While the writers of the Bible surely were not aware of metal music, they were certainly aware of the power of song. Music has always been an integral part not only of faith, but of humanity. Music is a powerful messenger of ideas, but also of emotions. While often dismissed as merely “angry noise,” heavy metal is a multi-faceted and important part of the modern-day music world. Metal music is incredibly multi-faceted, with hundreds of different subgenres. Furthermore, metal music is important to society because it embodies rebellion against oppression, the status quo, and the “system.” This rebellion is needed because it points out the faults in our society. It shows the pain and suffering of the world and prompts listeners into action to fix it.
Regardless of its significance, metal music is a genre that is filled with stereotypes, the most popular being that all metal music is anti-Christ and anti-church. While certain metal bands, such as the misnomer Lamb of God, market themselves as opposed to the church and its values, many other metal acts are neutral or even support the teaching of the Christian faith through their lyrics and the meanings of their songs. Thus, Christianity and metal music are not innately opposed to each other. Metal music can of course go against the teachings of the Bible, as can any other pop-culture medium, but it does not necessarily do so. While many of the devices that metal music uses can be misinterpreted by listeners who are searching for these evil messages, the stereotypical image of metal music as inherently satanic is uninformed. There are many misconceptions about the true meaning of metal music that feed this false image. This article will explore why these misconceptions exist, demonstrating that anti-Christian values are not inherent to the genre.
2112, an album released by the Canadian band Rush in 1976, helped define progressive metal as a genre with its title track, “2112.” Filled with impressive musical movements and poetic lyrics, it describes the overthrowing of a futuristic oppressive regime through the power of music.[1] This story of hope and struggle for equality is one that exemplifies the values of the Christian faith and that is displayed throughout the Bible, from Exodus to Mary Magdalene. The album cover, however, depicts a large red pentagram. While at first glance this could raise alarms about the true meanings of the music, the symbol is not being glorified but rather symbolizes the futuristic oppressive regime and its evil. Critics of metal music often misunderstand the meaning of the seemingly dark and evil culture surrounding the genre. In this case, the dark symbol is not a glorification of evil, but rather simply a description of it. In the same way that Dante’s Inferno describes in great detail the many rings of Hell, yet is not considered blasphemous, metal music is often used to describe the evil that exists in the world, such as war, oppression, and darkness, without celebrating it.
To be able explore these topics of suffering and injustice, metal music bands must thoroughly describe them in full detail, not to glorify them, but to expose their horrors. For example, the song “One” by Metallica follows the true story of a young man who lost his limbs, sight and hearing during World War I. Filled with poetic lyrics describing the feeling of the victim’s entrapment in his own body, as well as jarring musical elements such as snare drums made to sound like machine gun fire, the song allows the listener to understand the horrors and unholiness of war.[2] Much of metal music does not aim to applaud these horrors, but rather to bring them into public light. The band System of a Down, led by the Armenian Serj Tanikan, often uses its music to discuss the atrocities committed during the Armenian genocide. The band uses violent lyrics, loud screaming vocals, and powerful instrumentation to reflect the pain and long-lasting effect these atrocities had on the people of Armenia. They recently released a single, “Protect The Land,” to raise money for the people of Armenia after the start of the war with Artsakh and Azerbaijan. The lyrics sing the appreciation and praise of the Armenians who stay and fight for their country despite the ownership dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The song features the lyrics:
Some were forced to foreign lands
Some would lay dead on the sand
Would you stay and take command?[3]
These lyrics speak of the pain of the Armenian people who were forced to leave their native land, or even killed, not only in modern times, but dating back to the Armenian Genocide in 1915. The final line is a call to action, not just for the Armenian people, but for the world.[4] The lyrics seem to ask: will you join the cause and help the people of Armenia, not just from the oppression they are facing, but from the potential genocide that they fear is imminent? This example is the paragon of how metal music, while depicting brutality and death, can be used as a call to action for people to fix these problems and fight for peace.
War has been a frequent topic of metal songs, even from its earliest stages. Black Sabbath was one of the earliest metal bands to reach widespread popularity. One of their hits, “War Pigs” was created in response to the Vietnam War. This song is filled with religious imagery, describing how politicians and those who promote war will one day face the consequences of their actions on their Judgement Day. The song ends with the following lyrics:
Day of Judgment, God is calling
On their knees, the war pigs crawling
Begging mercies for their sins
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings[5]
These lyrics are a criticism of the war and a statement that the “war pigs” who promote and benefit from war are sinners who will be cast into eternal damnation. This song could even be viewed as a praise of God’s justice, and his wrath against the sinners who did not follow his teachings and treat their fellow man with love. One could argue that since these war pigs are “begging mercy” that they should be forgiven for their sins. Listening to the song shows that the begging is not regret over what they did, but fear of God’s wrath and justice. The last line shows that they are doomed to damnation and eternity in Hell due to their evil and selfish choices, and that is why they are “begging mercy.” The song is specifically criticizing the Vietnam War and the many humanitarian atrocities committed during the conflict. The bassist of Black Sabbath, Geezer Butler, upon hearing claims that his band was Satanic stated that “War Pigs [Generals in the Vietnam War] are the real Satanists.”[6] This statement, though inflammatory, sums up what the band was trying to do with this song. It was not praising the death and violence of war but condemning it.
The band’s name, Black Sabbath, also offers religious interpretation. Critics could argue that simply the name of the band is blasphemous, criticizing the day the Lord set aside for rest. The name is from the horror film released in 1963. The band decided on the name due to their fascination that people would pay money to be frightened. It became a sign of rebellion, a countering of the pop-culture norm of turning away from the dark and gruesome facts of the world. It then broadened, becoming a statement of rebellion against the “establishment.” [7] The church is often linked in with the “establishment” or the structure of society that continues to oppress the lower class and less fortunate.
Due to the history of corruption in the church, it has often been an agent of oppression in the past. This historical image of the church is often used as a symbol of oppression and the overpowering establishment, colonialism being one of the most recent examples. The Christian faith, especially Catholicism, was often used as justification for the horrific actions that occurred during this period. More recently, in 2023, Pope Francis formally repudiated the actions taken by the Catholic Church during colonialism and formally apologized to the indigenous communities that were destroyed by invaders who committed atrocities in the name of the Christian faith. Pope Francis stated that “Never again can the Christian community allow itself to be infected by the idea that one culture is superior to others, or that it is legitimate to employ ways of coercing others.”[8] Despite the fact that the church has condemned its corrupt past and has stated that their actions went against the teaching of the Catholic faith, this oppressor church image is still one that has a grip on pop culture. Metal music, by definition, is an act of rebellion, a turn from conventional music and often a statement as anti-status quo. Many of the seeming criticisms of religion that people see in metal music are simply a criticism of this historical corrupt hierarchy, not the teachings of the church. Even in the more extreme examples of bands who are blatantly anti-Christian, it is fair to assume that the members of these bands are not evil and do in fact possess morals and a genuine concern for others, despite the lyrics of much of their music. This can be proven through the charitable work that many metal bands do. Metallica, Pierce the Veil, Godsmack, and Cannibal Corpse are just some examples of bands that raise millions for charitable causes, especially those dealing with mental health.[9] They are not criticizing morals and “love of neighbor,” the pillars of the church; rather, they are criticizing the historical organization of the church, which often sadly played the role of the oppressor. While in the Catholic faith this could be interpreted as blasphemous, it is not a criticism of the religion, but a criticism of the historical organization—not criticizing the teachings of the modern church, but using the historical image of the church as a symbol for powerful organizations around the world that, unlike the modern church, oppress people.
Another way metal music is often misunderstood is through the lack of listeners’ understanding of the sardonic tones of the music. Many metal bands use satire to the fullest. System Of A Down is a band that defines itself by satire, with their absurd lyrics and sardonically named album, “Steal this album!”[10] They truly use satire as a means of social commentary, and this is a frequent technique in metal music that can often be taken in the wrong light. Bands use satire to bring shock to their listeners. Western cultures tend to view the church as a symbol of light and peace, so the juxtaposition of it with such dark themes is used to create this shock factor. While this could be viewed as mocking the church, it should not. It is simply trying to create a shocking contrast. An example of this can be found in the song Toxicity, which features the lyrics:
Somewhere between the sacred silence and sleep
Disorder, disorder, disorder[11]
These lyrics use the words sacred and then juxtapose it with the repetition of “disorder.” This is not condemning the ‘sacred’ part, but rather using the word “sacred” to increase the impact of disorder. Bands that do this are not going against the teachings of the church, but rather trying to shock the listeners into realization of the horror of the dark topics they explore. This satirical use of the church obviously has its limits. Ghost, for example, is a band that satirizes the Catholic church to the point where it no longer is being used as a musical device. During live shows, their lead singer is dressed like a dark pope, featuring an upside down cross and their lyrics often feature a seeming adoration of Satan. These symbols are no longer being used as a means of satire, but rather as a direct criticism of the church. While some groups cross the line of blasphemy in their use of religious imagery, a blanket term of blasphemy cannot just be applied to every metal band.[12]
Every one of these explanations as to what metal music does in relation to faith has lines that can be crossed. This genre of music, just like any other genre, has some artists who simply go against the teachings of the Christian faith. More importantly, it is a rich and complex expression of emotion that cannot be reduced to stereotypes and unfounded assumptions. Music, at its most basic definition, is an expression of human emotion, and often of the ugly and unpleasant emotions. Just because the emotion is not a positive one does not mean that it should not be addressed and understood. Understanding and processing our emotions is essential to living life in control of our actions, which is important when living by the teachings of Christ. Metal music provides many people an outlet for these emotions, allowing them to live a more peaceful life. Additionally metal music provides a medium for people to stand up and rebel against oppression. Metal music can be viewed as a “devil’s advocate” in society, pointing out flaws and the oppression, and urging us to act against them.
[1] Al Melchior, “We Have Assumed Control: The Otherworldly Meaning of “2112” by Rush,” American Songwriter, February 2, 2024, https://americansongwriter.com/we-have-assumed-control-the-otherworldly-meaning-of-2112-by-rush/.
[2] “One – Metallica,” Genius, https://genius.com/Metallica-one-lyrics.
[3] System of a Down. Protect The Land. November 6, 2020.
[4] Kory Grow, “Hear System of a Down’s First New Music in 15 Years, ‘Protect the
Land’ and ‘Genocidal Humanoidz’,” Rolling Stone, November 6, 2020, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/system-of-a-down-new-songs-protect-the-land-genocidal-humanoidz-1085942/.
[5] Black Sabbath. War Pigs. September 18, 1970.
[6] Nic Fildes, “War Pigs – How Black Sabbath’s song paved the way for heavy metal,” Financial Times, October 12, 2020, https://ig.ft.com/life-of-a-song/war-pigs.html.
[7] Jacob Uitti, “Behind the Name and Meaning of the Band Name: Black Sabbath,” American Songwriter, November 9, 2022, https://americansongwriter.com/behind-the-meaning-and-history-of-the-band-name-black-sabbath/.
[8] Bill Chappell, “The Vatican Repudiates ‘The Doctrine of Discovery,’ which was used to justify colonialism,” National Public Radio, March 30, 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/03/30/1167056438/vatican-doctrine-of-discovery-colonialism-indigenous.
[9] Jake Richardson, “14 Rock + Metal Artists That Give Back,” Loudwire, Townsquare Media Inc., updated October 28, 2023, https://loudwire.com/rock-metal-bands-that-give-back/.
[10] System of a Down. Steal This Album. November 26, 2002.
[11] System of a Down. Toxicity. September 4, 2001.
[12] Kelsey Chapstick, “Ghost’s Tobias Forge On Path To Satanism, On Why Jesus ‘Was Kind Of A Chill Dude,’” Revolver, Veeps Inc., December 14, 2018, https://www.revolvermag.com/culture/ghosts-tobias-forge-path-satanism-why-jesus-was-kind-chill-dude/.