The hilarity and serious value of Christian metal bands

I figured I should listen to more metal that I haven't heard before so I've been going through youtube and wiki lists of Christian metal bands and while watching some videos, I realized, the whole idea of a Christian metal band is quite hilarious in one sense, and important on the other. Hilarious because metal in itself is so over the top, with its darkness and brutal sound and cookie monster vocals, it just becomes funny. I really hope no metal band takes itself too seriously. Personally, all the theatrics of it all makes metal for fun though of course you can have more serious messages if you want but there will always be a funny element to it all. That's part of why I like metal and dressing goth and such. It's nice to poke fun at yourself sometimes, knowing you have a dark part in your heart but also making fun of the melodramatic-ness of it. Mix all that with the seriousness of being Christian and you get a really ironic I don't know what to call it. I think it's a good mix though because a lot of Christians need to lighten up a bit. Which also leads me to the value of Christian metal. Some Christians still think rock is the child of the devil and that kind of logic condemns art in general. Nearly anything can be used for God's glory and/or for Satan's desires. Music is one of these things. Just because it looks and sounds dark doesn't mean it's evil duh. Same thing for people in general. Christian metal is a great outlet for metalheads like me who get sick of hearing about raping saints in the music we happen to enjoy stylistically (see Dimmu Borgir) and it can get us to laugh and vent our emotions in a positive way and it can carry the Good News to those who would've never heard it otherwise. I am quite sure that Jesus appreciates Christian metal!

Haha! A picture of unblack metal band Frost Like Ashes just for amusement. Their music is not too bad either.

Antestor tabs now available on dropbox!

Finally a better way to share them with everyone! I've tabbed Via Dolorosa, Rites of Death, Med Hevede Sverd and Old Times Cruelty in gp5 and pdf with seperate files for different tracks:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7lcnpdk2v2t42lo/A4V-SikWSw

Feel free to leave feedback.

Via Dolorosa tab finished!

I finally finished my fourth Antestor tab as usual in guitarpro and pdf format! There are 2 tracks since there's 2 guitars playing but I put most of the parts in the 1st track just to keep it simple for reading and playing. I also tabbed the little keyboard part in the middle-ish just for fun. As usual Antestor transforms simple chord progressions and melodies into haunting emotions. I think I'll tab As I Die next since it was requested before and it's such a great song. And to keep reiterating, I will eventually tab the whole album. I'm getting there slowly but surely!

gp5 format:
http://uploading.com/files/6d472bb6/Via%2BDolorosa.gp5/

pdf format:
track 1:
http://uploading.com/files/21maef8a/Via%2BDolorosa_Antestor%2528acmjddotblogspotdotcom%2529.pdf/

track 2:
http://uploading.com/files/3dbf8cma/Via%2BDolorosa_Antestor_track2%2528acmjddotblogspotdotcom%2529.pdf/

Enjoy!

updated Antestor tab links

I'm not much of a whiz at internet things so this is the best I can come up with in terms of uploading stuff. I'll try to keep them active or just update again... Enjoy!

-Med Hevede Sverd:
gp5 file: http://uploading.com/files/371c84ea/Med%2BHevede%2BSverd.gp5/

pdf file: http://uploading.com/files/351138ae/Med%2BHevede%2BSverd_Antestor%2528acmjddotblogspotdotcom%2529.pdf/

-Old Times Cruelty:
gp5 file: http://uploading.com/files/3cadbc9d/Old%2BTimes%2BCruelty.gp5/

pdf track 1 file: http://uploading.com/files/1b2c92c7/Old_Times_Cruelty_track1%2528acmjddotblogspotdotcom%2529.pdf/

pdf track 2 file: http://uploading.com/files/93d95df2/Old_Times_Cruelty_track2%2528acmjddotblogspotdotcom%2529.pdf/

-Rites of Death:
gp5 file: http://uploading.com/files/c98dm6b9/Rites%2Bof%2BDeath%25282%2529.gp5/

pdf file: http://uploading.com/files/d4e523cb/Rites%2Bof%2BDeath_Antestor%2528acmjddotblogspotdotcom%2529.pdf/

-Via Dolorosa
gp5 file: http://uploading.com/files/6d472bb6/Via%2BDolorosa.gp5/

pdf file track 1: http://uploading.com/files/21maef8a/Via%2BDolorosa_Antestor%2528acmjddotblogspotdotcom%2529.pdf/

track 2: http://uploading.com/files/3dbf8cma/Via%2BDolorosa_Antestor_track2%2528acmjddotblogspotdotcom%2529.pdf/

starting again on Via Dolorosa tab

This tab seriously won't take too long in itself but I haven't been working on it at all. Been too busy trying to stay sane and sober but I will have more time soon since my daily treatment will end either this week or next. I still intend to tab the whole album in its awesomeness.

Crazy list of Christian metal bands

Wow, I think this is the most extensive list of bands I've ever seen thus far. It's so long I can't really re-post it here but here's the link. I'm also saving it to my computer should it ever disappear!
http://christianmetal.hyves.nl/blog/29186294/Christian_Metal_List/-xVD/

For Christian lovers of Art

So very often, sincere Christians ask themselves and each other what is ok to listen/watch/look at and what isn't? We had a great guest speaker a couple weeks ago who touched on that subject at church. Short answer: depends. Does the song/movie/TV show etc. bring your heart closer to God or further away? We definitely have to be careful of what we consume but of course, everyone is different. There could be an R rated movie with shocking scenes but it's plot is about redemption or certain elements remind you of Jesus' character or you marvel at how well made it is as a whole or just at the wonderful backdrops or costumes or how well it unfolds human nature. Alright, it could be ok for you. Maybe someone of an older generation wouldn't see these things and just find it traumatizing. Then it's not ok for them. Even if Bambi wrenches your heart so much that you question God's goodness, then maybe you should avoid it.
For me personally with music, it's definitely important for me to purposely listen to some lyrically positive songs, whatever genre it doesn't matter. I know if I listen to NIN too long or some of silverchair's Freakshow when I'm in a good mood, it'll eventually drag me down and I know God wouldn't be happy about that. On the other hand, when I'm already in a bad mood, it can help to know others can feel the same way as me. But I've still got to sprinkle in some more upbeat tunes. For metal in general, I think enjoying the skill required to play it well is similar to enjoying God's skill in creating the beautiful things in nature. In the end, the best is to pray to God about it and listen/watch for His guidance for your own particular heart.

Theocracy ain't that bad afterall...

I accidentally listened to Theocracy's Mirror of Souls the other day and discovered them to be better than I initially thought they were. They're still not in my preferred metal genres and generally I just don't enjoy 80's hair metal style music but these guys do it so well with beautiful harmonies and solid songwriting. In fact, they remind me alot of X-Japan... And their lyrics, oh their lyrics! Someone in the group is really good at writing proper poems!
I think Laying the Demon to Rest can be applied to my situation these days. I'm definitely in the middle of spiritual warfare and this describes it well.

Theocracy - Laying the Demon to Rest

As I sit alone and tired, with time to spare
Temptation rears its ugly head
Born from a deceptive dream into a nightmare
It calls to me again
Testing me to see if I will break this time
Or at least how far I'll bend
I can see its glowing eyes and hear its evil cries"Come dance with me, my friend..."

So, the things that I want to do
I find myself not doing
but the things that I don't want to do
I fall into - Why?
Why do we struggle with the former things and
live in our own power below our means?
War
Don't you understand this is war?
War with the principalities and powers
Things unseen that would devour us all
The spirit battles the flesh
And now my wounds are deep
and torn wide open
I'm tired and weary, hurt and broken down

Lead us not
Into temptation
But deliver us
From the evil one
Darkness falls
On my spirit again
Again temptation calls
I can hear it

As the battle rages on and on
I face the things that put my faith to the test
When fallen angels won't leave me alone
Father, come and lay the demon to rest
When my sword has broken off in my hand
I see the dark futility of the flesh
When I'm about to fall, please help me stand
Father, come and lay the demon to rest

They're on my back
I run, but I can feel their talons
digging in my flesh
Blood trickles down upon the earth
And I grow weaker with each breath
Each time I shake one off
another wraps its teeth around my neck
And every time, the one, the thorn is there
To tear me down again
The angels counterstrike
Their flaming swords slice through the fallen ones
The demons reunite, attack again
The cycle has begun
Caught in the middle of this present darkness with nowhere to run
We're in a holy war
As it is written, so shall it be done
Where there's a will, there's a way, they say
But sometimes my will seems to get in the way
So You will have to fight for me today

I especially relate to the last 3 lines. It's incredibly frustrating when it's your will that is the problem. We truly need God's love to be victorious.
I am most impressed with their 22 minute long song: Mirror of Souls. It's an enjoyable song and it's an enjoyable story!

Theocracy - Mirror of Souls

[I. The House Of Mirrors]
Listen to the tale I tell a haunting dream I know so well
When walking home alone one night
my path revealed by candlelight
Ahead I see an open door with no idea what's in store
I glance inside the door to see
a hall of mirrors beckons me
I take a breath and step inside
a tale of love and shattered pride
The door slams shut, I start to run
And it seems my journey has begun...
I run and turn from side to side
with fear and panic in my eyes
The vastness overwhelming me
mirrors far as the eye can see
I see myself in every one
I see the things that I have done
A thousand forms of flattery
the fear soon turns to haughtiness in me
Different mirrors, different shapes
my different strengths accentuate
Each mirror has a name and face
and all reflect me in some way
I look at them to see myself
to judge my life by someone else
The metaphors within replete:
the mirrors are the people that I meet
Look at the man you see - in the mirrors
The things you can be - in the mirrors
The glory of me revealed in the mirror's eye
The mirror never lies
The fire in my eyes - in the mirrors
The vanity rise - in the mirrors
The power of pride comes alive in the mirrors
Gazing in the mirrors I behold
All the greatest chapters of my story ever told
In the mirrors
The world is turned to gold

At the end of the Hall of Mirrors
I behold a golden door
I imagine all the beauty
the other side must hold in store
So I quickly reach out my hand
To enter the next room in this promised land
I pull the giant door open
To continue my journey, I step inside
But it slams shut behind me, and I'm back outside
The pouring rain welcomes me into the arms of the coldest, blackest night

[II. The Stranger In The Storm]
The light of the mirrors has faded away into distant memory
As the rain keeps coming down
My candle extinguished
I struggle to walk a path I cannot see
And the rain keeps coming down
The darkness grows with every step
I could cut it with a knife
As the rain keeps coming down
I can't see a thing and I've never felt so alone in all my life
But the rain keeps coming down...
Caught in the fury of the storm
(The darkness suffocates)
Body and soul weary and worn
(Another twist of fate)
Never been so afraid before
(The ending of this tale?)
Never should have opened the door
(From euphoria to hell)
I question my fate, my end
to die in this storm
Maybe this was the plan
back from the day I was born
But in the hall of mirrors I had felt so high
I cannot walk another mile in this flood
So resigned to my fate, I just collapse in the mud
If I cannot go on, I'll just lay down and die
Suddenly a light I see, shining in the distance
I make my way toward it with my fading hope reborn
As I draw near, the light is clear
Though the rain beats its resistance
But I press on and pray this is a shelter from the storm
Advancing now toward the light
I'm quickly moving forward
This hope has given me new strength
I thought I'd never know
But I take a step, and fall right back
For the ground's gone beneath me
And I behold, illuminated in the light's warm glow
A dark chasm, a great abyss
A vast expanse of nothingness
A pit that has no bottom as far as the eye can see
It spans the whole horizon, and there is no way across
My lonely heart is shattered and all hope I had is lost
I'm startled to feel a hand on my shoulder
I turn to see a shadowed figure standing in the rain
But somehow I'm not afraid of him
Even when he speaks my name
And somehow I can tell that he means me no harm
Just by the peace that I see in his eyes
And even though I've never even seen him before
It's like he's known me all my life
"Why are you crying?" the stranger asks
As I wipe away the tears
I point toward the great abyss
The source of all my fears
"I must get across and get to that light
For it represents my only hope tonight
But when I saw the chasm, all that hope was lost
I've spent so long in the dark and the rain
That the sight of the light made my heart sing again
But the gulf's so wide, and there's no way across"
The stranger smiled, and took my hand
He said, "But you are wrong, my friend
You cannot cross the gulf yourself, that's true"
He led me down toward the edge
And pointed just over the ledge
And said, "Behold, I built a bridge for you"

I cross the bridge toward the light
The stranger saved my life tonight
I turn to try to thank him, but he's gone
A long way to the other side
I'll make my way without my guide
No time to waste, for I must carry on
The bright light shines forth from behind
A door beyond description
Blood and scratches mark the door from ages of abuse
I'm confused no more, for above the door
Is a weathered, old inscription
"All who would see reality, enter the Hall of Truth"
And so I do

[III. The Truth Revealed]
As I step inside
I can see another mirror
A mirror so bright
That my eyes must turn away
A mirror so high
I start to question all the others
And as I stand there in the Hall of Truth
my heart can only say:"Show me the truth, I don't know what to believe
For the mirrors all showed something different to me
And my pride has given way to misery
I've spent so long in the dark and the rain
That the sight of the light made my heart sing again
And the stranger built a bridge across for me"
"BEHOLD THYSELF" a voice rings out
in paralyzing thunder
It echoes all throughout the hall
and sends me to my knees
When the voice calls my name
I'm overcome with fear and wonder
As I slowly start to rise
and face the great mirror in front of me
When I open my eyes, I have to close them again
But still the image is burned into my mind...
A face with eyes as black as night
A terrifying sight
The flesh rotting away in sickness and decay
It's mangled by disease
I'm unable to breathe
Tell me what manner of creature this could be
'Cause it's not me
I run away as fast as my feet will carry me
Back to the door leading into the night
Even the storm that almost claimed my life
was better than this
And so I throw open the door and see a man
(The figure of a man)
The stranger from the storm returns again
(To save me once again?)
I see understanding in his eyes
(He's seen this all before)
Maybe he can tell me what I saw behind that door
"Tell me what I saw in the mirror
Before I ran away
Tell me what I saw in the mirror
That face of sickness and decay
Tell me what I saw in the mirror
That left me terrorized
With the lifeless, blackened eyes?
Was it a demon
From the fiery waves?
Was it the undead from beyond the grave?
Oh the face that I beheld in the mirror left me paralyzed
Won't you tell me what I saw in the mirror on this night?"
"The light from the mirror you saw from afar
The Mirror of Souls shows all men as they are
You entered the hall and you asked for the truth
The man that you saw in the mirror was you"
"No! Don't show me the truth
'cause I don't want to believe
What the Mirror of Souls has revealed unto me
And the face I saw reflected cannot be me
Dying and lost in the arms of decay
I do not recognize the face I've seen today
And if you say that's my face I must disagree"
The meaning of these things I saw:
The mirror is the holy eyes of God
The truth unveiled before me
with these words of the stranger:
"The mirrors you saw in the hall long ago
Were mirrors of lies, not reflecting the soul
When you look unto others to see what they see
You see an illusion, deception, false reality"
I have seen my soul in the mirror
And it has broken me
I have seen myself so much clearer
Than I had ever seen
"Can't you take away all this sickness
from my soul and set me free?
You can save me...I believe"
And then he said, "Arise, my child
our faith has made you reconciled
Now gaze into the Mirror once again"
We walked together through the door
And I looked in the glass once more
But the only one reflected back was him
Somehow the only one in the mirror saw was him
Gazing in the Mirror of my Soul
Staring at the man who took my place
and made me whole
In the Mirror
The Mirror of my Soul

I think that's an awesome metaphor for life and conversion. I feel like I've experienced most of the poem except the very end. I still have a hard time truly believing in my heart that Christ has took my place and freed me I guess.

more metal shows

To brighten up my recent posts I should just mention what concerts I'm looking forward to attending:
1. Children of Bodom!!! Oh my gosh I am SUPER excited for this one. I can't believe they're coming back so soon and this time they're headlining which means alot more songs will be played! I can't wait to drool over Alexi's guitar riffs and good looks.

2. Dragonforce! I actually haven't heard all that many songs from them but their guitarists are pretty fast so I figure that's something worth seeing: if they can actually play that fast and crazily live.

3. Killswitch Engage and Protest the Hero! Killswitch Engage has a few songs that I like and they're Christian so it'll be my first time seeing a Christian metal band live which is cool. Plus I want to support my fellow Christian metalheads by going. Protest the Hero is a good band too. Their specific metal genre is not my favorite but I like the frenetic feel of their songs and their guitar parts.

I'll talk about these shows as they come up. They're definitely not happening anytime too soon but whatever, I'm still excited.

Finally some Christian metal I really like

One thing that has made me really happy these days is that I finally really like some Christian metal! It took me a while to weed through all that metalcore/screamo junk mostly coming from the US and I had to listen to some albums over again for them to grow on me.
But the ultimate best band that I love now is Antestor. They are unblack/white metal and they kick the asses (musically-speaking) of other popular black metal groups like Dimmu Borgir who I thought were the best of the genre before. They've got the ear-splitting combo of fast riffs, growling and blast beats that I love and they've also got beautiful, lamenting keyboard and acoustic guitar parts with the occasional female soprano voice which makes the whole musical package awesome. The lyrics are unusual for Christian bands generally in that they deal with very dark, depressing subject matter but they maintain a Christian perspective through it all.
Plus, they make me laugh with their over-the-top visual theatrics (they're as bad/funny as their secular counterparts) which is an entertaining bonus.


I guess they're pretending to be ancient priests??
Haha I just realized the one on the left looks just like a traditional Korean ghost!


This is how they look at every concert they play. I wish I could see them live!



I just really like this picture

The next Christian metal band I like is Becoming the Archetype. At first I wasn't sure about them because their sound has a tinge of metalcore occasionally but overall, they are definitely death metal which I like. The singer sounds like the guy from lamb of god which is good (and bad since this made me think at first that they were an inferior copycat version) and the guitar parts are simple, yet creative, catchy and heavy. They also have small parts that are slower and acoustic which is a nice brief break from the usual constant sonic barrage.

I've also given Extol a second chance. At first I thought they were an inferior version of Opeth but that's not quite true after listening to Undeceived a few more times. They've got a good heaviness going with progressive beats but I just got thrown off a bit by the occasional violin they had playing in some songs. I think generally orchestras or whole sections of orchestral instruments are better than individual ones for metal (unless it's folk metal).

on metal and Christianity

I've been thinking for a while now how it works to be Christian and a fan of metal, ie. Christian metalhead, especially death and black metal amongst many other types. Alot of this kind of music have very negative lyrics including extreme violence and satanism. Do these lyrics affect me and am I giving my money to real satanists? It is also worrisome that my choice in music often reflects how I am emotionally.
There is definitely alot of Christian metal out there so I tried out Demon Hunter and Extol, but the former sounds like metalcore which I find boring and Extol was decent but sounded like a not as good version of Opeth. Hopefully I'll find more out there that I will really like.

I don't think the lyrics of black/death metal bands affect me much because of the simple practical fact that it's hard to make out what the singer is saying anyway! But after many listenings I have found I got used to Dimmu Borgir's singer and could eventually understand what he's saying. So, I listen to them a bit less but I find their riffs and melodies so good I don't think I'll ever totally stop. I decided to draw the line at concerts, they came here not so long ago and I decided not to go. The atmosphere was probably not suitable for a Christian.

But I think my biggest reason for continuing to listen to death/black metal (other than the growling, riffs, interesting chord progressions, solos and double-bass drums) is because of human nature. It is rare and difficult for most people to ascribe to ideals (whether Christian or not) seriously, and not just when it is convenient or popular to do so. Most of these bands use dark subject matter as theatrical entertainment and to get attention and sometimes to even poke fun at themselves. Even Dimmu Borgir doesn't mind that on Metalocalypse there's a fast food chain called Dimmu Burger. Their singer even made a voice appearance in the show (I think). And I personally love the over-the-top, cheesy posturing they do. Even the wonderful death growling is powerful but also cookie-monster-like at the same time!

Also, I prefer to hear about people struggling or thinking about the concept of God rather than totally ignoring the idea and singing about 'love', lust and money.

As for the link between the music I listen to and my emotional health, I think my choice in music simply is unconsciously affected by my emotions and not the other way around. But what we choose to focus on is important, afterall Jesus has told us to turn our eyes on him. So, I've got to sing and play more praise songs, like my favorite: Be Thou My Vision. It'll be a struggle since I just don't feel like it these days but I've got to. I'll do it right now!



Dimmu Borgir strutting their silly awesome stuff