Metal Music and the Gospel
Post date: Jan 22, 2014 9:26:44 PM
So, I've been listening to the death metal band Impending Doom lately. Very convicting, very intense, very descriptive lyrics of our fallen world today! I get the feeling that this is how some of the Old Testament prophets sounded when they challenged their culture! I got the opportunity to see them live in Missoula last year and they were amazing.
As a reviewer stated: "You get the sense that Brook Reeves is attempting to purge the world of its demons through his guttural growls, all while conveying a convicting message of redemption through Christ. While most of the songs on Death Will Reign deal with these themes, Reeves devotes one song to his wife and son. "My Blood" is perhaps the highlight of Death Will Reign and might even be the best deathcore jam of the year, if not the past few years. The breakdowns are absolutely earth-shattering, and further prove that even the heaviest of music can be worshipful and full of love... "There's no getting around the fact that Impending Doom make ugly music-- music that is meant to stir up some of the darkest emotions a person can have. However, the difference between what Impending Doom are doing when compared to other secular bands playing the same style of music is the underlying message of positivity and spirituality woven into their brutality. They encourage people to face the darkness in this world and stand up to it by wielding the power of Christ. That, and the fact that Impending Doom are immensely better songwriters than almost all of their contemporaries. Five albums into their career, Impending Doom have nearly perfected their formula, and Death Will Reign is the culmination of everything Impending Doom have been striving for." http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdrev.../DeathWillReign.asp
Here is a sample of the song/lyrics:
"Oh God what have we done?
Oh God what have we become?
Welcome to doomsday
There is still violence
We're still baptized in filth
We're still servants to the serpent
So when the skies rain
The final sin
Will it all be worth it
When you meet him?"
"I'll show respect no matter what you believe in
Never again will I judge the life
I've not been given
Who am I?
A man that deserves hell
Who am I?
A man that will never see it himself
Who am I?
An enemy to the most high Who am I?
A man paid for by the price of blood
I believe
That the day
The dead are resurrected
I will walk in heaven
And it will be
Full of the unexpected
-Beyond The Grave
Man. Crippled and broken
Crawling to an illusion
Beautifully crafted by Satan
An existence with no salvation
The great divine
Why is the world plagued with death?
Bringer of light
When will we find peace in eternal rest?
Born in the image of the lamb
Enslaved by the unholy flag
We are damned
By cancers spreading everywhere
We are damned
By hatred that man cannot bare
Why are we here?
Why are we dying to know
Why a life of suffering
Could not become a life of gold?
Why are we here?
Why are we dying to know
Why a life of suffering
Could not become a life of gold?
Man. Crippled and broken
Crawling to an illusion
Beautifully crafted by Satan
Creating an existence with no salvation
-The Great Divine
You can listen to the songs here: https://play.spotify.com/album/6XiFsam1vjxbj3F3MdoJMR?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open
and read more of the lyrics here: http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/impendingdoomusa/deathwillreign.html#2
* For an argument for the use of metal and other music genres in preaching the Gospel to the lost world see https://sites.google.com/site/worldviewcafe/blog-posts/whatmakesmusicorabandchristian