Comments on: 5 Christian Metal Albums Reviewed http://www.steffmetal.com/5-christian-metal-albums-reviewed/ the alternative blogazine of heavy metal fashion, lifestyle and kvlture Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:57:41 +0000 hourly 1 By: steff http://www.steffmetal.com/5-christian-metal-albums-reviewed/#comment-4410 steff Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:23:48 +0000 http://steffmetal.com/?p=2359#comment-4410 @Mike - listening to Veil of Remembrance" now - THIS is good stuff. I like this. Thanks for bringing them to my attention! You're right about the black metal image, too - I think back in they heyday of black metal a lot of that imagery worked really well because it was new and the guys who were doing it took it really seriously. Now it's not-so-new and it's been studied and picked to death and some of the guys who do it are just as serious but for a lot of people it's more about image and marketing - and I think that comes across in the music a lot. @Mike – listening to Veil of Remembrance” now – THIS is good stuff. I like this. Thanks for bringing them to my attention! You’re right about the black metal image, too – I think back in they heyday of black metal a lot of that imagery worked really well because it was new and the guys who were doing it took it really seriously. Now it’s not-so-new and it’s been studied and picked to death and some of the guys who do it are just as serious but for a lot of people it’s more about image and marketing – and I think that comes across in the music a lot.

]]> By: Mike http://www.steffmetal.com/5-christian-metal-albums-reviewed/#comment-4405 Mike Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:50:43 +0000 http://steffmetal.com/?p=2359#comment-4405 You should check out Crimson Moonlight. I have not heard any other Christian black metal that can compare to them. "Veil of Remembrance" and "in Depths of Dreams Unconscious" are my favorite albums by them, but "The Covenant Progress" is a very good album as well. Also Hellhammer did play on some of the Antestor releases. I'm not sure about "the Return of the Black Death" but I know he did on "Martyrium" and "The Forsaken". Antestor gets the runner up in my mind in the Christian scene and "The Forsaken" is definitely their best album. I view Christian Black metal the same as any other black metal. I judge almost solely on the music but If the accompanied image of the band strikes me as lame I sometimes find it a bit hard to look past, which is the case on both sides of Black metal nowadays. You should check out Crimson Moonlight. I have not heard any other Christian black metal that can compare to them. “Veil of Remembrance” and “in Depths of Dreams Unconscious” are my favorite albums by them, but “The Covenant Progress” is a very good album as well. Also Hellhammer did play on some of the Antestor releases. I’m not sure about “the Return of the Black Death” but I know he did on “Martyrium” and “The Forsaken”. Antestor gets the runner up in my mind in the Christian scene and “The Forsaken” is definitely their best album. I view Christian Black metal the same as any other black metal. I judge almost solely on the music but If the accompanied image of the band strikes me as lame I sometimes find it a bit hard to look past, which is the case on both sides of Black metal nowadays.

]]> By: steff http://www.steffmetal.com/5-christian-metal-albums-reviewed/#comment-2255 steff Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:54:45 +0000 http://steffmetal.com/?p=2359#comment-2255 @daemonikus I am very old school when it comes to black metal - I love Bathory, Burzum, Satyricon and Immortal, and (apart from a few other bands like Behemoth and Wolves of the Throne Room) that's it. All the rest just sounds like noise I think it takes a very special talent to write evocative and beautiful black metal, and 99% of BM bands do not have it. I think the Horde reviewer's argument about the BM and Christianity on the album not fitting was very interesting and very well-argued, although yeah, pretty much everyone who reviews on MA is quite staunchly anti-religion. I like someone who can, if they're going to add that kind of arguement to a review, at least add some humor to it (I loved the "Open-Mindedness TM"). The whole idea for this "White Metal" week started because I was going through my CDs and found my two Mortification disks, and I thought, "These guys can't be the only decent Christian metal band out there," because up until that point, I was pretty sure they were. There are plenty of decent hardcore muslim metal bands, and Salam and Orphaned Land own the Jewish metal scene, and now I've had the chance to learn about some of the great, unique stuff going on inside Christian metal. @daemonikus I am very old school when it comes to black metal – I love Bathory, Burzum, Satyricon and Immortal, and (apart from a few other bands like Behemoth and Wolves of the Throne Room) that’s it. All the rest just sounds like noise I think it takes a very special talent to write evocative and beautiful black metal, and 99% of BM bands do not have it.

I think the Horde reviewer’s argument about the BM and Christianity on the album not fitting was very interesting and very well-argued, although yeah, pretty much everyone who reviews on MA is quite staunchly anti-religion. I like someone who can, if they’re going to add that kind of arguement to a review, at least add some humor to it (I loved the “Open-Mindedness TM”).

The whole idea for this “White Metal” week started because I was going through my CDs and found my two Mortification disks, and I thought, “These guys can’t be the only decent Christian metal band out there,” because up until that point, I was pretty sure they were. There are plenty of decent hardcore muslim metal bands, and Salam and Orphaned Land own the Jewish metal scene, and now I’ve had the chance to learn about some of the great, unique stuff going on inside Christian metal.

]]> By: steff http://www.steffmetal.com/5-christian-metal-albums-reviewed/#comment-2254 steff Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:42:39 +0000 http://steffmetal.com/?p=2359#comment-2254 @groverXIII They were the first death metal band I actually liked, so I hear ya. @groverXIII They were the first death metal band I actually liked, so I hear ya.

]]> By: groverXIII http://www.steffmetal.com/5-christian-metal-albums-reviewed/#comment-2252 groverXIII Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:33:38 +0000 http://steffmetal.com/?p=2359#comment-2252 Mortification are easily the best Christian metal band of all time, even if their later stuff isn't as good as their early stuff, and Steve Rowe is an underrated bassist. Then again, I owe these guys for actually getting me into metal, so I'm biased. Mortification are easily the best Christian metal band of all time, even if their later stuff isn’t as good as their early stuff, and Steve Rowe is an underrated bassist. Then again, I owe these guys for actually getting me into metal, so I’m biased.

]]> By: daemonikus http://www.steffmetal.com/5-christian-metal-albums-reviewed/#comment-2251 daemonikus Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:39:48 +0000 http://steffmetal.com/?p=2359#comment-2251 black metal to me is first a style of music. if someone put ten black metal albums on in a row that i didn't know, i probably wouldn't be able to tell if they were singing about satan, god or pink puppies in the garden. granted some screech out 'saaataaaaan' here and there but then so do some christian bands. as for the review on the horde album (which is another favourite of mine), i found the reviewer to be more concerned with mocking the bible than with reviewing the album. i didn't even read the whole thing because of that (he should be in a black metal band). i agree the album is somewhat naive with its lyrical content and song titles but when i first heard it i loved it. its that whole 'would you say the same thing if you didn't know anything about it before hand?' there is so much garbage black metal out there by people who are little more than reclusive basement dwelling computer nerds who bought a cheap guitar from their friend and decided to start a 'solo black metal band'. too many bad 'musicians' flooding the market...and the labels who sign them are no help either. that being said, i am glad christian metal exists, it gave me something to listen to that was better than michael w. smith or amy grant. i missed out on the glory days of death, slayer, venom, testament and cannibal corpse...but fuck did i ever have some wicked albums. not as many, but just as good. i listened to scrolls at work today and it still sends me into a head whipped frenzy. it was the very first death metal album i ever heard and still is one of my top ten all time faves. the haunting speech of the funeral officiant in 'death requiem' is just amazing. and eternal lamentation is my favourite track (just fyi). can't wait to hear the mixtape now...will be curious to see how many of the songs i know! hails. black metal to me is first a style of music. if someone put ten black metal albums on in a row that i didn’t know, i probably wouldn’t be able to tell if they were singing about satan, god or pink puppies in the garden. granted some screech out ‘saaataaaaan’ here and there but then so do some christian bands.
as for the review on the horde album (which is another favourite of mine), i found the reviewer to be more concerned with mocking the bible than with reviewing the album. i didn’t even read the whole thing because of that (he should be in a black metal band). i agree the album is somewhat naive with its lyrical content and song titles but when i first heard it i loved it. its that whole ‘would you say the same thing if you didn’t know anything about it before hand?’

there is so much garbage black metal out there by people who are little more than reclusive basement dwelling computer nerds who bought a cheap guitar from their friend and decided to start a ‘solo black metal band’. too many bad ‘musicians’ flooding the market…and the labels who sign them are no help either.

that being said, i am glad christian metal exists, it gave me something to listen to that was better than michael w. smith or amy grant. i missed out on the glory days of death, slayer, venom, testament and cannibal corpse…but fuck did i ever have some wicked albums. not as many, but just as good.

i listened to scrolls at work today and it still sends me into a head whipped frenzy. it was the very first death metal album i ever heard and still is one of my top ten all time faves. the haunting speech of the funeral officiant in ‘death requiem’ is just amazing. and eternal lamentation is my favourite track (just fyi).

can’t wait to hear the mixtape now…will be curious to see how many of the songs i know!

hails.

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