For the last several years I've had an off-again on-again interest in Christian black metal (sometimes called white metal or unblack metal) and any nonsatanic black metal bands. Due to my religious convictions I feel uneasy listening to any band with satanic themes, I know other christians who do not share my sentiments, but it isn't for me.
Often times my interest transcends listening to the music and I feel the need to read any material I can find on these bands. Due to this, I recently found out an ex-singer of mayhem (during the year of 1988) became a christian and left the band that same year. If you know the history of mayhem, this should be fairly shocking.
He had this to say about his experience and the rising number of Christian black metal bands in "Beat the Blizzard."
"I think they’re completely off the mark. I cannot seriously understand how they even manage to do it. They have missed the target completely. I mean, if you want to be a Christian, be it with all you’ve got, and if you want to be metal, be it with all you’ve got. If those people really took their faith seriously, and followed the instructions of the One they profess to believe in, they would never be found in a context like that. They are on collision course with Christian life and teaching. I say this because of my own experience, and because of what is written in the Bible; rock music, metal music has nothing at all to do in a Christian setting!"
This may seem counter intuitive to many peoples views on how Christianity should approach evangelism (many of the bands in the Christian black metal scene have expressed strong ideas about being called by God to do what they do). However, I find a shocking parallel in my own life.
Between 13 and right before I turned 21 I was very involved with straight edge and hardcore. During my nearly 8 years as a straight edge christian I heard many things from both sides saying I couldn't be the other. After my decision to declaim (despite popular belief in my hometown I didn't break edge in a particularly spectacular fashion and didn't do anything that violated my former edge beliefs for a few weeks afterwards), I had a bad taste in my mouth for mixing christianity and straight edge. In hindsight, this stems from my inability to do either as well as I felt I could, and one ended up interfering in the other at various times. I have tremendous respect for those who can do both and keep them well, though I do not find straight edge to be necessary to claim if you are a christian (personal belief).
I'm wondering if this is the case with the ex-singer of Mayhem. Is he against the use of metal and rock with Christianity because he truly believes it's wrong? Or is it a case of hating what it became in his own life?
I found it shocking that he would be against Black Metal being used for Christianity, though I can see how he could have a negative opinion on the matter.
A particular favorite of mine is the band Antestor. As a band, they reached critical success until it was discovered they were Christians, after which I've heard they received death threats and were victims of violence at their performances. I have trouble believing the sacrifices they made were misinformed. Though, they also had a different ex-member of Mayhem play as a session musician (Hellhammer) for two of their albums.
On that note, where is the line? The Bible states that we should not give the appearance of evil, but that can be a hard thing to define.
I'm not sure there is an easy answer.
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