For Those About to Rock, We Praise Thee: Religion in Metal Music Before tales of heroes, villains, gods and monsters were written down on thick slab of stone or inked precariously on rolls of bleached parchment, they were told orally, passed down from traveler to traveler, city to city. History itself is nothing but a lively story that seamlessly flows together, little pieces of a puzzle clicking together to form the larger picture- our past. With this in mind, it becomes evident as to why music has always been a driving narrative. It is another form of history, crammed into a lyrical prose with a bridge and a chorus and a refrain. As the times progressed, music evolved into a universal newsletter, describing horrors and joys and achievements and love. Yet music does not only look to the present for inspiration; countless heavy metal bands have borrowed themes and motifs from the eldest book of them all: the bible. Whether it is the fall from grace or the fall of mankind, metal music contains strong roots in the Christian bible. Father into your hands, I commend my spirit / Father into your hands / Why have you forsaken me? -Chop Suey by System of a Down The story of the life and teachings of Jesus are the foundation for the New Testament. There is not a story in existence that is more renown, revered or retold. Yet, what makes the story of Jesus the Christ so compelling and heartbreaking, is that not only is Jesus a reluctant hero, but he is also a tragic one. As the Son of God, the savior to mankind, the struggle Jesus will go through will become legendary and epic. From the incredibly young age of twelve onward, Jesus has to battle his inner demons, some outer demons, and an entire flock of people who just do not believe in him. Along with his twelve disciples, Jesus travels across the country, curing the sick, feeding the starving and reviving the dead (John 11:41-44). Miracle after miracle, Jesus proves himself as the Son of God, all the while preaching his messages of what will later be called Christianity. Yet, as his followers grew, so did the persecution and suspicion. Soon, Jesus is welcome into cities not with open arms and minds, but with doubt, fear and distrust. To make matters worse, Jesus knows that one of his apostles was going to betray him and hand him over to the roman authorities. In the Gospel according to Mark, Jesus exclaims, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me"(14:18). As it is later discovered, Judas betrays Jesus for thirty silver pieces (Mark 14:43). Even after overcoming all the obstacles of the nonbelievers- the law and high ranking officials who were out for his blood, Jesus’ fate is left in the hands of the people he has been trying to liberate (Mark 15:7). The people were given a choice: free Jesus or Barabbas, a convicted murderer (Mark 15:7). The people spoke and Barabbas was freed, leaving Jesus to die by means of crucifixion (Mark 15:7). Never once did Jesus criticize or complain. He accepts his fate with an air of understanding and heroically carries the cross his is to be killed upon, to his final resting place (John 19:2-42). Along the way, he is beaten, spat on, cut, insulted; yet never once does he curse those who sentenced him to die, never once does he say an ill word about anything (John 19:2-42). Yet as the nails slid through his flesh and the pain become overwhelming, his death agonizing and tedious, Jesus cries out one of the most heartbreaking phrases uttered, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). His sob echoes a lifetimes worth of questions, an injustice, the pain of a man who was forced to sacrifice himself so that those around him would be freed from the Original Sin Adam and Eve cursed their souls with. Now, in western culture, Jesus’ last words still are still haunting and melancholic, the only proof we have of his doubt in his father’s plan. Nu-metal band System of a Down incorporates the insolating feeling of being forsaken as they compare the social turmoil in United States politics to the abandonment Jesus must have been feeling as he was nailed down and strung up. This comparison is one of the most powerful made in modern metal music, eluding to the disillusionment and ambivalence Americans feel toward their government- their higher power (Walser 140). Like Jesus, many Americans did not doubt the word and intentions of their government (Primoratz 89). They would follow along, blissfully ignorant and content in the fact that there was someone out there looking out for them, watching them and protecting them (Primoratz 90). Yet that ignorance was shattered as the Twin Towers fell and suddenly, people began to doubt in what they had placed such blind faith in (Primoratz 169). Jesus only believed his Father to have abandoned him when he could no longer take the misery and suffering, the inhumane cruelty (Matthew 27:46). As millions of Americans watched the World Trade Center victims undergo such tragedy, they too began to wonder if their government had abandoned them (Primoratz 180). Instead of a resounding cry of, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” countless Americans looked to President George W Bush and demanded, “Why Mr. President? What have you not been telling us?” Revelations, the last book in the Christian bible, contains many themes of the dawning Judgment Day. Written by John of Patmos, Revelations, or, The Revelation of Jesus Christ unto his Servant John, is ripe with imagery of destruction, chaos, death and a general disorder. Seeing as how metal bands have generally attempted to wallow in the gritty, dark and perverse side of life, it is no wonder that metal bands lay the foundation of their apocalyptic songs with the images from the bible. Amongst the litany of songs complied over the last thirty years, two have stood out, tackling two distinct themes: punishment (Nivana’s Lake of Fire) and retribution (Axxis’ Four Horseman) The leading horse is white / The second horse is red / The third one is a black, / The last one is a green -Four Horseman by Axxis The first of the apocalyptic songs emerge in Axxis’ Four Horsemen. Revelations 6:1-8 describes how there were four unbroken seals that represent God’s plagues upon mankind and how each seal breaks one after the other, revealing a rider on a horse. The first seal broken contains a white horse and its rider holds a bow, the second seal broken contains a red horse and its rider holds a sword, the third seal broken contains a black horse and its rider holds a pair of scales and the fourth and final seal broken contains a pale horse and its rider is called Death. These four horsemen of the apocalypse are said to ride throughout the land, brining pestilence, war, famine and death respectively (Taylor 207). The first horseman riding the white steed becomes the personification of pestilence, brining with him a false sense of peace and security (Revelations 6:2). Yet his crown alludes to a higher stature; a prince or king among peasants (Revelations 6:2). Scholars have argued that the first horseman is really Christ or more specifically, Christ’s dark double- the Antichrist (Revelations 6:2). The second horseman riding the red steed alludes to blood and death; war and murder (Revelations 6:4). Whereas the first horseman is said to conquer, the second horseman acts as a pillager; one who plunders and destroys leaving villages and cities ripe for the picking (Revelations 6:4). Even the second horseman’s weapon symbolizes war, for the sword is still a major signifier for death (Revelations 6:4). The third horseman riding the black steed is famine (Revelations 6:5). The blackness of his horse represents the black, withered and barren fields where no crop can prosper and thousands will die from starvation. Instead of a weapon, the third horseman carries a scale- justice, balance (Revelations 6:5). Scholars have debated whether the scales are present due to the second horseman, War: if war were to ravage the lands, food supplies would become scare, hence why the balance is needed (Taylor 207). The final horseman on the pale steed is flat out called Death (Revelations 6:8). The pallor of his horse represents the color of the decaying deceased around him as he washes away sin and corruption with his lethal kiss (Revelations 6:8). The fourth horseman is by far the most dangerous of all the horsemen; for he employs the other three to carry out his ill will (Revelations 6:8). By ravishing the food supply, mass murder and tricking people to stray form the path of righteousness, the last rider of the apocalypse fulfills his mission of death to a tee. In western culture, the Four Horsemen can easily be associated with the first Bush Administration: Pestilence- James Quayle, War- Dick Cheney, Famine- Clayton Yeutter and finally Death- George H Bush. During the four year run Bush Sr. held in office, his cabinet met with great economic troubles and violence. In 1990, Iraq invades Kuwait, seeking more oil from its oil-rich neighbor (Smith 185). The United States, fearing Iraq will move in on Saudi Arabia, an extremely US friendly country, decides to send over aide (Smith 185-6). Bush Sr. states that, “This is not a war for oil. This is war against aggression” (Smith 185). As the Minister of Defense, Cheney led the charge in Kuwait, arranging bombings, fires and attacks on Arab soldiers and the National Guard (Smith 187). By the time the war is over, there will be 30,000-40,000 coalition casualties as well as close to five hundred American deaths (Smith 193). As the Horseman of War, Cheney swung his flaming sword, carving epitaphs and requiems through his bloody trail of innocents. Yet as time went by the delicate US budget began to dwindle seeing as how Bush Sr. had made it perfectly clear to the American populace that he would not be raising taxes (Lippman 138). Yet, once the war broke out and US troops were deployed, Bush Sr. began to realize the United States could not support such an endeavor (Lippman 142). The short year that Bush Sr. keeps his troops in Kuwait and the following two years Clinton keeps the soldiers overseas, ends up costing the United States almost seventy-one billion dollars- an absolutely staggering amount (Lippman 161). Close to an economic recession, the US was going to have to pull out of Kuwait (Lippman 161). By sheer stroke of luck, Iraq pulls out of Kuwait, thus signaling a victory (Lippman 163). During the entire ordeal, Vice President Quayle assured the American people that the war would be over soon, a quick deployment and even quicker return (Smith 170). Yet, they years began to trickle onward, Quayle’s lie became more evident (Smith 172). Yet the true mastermind, the true bringer of Death turns out to be President Bush. Under his orders, his command and authority, the Gulf War continues onward, bringing devastation to an already unstable country and leaving it in ruins. Where do bad folks go when they die? / They don't go to heaven where the angels fly / They go down to the lake of fire and fry. -Lake of Fire by Nirvana Kurt Cobain eloquently summarizes Revelations 19 with the above mentioned line. Up until this point in the biblical text, John of Patmos does not directly state what will become of all the sinners who go against God. Yet then the false prophet and the beast and all those that followed their message, “were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur” (19:20). This brutal killing is symbolic in its punishment. The false prophet and the beast actively work against God; therefore their punishment for their disobedience will be as vindictive and painful as possible (Revelations 19:20). They are rejecting God’s soothing light so they are burned with an entirely different kind of light. Moreover, the lake of fire is mentioned three more times in John of Patmos’ tale. In Revelations “The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (20:10). There is no promise of redemption or forgiveness in this passage; God’s mercy and forgiveness is obviously not applicable to the Devil. Next, “Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14). This is God’s way of now banishing all the evils that exist, cleansing them for the new world. Finally, “If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelations 20:15). The book of life, the book that holds all the names of the devout, becomes a VIP list for the entrance to heaven. Now, instead of fire being associated with revelation (Moses and the burning bush for instance), or wonder and enlightenment, fire takes on an entirely new semiotic meaning and becomes a reprimanding force that burns with an unholy anger. Vengeance and cruelty become embodied in one metaphorical lake of anguish that promises to burn for all eternity. As for Revelations’ link to western culture, Nirvana still stands as one of the most influential bands of the twentieth century. Their songs and albums manage to transcend the normally restrictive boundaries of grunge music and the messages they spoke of were heard worldwide. By flat out referencing Revelations 19, Nirvana is reiterating the potentially devastating demise of mankind, while simultaneously acting as a warning for all those who would challenge the omnipotence of God. Lake of Fire becomes a parable, modern day retelling of the unfortunate that awaits all those that reject God and take up consorting with the Devil. What is it exactly that draws metal-heads to biblical literature? By and large, the bible is a book that preaches patience and faith that emphasizes the importance of belief and forgiveness- turning the other cheek. Metal music stands as a means to convey aggression and frustration- to blame and point the finger. The links from the bible and western culture are abundant and music is always urging listeners to challenge and question authority and norms. Yet when push comes to shove, whether it is questions of faith or the questioning of faith, the bible and metal music will be intertwined. Works Cited Bible: King James Version. April 2, 2006. Online Avalable 2006. Lippman, Thomas W. Inside The Mirage: America's Fragile Partnership With Saudi Arabia. Boulder, Colorado; Oxford : Westview Press, 2004. Murray, Williamson. The Iraq War: A Military History. Cambridge, Massachusetts : Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2003. Primoratz, Igor. Terrorism: The Philosophical Issues. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Smith, Philip. Why War?: The Cultural Logic of Iraq, the Gulf War, and Suez. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2005. Taylor, Eugene. Shadow Culture Psychology and Spirituality in America. Washington, D.C. : Counterpoint, 1999. Walser, Robert. Running With the Devil: Power, Gender and Madness in Heavy Metal Music. New England : Wesleyan University Press, 1982.