Anti-Christian Rhetoric is Getting Old..Is There A Better Way to Shock?
Okay, we get it…you defecate on any image of Christ that you come upon, you create shirts with Nuns masturbating with crosses, you tear bibles up on stage and chuck them along with a bloody sheep head into the audience, and of course, the pentagram is your best tool of anti-Christianity….did I miss anything? I have been a fan of metal long enough to know you don’t have to be a metal fan to realize just how absurd the metal community can get with its anti-Christian rhetoric. Ever since metal began with Black Sabbath, there has always been overtones of evil, Satan, and general anti-Judeo-Christian values to give conception and imagery to a sound that already gave listeners the aural mesmerization of outcast distortion and riffs that were and always have been too much for the mainstream. So why is it 30 plus years later, that the same strategy seems to be so commonplace specifically in the black and death metal communities? Yes, I understand that metal is most prominent in the Western world where Christianity has its stronghold, but this part of the world (Europe in particular) is home to probably the largest percentage of secularists in the world as well (including those who consider themselves non-practicing Christians). 
The bottom line is, the vast majority of metalheads either are comfortable enough with their religious beliefs to listen to the music, are non-believers, or are simply apathetic to the subject. With these belief structures in place combined with a society whose psyche’s are overdosed on a daily basis by a never ending blitzkrieg of world wide violence, sex and international plights, its probably a safe bet to assume that seeing an upside down cross on a t shirt isn’t about to invoke negative/positive reactions unless you are over the age of 60 or under the age of 16. So, again, I pose the question…why do bands continue to try and evoke reactions with something that most feel is utterly sedentary in this day and age?
To give perspective to our readers andmaybe give you some food for thought, I will provide a few anecdotes. This year at the New England Metalfest, Behemoth, a well known anti-Christian band, decided to take its imagery a step further by ripping up a bible on stage and tossing it into the audience. What was the reaction? Laughter and cheers. I don’t know about Behemoth, but I am pretty sure most people weren’t reacting with anti-Christian agreement, but rather of “did that guy just rip up a Bible?” If Behemoth want to maintain an image of evil, anti-religious stage shows, why not rip up a Koran, or rip up a picture of Muhammad? Are they scared? Will their labels kick them out the door? Will they get huge amounts of negative press? I’d say yes on all fronts, and Behemoth knows they are at the crest of breaking out big time and can’t afford to be booted to the corner. However, bands like Gorgoroth pride themselves on defying commercialism and sticking with a strict belief system that is devoutly against organized religion, so how come Ghaal doesn’t start spouting off anti-Jewish lyrics behind his facepaint on stage? Are his anti-religious feelings only towards organized Christianity? Lastly, are there certain subjects that even the kings of proscribed taboo can’t take on because of their inherent repercussions?
I am not telling bands to abandon what has seemingly been a tried and true method of pulling off being “evil” over the years, nor am I demonstrating any personal sentiments of my own, but in an age where shock rock is very difficult to come by, the well trodden path of anti-Christianity is about as controversial as Elvis shaking his hips on The Tonight Show.
Written by CODY
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Comments
Comment from coled24
Time: May 14, 2008, 7:35 pm
You have to think about where most of the bands are from though. I’m not saying its a good thing but Black Metal bands and other bands like Behemoth go after Christianity from a cultural standpoint. Christianity destroyed a lot of culture in their own countries and now its force fed down their throats. Bands like Deicide just do it for shock value.
I disagree that they would be in awe if someone ripped up a Koran or a Torah or some other religious text on stage or damned them in the lyrics. I think most of these bands are against organized religion itself. Christianity just happens to be the largest, easiest target. Even though I don’t like the band, Dimmu Borgir has a universal anti-religion stance, not just Christianity, which is at least doesnt single out any one faith in its bashing. In addition to that, the reason why a lot of these bands prey on Christianity and not other religions is because of history and culture itself. If you go after Jews, you’re an anti-semite and you’re pretty much fucked for your career. They won’t go after muslims out of fear. Look what happened with that whole Danish cartoonist scandal — death threats, national news. And after the big 3 religions, its all small potatoes (no offense).
That said, I think Behemoth is still one of the best bands around. Lyrically its not just “kill christians,” theres actually quite a bit of history and bits of culture (Sumerian culture, New Aeon Philosophy, Aleister Crowley) that don’t get covered in a high school text book. The Christianity thing is just a selling point for rebellious teens. You won’t even see Nergal shoot a priest on stage but I am sure that he has a pretty decent beef with Christianity, and thats his right.
I agree with Carter about having music that provides shock, however why does metal have to shock people for it to be cool? I associate musical shock with more often than not, shitty music. I’d rather it just be good quality music and if it happens to shock some people, then fine, but no band should go out there and trying to make music that will shock people that aren’t fans of it, musically or lyrically. If you do that, you’re basically doing the same thing that a crazy homeless person does when he waves his dick at traffic — just on a far larger stage.
Comment from Nate
Time: May 14, 2008, 8:28 pm
Cole’s got a point when he says that bands who go for shock value typically are trying to cover up the shitty music. It’s like bands that change their sound overnight (Trivium) or put half-naked chick on stage so people have something to distract them from how they can’t make a decent song (Chimaira).
Good article though, Cody. For those bands that don’t believe in what they’re singing about, and merely try to put on a show, most are ridiculous and trite. Some metal shows are cool to see once, like GWAR. Some bands might be cool to see if you’re a masochist, like King Diamond. But as for the over-loaded bandwagon that is anti-Christian metal, there are a lot of bands that truly believe the message, and they use music as a medium to get their thoughts out. It’s usually acceptable, no matter how poorly executed. I just tend to look the other way when it comes to the music I like…because it is all about the music.
Comment from cody
Time: May 14, 2008, 11:58 pm
Cole – Great comment and I generally agree with you. Music and its lyrical/atmospheric content is obviously the most important thing a band can have as artists, or else they would be merely a shell with some guitars and drums thrown in, however, there is also that level of showmanship that is there for shock value. From the very beginning of black metal, bands have been adopting the earliest incarnations of evil personified on stage, but all it boils down to is a heavier, more controversial version of KISS. I personally like the imagery and find that it fits the music, but from the point of view of being a commentator, these things provide very little shock value which inevitably these bands are going for no matter what their beliefs are.
You want to know who the scariest dude in metal is to me? Jon Nödtveidt, founder of Dissection. This man was a devout nihilist and Satanist who created his own order called the Misanthropic Luciferian Order which is still around today. He was involved in a murder, convicted, and then released in 2004 which subsequently caused the reformation of the band in 2004. However, in 2006, Jon committed suicide simply because, as he had stated in previous interviews, he had lived his life to its full potential and that he had nothing else to live for. All reports say he was happy leading up to his eventual suicide. On top of all of this, Dissection very rarely, if ever, dawned facepaint, put on a stageshow, or made anti-Christianity a commercial endeavor.
I am not saying you have to have strong convictions in the vain that Jon had in order to demonstrate your beliefs, but I do think that metalheads, especially those who have been around while, can see through the games and know where the heart of the band lies. As Cole said, Deicide is a perfect example of a great band with a laughable message. How many times has Glen said he would commit suicide? Maybe he should take notes from Jon on how to carry through with his so called “convictions.”
None of this really matters as long as bands make good music, but its definitely food for thought. 
Comment from coled24
Time: May 15, 2008, 11:16 am
I’m familiar with the story and yes, that guy was the real deal, so to speak. The thing that I will never be able to get over is the connection between Kiss/Alice Cooper and Black Metal. Black Metal has always been on the cusp of being this really mysterious, dark, evil style but then you look at the face paint– don’t get me wrong, its not stars over eyes and whiskers on their cheeks but its close enough to kind of kill that evil badass style. Especially when you have people like Gaahl and Varg Vikernes in the black metal scene, its hard to believe that the corpse paint thing still flies. Of course Varg has damned the metal scene as a whole and is a maniacal sociopath, but I digress.
Comment from emil d
Time: June 30, 2008, 8:30 pm
I disagree entirely. This ‘mellow middle class’ position simply shows that the author is trying to retreat to a live and let live world which is fine, but not for a black or death metal head. Judeo-christianity rears its ugly head whenever it has the chance, its tendrils go into every crack, even in Holland, even in England, not to mention eastern europe, or the american continent, so let not pretend. The struggle never ends, and when one gets tired of the struggle – admit it and bow out, do not spin yarns about ‘growing up’, or ‘gimmics getting old’. Because the next time local christians enforce more anti-dope, anti-indecency or anti-satanic laws, you will have to pretend even harder to not notice this, and adapt without admitting that you are adapting.
Over and out
Comment from cody
Time: June 30, 2008, 11:35 pm
Mellow middle class? Just because I don’t buy into the bullshit anti-Christian sentiments doesn’t make me “mellow”, in fact, I’d say it makes me more about what metal is really like. In this music of ours, its more trendy to embrace Satan, or at least put religion on the chopping block than to embrace Judeo Christian values. In fact, I’d say that a band like Mortification are much more against the grain than Deicide ever will be simply because they preach something that many people actually give a damn about and embrace, than the supposed shock n awe belief system that Deicide executes.
This article isn’t a denial of the shitty things that people have done in the name of religion, but creating a black metal band with full on fac epaint, anti Christian lyrics, and pro traditional Norwegian paganism is about as spoon fed as you can get to garner instantaneous success in the underground. Exactly how kult and badass is that?
Comment from coled24
Time: July 4, 2008, 5:33 am
Yeah I don’t see that happening, Emil. Extremist American Christians run as a supremely important entity in US Government got (pardon the pun here) fucked in the ass by the Priests and little boys scandals and Ted Haggard and his affection for meth and male prostitutes. While the Christians are EXTREMELY powerful, I doubt you will see that stuff happen. The most glaring example is video games, in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas there was the whole Hot Coffee mod (the player and his girlfriend dry humped in clothes, if you’re not familiar) and there was MASSIVE news coverage and bullshit left and right from Christian/Parents groups. Today, you can play Age Of Conan, an MMORPG, that gives you the option to create a female character that has exposed breasts (great game). Obviously, with situations like that and the easing of censorship on TV (more cursing and nudity is accepted on TV now) I don’t see anything happening to Metal. We don’t have a Varg Vikernes in this country. You will NEVER see a US newspaper with Gahhl from Gorgoroth on the front page with “THE MOST EVIL MAN ALIVE” on it. No major player in government or the church since Tipper Gore has given anyone shit about Metal. No one in this country gives a damn about it. And as a note, I consider myself an Atheist but from the standpoint that I don’t feel like I need a God for guidance more than not believing in one (which I don’t.) That said, there are a lot of truly sweet, caring Christians out there that get shit on because of crazy evangelicals that think you will go to Hell for watching the Bravo channel on a regular basis. Same goes for every major religion, a few bad apples ruin the bunch. Thus stereotypes are spawned, like the one you are talking about.
Comment from Mee Yai
Time: November 24, 2008, 5:01 am
While it may be true that Christianity has been a cultural imfluence of some importance in the past, the last 200 or so years have seen a solid erosion of that. In recent years, declining numbers have been a problem for the church in its more mainstream denominations. While some western countries still have high levels of belief, pretty much only an idiot would claim that Christianity has any cultural impact left outside believers themselves, or that true Bible believing Christians form a majority of the western world. A quick look at the increasingly permissive amounts of nudity and violence on TV is a sign of that. Look at the laws passed that are directly in opposition of Christian morality.When Southpark faced a lot of criticisms over it’s menstruating Mary episode, it was not pulled here. Apart from remnants of morally based law, what left is there for anti-Christian sentiment to “rebel” against? Which just makes the whole thing seem a bit commercial. I mean, if you want to sell records to “fashionably evil malcontents”, slap a bit of corpse paint on, invert a couple of crosses and slaughter a couple of sheep on stage. Dr Evil would say of most of these bands: “You’re the Diet Coke of evil.”
Coming from the Christian metal angle, I agree that bands such as Mortification and Frost Like Ashes, (albeit the latter has that corpse paint, but I think it looks cool), are more in the spirit of metal than the pseudo-radical bands that are shoving an amoebic form of neo-paganism, (that is, as radical as a bunch of Wiccans dancing about nude in the rain), down your throat. In standing up for issues like marriage, protection of unborn children’s rights and other moral issues, against the grain of our own culture, these bands are far more radical and anti-cultural than most.
Comment from Grindhouse8700
Time: December 14, 2008, 12:30 am
Anti-christianity is getting very old, it’s so easy that everyone from fatass basement dwelling dork (theamazingfatshit) to old ass twats with nothing better to do (richard twatkins). If you want to do something new fuck with islam, you will get all the attention you want.
Comment from Asteroth
Time: February 3, 2009, 3:05 pm
I disagree completely. I know many metal fans who share anti-christian sentiments. People are still being raised christian, christians are still actively spreading their message and desperately trying to convert as many people as possible. As long as christianity exists there will be those who broke free of its mind controlling hold and resent it. As long as christianity exists there will be people constantly harrasing others and trying to convince them that they “must” convert. This is why, as long as christianity exists, there must be a movement to combat it, to fight it.
In fact that is WHY black metal exists in the first place. It is a movement whose foundation is based off of anti-christian sentiments, as soon as bands abandon that they will have strayed from their roots and have lost the essence of black metal. Since this is a cultural war and not a literal one (not anymore anyway since the church burnings have mostly stopped) the worst thing the metal community could do is abandon its anti-christian sentiment. As long as christianity continues to exist metal (black metal especially) should and MUST remain as openly anti-christian as possible
Comment from Asteroth
Time: February 3, 2009, 3:11 pm
Oh and one other thing, some of the bands are actually lucifarians, so it is not just an image. Bands like watain, dissection, craft and others all have members of a lucifarian sect. Plus their are many others who utilize occult practice, so some bands are not so much bashing christianity as they are promoting their own beliefs.
Either way, I still see the bashing of christianity as essential, it often leads people to realize the fallicy of the religion and then either create themselves and discover their will or be absourbed into an lucifarian religion that will aid them in doing so.
Comment from Asteroth
Time: February 3, 2009, 3:31 pm
and some bands have made comments against other religions as well. Gorgoroth HAS made comments about the “semetic roots” of christianity. Hellhammer from mayhem said something to the effect of “I wish they had burned down mosques” in referencs to the church burners.
And some death metal bands like carcass have made a point of exclaiming their opposition to ALL religions, including satanism.
Comment from cody
Time: February 3, 2009, 8:26 pm
Asteroth – Black metal in Norway was created by a bunch of kids who were rebelling against the religious heirarchy in Norway, the same way punk rebelled against the British government in the 70’s, and thrash rebelled against Nuclear armament and environmental issues. If someone wants to be Christian, how does this affect you or anyone else? It’s a fallacious argument that black metal must constantly be anti-Christian, and any black metal band that makes music for the sole purpose of fighting Christianity instead of making music for the love of making music represents the death of artistic expression. Black metal bands make good music, but the idea that it has to be about fighting Judeo-Christian values defeats the whole concept of freedom of expression. 90% of black metal bands are posers with corpsepaint and anti-Christian lyrics. Bands like Enslaved, Akercocke, Bathory and many others realize how childish and vaudevillian black metal has become, and choose to express their feelings in more creative ways instead of throwing ripped up Bibles into an audience. If bands want to make anti-religious music, that’s fine, just don’t be a fucking poser.
Comment from coled24
Time: February 4, 2009, 2:57 am
After rereading a few of the comments here, I saw that you mentioned that Dissection never made anti-christianity a commercial endeavor, Cody. Thats a sharp comment because at first look, many a Dissection song have names that could be taken as evil or anti-christian. Jon Nodtveidt wrote this stuff from a point of view rarely seen in the world: the devout Satan worshiper’s point of view and not the typical satanic anti-christian smear campaign. When you look at Behemoth’s work, you see the words of a man who is sick of Christianity to the point of hatred. With Dissection, you see the words of a man who would rather celebrate his own religion more than damn the mortal enemy that is the Christian love of God.
Comment from bluezone
Time: February 16, 2009, 6:12 pm
After reading a lot of comments on this thread, one thought comes to mind. It isn’t so much the faiths (Christianity, Buddhism, Satanism, Judaism) that most of these bands are railing against, it’s the man made religions that were created around them. It wasn’t Christianity that started the Crusades, it was the Catholic church (Catholicism is a religion, not a faith) that started it. Believe me, being a metal head christian, I have no love of the holier than thou, either you believe the way I do or you should die, we tell you how to believe, churches and religions that promote doctrine over faith. These same bands are more pissed off at the churches and synagogues than at the faiths themselves. It’s become shock for the sake of shock, not a way to promote a valid or well thought out viewpoint. The are just a guilty as those they condemn.
Comment from cody
Time: February 16, 2009, 11:42 pm
Bluezone – There is definitely a tradition in metal that rails against Christian doctrine over true faith, some good examples are Nevermore and Slayer. And the fact you mention this idea really hits the nail on the head of my whole article to begin with. You can show criticism of an establishment, this is a concept that has been in constant motion in music since the dawn of time, but when you start glorifying the death of Christ, or ripping up Bibles, that is a clear violation of faith and is there to ruffle some feathers. In that respect, there is not much difference, in terms of stage performances, between Behemoth or Gorgoroth, and Marilyn Manson. Their aims are one in the same.
Comment from Erik
Time: April 13, 2009, 10:19 am
I agree, its getting old, even more old when you live in a land where christians are a minority (like in my land The Netherlands).
It would be great to see Black Metal that is against all the abrahamic religions.
For example:
Ancient Rites
Blasfemia Eternal (1996)
5. Blood Of Christ (Mohammed Wept)
Oh beautiful sight, mohammed being poisoned…
Bible or koran: Pathetic book of lies!
(We always lost a battle, eternally we
Won a war!!!)
The blood of god on my skin
The blood of allah on my hands
Porco dio! Porco dio!
Porco dio! Porco dio!
Fur immer! Voor altijd! Ai§nia!
Blasfemia eternal!!!!
Good lyrics.
Punk died because it became political correct, do not let Metal become political correct.
BTW this islam religion is being pushed down our throats here, so its time to fight back..
Comment from Tony
Time: October 3, 2009, 1:41 am
To demonstrate kinship with ultimate evil, these bands oppose what is ultimate goodness, or Christ Jesus.
Who else would those aligned with evil rebel against? In movies, in music, and in reality. Whose churches do they burn? Whose followers do they mock? Who’s scripture do they deface on stage? What better proof that Jesus IS Lord?
There is no black metal equivalent protesting Muhammad or Buddha’s doctrines for instance. Mere mortals. Christ is the only one they are able to rebel against, for he alone is master. He alone they fear. His name is above all names. Paint your faces in celebration of death, yet there is one who has conquered death. The truth is obvious.
Mock me. Make fun of me all you want. It can only glorify the one.
My advice? Repent.
Comment from cody
Time: October 3, 2009, 8:06 am
Tony – Well written, but I think you put too much creedence in the power of God’s influence on these people. Most anti-Christian bands do it to rebel against Christ, because they don’t BELIEVE in Christ. Most black metal bands for instance, don’t believe in God. Do they sometimes revel in Satanic ideology? Sure, but that doesn’t mean they believe in Satan either. Anti-Christian bands are doing so for shock, whether they believe in what they talk or not.
Comment from Mike
Time: October 3, 2009, 9:44 pm
its like reverse judgment… and to me bands that push the imagery of anti-christ do it because they simply lack talent… period… not to mention they push the same false image of Satan that the Catholics pushed for centuries to scare people into believing… so in a way these idiots are doing them a great service by pushing the same image again and again… if anything, I know from the Bible that Satan imitates God… if anything the images that these metal nerds… and that is not meant to degrade metal but the nerds… are simply reacting to the oppression that the Catholic church has pushed on their countries, etc…. but the more you learn about the “real” Satan the more you begin to see these “evildoers” as nothing more than blind and hypocritical morons… the push the imagery to sell records… they are no different than the 3 piece suit low-life piece of shit capitalists that I would argue fit the Biblical image of Satan… and don’t reply with shit like “what about the snake” because 3/4ths of the Bible is symbolic and meant to be read as narrative… the seas of Red Ink are different though…
Just the opinions of a Christian who loves metal… notable bands on my list are Insomnium, Amorphis, As I Lay Dying, Amon Amarth, Opeth, and I’m sure you can tell where the rest of the list heads…
If you hate Christ… then you either have to A- be ignorant or B- be ignorant… in fact during his life most religious people hated him and the so-called sinners loved him… but that’s because self-righteous people believe they are sinless…. then why do they need Christ???
They can keep pushing the imagery… idk if they do.. but they ultimately are serving the same purpose and the same ideology pushed by the Catholics from the get-go… pretend to care for the oppressed but do everything in your power to put them there to begin with… because hey.. it makes their jobs easier…
Agree with above statements above… some people just can’t think or BE above such things… maybe it’s the flesh’s instinct to be tribal as a means to edify ourselves… idk…
later
Comment from Carter
Time: May 14, 2008, 12:35 pm
Yeah I totally agree. It’s so old.. and its ridiculous how bands and comedians, any medium, whatver can rip on christians all day long (south park) but as soon as someone says anything bad about jews or muslims its OH MY GOD THEY CANT DO THAT!
total hipocritcal bullshit. I love bands whose MUSIC provides shock value… not the message they are trying to get accross.