DISSERTATION ABSTRACT

Eric S. Strother
Untangling the Paradox of Christian Heavy Metal
(research director: Ron Pen)

Over the last twenty years, contemporary Christian music (CCM) has become a significant force in the popular music industry.  Bands and artists performing virtually every style and genre of popular music have emerged to varying levels of acceptance and controversy.  Perhaps one of the more controversial styles to be adapted for use in spreading a Christian message is heavy metal.  Since its early days, heavy metal has been linked to violence, sexual promiscuity, hedonism, alcohol and drug abuse, paganism, mysticism, and outright Satanism.  Additionally, the music is a far cry from the peaceful, meditative music one typically associates with churches.  As a result, those Christian heavy metal bands have found themselves straddling the chasm between the expectations of “the church” and the heavy metal subculture.

This dissertation analyzes the ways in which Christian heavy metal bands attempt to maintain their links to both Evangelical Christianity and the heavy metal subculture without compromising their religious beliefs or alienating their audience.  The dissertation examines the aural, visual, and verbal aspects of heavy metal and how these are adopted and adapted by Christian heavy metal bands as they attempt to present Christian messages to non-Christian heavy metal fans.