Discussing
Lamenting along with Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden powers on with The Book of Souls, offering another heavy metal burst of lament.

Very insightful. Thank you. Why, as a "believer" in Jesus Christ, do I listen to "heavy metal" music? Because it's honest. I'm a survivor of child abuse. I questioned not only God's existence but the existence of anything good or loving in the universe. This music expresses that pain and those questions very honestly. And what did I find when I asked my honest questions, when I screamed them, cried them? Someone answered. It wasn't "the devil." A God of love answered, and said, "I scream with you, I cry with you, I love you, and I know your pain." I found empathy, compassion and hope. With the help of this God, I'm learning that I'm worthy of love. I learning to accept the love of God, and to treat others the way God treats me: with love, empathy and respect. Heavy metal is the vehicle my heart used to cry out to God, and God heard me. I'll be forever grateful.

Amen. I suffer from chronic depression. I'm the guy twiddling his thumbs in church because the top 40 love songs we call worship music don't resonate with me. I read the complaints of Jeremiah and Habakkuk and wonder why our church services only seem to represent one half of the Christian life. I'm looking for that honesty you're talking about. When our bodies groan with creation, we want to heard, not told that our groaning is a lack of the spiritual fruit of joy. As therapeutic as it the metal community is, it's disappointing that we have to turn to that instead of the church to be understood. I'm looking forward to the day when lament is fully embraced in Christian worship and songs of all stripes are welcome.

Hey great article and comments, not too much to add. I've listened to metal since about the time I became a Christian. There are lots of great very under-appreciated Christian metal bands out there. Armath Sargon and Wretched Humanity come to mind.