Symphonic metal group Plague of Angels will join church organist David Pipe for the concert, Organic Metal: Two Worlds Collide on April 25.
The concert will involve the Minister’s restored Grand Organ and over 800 tickets were sold within the first hour of going on sale.
The concert will begin with organ performances of rock classics Black Sabbath and Deep Purple before an hour-long performance by the band alongside the organ.
The concert has received backlash and calls to be cancelled from members of its congregation due to concerns that the music is unsuitable in the religious building.
The band has also been criticised for its association with Cradle of Filth, an extreme-metal group that sold what Rolling Stone called “the most controversial shirt in rock history”. The t-shirts featured a topless nun and blasphemous text about Jesus.
Parishioner Margaret Belton said: “This event is an insult to the sanctity of the Cathedral and to the many faithful who regard York Minster as a place of reverence and worship.
“The idea that such a band should be allowed to perform within a consecrated church is both outrageous and sacrilegious.
“It is utterly incomprehensible that anyone in a position of leadership within the Church could justify this decision.”
Some churchgoers have expressed their desire to protest outside the Cathedral if the event goes ahead as planned.
The Minster has defended its approval of the concert stating that it may encourage more people to listen to organ music.
A spokesperson for the Minister said: “We are one of many churches and cathedrals who are looking forward to welcoming David Pipe and a Plague of Angels.
They have previously been featured on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship and have already performed at major churches like St Mary’s, Redcliffe.
“We have worked closely with the organisers to ensure that this sacred space is respected, and our core purpose as a Church of God, offering daily worship, prayer and sacred music continues unabated.
“This event will cater to those with different musical tastes and showcase the magnificence of organ that has played a central role in worship at York Minster for over 1000 years.
“The performers and organisers of this event are acutely aware of the sanctity of the site and will deliver a show that respects the values of York Minster as a site of Christian pilgrimage and worship.”
The organ was removed from the cathedral in 2018 for refurbishment and the £2 million project was completed in early 2021.
Dr Mark Mynett, guitarist in Plague of Angels, said: “In a time where bridging cultural divides is more important than ever, this concert is an opportunity to show that faith and the arts need not be in conflict but can instead enrich one another.”
The Very Rev Dominic Barrington said it was “regrettable” that two Plague of Angels musicians previously performed with a band that “espoused anti-Christian sentiments” but said that the concert would “inspire everyone to experience God’s love through our welcome, workship and work.”
The band involves previous members of well-known metal bands Cradle of Filth and My Dying Bride and will play alongside David Pipe, former Assistant Director of Music at York Minster.
The concert is the most recent example of the rise of England’s churches hosting untraditional events to raise money due to financial strains facing many UK churches. Last year, Canterbury and Peterborough cathedrals received criticism for hosting “rave in the nave” discos to raise money.
Approximately 3,5000 churches have closed since 2013 and over 900 places of worship are listed by Historic England as “heritage at risk”.
York Minster, which has running costs of nearly £4 million a year, stated that the concert was approved by its senior executive team.