The Metal Discourser

"Christian" Rock Music: Christian or Satanic?book excerpt, by Ric Llewellyn, What's Wrong with Christian Rock?
Details the Biblical screens any music must pass before it can be labeled as "Christian", and examines some Satanic influences in metal.

A Burzum Story: Part V - Satanismarticle, by Varg Vikernes, 2005, Burzum.org
Varg Vikernes, a central figure in the black metal community, elaborates a perspective of Satanism outside the context of Judeo-Christian doctrine.

Anti Metalnews article, by Ellis E. Conklin, Los Angeles Times
Talks about 'deprogramming techniques' used to address the perceived problem of metal / punk music preference, advocated by some psychiatrists and organizations such as the Back In Control Training Center.

Band proves too Motley a Crue for Wichitanews article, 1987, Lawrence Journal-World
After much debate, Motley Crue denied permission to host concert at the Kansas Coliseum.

Behemoth Found Innocent (Again) In Bible Tearing Incidentnews article, by Zach Shaw, 2011, MetalInsider.net
After Adam Darski aka Nergal of black metal band Behemoth burned a bible on stage at a concert in Poland in 2007, Darski successfully defended against a lawsuit to which the verdict was appealled and has now successfully defended against the appeal as well.

Black Confessions and Absu-lutionpaper, by Niall Scott, 2009, presented at the "Hideous Gnosis: Black Metal Theory Symposium" in Brooklyn
Submits that a confessionist aspect of black metal, unlike confession in Christian religion, involves not fearful denial of the foreboding weight of metaphysical and existential dilemma but rather transforms the fear into philosophical awe of the universe and into a transcendent type of direct experience of reality.

Black mass or innocent games with Devilarticle, by Darek Kempny, 2008, Metal-Portal.net
In context of prosecution by Polish court of black metal band Gorgoroth for offending Christian sensibilities, talks about Polish opposition towards black metal's darker elements and the extent to which this opposition might be politically motivated.

Boone sticks up for his metal music despite censurenews article, by Mark Brown and Carol McGraw, 1997, Ocala Star-Banner newspaper
Christian singer-personality and icon Pat Boone's weekly television show "Gospel America" was cancelled by Trinity Broadcasting Network on the grounds that Boone created a metal album which contradicts the network's values; Boone says the network didn't get the joke and adds that the lyrics of many metal songs aren't out of synch with Christian values.

Boycott Christian Metal: Metal ideology conflicts with Christian propagandaarticle, 2006, Dark Legions Archive website

Christ and the Heavy Metal Subculturearticle, by Perry L. Glanzer, 2003, Journal of Religion & Society
Argues the debate over the usefulness of H. Richard Niebuhr's typology in Christ and Culture could benefit from the application of sociological methods, analyzes as a case study the findings of a study on a church's interactions with metal subculture, and concludes that Niebuhr's categories are descriptively helpful however some critiques by George Marsden and John Howard Yoder must be considered.

Christian Rock: Blessing or Blasphemy?website section, by Terry Watkins, av1611.org
In-depth section of Dial-the-Truth Ministries website examines contemporary Christian music and argues against metal music.

Christians rally against heavy metal rock concertnews article, 1990, The Prescott Courier
About 125 members of a Christian group carried a large wooden cross and religious pamphlets and preached and sang through a microphone to the people waiting in line for the "Michigan Death Fest I" concert.

Church damaged after anti-rock rallynews article, 1982, The Daily Union newspaper
A few hours after it held an anti-rock rally involving among other things the smashing of records, Topeka church was vandalized.

Costa Rica's Catholic Church Asks Black Metal Band Marduk For Respectnews article, 2010, Blabbermouth.net

Death metal, religion and the socialization of emotionarticle, by Greg Downey, 2010, Neuroanthropology.net
argues the particular mood and emotional posture of metal is parallel to certain Western religious ways of dwelling in the world, particularly Christian ways, and thus the music finds a wide audience in the West and also is specially positioned to subvert religion or offer an alternative

Devil Music and the Great Beast: Ozzy Osbourne, Aleister Crowley, and the Christian Rightarticle, by Christopher M. Moreman, 2003, Journal of Religion and Popular Culture
Compares how Osbourne and Crowley have both been falsely branded as Satanists and uses this as a case study regarding the stance of the Christian Right and the "Satanism Scare" of the 1980s and 90s.

* Devilish Consumption: Popular Culture in Satanic Socializationarticle, by Asbjørn Dyrendal, 2008, Numen
Examines Conservative Evangelical criticism of popular culture for being a recruiting ground for Satanism, how the premises and most conclusions of this criticism are untenable though perhaps not all wrong, and how popular culture, especially horror films and horror-inspired metal music, plays a role in Satanic socialization.

Evangelist raps rock music as hymns to devilnews article, by Cynthia Jones, 1986, The Telegraph
Evangelist David Benoit denounces rock and metal.

Ex-Gorgoroth Frontman's Appearance In Black Metal Musical Generates Controversynews article, 2010, Blabbermouth.net
Opponents are concerned over Gaahl's extremist views such as the condoning of church burnings and question his casting in a theater production that's supported by public financing.

Glen Benton Vs. Bob Larson [Phone Calls]audio recordings, archive.org
Heated phone calls between frontman Glen Benton of Satanic death metal band Deicide and Christian radio and television evangelist Bob Larson, originally broadcast on Larson's "Talk Back" show in 1992; at some points Benton speaks like the devil and attempts to frighten Larson.

Heavy Metal Music and Adolescent Suicidal Riskarticle, by Eric Lacourse, Michel Claes and Martine Villeneuve, 2001, Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Examining the differentiating characteristics—family relationships, social�psychological attitudes, drug use, and suicidal risk—of youth who prefer metal music, who prefer worship music, and who use music for vicarious release, study suggests a metal preference and worshiping doesn't significantly increase the risk of suicide and for girls decreases it.

Heavy metal music banned by collegenews article, Jill Bryce, 1997, The Daily Gazette newspaper
The administration of Siena College in New York banned metal from its college radio station for not fitting with the college's Franciscan tradition; defends its decision on the grounds that it owns the station license.

Hitler and the Occult: Nazism, Reincarnation and Rock Culturepaper, by Suzanne M. Rini, 1995, The Catholic Resource Network

How Pop Music Entered the Churcharticle, by Calvin M. Johansson, 2000, The Christian and Rock Music
Examines the gradual acceptance of pop music into the Christian church, the inadequate evangelical criticism of rock, the influence of secular culture upon the church, and characteristics of the societal worldview allowing rock to flourish such as materialism, amoralism, hedonism and relativism.

India: Heavy Metal album recalled and destroyed because it offends Christiansnews article, 2006, Freemuse.org
Cover art of Slayer's Christ Illusion album depicts Jesus with eye patch and amputated arms, along with decapitated heads littering the background.

Influence of Rock, Hard Rock, Metal, Punk and Alternative on the human mood (my personal experience in it)blog column, by Georgi Dimitrov, 2010, Walking in Light with Christ - Faith, Computing, Diary blog
from a Biblical perspective, discusses negative effects of listening to metal

Inside Rock Musicbook, by Vance Ferrell, 2006, Evolution Facts Inc
From a Christian perspective, denounces rock and metal as spiritually unhealthy.

Lord Satan's Secret Rites: The Creation of Masculinity within Black Metalpaper, by Sanna Fridh, 2010, presented at the third "Heavy Fundametalisms: Music, Metal and Politics" conference in Prague
Explores black metal's similarities with religion, Christianity's influence of 'mextrosexualization' and the feminization of masculinity in modern society, and how Satanism in black metal can be an outlet for men to express their authentic selves.

Mayhem Bassist Undergoes Exorcism On Norwegian National TVnews article, 2011, Blabbermouth.net
As a comment against Christianity, Jørn Stubberud aka Necrobutcher agrees to have an exorcism performed on him by reknown American radio and television evangelist and experienced exorcist Bob Larson; the process appears to have no effect on Stubberud who instead finds the experience humorous and ridiculous (video included).

Metal group, banned from California venue, to visit Vegasnews article, by Jerry Fink, 2008, Las Vegas Sun
Lamb of God banned from performing in forum owned by Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood, California.

* Metal Missionaries to the Nation: Christian Heavy Metal Music, "Family Values," and Youth Culture, 1984-1994article, by Eileen Luhr, 2005, American Quarterly journal

Metallica and the God That Failed: An Unfinished Tragedy in Three Actsarticle, by Paul Martens, 2005, Call Me The Seeker: Listening to religion in popular music
Examines the relationship between Christianity and Metallica, arguing that "notions of sin, guilt, forgiveness and especially evil perpetually haunt Metallica's lyrics, shaping the lyrical corpus into a tragedy".

Nergal Sacked From The Voice Of Poland's Second Seasonnews article, by Zach Shaw, 2011, MetalInsider.net
A judge for the first season of 'The Voice Of Poland' (the Polish version of 'The Voice') on Poland's national television station, Behemoth frontman Adam Darski aka Nergal was let go for the second season as the station was flooded with complaints over his history of anti-Christian stances such as tearing up a Bible on stage.

"No! I Will Not Trust in God"column, by Texe Marrs, 2011, TexeMarrs.com
From a Christian fundamentalist perspective, scathingly denounces the metal music preference of Jared Loughner, a man who went on a shooting rampage in Tucson, Arizona.

Norwegian Black Metal Poetry: From Church-burning Satanism in the 80s to "Innocent" Idolisation of Viking Valuespaper, by Ernst Åge Johnsen, 2006, presented as a guest lecture at Harvard University
Discusses black metal in relation to Old Norse and Viking mythology, nationalism, and European anti-Christian sentiment.

* Post-industrial gothic punk 'n' roll on Route 666: Labeling theory, moral crusades and Marilyn Manson's Dead to the World Tourthesis, by Stephen L. Muzzatti, 2001, York University
Examines how the deviant and criminal status of Marilyn Manson is a socially constructed label resulting from a carefully orchestrated and well organised campaign by moral entrepreneurs of the American political and religious Right.

* Religion: No Sympathy for the Devilcolumn, by Richard N. Ostling, Nina Burleigh and Michael P. Harris, 1990, Time
Discusses a Sunday sermon by New York's John Cardinal O'Connor that denounced metal music and quickly became a media headline grabber.

Rock Music and Culturearticle, by Eurydice V. Osterman, 2000, The Christian and Rock Music
Examines if culture really matters to God when it comes to church music, if God expects his followers to adhere to one particular music style, if the church correctly interprets God's values on worship music, and if rock in church can be legitimately justified as a cultural expression of the African-American heritage.

Rock Music and Evangelismarticle, by Güenter Preuss, 2000, The Christian and Rock Music
Explores whether or not rock can be used in some form to keep youth within the church and to reach out to secular-minded people outside the church.

Rock Music and Occultismarticle, by Bishop Alexander, OrthodoxPhotos.com
From a Christian perspective, argues rock and metal is evil, citing numerous musician quotes including ones referencing feelings of being possessed or channeling something.

Rocketown controversy: Hardcore satanic metal at Christian teen venue Rocketown Halloween weeknews article, by Kathryn Darden, 2009, Examiner.com
People have mixed reactions about The Black Dahlia Murder metal band playing at concert.

Security Pepper-Sprays Audience After Fan Sets Bible On Fire at Swedish Black Metal Band Marduk Show in Los Angelesnews article, 2009, TheDailySwarm.com

Testimony: Brian Welch quits the Band Korn, kicks drugs and chooses God!column, jclondon.com

The Devil's Musicnews article, by Finlo Rohrer, 2006, BBC News Magazine
Looks at metal's use of the 'Devil's Interval', the sinister-sounding tritone musical interval suppressed by the Church in the Middle Ages.

The Force Behind Rockarticle, by Leilani Corpus, 1989, The Forerunner newspaper
From a Christian perspective, discusses the evils of Satanism and sexual perversion in rock / metal.

The Men Who Rejected Jesus Christwebsite page, Jesus-Is-Savior.com
From a Christian perspective, looks at metal in a negative light, using Ozzy Osborne and Marilyn Manson as examples.

The Rock Rhythm and a Christian Responsearticle, by Samuele Bacchiocchi, 2000, The Christian & Rock Music: A Study on Biblical Principles of Music
Explores rock's rhythm and beat in terms of what makes it so appealing and its unique effects on the human mind and body, and argues Christian worship music should be from other musical genres which possess superior balance between melody, harmony and rhythm and which are accordingly more spiritually healthy.

The truth about heavy metaldocument, by Krunoslav �a�ar, HeavyMetal-TtheTruth.com
from a Christian perspective, offers individual examination of numerous metal bands in a negative light

Threats, campaigns and media rage against heavy metal festivalnews article, 2010, Freemuse.org
Opposition in France mounts against the Hellfest.

* Until the Light Takes Usdocumentary, produced and directed by Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell, 2009, Variance Films
Goes behind the highly-sensationalized media reports of "Satanists running amok in Europe" to examine the complex and largely misunderstood principles and beliefs underpinning the metal movement against Christianity and modern culture.

USA: Printing plant refused to print 'satanic' albumnews article, 2007, Freemuse.org
Printing plant refused to print Akercocke's Antichrist album.

USA: Religious lobby groups influence politicians and recording industry & the Marilyn Manson Sagaarticle, 2001, Freemuse.org
Speech given by Nina Crowley at the 1st Freemuse World Conference in 1998 examines how the religious right can attack popular music, using the "Marilyn Manson saga" as a case study.

West Memphis Free! Echols, Misskeley Jr., Baldwin Sprung From Prisonnews article, by Zach Shaw, 2011, MetalInsider.net
Convicted of murder in 1994 based on evidence such as metal music preference which would be entirely inadmissible by today's standards, the West Memphis Three have finally been freed.

Westboro Baptist Church To Picket Ronnie James Dio's Public Memorial Service?news article, 2010, Blabbermouth.net