Mynett, a senior lecturer in music technology at the University of Huddersfield, said the hostility towards heavy metal was because “opera and classical are often seen as high culture, whereas metal music is often seen as working class”.
Mynett said his band’s critics had a “classist prejudice” against heavy metal music, adding that they wouldn’t “blink an eyelid” at more problematic classical music being played in churches.
York Minster previously said the event – for which tickets cost up to £20 each – would “cater to those with different musical tastes and showcase the magnificence of the organ that has played a central role in worship at York Minster for over 1,000 years”.
A heavy metal band whose show at York Minster has been called an “outright insult” to Christianity has said the church is “sleepwalking” into oblivion unless it becomes more open-minded.
The York Minster gig – which sold out within days – is the latest example of England’s churches hosting somewhat untraditional events to stave off financial crisis and draw in younger crowds.
