A vicar and the makers of a memorial bench for the Prodigy's Keith Flint have rallied to the defence of his 'devil horns' haircut being included in the design.
The tribute has just been unveiled at St Mary's Church in Bocking, Essex - welcomed by the band and family of Flint who died aged 49 on March 4 2019.
The vicar of the church near Braintree, where the UK chart-topping dance band were formed, defended the oak bench against suggestions it was inappropriate.
He acknowledged there had been some concerns about a supposedly 'Satanic' detail inscribed in the monument - while its creators were taken aback by the initial request.
But many worshippers as well Prodigy fans have been praising the new instalment at the church where Flint was buried following his funeral on March 28 2019.
The horn shapes are inspired by Flint's signature 'bihawk' hairstyle, showcased in the video for the Prodigy's 1996 number one single Firestarter.
The woodworkers who built the bench - after being approached by the band and sworn to secrecy - have described its 'Flinty Fins' as 'a bold nod to Keith's unmistakable devil-horn silhouette'.
And they told the Daily Mail how they blasted out Firestarter as they made the bench - a process that included pouring petrol on it and setting flames blazing.
A bench has been unveiled in honour of Keith Flint, who died aged 49 in March 2019
The memorial, made at the request of his band the Prodigy, has been placed at an Essex church
The Prodigy shared photos on Facebook of the bench at St Mary's Church in Bocking, Essex
That followed a request from the band that the bench be 'jet black' and burnt - although given a varnish finish to ensure no scorched scent.
The makers also described a sense of surprise when told the bench was intended for a churchyard - but have insisted Christians should 'see the humour in this'.
The Prodigy shared a tribute to Flint as well as pictures of the bench on social media last Wednesday, on what would have been his 57 birthday.
The post, signed off by band members Liam Howlett and Maxim, said Flint was 'always with us on every stage and on every drop', adding: 'Miss u every day brother. Raise the roof!'
They also thanked 'all who helped get a memorial bench sorted', adding 'praise' to those at Powys, Wales-based woodworker and artist collective Free Range Designs who built it.
The church's vicar, the Rt Revd Rod Reid, has found himself defending the placement of a bench bearing 'devil horns' within a Christian churchyard.
He told the BBC: 'The band and the family wanted something fitting for the churchyard.
'They were very respectful and very aware of the setting.'
Online carping has included comments such as 'The church will accept anything nowadays' but many more have welcomed it, including the post: 'What a wonderful tribute for everyone to enjoy. Just perfect.'
The church was told on its Facebook page in response to photos of the memorial: 'I have been to see it today, laid a flower and paid my respects. It's a beautiful bench and a fitting tribute to Keith.'
Other commenters offered replied including 'Great idea', 'Awesome' and 'It looks fabulous'.
Paul Bullen, founder of Free Range Designs which made the bench, has told the Daily Mail how they were approached in secret towards the end of last year by the Prodigy's manager John Fairs.
Yet it took some time for his team of five to realise their latest commission was in memory of someone famous and the buyers were Flint's former bandmates.
There was 'fun' and some 'frustration' in the process of making the design work - including a crucial one connected to Flint's signature Firestarter performance.
Mr Bullen told of being asked to ensure the bench was black and burnt, which he managed - only to then be asked in concern whether that meant it would smell.
There was then a query about one small part of the wood that had not gone black - prompting him to pour on petrol to ensure that last remnant went up in flames.
He played the Prodigy's performance of the Firestarter while doing so, as seen in a clip the company has shared on YouTube.
Mr Bullen said: 'The petrol burns quickly but doesn't actually burn the wood - it was just theatrics.
'I sent them a video, saying: "Is this burnt enough for you?" I think they were humoured. It was in keeping with Keith's energy.'
He acknowledged some controversy over the 'devil horns' inclusion and the bench's setting, adding: 'When told it was going to be in a church, I was kind of surprised - "How are you going to manage to do that?"
'But then I got to thinking about the church, thinking about Jesus, all of us being God's sons or daughters or children including Keith, even mischievous Keith.
'If you believe in Christianity, you can see the humour in this.'
Mr Bullen also paid his own tribute to how the Prodigy had been a 'formative' sound in his teenage years.
The 48-year-old South African-born artist said: 'Making this bench, I reflected on how many times I've listened to the Prodigy - when 16, or 19, in a car or at a party.
'They've been formative in my and all my friends' lives.'
Free Range Designs posted on its website: 'The vision for the bench was to create something striking, unique, and evocative of Keith and his unforgettable, electric character.
'We co-created the design with John and Prodigy founder, Liam Howlett, and continued to refine it until the band and family members were happy to sign off. We were sworn to secrecy until the band launched the news on their social media platforms.
'Whilst we had a lot of fun making this iconic bench, it has also been a very emotional process, as is often the case when we make memorial pieces.
'In this instance, we are remembering someone who reshaped a generation of music.'
Flint died at his home in the Essex hamlet of North End by hanging and had cocaine, alcohol and codeine in his system at the time, an inquest heard in May 2019.
Essex Senior Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray recorded an open conclusion, saying: 'We will never quite know what was going on in his mind on that date.'
Music fans travelled from as far afield as Australia to gather outside St Mary's Church in Bocking for Flint's funeral, with festival flags flying and floral tributes piled up in the churchyard including one of the band's ant logo.
The coroner Ms Beasley-Murray added at the inquest: 'He clearly was extremely popular; he was much loved by so many fans.'
She asked the coroner's officer to express the court's sympathy to his family and to the band manager.
Ahead of the inquest, The Prodigy had urged Twitter followers to seek help if they were struggling with their mental health.
In a post, they wrote: 'It has been a tough time for everyone over the last few weeks since Keef's passing.
'If you are struggling with depression, addiction or the impact of suicide, please do not suffer in silence.
'The Prodigy fully support the campaign to improve mental health for all.'
Flint's Prodigy bandmate Howlett had first confirmed the death on Instagram.
He wrote: 'The news is true; I can't believe I'm saying this but our brother Keith took his own life over the weekend.
'I'm shell shocked; f*ing angry; confused and heart broken r.i.p brother.'
Flint was born in Redbridge in east London then, after leaving school, moved to Braintree in Essex and met Howlett in a nightclub.
Flint was originally the Prodigy's dancer but the band's fortunes were transformed with him as vocalist and they would go on to sell 30million records.
The group paid an emotional tribute to Flint during their set at the 2024 Glastonbury Festival - having cancelled their scheduled appearance in 2019 after his death.
The crowd was told by vocalist Maxim: 'This is the fourth time we have played this festival. There are supposed to be five of us, but six years ago, we lost our brother.
'This show tonight is dedicated to Mr F*ing Flint. This is his night!'