It’s the most wonderful time of the year! But popular Christmas music can sometimes feel repetitive, and you might already be sick of the Christmas songs playing on the radio.
If you’re looking for something different this season, here is a brief list of songs by Christian metal artists that celebrate Christ’s birth and all the joy that resulted from it.
1."Jingle Bells" - August Burns Red
August Burns Red’s album Sleddin’ Hill is a staple for the Christian metal community during Christmas time. Their instrumental covers of classic Christmas songs bring a new energy to the season. “Jingle Bells” is a song that I have heard over and over again to the point that it began to annoy me. But August Burns Red’s rendition of “Jingle Bells” conveys the joy that is supposed to be felt during Christmas.
2. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" - For Today
For Today’s version of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” combines the traditional chorus of the song with the band’s original lyrics calling for Christ to save us from darkness, creating a heavy and beautiful new Christmas song.
3. "Lowborn" - Wolves At The Gate
“Lowborn” emphasizes the humility in Christ’s birth and compares it to His glory. If you liked this song, I highly recommend you listen to the rest of their EP released last Christmas (also called Lowborn) for more powerful Christmas Christian metal.
4. "Bethlehem" - Theocracy
“Bethlehem” references the story of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35), who, as God promised him, met baby Jesus before dying. The chorus of this song feels so powerful and uplifting -- perfect for not only Christmas, but all year round.
5. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - Fit For A King
Fit For a King’s rendition of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is very atmospheric with hauntingly beautiful vocals, creating a sound made for a peaceful Christmas night.
6. "The Wind" - Demon Hunter
“The Wind” mixes Christmas bells with Demon Hunter’s usual sound. The song describes the feeling of emotional coldness that we often struggle with and try to hide in, especially during the holidays when everything around us seems to be happy.
7. "O Holy Night" - Becoming the Archetype
This version of “O Holy Night” combines the traditional choir vocals with heavy drums, guitars, and screaming vocals for the bridge, reflecting the power of God’s glory in the moment of Christ’s birth. This song, along with a couple others from this list come from the album Midnight Clear by artists from Solid State Records, which is a good album to check out if you want more Christmas Christian metal.
8. "Carol of the Bell (Tower)S" - Project 86
Project 86's take on "Carol of the Bells" keeps the original tune, while changing the lyrics to describe Revelation-esque images of Jesus's Second Coming, resulting in a Christmas song that is a mix of somberness and hope.
Bonus! "Do You Hear What I Hear" - Pillar
This was one of the last songs Pillar released before their hiatus. Even though they are more rock than metal, I included this song to celebrate the band's recent announcement that they are going to perform together at Alive Music Festival next summer.
Have a wonderful Christmas season!