“What are you listening to?”
I remove my earbuds and answer, “Umm ... Demon Hunter. They’re a Christian metal band.”
“Christian metal?!”
Whenever I tell people I like to listen to Christian rock and metal (CR+M, as I call it), I usually get confused looks, which is followed by me giving a rushed explanation of why my music choice isn't weird. Because of this, I used to feel embarrassed of my music choice when I was younger. When people asked me about my favorite artists, I would name a more mainstream band to avoid the awkwardness and confusion that came with explaining what I actually listened to.
The Dilemma of Christian Rock and Metal
Society tends to view the word Christian as an opposite to rock and metal. Beliefs of metal music being satanic and the stereotype of Christian music consisting of only church hymns and worship songs contribute to this confusion. So, many Christians and non-Christians have trouble recognizing the idea that rock and metal music can be used to talk about and glorify God.
Over the past couple decades, genres of Christian music outside of hymns and worship music have been more accepted. However, CR+M, especially metal, is still looked over.
Christian rock and metal face a unique challenge compared to other genres of Christian music. CR+M faces a dilemma of being too religious for secular rock radio stations and too heavy for Christian radio stations, making it hard for the genre to get exposure.
For example, my city has a radio station for CCM and a station for Christian hip hop and rap. Yet, CR+M is still left out. And the Dove Awards (Christian music’s largest award ceremony) don’t even give out an award relating to Christian metal and didn't announce the rock-related awards on the ceremony broadcast this year.
But there is some hope for exposure. Streaming has helped increase exposure to CR+M, especially in my life. And Christian rock and metal bands are often included in both Christian music festivals and secular rock and metal festivals, giving them the chance to reach a wider variety of listeners.
What Makes Christian Rock and Metal Different
Traditional worship music tends to have its own distinct sound when compared to other music genres. However, Christian rock and metal is not stylistically different from secular rock and metal, so it can be hard to tell them apart on a first listen.
The key difference between Christian rock and metal and secular rock and metal is in the lyrics. Christian rock and metal tend to have lyrics that are more uplifting and that mention God or themes such as spiritual warfare, the struggle against sin, and nonconformity to the ways of the world.
Some bands are very direct with their Christian messages, but other bands are more subtle with their lyrics, like saying “You” when referring to God, in order to attract secular listeners too. (I’d argue that a lot of modern Christian pop songs have been doing this too lately.)
Yet, the Christian messages of these songs remain the same. But this subtleness can make it harder for listeners to see these songs as Christian if they don’t listen closely to the lyrics.
More Than Noise
To help clear away the misconceptions surrounding Christian rock and metal, More Than Noise will post weekly content that shows that CR+M are just as valid as other genres of music. I will dive into the lyrics of Christian rock and metal songs that shows how they reflect messages relating to Christianity. I will also discuss different bands and share songs that have impacted my faith journey.
Most of my posts will focus on Christian hard rock and metalcore since those are the subgenres I listen to the most.
I believe that Christain rock and metal is more than noise. It has the power to impact and change the lives of those who listen.