Depressive music and its themes/message - thoughts...

[stefan86]

i'm guessing friday will be semi-skitfull as i've got a band rehearsal 11.30. but saturday shall hopefully bring me some live poker action and carlsberg

 

[s_a_o]

I feel that by listening to depressing music can perhaps help releasing ones own "depression".

I agree. I find the music soothing... it's a really awesome release.

Oh, and Mantraschism, I love the last line of your signature!

 

[Aristo Compasso]

With all due respect for all the opinions here expressed, you guys are discussing a fucking cliché that's only suited for religious or psychiatric opinion makers.

A piece of music, or for all that matter a piece of art is not depressive or joyful.
It's very easy to label different styles of music by the moods the writers wanted the music to convey.
There's no innocence on Katatonia's music (for instance) you don't actually believe that the guys were in a collective state of depression when writing the songs.
Also, I refuse to believe that anyone who enjoys their music has to be in that same depressive state, or falls into one afterwards.
Why? because if you did you wouldn't listen to it in the first place. And if you do, well the problem isn't in the music, it's in you.

My experience tells me that when I listen to "depressive music" I feel great, whatever the emotions that arise from it may be.

 

[LifeDepraved]

Depressing music makes me feel great, but it also relates to my own depression. Not much of a cure though, more like knowing there is darker, more deeper negative energy out there which I haven't begun to touch and that I should be thankful for not being in a slightly worse state than I am in at the moment.

 

[hugot]

Aristo, are you calling Jonas a phony? how dare you!?

I love depressing music, i love feeling down, its only a state of mind...cept for that time i was listening to the cure's pornography in the middle of the night, all alone at my place....damn......my head spun....

 

[Sadguru]

I feel that by listening to depressing music can perhaps help releasing ones own "depression".

With all the respect, I think it's an incorrect conclusion. Depressive music doesn't cure depression but can [will] offer brief reliefs from tensions associated to negative thoughts. As far as I'm concerned, stating that depressive music has no negative repercussions whatsoever on the human psyche is a totally gratuitous comment. I also believe that depressive person are less motivated to step out from their negative mood than say, the relatively "happy" ones. Moreover, depressive music listeners obviously developed an addiction to emotions related to "depression". I'm positive that depressive music is a contributing factor moreso than an alternative to this issue.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm not stating that depressive music is 100% bad for you (see my earlier post). I myself listen to a great deal of depressive music, duh!

 

[Alcapoth]

^ Hey Sadguru, great response there. I must say, I agree. As it always seems, we share eye to eye on this matter. Also, your earlier post was excellent as well. And FUCK I love that avatar of yours, man.

The more I think about it, the more neutral I am to the topic. I mean, there IS this saying that goes, if you KEEP telling yourself you will fail, you will fail. It's like, those words, being said or spoken to you on a regular, daily basis day-in and day-out will be implemented into your brain. The more you hear it, the more you think it, the more it can influence your life both negatively or positively. It's also the sole reason why psychiatrists or the like will always suggest that you think happy thoughts or positive thoughts, that way your brain will learn to accept this way of thinking. I don't know, I can see some truth in this. It may not be the case for everyone, though, but it does make sense to me. And this is what a friend of mine was directing me at in College - listen to some more upbeat, happy music to get your mind off of the hopeless despair.

For myself, as well as some others here perhaps, I just love to drown in misery from time to time. There's something about it. It's dark and it's honest as well as very personal. The truth about life is, it's not always perfect and happy. It can be shitty. And sometimes I feel many try to hide away from it and not show these kinds of emotions, where I would embrace them. In return, others will ask, why so sad? They just don't quite understand I'm not really sad, I'm just embracing the sadness in the music for that particular moment in time.


Eh, it's funny...this is rather a strange topic that is hard for me anyway, to explain.

Maybe we should consider this;

For example, if I'm listening to a song or album in great depth and it just so happens to be one that is depressing and I'm listening to it in a dark room, and then somebody just suddenly barges in on me with an energetic, happy personality they'd catch me in a very solitary state of mind and I may seem stern and avoidant. It'd kinda ruin the mood, you know? This once happened to me when a friend came over once and walked in on me listening to Antimatter's Line of Fire. His response? Wow, I didn't know you were a hippy *laughs.* So yeah, I can't listen to the music I REALLY like with some of my friends because I'll get made fun of. Kinda sad, eh? This sort of thing only occurs when someone feels uncomfortable in a given situation...I think. And let me tell you, was I pissed at him for that comment hehe. It was all good afterward.

Music is quite powerful and is loaded with lots of emotions. Happy, sad, energetic, angry, etc. I think in some way it does affect our mood for those few minutes. But I'm kinda weird in a way. Sure, I MOSTLY listen to music like Katatonia or The Loveless, etc but then every so often I'll have my energetic trance music on (even some of that can be sad from time to time) which will put me in a state of tranquility and soothing relaxation. This music will lift my mood up a bit.

 

[Sadguru]

^ Hey Sadguru, great response there. I must say, I agree. As it always seems, we share eye to eye on this matter. Also, your earlier post was excellent as well. And FUCK I love that avatar of yours, man.

The more I think about it, the more neutral I am to the topic. I mean, there IS this saying that goes, if you KEEP telling yourself you will fail, you will fail. It's like, those words, being said or spoken to you on a regular, daily basis day-in and day-out will be implemented into your brain. The more you hear it, the more you think it, the more it can influence your life both negatively or positively. It's also the sole reason why psychiatrists or the like will always suggest that you think happy thoughts or positive thoughts, that way your brain will learn to accept this way of thinking. I don't know, I can see some truth in this. It may not be the case for everyone, though, but it does make sense to me.

Yes absolutely. It's not much different than self-hypnosis really. Like you pointed out, repeated affirmations or thoughts condition the mind into a programmed pattern. Obviously, depressive music triggers depressive thoughts. It's fairly simple to observe really. That's why negative music can be tremendously dangerous when one is emotionally identified with the ideologies conveyed.

And this is what a friend of mine was directing me at in College - listen to some more upbeat, happy music to get your mind off of the hopeless despair.

Yes, but generally, the people who listen to obscure and dark music aren't interested in upbeat, happy music. I know I'm not. Forcing an happy mood upon you will only lead to more frustration and hatred I think.

For myself, as well as some others here perhaps, I just love to drown in misery from time to time. There's something about it. It's dark and it's honest as well as very personal. The truth about life is, it's not always perfect and happy. It can be shitty. And sometimes I feel many try to hide away from it and not show these kinds of emotions, where I would embrace them. In return, others will ask, why so sad? They just don't quite understand I'm not really sad, I'm just embracing the sadness in the music for that particular moment in time.

Again, I totally agree with you. Like it or not, suffering is part of our current condition. Either we learn how to embrace and integrate this negativity or we deny its existance the best we can. Only, in the latter case, it often degenerates in serious pathologies and various physical illness. It's no secret that today's tendency to an obligatory hapiness is translated in some odd grimaces.

Eh, it's funny...this is rather a strange topic that is hard for me anyway, to explain.

Maybe we should consider this;

For example, if I'm listening to a song or album in great depth and it just so happens to be one that is depressing and I'm listening to it in a dark room, and then somebody just suddenly barges in on me with an energetic, happy personality they'd catch me in a very solitary state of mind and I may seem stern and avoidant. It'd kinda ruin the mood, you know? This once happened to me when a friend came over once and walked in on me listening to Antimatter's Line of Fire. His response? Wow, I didn't know you were a hippy *laughs.* So yeah, I can't listen to the music I REALLY like with some of my friends because I'll get made fun of. Kinda sad, eh? This sort of thing only occurs when someone feels uncomfortable in a given situation...I think. And let me tell you, was I pissed at him for that comment hehe. It was all good afterward.

Ah yes, I know what you mean man. It can totally ruin the mood when being with someone who just doesn't "get" what the music is about.

Music is quite powerful and is loaded with lots of emotions. Happy, sad, energetic, angry, etc. I think in some way it does affect our mood for those few minutes. But I'm kinda weird in a way. Sure, I MOSTLY listen to music like Katatonia or The Loveless, etc but then every so often I'll have my energetic trance music on (even some of that can be sad from time to time) which will put me in a state of tranquility and soothing relaxation. This music will lift my mood up a bit.

Same here, I like a great deal of "dreamy" electronic pop (Enigma, Delerium, Conjure One). And yes, it does lift up our whole being into more positive territories. Talking about it, I'll put Karma on! Freakin' love that album.

 

[discouraged1]

uh-oh..

i just hope we don't have another the_joy_of_grief on the forum

 

[Aristo Compasso]

Aristo, are you calling Jonas a phony? how dare you!?

Eheh kind of, but in a good, competent way.

 

[Alcapoth]

That's why negative music can be tremendously dangerous when one is emotionally identified with the ideologies conveyed.

Exactly!

Yes, but generally, the people who listen to obscure and dark music aren't interested in upbeat, happy music. I know I'm not. Forcing an happy mood upon you will only lead to more frustration and hatred I think.

True, true. There is some good happy music out there. Like The Beatles, haha. Hey c'mon, some of those pop ballads they had back in the earlier stages of their career rocked.

Same here, I like a great deal of "dreamy" electronic pop (Enigma, Delerium, Conjure One). And yes, it does lift up our whole being into more positive territories. Talking about it, I'll put Karma on! Freakin' love that album.

And ALL great artists.

uh-oh..

i just hope we don't have another the_joy_of_grief on the forum

Haha, well, I can understand how one can see it as that, but it's not the case, really. Well, I hope not. Ok, not 100% the case, because I did acknowledge the fact I love to feel down sometimes. But hey, I think we all need this sometimes, right? Heck, like Sadguru and I have now just discussed, so long as it isn't persistant or isn't listened to in a dangerously ill state-of-mind, which I'm sure none of us here are.

 

[stefan86]

for me music is like therapy. listening to bands like Katatonia, Anathema, Novembers Doom and Rapture helps me identify some of the problems in my life that would be there regardless if I was listening to them or not. when it comes down to suicide black metallists etc. who cut themselves listening to shining etc. it's of course the reversed case. you can't really generalize in a subject like this. it's about the individuals and their sanity mostly

 

[Francis Xavier]

I spose some people cope with depressive metal / muisc better than others. I think it can be a remedy for feelings of bleakness. When I failed my driving test for like the 10th time, I was feeling so numb and down, I went straight to DO and let all my emotion of sadness and anger out and fter it I was able to laugh at my self a bit and got on with life as per norm.

I can't say I fully know if to any small extent if depressive music had any sort of negative impact on my life...but for me my fav sought music is heavy / sad / emotional music and it's something I enjoy and admire (if it's quality and successfully lives up to it's aim) and it has nothing to do with me being suicidal or full of depression; just seomthin I really enjoy. THough I have had times of depression, it hAS often been when I was not listening to much music or at least depressing music, but at those times I have craved that style of music a bit.

Fav bands in this regard
Anathema
Lake of Tears
My dying Bride
Ashes You leave
Draconian
October Tide (obcourse Kat)
Novembers Doom

and others enjoy too, but I just appreciate the sound these bands create and the way they go about producing sad or depressing landscapes and atmosphers

I also enjoy general sad tunes, classical stuff or stuff that instrumental stuff that appears on fims

 

[stefan86]

I've been constantly coping with negative emotions and semi-depression for eight years while never being suicidal etc. I think the problem is mostly about the kinda people that play Quake and go out and shoot people who go emo cutting mode after hearing HIM

 

[BlueSky]

I took a poop in the shower once


don't tell a soul

 

[Francis Xavier]

only once?

 

[BlueSky]

I try not to make it a habbit

habbits are bad

 

[stefan86]

yeah hobbits are bad

 

[BlueSky]

anything under 3 feet tall and can kick a gaint ogres ass is one bad mamma jamma fo sho

 

[stefan86]

ya man! i just got hold of these kool MC's from Denmürk cal'd Iniquity yao