Christian Heavy Metal?

[Josh]

Ok, since I have learned the discipline of self-deprecation, I'm not afraid to start this thread.

Who else is not afraid to fly their ultimate freak flag and identify with one of the Jesus' Movement's rebel step-children?

Much of this music I laugh at now (but still from time to time take for a spin for nostalgia's sake). But some of it I really do credit with some serious spiritual formation in my life.

[meghan]

None of it. I'm too young. I recognize the names, from references, but just never listened. I'm more of a late 90's/early 2000s christian indie girl myself.

[meghan]

wait wait wait! The real question is who used to read HM (Heaven's Metal) back in the day!?

[ryan]

I did read Heaven's Metal a couple of times. I really got into Bride as well as a couple of the artists on the list. I am familiar with the other artists, but I wouldn't necessarily say that I "enjoyed" them. I knew people that got into Bloodgood, but I never heard much. It took me a while to get into Stryper, but I did. They came out with an album recently...I would be curious to hear it sometime.

In my opinion the best "Hard Rock" "Christian" act was King's X. Little known trivia: The bassist/ lead singer - Doug Pinnick and drummer Jerry Gaskill were on Phil Keaggy's Phlip Side album.

[meghan]

Wait- Wasn't King's X like... a cover band that changed lyrics ala Weird Al?

[ryan]

I don't believe that King's X has covered anything except a Jimi Hendrix tune. Their name literally means "King is Christ". They have successfully passed themselves off as a secular band, and a couple of the members have tried to distance themselves from traditional Christianity. Their sound, I would describe as Jimi Hendrix meets the Beatles and perform hard rock alternative.

[Josh]

Bloodgood was my first intro the world of CHM. Not the best, but their album Detonation was like nothing I had ever heard.

As far as standing the test of time, I'd say Deliverance had some quality stuff. They even did a cover of Terry Taylor's "Horrendous Disc" and co-produced an album with him.

Never really got into King's X but a friend of mine had one of their albums.

wait wait wait! The real question is who used to read HM (Heaven's Metal) back in the day!?

Yeah, and was it autographed by Pastor Bob Beeman of the first church of heavy metal (aka the Sanctuary) ;D

[Michael]

Hey Josh, remember this band? Kind of a one-hit non-wonder, but I liked the title track. Plus the album cover artwork was really cool to a Christian teenage kid in the late 80's! I was playing this for my kids, and I think they had a hard time believing I used to like this kind of music....

[stevekimes]

I really used to like Bride as well as Bloodgood. Stryper had a couple songs I liked.

Later I found that most metal bored me. Daniel Amos and Pink Floyd were a lot more interesting to me.

[Michael]

Yeah, even in my teenage years, I actually would tire of heavy metal after a few songs. Then I'd go back to mellower stuff. As a forty year old today, I have a difficult time even getting through one song!

[stevekimes]

The funny thing is that I find a lot of 80's metal to be pretty tame compared to some of the music I listen to now. Nirvana-, U2- and Radiohead-influenced bands are a lot more intense (and interesting) than most of the old metal. There are some Switchfoot songs that run rings around the "hard" metal of yesteryear. And some of the newer worship bands like So Long Forgotten blow them all away.

[ryan]

I misspoke when I said that members of King's X were on Phlip Side. I am still pretty certain that they were on a Keaggy album somewhere. I have been getting into a Holy Soldier album lately. I've had it for a while, but never really played it. They had kind of a Whitesnake meets Queensryche.

[Josh]

What Holy Soldier album- first vocalist or second?

[ryan]

I was referring to their first album "Holy Soldier". Upon further listening over the last week or so, I hear a lot of influences.