Christian Metal

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IloveViethoney

Banned
#181
Jan 19, 2024
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#181
Subhumanoidal said:
Part of this issue is more of a modern viewpoint. In the 80s and 90s hair bands, for example, were considered metal without question. Younger people now don't think of such bands as metal because they don't view them as heavy enough as modern bands have pushed heaviness to its limits.
So that is likely at least part of the discrepancy in definition.
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I recently watched a video about what makes music "heavy" and particularly "heavy metal." The term was initially applied to some 70s music I would just call classic rock.

I generally consider metal as having intensely distorted guitars instead of the 60s/70s stuff that is more of like overdrive (turn a guitar amp up so loud it naturally distorts the sound of it). They have actually created pedals and effects processing that recreates overdrive without the excessive volume.
 
Subhumanoidal

Subhumanoidal

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#182
Sep 17, 2018
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#182
IloveViethoney said:
I recently watched a video about what makes music "heavy" and particularly "heavy metal." The term was initially applied to some 70s music I would just call classic rock.

I generally consider metal as having intensely distorted guitars instead of the 60s/70s stuff that is more of like overdrive (turn a guitar amp up so loud it naturally distorts the sound of it). They have actually created pedals and effects processing that recreates overdrive without the excessive volume.
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Yeah. 60s and 70s are considered rock or classic rock among metalheads as well. Though many count Black Sabbath as the first metal band.
 
Sculpt

Sculpt

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#183
Apr 18, 2021
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#183
ChrisTillinen said:
Perhaps this counts as Christian metal. In Finland there is this concept "Raskasta Joulua" (Heavy Christmas) where Finnish (and some international) metal vocalists tour the country performing Christmas music, usually in "metallized" versions of the original songs. Some of them are just "Christmasy" with perhaps small touches of specifically Christian meaning of Christmas, but many others are very solidly Christian in their lyrics. As for the musicians themselves, I'm aware of only one of the regulars having been vocal about his Christian faith. I'd assume that many of the others may be agnostic with perhaps some appreciation for cultural Christianity. Anyway, I'll link versions that have English translations of the lyrics. Even though the translations are a bit amateurish, you should get the gist of their meaning.

Let's start with two songs that are probably not well known outside of Finland (though perhaps they should be).



By contrast to these two, this one is widely known internationally (in its more traditional version, not the metal one)

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I think there's a difference between a Heavy Metal Band and a Heavy Metal song...

I'd consider the first song Metal along with the band. It features the heavy distorted guitars, heavy drums and a Robert Plant voiced like singer.

The second song is not a Metal song, but traditionally when a Metal band does a ballad, it becomes a Metal ballad. The second song has some heavy guitars at the end, so it has a Metal flare.

Early Metal bands of the 70's have callbacks to blues in structure and singing style, but not necessarily 12-bar blues. It's quite a mix now, but I'd say Metal features the loud distorted guitars, in the same way a ballad features the vocals, lyrics and slow pace.

The 3rd song is Little Drummer Boy done with a Metal style, by a Metal band, so you might call it a Metal ballad.
 
Magenta

Magenta

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#192
Jul 3, 2015
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#192
Subhumanoidal said:
Yeah. 60s and 70s are considered rock or classic rock among metalheads
as well. Though many count Black Sabbath as the first metal band.
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Yup, yup. I was listening to their seminal LP as a teen.
My best friend's mother thought they were Satanic...

 
Soasa

Soasa

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#196
Mar 30, 2024
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#196
What is funny to me is that I really loved what we called heavy metal back in the day, but now it's called "hair bands." :p I looked through all 10 pages of this thread and I recognized Stryper and no one else. As I got near my "shake a cane and yelled 'GET OFF MY LAWN,'" I have a couple of near heavy metal Christian bands that are not really heavy metal? I think?


And this one is actually a Christian band singing a Christmas song. I love this one!

 
Subhumanoidal

Subhumanoidal

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#197
Sep 17, 2018
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#197
Soasa said:
What is funny to me is that I really loved what we called heavy metal back in the day, but now it's called "hair bands." :p I looked through all 10 pages of this thread and I recognized Stryper and no one else. As I got near my "shake a cane and yelled 'GET OFF MY LAWN,'" I have a couple of near heavy metal Christian bands that are not really heavy metal? I think?


And this one is actually a Christian band singing a Christmas song. I love this one!

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These are rock bands. Petra was never seen as metal. AOR/arena/radio rock is more like it.
The term 'heavy metal' is now more of a genre specific label. Heavy, yet still somewhat melodic. Judas Priest, Manowar, Dio and bands like that. And yes, all the 80s mainstream metal bands are now labeled hair metal. Not exactly unfitting though 😂
 
Subhumanoidal

Subhumanoidal

Well-known member
#198
Sep 17, 2018
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#198
Soasa said:
What is funny to me is that I really loved what we called heavy metal back in the day, but now it's called "hair bands." :p I looked through all 10 pages of this thread and I recognized Stryper and no one else. As I got near my "shake a cane and yelled 'GET OFF MY LAWN,'" I have a couple of near heavy metal Christian bands that are not really heavy metal? I think?


And this one is actually a Christian band singing a Christmas song. I love this one!

Click to expand...
Didn't realize that was White Heart, they'd be in the same category as Petra, genre wise.
Metal genres are an insane topic, especially in the heavier genres. So many of them. The less heavy the music the more simplified the genre label.
 
Soasa

Soasa

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#199
Mar 30, 2024
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#199
Subhumanoidal said:
Judas Priest, Manowar, Dio and bands like that.
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Yeah. I never got that into it... although I liked one Judas Priest albums. I also respected Metallica... but never got into them much. The only songs I enjoyed were the two songs that put most metal fans in an uproar... "Nothing Else Matters" and "Unforgiven." What can I say? Never been a huge fan of what was truly metal.
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#200
Aug 13, 2014
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#200
Subhumanoidal said:
Didn't realize that was White Heart, they'd be in the same category as Petra, genre wise.
Metal genres are an insane topic, especially in the heavier genres. So many of them. The less heavy the music the more simplified the genre label.
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And heaven HELP you if you say a song is in one class when someone else thinks it belongs in a different subgenre. People get real uptight about their metal categories, I have found out. Almost like people who argue over what a geek is and what a nerd is.

Oddly I like Whiteheart and don't like Petra. But that's something else people will lambast you for, so... Moving on now.
 
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