NASHVILLE, TN - Citing creative and commercial reasons, popular worship and CCM artist Jeremy Camp announced Friday that he is moving his work from the genre of Christian rock music to an aggressive, inventive Swedish power metal sound.

Camp's first EP featuring the new sound, The Fury of the Dragons of the Northwinds, is due out this summer, with the first single, "The Scarlet Citadel of Blood," dropping next week.

"I have to be true to myself," Camp said in a video interview with Revolver magazine's website. "And while I've loved creating CCM and worship songs for nearly two decades, it's time for me to answer the siren song of blistering, powerful speed metal fused with lyrics about dragons and the Norse gods of old."

"It's time to let my inner Dio soar," he added, flashing the sign of the horns.

Camp also hinted he may experiment with a darker, more aggressive thrash metal sound on future recordings.