Metal Reviews

indeed. I also think that some bands are labelled as NSBM for no reason. Personally i don't care if words such as Aryan, or lyrics about culture or history pops up in the music, doesn't necessarily makes them nazies or nationalist, or racists for that matter. To me "Aryan" is powerfull word, but surely it also depends on the context. Wheither or not the guy behind HF and Drudkh is a nazi, I don't know.

If you sing about how cool vikings are, you can't avoid the fact that they were aryan or sociaty would look completely different if where still around etc. And personaly i would pick a monocultural sociaty over a dysfunctionel multicultural society any day. If I had lyrics about that I probably too would be labelled as a nazi and so on too, even though I don't condone racism, totalism, genocide, or pure nationalism. Hope this makes any sense.

I also think there is a difference between singing about ideology and utopias, even though they are connected, and fanatism and fascination. However, distinguish them from one another in music can be quite hard depending on the subject.

The problem I have with NS - apart from the whole racist thing, obviously - is my natural suspicion of anyone offering utopias, plus my nonviolent ways, which stops me being a full Commie. I'm in favour of multiculturalism, though - there's enough western people interested in their past to stop cultures being lost altogether imho, whilst the eastern world is much less likely to be assimilated.

Agreed re 'aryan', too, although it does make me wonder. Eldrig who I mentioned above avoid all mention of inferior races in their lyrics, but the guy bases his albums on Nazi occultism. Which is fascinating, but clearly in the 'bad' camp. It all basically comes down to the listener - I find most actual, proud racist music to be crap anyways - Jewicide, fo instance, are an awful band.

Religion tends to be more of a factor for me than politics. Political lyrics I disagree with I'm usually fine with (after all, I like Rage Against The Machine and Bad Religion despite not completely agreeing with some of their political views). Although I might get a little frustrated when listening to a song with lyrics I TOTALLY disagree with (in a "What The Hell Are You Thinking???" sort of way), I can still at least enjoy the music and not be too bothered by the lyrics.

With religion, on the other hand, I'm fine with listening to lyrics that I disagree with (again, I cite Bad Religion among several other bands)... but I do have my limit. I know this will be an unpopular opinion here on Metalreviews, but there are many bands I won't listen to because I naturally feel wrong listening to them (specifically, black metal and a lot of death metal). I don't discourage other people from listening to them, but I personally don't feel right doing it.

The bottom line is this: I think everybody's limitations on what they can take in terms of lyrics are different. And, to me, what's important is for you to be honest with yourself and know what bothers you and what doesn't. Rather than letting other people tell you what you should and shouldn't be bothered by.

I take an ignorance is bliss approach most of the time, which is easy to do with black and death metal vocals since you can't understand them without the lyrics in front of you. If its NS, I may listen to it but never buy anything so I don't feel like I'm doing any little bit to financially support those clowns.

For religious/political stuff, it doesn't bother me unless its really easy to understand what they're saying, which is not very often in the genres where its most prevalent.

But not knowing the band, even the second song to me seems actually to be critical of colonial Europe.

I discovered Bad Religion today, fucking awesome band

You should pick up Stranger Than Fiction and Against The Grain. Those are the band's two best albums IMO. Although Process Of Belief has what's probably my overall favorite BR song (Kyoto Now). The Gray Race is good too (if a little shallow).

I agree with this wholeheartedly.

An important aspect of music is the ability to understand the minds that make it. Depending on your ability to get inside someone elses skin and "become" them while listening to music will drastically affect your enjoyment.

I can listen to anything really, The only view I really can't understand is the mainstream christian one. I am perfectly fine with pseudo-christian lyrics from the likes of dream theater and those kinds of things, but never anything from the christian genre. I mean its just not music, its an advertisement, an enabling effect for those kinds of people. They aren't in it for the music they are in it for the religion.

I prefer Denial-of-faith kinds of stuff, Like rush's "roll the bones" the best. It is hard to find stuff like that, but when I listen to "Blind faith" by dream theater I get a similar vibe because of my predisposition, though it may not be what the artist had in mind.

You know what's ironic and kind of funny? I often find that secular-bands-with-Christian-members (Dream Theater, Helloween, Blind Guardian, etc.) actually seem to have a better understanding of Christian faith than a lot of full-fledged Christian bands (Demon Hunter, I'm pointing right at you).

I agree with your first paragraph BTW. Very well said. Although, in response to the second, I hold the opposite opinion. I personally have my biggest problem with insanely anti-Christian metal (Deicide, most black metal, etc.). But there are some less-extreme anti-Christian bands (Slayer, Exodus, Kreator, etc) that I enjoy. I personally prefer bands that are not "anti-Christian", per see, but rather honestly critical of Christianity and its current state (Bad Religion and Iced Earth being two examples). I find such bands to usually be very thoughtful and interesting. And at times, I can even find myself agreeing with such bands on certain matters.

I dunno. I personally think what a lot of Christian bands do is, in a way, admirable (after all, they're trying to promote a good message through music). But I agree that a lot of them seem to be putting the message over the music. When what they should really be doing is giving both equal importance. Make the music fit the message and the message fit the music. Power metal seems to be the best outlet for this if you want to do Christian metal. And that's why, if I want to listen to a full-fledged Christian band, it will typically be a Christian power metal band like Theocracy rather than a Christian thrash/death/black metal band (yes, Christian black metal DOES exist - they call it "un-Black Metal" ). If you want to implement your religious beliefs in your music, you should be using the music to express your personal faith. Not to preach to people.

Blind Faith by DT, to me, is about learning to understand (spiritually) what you really believe in. Rather than just believing in it for somebody else's approval.

Interesting position, Seinfeld, quite similar to what I said in my first post here, except that where you dislike listening to what you find 'offensive' in that way, for me it adds to the experience. Maybe it's the natural differences between how you listen to Power and Black Metal, but you've hit what I was getting at on the head.

I care nothing for opinions in songs, political or not. I listen to songs because I enjoy it, not to develop or strengthen a belief. As long as I like the song, I couldn't care less what was being said in it. However, there are, as always, exeptions like the logical ones: racism and shit like that.

Speaking of Christian subtext in songs, I just realized Virgin Black is geared with a Christian messsage, albeit an extremely progressive view of the religion. Honestly, my initial reaction was to force myself to like them less but they are just too damn good and the message can't get in the way of the awesome music. It's kind of the inverse of mainstream Christian music.

Despite Vision Divine's Christian imagery and overall message of faith, I can't help to think they are one of the greatest bands ever. Olaf Thorsen definitely writes about Christian concepts, but he does it (as he said) so that an atheist can enjoy it as well.

So I guess the answer really is "No" because they are by far release the best albums and are also by far the most opposite from me philisophically. Neither one of those seem to affect each other.

I like Akercocke as they are, but I think they would likely suck if they weren't Atheistic Satanists. The emotions I feel when listening to them would be totally different.

So I think that if you strongly agree with a bands message, you will enjoy it because you are connecting with them on a mental level, they appeal to your intellect. Your emotional response will be altered due to this and the music will become appealing.

And if you can ignore the subtext and instead just the music your really having an emotional response to the music and melodies and such. At least to me a band I like out of the emotional response won't affect my intellectual response though.

Of course, the only band to nail both for me really is Rush. The music is perfect for my taste and I consider Neil a kindred spirit (if you get my meaning... It's kind of a joke)

Extol, Lengsel, and Becoming the Archetype are badass! Devin Townsend is producing the new BtA, so i'm expecting that to at least double their badassness

Becoming the Archetype is a sweet band name...

Thanks for the suggestions. May be I'll check these bands out sometime (although I think one of Extol's albums only earned 50/100 here on Metalreviews). I've also heard some good things about Ultimatum.

Sounds like a good band. And I agree that a Christian band should try to have a certain amount of universal appeal (but should also have a spiritual essence that a Christian can experience when listening to it - much like the spiritual impact a good church hymn typically has). How would you describe their sound/style (I know they're power metal)?

Lengsel are really cool.

Exactly Like Labyrinth's "Return to Heaven denied" if you've ever heard them, but with a bit different vocals. I think the songwriting is a bit tighter though with a bit more variety in the songs. It is super-melodic.

I guess the only thing that sounds close is Angra's Rebirth. A little like Edguy too.

I wouldn't say its power metal, more like progressive metal with power metal. It has a dark vibe like evergrey at the same time though.

visiondivine.com has some songs up on their media player.

just avopid the first two albums (its not like you will find them anywhere anyway) unless you are sure you like the band enough, because those albums are unspectacular and the production is mediocre.

what about Misery Index? i get the feeling you'd love their lyrics (and the music too, it's awesome).