I’m torn on this one. On one hand it is a great thing every time we can get the music we love more recognition. Fuck knows that a lot of these bands deserve more than they get.

On the other hand (as I’m sure you’re very aware) one of the draws to metal is an absolute rejection of all forms of organised religions.

There is no denying that metal is a way of life, it is something beyond just the music, but it’s a group of unwritten rules and unclear boundaries. Once you write those rules and make those boundaries clear you’re restricting it in some way. And I don’t like that.

So yeah some good, some bad on this one.

heavy metal is a way of life dont make it into some organised religion with rules, metal is the anti-religion

for the first time ever king of heavy metal has said something smart

Cities that need recognition are Brum obviously for giving us Sabbath and Priest in the first place!
(With the exception of BMTH) Sheffield merits a mention for Def Leppard, Rolo Tomassi and more, Yorkshire can be thanked for it’s gloomy doom metal scene.

I think it’s only fitting that Rob Halford lives up to his name as Metal God xD
The other high positions can be taken by Jimmy Page, Ozzy Osbourne, Bruce Dickinson,
Other notable people worthy of positions within the church have gotta be: Cronos and Ihsahn – Demi God of and arch bishop of Black Metal respectively.
Dave Mustaine, Kerry King, Scott Ian and James Hetfield as the four arch bishops of Thrash Metal.

That’s a shame. You all took Jedi-ism so seriously too. Bet none of you use The Force to open automatic doors…

I echo Caren’s sarcastic sentiments. You people really need to lighten up. It’s a bit of fun. It’s not like they’re going to be erecting (huhuh!) churches or writing a bible. If you’re religious, say so in the census. If you have no religious affiliation, it’s not going to hurt anyone to say you’re metal is it?

I dont think this should be made into a religion. Metal is my life but i think making it a religion is going against everything it has stood for

Birmingham needs recognition as mentioned above.

As for people to put into high positions:
Ozzy Osbourne, Dio, Rob Halford, Lemmy.

Metal doesn’t stand for “anti-religion” at all. Black and Death, maybe. But not metal in itself. There’s plenty of people throughout the metal world that are Christian, myself included. Hell, on the occasions I go to church, I always have a band tee on, and not one person has had a bad word to say about me doing so.

i treat my musical taste the same way i treat my spiritual beliefs. i like what i like, i do things my own way, i believe what i want to believe and if that causes anyone a problem they can go fuck themselves

Metal is rebellion, Can you have an anti-religious religion?
If so, count me in!
Metal all the fucking way.

I think this is a good idea I would believe that if a doctraine were to be set down, hopefully this would be it:
rule 1 – you dont talk about rules
rule 2 – other that the aformentioned rules listed here, there are no rules.

I’d say suffolk for Cradle of filth – say wat you want about them, they took a very dark and exteme sound to the mainstream and “the most successfull metal band since Iron Maiden” I believe was the quote from hammer.

Speaking of Maiden, I’d say our metal religion mascott should be Eddie

Please don’t do this. It will just give ignorant people a legitimate reason to label metalheads idiots. You’re just making Britain look more stupid than the government already has by actually allowing ‘Jedi’ instead of making it an exception for the clear piss take that it is. I am used to Britain being laughed at thanks to Labour but we need to remain proud for giving Metal to the world and this will have the opposite effect if we make it a religion. Metal has gone from strength to strength for 40 years it doesnt need this. It has the recognition it deserves. Don’t jump on the bandwagon – that’s the one thing true metal should never do!!!

who the fuck said metal was meant to be anti-religion? moron.

who the fuck said “fight fire with fire!”? Metallica!!!

I think my bedroom should be mentioned as a place of metal. It inspired many in my street to bitch, moan and close their windows!

Can’t believe there are people saying shit like “in my most honest and humble scoff opinion i do not believe scoff scoff scoff that metal should be categorised as scoff a religion” cue pulling thumbs out of asses. lighten the fuck up will you!!!!

I’d say Newcastle should be added, simply for Venom and Brian Johnson.

I think it’s important to remember that this is in a way a rebellion to religion. I don’t think the christians, muslims, jews and sikhs of this country would be amazingly happy with our sacred name amongst theirs? It’s living up to Metal’s fuck you spirit, I’m all for it as long as people don’t get told how to live their life! It’s a laugh but also a statement of our love for Heavy Metal not an evil, powerful organization which will dictate what we say and do! Sounds like a great idea

actually i think we should campaign for metal to be an actual recognised and tolerated culture (if it became a religion then the sad chavvy scum would have more reason to yell “ITS JESUS!!”)
Biff should be saying; “SAY IT LOUD, I’M A METALHEAD AND PROUD!!”

METAL PRIDE!!!!!

I like this. It’s showing the way that we can break down people’s perceptions of the whole organised religion crap. MEtal is an amazing example of a way of life without any ulterior motive/agenda like organised relgions have.

I think it’s a way of showing that we feel is as important to our lives as any other religious person, because it is, at least to me. Life without metal aint worht thinking about.

The heavy metal evangelists, what the Metal Bible will contain:

Chapter 1: Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Motorhead, Anvil
Chapter 2: Saxon, Iron Maiden, Venom, Def Leppard, Thunderstick, Wolfsbane
Chapter 3: Motley Crue, Dokken, Ratt
Chapter 4: Mercyful Fate, Accept, Grave Digger, Helloween, Gama Ray, Ozzy Osbourne, Candlemass, Pantera, Manowar
Chapter 5: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Testament, Overkill, Exodus
Chapter 6: Bathory, Archgoat, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost
Chapter 7: Death, Possessed, Cannibal Corpse, Carcass, Napalm Death, Brutal Truth, Bolt Thrower, Death SS
Chapter 8: Immortal, Gorgoroth, Dimmu Borgir, Emporor, Taake
Chapter 9: System Of A Down, Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein
Chapter 10: Lamb Of God, Trivium, Machine Head, Avenged Sevenfold
Chapter 11: 3 Inches Of Blood, Gama Bomb, Skeletonwitch, White Wizzard, Cauldron, Stuka Squadron, Hysterica

Yes, I have to much time on my hands! I should WRITE the fuckin’ thing!

This is ridiculous.

My support is there!

Rob Halford was born in Sutton Coldfield…I think…we need a statue of him that goes “NOOOOSTRADAMUS!” whenever someone walks past it.

Okay, I’m don’y believe in gods, but Heavy Metal can be my religion! /,,/

Legends worthy of a mention:

Tony Iommi
Lemmy
Rob Halford
Steve Harris
Dave Mustaine
Lars Ulrich
Max Cavalera
Dimebag

As for cities/areas then:

Birmingham (Sabbath, Napalm, Priest)
Sheffield (Def Leppard)
Newcastle (Venom)
London (Maiden, Thunder)
Liverpool (Carcass)
East Anglia (Cradle of Filth, Extreme Noise Terror)

I think i can go the next ten years being metal rather than christian quite easily

Its mildly amusing, but its also childish and dull, much the same as the RATM Christmas number one.

If we are talking of cities famous for nomination, I’d like to put Coventry forward (Cathedral, Bolt Thrower and by default Napalm Death as well as Lee Dorrian is from Coventry like me lol)

How far will this go? Lets go for it.

Of course heavy metal is my religion- Leytonstone in East London- The Red Lion- origins of Maiden it’s probably a mosque now. I agree with krasherr life without metal would be- doesn’t bear thinking about.(far too fucking quiet for a start).

I agree Metal is a rebellion metal is a way of life and i’ll support and love it till the day i die

This is exactly the sort of pathetic thing us metal fans get derided and laughed at for. And citing the sad bastards that claim jedi as their religion shows exactly how ridiculous this will make the world of metal, and us in it, look.

This sort of childish nonsense, along with the immature waste of space stuff that keeps cropping up on here (metal big brother, singers with photoshopped eyebrows ffs), just makes me think MH is going down the same Smash Hits pre-pubescent route Kerrang disappeared down a few years ago.

The man that is worthy as being gods of metal
Tommy Iommi
Steve Harris
Dimebag
Lemmy
Max Calavera
Cronos Lant
Angus Young
Bon Scott
Chuck Schuldiner
Robert Plant

Bands worthy of praise
Slayer
Metallica
Megadeth
Death
Iron Maiden
Judas Priest
Led Zeppelin
Venom
Mayhem
Burzum

The glory of Heavy Metal as a religion is that it doesn’t need to have written rules for it…all it needs to do is cite the legendary songs and bands that have created the unwritten rules we all live by as headbanging metalheads.

We can all agree Heavy Metal is a way of life…all recognizing it as a religion would do is make it a way of life recognized by the government, I’m in the military, and I would love for my dog tags to say METALHEAD on them!

If the right people worked on it…it could be done well…

future story: Subversion from Kent.

They’re looking to be the Unsigned act to play Bloodstock this year. You’ll hear what I mean.
http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/videos/dl.php?key=Subversi0nSeizure_Promo

This is a great idea and metal should be a religion, i’ve defended the faith since birth.

@JDPower: You do realize that metal actually exists and Jedis don’t right?

I don’t get that people don’t see the humor in this. And anyway, who gives a fuck what other people think of us? It’s all part of the game.

why turn it inot religion ?
yeahi ts a way off life but i see religion as a way of being told what to do and how to live youre life so i think i’ll pass

Bruce Dickinson FOR PRESIDENT

Eddie The Ead FOR GOD

Iron Maiden FOR EVER

Heavy Metal is a genre of music albeit a good one. All this crap about it being a way of life is total rubbish. Just because a few lonely people decided it would be a good idea to create some sort of cult based around it, that has become the perseption of people inside and outside of the Metal _community_ (a totally different concept).

But you better not go and ruin it for every body else who wants to enjoy the music by doing something stupid which will no doubt be blown out of proportion and result in a holier-than-thou attitude from some of you.

Its not way of life, its not a mindset, its not a fashion statement.

Jedi IS a religion. Just because you can’t control the minds of the feeble, doesn’t mean Derren Brown and I can’t. These are not the droids you’re looking for.

I think Bring Me the Horizon and Trigger the Bloodshed should take high places in the church because everyone would agree.

Is anybody else laughing at rather than with this?

It’s not really a sense of humour issue to judge this as ill-conceived. I love heavy metal, have done since a very young age. It’s a huge part of my life. But this kind of thing makes a mockery of the genre in the eyes of a wider audience, when metal has enough of an – often unfair – bad press as it is. People don’t take it seriously as a valid, life affirming form of music made by talented musicians and now this.

It’s great to see enthusiasm about celebrating metal in the UK, Metal Hammer have always been a huge force behind this. But why take it into the silly Jedi-stunt territory? File with the ‘bring Manowar to the UK’ campaign perhaps.

personally i couldn’t care less about star wars and jedi and all that stuff but just like any other religion it has to come from somewhere, so what if it was made up in a film. someone somewhere made up christianity, islam, buddhism etc. if people want to affiliate themselves with it then so be it

my belief is we can all believe what we want, i choose not to follow anyone elses set of rules as such (i’m not including the law here) if people want to support this campaign fair enough but it wont make any difference to my life

agreed i just hope that they dont spoil what we already have by making a mockery out of metal

I’ve been doing this for a while already!
Can I help, or get MetalHammer’s support for this group?

http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=150447647248

Some of the comments here are bloody ridiculous.

theverdict is absolutely right: metal isn’t a way of life, it’s a fucking genre of music. Sure, it’s a genre that I love, but then other genres I love include folk, electronica and classical music of the romantic and impressionist eras and neither I nor anyone else claims for one moment that these are ways of life. Claiming that metal – unlike any other subgenre of any other art form – is a way of life just makes you look like an idiot.

Likewise, the people who are claiming that metal “is the anti-religion” are just plain stupid. You can find just as much anti-religious sentiment in other genres of music as you can in metal, and it’s usually more sophisticated (says I, as a follower of Christ). Idiots who tack on a gimmicky kind of ill-thought-out cartoon satanism to their music are usually making up for a lack of artistic merit. The amusing irony here, of course, is in the fact that the musicians (and fans) who so hate religion are fast developing their own dogma under the guise of opposing dogma of all kinds. Tools.

metal would be the greatest religion ever because i dont know of any organisations that have thrashing at sermons or baptisms of jager! anyway yokshire dosent have much metal credit (if anything def lepard take it down a notch) but yorkshire is very bleak, theres alot of murders, there used to be more actual metal there than anywhere and its the closest thing the uk has to norway and the other nordic lands of afar.

Intriguing idea, Metal as a religion. I can see both sides of the argument. Doubtless there will be schisms (rock/prog rock etc). Much as I enjoy the genre, the whole idea needs to be thought through thoroughly.If memory serves me right, the whole point of the Jedi thing was a backlash against state snooping into info that really doesnt concern them or anyone else. If its a religious thing, its personal. Then again, so much Metal is anti religion in the first place, so to become a religion seems a little wierd…If it’s politically motivated, then it seems like a fun thing to do.

At people who say this is ridiculous:

So it’s reasonable to beleive in the fucktarded concept that some bloke floating around in the sky made some slag pregnant and give birth to a freak who could walk on water, who then got killed, but came back from the dead?

An said “Love thy neighbour” My neighbours are chavs. It’s flawed right there!

Maybe I converted to Dudeism too early…

Nah, I’ll quite happily abide Metal as a religion, so long as we don’t lose our way like so many other faiths.

I’ll still be defending the true faith even if it’s original meaning becomes warped and disfigured over time

Skullcrusher666, that’s a great critique you give there. Really, top notch. Kind of like the lyrics Glen Benton threw out for being rubbish.

Seriously, the discussion about the tenability or reasonableness of faith isn’t even fucking relevant here. I really don’t have an opinion about Byford’s idea (if you want to, do it). It’s just worth pointing out that metal is neither a way of life nor a positive anti-religious philosophy… it’s a genre.

I think that the people that have mentioned bands and rock legends here all deserve a place themselves as they have included a good few of the greatest. I also think that the cop that took down Nathan Gale deserves a place too although sadly Dimebag was already on his way to that place up there for VIP Rock/Metal/Heavy Metal etc. legends

No, that would be really embarrassing. Its a fucking retarded idea.

if metal is a way of life someone give me serious answers to the following:

what food is metal?
what underpants/boxers are metal?
what mode of transport is metal?

its just daft, if u work in an office or hospital etc is that not a metal job?

metal is music, unfortunately it can be a fashion (i dress for comfort personally) but its neither a way of life or religion. just be yourself

Well, that has to be the most stupid idea I have ever heard.

@Casper

Bring me the horizon shouldnt be let anywhere near the church of metal (if there ever was one) because they are a disgrace to the human race. Fuck that band and fuck their shite noise they call music, listen to some real music, tool.

Go jump on another bandwagon faggot.

@Destroying Dignity

Dead babies is a metal food.
boxers that contribute to the death of thousands are metal.
a car loaded with death dealing weapons is pretty metal.

just watch dethklok and you’ll get an idea of whats metal.

Skullcrusher666, go and write it then

fuck this- if inspector morse can have his beer and classical stuff for his religion then i can have metal and beer so there! and @ Pete metal is anti establishment and therefore anti organised religion and is therefore a way of life- so stick that up your pipe!! (and enjoy)

Religion is for weak minded sheeple. However if Metal is to be a religion then let it model itself after Levay satanism. (think for yourself and be your own god as there is no need for a god .
Enjoy~M

Look folks, Jedi is 4th after what? Xtianity, Islam and Hinduism. I was thinking that it should be some Celts, Paganists and Druids in this list of shame before Indian and Arab beliefs. Please note that none of the above religions were born on the misty shores of Albion. Soon wearing the hidjabs and singing Her Krishna will be mandatory in Londonistan and Al-Manchester-jamaat-islami.
At least someone is brave enough to proclaim something born in England as religion and we hear not mighty roar of heavy metal crowd but bleeting sheep:
“I dont think this should be made into a religion. Metal is my life but…” blah blah blah.
If “metalheads” are that meek in Britain they thoroughly deserve to be conquered by camel and elephant riders of the English multicultural Apocalypse – tomorrow you’ll see the funeral pyres made from metal LPs and CDs on a Trafalghar square and Camels Of Jihad instead of Monsters of Rock!

In addition to what seems to be widespread support for Birmingham and Sheffield, obviously we have to have Kirriemuir, birthplace of Bon Scott. Of course, this definitely isn’t just me trying to get everywhere I’ve ever lived onto the list.

What will these places/people be called? Archmetalrics and Archmetalheads?

For my opinion, this is the most stupid thing I have heard in my fucking life, and I am into metal for 33 years now. I had a laugh yesterday when I first heard about it. How can Heavy Metal be a religion, man? Will R`n`B proclaimed as a religion? Or Jazz? Come on, man, it is music, it is fashion, it is a way of living, but in no way a religion.Biff should retire, I hear a huge amount of GBP running down his pockets.

Metal is my way of life since more than 20 years, but I don`t need put any label to that feelling. Anybody is agree with me?
Religion, anti-religion, I don`t care…

Is the Metal the way that you trascend in life? then you don`t need ANYMORE.

KEEP ROCKIN`

ps. this article is a kind of little joke for me, just fun.

HELLO from malaga, spain!
these are my gods :
lemmy
ozzy
zakk wilde

HALLOWED BE THY NAME OF METAL, I WILL BE A PAP OF METAL

I am against it, as mentioned in my previous post. Other people who see this for the farce that it is, please click here

http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=260618397157&ref=ts

Against it, because metal equals freedom and individualism.

Once upon a time, metal music was a symbol of healthy rebellion.

Nowadays “metalheads” have fallen into trap: they became the big circus.

If I’m being honest, I have wanted Heavy Metal to be a religion for many years, it is not just music, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock and many other similar genres of music are an ideal and a way of life, I would take that most of the people reading this have had their lives changed by Heavy Metal. It has given us all strength at one time or another, and it is time we got the world to recognise it for what it is. Personally I think it would be great if Metal could be made a country…but it just isn’t in the cards these days XD lol
Rock on hard and true forever and always.

Up the Irons! \m/

http://www.uptheirons-indonesia.com

ones who deserve to hold the most prestegious postitions within this glourious faith?

Ozzy Ozbourne
Ronnie James Dio
Lemmy Killmister
Rob Halford
Bruce Dickinson

Forgetting about Eric Adams lol, and Zakk Wylde, and hundreds of other people XD

Truth be told, If Heavy Metal became a religion then there is nothing to say that just because someone likes Heavy Metal that they are a member of the faith, I know people who believe in God but do not think of themselves as any form of Christian. I would HATE to see the Metal community split down the middle but if it gives everyone what they want then let us stand as a Heavy Metal Alliance of sorts. Just think that is A church of Metal was formed and it formed a sort of Aliiance with Metal Hammer and the WMA then Metal would get the recognition is deserves while not having the huge hype in the press about Metal Religion which could cause the entire Heavy Metal community to be labelled as Religious extremists haha. It all sounds so good…in theory lol