13 Disturbing Songs About the Antichrist | Playlist 🎧

1. Bloodbath, “Morbid Antichrist”

The Arrow of Satan is Drawn » Peaceville » 2018

“So, I spurn the predatory heavens above / So, I serve only the beast inside and all the suffering / Slow I burn the frail and unleash the fire in rage / Slow they burn… / The sons of all darkness forever will be made.” Yeah, metal bands are incredibly effective at conveying drama – being theatric to the nth degree.  Furthermore, they totally ‘kick ass and take names’ when it comes to capturing the darkest, most hellish topics. Swedish death-metal band Bloodbath are truly exceptional at it – understatement. A brilliant past example of Bloodbath capturing true darkness is the song “Eaten”, which comes from the perspective of the real-life victim (Bernd Brandes) of a German, vorarephilic cannibal (Armin Meiwes).  Yeah, no wonder Loudwire named “Eaten” the 34^th best metal song of the 21^st century. But, the song “Morbid Antichrist” isn’t about Armin Meiwes perverted, cannibalistic fantasies, but rather, well, the Antichrist.

Expectedly, “Morbid Antichrist” is bombastic, characterized by its dynamic, jagged guitars.  Matching the minor-key infernal nature of the backdrop, the vocals are coarse, characterized by their twisted poetry. An example:

“Degenerating, profanity inflating
Regurgitating
It’s time to reach to other side
Heart amputated
Beguiled
You take the morbid rites.”

2. Sepultura, “Antichrist”

Bestial Devastation » Roadrunner » 1986

“Born from Hell / The supreme force of evil / To destroy the altar / And slaughter the Christians born.” Clearly, Christianity doesn’t get a seal of approval on “Antichrist.” Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura doesn’t sugarcoat things on “Antichrist,” which originally appeared on their 1985 album, Bestial Devastation.  Like most heavy metal bands, Sepultura ratchet up the drama, dynamics, energy, and tempo. Naturally, “Antichrist” provides the perfect theme, which the band excels at without a hitch.  Evil triumphs, as “Churches will be destroyed / Crosses will be broken / He’s laughing in blasphemy / Like a domination of death / Antichrist.”

3. Behemoth, “Havohej Pantocrator”

I Loved You at Your Darkest » Metal Blade » 2018

“Our father, who art in hell / Unhallowed be thy name / Thy legions come / Thy enemies begone / On earth as it is in the netherworld.” Hmm, not The Lord’s Prayer that I was taught as a child, that’s for sure! Breaking from literally featuring ‘antichrist’ within the song title, Gdańsk, Poland death metal band Behemoth still captures the ungodly sentiment on “Havohej Pantocrator,” a highlight from their 2018 album, I Loved You at Your Darkest.  What the ‘hell’ does the song title mean? Well, if Behemoth were ‘playing nice,’ that title should be Christ (Jehovah) Pantocrator. But of course, they’re not playing nice.

Havohej is merely Jehovah spelled backwards – a ‘reverse’ if you will.  As for Pantocrator,  it simply means “the omnipotent lord of the universe: almighty ruler.”  Put the two together, and Behemoth are clearly crowning the Antichrist as the supreme deity.

“By thou holy name, Satan
And his command
Heaven shall burn!
By thou holy name, Lucifer
At his command
Heaven shall blaze!”

4. Thy Art is Murder, “Engineering the Antichrist”

The Adversary » Skull & Bones » 2009

“Darkened clouds approach the grounds / Where the innocent victims / Await the outcome that could never be foreseen…” Hmm, that totally doesn’t sound good. Regardless, Australian deathcore band Thy Art is Murder excel in the arena of darkness – understatement, understatement, UNDERSTATEMENT.  Their 2009 debut album, The Adversary (released via Skull & Bones) is chocked-full of dark, unsettling song titles, including “Unholy Sermons,” “Laceration Penetration,” and “Decrepit Purification.” Yep, all of those sound utterly twisted and totally damning.  While any of those three would amplify hellishness on any playlist, the song and hand, “Engineering the Antichrist,” gets the job done infernally in its own right.

If the aforementioned lyrics didn’t completely shed light on the engineering occurring, as the song progresses, the picture becomes clearer.

“There will be no redemption, their blood spilled for Satan
A trail of corpses lay behind them
Stench of rotting flesh, they slay all women/children
Leaving them without their heads
I share the same addiction to the beast
That I can taste, cannibals they’ve become
Infect the population with a plague that
Will last for a thousand years…”

The outlandish, damning nature of the rise of the Antichrist continues in all its ‘reversed’ glory. This happens instrumentally (the dissonance, the guitars), lyrically, and vocally.  Of course, one doesn’t go into a Thy Art is Murder record looking for vocal finesse.  Returning to the ‘reversed glory’ thing, the reversal is truly real with the closing lines, “The gates have opened, my reigns begun / This is my church, my kingdom.”

5. Mental Cruelty, “Chapter II: Rise of the Antichrist”

Purgatorium » RISING NEMESIS » 2018

Question – have you ever heard what hell literally sounds like on the track? Perhaps German ‘brutal slamming deathcore’ collective Mental Cruelty capture it superbly on “Chapter II: Rise of the Antichrist,” taken from their 2018 album, Purgatorium.  Yeah, there seems to be no waiting place – no in-between when it comes to this particular record.  From the beginning of “Chapter II: Rise of the Antichrist,” it’s clear that Mental Cruelty establish seemingly insurmountable damnation, fitting for the rise of the Antichrist.  The guitars are distorted, jagged, and utterly filthy and devastating.  The same can be said of the indecipherable vocals, which necessitates repentance by merely partaking of their grimy, guttural sounds.

6. Arcade Fire, “(Antichrist Television Blues)”

Neon Bible » Sony » 2007

“Dear God, I’m a good Christian man / In your glory, I know you understand / That you gotta work hard and you gotta get paid / My girl’s 13 but she don’t act her age / She can sing like a bird in a cage / Oh Lord, if you could see here when she’s up on that stage!” Hmm, something sounds completely suspect here… Arcade Fire seems to highlight a different sort of Antichrist on “(Antichrist Television Blues),” among the gems from their 2007 album, Neon Bible.  Here, a father is portrayed as an utterly flawed, despicable human being who’s sexually exploiting his daughter for money.

“You know I’m a God-fearing man
But I just gotta know if it’s part of your plan
To seat my daughters there by your right hand?”

The emphasis on men and age is particularly troubling throughout this five-minute-plus number.

“Oh! My little bird in a cage=
I need you to get up for me, up on that stage
And show the men that you’re old for your age.”

What an absolutely disgusting, horrible father! Then, at the end of the song, he has the nerve to ask God the following:

“I’m through being cute, I’m through being nice
Oh, tell me, Lord, am I the Antichrist?”

‘Damn’ right you’re the Antichrist!

7. Therion, “Theme of Antichrist”

Beloved Antichrist » Nuclear Blast » 2018

“He came to our world, to save us all from disaster / In search of truth, to bring us hope for a new day / But haunted by his pride, mirror of a lie, he was led astray… / He would lose his way / Antichrist.” For veteran metal band Therion, the Antichrist gets the symphonic treatment on their 2018 album, Beloved Antichrist.  Yeah, the album title is enough to make every pious religious person cringe or throw up a little in their mouths. Regardless, enlisting a choir for the assist, Therion lift up the Antichrist on the triumphant closer (the 46^th track mind you), “Theme of Antichrist.” At the end, the choir asks, “Who is good? / Who is evil? / Will we ever live to see the truth?”

8. The 1975, “Antichrist”

The 1975 » Interscope » 2013

“And I swear there’s a ghost on this island / And his hands, all covered in blood… / She said, ‘How can I relate to somebody who doesn’t speak? / I feel like I’m just treading water.’” It’s no secret that The 1975 frontman Matthew Healy isn’t a believer – he’s an atheist and humanist. Naturally, religion and his lack of religion has made various appearances into the band’s music. In 2016, it was the gorgeous “If I Believe You”, which went so far to feature gospel music cues, all the while questioning putting faith and stock in God.  Prior to that, however, came “Antichrist,” originally appearing on the band’s 2012 EP, Facedown, and reappearing on their full-length, self-titled debut the following year.

Essentially, Healy is content with his lack of faith and being, anti-Christ.

“And I love the house that we live in
And I love you all too much.”

Clearly, when he references “house,” he doesn’t need a church, he’s happy with his residence of living.  When he goes on to mention “love,” he doesn’t require the love a God he doesn’t believe in, being the atheist that he is.  There are more religious references involving blood, and citing the “archaic” nature of religion essentially.

“The blood is on your tongue as well as your hands
Archaic and content you just wash them off.”

9. Marilyn Manson, “Antichrist Superstar”

Antichrist Superstar » Interscope » 1996

“Prick your finger, it is done / The moon has now eclipsed the sun / The angel has spread its wings / The time has come for bitter things.” Charming, and incredibly heavenly to say the least…said no one ever.  You know the drill when it comes to Marilyn Manson (the “god of fuck”) – Satanism has been associated with him since his breakthrough in the 1990s.  Interestingly, he’s been incorrectly identified as an ordained minister in the Church of Satan.  Despite the role of the “Antichrist Superstar” within Satanism, it’s clear that he isn’t a believer, though it should be noted, he attended Christian school.  Still, he’s been totally pissing off the most pious folks for years and years, including plenty of skeptical jabs on his 2017 album, Heaven Upside Down – “Tattooed in Reverse”, “SAY10”, “JE$US CRISIS”, and the title track come to mind.

“Repent, that’s what I’m talking about / I shed the skin to feed the fake…” Naturally, “Antichrist Superstar” is chocked-full of religious references, though clearly, none pay ode to The Most High himself.  Manson focuses on himself, likening himself to the mythological Hydra at one point.

“Cut the head off
Grows back hard
I am the Hydra
Now you’ll see the star.”

In Manson’s ‘satanic’ eyes, “The time has come, it is quite clear / Our Antichrist is almost here.”

10. Kreator, “Phantom Antichrist”

Dying Alive » Nuclear Blast » 2013

“Ascending from the enemy abyss / Ending decadent diabolic bliss / Into a pit of horror it arrives / Fear becomes the flame upon the ice.” Jesus…rather, the Devil! Veteran German thrash metal band Kreator knows exactly how to kill hopeful vibes. There is no Christianity to be found on “Phantom Antichrist” where “A king is born / A Phantom Antichrist.”

Like most of the musicians on this list, Kreator paints a damning, gloomy portrait, one where “terror will prevail.”

“Artisans of someone else’s faith
The free became the hopelessly enslaved
The inheritance of a darkened world…
Terror from the left
Terror from the right
Depression is the root to our dreams suicide
Behold the god of gods overthrow it all
Extinction of this inhumane mind contagion…”

While Kreator heightens a lot of negativity, and constructs this so-called “Phantom Antichrist,” the biggest question is WHO exactly is the band characterizing? Are humans the culprit? Food for thought.  The music video is definitely unique.

11. Dark Funeral, “King Antichrist”

Attera Totus Sanctus » Dark Funeral / Century Media » 2013

“God – he raises the lowly, our king – he casts them out / Instead of condemning all the sinners, they will be magnified.” Wow… well, that pretty much sums up the script of “King Antichrist,” a twisted record courtesy of Swedish black metal band Dark Funeral. But honestly, look at the rest of the devilish songs that grace their 2013 album, Attera Totus Sanctus (‘destroy all the holy’): “666 Voices Inside”, “Godhate”, and “Angel Flesh Impaled.”

It’s clear that Dark Funeral enjoy all things atheistic:

“Sin stand for beauty, sin stands for life
Sexual sin is every man’s right
He will exalt the wicked of man
Our king – the Antichrist.”

With direct and pointed lyrics, the music and vocals match the raw and totally savage spirit.  No holiness to be found here in the least.

12. Incendiary, “Antichrist”

Crusade » Closed Casket Activities » 2009

“You’re a two-faced liar / A demon in a three-piece suit / Your life’s a fucking charade / Preaching an agenda of ignorance and hate.”  New York metal collective Incendiary is turned-up to the nth degree and totally pissed off on “Antichrist,” the brief seventh track from their 2009 album, Crusade. It should also be noted that the album also features a song aggressively titled “Fuck Your Beliefs.”

Clearly, Incendiary is making a statement about the hypocrites of the world, and scathingly describes the demise of “the true antichrist”:

“And now motherfucker, the world is at a better place
As you lay six feet under rotting away in your own filth
The time is now
The true antichrist has finally fallen.”

13. Slayer, “The Antichrist”

Show No Mercy » Metal Blade » 1983

“You’ve lost all control of my heart and soul / Satan holds my future / Watch it unfold.” Ah, we close out this antichrist-driven playlist with veteran metal band Slayer, who originally formed in the early 80s. Our 13^th song, “The Antichrist,” appears on their 1983 debut album, Show No Mercy.

The lyrics are certainly blasphemous, devilish, and pretty straightforward:

“I am the antichrist
It’s what I was meant to be
Your God left me behind
And set my soul to be free”

Continue to listen, and Slayer references Satan, pentagrams, and of course total damnation.

“Watching disciples
Of the satanic rule
Pentagram of blood…
Christ hasn’t come
Awaiting the final moment
The birth of Satan’s son…
I am the Antichrist
All love is lost
Insanity is what I am
Eternally my soul will rot.”