"The problem about this idea that ‘heavy-metal glorifies evil’ is that, unfortunately, it is often true", Michael Kiske (KISKE/SOMERVILLE, UNISONIC, HELLOWEEN) states in a piece titled The Worship Of Evil In The Heavy Metal Scene, for Metal Blast.

"It’s not just a “prejudice” from people outside of the metal world; it’s a fact that many within the scene either don’t want to see or admit because they are hypocrites, or because they really can’t see it anymore, having become completely desensitized and morally numb over the years by the brutality of the scene.

Instead of always denying the facts, the metal scene should finally start to do something about this problem and change its often very sick spirit. Instead of being a moral disease, it should become a moral healer! Of course being positive or “morally good” in art doesn’t mean that you have to paint the world in pink; after all, aggression can be quite positive when it’s justified by a good reason. To express some justified anger about something can be very refreshing, healing and positive; the problem happens when aggressions, frustrations or being negative become an “ideal”.

Thankfully, there are many idealistic bands within the metal scene that hold up good ideals. Helloween (at least during my years) was always very idealistic and rather funny, even if the stupid name would make you think otherwise (they named the band when they were teenagers and as soon as they became successful they were just stuck with it); they were never satanic (Michael Weikath is a Catholic, and I am a non-denominational Christian who believes in Good, God, Christ and the Spirit, and the general moral meaning of our existence). The same happens with AVANTASIA, which is also a very positive and idealistic band with uplifting lyrics; and with Unisonic, which although I consider a rock band, even when I (we) do metal, I (we) try to do this type of music differently, just as I believe that I always have done. While it is true that there are more bands like these, there certainly is a very destructive tendency and a sick satanic evil ghost within the heavy metal scene poisoning this music and the souls of many.

As a teenager I started to get excited about rock, hard rock and metal-music, but the older I got, the more problems I developed with the side of that scene that glorifies evil. Although for a number of years I even left the scene completely and got very angry at it, I discovered that to just condemn it and run away was not a solution. It’s always easy to do that, and many hypocrites love to point their fingers at the so-called evil, just so they can see themselves as ”the good ones” and feel better. In the end that’s just selfishness and hypocrisy. The right Christian way is not to condemn and run away, but to love our brothers and sisters, change the hearts and save the souls! We ALL have evil in us and we are ALL sinners; I am no saint either, I am no better than most people, but I have strong human ideals. I think that nowadays it is much better to try to stand for a different spirit as a rock or metal singer, and to start some constructive discussions within the scene, than to condemn it; anyone with a good heart and will can, and should, make a difference in life by standing for good ideals. If we don’t, we are nothing!

Even today I have big problems with what heavy metal so often stands for; it hurts when I see the typical satanic crap, since I can’t stand heart-stupidity and soul-decadence at all! When I look through certain metal-magazines, for example, I often feel that I could just throw up because of all the sickness there. Some people in that scene are very morally disturbed, and it seems like those magazines especially want to promote those evil-glorifying bands, which furthers the impression that metal is JUST that."

Read the full piece at this location.