Christian Metal Albums That Changed the Game

Somehow Christian metal is still considered a joke by many. Bands like Linkin Park and even Black Sabbath have used Christian lyrics and imagery. Some members were also openly Christian and made it to the top. They either had members of a different faith in Linkin Park or rejected the lifestyle of Christ as Sabbath developed a hellish reputation. For this reason they are not included on the list. Neither is As I Lay Dying as the lead singer admitted to his ex-wife that he was an atheist for years, the bands lyrics avoided God, and then he tried to have his ex murdered. This is a list of albums where all members are openly Christian or they add the Christian beliefs of their singer at the forefront.

To Help With The DevilStryper:

Somehow a band with blatant gospel messages ruled MTV with this album. The music video for “Calling on You,” an obvious call to God/worship song reached the number 2 spot on their Top 10 music video countdown list. Then the videos for “Free” and “Honestly” hit number one. They became the first band to have Two Top Ten MTV Music Videos at the same time. This also helped them to be the most requested band on Dial MTV in 1987. Even more amazing is that in between Europe’s The Final Countdown and Guns N’ Roses rise to fame, a group of Christians ruled late night secular television while televangelists called them demon spawn. This multi-platinum album went on to bring Christian metal to the forefront for the first time.

Jesus FreakDC Talk:

DC Talk started at Liberty University and became known as a soft rap group. The three members would also have very successful solo careers after the band split. Jesus Freak added a darker tone shift, a new attitude and mixed grunge elements with enough heavy beats to qualify as nu metal. The experiment paid off as it sold over two million copies in the United States. This proved Stryper’s success was more than a fluke, no glitch in the matrix occurred.

SatelliteP.O.D.:

Payable on Death was already on the rise when this gem came out. As the world was horrified by the September 11 terrorist attacks, many people were encouraged by this album that came out on the same day. “Alive” was an uplifting anthem which Christians can see as describing the Holy Spirit, while atheists saw it as a comforting metal ballad that made them think of better days. “Youth of a Nation” helped many young students going through a hard time and became one of those songs that would help define a generation. “Boom” has attitude and the whole song was fun, making it catchy all over. This resulted in an RIAA triple-platinum album with over 7 million units sold worldwide. Not only did Satellite sell ridiculously well, it was nominated for 3 Grammys in the Hard Rock and Metal categories. Here is a rare example of a critically acclaimed “rap metal” album.

FallenEvanescence:

Even though the band has a history with the Christian label, rejecting it, being the top band on it, etc., Amy Lee has confirmed her faith. Stryper has also rejected the label as they want to give the Word of God to secular crowds. Being limited to gospel sections destroys the purpose. The band clearly did use biblically-inspired lyrics and undertones. Obviously, this is one of the most well-known metal releases of all time. Over 17 million records of it have been sold and it won two Grammy awards in secular categories. “Bring Me to Life” became their most famous song as over 3 million singles were sold. “My Immortal” was also a platinum hit. With one debut release, Amy Lee had become the queen of metal.

End of SilenceRed:

Over half a million hard copies sold in the United States with over one million singles to add. This brought Red into the spotlight ever so briefly. “Breathe Into Me” and “Already Over” both were RIAA Gold hits and helped Red to make a decent career. While they have been largely forgotten, this Grammy nominated group has sold over 3 million copies and added respect to the Christian metal catalogue.

FlyleafFlyleaf:

A true shocker, to be sure. Lacey Sturm shook metalheads with her vocals. They had such a hot start with their self-titled introduction to the world that many people thought Lacey could challenge Amy Lee as the female voice of metal. The thought didn’t seem too crazy as all three albums with her at the front peaked at the top 5 in the U.S. Hard Rock charts on Billboard. While the single “I’m So Sick” never became a hit, it is a cult classic. The same can be said for “Fully Alive.” Meanwhile, their first studio release sold over one million copies in America. While their next album had a platinum hit in “All Around Me,” they soon fizzled out of the public eye. Like a meteor they flashed in brilliance only to seemingly vanish as soon as they arrived.

Riot!Paramore:

Paramore has mentioned God in lyrics before and their lead vocalist Hayley Williams has openly described herself as a Christian. She has also said that her beliefs are in her lyrics as well. This along with performing at Christian festivals has helped them make the list. Yet another double-platinum hit, this release made them one of the biggest punk acts in the world. Songs such as “Misery Business” became a sensation as in the U.S. alone, where it sold over four million units. “That’s What You Get” and “Crushcrushcrush” also went platinum. This one album alone could have made a career for Paramore, but they continued to fire hits with their new fanbase.

AwakeSkillet: “Monster” alone has sold over three million singles, as did “Hero.” “Awake and Alive” surpassed one million on an album which is certified double-platinum. These three hit songs brought Skillet to the top. They were a respected but mostly unknown group before Awake. This changed when the songs gained airtime on WWE, the NFL, NCAA Football, and others. “Monster” went viral on YouTube and was a massive hit on Spotify, as did the others. With one album, Skillet became one of the most well-known rock/metal bands of the 21st century. By 2020 they had amassed over 3 billion streams on Spotify and turned into a global phenomenon. “Monster” and “Hero” also have combined to receive over 4 billion total audio global streams, with their music videos on their YouTube page and Atlantic Record’s page combining for approximately 2 billion views. On Pandora they also were named “billionaires” for surpassing 2 billion streams in 2019. Awake took Skillet from a moderately successful band, to one of the most listened to musical groups in history!

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2 thoughts on “Christian Metal Albums That Changed the Game

  1. I’m impressed, I must say. Rarely do I come across a blog that’s both
    equally educative and entertaining, and let me tell you,
    you’ve hit the nail on the head. The problem is something that
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  2. Thank you! I just want people to know being Christian doesn’t mean you hate metal. It bothers me most people’s thoughts on Christian rock come from “king of the hill”. If I can entertain someone and give useful information that’s wonderful! Thanks again, after a long day a cheerful word works wonders.

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