In the end everyone will go to heaven. Led Zeppelin will have the honor of closing the service – an unusual feat. “Stairway to Heaven” echoed throughout the Protestant Martinuskirche in Schwanheim and was greeted with applause. On the eve of Dead Sunday, the congregation invites people to a service with heavy metal music – a sequence of songs depicts a deep Christian development: from “Hells Bells”, to “Highway to Hell” and “Through the Fire and Flames” to “Stairway to Heaven”. The great first carols end with the celebration of communion, in which Protestant Christians commemorate Maundy Thursday, the crucifixion and the resurrection. In the end the heavens open – a Christian image, illustrated by heavy metal music.
Toni Menzel explains why this music is perfect for Sunday of the Dead, a day on which believers remember the dead: “We mock death, that’s the motivation of the lyrics. Metal thrives on questions of life and death.” The text contains much of lament, which is often overlooked in Protestant churches and popular hymns. “We Christians have an advantage because we believe in a God who hears these lamentations,” said the community educator. “If anyone can wear a skull and see life inside, it’s us!”
Preaching becomes a habit
The heavy metal fan came all the way from Dresden to give a sermon at a church service, invited by his friend in Frankfurt, Marvin Lehmann. “He asked if I wanted to preach. I didn’t have to think about it long,” Menzel said.
In the same sermon, he introduced his congregation to mosh pits, circles that appear at rock, punk, and metal concerts. There, people bump into each other while dancing and are pushed back and forth. “For me, the kingdom of God is becoming real,” Menzel said and explained: “It looks brutal from the outside, but if someone falls in the mosh pit, they are immediately protected by someone else and someone helps them up. Nobody stays there. This is a revival in real time. This is the church as it should be.”
Metallic sound on the organ
While Menzel brought the mosh pit into the church, Sam Alderman moved the metal music to the organ. “It’s really fun, a change and a challenge,” said the American man who enjoys listening to rock music, especially the British band “Muse”.
He tries many registers and the notes are also technically challenging. “It’s nice because I can let loose with this music,” said the part-time organist, who opted for a surprisingly soft voice for some of the songs. “The harmony of metal music is very beautiful. This is clearly visible when the music is not as loud and harsh as usual,” he said. Rock and metal music, with its harmonies and melodies, is based heavily on classical music and pairs well with the organ.
“Sam was immediately hooked,” said Peter Klade, who leads the service as a lay preacher. The metal service emerged from a “crazy idea” between him and community educator Marvin Lehmann. Seeing about a hundred churchgoers from various generations, Klade said: “I was very surprised. On the one hand, there were people I had never seen before and, on the other, there were members of the established community who I did not expect to be here.”
The community in Schwanheim is certainly interested in experimenting. “A lot of things were tried here and good things were maintained,” Klade said. This positive response makes us optimistic that metal worship will also be maintained and more and more people will be able to know God in mosh pits and metal music.
