Heavy Metal Music

[Reynolds357]

I have to right an essay for a music class I'm taking at Northwestern college. I have to write about wether certain music styles are wrong or not for Christians to listen to.
I decided I was going to write about why I think heavy metal is wrong. I thought I would get some opinions from other people.

What do you guys think about heavy metal? Okay or not okay?

Its all about the lyrics, not the music. Music is neither good nor evil. Lyrics make that determination.

[GitRDunn]

It isn't a problem for me, either secular or "Christian" (I don't recall there being any specific biblical prohibition against either. Only such things as Romans 14, as pointed out above). Which reminds me, Dream Theater has announced their new drummer - awesome.

I didn't realize that, who is it?

They play Skillet on our local radio station. And not just during the Sunday morning segment. I'd love to see them in concert sometime!

While I will agree that Skillet is a rock band, I don't think you'll find many that would say they are metal. However, your point is still a good one.

As for metal music being bad, I have to agree that no music is wrong in and of itself. I would say any Christian music is automatically ok, and the rest would fall under the category of ok for some and not for others. Personally, I have no problem listening to secular rock music because I listen to the music, not the lyrics, and thus I don't really care what the lyrics say.

[Cornflake]

What some people feel convicted about is different from what other people feel convicted about. To each his or her own - as above, music isn't good or bad or evil or not on its own.

[Liquid Tension]

Personally, I have no problem listening to secular rock music because I listen to the music, not the lyrics, and thus I don't really care what the lyrics say.

Ditto.......................

[the sound]

Why should the devil have all the good music?

you know that would be an awesome album title for like a christian black metal band.

[tango]

I have no problem listening to secular rock music because I listen to the music, not the lyrics, and thus I don't really care what the lyrics say.

I'd still be careful with some of the more extreme bands. Most of my secular metal collection survived my transition from heathen to Christian but a couple had lyrics I just couldn't possibly reconcile in any way with the Christian faith. Even if you're not listening to the lyrics I just don't see any way to reconcile bands like Morbid Angel and Venom with following Jesus.

[Reynolds357]

Ditto.......................

I bet after you have heard it 100 times you know the lyrics by heart.

[Firefighter]

Its all about the lyrics, not the music. Music is neither good nor evil. Lyrics make that determination.

Not always. Sometimes heart and intent can do so as well...

Have I Told You Lately that I love you?
Have I told you there's no one else above you?
Fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness,
Ease my troubles, that's what you do.

For the morning sun in all it's glory,
Meets the day with hope and comfort too,
You fill my life with laughter, somehow you make it better,
Ease my troubles, that's what you do.

I would NEVER allow someone to sing this song to their girlfriend that they are shacked up with in my church, but I would NOT hesitate to allow someone to sing it to God.

[Reynolds357]

Not always. Sometimes heart and intent can do so as well...

Have I Told You Lately that I love you?
Have I told you there's no one else above you?
Fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness,
Ease my troubles, that's what you do.

For the morning sun in all it's glory,
Meets the day with hope and comfort too,
You fill my life with laughter, somehow you make it better,
Ease my troubles, that's what you do.

I would NEVER allow someone to sing this song to their girlfriend that they are shacked up with in my church, but I would NOT hesitate to allow someone to sing it to God.

OK, I stand corrected. Lyrics and proper application therof is what makes a song good or bad.
I guess technically you could take 50% of our church hymns and sing them to Satan if you viewed Him as your father.

[nebula_omega]

While I will agree that Skillet is a rock band, I don't think you'll find many that would say they are metal. However, your point is still a good one.

True. It was just the first band that popped into my head. But my iTunes has been cycling through all my Josh Groban music for the past month, so I'm not the person to ask about death metal.

Point's still the same. I have no problem with Christian metal or the people who listen to it. I just don't because I like stuff I can sing along with (badly or otherwise)

[tango]

True. It was just the first band that popped into my head. But my iTunes has been cycling through all my Josh Groban music for the past month, so I'm not the person to ask about death metal.

Point's still the same. I have no problem with Christian metal or the people who listen to it. I just don't because I like stuff I can sing along with (badly or otherwise)

You just gotta learn to howl, growl and scream

[HisLeast]

You just gotta learn to howl, growl and scream

Do English metal bands incorporate cockney rhyming into their songs? Because that would be awesome.

[tango]

Do English metal bands incorporate cockney rhyming into their songs? Because that would be awesome.

Not so much metal bands but if you want a serious throwback check out a duet called Chas And Dave, the pioneers of so-called rockney.

[Liquid Tension]

I bet after you have heard it 100 times you know the lyrics by heart.

To an point, you are correct. Over the last 15-20 years, my listening preferences have been mainly Iron Maiden, Rush, and Dream Theater with a very slight splash of a small handful of Prog. Metal/Rock bands from the states and Europe. As much as I've listened to my "main 3", I maybe know the lyrics of 5 (if even that much) songs complete. The others I know small bits and pieces of.

Since I've started playing music again about a year ago, I listen even less to lyrics now than ever. In fact, the band I play in now (Christian metal, originals), the only lyrics I know by heart are the ones I have to sing back-up on. The lyrics our singer wrote are great, but if you were to pull out a verse from a song and ask me what song it was from, I most likely wouldn't know.

[Athanasius]

I didn't realize that, who is it?

Mike Mangini... I personally would have loved to see Marco, but hey, I won't complain.