band. Pillar and Seventh day Slumber are also awesome, as are Skillet and Sanctus Real…

Take care. I’ll be looking for some of the other bands you mentioned…

Tommy

 

[Joe_5859]

Narnia is good too. I like their progressive though their power is quite typical.
Will try Theocracy.

Here’s the Theocracy MySpace page so you can hear a few of their songs. Personally, I think they chose the wrong songs for their jukebox as I like many of their other songs much better, but these ones are still good.

 

[Bon_Scott_fan]

Im a devout catholic , TLM, rosary, latin, vespers, ect. but Im a huge metal head:

Metallica, anthrax, megadeth, iron maiden, slayer, black sabbath, ac/dc, ect. I dont take any of it serious its just damn heavy and awsome tunes!

ac/dc is NOT metal it IS hard rock

 

[LordNecro]

“Satanic” death-metal stuff

Death Metal is rarely Satanic. Black Metal is sometimes, normally to dupe people into thinking that they are serious.

I can see gangster rap and satanic death metal being something on the avoidable list for christians

Why? You offer no reasons for this. And I expect any that you would offer would be weak, because there are none!

but I listen to the most melodic forms of metal and hardly any of it is anti christian, I’m only in it for the music so to speak, thats all I’m concerned with being wrong…

Melody has nothing to do with sinfulness or otherwise, that is ridiculous.

I would say that listening to bands like Slipknot or Deicide (which means God-kill) is sinful if you are aware of the message.

I lol at the fact you talk about SlipKnot and Deicide in the same sentence, they share nothing musically. As for Deicide’s wonderfully provocative name - they have succeeded in getting on your nerves obviously.

You have offered no evidence or examples to back this up. Because it’s hogwash.

it doesn’t necessarily mean it is Satanic, though there are quite a number of bands (Slayer comes to mind) who seem to be.

The singer, Tom Araya, is a Catholic. Np, not a lapsed Catholic.

A lot of it is Satanic. Fr. Corapi has talked about it before. He used to hang out in the recording studios back in his “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” days. He has said that what goes on in those studios is sinister. I would stay away from that stuff.

Sounds like he’s scare-mongering.

Would you listen to that stuff if Mary and Jesus were in the room?

Yes, I would. It’s just music. I might turn it down or off out of respect if they didn’t like it, as I would for my parents or friends who didn’t like it. But I doubt Jesus has a problem with the type of music I listen to - He knows my heart right? He’s not a judgemental goon who goes by outward behaviour. And if He was… He wouldn’t really be worthy of the capitalised ‘H’.

I can’t be bothered to quote any more but I’ve seen a LOT of rubbish being written by people. You need to re-evaluate how strong your will is - if it is so weak that someone else’s views can distort it through music, then fine - don’t listen to diverse styles of music. But I pity you! A lot of people have spoken sense - particularly the guy about Kosher food etc. Good work.

In conclusion, there is nothing wrong with metal or dark music - just the person who listens to it.

[/QUOTE]

 

[LordNecro]

Oh btw, I like ‘satanic, nazi-racist, pagan, church-burning’ Black Metal such as Burzum, Emperor, Graveland, Summoning, Darkthrone etc.

And ‘gory, sexist, murderous’ Death Metal such as Morbid Angel, Deicide, Carcass, Devourment, Suffocation etc.

My university Chaplain doesn’t have a problem with it - in fact he’s often amused by it.

 

[celticsfan1983]

A lot of it is Satanic. Fr. Corapi has talked about it before. He used to hang out in the recording studios back in his “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” days. He has said that what goes on in those studios is sinister. I would stay away from that stuff. Would you listen to that stuff if Mary and Jesus were in the room?

If Mary and Jesus were physically in the room with me, I’d be in way too much shock to flip on the stereo.

 

[Carthusianish]

If Mary and Jesus were physically in the room with me, I’d be in way too much shock to flip on the stereo.

Yea this is not always the best measure of things. There are quite a lot of ordinary everyday things I would not do if Jesus and Mary were in the room – that does not necessarily make them evil.

I think if you are an adult of strong faith there is not a huge issue here. I would not encourage my kids to listen to metal until they were more mature and discriminating but if they did I would make sure they continue to grow in their faith knowledge and not follow the message of some of the lyrics – and that’s the case for almost all entertainment these days. Does that mean I would only watch teh Waltons and hide in my compound? No, just means one has to be discerning and also continue to grow one’s faith knowledge in the face of it.

In these recent times of intense STRESS, a little metal helps me through the day

 

[Carthusianish]

I was one of the kids in highschool who listened to metal. The kids I knew who listened to metal didn’t need any inspiration for anger and despair because that is what they were feeling and that is music they related to. Metal tends to attract kids who can relate to anger, pain,depression - it is not what causes it.

The kids that shoot up highschools don’t do it because of the music they listen to. It is a symptom of the problem not the cause. Their lives are what inspires their anger and despair not their music.

This is much the way I feel. A person’s life has to have the preceding experience of pain and abuse to cause an outlash of anger and violence.

I think the only thing I would say is that if you are in a hole, many times dark music can help keep you there, but again, this depends upon the person. For some, it can be cathartic.

 

[Celtic_FC]

listen to a lot of metal…

Opeth
Amon Amarth
Iced Earth
Mastodon
In Flames

I was wondering, after listening to a nun, Is heavy metal a sin or wrong to listen to, does it ever become a mortal sin?..
What if the lyrics are less then godly in certain songs, is it still a sin to listen to it yet ignore the lyrics(I do only mean one or two songs)?
Can some one explain the whole view???

Listen to your soul, and you’ll know what’s garbage. Metal is one genre of music I never got into.

 

[averheyen]

Being a huge Metal head myself, who also very devout, I can say I’ve always had trouble with heavy metal.

On one hand I try to seperate the art from the artist, and not take things too seriously.

But on the other hand, I know for a fact that the music I’m listening to openly promotes a sinfull lifestyle.

Personally, and this is just what I do for myself, I try not to take it too seriously. And some stuff I don’t really want to listen to anyway, it just wouldn’t fit the “game plan” so to speak (I tend it start feeling grossed out by the lyrical equivilent of pornography for example, think some Motley Crue, GnR, etc.). I mean, I like the music and all that, I just don’t need to hear it sometimes. I’ve got my mind focused on better things.