Dismay after church used for ‘violent’ music promo

● Video depicts woman being murdered near altar

A rock band is at the centre of an unholy row after filming a music video showing a woman being strangled inside a church.

Church leaders are angered that Lanarkshire band, The Naked Feedback used their church to shoot the video which includes violent scenes of a cult leader attacking his followers.

The group had been given access to film in Blantyre Old Parish Church in Lanarkshire by a church member who had keys but the minister, Reverend Sarah Ross, was unaware of the arrangement or the video’s content until it appeared online.

The promo for the band’s new song Something Wicked This Way Comes depicts a woman being murdered near the church’s altar after being dragged across the floor by her hair.

The Blantyre band’s singer Dean Anderson plays the cult leader who is also seen forcing the pages of a book into a man’s mouth.

The church is now holding a rededication service to “reclaim the church’s true use in God’s mission” after they were left outraged by the dark themes in the video.

The Rev Ross said: “This has been an extremely distressing incident for all those connected to Blantyre Old Parish Church.

“The band made the arrangement to film through a personal contact who had keys to the church. He was aware that it was a promotional video but wholly unaware of the content or style of it. Members of the band did not seek the permission of the minister directly or the Kirk Session to use the church building.

“A rededication service for the church will now take place on 17 June to reclaim the church’s true use in God’s mission.”

An invitation for the band to perform at the church’s summer fête this Saturday has now been withdrawn.

In a statement, the band said: “In terms of locations for the shoot, we contacted dozen of buildings for this filming. The church confirmed with us that they would be happy to let us use the church and we were never informed of any specific requirements to check before filming.

“The miscommunication of booking is solely an internal matter for the church and one which we are not involved with.”

The four-piece band are made up of friends Dean Anderson, Derek Whiteford, Calum Anderson and Jack Oliver.