The presence of esoteric and religious themes in the works of various composers is far from being a novel concept. Numerous examples illustrate this: Claude Debussy's engagement with the Golden Section; Gustav Mahler's fusion of Christianity, Nietzsche, and Daoism (as seen in The Song of the Earth); Gustav Holst's incorporation of astrology (The Planets), Gnosticism (The Hymn of Jesus), and Indian philosophy (Savitri); Olivier Messiaen's influence by Catholic mysticism; and the spiritually charged compositions of Hildegard von Bingen and J. S. Bach (cf. J. Godwin, Music? What does that have to do with esotericism? 2019). While classical music has long been influenced by spiritual currents, a more recent phenomenon is observed in Metal music, particularly known for its religious (often anti-religious) and esoteric references. As K. Granholm has noted, "No other musical genre is as steeped in references to the Devil and the occult as blues, rock, and heavy metal, in ascending order" (cf. K. Granholm, Why all that Satanist stuff in heavy metal? 2019). However, Satan and his adherents are not the sole figures of focus. In contrast, the phenomenon of "Christian Metal" represents a significant movement, exemplified by bands like Stryper. Additionally, some groups incorporate spiritual traditions of ancient India, Norse mythology, pagan spirituality and so on into their music. The aim of this paper is to provide a historical overview of the proliferation of religious themes in metal. I will examine how this phenomenon has been deeply imbued with references to spiritual currents, particularly esoteric and occult traditions, from its inception. Additionally, I will explore how these influences have also led to dramatic events (e.g., the 1992 Stavkirke fire), how bands from opposing ends of the religious spectrum have engaged in confrontation "to the sound of metal," and assess the current state and perception of these dynamics.