THEOCRACY-Mirror Of Souls

Loved the debut, and I'm really looking forward to the new disc from what I've heard so far.

I consider myself agnostic, and while I don't follow/believe in any religion/god, I don't have a problem w/ religious lyrics(of any sort), if they are interesting, or at least sound good. I'm interested in mythology/religion, and Matt writes interesting lyrics, not to mention killer music, so it's all good w/ me.
 
Agreed.

Just curious... are you saying the "campy" anti-Christian bands don't bother you, but the ones whom seem sincere in their anti-Christian sentiment do?

Zod

Pretty much. Of course it can be difficult at times to know who's serious and who isn't, but I take most of it with a grain of salt. Dimmu Borgir is a good example of this to me. They're over the top with their presentation so much so that it's like a circus act! I don't mean any disrespect to their fans, but I find them highly entertaining. With that said, I don't take them seriously. Maybe I should, but it's just difficult for me to. :lol:

A good example of a band that I do think takes it's anti-Christian stance seriously is Nevermore. I've really gotten into Nevermore lately, but I don't agree with most of their lyrics. With that said, there is no doubt that Nevermore is a top tier band and I love their style of playing.

I like to think I'm intelligent enough to make up my own mind about my beliefs. In other words, I don't have to rely upon a band to make my mind up for me.

~Brian~
 
Pretty much. Of course it can be difficult at times to know who's serious and who isn't, but I take most of it with a grain of salt. Dimmu Borgir is a good example of this to me. They're over the top with their presentation so much so that it's like a circus act! I don't mean any disrespect to their fans, but I find them highly entertaining. With that said, I don't take them seriously. Maybe I should, but it's just difficult for me to. :lol:

A good example of a band that I do think takes it's anti-Christian stance seriously is Nevermore. I've really gotten into Nevermore lately, but I don't agree with most of their lyrics. With that said, there is no doubt that Nevermore is a top tier band and I love their style of playing.

I like to think I'm intelligent enough to make up my own mind about my beliefs. In other words, I don't have to rely upon a band to make my mind up for me.

~Brian~
Interesting. I never really thought of Nevermore as being more anti-Christian than Dimmu, but I guess it's a fair argument. Whereas Dimmu's presentation is theatrical, Nevermore's is quite serious. That said, I'd suggest Nevermore is more anti-religion. I can't think of anything in their lyrics that's specifically anti-Christian.

Zod
 
I am not much of a lyric reader, so I could care less what most bands sing about, but if the lyrics are interesting, I definately will read them and get into them. Nevermore is one of those bands where I just love their lyrics, even though I have never really sat down to study them, but I guess I should, considering I am pretty damned anti-religion.

I remember once at a best buy a few years back, they had an endcap of christian cds, and they had 2 death metal cds there, and I guess they seriously thought they were christian. Morbid Angel - Heretic, and Deicide - scars of the crucuifix. I am not talking of one copy of each, it was a whole entire row indicating that it was meant to be there. The funny thing is, Deicide means kill god, so I found that very funny, and I mentioned it to a worker there, and they were like, really, and I guess they fixed it. I didn't want somebody buying a cd for a christian friend of theirs and it end up being them listening to Deicide, even though I would think that would be funny, but it wouldn't be cool.

As for Theocracy, never was a big fan of the first cd, and from what I have heard of the new cd, not bad musically, but ever since I saw them live, I totally lost interest in them, because I don't think I have ever been bored as much as I was seeing them perform live.
 
Interesting. I never really thought of Nevermore as being more anti-Christian than Dimmu, but I guess it's a fair argument. Whereas Dimmu's presentation is theatrical, Nevermore's is quite serious. That said, I'd suggest Nevermore is more anti-religion. I can't think of anything in their lyrics that's specifically anti-Christian.

Zod

Well, I don't think Nevermore is more anti-Christian than Dimmu, but I agree that they're quite serious about it. I guess I just take Dane more serious than Shadrack or whatever his name is. Regardless, neither guy has any effect on what I personally believe to be true.

~Brian~
 
I remember once at a best buy a few years back, they had an endcap of christian cds, and they had 2 death metal cds there, and I guess they seriously thought they were christian. Morbid Angel - Heretic, and Deicide - scars of the crucuifix. I am not talking of one copy of each, it was a whole entire row indicating that it was meant to be there. The funny thing is, Deicide means kill god, so I found that very funny, and I mentioned it to a worker there, and they were like, really, and I guess they fixed it. I didn't want somebody buying a cd for a christian friend of theirs and it end up being them listening to Deicide, even though I would think that would be funny, but it wouldn't be cool.

Now that is a strange story! I guess that's what you get when you allow someone that doesn't have a clue about metal to make an endcap for you! :lol: I would've been like you and said something about it. I couldn't have resisted.

~Brian~
 
I LOVE this new album! 11/10 in my book of metal! "Bethlehem" is now my most favorite Christmas song EVER! Matt and the guys in Theocracy have really outdone themselves this time, and it truly was more than worth the wait! HAIL! JESUS CHRIST ROCKS!
 
When listening to it as fairly straight up power metal its pretty good. Laying the Demon to Rest has a pretty kickin thrash/death riff going on. I like Matt's voice and he's good as always on this album. The choral harmonies are also good and interestingly interwoven. But, this album is much more in your face about praising jesus than the last one. And thus most of its intended effect fails on me. The music cannot get me into spiritual elation as it might for others. I can't even take it as folklore, as I can with other 'God' oriented music. While I can take music that tells stories of biblical figures/events, much of the album comes off like a 'Hosannah in the highest/ Blessed is he, who comes in the name of the lord.' In a way, I find this odd as I can take music that praises other spiritual figures such as Odin, Thor, Zeus, and Bal. I'm guessing its becasue I can identify with those avatars more closely. I also think its because hearing church metal reminds me too much of my early days of 'thou shall not question the authority of the church.'

So the album won't get many (if any) revisits, but I'll surely watch them live if they are at a show I'm at, as I've enjoyed seeing them every time.
 
Anyone who tries to preach a message through their music turns me off. Whether it's far to the left (Pain of Salvation) or far to the right, they're trying to only appeal to one segment of the community, when most of us live in the center. If any of these bands think they're going to convert anyone to their way of thinking through lyrics, they're just delusional.
 
Well, I don't think Nevermore is more anti-Christian than Dimmu, but I agree that they're quite serious about it. I guess I just take Dane more serious than Shadrack or whatever his name is. Regardless, neither guy has any effect on what I personally believe to be true.

~Brian~

Shadrack:lol:
 
I LOVE this new album! 11/10 in my book of metal! "Bethlehem" is now my most favorite Christmas song EVER!

Aha, thanks for the reminder -- time to dig out out that old mp3 of Theocracy's Christmas medley, which was quite good. I'll eventually feel compelled to do a Christmas-themed show on SeismicRadio....just not quite yet. ")


I think he's known as "Shaggy," west of the Rockies. :lol:





(My friend Dale, who makes the leather armor for Dimmu Borgir (and Behemoth), actually DOES call him Shaggy. :heh: )