From its inception, metal has dealt with themes of death, despair, nihilism and the contrast between good and evil. As Christian bands began to enter the scene, they of course offered their own perspectives on these issues. Listed below (in no particular order) are some of my favorite Christian metal bands that have heavily philosophical themes in their music.

Inevitable End

All eyes have been on us / since the rise of time / And our souls will shift, / when we are one within / Mirrors in a changing axis / a phase of transformation / Remembering what we always were / while surpassing ether

Inevitable End is a Swedish band whose early roots were in thrash but have since become a solidly death metal band. They are still a relatively unknown group, having put out only two full-lengths since their major label debut.

Oh, Sleeper

My host fell to His knees as paling lips pushed His plea / “My son, you can hold perfection in your arms if you wish” / but I sit at a banquet for traitors, placed here between a thief and a liar / “Just run and hold perfection in your arms as I slip…” / But I’ll make You the god of a liar ’cause I’ve been both a saint and a viper

Christian metalcore greats Oh, Sleeper are known for having poetic lyrics and for not shying away from the gritty subject matter so common to metal. Oh, Sleeper’s songs often deal with the inner turmoil of knowing that one is inadequate to communicate with the divine. Although all of their albums are lyrically excellent, the concept albums Son of the Morning and Children of Fire are especially well-written and tell one continuous story.

The narrative follows the battle between God and Satan and the eventual death of both, which is followed by the world being plunged into chaos because “if all that remains is our avaricious wit / then ‘an eye for an eye’ is the only law that can exist.” In the midst of this chaos, one former priest and his daughter question how they should live their lives now that the hope of heaven and the fear of hell have been done away with.

Virgin Black

I saw a tattered cloak, drawn about the face / a gesture of farewell to the kiss of God’s mouth / Kiss the image in a stranger’s casket / What has become of our splendour? / Twelve strokes have fallen / and the faintly heard breath / that argued my beauty / a ruined soul bewailing

Combining elements of classical music with those of symphonic and gothic-doom metal, the Australian band Virgin Black approaches Christianity with an anti-clerical outlook and oftentimes use lyrics and atmosphere that evoke the feeling of a spiritual depression.

Lykathea Aflame

But do not be afraid / his eyes shall purify you / and the iced hearts of yours shall suck the rays of his Sun / and you’ll hear the beautiful voice / and the purest words – the unspoken ones / you will comprehend real love / and awakened you’ll weep…

Originally calling themselves Apalling Spawn, Lykathea Aflame later changed their name to Lykathé but never put out any material under the new moniker. Although not an openly Christian band, the group’s lyrics are focused on themes of spirituality with a Christian bent.

The Czech band has released one full-length album, Elvenefris, which has become one of the most beloved albums of the metal underground. It was met by almost unanimous praise from those who reviewed it, with some claiming that it is the greatest example of the genre ever produced. Tomáš Corn’s technical death metal drumming was especially highly lauded due to its ability to bind all of the other elements of the music together into one brilliantly composed album.

Lo-Ruhamah

How is life both nothing and beautiful? / Who could create such complexity / and make the contrast so lovely? / There is one love I will never regret / though my understanding is strained / I must strengthen myself to be content / In the cutting winds of confusion / How will I trust? / But how can I doubt?

Lo-Ruhamah’s name is taken from a daughter of the biblical prophet Hosea and means “without compassion.” The band combines elements of the extreme metal that their name would suggest with atmospheric post-rock, aiming for a sound that is “akin to the ebb and flow of an ocean tide.”