CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

TeeLay (post: 1193617) wrote:I do choose not to listen to them.

Pure Metal? They're "Groove Metal."
If you like it, that's fine for you.

August Burns Red sounds absolutely nothing like Lamb of God.

ABR is a techy, fast-paced Metalcore band.
LoG is a slow-paced, groove metal band.

Tenshi no Ai (post: 1193679) wrote:Wow, it seems like every time I stick my head into one of these topics, it turns into some music sub genre debate... Honestly >_>....

Tenshi no Ai (post: 1193679) wrote:Wow, it seems like every time I stick my head into one of these topics, it turns into some music sub genre debate... Honestly >_>....

Kkun (post: 1193746) wrote:It's because guys who listen to heavy music are brimming with testosterone and have to assert their dominance as alpha male. Fact.

ChurchPunk (post: 1193756) wrote:Not all guys who listen to heavy metal are like that. =P

Kkun (post: 1193746) wrote:It's because guys who listen to heavy music are brimming with testosterone and have to assert their dominance as alpha male. Generalization.

Kkun (post: 1194129) wrote:Methinks thou doth protest too much...

but hey, whatever! I'm just saying, like 90% of the hard music fans I know who are guys are contentious and like to be right about silly things like genre specifics.

Would Deathspell Omega use the word 'orthodox' or 'puritanical' or 'zealot' in relation to their approach to the ideas espoused?

- Things are not as simple. As you know, Deathspell Omega deals with religious, metaphysical stakes, and despite the fact that we do definitely have many of our roots in the monotheistic tradition, and indeed in orthodox or puritanical declensions of this stream, we can not honestly pretend that they are exclusively situated there. Satanism, or Devilworship, is not a revealed religion, like just another monotheistic religion. Or better said, it is a revealed religion, but at this stage, there is no such thing as a Book of Books like the Bible is for the Christian tradition. There's not a single book that would be the ultimate reference, the Bible, for example, is but a small part of our inheritence. Actually, the whole religious literature, from the old Jewish sects to the agnostics, from the St Augustinian approach to christianity to radical Wahhabi pamphlets is only a fragment of what we have to be aware of to finally find the spiritual pearls disseminated here and there for those who have eyes to see. Eventually, this means that traditionalism and certainty aren't standpoints we can defend forever. They are suitable, at times.

One can't help but notice similarities arising within a certain contingency of black metal bands- religious themes and apparent devotion to Him. Can you explain this step beyond the simple anti-Christian sentiments?

- Intellectualy, I'd dare to say a new generation -well, a couple dozen individuals worldwide, more realistically- is ready to break boundaries. Maybe certain individuals here and there have finally the will and understanding to truly materialise Black Metal out of the ashes of what it never fully was? Let me tell you that the real potential of Black Metal hasn't yet been realised. How could it be, when Black Metal nowadays is synonymous with close to no artistic vision but stands exclusively for a carbon copy of a sound, a non- attitude and non-ideas? Don't get me wrong, traditionalism is a valid aspect, but when no alternative to traditionalism is open anymore it is called stagnation, and stagnation equals artistic death. Had a literary movement reached such a rotting point, it'd have been laughed at and dismissed as ridiculous for years from the inside.

That these few visionaries tend to go over banal anti-Christian sentiments isn't that surprising, as banal anti- Christian sentiments are but the manifestation of primitive first-degree rebellion. You know, that phase which about every human goes through when he's a teen? To deny the current cultural and spiritual paradigm is but a logical move, but if there's nothing to happen behind the denial, well, I do not have to point out what kind of intellectual void it implies, do I?

The "orthodox" concept within black metal has been growing now for some time, most strongly in Sweden, yes? Can you also speak of your concepts regarding your "orthodox" embracing of Satan's (His) creed, if you would call it such? What do you hope to achieve by professing a belief, rather than just being in opposition?

- We can't speak on behalf of any Swedish band.

Let me say though that the main implication of the word "orthodox" in this context is a proud statement of the recognition of Satan being of divine essence, of the location of Devilworship on a religious and metaphysical level. The easy escape of using the word ideology instead of confronting oneself with the real challenges only portrays the terribly low level on which the major current of 'Satanism' is crawling.

Professing a belief, or rather describing the different stones that pave the road on the quest that true faith implies, is synonymous with being active, it witnesses of spiritual evolution, of gains and of losses. As we wrote above, denial can't be anything other than a very first step, unless you want to embrace the most primitive nihilism.

On keeping with the "orthodox" theme, which bands would say consider falling in line with this doctrine? I would imagine that many will try to claim legitimacy. How can one truly decipher the real "orthodox" inheritors from those hoping to be and who has the right to say who is serious and who is not? Ironically enough, this idea and set of arguments mirrors the 'righteous' from the 'heretic' in religious debate beginning 2000 years ago.

- In this case it's basically the debate between those who want to enthrone Black Metal as a form of Art (in the noble sense of the word, Art as a key to truly understand dare I say everything. The devil is one of the keys to what is known as l'art total.) and those who want to let it remain as merely another form of entertainment. We despise this second category, immensely and irremediably, that goes without saying.

Actually, you are maybe putting too much emphasis on the word "orthodox" when a serious analysis of what each band has to offer is sufficient, once again, for those who can see. But to answer your question, and remaining within the field of Black Metal exclusively, every band linked to Norma Evangelium Diaboli has something worthy to offer to those who are truly seeking.

Do your beliefs have any influence from Aleister Crowley's works? How about influences from other magickal orders: Church of Satan, Temple of Set, Order of Nine Angels, Sabbatic Traditions, Ophidian/Typhonian Currents, or others?

- Well, not really. Becoming familiar with the writings of some of these orders was a task we accomplished at an early stage, and we gained nothing out of it except a strong feeling of superficiality and disappointment. They mainly show a pathetic lack of general culture, a reinterpretation of facts through a gross, biased and partial manipulation where the conclusion shapes the arguments, instead of the arguments shaping the conclusion (which is a respectable way to work under certain circumstances and an amusing display of rhetorics, but fails completely here). Eventually, they perfectly incarnate the vast difference lying between superstition and metaphysics. Such groups can only originate from the current Zeitgeist and no matter from which ancient (and often imaginary) tradition they pretend to descend, they are barely different from the despicable current new-age paradigm : sensoriality.

Eric (post: 1195301) wrote:
And yes, Lamb of God is groove metal, which is another term for post-thrash. Please read up on it before bashing people that actually know what they're talking about. It really annoys me when people who don't have a clue act like they're being victimized when people rightfully correct them, especially when they are not bashing you to begin with. That reeks of disrespect.

Eric (post: 1195301) wrote:*Zeitgeist=the spirit of the age

Tyrel (post: 1195303) wrote:ah.. well.. alright.... in any case, I would like to second the notion that I don't think Lamb of God is a satanic band. I find it funny Christians so loosely use that title to demonize the anti-religious. I listen to Protest the Hero, and All that remains. They have particularly Anti-Christ songs, so to speak. However, they are throwing out ideas and concepts, and arguments, in their lyrics. I no more avoid those than I avoid people who throw out ideas and arguments. I enjoy hearing arguments, and considering them.

However, most importantly, if it bothers you, don't listen to it.

GrubbTheFragger (post: 1195503) wrote:I apologize if i can off like i was bashing Tom or anyone imperticular. I was just stating a oppion. There are really to many "little" metal genres to keep up to date with. So I apologize.

Eric (post: 1195528) wrote:It didn't seem like you were joking at all to me. There are tons of people who hate the idea of genre classifications at all. How am I supposed to know you aren't one of them, especially when what you said led me to believe otherwise?

I have nothing against you, and my blood pressure is actually pretty low, thank you very much. I can understand humor perfectly fine, but I detected none in what you said.