From: Lee=Jenkins%PCB=Sys=Int%Mfg=Hou@BANGATE.COMPAQ.COM
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.allmusic
Subject: re: Christian Heavy Metal
Date: 15 Oct 92 20:48:19 GMT
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU

From: (my email system freaks out with marco's address, don't ask me why)
Subject: Christian Heavy Metal: what's the point?
Date: Thursday, October 15, 1992 at 12:07:00 pm CDT

[diplomatic intro ;) deleted]
>...it
>seems to me, to put together heavy metal and the Bible is definitely a safe
>recipe to reach those Christian people who *would* listen to Metal, but get
>labeled as "weird" and "immoral" if they do. In other words, this sounds more
>like a commercial manoeuvre than a musical need to me...

yeah, i've listened to "christian" metal for several years, and i think the
attitude varies from band to band, or maybe label to label.  i'm not sure
what you mean by "musical need", but this is how it works for me:  sometimes
my praise to god comes out my excitement for him and what he is doing in my
life.  metal can be very exciting, *fun*, and, as sonia said, powerful.  the
connection is quite natural for me.  i'm sometimes frustrated by some
traditional and even contemporary praise music that lacks energy.  (of course,
there are moods in which quieter, more "reverent" music makes more sense, but
we'd digress.)

on the other hand, the lyrics can often be simplistic to the point of being
silly.  just like the discussions on allmusic, you gotta wade through a lot
of noise to find somthing you feel is significant.  so, yeah, there are
probably lots of "christian" metal bands who are in it for the fad, or maybe
for commercial reasons.  however, someone who's in it for the money will be
severely disappointed, since the best of the best have, from what i
understand, little hope of doing much more than making a living.  barren cross
is a classic example.

>        So -- I would like to know how actually widespread is this kind of mu-
>sic, and which are the "official" reactions to it. Honestly, I find it funny
>to think of a band dressed up like Guns'n'Roses singing "The Lord is my Shep-
>herd...". Can you send your opinions?
>

well, i don't think the u.s. government has an office of "official" musical
reactions (though it might be part of clinton's platform -- it's so hard to
tell ;) ;) ).  seriously, christian metal is pretty underground.  it's hard to
get information about it, and even if you search the dial you can't find much
on the radio.  stations with "christian" formats usually won't play it because
of "devil's music" kinds of attitudes (either among programmers or listeners),
and other stations won't play it because of its message.  that's my
experience, at least.

there is a church in (where else?) california that is the home of many
christian metal bands.  they have been able to incorporate the music into
their ministry, and they reach a lot of kids and help them turn their lives
around.  does that make it widespread?  i dunno...

since you metion it, and since this is a form of music that can be really hard
to get into (cause there's no small supply of *bad* xian metal), i'll list a
couple of my favorite artist/cd pairs.  please note that these are *pairs*.
some of these bands have other releases that are, in most anyone's ho, lousy.

   bride              --live to die--
      check out the guitar - it's a wide departure from the "traditional"
      metal style.  particularly _in the dark_.  awesome work; very "jazzy".
   whitecross         --whitecross--
      some really good material, and oh, do these guys look like dweebs
      from mars or what?  good music, though.  brightest: _enough is enough_
   x-sinner           --get it--
      simple but really contagious music
   stryper            --yellow & black attack--
                      --soldiers under command--
      actually, y&ba has been remixed by some bubblegum producer and made
      into a full lp, so soldiers is a better entry point.  but if you can
      get y&ba on ep (that old vynal monster rears its ugly head!), do it.
   messiah prophet    --master of the metal--
   trouble            --psalm 9--
      i had a friend who only listened to iron maiden, metallica, and some
      helloween.  he would never shut up about how much he just absolutely
      thought maiden was the most killer band ever.  i played _assasin_ for
      him from this cd, and he actually stopped moving his jaw and listened.
      "whoa," he said, "what was the name of this band again?" :)  don't
      misunderstand me, they don't sound like maiden. (much better imho)
   vengeance rising   --???--
      i've forgotten the title of their first cd.  it was when their name was
      simply "vengeance", and it is truly radical, both musically and
      lyrically.  this guys growls more than sings -- it's a neat effect.
   holy soldier       --holy soldier--
      this may not be the right title, but i'm referring to their first cd.
      i've heard that their second is good, too, but i haven't actually heard
      *it* yet.

well, i'll probably think of more as soon as i hit the send key.



lee

ps.  i've not paid much attention to this genre lately.  there's so much risk
involved in buying cds i've never heard, and they're so hard to find that you
usually pay $15 for them when you find a store that carries them.  if anyone
else is up to speed, i'd be glad to trade info.