‘A bonkers gig’: how heavy metal bands are helping keep UK church organs alive

Pipe organist David Pipe, left, and Dr Mark Mynett, senior lecturer in music and technology at the University of Huddersfield. Photograph: Richard Saker/The Guardian

We’ve had rock’n’roll, rhythm and blues and drum’n’bass. Now the latest pairing to shake the music scene is heavy metal and church organs.

Two doom metal bands, Arð and Pantheïst, recently performed at Huddersfield town hall – accompanied by the venue’s imposing 1860 Father Willis organ. The Organic Doom gig was so successful that they plan to repeat the performance around the UK. But the collaboration is about more than just making beautiful music – the hope is that events like these will help save some of the nation’s pipe organs from destruction.