Christianity and Demon Hunter?
- Thread starter SirThom
- Start date
rizz
New Member
Actually speaking as a musiciam, most hymns are technically a lot more difficult to play on a guitar than modern day worship songs.. I think it might be down to the instruments hymns usually get beaten to death on..lol
I love hymns most when they are well orchestrated, and not simply beat out with one finger on the piano! lol I think Rizz is right it may just be the way they are played that seems offensive and boring to some! They all seem to have been originally composed most brilliantly, with tunes that are everlasting! Our church plays them with an orchestra accompaniment. When those trumpets sound it reminds me of Heaven and the trumpet sound we may hear one day soon!
I really like this site regarding hymns. Sometimes it is the stories behind them that capture my heart. It is Well With My Soul is one of those, anything by Fanny Crosby is always a blessing. This site gives a little tune and the story behind the song along with information about the composers. Cyber Hymnal
This is a great spot to get an understanding of hymns. Look up Up Calvary's Mountain or Glorious is Thy Name...goooorrrr jious!
Online Radio Stations KGLY is listed with KVNE it is the former one that has orchestrated hymns. Once in a while they throw in an operatic voice, and occasionally have dead air, other than those two faults...the music and preaching is truly unbeatable! If you are familiar with Bill Gothard's Basic Institute in Life Principles they have ties with him. In addition, they run the ALERT Academy (Air Land Emergency Resource Team),
in Big Sandy, Texas. I am proud of these guys, they have a team now helping out with the tsunami victims.
You know, it is just one more precious thing about Heaven for those who love music, one day, we will be in the Heavenly choir. And I can't help but feel that our Lord's voice will sound like the most beautiful love song we could ever imagine.
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: Revelation 19:1
I really like this site regarding hymns. Sometimes it is the stories behind them that capture my heart. It is Well With My Soul is one of those, anything by Fanny Crosby is always a blessing. This site gives a little tune and the story behind the song along with information about the composers. Cyber Hymnal
This is a great spot to get an understanding of hymns. Look up Up Calvary's Mountain or Glorious is Thy Name...goooorrrr jious!
Online Radio Stations KGLY is listed with KVNE it is the former one that has orchestrated hymns. Once in a while they throw in an operatic voice, and occasionally have dead air, other than those two faults...the music and preaching is truly unbeatable! If you are familiar with Bill Gothard's Basic Institute in Life Principles they have ties with him. In addition, they run the ALERT Academy (Air Land Emergency Resource Team),
in Big Sandy, Texas. I am proud of these guys, they have a team now helping out with the tsunami victims.
You know, it is just one more precious thing about Heaven for those who love music, one day, we will be in the Heavenly choir. And I can't help but feel that our Lord's voice will sound like the most beautiful love song we could ever imagine.
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: Revelation 19:1
Well, not all psalms were uplifting exactly, either, when you look back through them. Rational thought tells you that God gave us emotions for a reason. Sadness and occasionally depression are a part of those. They serve their purposes, just as the music that sometimes might exacerbate those particular moods.
Funny, I think music lovers will often pick the Psalms as their favorite. I like what my Zondervan Bible says as an introduction to the Psalms, pretty much the idea Van has summarized:
Psalms consists of 150 poems of Israel written at different times by different authors, many of them by David. There are psalms expressing despair, psalms calling for help from God, psalms acknowledging sin and guilt, psalms begging divine vengeance of enemies, psalms rejoicing in God's deliverance from trouble. There are psalms rehearsing events in Jewish history, psalms for worship, psalms in praise of God, psalms that anticipate the Messiah. In all of them there is a connection made between human emotions and diving providence, so that the book of Psalms is a constant reminder that people need to understand their own feelings and experiences in connection with God. Because of the vast range of human feelings expressed in the psalms, this book remains one of the be best-loved and most-read books of the Bible.
...thy law do I love. Psalm 119:163
Psalms consists of 150 poems of Israel written at different times by different authors, many of them by David. There are psalms expressing despair, psalms calling for help from God, psalms acknowledging sin and guilt, psalms begging divine vengeance of enemies, psalms rejoicing in God's deliverance from trouble. There are psalms rehearsing events in Jewish history, psalms for worship, psalms in praise of God, psalms that anticipate the Messiah. In all of them there is a connection made between human emotions and diving providence, so that the book of Psalms is a constant reminder that people need to understand their own feelings and experiences in connection with God. Because of the vast range of human feelings expressed in the psalms, this book remains one of the be best-loved and most-read books of the Bible.
...thy law do I love. Psalm 119:163
l33tben
New Member
Man I can imagine those lyrics into a Hardcore/Metal song! -starts jammin and praisin-[b said:
l33tben
New Member
hey Marcy I have a Zondervan bible too!
XianGothDude
New Member
Okay you want meanings to the songs of Demon Hunter I got'em right here, these are what they mean, written by Ryan Clark (lead singer of Demon Hunter) "MEANINGS FOR SELF-TITLED
1.SCREAMS OF THE UNDEAD
This song is about the difficulties of everyday temptations and hardships.
It speaks about the pain of growing accustomed to a version of yourself that
you know is impure and flawed. The purpose of the song is to stress the
importance of returning to the love and faith that was once so important to
those accept Christ and who have since fallen out of that relationship.
'Screams Of The Undead' is another way to say screams of the living. We are
'undead' because we have life in Christ, and the Bible talks about crying
out, when we have found ourselves enveloped in our worldly habits, and
that's where the 'scream' from the title comes to play.
2. I HAVE SEEN WHERE IT GROWS
In 'I Have Seen Where It Grows' the lyrics speak descriptively about the end
of life here on earth and the beginning of life in Heaven. The nature of the
lyrics imply the expendability of our human bodies in light of our spiritual
ones. The song shifts the importance of life over to the more important of
beings, which is our everlasting souls. Though it is important to take care
of the body you were given to live life on this earth, it's imperative that
we remember that our souls will long outlive our stay here in physical form.
3. INFECTED
'Infected' paints an image of a person on their death bed and the thoughts
that would run through their head at such an overwhelming time. The story
told explains that no matter the illness at hand, it's much more important
to be infected with the love of Christ. It suggests the importance of your
relationship with the Lord specifically during this inevitable yet
potentially glorious crossroad from your life here on earth into the life
thereafter.
4. MY THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE
'My Throat Is An Open Grave' is taken from Romans 3:13, where the Bible
speaks about the powers of sin that bind us and cause us to fall short of
God's glory. It says: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands,
no one seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong;
no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave, they use
their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips." In the
song, it tells about the gift of grace given by God despite our sinful
nature, and how good it feels to know that you have everlasting life because
of this grace.
5. THROUGH THE BLACK
This song is about the knowledge that no matter the case, God is present to
those who call on him. It's about waiting on God and not giving up hope that
in good time, He will make a difference in your life if you lay your cares
on Him. The song also takes the waiting process a step further to say that
we will wait with hope of His return to earth. It says 'I'm going to scream
Your name till You come back', suggesting that we call upon his presence in
our lives daily even before he makes His second coming.
6. TURN YOUR BACK AND RUN
'Turn Your Back And Run' is about turning away from the impurities in your
life as opposed to using temporary solutions to cover them up. It talks
about the ineffectiveness of remedying our problems with our own 2 hands.
When the song says 'switch' it's referring to the decision to turn away from
dealing with these trials and problems using your own discretion, and run to
the Lord for his wisdom and direction.
7. AND THE SKY WENT RED (interlude)
And blindly we held your hand and threw you down.
We cursed your name, turned our backs and begged you to embrace us.
8. AS WE WEPT
The idea behind 'As We Wept' is to return the favor of standing up for
Christ the way he stood up for all of mankind when he was put to death on
the cross. Christ never denied us even though we were always well deserving
of his disapproval, but we as a society are so quick to denounce and deny
who Christ is, and what he has done for us. The song states 'I will stand
and fight to justify you' (just as) 'You have bled and died to justify me'
9. A BROKEN UPPER HAND
This song tells about the power that the devil utilizes to draw us into his
way of thinking, and away from our faith in God. The title 'A Broken Upper
Hand' refers to the weakness that the devil suffers in an attempt to destroy
our relationship with Christ. Even thought the devil may have an upper hand
on our thoughts and actions from time to time, we, with the power of God,
have the ability to resist these temptations and remind the devil of his
brokenness in contrast to the power of God.
10. THE GAUNTLET
This song is about holding onto something despite the harmful effects it may
have on your life. It paints a picture of growing accustomed to something to
the degree that it manifests itself into an action of second nature. Some
things that we do consistently, we become numb to. This song speaks about
realizing the destructive power of these things, and taking action to become
effected by them once again.
MEANINGS FOR SUMMER OF DARKNESS
01. Not Ready To Die
This song explores the feelings we all get concerning death. We know that
through our hope in Christ, life everlasting awaits us after our time here
on earth comes to an end. But sometimes I get the feeling that I have yet to
achieve all that I should with the life I¹ve been given here. The lyrics
explain ³If only 33 years can save my life, I¹ve had 24 more to make things
right² This means that Christ gave 33 human years living on this earth and
in that time he died for us all, covering our sins. And if I needed some
time to come to terms with that, I¹ve had 24 years to do so.
I think everyone has a certain bitter-sweet anxiety about death, and I think
that¹s very natural, even inevitable. In this song I speak about this
anxiety and how, regardless of not being ready, I know where my fate lies.
In the song I explain, ³When I¹m taken home and you¹re still here, just
clear your mind and dry your tears.²
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet
inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary
troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
-2 Corinthians 5:1
02. The Awakening
The Awakening is about critics. Someone¹s always going to have an opinion
about our music and not everyone¹s going to like it. As a musician you have
to learn to understand that one person doesn¹t necessarily speak for
everyone else. Most of the time, they¹re speaking only for themselves.
03. Beheaded
Beheaded addresses the issues of gang life and the meaninglessness of the
retribution that keeps it alive. The song talks about the never-ending cycle
of revenge that fuels the gangster mentality. In this day and age, with the
growing popularity of gangster rap and gang-influenced attitude and
behavior, the general public are beginning to embrace the idea of a thug
mentality. This mentality suggests concern only for one¹s self and a total
disregard and disrespect for anyone else. Not only this, but a complete lack
of accountability for their actions, instead blaming their lifestyle on the
haunting mistakes and atrocities of the past. The history and philosophy
behind this mentality is dead wrong.
04. My Heartstrings Come Undone
I wrote this song for my wife. It¹s about my commitment to her. The gist of
the song is, regardless of our past or whatever may come our way in the
future, I¹ll be there for her. And if one of us completely falls apart
emotionally, physically or spiritually, I¹ll try my hardest, with the help
of God, to keep the foundation of our marriage a strong one.
05. Less Than Nothing
The only reason we can be a blessing to God is by his grace. We, by our
sinful, human nature fall so short of his glory that it¹s only by the
miracle of grace that we are so precious in his sight. The Bible tells us
that in and of ourselves and without God, we are no one, nothing. No matter
the person, without God¹s grace, we are collectively worthless. We attempt
to do things with our own power fail and time and again. This song speaks
about the stubborn human nature and the reality of our worth apart from God.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one
who does good, not even one.
-Romans 3:12
06. Our Faces Fall Apart
Our Faces Fall Apart is about Christians being held to an unattainable
standard. I believe that, as a man of God, it is my duty to be a light to
the people around me. And though I feel that is an important part of my walk
with Christ, I, like most of us, often fall short of this duty.
The point I try to make in this song is not to put people on a pedestal.
Humans, by nature are failures and people tend to forget that. It¹s not my
intention to fail as a witness to Christ, but I do. Fortunately for all of
us who fall short, the grace and mercy of God wash us clean as if we were
flawless in his sight.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
-Romans 3:23-24
07. Summer Of Darkness
Summer Of Darkness deals with the repetition of human error. Day after day
we¹re reminded of our flawed human nature from the trials we face and the
temptations we feel. This song is a reminder that this life is not ours-
³This is not my life, this is not our life, everyday I die, this is not my
life.² The lyrics ³Before I go, you should knowŠ I hate myself for hurting
you² are a message to God that we desire to turn away from our sinful nature
and have (through repentance) received his forgiveness for our sins. Though
we continue to fall each day, Christ will be there to pick us up whenever we
need him.
08. Beauty Through The Eyes Of A Predator
It seems that in every group, whether ³religious² or other, there is always
going to be someone giving a bad name to whatever you believe in.
Christianity is not exempt of this. There are many ³Christians² out there in
the world doing things supposedly in the name of Christ, but ultimately
pushing non-believers further and further away from accepting the truth of
Jesus and the bible. Now I know that no one is perfect, and legitimate,
God-fearing Christians can make some of the worst mistakes, but I think
there is a difference between these mistakes and taking a big part in
jeopardizing the validity of Christ to the people around you.
One thing Christ is not, is a product. There is a fine line between selling
Christian products as a witnessing tool and selling Christian products
purely for personal profit. I believe that there are ways to make a
comfortable living within the Christian business world and still be focused
on the spreading of the gospel. I think that some people need to evaluate
just what they¹re selling when it has Jesus¹ name stamped on it. Is it
something that is going to make Him look much less important than He really
is?
09. Annihilate The Corrupt
Annihilate The Corrupt is about extinguishing the corrupt within your life.
In the song I parallel my life with the listener¹s, explaining that I go
through the same feelings and struggles that many of them might face. It¹s
about conviction. The ³stab through the back of your soul² describes how
painful that conviction can sometimes be. Though the song is directed
outwards to the listener, it¹s knowing what¹s inside myself that makes it
possible for me to address conviction. And even though conviction can be
painful, I explain that repentance will feed you new life. ³I can't breathe
alone, You can guide me home, I can feel you here, You can draw me near²
explains the giving up of these things to God.
10. I Play Dead
I have a tendency to be carefree in many circumstances. In some ways it is
helpful. I don¹t stress out about many situations that I think are trivial.
But sometimes this laid-back attitude can evolve into full-blown apathy.
Often times I let things that are important to others roll right off my
back. I am constantly reminding myself that there are plenty of things that
I need to care more about. It seems like a small problem, but it¹s proven to
be quite a struggle. I want to be sincere about the things I believe in
deeply. This song is a reminder of what Christ did for me and just how
important that was. It says ³Two broken hands lift seven wounds and fight to
stand.² This explains the agony of the cross that Christ hung upon to wipe
away my sins. This is one thing that I don¹t want to take for granted.
11. Everything Was White
Everything Was White talks about the times in life when you look back to a
better time. Often times I find myself in a lesser place (spiritually) than
where I used to be. And sometimes I go far too long before I realize that I
need to make conscious steps away from where I¹m heading and back to the way
that I know is right. The beautiful thing about these situations is that God
is always there for you, even when you forget about him. This song talks
about the emptiness that takes over when you starve yourself spiritually.
Sometimes, in hindsight, I can see the times that I stopped caring so much.
And when I have targeted those times, I can make the effort to not make the
same mistakes in the future.
12. Coffin Builder
This song is about the power that media has over people today. We live in a
society that is force-fed media-slanted garbage from the day we¹re born.
It¹s hard to avoid it even if you try. From the objectification of women to
the importance of financial gain to the justification of substance abuse,
it¹s all there- at every newsstand and on every TV channel. The
over-saturation of worldly values is no irony. It works. People relate to
these desires and that¹s why it sells. I¹m no different from the next guy
when it comes to this stuff. I have the same sinful nature that anyone else
might have. The one thing that I have that a lot of people don¹t, is a
relationship with Christ that helps me overcome these challenges. I know
that if I ask for direction and guidance in my daily walk, He¹ll help me
avoid the pressures that are pushed to us everyday.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this
world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.²
-John 16:33
13. The Latest And The Last (The Wheels Of Judgment Turn Slowly)
Passing judgment on one another as Christians can be very devastating and it
happens so often, we¹ve grown accustomed to it. Only God knows what lies in
the hearts of each and every one of us. The judgmental ideals of Christians
against each other result in a very segregated mindset.
For instance, many Christians have passed judgment on heavy metal as a
whole, saying that it¹s not a healthy platform for reaching people in the
name of Christ, and rather a blasphemous and worldly alternative to other
genres of Christian music. The amazing things that I¹ve seen happen for the
kingdom of God within the heavy metal scene prove that thought to be a very
ignorant perception.
Basically the song suggests, you can have the latest judgment, but God will
have the last.
MEANINGS FOR THE TRIPTYCH
1. The Flame That Guides Us Home
“The Flame That Guides Us Home” is essentially a prayer sung to God, asking that his angels would guide us to His light with their song.
2. Not I
“Not I” is about the idea of being set apart as Christians. In the song I talk about the life of a non-believer and the decisions they make to live their life contrary to the word of God and the moral code that we, as Christians, have come to live by. This song is a proclamation that we, as followers of Christ, will not conform to the ways of the world. In essence, when we see these sinful things that have consumed the world, we say “Not I.”
Know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call to Him.
Psalms 4:3
3. Undying
“Undying” is an anthem for those who will live eternally. It’s about taking pride in having everlasting life and not being afraid to show it. The “final heartbreak” spoke of in the song is referring to death- the last time you will break anyone’s heart here on earth. And after that- blinding lights will guide our way into Heaven. The name that I have coined for those who have accepted eternal life is the “undying.”
When I was younger, there were a few Christian metal bands that made me really excited to be a Christian. They would talk about Christ in a way that I could relate to, in a song that I thought was unashamed and forthright. I wrote this song to give kids today that same feeling of pride in being a Christian.
So that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.
John 3:15
4. Relentless Intolerance
“Relentless Intolerance” speaks about the constant breakdown of morality and tradition in the world today. It’s about the pressures of being “open-minded” and “accepting” of things that we’re called to detest and flee from. In a world that always progressing, we need to look back to the times when we were less tolerant of immorality- and that’s what this song is about. There should be “no reformed edition” of the gospel. The things that we believe and trust should be viewed the same tomorrow as they were yesterday.
The song urges believers to not be ashamed when they are view as intolerant or narrow minded, because even though these are dirty words in today’s world, we are called to walk a narrow path and we cannot afford to be accepting of every sin this world may become numb to.
Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.
Romans 12:9
5. Deteriorate
“Deteriorate” is more or less about getting old and feeling the effects of that. It’s about longing for an eternal body that will be flawless and will never wear out. When I sing “Awaiting my end, breathing in the day that finds me new,” I’m talking about looking forward to that day when our bodies will be replaced with Heavenly bodies.
In addition to this, it’s also just a reminder for listeners that life here on earth is not very long, and to live wisely while we’re here.
For my loins are full of burning pain, and there is no health in my body.
Psalms 38:7
6. The Soldier's Song
“The Soldier’s Song” is for all of the Demon Hunter fans that have written us from overseas, fighting in the war. Many of our fans over there have told us that we’ve been inspiring to them and that we give them encouragement in difficult times.
In lieu of a music industry that seems to give US soldiers more to regret than anything, Demon Hunter wrote a song for our soldiers to give them hope and to let them know that they are appreciated. I feel that many people have made these men and women feel unimportant. Many of them have seen friends and family die over there and if these soldiers are told that their time spent fighting this war is in vain, then that implies that these people died in vain. Demon Hunter would rather give these people our support and respect.
The Lord advances like a warrior; He stirs up His zeal like a soldier. He shouts, He roars aloud, He prevails over His enemies.
Isaiah 42:13
7. Fire To My Soul
“Fire To My Soul” is written from the viewpoint of a stubborn non-believer. It’s about someone who sees God’s work and feels his pull, but does all they can to ignore it and pretend that it doesn’t exist. When I sing, “I heard you calling, setting fire to my soul. Is this the voice we die for?” I’m showing how God is interacting in this person’s life. At this point, the non-believer is challenged when he hears a voice and he wonders if it’s the voice of the Lord.
At the end of the song, this person’s world is falling apart and they’re wondering why. They’re starting to realize that living according to their own agenda is getting them nowhere.
My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.
John 10:27
8. One Thousand Apologies
“One Thousand Apologies” is a song that I wrote as an apology to someone that I hurt. In the song, I talk about how foolish I’d been and how destructive my actions. “Resolutions are the same tomorrow” means that I will try to be a better person every day.
Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Hebrews 10:18
9. Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck
Written by Prong in 1993, “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” is a cover song. Demon Hunter decided to cover this song because it was a very influential song, musically speaking, to my brother and I growing up.
I’ve never seen the lyrics explained by Prong, but the way I take them is about life today and the endless struggle for success and wealth. The chorus says, “You want the good life, you break your back.” I think this is referring to the lengths that some people will go to in order to live a lavish life. To say, “You snap your fingers, you snap your neck,” is like saying that you wish you could just snap your fingers and make things happen, and you would snap your neck in order to do so.
10. The Science Of Lies
“The Science Of Lies” is about the popularization of Scientology in today’s society. I did some research on Scientology and found it to be one of the most absurd “religions” I’ve ever heard of. It’s a cult based around mental health and what seems to be some sort of science fiction- involving aliens and other plants. Scientology’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard actually used to write science fiction novels for a living before he decided to bring his stories to life in a cult. L. Ron Hubbard, who claimed to be a nuclear physicist (which is untrue), apparently realized the “truths” of Scientology on an operating table after sustaining injuries in the war. These “truths” include the idea that aliens, called Thetans, were sent here on a mother ship from an overpopulated galaxy named Xenu 75 million years ago. These Thetans we dropped here on earth and killed with hydrogen bombs. Now their spirits infest our human bodies and it’s our task to remind them of their tragic death, in order to kill them and thus, rid ourselves of these alien spirits that haunt us. The kicker is that, as a part of The Church of Scientology, you need to pay exuberant amounts of money to find out the truths of the “religion,” which is why the more popular members are Hollywood’s elite.
In short, this song is about the ridiculousness of this cult and how tragic it is that anyone would believe in it.
“You must not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked to be a malicious witness.”
Exodus 23:1
11. Ribcage
“Ribcage” is a song about addiction and the vicious cycle that we put ourselves in when we become addicted to something. Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, pornography, or anything else, these things are killers- and not just to the individual. This song explains what it does to the people that you love when you allow these addictions into your life. The line, “Break through the ribcage and tear the heart out from everyone that you love” shows how the addicted will destroy anything on their path of addiction, even the people they love the most.
“Feed, feed the lust you need, and fainter grows each plea from skies above” is referring to God’s voice in your life, and how His voice can be overshadowed by these sins when you allow them to consume you.
Don’t you know that ever since antiquity, from the time man was placed on earth, the joy of the wicked has been grief and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?
Job 20:5
12. The Tide Began To Rise
“The Tide Began To Rise” is a song I wrote about the changes you make in life. Sometimes, in looking back, you realize that you’re not progressing and changing into the mature, spiritually mature person that you had hoped for. I talk about the times when things seemed more stable and looking back on those days in the hope that you may return to them.
At the end of the song, I wrote about how depressing it can be sometimes, knowing that we, as humans, are so limited in the love that we can give to God and our loved ones. God gives so abundantly to us, yet we are living for ourselves most of the time. The love that we do give is usually just in the time left over after we serve ourselves. The final desperate plea is that God would just take my spirit home with Him, because I’m tired of the futility of human love.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Rom 3:23" so yeah
1.SCREAMS OF THE UNDEAD
This song is about the difficulties of everyday temptations and hardships.
It speaks about the pain of growing accustomed to a version of yourself that
you know is impure and flawed. The purpose of the song is to stress the
importance of returning to the love and faith that was once so important to
those accept Christ and who have since fallen out of that relationship.
'Screams Of The Undead' is another way to say screams of the living. We are
'undead' because we have life in Christ, and the Bible talks about crying
out, when we have found ourselves enveloped in our worldly habits, and
that's where the 'scream' from the title comes to play.
2. I HAVE SEEN WHERE IT GROWS
In 'I Have Seen Where It Grows' the lyrics speak descriptively about the end
of life here on earth and the beginning of life in Heaven. The nature of the
lyrics imply the expendability of our human bodies in light of our spiritual
ones. The song shifts the importance of life over to the more important of
beings, which is our everlasting souls. Though it is important to take care
of the body you were given to live life on this earth, it's imperative that
we remember that our souls will long outlive our stay here in physical form.
3. INFECTED
'Infected' paints an image of a person on their death bed and the thoughts
that would run through their head at such an overwhelming time. The story
told explains that no matter the illness at hand, it's much more important
to be infected with the love of Christ. It suggests the importance of your
relationship with the Lord specifically during this inevitable yet
potentially glorious crossroad from your life here on earth into the life
thereafter.
4. MY THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE
'My Throat Is An Open Grave' is taken from Romans 3:13, where the Bible
speaks about the powers of sin that bind us and cause us to fall short of
God's glory. It says: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands,
no one seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong;
no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave, they use
their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips." In the
song, it tells about the gift of grace given by God despite our sinful
nature, and how good it feels to know that you have everlasting life because
of this grace.
5. THROUGH THE BLACK
This song is about the knowledge that no matter the case, God is present to
those who call on him. It's about waiting on God and not giving up hope that
in good time, He will make a difference in your life if you lay your cares
on Him. The song also takes the waiting process a step further to say that
we will wait with hope of His return to earth. It says 'I'm going to scream
Your name till You come back', suggesting that we call upon his presence in
our lives daily even before he makes His second coming.
6. TURN YOUR BACK AND RUN
'Turn Your Back And Run' is about turning away from the impurities in your
life as opposed to using temporary solutions to cover them up. It talks
about the ineffectiveness of remedying our problems with our own 2 hands.
When the song says 'switch' it's referring to the decision to turn away from
dealing with these trials and problems using your own discretion, and run to
the Lord for his wisdom and direction.
7. AND THE SKY WENT RED (interlude)
And blindly we held your hand and threw you down.
We cursed your name, turned our backs and begged you to embrace us.
8. AS WE WEPT
The idea behind 'As We Wept' is to return the favor of standing up for
Christ the way he stood up for all of mankind when he was put to death on
the cross. Christ never denied us even though we were always well deserving
of his disapproval, but we as a society are so quick to denounce and deny
who Christ is, and what he has done for us. The song states 'I will stand
and fight to justify you' (just as) 'You have bled and died to justify me'
9. A BROKEN UPPER HAND
This song tells about the power that the devil utilizes to draw us into his
way of thinking, and away from our faith in God. The title 'A Broken Upper
Hand' refers to the weakness that the devil suffers in an attempt to destroy
our relationship with Christ. Even thought the devil may have an upper hand
on our thoughts and actions from time to time, we, with the power of God,
have the ability to resist these temptations and remind the devil of his
brokenness in contrast to the power of God.
10. THE GAUNTLET
This song is about holding onto something despite the harmful effects it may
have on your life. It paints a picture of growing accustomed to something to
the degree that it manifests itself into an action of second nature. Some
things that we do consistently, we become numb to. This song speaks about
realizing the destructive power of these things, and taking action to become
effected by them once again.
MEANINGS FOR SUMMER OF DARKNESS
01. Not Ready To Die
This song explores the feelings we all get concerning death. We know that
through our hope in Christ, life everlasting awaits us after our time here
on earth comes to an end. But sometimes I get the feeling that I have yet to
achieve all that I should with the life I¹ve been given here. The lyrics
explain ³If only 33 years can save my life, I¹ve had 24 more to make things
right² This means that Christ gave 33 human years living on this earth and
in that time he died for us all, covering our sins. And if I needed some
time to come to terms with that, I¹ve had 24 years to do so.
I think everyone has a certain bitter-sweet anxiety about death, and I think
that¹s very natural, even inevitable. In this song I speak about this
anxiety and how, regardless of not being ready, I know where my fate lies.
In the song I explain, ³When I¹m taken home and you¹re still here, just
clear your mind and dry your tears.²
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet
inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary
troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
-2 Corinthians 5:1
02. The Awakening
The Awakening is about critics. Someone¹s always going to have an opinion
about our music and not everyone¹s going to like it. As a musician you have
to learn to understand that one person doesn¹t necessarily speak for
everyone else. Most of the time, they¹re speaking only for themselves.
03. Beheaded
Beheaded addresses the issues of gang life and the meaninglessness of the
retribution that keeps it alive. The song talks about the never-ending cycle
of revenge that fuels the gangster mentality. In this day and age, with the
growing popularity of gangster rap and gang-influenced attitude and
behavior, the general public are beginning to embrace the idea of a thug
mentality. This mentality suggests concern only for one¹s self and a total
disregard and disrespect for anyone else. Not only this, but a complete lack
of accountability for their actions, instead blaming their lifestyle on the
haunting mistakes and atrocities of the past. The history and philosophy
behind this mentality is dead wrong.
04. My Heartstrings Come Undone
I wrote this song for my wife. It¹s about my commitment to her. The gist of
the song is, regardless of our past or whatever may come our way in the
future, I¹ll be there for her. And if one of us completely falls apart
emotionally, physically or spiritually, I¹ll try my hardest, with the help
of God, to keep the foundation of our marriage a strong one.
05. Less Than Nothing
The only reason we can be a blessing to God is by his grace. We, by our
sinful, human nature fall so short of his glory that it¹s only by the
miracle of grace that we are so precious in his sight. The Bible tells us
that in and of ourselves and without God, we are no one, nothing. No matter
the person, without God¹s grace, we are collectively worthless. We attempt
to do things with our own power fail and time and again. This song speaks
about the stubborn human nature and the reality of our worth apart from God.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one
who does good, not even one.
-Romans 3:12
06. Our Faces Fall Apart
Our Faces Fall Apart is about Christians being held to an unattainable
standard. I believe that, as a man of God, it is my duty to be a light to
the people around me. And though I feel that is an important part of my walk
with Christ, I, like most of us, often fall short of this duty.
The point I try to make in this song is not to put people on a pedestal.
Humans, by nature are failures and people tend to forget that. It¹s not my
intention to fail as a witness to Christ, but I do. Fortunately for all of
us who fall short, the grace and mercy of God wash us clean as if we were
flawless in his sight.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
-Romans 3:23-24
07. Summer Of Darkness
Summer Of Darkness deals with the repetition of human error. Day after day
we¹re reminded of our flawed human nature from the trials we face and the
temptations we feel. This song is a reminder that this life is not ours-
³This is not my life, this is not our life, everyday I die, this is not my
life.² The lyrics ³Before I go, you should knowŠ I hate myself for hurting
you² are a message to God that we desire to turn away from our sinful nature
and have (through repentance) received his forgiveness for our sins. Though
we continue to fall each day, Christ will be there to pick us up whenever we
need him.
08. Beauty Through The Eyes Of A Predator
It seems that in every group, whether ³religious² or other, there is always
going to be someone giving a bad name to whatever you believe in.
Christianity is not exempt of this. There are many ³Christians² out there in
the world doing things supposedly in the name of Christ, but ultimately
pushing non-believers further and further away from accepting the truth of
Jesus and the bible. Now I know that no one is perfect, and legitimate,
God-fearing Christians can make some of the worst mistakes, but I think
there is a difference between these mistakes and taking a big part in
jeopardizing the validity of Christ to the people around you.
One thing Christ is not, is a product. There is a fine line between selling
Christian products as a witnessing tool and selling Christian products
purely for personal profit. I believe that there are ways to make a
comfortable living within the Christian business world and still be focused
on the spreading of the gospel. I think that some people need to evaluate
just what they¹re selling when it has Jesus¹ name stamped on it. Is it
something that is going to make Him look much less important than He really
is?
09. Annihilate The Corrupt
Annihilate The Corrupt is about extinguishing the corrupt within your life.
In the song I parallel my life with the listener¹s, explaining that I go
through the same feelings and struggles that many of them might face. It¹s
about conviction. The ³stab through the back of your soul² describes how
painful that conviction can sometimes be. Though the song is directed
outwards to the listener, it¹s knowing what¹s inside myself that makes it
possible for me to address conviction. And even though conviction can be
painful, I explain that repentance will feed you new life. ³I can't breathe
alone, You can guide me home, I can feel you here, You can draw me near²
explains the giving up of these things to God.
10. I Play Dead
I have a tendency to be carefree in many circumstances. In some ways it is
helpful. I don¹t stress out about many situations that I think are trivial.
But sometimes this laid-back attitude can evolve into full-blown apathy.
Often times I let things that are important to others roll right off my
back. I am constantly reminding myself that there are plenty of things that
I need to care more about. It seems like a small problem, but it¹s proven to
be quite a struggle. I want to be sincere about the things I believe in
deeply. This song is a reminder of what Christ did for me and just how
important that was. It says ³Two broken hands lift seven wounds and fight to
stand.² This explains the agony of the cross that Christ hung upon to wipe
away my sins. This is one thing that I don¹t want to take for granted.
11. Everything Was White
Everything Was White talks about the times in life when you look back to a
better time. Often times I find myself in a lesser place (spiritually) than
where I used to be. And sometimes I go far too long before I realize that I
need to make conscious steps away from where I¹m heading and back to the way
that I know is right. The beautiful thing about these situations is that God
is always there for you, even when you forget about him. This song talks
about the emptiness that takes over when you starve yourself spiritually.
Sometimes, in hindsight, I can see the times that I stopped caring so much.
And when I have targeted those times, I can make the effort to not make the
same mistakes in the future.
12. Coffin Builder
This song is about the power that media has over people today. We live in a
society that is force-fed media-slanted garbage from the day we¹re born.
It¹s hard to avoid it even if you try. From the objectification of women to
the importance of financial gain to the justification of substance abuse,
it¹s all there- at every newsstand and on every TV channel. The
over-saturation of worldly values is no irony. It works. People relate to
these desires and that¹s why it sells. I¹m no different from the next guy
when it comes to this stuff. I have the same sinful nature that anyone else
might have. The one thing that I have that a lot of people don¹t, is a
relationship with Christ that helps me overcome these challenges. I know
that if I ask for direction and guidance in my daily walk, He¹ll help me
avoid the pressures that are pushed to us everyday.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this
world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.²
-John 16:33
13. The Latest And The Last (The Wheels Of Judgment Turn Slowly)
Passing judgment on one another as Christians can be very devastating and it
happens so often, we¹ve grown accustomed to it. Only God knows what lies in
the hearts of each and every one of us. The judgmental ideals of Christians
against each other result in a very segregated mindset.
For instance, many Christians have passed judgment on heavy metal as a
whole, saying that it¹s not a healthy platform for reaching people in the
name of Christ, and rather a blasphemous and worldly alternative to other
genres of Christian music. The amazing things that I¹ve seen happen for the
kingdom of God within the heavy metal scene prove that thought to be a very
ignorant perception.
Basically the song suggests, you can have the latest judgment, but God will
have the last.
MEANINGS FOR THE TRIPTYCH
1. The Flame That Guides Us Home
“The Flame That Guides Us Home” is essentially a prayer sung to God, asking that his angels would guide us to His light with their song.
2. Not I
“Not I” is about the idea of being set apart as Christians. In the song I talk about the life of a non-believer and the decisions they make to live their life contrary to the word of God and the moral code that we, as Christians, have come to live by. This song is a proclamation that we, as followers of Christ, will not conform to the ways of the world. In essence, when we see these sinful things that have consumed the world, we say “Not I.”
Know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call to Him.
Psalms 4:3
3. Undying
“Undying” is an anthem for those who will live eternally. It’s about taking pride in having everlasting life and not being afraid to show it. The “final heartbreak” spoke of in the song is referring to death- the last time you will break anyone’s heart here on earth. And after that- blinding lights will guide our way into Heaven. The name that I have coined for those who have accepted eternal life is the “undying.”
When I was younger, there were a few Christian metal bands that made me really excited to be a Christian. They would talk about Christ in a way that I could relate to, in a song that I thought was unashamed and forthright. I wrote this song to give kids today that same feeling of pride in being a Christian.
So that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.
John 3:15
4. Relentless Intolerance
“Relentless Intolerance” speaks about the constant breakdown of morality and tradition in the world today. It’s about the pressures of being “open-minded” and “accepting” of things that we’re called to detest and flee from. In a world that always progressing, we need to look back to the times when we were less tolerant of immorality- and that’s what this song is about. There should be “no reformed edition” of the gospel. The things that we believe and trust should be viewed the same tomorrow as they were yesterday.
The song urges believers to not be ashamed when they are view as intolerant or narrow minded, because even though these are dirty words in today’s world, we are called to walk a narrow path and we cannot afford to be accepting of every sin this world may become numb to.
Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.
Romans 12:9
5. Deteriorate
“Deteriorate” is more or less about getting old and feeling the effects of that. It’s about longing for an eternal body that will be flawless and will never wear out. When I sing “Awaiting my end, breathing in the day that finds me new,” I’m talking about looking forward to that day when our bodies will be replaced with Heavenly bodies.
In addition to this, it’s also just a reminder for listeners that life here on earth is not very long, and to live wisely while we’re here.
For my loins are full of burning pain, and there is no health in my body.
Psalms 38:7
6. The Soldier's Song
“The Soldier’s Song” is for all of the Demon Hunter fans that have written us from overseas, fighting in the war. Many of our fans over there have told us that we’ve been inspiring to them and that we give them encouragement in difficult times.
In lieu of a music industry that seems to give US soldiers more to regret than anything, Demon Hunter wrote a song for our soldiers to give them hope and to let them know that they are appreciated. I feel that many people have made these men and women feel unimportant. Many of them have seen friends and family die over there and if these soldiers are told that their time spent fighting this war is in vain, then that implies that these people died in vain. Demon Hunter would rather give these people our support and respect.
The Lord advances like a warrior; He stirs up His zeal like a soldier. He shouts, He roars aloud, He prevails over His enemies.
Isaiah 42:13
7. Fire To My Soul
“Fire To My Soul” is written from the viewpoint of a stubborn non-believer. It’s about someone who sees God’s work and feels his pull, but does all they can to ignore it and pretend that it doesn’t exist. When I sing, “I heard you calling, setting fire to my soul. Is this the voice we die for?” I’m showing how God is interacting in this person’s life. At this point, the non-believer is challenged when he hears a voice and he wonders if it’s the voice of the Lord.
At the end of the song, this person’s world is falling apart and they’re wondering why. They’re starting to realize that living according to their own agenda is getting them nowhere.
My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.
John 10:27
8. One Thousand Apologies
“One Thousand Apologies” is a song that I wrote as an apology to someone that I hurt. In the song, I talk about how foolish I’d been and how destructive my actions. “Resolutions are the same tomorrow” means that I will try to be a better person every day.
Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Hebrews 10:18
9. Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck
Written by Prong in 1993, “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” is a cover song. Demon Hunter decided to cover this song because it was a very influential song, musically speaking, to my brother and I growing up.
I’ve never seen the lyrics explained by Prong, but the way I take them is about life today and the endless struggle for success and wealth. The chorus says, “You want the good life, you break your back.” I think this is referring to the lengths that some people will go to in order to live a lavish life. To say, “You snap your fingers, you snap your neck,” is like saying that you wish you could just snap your fingers and make things happen, and you would snap your neck in order to do so.
10. The Science Of Lies
“The Science Of Lies” is about the popularization of Scientology in today’s society. I did some research on Scientology and found it to be one of the most absurd “religions” I’ve ever heard of. It’s a cult based around mental health and what seems to be some sort of science fiction- involving aliens and other plants. Scientology’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard actually used to write science fiction novels for a living before he decided to bring his stories to life in a cult. L. Ron Hubbard, who claimed to be a nuclear physicist (which is untrue), apparently realized the “truths” of Scientology on an operating table after sustaining injuries in the war. These “truths” include the idea that aliens, called Thetans, were sent here on a mother ship from an overpopulated galaxy named Xenu 75 million years ago. These Thetans we dropped here on earth and killed with hydrogen bombs. Now their spirits infest our human bodies and it’s our task to remind them of their tragic death, in order to kill them and thus, rid ourselves of these alien spirits that haunt us. The kicker is that, as a part of The Church of Scientology, you need to pay exuberant amounts of money to find out the truths of the “religion,” which is why the more popular members are Hollywood’s elite.
In short, this song is about the ridiculousness of this cult and how tragic it is that anyone would believe in it.
“You must not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked to be a malicious witness.”
Exodus 23:1
11. Ribcage
“Ribcage” is a song about addiction and the vicious cycle that we put ourselves in when we become addicted to something. Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, pornography, or anything else, these things are killers- and not just to the individual. This song explains what it does to the people that you love when you allow these addictions into your life. The line, “Break through the ribcage and tear the heart out from everyone that you love” shows how the addicted will destroy anything on their path of addiction, even the people they love the most.
“Feed, feed the lust you need, and fainter grows each plea from skies above” is referring to God’s voice in your life, and how His voice can be overshadowed by these sins when you allow them to consume you.
Don’t you know that ever since antiquity, from the time man was placed on earth, the joy of the wicked has been grief and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?
Job 20:5
12. The Tide Began To Rise
“The Tide Began To Rise” is a song I wrote about the changes you make in life. Sometimes, in looking back, you realize that you’re not progressing and changing into the mature, spiritually mature person that you had hoped for. I talk about the times when things seemed more stable and looking back on those days in the hope that you may return to them.
At the end of the song, I wrote about how depressing it can be sometimes, knowing that we, as humans, are so limited in the love that we can give to God and our loved ones. God gives so abundantly to us, yet we are living for ourselves most of the time. The love that we do give is usually just in the time left over after we serve ourselves. The final desperate plea is that God would just take my spirit home with Him, because I’m tired of the futility of human love.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Rom 3:23" so yeah