You should avoid listening to music of such bands, in my opinion.
The packaging is odd, but that doesn't mean it should be avoided.
The lyrics is Christian but the music is the opposite. In this scenario, it should be avoided. Imagine you were to pour some good wine into a poisonous wine bottle, would you still think it's good wine afterwards?
Poisonous wine bottle? Maybe a steel mug with a dragon's tail for the handle, but I don't see any way a heavier sound actually damages anyone. If anything, it gets the message out to more people! I personally hate the generic sound of modern Christian music, as do many of my friends, but we can really jam out to Jesus with something powerful like this.
That is all this song is saying. It does not offer hope nor an answer to the desperate situation it describes.
Does every song need to offer hope? If it was claiming to give a full overview of the Christian story, then absolutely. But just as some songs only focus on hope, because there's much good in the world, it stands to reason that some songs would focus on despair, because Lord knows there's a lot of evil in the world.
Many people at low points in their lives use dark songs to find their identity; heavy metal is great for this. We should give thanks that some dark songs carry a Christian message! Remember the line, "You were created by someone above, but you chose evil ways instead of love"? There's you're hope! It's more subtle than a lot of more typical Christian songs, but many people get turned off by cheesy "He's got the whole world in his hands" type of lyrics. These dark lyrics are cool!
I see it a lot, where we get in these little "Christian bubbles" and forget that the mainstream way of presenting Christianity doesn't work for everyone. I've been blessed by an unconventional background of heavy metal, atheist friends who still tried to live by a code of honor, and a distaste for what I used to call "stupid hippy-dippy crap" when my school's Chrstian fellowship tried to make everything pretty & got scared or offended by anything that challenged their views.
It's also worth pointing out that Black Sabbath's many songs about the devil are never in support of him, but reflect the despair of giving your life to him. Some bands sing about the good that comes from life in Jesus; Sabbath sings about the despair of life in the devil. Is this bad?
Look the lyrics of Sabbath's songs; not all of them are Christian, but you'll be surprised how many really call out the unbelievers & the unloving on our faults. Here's the lyrics from After Forever, and may God bless us all!
Have you ever thought about your soul – can it be saved?
Or perhaps you think that when you’re dead you just stay in your grave.
Is God just a thought within your head or is He a part of you?
Is Christ just a name that you read in a book when you were at school?
When you think about death do you lose your breath or do you keep your cool?
Would you like to see the Pope on the end of a rope – do you think he’s a fool?
Well, I have seen the truth. Yes I have seen the light and I’ve changed my ways.
And I’ll be prepared when you’re lonely and scared at the end of your days.
Could it be you’re afraid of what your friends might say
If they knew you believe in God above
They should realize before they criticize
That God is the only way to love.
Is your mind so small that you have to fall
In with the pack wherever they run
Will you still sneer when death is near
And say they may as well worship the sun.
I think it was true it was people like you that crucified Christ
I think it is sad the opinion you had was the only one voiced
Will you be sure when your day is near say you don’t believe?
You had the chance but you turned it down now you can’t retrieve.
Perhaps you’ll think before you say that God is dead and gone
Open your eyes, just realize that He is the one,
The only one who can save you now from all this sin and hate.
Or will you still jeer at all you hear? Yes – I think it’s too late!
