Lucifer Rising: A Book of Sin, Devil Worship & Rock'n'Roll

It’s only natural that rock and roll — 'the devil’s music' — and Satanism should be intimately linked. Lucifer Rising explores this unique cultural confluence. Divided into three parts, the book first traces the history of Satanism, from the birth of the Black Mass through the fashionable sinners of the Hellfire Club. The second section examines Satanism in the 20th century, including Aleister Crowley, the formation of the Church of Satan, the Manson Family, and the rise of occult-influenced bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.

The book’s third part looks at the new waves of Thrash Metal, Death Metal, and the Scandinavian Black Metal scene; the murder case surrounding the band Burzum; the neo-Nazi element; and the religious right’s courtroom pursuit of heavy metal. Lavishly illustrated throughout with graphics, medieval woodcarvings, and stunning photographs, the book also contains entertainingly cynical comment from Anton LaVey, in one of his last in-depth interviews.

Gavin Baddeley is a graduate of Cambridge University. As a journalist, he has written for a variety of publications on his specialised subjects of the occult, rock music and trash culture. As a lecturer, he has conducted a summer school on the occult. While preparing the book, Baddeley was made an official British representative of the Church of Satan by its late founder, Anton LaVey. He lives in York, UK.