It's nice when there is a conveniently obvious difference between good and evil, right and wrong. There is a long tradition of songs about the dark angel in heavy metal, and an even longer tradition of songs about God in the pop music cannon. Even so, it is hard not to wonder about the motivations of self described "Christian Metalcore" bands. As I Lay Dying -who has reportedly peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200, won the "Ultimate Metal God" award (get it?) from MTV2, and was nominated for a 2008 Grammy- has certainly found their niche in a market that seems to defy the conventional trappings of the Rock Music Industry. It's true, Christian Rock is a lucrative business, but it would be difficult to adhere even the most devout followers without an element of moralistic proselytizing. In this case, the difference between good and evil is a matter of perception; those who like a little bit of the devil in their metal may opt to turn the other cheek.

Preview by: S.McA