Unblack metal
It is also suggested that Christianity contradicts black metal's dark nature and the individualistic and misanthropic ideals of many bands.
The Australian band Horde's 1994 album Hellig Usvart brought the concept and the term "holy unblack metal" (a word play on Darkthrone's slogan "unholy black metal" used on the albums A Blaze in the Northern Sky and Under a Funeral Moon)[5] to media attention,[6] while the Norwegian band Antestor was already formed in 1990 as a death/doom act and released its demo The Defeat of Satan in 1991, before they began shifting towards unblack metal on their 1994 album Martyrium.
Garry Sharpe-Young's 2001 encyclopedia A-Z of Black Metal states that "[t]opping the lot are Christian 'Unblack' acts who for all intents and purposes look like, sound like and employ the imagery of Black Metal whilst hidden in the unpenetrable vocal growls and distortions are the proclamations of Jesus Christ".
These often include stories of conversion, doubt, salvation, struggles with faith, and the darker side of living a Christian life.
In the early 1980s, several bands dealt such themes in a more extreme manner, including Venom, Mercyful Fate and Bathory.
In the 1980s, the term was imprecise with regards to musical attributes, simply referring to all metal bands with Satanic lyrical themes.
"[11] The Australian band Horde's debut album Hellig Usvart, recorded and released in 1994, is often credited for being the first unblack metal album, although the sole member "Anonymous" has stated that, "there were similar [unblack] bands prior to Horde, even in Norway," referring to Antestor who formed in 1990.
Antestor's debut album Martyrium was also recorded in 1994 and marked a shift into unblack metal territory.
[13] Hellig Usvart (Norwegian for Holy Unblack) caused great controversy in the black metal scene, and death threats were sent to Nuclear Blast Records headquarters demanding them to release the members' names.
[19] Antestor's 1998 release The Return of the Black Death proved highly influential for the unblack metal movement.
[21][22] Vaakevandring's self-titled EP (recorded in 1998) was produced by Stian Aarstad, the keyboard player of Dimmu Borgir.
[26][27] The band subsequently moved away from this early black metal sound to a more mainstream post-hardcore style.
[33] Apart from Scandinavia, unblack metal has developed regional scenes in the United States, South America, and Central Europe.
[37] In Poland, notable unblack metal groups include Abdijah, Fire Throne, and Elgibbor.
[39] Although the latter does not currently consider themselves as a "Christian band"[40] In 2006, Admonish achieved wider notice when twins Emil (guitar) and Jonas Karlsson (bass) both appeared on the MTV Europe show Pimp My Ride International.
[41][42] In 2007, the Norwegian band Frosthardr appeared on the documentary feature film Murder Music: A History of Black Metal.
"[43] Certain critics, such as Jussi Lahtonen of the Finnish indie rock magazine Sue, have argued that separating Christian from non-Christian black metal artists "feels rather pointless".
[44] However, early groups such as Horde and Antestor refused to call their music "black metal" because they felt that the style was strongly associated with Satanism.
[43] Jonathan Selzer, editor of the British metal magazine Terrorizer discussed his experiences and thoughts in the documentary: We had a debate in our letter pages that went on for six weeks.
Maybe there are some aspects in Christianity, maybe some Old Testament 'hang 'em high' kind of wrath that might actually find parallel with black metal.
[4] Kittil Kittilsen, who left Mayhem in 1988 after becoming a born-again Christian, expressed his concern for the unblack metal musicians: "I think they're completely off the mark.
"[4] In an interview with Screams of Abel webzine, former Antestor member Morten Mageroy reacted with caution to the proliferation of unblack bands: "I really hope that people (who play Christian black metal) know what they are doing.
I know that God is using many types of communication, and it is important that Christians is [sic] present in every field, in every genre, privately and in work.
