Feature: Seth Metal – April Spins from the Vault & the Pit
By Seth Metoyer, Heaven’s Metal Magazine –
Each month, Heaven’s Metal Staff Writers try to spin a healthy mix of old favorites, hidden gems, and new torchbearers, keeping the flame alive in the Christian metal scene. With the Easter season, April brought the thunder with a lineup that spans thrash, death, power, and some rock reflection for good measure. Whether you’re digging into legacy albums or exploring newer brutal cuts, here’s what dominated my speakers this month.
Let us know what some of your April playlist spins were.
Vengeance Rising – Destruction Comes
A scathing slab of rawness, Destruction Comes lives up to its title with guttural rage and no-punches-pulled lyrics. Roger Martinez’s vocals are bare and prophetic, backed by a band still chugging like a locomotive barreling through the apocalypse. It’s not as good as the first two Vengeance albums (duh), but it’s still a must-listen for fans of thrash on the edge of chaos.
Becoming the Archetype – Dichotomy
Progressive death metal meets theological depth. Dichotomy isn’t just heavy—it’s intellectually and spiritually weighty, drawing inspiration from C.S. Lewis and transhumanist themes. Crushing riffs, sweeping keyboards, and Jason Wisdom’s commanding vocals make this a modern classic.
Demon Hunter – Songs of Death and Resurrection
This acoustic reinterpretation of some of the band’s darker, brooding tracks is stunningly beautiful. Stripped-down, cinematic, and haunting, Songs of Death and Resurrection showcases the band’s songwriting and Ryan Clark’s emotive vocal delivery in a whole new light.
Scourged Flesh – Released From Damnation
Underrated Australian death/thrash that hits with both precision and passion. Released From blends gritty riffs, intense drumming, and a raw production style that feels authentic and unrelenting. This one’s for fans of early Mortification with a fresh twist.
Come to Pass – Splitting Shadows
This debut release from Broken Curfew Records is as brutal as it is introspective. Splitting Shadows is an old-school death metal punch to the soul, tackling themes of spiritual warfare and personal demons with blistering speed and ferocity. A new name to watch in the extreme Christian metal scene.
Daniel Band – Run From the Darkness
A cornerstone of early Christian hard rock. Run From the Darkness walks the line between classic metal and arena rock with infectious hooks and a bold evangelistic heart. It still holds up decades later with its melodic riffs and unmistakable energy.
Living Sacrifice – In Memoriam
A compilation that feels like a celebration and a reckoning. In Memoriam offers both a retrospective and fresh blood, featuring re-recordings and unreleased tracks that capture the evolution of one of Christian metal’s most influential bands.
Jerusalem – Dancing on the Head of the Serpent
An iconic album with one of the most unforgettable covers in Christian rock history. Musically, it’s fist-pumping hard rock with an edge, lyrically aimed at spiritual confrontation. This 1987 release still speaks with authority today.
Bloodgood – Detonation
Explosive from the opening riff, Detonation is a theatrical, hard-hitting metal album that pulls no punches. Les Carlsen’s dramatic vocals and the band’s razor-sharp musicianship make this a highlight of the early Christian metal era. “Crucify” alone is worth the price of admission.
Sacred Warrior – Master’s Command
Think Iron Maiden and Queensryche with Scripture-laced lyrics and you’re getting close. Master’s Command delivers classic power metal with progressive flourishes and soaring vocals. Tony Velasquez’s drumming and Rey Parra’s pipes carry this one into elite status. I love this album.
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