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^ Rootin' for ya buddy!

Like I said in another thread I won't play instruments in my songs of praise (we aren't told to under the new law or new testament which we are now under. We are told to sing and make melody in our hearts.) However you can't say metal (or rap or any other style) is sinful. Some metal is not and some metal is. ONLY the lyrics can be. That's like hundreds of years ago when some church tried to ban minor chords. A song can sound angry, but the bible says to be angry... and sin not. So it's ok to be angry. Therefore it's ok to have angry sounding music. What if you wrote an angry sounding song that was angry at the devil for throwing obstacles in your way? hmmm.

i totaly understand your point of view paul..... i really do.. im not bashing "christians" or any other faith, if the truth be known i (try) to live my life to the teachings of budda..its a more kind of you do good, good may happen..you do bad etc..and it makes sence to me(in a warped way)

the problem i have is with playing styles of music that have there roots in the non-conformist world...mostly punk..when i was a younger man we had REAL punks in ireland(none of this spiky gel hair and eye-liner crap),most of them were homeless,alcoholic and ready to kick the sh*t out of anyone who looked funny at them..they lived punk...and there was one dublin punk band called "paranoid visions" they became quite big in there own rite...but if you had stood in the crowed at one of there gigs or "bloodbaths" as some would call them....you would understand what being a punk was all about and i knew it wasnt for me...

but my point is this ....the punk movement was aginst EVERYTHING...god,government,law,style,etc just about everthing the "norms" liked.... it was a very negative style of music...but it was a sign of the times in england more than most.

that is why it is so hard for me to imagine using such a negative backdrop to sing praise to the lord...i could only imagine "john lydon aka jonny rottens" reaction to find christians were singing to punk music.

I would be scared to death to hear what Lydon (the godfather of punk) would have to say about Christian punk. Hooo boy!

Anthony your point about punk being against everything was spot on...and it raises other issues that I want to address. The first one is what I calla a musical "wraith form" that can come forth from a type of music and not simply the lyrics.

The Ancients knew that sound moved matter, and changed it. I believe the practice of "Wyrdding" was Norse, and they used it in every day life to change their environment. The notion was that all matter has a vibrational level, and if you level a certain vibration at it, you will either resonate with it in a metamorphic way, or you will dissipate it - break it apart. Destroy it. Without the destroy part, sound can alter energy in much the same way. So that is why I do not buy this idea that the type of music doesn't matter for a given result, or a given energy one wants to raise.

A stark example can be used by drawing on Schubert's "Ave Maria", probably one of the most lasting and beautiful pieces ever written. Why is it that way? Because the music, the sound, raises the wraith of Motherhood - Feminine Divine - mystery and love - and wraps them all together in a way that truly alters the listener. Now let's experiment and keep the same lyrics to the piece, and change the sound. Let's give it to thrash metal. Imagine it in your head, thundering drums at breakneck speed, screaming guitars, crashing cymbals and tortured gurgling vocals. The resulting sound would totally DISSIPATE any of the energies (Motherhood - Feminine Divine - mystery and love ) that the original wove together into such a moving piece. It would entirely shortcircuit the intent of the piece, in no uncertain terms.

One more point. Christian musicians who want to use metal, thrash, punk or rap may in fact be WANTING to use those music forms as a weapon. That application is the type of in your face, violent evangelism that I find totally repugnant, and I'll bet most others do as well. I know enough of Christianity to know that the wraith raised by such musical forms is antithetical to "the message". It is why I agree with you that it just doesn't connect at all.

Christian metal, thrash, punk or rap makes about as much sense as foot fetish Gospel would. Hey, there's a thought....

Other Band your probably thinking of is Petra

I would really classify most of it as hard rock. Most of the 80s stuff really fell more into Glam rock then HM I've seen specials where twisted sister has been considered HM. Yea right give me a break.
When things get to bad join the ranks of Rick Wakeman from Yes, Mark Farner from Grand Funk Railroad. The lead singer from Three Dog Night. etc... The list goes on. While people talk about going over to the dark side It seems in reality it's the other way around.

He will be there for you when you need him

Thanks for your comments, Blair...and I really hope you don't take any of this as an attack on your beliefs in any way. I don't like that sort of thing toward anyone's religion. Just speaking my bit.

No, I enjoyed it. I try not to take myself or anything else to seriously.
As soon as people start trying to tell anyone what to believe, then we all lose our freedom. No this no that, etc... It's a choice. Freely done not forced. Bossy christians trying to force there beliefs on others do more harm than good. They commit spiritual abortion, driving away people not drawing them to. No one attacked me or what I said. And not agreeing with it is not an attack.

You're a smart guy, Blair.

It is interesting to note that most modern styles of Rock and even metal indisputably have roots in gospel and Christian music. How is that for not belonging? Most musicians who know anything about the history of American Gospel Music can trace roots back to the southern roots in the slave communities and how that the soul inspired music led to divergent genres of music such as blues which was the offspring of souther soul gospel music.

Blues in turn gave way to influence of rock as early as the 1950's and creative and artistic minds continued to develop using remnants of old styles as inspiration and new ideas to develop new sounds and genres. If you look at the scales and modes of some heavy metal you can find similarities between it and classical music, how is that for a mismatch?

My personal opinion is that Christian Metal and Rock is just as valid as secular music. Both are pushing elements of spirituality and sending a message.

If you have not heard any Christian Metal that you like then you may not know of many bands that are Christian playing on secular venues. FLyleaf for instance is a Christian crossover band. How do I know this? Because I know the spouse of one of the guitarists. Bands who are more alternative such as Reliant K, Thousand Foot Crutch who have mainstream airplay are also Christian Based. IF you open your mind to the possibility of what can be good music before dismissing it because of the label "Christian" you might find that there is a lot of music you would really like and enjoy and at the same time get some positive encouragement in your life, and after all what's wrong with good things in life?

Not sure what you mean by "scales and modes" similar to classical music found in heavy metal. Can you elaborate?

scales and Moats..
I think he meant Scales & Moats..

Ooooooh nice dragon.

Koshinkai, Flyleaf is a Christian rock band, you are right. It is listed on the internet, seen it before. Now, I will admit, I like them a lot. So there you go, I finally realized I like one Christian rock bands sound. However, even they are a bit too, um, dark for a Christian rock band. It just seems a bit odd. But I really like them, great songs.

Irminsul, dragons rock, lol. I used to be obsessed with dragons when I was younger. My sister always used to get those magazines that catalog all of the dragon stuff in them, I wanted everything. She still gets them sometimes and I still want everything. Dragons are creepy, I like that.

I just find myself insulted when a band names themselves "DragonForce" and they sound like they came out of a damn Pacman machine. Lmao.

Peace out, GuitarAnatomy.

We're a dragon household. We have them all over the place - dragon cabinets, dragon candle holders, hell even a cool dragon sticking out of the wall. I have a tattoo of a harp with a dragon's head on top of it, on my left arm.

Guess you could say I'm close to them creatures. And DAMN if they don't like to steal silverware...

We're a dragon household. We have them all over the place - dragon cabinets, dragon candle holders, hell even a cool dragon sticking out of the wall. I have a tattoo of a harp with a dragon's head on top of it, on my left arm.

Guess you could say I'm close to them creatures. And DAMN if they don't like to steal silverware...

Lmao. Go dragons! I am not a tattoo guy, but I would definitely wear a necklace with one on it, or ring, or anything resembling it, lol.

It might help make my Middle Eastern appearance be more ominous.
Note: I am not talking about terrorism in connection, or anything stereotypic, it is just a look I came up with that I am talking about.

I have decided on that to be my persona on stage. I like the look. Only part that is itchy is the beard part, lol.

I should call myself "The Oud Player of Death." Hmm, I like that one, lmao.

Peace out guys, GuitarAnatomy.

Irish Anthony
The you do good, good happens to you principal isn't weird. Some call it Karma some ying and yang, what goes around comes around, sowing and reaping etc... . I studied NSA Budism for a while and by chanting
Num Me Yo Ho Reng Ghay Quo , forgive the spelling I know it's wrong,
I asked for something that was impossable at the time and it happened.
Physical laws like gravity work weather you believe in them or not. There are spiritual laws that are the same way. Just like gravity. just like flipping a light switch. Weather I believe in electricity or think that Elvis makes it happenfrom the great beyond. Either way the light comes on.

Oh and by the way dragons do exist.

Why Irminsul What a big harp you have.
Is that your harp or are you just happy to see me.

God Bless to all,
Blair