Ardra
04-15-02, 02:52 PM
Hi everyone, just posted an introduction under the comedy/hijinks topic, in part because I'm a bit of a comedian, but also because it was the highest traffic heading that wasn't "teen" per se. (I'm 36).
As a couple of you have answered me, yes, I have been a heavy metal singer for 18 years now. I have had great reservations about the lyrical content of many, many metal bands for quite some time and have tried to find stuff that I enjoyed that was "less" offensive.
This is really hard to do!
And I wonder, what makes it "metal". Is it simply a distorted guitar sound? I don't think so- that would include far too many rock styles today.
Is it vocal screeching? Well, probably not, as several "metal" singers are virtuosos and do not simply screech.
Is it Attitude? Lyrics? Content? Yes. Now I think we are getting down to it.
And I worry because even Yoda said, "Fear, Anger, Agression, The Dark Side are these".
He might as well have been describing the essential elements of heavy metal.
Is "Heavenly Metal" even possible? I look to you, my new friends to advise me in this because I really don't know any to speak of.
I remember being very excited back in the day when Stryper first came out. It blew my mind that you could have rippin guitar solos and wailing falsetto vocals yet be saying "JESUS IS THE WAY!"
Yet, when I bought their first full length album, what I first pulled out was not the vinyl (ok i'm old), but a "STRYPER MERCHANDISE OFFER".
Then add to it their huge dollar bill cover of the album IN GOD WE TRUST, and then their collapse into being a "secular" band all over again, and I guess I became very skeptical that Metal and Jesus were in any way compatible. Not to heap blame upon one band, but Styper in many ways gave me a very negative opinion of the concept of religious metal/hard rock. I began to wonder if it were simply a devious satanic plot. (I'm not really that paranoid, I promise, but I do believe in demons and I do believe in Temptation. And I think it takes many forms. I wondered if it were simply a wolf in sheep's clothing)
I am not going to lie- I still listen to metal. I enjoy european, gothic sort of bands like JP, IM, Helloween, Accept, Rammstein etc....but I listen to them with a degree of guilt. I do tend to skip songs I feel are not acceptable to me in lyrical content. But that's probably still not good enough. (sigh)
I guess Lyrics are what it all comes down to. No note of music could be evil in and of itself.
I had posted that I had been engaged in spiritual warfare with people at the message boards at Robert Halford's site, where the former lead singer of Judas Priest resides. Having been a fan of his singing for years, I was delighted that Rob would communicate with his fans in this manner and I joined that community gladly, in fact, I was nearly a charter member, since he quit JP and had the (now dead) web page Two-Online.com.
Being that Rob is gay there is a very strong pro-homosexuality faction there. Saying anything negative about this was a sure way to start a fight and to be called a "hate-monger".
Not to bring politics into this, but I have seen that Political Correctness is probably the greatest example of INTOLERANCE yet devised. Intolerance for any viewpoint which does not say "everything and anything is AOK, do what you feel". Well, that's how all manner of troubles get inflicted on the human race.
I have been trying to reach those people but it is very difficult. Many are actively engaged in Wicca or different occult practices. I did not always realize this. It took a Reverend to show up and leave a big message urging Rob to turn away from homosexuality and lyrics preoccupied with Hell and hellish imagery, and the incredible backlash against him, to open my eyes about the true values and beliefs of those I had believed were my friends. I was appalled by the venom that they threw at him- and then at me when I came to his defense. I don't think it would be inaccurate to say I'm the only person at that web site who defends Christianity.
One thing I have learned is that the old saying "The devil can quote scripture to serve his own ends" actually goes both ways.
It amuses me to be able to break out metal song lyrics that actually support God and the Bible and what is the Truth, as it was written, we are engaged in a struggle between "powers and principalities".
Most of those folks are actually atheists- it offends them to imagine that anyone can tell them what to do, or that morality should be spelled out for them. They imagine it is nobler for the world to change for Them rather than They change for the sake of the world. Selfishness. Pride. Wanting to be God. It is really the essence of satanism.
Of course, if they don't believe in Satan either it's hard to make them see that point (laughing!)
Some actually debate whether Satan is a good guy or a bad guy, as laughable as that sounds, they actually debate this.
It's at times like this that metal lyrics can be used against them- I say, hey, listen to your hero Rob who wrote,
Since time began I made a vow to drag you underground
To steal your soul of purity and watch you waste away.
I ask them, does this sound like a benevolent being to you?? hehe.
Yet I do ask again. Is "heavenly metal" even possible? Is Fear, Anger, Agression, as Yoda said, the real qualifications for being "metal" by any definition?
Just wanting to start a discussion. I sometimes make provocative statements to get the ball rolling.
I invite your thoughts on this question.
As a couple of you have answered me, yes, I have been a heavy metal singer for 18 years now. I have had great reservations about the lyrical content of many, many metal bands for quite some time and have tried to find stuff that I enjoyed that was "less" offensive.
This is really hard to do!
And I wonder, what makes it "metal". Is it simply a distorted guitar sound? I don't think so- that would include far too many rock styles today.
Is it vocal screeching? Well, probably not, as several "metal" singers are virtuosos and do not simply screech.
Is it Attitude? Lyrics? Content? Yes. Now I think we are getting down to it.
And I worry because even Yoda said, "Fear, Anger, Agression, The Dark Side are these".
He might as well have been describing the essential elements of heavy metal.
Is "Heavenly Metal" even possible? I look to you, my new friends to advise me in this because I really don't know any to speak of.
I remember being very excited back in the day when Stryper first came out. It blew my mind that you could have rippin guitar solos and wailing falsetto vocals yet be saying "JESUS IS THE WAY!"
Yet, when I bought their first full length album, what I first pulled out was not the vinyl (ok i'm old), but a "STRYPER MERCHANDISE OFFER".
Then add to it their huge dollar bill cover of the album IN GOD WE TRUST, and then their collapse into being a "secular" band all over again, and I guess I became very skeptical that Metal and Jesus were in any way compatible. Not to heap blame upon one band, but Styper in many ways gave me a very negative opinion of the concept of religious metal/hard rock. I began to wonder if it were simply a devious satanic plot. (I'm not really that paranoid, I promise, but I do believe in demons and I do believe in Temptation. And I think it takes many forms. I wondered if it were simply a wolf in sheep's clothing)
I am not going to lie- I still listen to metal. I enjoy european, gothic sort of bands like JP, IM, Helloween, Accept, Rammstein etc....but I listen to them with a degree of guilt. I do tend to skip songs I feel are not acceptable to me in lyrical content. But that's probably still not good enough. (sigh)
I guess Lyrics are what it all comes down to. No note of music could be evil in and of itself.
I had posted that I had been engaged in spiritual warfare with people at the message boards at Robert Halford's site, where the former lead singer of Judas Priest resides. Having been a fan of his singing for years, I was delighted that Rob would communicate with his fans in this manner and I joined that community gladly, in fact, I was nearly a charter member, since he quit JP and had the (now dead) web page Two-Online.com.
Being that Rob is gay there is a very strong pro-homosexuality faction there. Saying anything negative about this was a sure way to start a fight and to be called a "hate-monger".
Not to bring politics into this, but I have seen that Political Correctness is probably the greatest example of INTOLERANCE yet devised. Intolerance for any viewpoint which does not say "everything and anything is AOK, do what you feel". Well, that's how all manner of troubles get inflicted on the human race.
I have been trying to reach those people but it is very difficult. Many are actively engaged in Wicca or different occult practices. I did not always realize this. It took a Reverend to show up and leave a big message urging Rob to turn away from homosexuality and lyrics preoccupied with Hell and hellish imagery, and the incredible backlash against him, to open my eyes about the true values and beliefs of those I had believed were my friends. I was appalled by the venom that they threw at him- and then at me when I came to his defense. I don't think it would be inaccurate to say I'm the only person at that web site who defends Christianity.
One thing I have learned is that the old saying "The devil can quote scripture to serve his own ends" actually goes both ways.
It amuses me to be able to break out metal song lyrics that actually support God and the Bible and what is the Truth, as it was written, we are engaged in a struggle between "powers and principalities".
Most of those folks are actually atheists- it offends them to imagine that anyone can tell them what to do, or that morality should be spelled out for them. They imagine it is nobler for the world to change for Them rather than They change for the sake of the world. Selfishness. Pride. Wanting to be God. It is really the essence of satanism.
Of course, if they don't believe in Satan either it's hard to make them see that point (laughing!)
Some actually debate whether Satan is a good guy or a bad guy, as laughable as that sounds, they actually debate this.
It's at times like this that metal lyrics can be used against them- I say, hey, listen to your hero Rob who wrote,
Since time began I made a vow to drag you underground
To steal your soul of purity and watch you waste away.
I ask them, does this sound like a benevolent being to you?? hehe.
Yet I do ask again. Is "heavenly metal" even possible? Is Fear, Anger, Agression, as Yoda said, the real qualifications for being "metal" by any definition?
Just wanting to start a discussion. I sometimes make provocative statements to get the ball rolling.
I invite your thoughts on this question.