Amongst the fanfare of trumpets, there’s more to the season than Alleluia, although the group mentioned here has at times been backed by a full orchestra. Re-enter the metal realm and indeed what it has to say — and I don’t mean to get too religious here, although there is an almost universality behind many of these messages — about Christ’s decision to descend into hell and gain salvation. After all, this is at its creation a music website, so as a friend of mine once said, “if your’s is more a spirituality …”
Leading this list is Dream Theater, which it should be noted did a great cover to the Iron Maiden classic song — some would say the best in metal — Hallowed Be Thy Name. But the video I’m discussing shows a Christ-like figure in a darkened motel room contemplating his fate and faith, concerning what he would do to follow his father’s wishes and allow himself to be crucified.
Without further ado, this is a synopsis of the anthem-length landmark song from that band, Pull Me Under, to die for sins unstated.
“Lost in the sky, Clouds roll by and I roll with them. Arrows fly. Seas increase and then fall again … This whole world is spinning without me.
“Watch the sparrow falling, Gives new meaning to it all … I’ll take seven lives for one. And then my only father’s son. As sure as I did ever love him, I am not afraid … All future to past … Pull me under. Living my life too much in the sun. Only until your will is done. All I can do is to set it right. Oh that this too. Too solid flesh. Would melt.” As the song goes on, and the third chorus takes place, there are these telling alterations: The world is spinning “around” me, and then spinning “inside” me ..
The ending scene: The god-man walks out of a open door into a lighted hallway. Hence the reference to Melt.
This is not an isolated instance within the genre. But for more of the same, please view the added post that will be up soon from this “heathen” in the Notes From The Beat department. For now it is time to head for church, to regain the Good News, to use a religious term, that is the darkness before the dawn.