Craig Bannerman Unveils “Though He Slay Me”: A Symphonic Unblack Metal Meditation on Faith and Suffering

Craig Bannerman presents “Though He Slay Me,” a profound symphonic unblack metal work that confronts faith at its breaking point. Drawing deeply from the Book of Job, the song explores belief that endures when joy is stripped away, certainty collapses, and suffering speaks louder than answers.

Rather than offering comfort or resolution, “Though He Slay Me” descends into grief, chaos, and lament. It gives voice to anguish, silence, and inner torment, allowing sorrow to be fully expressed before hope is revealed. The track mirrors Job’s spiritual journey—through loss, confrontation with God, and ultimate reverence—refusing to soften the reality of pain in favor of easy reassurance.

Musically, the composition moves between extremes. Fierce blackened passages driven by blast beats, tremolo-picked guitars, and raw, anguished vocals collide with solemn orchestral movements, choirs, and mournful melodic ascents. The structure itself becomes narrative: descent into suffering, endurance through darkness, and reverent submission. The sonic contrast is intentional, reflecting the tension between human despair and divine sovereignty.

The theological core of the song rests on Job’s unwavering confession:“Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.”“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”In this light, “Though He Slay Me” is not a song of despair, but of reverence—of worship that remains when explanations fail and faith is refined by fire.

Visually, the release is accompanied by imagery inspired by William Blake’s Illustrations of the Book of Job, placing the work within a long tradition of sacred art that treats suffering not as meaningless tragedy, but as formative transformation.