Peter Beste's book contrasts Norway's beauty with the darkness of its metal music

The Houston Chronicle reports For many in Norway, the worst offense occurred when Fantoft stave church, a centuries-old, wooden structure, was burned to the ground. Beste calls the act "a horrible tragedy that infuriated people; the news got around the world."

Because there's "very little separation between church and state" in Norway, Beste says the church became the obvious target for those who wished to rebel. An unexpected consequence of the metal scene was to galvanize Christians in the country.