Report: Heavy Metal Christians
September 21, 2007Josh Jarman of The Columbus Dispatch reports: They've got the look: dreadlocks, tattoos, skull T-shirts and combat boots. They've got the sound: bass-laden riffs, pounding drums and crunching guitar solos.
And they've got God.
This face of Christian rock is loud, heavy and selling better than ever. Fans say it speaks to their experiences and reflects their culture. They say it makes being Christian cool.
Bands such as P.O.D., FLYLEAF and PILLAR have broken the mold of Christian rock and are embraced by mainstream audiences. That's a good thing, said Dan Knapp, a sophomore at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
"I'm a big fan of heavier bands, and I know a lot of people my age are not into the slower, more 'worship' music," Knapp said.
He said that a band such as PILLAR, which has sold almost 750,000 records and has toured with Ozzfest with bands such as SLIPKNOT and GODSMACK, has the ability to reach young people outside the church.
He's looking forward to hearing that message when PILLAR helps headline SonFest, an annual Christian music festival Saturday at the university's campus, about an hour northeast of Columbus.
Rob Beckley, the band's lead singer and songwriter, said the group's mission is to connect with people who might feel alienated by a stricter church environment.
"Ultimately, our main focus is to create an environment for God to move," Beckley said. "We want people to legitimately get something more from one of our concerts or CDs."
Read the entire article at The Columbus Dispatch.
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