.Editorial - My Personal Sad Reflection, Metal Related
Metal Reviews

Release year: 0
Reviewed by Alex

I wish I could write more editorials for MetalReviews. It isn’t that I can’t write, but, hey, let’s face it, I am not Ben, who can take a simple thought around a Metal-related aspect and have a full-blown editorial around it – a brilliant quality. I need a title, a topic I can philosophize about. So, while this article may not be on the “substance” of Metal, please, consider this editorial something I had to get off my chest. It is also a very personal view – which editorial isn’t – so I am open to all kinds of comments.

In part, this is prompted/inspired by a comment my fellow reviewer Jack made before posting the Orphaned Land review recently. While he eventually took the comment down on the actual review, Jack was wondering whether him reviewing the album by an Israeli band would make him officially “endorse” what goes on the Middle East (Jack, buddy, sorry for blowing your cover). Disagreeing with this in principle (I personally don’t look on where the band is from) I understood Jack’s hesitancy in light of how MetalReviews was originally constructed by Danny and Chris. This site is not about politics, this subject is not broached in any reviews. For example, I completely support Danny in saying that his controversial Iced Earth review was completely apolitical. He voiced his personal opinion on the album and the band’s evolution, but didn’t criticize, not one bit, Iced Earth (Jon Schaffer’s really) political views. The true harsh reality though – we do not live in a political vacuum. I only wish I could go to work every day and do my job as a chemist creating better materials for mankind, raise my kid, worry about my family or listen to Metal albums and pass on to you, readers, my honest opinions on them. And to worry about nothing else? An unreal pipe dream. So, while I am not doing it in a review, I would like to share some of the thoughts I have been having recently in an editorial, a more appropriate forum for this.

What is our world, as we know it, plunging into? Is the Marduk’s World Funeral album’s title a forbearer of things to come? I surely hope it isn’t so. While not a prophet, and definitely not the one to have all the solutions, here are some of the thoughts, Metal related.

First, back to Jack’s thought. Written in both Hebrew and Arabic (as well as Yemeni and Latin) Orphaned Land’s unbelievable Mabool unites instead of dividing. Isn’t it beautiful? The power and appeal of a Metal band to have both Muslims and Jews, Palestinians and Israelis, headbang or enjoy the music next to each other, with Orphaned Land leading the charge on the stage. In fact, I read somewhere this is exactly what happened! Big kudos to the band for that, for being a uniting factor! Now, if you are an Israeli black metal fan, wouldn’t you come out and enjoy Melechesh’s Sphynx, a Palestinian (in exile) band? The power of art always had a gift to unite, and I am so glad to see that Metal, an art form, has the same gift. Wouldn’t it be great for us Metal fans all living in the different parts of the Globe to be the unifying force, to be above the politics and hate? If us, Metal fans, a small but dedicated community were to show the lead, who knows what would follow?

Hate, now how many Metal bands write hateful angry lyrics? Once in a carpool where Metal was playing I heard a comment by one of my co-workers: “I don’t like Metal, it is so angry”. Yet, this is from the same guy who even now, a year after, supports what goes on in Iraq without hesitation! I will admit, the propaganda got to me somewhat too. “They will greet us as liberators”, but people die, on both sides. Why wouldn’t it occur to my carpool buddy that Bolt Thrower’s or Dismember’s lyrics are written to paint the gory picture of war, to bring the horror home, to make somebody think twice before sending guys into harm’s way? “Peace – dream of the wise, War – the history of man, Once refined, now demonized, Hatred Overran” (Bolt Thrower, Honour-Valour-Pride, Contact-Wait Out). “I rise from my trench, Blood rushing in my head, Out into no-man’s land, Out to join the dead … Fool killing fool, Conflict makes us tick, Pig killing pig, The human race is sick” (Dismember, Massive Killing Capacity, On Frozen Fields). Too bad those sitting in the offices don’t read, listen, or can’t imagine the described. Or those plotting in caves and slums who “love death” don’t care. All in the name of greed or God.

Religion, if there is one thing I like about growing up in the old Soviet Union it is being an atheist. By methodically demolishing Christianity they tried to install Communism as a religion. After all, you need some sort of “religion” to keep the folk under your control. Of course, it is much easier to love and blindly follow those who preach in the name of the One who died atoning for your sins, than to love and blindly follow those who live lavishly in corruption while you work your ass off daily to be a nobody. So, while Communism never took in the hearts and minds of Soviet youth, the religion was taken out of there. Being a scientist, and knowing that atoms and molecules rule the world, it is even more ridiculous for me to think about the Divine Creation.

Greed, always a feature of man. From a thicker juicier piece of the killed mammoth to the corporate variety that permeates the society I live in now. And this trickles down, unfortunately. My wife, as liberal as they come, who would vote left on all issues, would be upset if the price of T-shirts went up $1 at the local Wal-Mart. I give to all charities I can find. So, why wouldn’t I pay that $1, those extra 50c on the gallon of gasoline, to bring about less suffering and inequality in the world which breeds the above mentioned hate?

So, when a Metal band writes about war, hate, pent up anger, mocks and debases religion and its disciples, despises greed – and in graphic terms too – I believe they do it to expose the rotten nature of man, not to incite the violence, unlike some of the “respected” religious leaders do, be it 1000 years ago in the era of the Crusades or now from some mosque pulpit somewhere in the Middle East. I’d rather have them say/sing about it and blow up your frustration that way, than to put together a device which blows up 200 people (Spanish people, my heart goes out to you). I have not read or heard anywhere that people killed because they went to a metal concert, but, man, have they done that after visiting church!

In the end, this rant turned out not to be about politics at all. Of course, I may have been wrong on many fronts, and, undoubtedly, I will be corrected by a slew of readers. What this turned out to be about is the open-mindedness and unification. Both, the qualities of Metal. This could be only a few of the qualities why I love this music.

Killing Songs :
Alex quoted
Other albums by .Editorial that we have reviewed:
.Editorial - Horny For Harpsichord reviewed by Ben and quoted
.Editorial - Why I need to take a break from writing for MetalReviews reviewed by Alex and quoted
.Editorial - USA / Germany Thrash Match: Big Four Style reviewed by Ben and quoted
.Editorial - Re: Reissues and Remasters reviewed by Ben and quoted
.Editorial - A Brief Run Through Power Metal (in 3 1/2 stages) reviewed by Ben and quoted
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