After ‘bonkers gig’ at Huddersfield town hall paired doom metal bands with pipe organist, churches are keen to get in on the act

It was a “bonkers gig”, pairing heavy metal with a pipe organ – a musical curiosity that the bands thought would surely seldom be repeated, if ever.

But Pantheïst and Arð, the doom metals bands who performed the concert at Huddersfield town hall last year, have been inundated with requests to repeat the performance – with churches leading the way.

“We thought that churches would look at it as slightly heretical, – having a metal band playing in church – but that wasn’t the case at all,” said Mark Mynett, a senior lecturer in music production at Huddersfield University. “They really embraced this bold new world – some of them talked about bringing a new audience into church.”

The experiment last August saw Pantheïst and Arð accompanied by David Pipe, the cathedral organist at the Diocese of Leeds, playing Huddersfield town hall’s 1860 “Father” Willis organ.

Mynett said that after the Observer covered the event, it was featured on Radio 4’s Sunday Worship, prompting dozens of churches, among others, to get in touch with him and Pipe.

Now the new genre has its own name – “organic metal” – and a series of similar concerts is planned, starting with gigs this week at the deconsecrated St Paul’s church in Huddersfield.

It will feature Mynett’s band, Plague of Angels, alongside Pipe on the organ and Anabelle Iratni, a classically trained vocalist, who will sing an aria by Handel – as well as delivering death metal growls.

edit: Pantheïst’s full set (they have more bits on their YouTube channel)

  • FlaxEnglish
    15·
    3 months ago

    Then why are you concerned over how churches are used…?

    • Baahb@lemmy.world
      33·
      3 months ago

      Churches are being used to convince people to take away my rights.

      Churches are being used to justify Genocide.

      Churches have been used to justify murder.

      Churches have been used to justify torture.

      Fuck you again.

      • FlaxEnglish
        11·
        3 months ago

        Here’s a list of things which have also done the same thing:

        Schools, Universities, Politicians, The News, The Internet, The Media, Atheism, Communism, Capitalism, Environmentalism, Islam, Hinduism, The United States, The United Kingdom, France, list could go on

        Although I must ask, How is the Church of England convincing people to take your rights and justifying genocide?

        • Baahb@lemmy.world
          13·
          3 months ago

          You’re the only person limiting this discussion to the anglicans. The articL does mention buildings that exist in the UK. But every ounce of discussion since has been about Christians, and not anglicans.

          Second:

          Let me finish with yet another rounding “fuck you.”

          • FlaxEnglish
            12·
            3 months ago

            There’s no way Catholic churches would allow this, it’s basically all C of E being churches with organs. Unless it’s Church of Scotland which already went down the drain ages ago.

            And yeah, you did the whattaboutism by complaining about some redundant social issue.

            • Baahb@lemmy.world
              11·
              3 months ago

              The only issue I’ve complaimed about is people believing they have a right to inflict their beliefs on other people, which is what you are doing.

              Somehow, you think you are making a point that is maybe gonna convince folks to come back to church, but really, you’re just a prick. No one involved in this thread seems to think you have anything valid to say, and you aren’t doing yourself any favors in your stated goal of getting people to go to church.

              You’re just a judgmental sanctimonious asshole. As mentioned originally YOU need better CHRISTIANS. Start with yourself.