Christian metal, also known as white metal, Jesus metal or heavenly metal, is heavy metal music distinguished by its Christian-themed song lyrics and the dedication of the band members to Christianity. Christian metal is typically performed by professed Christians, principally for Christians and is often produced and distributed through various Christian networks.
Psycho Surgery is the second studio album by the American Christian metal band Tourniquet. It was originally released on Intense Records and Metal Blade Records in 1991. A remastered version was released on Pathogenic Records in 2001 as Psychosurgery and includes revised artwork, an expanded album booklet, and bonus tracks that include live versions of songs featuring then-lead vocalist Luke Easter as well as demos; the title was changed since co-founder and drummer Ted Kirkpatrick always felt that it should have been just one. Retroactive Records released a Collector's Edition remaster on June 26, 2020, retaining the original album title and including an extended booklet as well as different bonus tracks. Considered by critics to be Tourniquet's most balanced of the band's first three albums, Heaven's Metal fanzine ranked Psycho Surgery Christian metal's second-best album of all time.
Vengeance Rising was an American Christian thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Fronted by vocalist Roger Martinez, they originally formed as Vengeance in 1987, but changed their name in 1989 to avoid conflict with another band from the Netherlands. Band members Larry Farkas, Doug Thieme, Roger Dale Martin, and Glen Mancaruso left following Once Dead and formed the band Die Happy. Roger Martinez stayed on to record two more studio albums, but aside from him, Vengeance Rising's lineup changed for each subsequent album. While the group was a ground breaking Christian metal band, today Vengeance Rising is known for vocalist Martinez's turning from Christianity to Satanism to atheism. AllMusic describes Vengeance Rising's history as "one of the most entertaining and bizarre stories in the realm of heavy metal."
Scrolls of the Megilloth is the second studio album by Australian Christian death metal band Mortification. It was released on 28 August 1992. The band's most famous release, this album is full-on death metal, with the thrash metal roots barely showing, and possibly their most extreme album to date. According to AllMusic, the album "garnered the band some attention from the heavy metal underground" and contains "some of the most frightening vocals ever recorded." In 2010, HM Magazine ranked Scrolls of the Megilloth number 17 on the Top 100 Christian Metal Albums of All Time list with Van Pelt stating that "Though the band has been living it down ever since, this album raised the standard of Christian grindcore to almost unattainable levels."
Deliverance is the 1989 debut album by the Christian speed/thrash metal band Deliverance. The original Intense Records pressing is now considered a valuable collectable. It was reissued, minus 2 songs in 1998 on KMG Records as a two-disc set along with the 1990 album Weapons of Our Warfare. It was officially re-released late 2008 with two bonus tracks on Retroactive Records. The album was ranked at No. 44 on Metal Hammer's top 50 thrash metal albums of all-time list. In 2010, HM Magazine listed Deliverance No. 31 on its Top 100 Christian Rock Albums of All Time list stating that "'If You Will' into 'The Call' is almost as good as metal gets " and that "this record would forever change and impact me and the Christian metal music scene as we knew it!"(-Bill Balford). Heaven's Metal fanzine ranked it No. 3 on its Top 100 Christian metal albums of all-time list. About.com writer Dan Marsicano wrote "Metal with a religious concept is not for everybody, and Deliverance doesn’t try to pander to the secular crowd. So, if you don’t mind a little preaching, their music is straight-to-the-gut thrash metal at a time where the genre was getting more expansive with its themes and sound. For giving Christian metal a thrash hero to rally behind, Deliverance gets the nod for this week’s Retro Recommendation."
Die Happy was an American Christian rock band. The group was formed in 1990 when Vengeance Rising members Larry Farkas, Doug Thieme, Glen Mancaruso, and Roger Dale Martin split the band, citing unrest with that band's front man and vocalist, Roger Martinez. They hired Robyn Kyle Basauri, formerly of Jaguar, as a vocalist and he officially joined the band after the release of their eponymous debut.
Sacred Warrior is a Christian heavy metal band formed in 1988 and based in Chicago, Illinois. Their music is often compared to that of Queensrÿche or Iron Maiden.
Mortal was a Christian industrial/dance band fronted by Jerome Fontamillas and Jyro Xhan. Both members went on to found the alternative rock group Fold Zandura, and for a time were members of both bands simultaneously. The band is known for its lyrical intelligence, incorporating advanced theology with what has been billed as "Industrial Praise and Worship." According to CCM Magazine "Mortal has had a much greater influence... on industrial music than its modest output would suggest."
Human Sacrifice is the first studio album by the Christian death and thrash metal band Vengeance Rising. It is the first full-length Christian thrash metal album as it was released in 1988. Though controversial, Human Sacrifice and the following album, Once Dead were huge successes in the world of Christian music, making Vengeance Rising one of the few bands in the genre to cross over into the secular music scene. Dave Caughney of Cross Rhythms magazine wrote in 1990 that this "legendary classic debut [...] breathed much needed freshness into the somewhat stale white metal scene". HM Magazine editor Doug Van Pelt called Human Sacrifice "the most radical Christian album ever released". In 2010, HM ranked Human Sacrifice the best Christian metal album of all time on its Top 100 list because it "tilted the Christian metal world on its ear".
Once Dead is a Christian metal band that originated in Los Angeles, California. The band has played at Festivals such as Up From The Ashes, Elements of Rock Festival and Nordic Fest.
Lust Control is a Christian thrash punk band, originally formed in 1988. They are known for their explicit lyrical content, which is devoted to matters of sexual purity and sin, including abstinence, masturbation, pornography, sex ed, and related topics. For their unwavering views on sexual purity, CCM magazine has called Lust Control "the Josh McDowell of the Christian rock world." Musically they have been likened to The Ramones or The Dead Milkmen. The band formed as a joke and was not meant for long term exposure, which has led some to refer to it as a Christian version of Spinal Tap. Lust Control received the title of "The Worst Christian Band of the Decade" for the 1990s from HM.
Precious Death was a Southern California heavy metal band from the 1990s. The group was known for intense live shows that won over the local scene in L.A. before broadening their audience the rest of the country. They were a regular favorite at KNAC nights, on the Hollywood strip, and at summer music festivals. The group wrote songs with a Christian message. Singer Christopher Scott and guitarist David Bishop went on to form Blackball as a side project. Precious Death won album of the year and rock song of the year at the LA Music Awards and was nominated for Dove awards. The band's album, Southpaw, was ranked in one of the Top 10 essential Christian metal albums by Loudersound.
Detritus are an English thrash metal band formed in Bristol in 1989. The band consists of two current and former members of the British Christian metal band Seventh Angel. Detritus disbanded in October 1993. Vocalist/bassist Mark Broomhead formed Fire Fly and joined Seventh Angel. The band teased a potential reunion, stating the following: "So first Detritus practice for 26 years, went quite well. Maybe we might do it again sometime." On 9 December 2018, Mark Broomhead confirmed that Detritus' reunion concert would be at the Alive festival in the Netherlands, which was held from 17 to 19 May 2019. Detritus' first studio album in 28 years, Myths, was released on 19 February 2021.
Recon was an American Christian metal band that originated in California in 1987.
Destruction Comes is the third album by Vengeance Rising released in 1991. The album was the first album to not feature any members of the original members other than Vocalist Roger Martinez, who recorded Bass and Rhythm Guitar. The other members that were on the album were Derek Sean, who recorded Guitars on Mortification's self titled album, and Chris Hyde, former drummer of Deliverance and Holy Soldier. The album was re-released on Intense Millennium Records in 2011.
Larry Farkas is an American guitarist who primarily performs thrash metal. He was a member of Christian bands Vengeance Rising, Deliverance, Holy Soldier, and Once Dead, many of which he started.
Glenn Rogers is an American guitarist who performs mainly thrash metal. He has most notably performed with Hirax, Deliverance, Vengeance Rising and Once Dead.
Released Upon the Earth is the fourth album of the thrash metal band, Vengeance Rising. The album was later re-released in 2015, remastered and expanded. The only official members of the band at this point were founder Roger Martinez and new drummer Johnny Vasquez, who would later play with Mortification, when they first came to America, Tooth n’ Nail recording artists The Blamed, and Time Spent Burning Alongside Vasquez, on this album, Steve Rowe performed guest vocals on the track "Tion"
George Ochoa is an American guitarist that started being active in 1987.
Roger Dale Martin, or more commonly known as Roger Dale, is a heavy metal musician who has performed with several acts including Vengeance Rising and Once Dead.
