--- title: "Christian Metal" type: "MusicGenre" url: "https://themetalnet.com/genre/christian-metal" parent: "Metal" bands: 68 era: "early 1980s" --- # Christian Metal **Christian Metal** is a metal sub-genre, formative in the early 1980s. TheMetalNet maps 68 bands and 300 albums under it. Christian metal, also called white metal, is defined not by a single sound but by its faith-based lyrics and the beliefs of its musicians — the music can be any metal subgenre, from glam to death metal. It emerged in the 1980s, with Stryper becoming its best-known act, matching melodic metal and harmony vocals to overtly Christian themes. Bands like Tourniquet and later Demon Hunter and Underoath spread it across styles. The common thread is the message, not the tempo or tuning. ## Facts | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Genre | Christian Metal | | Level | Sub-genre | | Parent genre | Metal | | Formative era | early 1980s | | Bands | 68 | | Albums | 300 | | Formation span | 1963 to 2026 | ## Notable bands (top 60 by prominence) - [Skillet](https://themetalnet.com/band/skillet) (United States, 1996) - [Flyleaf](https://themetalnet.com/band/flyleaf) (United States, 2002) - [Blindside](https://themetalnet.com/band/blindside) (Sweden, 1994) - [Stryper](https://themetalnet.com/band/stryper) (United States, 1983) - [War of Ages](https://themetalnet.com/band/war-of-ages) (United States, 2002) - [Mortification](https://themetalnet.com/band/mortification) (Australia, 1990) - [Deliverance](https://themetalnet.com/band/deliverance) (United States, 1985) - [Bride](https://themetalnet.com/band/bride) (United States, 1985) - [Oficina G3](https://themetalnet.com/band/oficina-g3) (Brazil, 1987) - [Whitecross](https://themetalnet.com/band/whitecross) (United States, 1985) - [Before Their Eyes](https://themetalnet.com/band/before-their-eyes) (United States, 2006) - [Guardian](https://themetalnet.com/band/guardian) (United States, 1982) - [HB](https://themetalnet.com/band/hb) (Finland, 2002) - [Saviour Machine](https://themetalnet.com/band/saviour-machine) (United States, 1989) - [Soul Embraced](https://themetalnet.com/band/soul-embraced) (United States, 1997) - [Bloodgood](https://themetalnet.com/band/bloodgood) (United States, 1985) - [Michael Sweet](https://themetalnet.com/band/michael-sweet) (United States, 1963) - [Seventh Avenue](https://themetalnet.com/band/seventh-avenue) (Germany, 1989) - [Theocracy](https://themetalnet.com/band/theocracy) (United States, 2002) - [Saint](https://themetalnet.com/band/saint) (United States, 1984) - [Barren Cross](https://themetalnet.com/band/barren-cross) (United States, 1984) - [Harmony](https://themetalnet.com/band/harmony) (Sweden, 2000) - [Vengeance Rising](https://themetalnet.com/band/vengeance-rising) (United States, 1987) - [Saving Grace](https://themetalnet.com/band/saving-grace) (New Zealand, 2005) - [Leviticus](https://themetalnet.com/band/leviticus) (Sweden, 1981) - [Holy Soldier](https://themetalnet.com/band/holy-soldier) (United States, 1985) - [Jonah33](https://themetalnet.com/band/jonah33) (United States, 2002) - [Opprobrium](https://themetalnet.com/band/opprobrium) (United States, 1999) - [Outrun the Gun](https://themetalnet.com/band/outrun-the-gun) (2006) - [Golden Resurrection](https://themetalnet.com/band/golden-resurrection) (Sweden, 2008) - [Beanbag](https://themetalnet.com/band/beanbag) (Australia, 1995) - [Xalt](https://themetalnet.com/band/xalt) (United States, 1987) - [Fratello Metallo](https://themetalnet.com/band/fratello-metallo) - [Remove the Veil](https://themetalnet.com/band/remove-the-veil) (United States, 2005) - [Батюшка](https://themetalnet.com/band/band-11f0b31b) (Russia) - [Chatterbox](https://themetalnet.com/band/chatterbox) (United States, 1994) - [Chaotic Resemblance](https://themetalnet.com/band/chaotic-resemblance) (2006) - [As Bold As Lions](https://themetalnet.com/band/as-bold-as-lions) (2009) - [Energema](https://themetalnet.com/band/energema) (2015) - [Unbroken Reign](https://themetalnet.com/band/unbroken-reign) (2023) - [Clawhammer](https://themetalnet.com/band/clawhammer) - [Engraved](https://themetalnet.com/band/engraved) (United States, 1998) - [Messiah](https://themetalnet.com/band/messiah) (1979) - [Roselyn](https://themetalnet.com/band/roselyn) (Denmark, 2011) - [Armada](https://themetalnet.com/band/armada) (1981) - [Roderick Newport](https://themetalnet.com/band/roderick-newport) - [Adrián Cenci](https://themetalnet.com/band/adrian-cenci) (Argentina, 1968) - [Aristaeus](https://themetalnet.com/band/aristaeus) (United States, 2001) - [Christageddon](https://themetalnet.com/band/christageddon) (United States, 2010) - [Les Carlsen](https://themetalnet.com/band/les-carlsen) - [Your Second Chance](https://themetalnet.com/band/your-second-chance) (2008) - [Almatica](https://themetalnet.com/band/almatica) (Argentina, 2004) - [Collective Dust](https://themetalnet.com/band/collective-dust) (United States, 2024) - [Dying Flesh](https://themetalnet.com/band/dying-flesh) (2025) - [Nailed Promise](https://themetalnet.com/band/nailed-promise) (United States) - [BLUTWERK™](https://themetalnet.com/band/blutwerk) (2015) - [Current Solace](https://themetalnet.com/band/current-solace) - [Michel Oliveira](https://themetalnet.com/band/michel-oliveira) - [Your Hero Falling](https://themetalnet.com/band/your-hero-falling) (2009) - [GLORIA DEI](https://themetalnet.com/band/gloria-dei) (2026) ## Where it is played - [United States](https://themetalnet.com/country/us): 29 bands - [Argentina](https://themetalnet.com/country/ar): 5 bands - [Sweden](https://themetalnet.com/country/se): 4 bands - [Australia](https://themetalnet.com/country/au): 2 bands - [Germany](https://themetalnet.com/country/de): 1 bands - [Denmark](https://themetalnet.com/country/dk): 1 bands - [Finland](https://themetalnet.com/country/fi): 1 bands - [Brazil](https://themetalnet.com/country/br): 1 bands ## Bands formed by decade | Decade | Bands formed | | --- | --- | | 1960s | 2 | | 1970s | 1 | | 1980s | 16 | | 1990s | 9 | | 2000s | 18 | | 2010s | 4 | | 2020s | 4 | --- Source: [TheMetalNet https://themetalnet.com/genre/christian-metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/christian-metal). Catalog data from MusicBrainz and Metal Archives. Full site index: https://themetalnet.com/llms.txt