Evergrey - When the walls go down

[FatesFan]

I was very late to the party on Evergrey and continue to grow into them. I have a question about one song in particular. When The Walls Go Down uses spoken work from a sermon by David Wilkerson called A Call To Anguish. The question is, does anyone know the reason or purpose behind using that sermon? I absolutely love the track but am not sure if it is a pro Christian song or if it is being used in a anti Christian Message. Or maybe neither, maybe it is just something that resonated with the writers and it made for a cool track. Any insight?

 

[AngraRULES]

That album, The Inner Circle has a hell of a powerful concept. It deals with religious cults, child abuse, etc. I think the theme surrounds the emotional journeys endured by the loved ones of someone who has become a member of a religious cult. (quoted) The band used a lot of "spoken parts" from actual sermons, etc. I vividly remember reading a lot of interviews (google evergrey interview 2004) where they talk about the disc and the concept.

I remember interviewing Henrik and Tom back then and I asked them where they took some of these from. They wouldn't say it because they were afraid of serious trouble for the band...

 

[FatesFan]

That album, The Inner Circle has a hell of a powerful concept. It deals with religious cults, child abuse, etc. I think the theme surrounds the emotional journeys endured by the loved ones of someone who has become a member of a religious cult. (quoted) The band used a lot of "spoken parts" from actual sermons, etc. I vividly remember reading a lot of interviews (google evergrey interview 2004) where they talk about the disc and the concept.

I remember interviewing Henrik and Tom back then and I asked them where they took some of these from. They wouldn't say it because they were afraid of serious trouble for the band...

Heavy topic for sure. Thanks for the info. I will explore further.

 

[No Username]

The album was crafted to bring an emotional response. Rather than ask if the song is anti-or pro-christian, maybe you might ask yourself why you think it is anti-or-pro-christian?
I never once thought of christianity while listening to this album. I thought a lot about religion as a whole but not christianity in particular.

 

[FatesFan]

The album was crafted to bring an emotional response. Rather than ask if the song is anti-or pro-christian, maybe you might ask yourself why you think it is anti-or-pro-christian?
I never once thought of christianity while listening to this album. I thought a lot about religion as a whole but not christianity in particular.

I have not delved into the albums concept to be honest. I am typically not a lyrical guy in the sense that I pour over song lyrics and this album is no exception. I usually get sucked into a song based on the overall feel of the track to include the music itself and the way the lyrics are delivered. A song could be about popcorn for all I know but if the melody and music click, they click. It's only then that I may explore the lyrics and find out that it is about popcorn and then I am usually sorry I explored the lyrics. It is for that reason I do not explore lyrics too much.

My asking about the pro or con was just out of plain ignorance. I knew the sermon to be what it was. I know Wilkerson to be a Christian. I don't pretend to know Evergreys views and was simply wondering if it was used as a pro sermon message, or mocking it. I had heard at one time that Tom ( I think ) had an issue with religion so I was not sure as to how if at all this tied in with that. I don't listen to music like I used to as in full discs at one sitting. I have an ipod with 6000 songs on it that stay on shuffle. This song is one that pops up quite often and it just clicks with me. So to be honest, I can't say that I have ever sat down and listened to the entire album front to back and explored the concept. Having said that, I will.

 

[AngraRULES]

I never once thought of christianity while listening to this album. I thought a lot about religion as a whole but not christianity in particular.

EDIT: I'm an idiot and should read things more carefully next time.

 

[Justin G]

That's my favorite song from my favorite Evergrey album, and it always calls up an emotional response from me due to my upbringing. Yes, it's about religion as a whole, but they make it clear which religion it is. I can't separate the two.

 

[FatesFan]

Interesting that No Username never once thought about Christianity and Milton was 1000x that and Justin ( I hope I am not putting words in your mouth, if I am forgive me ) finds it to be clearly about Christianity.

 

[Justin G]

Interesting that No Username never once thought about Christianity and Milton was 1000x that and Justin ( I hope I am not putting words in your mouth, if I am forgive me ) finds it to be clearly about Christianity.

You got it right. The album may be about a cult offshoot of Christianity, but it's still Christianity.

 

[AngraRULES]

I think I misinterpreted what NoUsername said, actually.

For whatever reason I thought he meant Christianity wasn't the only religion he thought about. Considering how other religions have its share of abuse as well, they all came to mind while listening to the disc. However, it was pretty clear from the first moment that Christianity was the "chosen" one to make an example out of.

 

[Mynock]

I always took it as being about religion and cults in general. I think in those cases, most metal sounds specific about Christianity, simply because most metal comes from western world countries, where Christianity is the majority.

 

[MetalSeamstress]

I was very late to the party on Evergrey and continue to grow into them. I have a question about one song in particular. When The Walls Go Down uses spoken work from a sermon by David Wilkerson called A Call To Anguish. The question is, does anyone know the reason or purpose behind using that sermon? I absolutely love the track but am not sure if it is a pro Christian song or if it is being used in a anti Christian Message. Or maybe neither, maybe it is just something that resonated with the writers and it made for a cool track. Any insight?

I have always wondered myself. It is bringing forth an outlook to a religion not necessary Christianity but one that goes beyond the faith and is physically disrupting humanity...?

 

[MetalSeamstress]

Great place in a way to let you know that all is not perfect in any way that people think they are or think they know...

 

[AMBR]

I have not delved into the albums concept to be honest. I am typically not a lyrical guy in the sense that I pour over song lyrics and this album is no exception. I usually get sucked into a song based on the overall feel of the track to include the music itself and the way the lyrics are delivered. A song could be about popcorn for all I know but if the melody and music click, they click. It's only then that I may explore the lyrics and find out that it is about popcorn and then I am usually sorry I explored the lyrics. It is for that reason I do not explore lyrics too much.

Same here. I really don't focus on the lyrics much at all. First, because my hearing kind of sucks and second, because I don't like being preached to or manipulated - on a general basis, not saying that's what EG is doing with this song. I am often disappointed or irritated by lyrics, so don't read them. I make up my own from what little I hear. That's one of the reasons I like Volbeat. I have no idea what that guy is saying!

Great place in a way to let you know that all is not perfect in any way that people think they are or think they know...

That's the concept I was leaning towards with what lyrics I did catch in this song. Christianity is frequently portrayed negatively, but really ANY institution created by humans is filled with manipulation, greed, power mongering, whatever. Tis the nature of mankind.

HEY SISTER! Where is your photo for the poster!?

 

[No Username]

I think I misinterpreted what NoUsername said, actually.

For whatever reason I thought he meant Christianity wasn't the only religion he thought about. Considering how other religions have its share of abuse as well, they all came to mind while listening to the disc. However, it was pretty clear from the first moment that Christianity was the "chosen" one to make an example out of.

When I listen to that album, I think of cults, specifically. By the time I got to the last song I was sure that is the point of the entire disk. Cults have nothing to do with a particular religion and everything to do with one man or a small group of crazy people who think they have all the answers and force people into submission. Just because the sermon mentions christ does not mean it is christian. Not to me. Taken in context of the entire album, that song is a lot less clear than you might think at first.

When I heard that sermon I actually thought thought that it was Midrash. I am not brushing up on my Hebrew to say exactly where I read it.

The questioning of one's faith in order to solve a religious issue or to serve as a morals tale, is as old as religion itself. (So is the virgin birth, crucifixion and resurrection but lets not get too involved with those subjects lol). These kinds of sermons serve to keep the faithful in line ("if the guy running this place has faith problems it is ok for me to have them and stay in the church") Since the consumers of this album would be living in christian societies, it is easy to think that listeners would use their closest theism as a reference.

I listen to the song in context of the album, and that means, despite some of the lyrics, that this song is as much about christianity as ISOT is about a particular species of aliens. If you think the little grey guys are what close encounters are all about, those are the ones you see when you listen to that album. And you might very well be wrong.

Think about it...ten songs about religion and the word "christ" is only used twice? Does that sound like an album slamming christianity?