News: Breakdowns on the Ballot – Christian Metal Crashes Furnace Fest (2025)
By Stephanie Jordan, Heaven’s Metal Magazine –
Christian Metal Bringing Breakdowns to Everyone…and They are Asking for It
Furnace Fest 2025 is approaching quickly, scheduled to take place at the beginning of October. It is a weekend of music festival glory hosted in my hometown of Birmingham, AL. This year, they are running a voting contest for an opening band. Brilliant move, promoters! They have bands of all kinds requesting their fans to go and vote to win the prized spot. After about two weeks of voting, the bands are down to 10 top picks. The crazy part…FIVE of the top 10 are Christian metal bands! This is an incredible show of force and support for the growth of the Christian metal scene. The voting link can be found here!
The underground Christian metal scene has always had a niche market and very supportive fans, but the ability to crossover into the secular crowd is encouraging. Furnace Fest originated in the early 2000s and has always had a mix of Christian and secular bands. The hybrid approach isn’t new to Furnace Fest, but having half of the top 10 spots filled by Christian metal really highlights how it has emerged from the underground and gained respect across the entire scene.
Top 5 Christian Metal Options:
1. No Treaty
Their website notreatyband.com states: No Treaty is dedicated to creating music that energizes, challenges, and inspires. The band is committed to delivering biblical and thought-provoking lyrics. Their music aims to be a beacon of light in the darkness, illuminating the source of hope, Jesus.
I have personally followed No Treaty for over a year and they are killing it! Their music is raw, unfiltered, and a dose of hope in darkness needed today. Want an anthem today? No Treaty has written it for you!
Carolina ChristCore is all they claim. With a warm heart and vibrant message, Cleansing of the Temple will win audiences over with their brutal breakdowns and endless energy. I love that they aren’t afraid to make people uncomfortable with their imagery, song names, and message. They have a punk rock heart with a metal sound.
3. Dreaded Dale
Showing their humor, Dreaded Dale claims Pumpkin Spiced ChristCore as their band motto. I don’t know how many pumpkin spiced lattes you’d find at their shows, but best believe they will get spilled with the pits that this band creates. Powerful guitar riffs and a relentless double bass pedal beat that sounds like the heartbeat of every metalhead will have you moving whether you want to or not.
Southeast hardcore thrilling my old school hardcore heart. They have a nostalgic sound with a modern message. They are the band that you are headbanging to at the red light and you can’t even help yourself. If you’ve been missing what hardcore brought to the scene, this band is for you. I think I see a new playlist for these guys in the very near future on my Spotify.
A mix of hardcore and metal with good breakdowns and some serious bass guitar keeps your ears engaged. There is enough “blegh” to go around for everyone. This band is energetic and brings their whole heart every time they play. Lyrics to make you check your heart and a beat that keeps you moving…what more can you ask for?
VOTE HERE: https://forms.gle/QY2ZfDPFyrSuVAkFA
GOOD LUCK to each of you! I cannot wait to see who gets to open Furnace Fest 2025!
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