"Spiritual" Experience with music? (For lack of a better word..)

S

SymbolofNevermore

British Steel.
Jan 9, 2007
21
0
1
Staffordshire, England.
First of all. I'll introduce myself. I'm a newbie here from the rainy isle of Blight. Anyway, I've been lurking on here for a while now, and havn't really ever thought of registering until now.

Right with the pleasantries out of the way, down to business. Have you ever had a "spiritual" awareness when listening to an Amon Amarth song, or even just feeling very emotionally attuned (Sad, joy, pride, happy, pure anger perhaps?) to a song of theirs? Doesn't have to even be Amon Amarth if you havn't but since I had such an experience the other day I thought I'd share it.

So yeah basically I put on "Fate of Norns" track, and I've listened to it before numerous times, but this time the emotional weight of the lyrics and general mood of the song slapped me across the face, and I did get the general prickly feeling goose pimple thing, while feeling some form of sympathy, I guess or maybe it was a sort of sorrow, but some kind of pride at the end.

Perhaps this post is a bit emo for my first one. But it felt to me (I've been pulled towards Norse Mythology alot over the past couple of years) that it may be a spiritual thing. Who knows? Anyway feel free to share if you wish.

EDIT: I don't think I explained myself correctly, but the feeling was very intense. :)
 
Honestly... almost all their songs affect me in similar manner. I believe Johan said something in an interview about wanting to make people feel with their music, and as far as I'm concerned, they succeed on a pretty constant basis. From raw aggression, to the mixing of wanderlust and homesickness, to the odes to the fallen... it works for me pretty well.
 
This would be why some of us use their music to warm up before a fight (as in swordfighting or karate or what have you). This also works for me if I am feeling very down or angry. It feels as if someone places a rod down my spine on those occasions - it helps me walk with a stright back and head up high even when I don't feel able to do it on my own accord. Reminds me of who and what I am and where I came from, and that nobody can ride your back unless you bend over. It does make me feel proud, but not in the normal sense - it's an inner core feeling of pride in me, as an extention of those who came before and those that will (or already have) come after. They carry me on those occasions.

As far as the religious thing, yes, it helps me connect with the gods, for the same reason as above. It is the same thing that always happens if I try to connect purposely on a deeper, more personal level than just feeling that "they" are there. Kind of like if you have a bunch of friends, sometimes you want to have a one-on-one conversation with one of them, I guess. Then I can connect faster if I am in the right frame of mind, and this music puts me there.

On a more mundane level, as I have said on this forum many times before, just changing your breathing patterns will put you in a different mental space. It can, for example, induce hallucinations and berserker rage. So, if the music makes you change your breathing pattern, and certainly if the bass notes and drums hit your physical being in a way that causes your central nervous system to be affected, it can cause what feels like out-of-body experiences, rage or euphoria. The same thing happens if you do drumming in the Lascaux caves or in Stonehenge, Newgrange and many other old monuments. The reverberations from the drums affect the central nervous system and cause the kinds of hallucinations that you then see depicted in the artwork on/in those monuments (swirls and spirals for example). Long story, thought I'd mention it though, since it is one of several ways to explain changes in mood and feelings from music.
 
Yeah, that seems to make sense. I thought like sharing it, didn't know who else who would "appreciate" it. But it makes me love the music all the more.

About the rage and euphoria, I've read about that a couple of times. It's an interesting subject. And I dunno about Berserker Rage, but I've felt rage like that a couple of times at a handful of gigs, was certainly intense.
 
its not the first time that Amon Amarth songs feed my emotions... if it is anger, if it is a bit of hate..... whatever. But yes, i understand you though most of the time i feel pride listening to them... ...And the World Will Cease To Be used to effect me very much just to give an example
 
Tyra said:
On a more mundane level, as I have said on this forum many times before, just changing your breathing patterns will put you in a different mental space. It can, for example, induce hallucinations and berserker rage. So, if the music makes you change your breathing pattern, and certainly if the bass notes and drums hit your physical being in a way that causes your central nervous system to be affected, it can cause what feels like out-of-body experiences, rage or euphoria. The same thing happens if you do drumming in the Lascaux caves or in Stonehenge, Newgrange and many other old monuments. The reverberations from the drums affect the central nervous system and cause the kinds of hallucinations that you then see depicted in the artwork on/in those monuments (swirls and spirals for example). Long story, thought I'd mention it though, since it is one of several ways to explain changes in mood and feelings from music.
Click to expand...

Bingo. It's amazing, the things a focused mind can make a body do. Although, in my experience anyway, it's harder to hold back a berserk state then it is to enter it. I agree with the bass and drums bit, too. It's why I played bass for such a long time, it was one of the only ways that worked to control my moods. That, and drinking myself into oblivion :p
About the acoustics in the caves... it's sometimes awe inspiring to see how much the ancient people knew about our selves, that we have forgotten along the way.

Addendum: There's nothing 'emo' about feeling emotion. Emo is, to me anyway, wallowing in self-pity, rather then having the courage to stand up and fight for yourself. As the song say "I'd rather die on my feet then live on my knees."
 
i dont know if there songs effect me on an emotional level a great deal, but they really get me fired up its impossible not to when you listen to certain songs. before a game or in the gym hearing certain songs really get me going. one thing i love amon amarth for is there ability to create such artistic songs that play out almost like a movie. not just with the lyrics but with his voice and the music as well as some of the songs build up as the story is told in the lyrics. For example when i hear "under the northern star" i almost feel like im on a longship in the north sea. and as he changes the range of his voice you can see which parts of the song are supposed to be more emotional.
 
I think we all got these things, cause else i wouldnt be here on this forum. Im active on only 2 forums (this one and Martriden's, remember them?), and thats because these 2 bands get me these feelings.
 
SymbolofNevermore said:
First of all. I'll introduce myself. I'm a newbie here from the rainy isle of Blight. Anyway, I've been lurking on here for a while now, and havn't really ever thought of registering until now.

Right with the pleasantries out of the way, down to business. Have you ever had a "spiritual" awareness when listening to an Amon Amarth song, or even just feeling very emotionally attuned (Sad, joy, pride, happy, pure anger perhaps?) to a song of theirs? Doesn't have to even be Amon Amarth if you havn't but since I had such an experience the other day I thought I'd share it.

So yeah basically I put on "Fate of Norns" track, and I've listened to it before numerous times, but this time the emotional weight of the lyrics and general mood of the song slapped me across the face, and I did get the general prickly feeling goose pimple thing, while feeling some form of sympathy, I guess or maybe it was a sort of sorrow, but some kind of pride at the end.

Perhaps this post is a bit emo for my first one. But it felt to me (I've been pulled towards Norse Mythology alot over the past couple of years) that it may be a spiritual thing. Who knows? Anyway feel free to share if you wish.

EDIT: I don't think I explained myself correctly, but the feeling was very intense. :)
Click to expand...


I approve you, i have experienced the same with band like immortal and darkthrone, satyricon too.

The best was: dimmu borgir - stormblast.

bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh
 
Very much so...to the point that I'll put on certain songs when I feel like feeling that way. (Like Iced Earth's Watching Over Me when I think about my granddad or my godfather, or Savatage's Believe when I just wanna feel sulky a bit. Even Chris Isaac's Wicked game is good when you wanna get over a break-up) Though most of the music I listen to makes me feel victorious and/or rebellious.
AA's music generally calls up this feeling of invincibility.
 
Arson is a very powerful song. I picture the entire thing and it's just amazing. It's very sad, but at the same time heart warming with the solo.

Once Sealed In Blood is a song that kind of gets me in that party mood with the guitar breaks and the heavy bass in the chorus.
 
The end of "The Dragon's Flight...." gets me pumped up for ANYTHING that could possibly be ahead
 
To me, one of the definitions of good music is that it is able to evoke some strong emotional response in me. I know it must vary from person to person but as long you can sit down and just listen to a song and it moves you then the artists did a good job.

I remember once I really sat down and listened to all of Vs. the World and when I got to the bonus disc and heard Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds I almost cried. Most AA las the opposite effect on me though and just makes me want to fight something.

It goes without saying that good live performances enhance the experience of good music. One of the most memorable was the first time I saw Iron Maiden. It was so powerful, especially to me who had been a fan for so many years without seeing them live. I'd definately classify the experience as spiritual.
 
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