The founding fathers of American goth rock, Christian Death emerged in 1979 and, for over four decades, have taken a relentlessly confrontational stand against organized religion and conventional morality, with a massive appetite for provocation. Regardless of who was leading or performing in the group, Christian Death set themselves up to shock, both in their cover art and their lyrics, which wallowed in blasphemy, morbidity, drug use, and sexual perversity.