Christian Music

[chaotic_ripper]

Any fans of Christian rock, or contemporary Christian music?

Hillsong
Michael W. Smith
Third Day
MercyMe
Jars of Clay

Those are some of the big ones.

[Orbert]

I was in a praise band for a few years that did CCM, but that ended a while back.  A lot of it was really good music which I loved playing.  I don't really consider myself a fan of CCM, but I ended up becoming familiar with some of it.

Hillsong has so much material out there, and by so many different writers, that it would be difficult not to find something to like by them.  There have a number of songs which I consider really good.

Phil Wickham gets a little samey sometimes, and sometimes creeps me out because his songs of praise often sound like love songs, but he also has a great voice and can really write a melody.

I remember doing some David Crowder tunes with some wacky keyboards, which appealed to me since I'm a keyboard player, but when I dug into more albums by Crowder, it seems that those few tunes we did were exceptions.  I didn't really like the rest of his stuff.

Chris Tomlin is pretty cool.  He's kinda like Phil Wickham in that he cranks out so many songs that they start sounding the same, but they're also usually pretty good.

[jjrock88]

I'm a big fan of 80s Christian metal; Stryper, Saint, Barren Cross, Angelica, Recon, Sacred Warrior, Neon Cross, California Metal soundtracks,

[bl5150]

I'm not religious so I have no interest in terms of the religious message , but as long as it's subtle enough and the music is good then hey - good music is good music.

I can't say I have a huge amount of CCM , but a few in the hard rock/metal that come to mind would be Stryper, Holy Soldier, King James, , Barren Cross , The Brave , Guardian, Fear Not (poor man's Skid Row   )Tamplin/Shout and a few on the AOR side ...The Front, King of Hearts,  White Heart etc..

[lonestar]

Though not a christian, I do listen to Balance of Power and Mehida. Both good power metal bands.

[Scorpion]

Theocracy was the first band that came to mind. Awesome music - so awesome that I don't mind the in your face religiousness of it all.

I also used to be a fan of Skillet, but that has passed.

[hefdaddy42]

Not a big fan of most Christian metal.

My favorite Christian artists are Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Hillsong, Audrey Assad, and of course, Neal Morse.

I play drums at my church every week, so I am extremely familiar with most of this stuff.

[mikeyd23]

Some cool Christian hard rock/metal bands out there for sure.  Just a few off the top of my head: Kutless (older material), Skillet, Thousand Foot Krutch, Pillar, Decyfer Down, Ashes Remain, RED, Nine Lashes, The Letter Black, Sent by Ravens, Day of Fire, Fireflight, Flyleaf, We As Human, Disciple, 12 Stones, Demon Hunter, Love and Death, War of Ages, etc....

I could go on and on with that list, haha. I'm in a Christian hard rock band that used to play out a lot and at one point or another we played with many of those bands, most of them are great dudes/ladies.

Also some cool Christian Contemporary artists out there right now too. Hillsong, Elevation Worship, Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, Vertical Church Band, Bethel Church, Tenth Avenue North etc...

[Kotowboy]

I used to listen to a lot of Delirious? I liked their Mezzanine album.

[Kotowboy]

I play drums at my church every week, so I am extremely familiar with most of this stuff.

That's how I started. .

I used to want to rehearse with my dad the night before but after a while it would be more like
Do you want to drum in church today?
Ok

I didn't even need to know what songs were being played. I knew them all eventually

[Zook]

Theocracy was the first band that came to mind. Awesome music - so awesome that I don't mind the in your face religiousness of it all.

This, but I only like Mirror of Souls.

[TAC]

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=40804.msg1769637#msg1769637

[rumborak]

and of course, Neal Morse.

Surprisingly late in the thread

[Orbert]

Neal Morse's stuff is practically its own genre.  Christian Prog, or something.  Pretty much no one else is doing it, certainly no one totally progging it up like Neal.

[hefdaddy42]

Neal Morse's stuff is practically its own genre.  Christian Prog, or something.  Pretty much no one else is doing it, certainly no one totally progging it up like Neal.

That's true.

[Lowdz]

I'm not religious so I have no interest in terms of the religious message , but as long as it's subtle enough and the music is good then hey - good music is good music.

I can't say I have a huge amount of CCM , but a few in the hard rock/metal that come to mind would be Stryper, Holy Soldier, King James, , Barren Cross , The Brave , Guardian, Fear Not (poor man's Skid Row   )Tamplin/Shout and a few on the AOR side ...The Front, King of Hearts,  White Heart etc..

Same here. Don't have much in my collection from overtly Christian bands but I'm certainly not put off by the message, just as I'm not a satanist for listening to Sabbath etc. Stryper, Whitecross, Shout, Theocracy, Liberty N Justice, Neil Morse, Scarlet Red were probably the only ones I listened to.

[rumborak]

Neal Morse is probably the only Christian music I listen to. Just haven't heard any other that appealed to me.

[ErHaO]

Most bands/artists that came to mind are already mentioned. Did not see Seventh Avenue, which is a solid (old school, think early Blind Guardian or Helloween) German Power Metal band.

[hefdaddy42]

Neal Morse is probably the only Christian music I listen to. Just haven't heard any other that appealed to me.

I doubt any other would, that I can think of off-hand.  His music is the only Christian music that has ever appealed to me that was "music first."  Most Christian music is "message first".  Does that make sense?

[TAC]

Most bands/artists that came to mind are already mentioned. Did not see Seventh Avenue, which is a solid (old school, think early Blind Guardian or Helloween) German Power Metal band.

That sounds interesting. Will check out.

[yeshaberto]

I still have DC Talk, Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, etc in my playlist but as mentioned previously I enjoy them for the inspiration first and the music second. 
Neal morse, for me, is a win-win.
Whiteheart is an under-rated band.  Their songs are hit/miss, but the ones that are hit are excellent.

[Kotowboy]

Neal Morse is probably the only Christian music I listen to. Just haven't heard any other that appealed to me.

I doubt any other would, that I can think of off-hand.  His music is the only Christian music that has ever appealed to me that was "music first."  Most Christian music is "message first".  Does that make sense?

Yeah I don't like Christian Music that is just praising.

I prefer it when it's music made by a band who happen to be Christian.

[Orbert]

Neal Morse is probably the only Christian music I listen to. Just haven't heard any other that appealed to me.

I doubt any other would, that I can think of off-hand.  His music is the only Christian music that has ever appealed to me that was "music first."  Most Christian music is "message first".  Does that make sense?

It makes sense to me.  Praise music, at its root, is about the message, so the genre has evolved based on making music that is accessible so that people will listen to the message.  Neal honed his chops in prog music first and converted later, so he writes music the way he always has, but with a different message.  "Regular" praise music won't have a five-minute instrumental section in a 20-minute song (or a 10-minute instrumental in a 30-minute song) because there's no real message there.  But Neal has an audience already, so writing music to be accessible isn't even on the table.  At least that's how I see it.

[King Postwhore]

I love Jars Of Clay.  There are a few prog albums out there that some my like.  I'm not very religious but it's never stopped me from purchases.


The Twenty Committee - How Wonderful         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Dl7SyPjKw


Dogs Of Peace -- Do You Know       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GVWDq8sq2Y

[Anguyen92]

Some cool Christian hard rock/metal bands out there for sure.  Just a few off the top of my head: Kutless (older material), Skillet, Thousand Foot Krutch, Pillar, Decyfer Down, Ashes Remain, RED, Nine Lashes, The Letter Black, Sent by Ravens, Day of Fire, Fireflight, Flyleaf, We As Human, Disciple, 12 Stones, Demon Hunter, Love and Death, War of Ages, etc....

Yeah baby, on the bolded.  I love Skillet.  One of my fave five bands.  I really loved Decyfer Down's End Of Gray album, and I used to like 12 Stones, but I stop following them for reasons that I don't know why.  I heard decent things about We As Human (saw a live stream on them last Saturday.  Pretty ok), RED, and Thousand Foot Krutch and I gotta eventually listen to their stuff when I have the time.

I also liked Stryper's No More Hell To Pay album and Michael Sweet's I'm Not Your Suicide album, so I'm pretty much bound to follow those projects and whatever collaboration that Michael Sweet does with.

[Sacul]

I'm not keen on religious stuff, but Saviour Machine's Legend Part I blows my mind for being such a dark, epic rock/metal album about the book of revelations. It seems like the soundtrack for an epic movie. Their other stuff is bloody good too.

[Anguyen92]

I doubt any other would, that I can think of off-hand.  His music is the only Christian music that has ever appealed to me that was "music first."  Most Christian music is "message first".  Does that make sense?

Funny thing, when I first heard of Skillet, their appeal was mainly message first.  When I 1st listened to Stryper, the appeal was pretty much music first.  I was that blown away with the instrumental parts of them.

[TAC]

Most bands/artists that came to mind are already mentioned. Did not see Seventh Avenue, which is a solid (old school, think early Blind Guardian or Helloween) German Power Metal band.

Just checked out some samples on Youtube. Awesome tunes, man! Rough production though.

[sneakyblueberry]

I really like some of the Bethel Church stuff, Jesus Culture etc.  Edge Kingsland is another great band, with a lot of modern influences like Sigur Ros, Arcade Fire etc.  All worship music.

'Christian Music' is such a contentious issue in and of itself.  A lot of Christians listen to absolute crap just because its 'Christian'.  Reading up about the Tim Lambesis (As I Lay Dying) story reaffirmed a lot of the aspects I hate about 'Christian Music'; bands rolling with a Christian image without actually living Christian lives because it gets them an automatic audience.  Meh. 

[Ħ]

Does U2 count? They aren't explicitly Christian, but nearly all their songs that I've heard have been rich with Christian sentiment.

[ronnibran]

Listen to regularly:  Neal Morse, Theocracy

Listen to on occasion: John Elefante, Saviour Machine (although just the Legend albums), Michael Sweet (solo, never cared much for Stryper), Whitecross

Enjoy random songs by on rare occasion: Newsboys, Carman, Keith Green, Rob Rock, Tourniquet, Phil Joel (formerly of Newsboys)

[Dark Castle]

I like Flyleaf

[yeshaberto]

I like Flyleaf

[sneakyblueberry]

Tourniquet

Yes!  They have some great albums.

[Big Hath]

Tourniquet and Bride are two bands I love in the thrash and hard rock realm.  Theocracy is awesome as is Neal Morse.

Petra, DC Talk, Audio Adrenaline, and Third Day have a lot of cool stuff that my old band used to cover.


Did anyone else ever listen to an AOR band called Halo?  I think they only put out one or two albums in the late 80's/early 90's (produced by the Elefante brothers if I'm not mistaken).