Christian hardcore

Christian hardcore is a form of hardcore punk and metalcore music and a subgenre of punk rock played by bands where the musicians promote Christian beliefs. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands.

Christian hardcore bands that explicitly state their beliefs and use Christian imagery in their lyrics may be considered a part of the Christian pop music (aka Contemporary Christian music) industry and play for a predominantly Christian market. However, given the edginess of hardcore punk, many bands have been dismissed by the Christian and Christian pop music market and rely on genre specific labels to promote and release their music.

Typically, Christian hardcore and metalcore bands perform music influenced by their faith and see their audience as the general public. More recently Christian hardcore bands may avoid specific mention of God or Jesus in their lyrics and from stage as well as rejecting the Christian pop label. However, at the same time some bands strive to convey a blatant Christ-based message.

Traditionally, hardcore has been antipathetic towards Christianity- much like the broader punk rock community- and has often left Christian Hardcore bands alienated on the fringes of both the hardcore and Christian music scenes. Many inside the hardcore music scene view Christianity in a negative light, or feel that Christian hardcore as a genre is a passing fad. The Christian metalcore band Norma Jean thinks differently though, stating in their song Memphis Will Be Laid to Waste: "Christ is not a fashion, fleeting away"

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