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Red is 100% in the S tier. Grammy nominated, heavy and just overall soooo damn good

My 5 cents on AILD. 1. Canceling people for past mistakes is a very controversial thing. If we treat all people who did time like that, we'll have a huge amount of people who lack the necessary socialization. If I'm wrong, what's the best way to treat those people? To turn our backs and let them know that they are eternally banned from "decent" society? I think it leads only to recidivism and alienation. 2. Afaik, Tim is doing his best to show that he's regretful and he's engaging in a few social projects and going to church. 3. It's also a subject of debate, but I think we should separate music (as a collective endeavor) and the deeds of people in the band. There are many examples of good (even legendary) musicians who did terrible stuff. If the music of those people can spark the best in the listeners, it's completely irrelevant if the author is scum. For me as a musician, AILD has played a crucial role in my music socialization, so I simply can't throw this band away. P.S it's completely fine if you disagree

8:33 Our song "Courtesy Call" has been used for a ton of anime edit videos, and they're INSANELY popular. NONE of us watch anime, but somehow that fandom has embraced us. We also had a foot in general market, so that helped. Thanks for the mention. Big fan of the channel. 19:31 I accept that. It's an honor just to be nominated.

ABR deserves A tier with that grammy nomination.

I want to grow up and start a band that ends up on Finn's D tier.

I need more of this! Miss these bands: Embodyment, Zao, Living Sacrifice, Decyfer Down, Red, Dead Poetic, Haste The Day

I went to a christian high school and you are correct - MxPx was my entire introduction to punk.

Living Sacrifice demolishes every band on this list by a mile. They aren't S tier, they are GOD tier (pun intended).

I see I’m not alone since I have seen a bunch of other comments saying that Demon Hunter deserves to be up at least one slot. They, along with ABR, are probably the least cringe in this genre as far as lyrics go and the diversity in style and songwriting make them a solid band. Not just in this genre but just period. I used to listen to them when I was into going to church, which I don’t anymore, but I still have love for their sound.

I'm curious to see where Mewithoutyou, The Almost, Emery, and Further Seems Forever fit in. Also Norma Jean's, "Memphis will be laid to waste" is a dope song. The part at the end where Aaron comes in still slaps, as the kids say.

So, funny story- I went to a show last year that The Devil Wears Prada was playing at. I'd never been a huge fan before. Later, while walking to the car, I got hit by a truck and was out cold. Later, when I woke up and the paramedics were loading me into the ambulance, a couple of bystanders told me that one of the dudes from TDWP had seen it and come out of the bus to check and make sure I was okay. I have been a pretty die hard TDWP fan since. Next time they come through, I'm going to have them sign my hospital gown from that night.

I remember when hawk nelson’s singer left the band and they went full CCM like 10 years ago, and then just last year, their long time guitarist/vocalist publicly announced he’s an atheist and the band has to disband

Fit For A King deserves a spot on the list, at least a solid A or B tier. They’re the only christian band I listen to as an atheist because they’re not preachy and don’t claim to have all the answers. They acknowledge that being a christian doesn’t fix all mental health issues and it’s natural to have doubt, and they perfectly mix melodic lyrics and riffs with heaviness.

MUTEMATH deserves a spot on this list, somewhere. One of the biggest reasons they opted out of their Warner Bros. contract was because WB wanted to market them as a Christian Band. As far as influence, Paul Meany, the former lead singer, is a co-producer on Twenty One Pilots last 2 albums, and Tyler Joseph has sited MUTEMATH as one of their biggest musical influences, as have numerous other bands.

I wouldn't have got into heavy music if it wasn't for bands like RED, TFK, Wolves At The Gate, Demon Hunter, Disciple, or (slight cringe I guess) Skillet, so even though I don't really go for Christian music anymore I have enormous respect for how influential they were on my musical taste. Edit: you missed out Relient K, who are probably the most influential Christian pop-punk band of all time.

Sleeping Giant (which is basically xDeathstarx) brought a serious vibe to the underground hardcore scene and eventually led me to getting saved. Never cared about God until I started listening to that band. Crazy.

V ironic that AILD influenced almost every band on this list lol

For As I Lay Dying, there are rappers that killed people that still become famous. And August Burns Red deserve A tier at the least! They are Grammy nominated and continue to create amazing music and innovate.

Demon Hunter deserves more credit. They are not a one trick pony by any means. The first 5 albums were a great mix of heavy and melodic. The first album was so raw and dark. Check out Soldier's Song off The Triptych. Until lately I never skipped a track on any of their albums.

I seen mxpx live at warped 2002. Mike started " punk rawk show" threw his hand up and 1, 000 people sang it

The Clark brothers are the most underated influential people in alt music. Their design studio has done so much amazing work across all genres

Man, I remember when I first heard TFK and Nine Lashes, I could not believe that they are Christian groups, because they soo good and modern for Christian rock. PS thanks 4 this video and God bless ✝️

Rawkfist was an absolute staple at youth group growing up, everyone loved Fire It Up and The Flame in All of Us when it came out, and all the Hawk Nelson & FM Static as well. Same with EARTHQUAKE by FAMILY FORCE 5, the premier Christian crunkcore band. amazing video. Blessthefall are upper tier for sure. Training For Utopia, amazing band. Relient K are S tier. Blindside, amazing band unknown to anyone outside christcore scene. Obviously Norma Jean and The Chariot have been pretty influential if only for their stage presence (but also panic chord car alarm breakdown chug chug ree ree) Showbread, Dizmas, The Wedding, there was so much of this stuff. This is what bridged the gap for me between 90s/2000s mall punk and the hardcore scene, this is what got me into positive hardcore ethos and started my passion for music. I too wish I could go back to 2004. I still have a white belt so there's always that...oh and also, definitely constantly wore those arm bands, they were so cool and especially at Christian camps and shit they would give them out with the camp logo on them or whatever. Very christcore thing. Excellent stuff

Blindside was one of my favorites in this scene. A Thought Crushed My Mind still holds up imo. But, years later I discovered that they were heavily borrowing from their fellow Swedes, Refused.

I’m so tired that I read the title as “Christmascore” lmao.

MyChildrenMyBride, The Showdown, Showbread, Children 183, House of Heroes, Blindside, Texas in July, Haste The Day, The Almost, The Classic Crime, some of my favorites from this era. Growing up as an alternative kid that also went to youth group, I appreciate these videos more than you know, thanks Finn!

TFKs first album was literally a Christian Limp Bizkit

August Burns Red is S Tier absolutely. They have amazing music and lyrics, very high commercial success, they are one of the most consistent bands with the same members since 2006. They also just had Jake start his festival Heart Support Fest, are on their 4th 10 year reunion tour, they have close to 20 Christmas songs, and they are such nice people in person.

I feel like Zao should've been on here, atleast A tier

Demon Hunter was absolutely the band that got me into metal as a sheltered Christian kid

Where can I watch part 2?

Finn getting nostalgic and sentimental, over Hawk Nelson and Thousand Foot Krutch, is the kinda content we need and deserve in these tough times.

Loved your point about Christian music! My dad's side of the family is very religious, sometimes to the uncomfortable extremes. And since I am an atheist this someone's drove a wedge between us, and made me regard other Christian content with some negativity! But when I listened to Hawk Nelson and FM Static again (when I was listening to them in early 00's I didn't have enough language skills to understand they were pretty religious) I felt much more comfortable about their music than I would have in my edgy early 20s. It is just so wholesome and genuinely kind!!!

I think its important to make a good faith attempt to separate the art from the artist but in the case of bands like Lostprophets that's kinda fucking hard.

Aw come on Demon Hunter in C tier? They were pretty huge in the christcore scene. Plus, Ryan as a lyricist is god tier in that scene.

I wish I made it to the stream. I’d have mentioned A Plea For Purging, In The Midst Of Lions, and Sleeping Giant.

I would recommend Mortification, Christian death metal from the early 90s, their self-titled album and Scrolls of the Megilloth are really solid!

August burns red is as big as you get in metalcore. If that's a criteria and plus their influence they're definitely a top tier band.

How about Blindside? They were one of the more successful bands out there during like 2003. Their video was always on MTV2 and played on KROQ in Los Angeles (where I lived), probably the most famous rock radio stations in the US

my dad was in active addiction / recovery my whole life and ill never forget going to the al rosa villa (place where dime was killed) to see project 86 with my pops. put me on to zao, demon hunter, norma jean, everything when i started to get into hardcore. i might not be christian but ill never forget these memories thanks for touching on it finn

Where is the p2

Zao. Misery signals. Maylene and the sons of disaster. Emery.Haste the day. Norma jean. Fit for a king. Texas in july. A plea for purging. 12 stones. With blood comes cleansing. Beloved. Blindside. dead poetic. oh sleeper and hopesfall were christian bands idk about now though

I'm on a Finn binge! Keep cranking out the videos and love some Christcore from Punk Rawk Show to August Burns Red to Impending Doom!

I grew up in this scene and used to drive hours to Nashville to see them. This was a fun look back even though I rarely listen to these tracks anymore, I'll always have a soft spot for this group. The fact that you're talking about them in an honest, but positive fashion is refreshing.

Part 2? Your thoughts on Five Iron Frenzy?

Between like 2006 and 2012 there really was a christcore industrial complex in the Deep South lots of churches/ youth pastors were willing to spend real money on shows in the hopes of boosting youth engagement and basically every other week I would go see a Facedown Records band playing within like an hour of my house.

Tim is doing his best to right his wrongs. Have you watched his post-release statement video? He gets a pass because he is a great case of incarceration rehabilitation. Don’t we WANT to live in a society where prison is an appropriate debt to society? Don’t we want convicted felons to be better people when they are released? Yes he did something disgusting and paid a price for it and served his time, don’t we WANT him to be a better person? That’s exactly what he is now, a better person, and yet people still hate him. It’s people like that who are the problem, you can’t hate on people like Tim, having become a better person after serving time for a heinous crime. He’s likely to never offend again, I think that’s a fucking WIN. Bless.

DUDE! I was compelled to watch this video. This whole music scene was a defining part of my high school days (I'm 23). Red, Skillet, TFK, Demon Hunter, For Today, & ABR were some of our favorites in my youth group. Especially TFK & For Today! Very bummed that you ranked them so low! This video made me smile tho. Much love!

With the main members of TFK and FM Static being the same guys, my favorite thing they did was doing Heat Miser and Snow Miser on Happy Christmas Vol 5

before watching this, im just gonna put Underoath in S tier. no question

Funny story im an old christian punk, and my mom is the reson i got into punk. In the mid 90's she saw an MxPx album at a christian book store and bought it for me. For like 3 months that album played on repeat so much that my sisters still know the lyrics to half the album lol

Spitfire was a really slept on Christian metalcore band back in the day. Their album The Dead Next Door still holds up as some interesting late-90s sludgy mathcore. Produced by Steve Evetts at Trax East, too.

Growing up with religious parents pretty much all I would listen to as a kid was random praise and worship music. So when my Dad got a TFK album and put it on my child brain was mindblown at the sound (it was the Art of Breaking album right when it first came out and the song was Absolute. From then on I just kept progressing and expanding my taste in rock/metal/etc. I'll always have massive nostalgia for the band. Some of their songs still hold up pretty well but mostly the first 3 albums.

As someone who got into heavier music and stuff through the Christian hardcore and metalcore stuff, this hits hard for me. I would like to see what Finn thinks of older Facedown Records bands like early Comeback Kid, xLooking Forwardx and No Innocent Victim. Also wonder what he thinks of the 90s JCHC movement with bands like Officer Negative. (I personally have a huge Officer Negative JCHC tattoo on my arm that I've wanted to cover for a long time. Think a bit harder before getting a cheap tattoo on your 18th birthday, folks.)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on The Chariot, Every Time I Die and Norma Jean. Looking forward to part 2.

August Burns Red was the most talented group of musicians in that lane at that time. They didn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table but they played cleaner than everyone else. Absolutely A-Tier.

Thanks for doing christian metal and the rest! There are so many good bands there.

Throw Sleeping Giant in the mix. Song with Frankie was great.

I love a good Finn detour. Keep the stories coming. 👍🏻

Happy to hear a shout out for focal point! Those guys were heavy AF back in the day 🙂

I was homeschooled and played high school basketball for a Christian homeschool team called the Fire in the early 2010s. A few of us recommended Fire It Up by Thousand Foot Krutch as our warmup song, but the coach said it did not sound Christian. They ended up play that “you are beautiful, my sweet, sweet song” CCM song instead.

The chariot wins everything

Like MUTEMATH’s previous band, Earthsuit, Chevelle also started out on a Christian Label. Earthsuit was on a label called Sparrow and Chevelle was on a label called Squint before moving to Epic. Chevelle’ she first album, “Point #1” was actually produced by Steve Albini.

Even as a devout Christian myself, I honestly never even paid attention to whether some of these guys were Christian bands or not. I just listened to them because I loved their music, which I think is important because it shows that good music is good music, regardless of what beliefs they have.

I’ve listened to underoath since 6th grade and I’ve never had any friends that liked them too so it was nice to see them put into S tier lol

Living Sacrifice needs to be part of this conversation. Is there a part 2?

So happy you mentioned Hawk Nelson. I love that band so much!

>people forgive him for this Bro, Christianity is all about forgiveness lol

Thousand Foot Krutch is fun, and they are amazing live!

TOTALLY BREAU! FIST BUMP! MID AIR HI FIVES! HUGS! THAT'S TOTALLY VALID! STAY SAFE!

Blindside was a band that I really liked, what’s your thoughts on them? I’m not into Christian based music, but I thought they had some solid shit!

Great video and this list is solid. For Today was great live if you liked the breakdown bands. Don’t forget about Living Sacrifice and Beloved.

If Underoath isn’t on the top tier of this list then the whole thing is invalid.

“ YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THE BABY…”

Bro I didn’t know you were deep on Christcore like this. You really surprised me with the FM Static / Hawk Nelson name drops and shinfo lol

I like the way Finn is not condescending with his content. You're my favourite KZfaqr, cheers mehn!! 🍻

@finn With Blood Comes Cleansing needs a notice in the next part of your list bro they are Amazing Christian Deathcore and they made our entire local scene in Alabama who they were so important to proud when they got signed to Victory records

Oh man, I hope Disciple is on part 2. They were my absolute favorite growing up

Now this is the video 14 year old super Christian Nick is super excited about. I lived and died for MXPX. Oh boy those years were so long ago.

Thanks for doing this. Im ex-christian, but i do still appreciate christ core bands, aka - impending doom, demon hunter, POD, ETC

No Norma Jean??????????

I was worried we would get a Tier List video without talking about the drip, then Hawk Nelson swooped in to save the day

Met the guys from TFK and Red once. TFK guys were EXTREMELY chill, wholesome dudes. Red--less chill, but kinda fits the music. Red was my gateway to metal and I still love em.

Stretch Arm Strong. Living Sacrifice. Norma Jean

This video inspired me to make a D tier level band. It's where the action is.

MxPx holds up better than any other pop punk band that came out of late 90s / 2000s

Holy shit. Wasn't expecting Focal Point to be mentioned. Used to love "When I Die" too. Another favorite band was Overcome. Also Zao had some good stuff.

Hi Finn! I would like to hear share about albums and artists that you did not like at first listen, but learned to like with time. There is an lost art of giving music time to almost force yourself to understand it. For me those albums became some of my all time favorites.

Haste the Day was my favorite band back then. I am surprised Finn never mentions them.

Training For Utopia were great! They are a bit forgotten in the solid state discography now days. I still want to hear the project "The American Spectator" with members from coalesce and TFU, it never became anything though.

You gotta include the band RED in the next tier list! Great video!

Keep forgetting about the early hxc punk and metalcore bands like, The Crucified, Living Sacrifice, Strongarm, NIV, xDsiciple adx etc… talk about Living Sacrifice for example, when they came out with Reborn, it was a total game changer. Previously a thrash/death metal band, The album reborn was probably the most influential metal, death and hardcore crossover album at the time.

Do a video on Nintendocore!

Thrice is S-tier. Just like Underoath: charted on Billboard w/ major record label support, had a certified gold album, over 1M spotify listens/mo, basically put post-hardcore on the map w/ Thursday in 2003, have an extremely devoted fanbase

Yeah Tim was a asshole for trying to kill his wife, but I can’t deny how good As I Lay Dying’s music is. Definitely deserves A tier, and in my opinion S tier.

I know Finn's opinion of 3rd gen ska punk, but I love Five Iron Frenzy. In the early 2000's Christian music slog, I always felt they rose above the Christian and ska music of the era. Also, what do you think of/ have you ever heard of a 90's punk band called Crashdog? I feel like they are the "punkiest" Christian group I've ever heard.

Thousand Foot Krutch is 🐐🐐

In part 2 Finn should look at Becoming the Archetype. They’re a really decent Christian technical death metal band.

So happy to see the love for xDeathstarx. They were great live.