"Tape Culture" in the Christian Metal World

So ten or fifteen years ago, metal was my whole life. Then, I realized there was a lot wrong with my life, and made a lot of changes. At the time, I thought I needed to move on from metal and other similar influences. Now that I'm more into Christian metal, I had a question about the Christian metal scene. 

Back in the day, I ran a DIY black metal label. In the BM world, tapes are still a huge thing. I did tape trades with distros around the world, and I had quite an impressive collection that I threw into a dumpster after I started going to church again (maybe a bit extreme). Is there any element of tape culture in the Christian scene?

I used to run a tape-trading booth at a local flea market. 

People just passed me by making faces and laughing. 

For the life of me, I don't know why. 

I had everything. Masking, duct, electrical, scotch - you name it.

MagnusPrime wrote:I used to run a tape-trading booth at a local flea market. 

People just passed me by making faces and laughing. 

For the life of me, I don't know why. 

I had everything. Masking, duct, electrical, scotch - you name it.

Good one, Dad

bodachi wrote:

MagnusPrime wrote:I used to run a tape-trading booth at a local flea market. 

People just passed me by making faces and laughing. 

For the life of me, I don't know why. 

I had everything. Masking, duct, electrical, scotch - you name it.

Good one, Dad

You're grounded.

tarkellyt wrote:that I threw into a dumpster after I started going to church again (maybe a bit extreme).

I don't think this is extreme at all. I got rid of most of my secular music, too.

To answer your question, offhand I can only think of Irgalom (unblack project) and The Shrouded Winter (unblack label) who consistently do cassettes.

MagnusPrime wrote:I used to run a tape-trading booth at a local flea market. 

People just passed me by making faces and laughing. 

For the life of me, I don't know why. 

I had everything. Masking, duct, electrical, scotch - you name it.

Oh my...     I think this thread must've been made especially for you:
https://thecmr.forumotion.com/t8146-the-really-bad-joke-thread#153879

nocturnaliridescence wrote:

tarkellyt wrote:that I threw into a dumpster after I started going to church again (maybe a bit extreme).

I don't think this is extreme at all. I got rid of most of my secular music, too.

I've definitely thrown away albums that seemed "spiritually bothersome" for lack of a better phrase. I think this makes sense to do. It's similar to when the new converts burned all of their occult books in Acts (I forget which chapter this happens in).

Acts 19, I believe.

I got rid of all my secular music a few years ago. Bought a lot of it back. But it was the right decision at the time.

tarkellyt wrote:Is there any element of tape culture in the Christian scene?

This is my take:

I did a lot of tape trading back in the 80's (mostly secular, I was not a Christian for most of that decade).  I had lots of rare demos, live shows, and albums.  It was a fun, social time back then and everything was exciting and new. I made lots of contacts and some lifelong friends back then.  I published a fanzine for a few years, it was a blast.  I went to shows, hung out with and interviewed bands, and reviewed demos and albums.  After I became a Christian though, everything had to change (very long story).  I did write for White Throne for a short time, but then had to stop and leave metal behind for a long time.

In the early 2000's I began trading again, but now it was CD's or demo MP3's on CD's.  There was less of a trading scene compared to the 80's but there was still a lot of interesting stuff going back and forth.

Eventually it all died down as the internet became more prevalent and bootleg sites became numerous.    They post MP3's that people have been downloading directly.

Cut to 2023:   I would say that not only is there no tape trading going on in the Christian scene, but people don't even trade CD's anymore.  The whole trading thing has all but died.   There is still a market for heavy metal cassettes (especially classic demos) on sites like Ebay, but collectors buy them and just hoard them.   The social kind of scene that existed back in the 80's seems to be a very distant memory.