Know Christian music? Got time on ur hands?

2010 saw droves of albums entering my collection. I hopefully will be able to listen to them all before I die someday.

Here's my issue: all in all there's about 200 additions to my already ridiculous collection (given to me, traded, bought at bargain bins, downloads and the like...). I'm currently adding the newcomers to my website.

I would like if someone who knew their Christian music could peruse through my posted collection and let me know things like
"hey this band "(insert name here)" is definitely NOT Christian, they seem like it but they're not"
or "The album you have "(insert name here)" is a clean album, but they're not a Christian band"
People have given me albums and said these guys are Christians... and I later listened and found out they had some weird non-Christian lyrics.

SO ! if you like doing this kind of thing and have some extra time, go to http://mysite.verizon.net/resvlc4p/collection/numb.html and cruise thru my list to help me do some weeding. It'd be cool if you could, if not, no big deal... I will one day listen myself and decide as I have in the past if they should be removed from the list.

One example is "Cage"... I've seen them on Christian websites as well as secular. And I've only listened to a couple songs. They ROCK ! But the songs were vague and I'm not sure if ppl assume their "Christian" cuz of the album covers and such.

I love doing stuff like this (I love lists, much like Fundy does). The hard part about this is that the whole Christian vs. secular music lines have really blurred in the last 20 years and it can be rather difficult.

Having said that, I would suggest that Cage is NOT a Christian band just based on poor theology behind their lyrics. They seem more like one of those bands that like to used a lot of the good/evil imagary, and have borrowed many of those themes from the bible.

For an example of the type of lyrics I am talking about check out these links.
http://www.lyricsmania.com/hell_destroyer_lyrics_cage.html
http://www.lyricsmania.com/am_the_king_lyrics_cage.html

Here is also an interview with (I believe) the lead singer. Where he blasphemes the name of God (probablity unintentionally, and also uses quite a bit of profanity (warning the link has quite a bit of profanity). Two things I would hope that a Christian would really want to try to avoid (especially in an interview).
http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=49613

Oh yes, and you probably know Christian music much better than I do.

Ok, I only found one band (other than Cage) that I would definately say is not Christian, "Babylon A.D."

Also this list of bands I have heard others indicate as not "Christian" per se, but maybe with Christian members or Christian friendly or something like that. (not that I'm some kind of authority).
AdrianGale
Antithesis
Avian
Byrd
Daughtry
Defiance
Fierce Heart
Giant
Pyramaze
Scott Stapp
Shadow Gallery
Walk the Sky

And nevermind that I didn't even recognize like 1/3 of your collection.

Oh and on an unrelated note...dude I love your site but I hate visiting it because you half like half-a-dozen old cds that I have been looking for for years and it makes me jealous.

Quote :

the whole Christian vs. secular music lines have really blurred

That does make it difficult to categorize. I'm familiar with most of the bands you listed as not Christian "per se" - Most I've included cuz I've already listened to them and know that the only reason they make it into the hands of Christians is cuz a band member is a Christian who played with another band that was definitely of The Way. And by listening, I realize that they're clean in their lyrics and sometimes have a little Christian influence (thus I would recommend to anyone).

I haven't listened to Babylon AD but was told there were Christians in the band and they're "pretty clean". I'll prolly pull them until I give 'em a good listening to.

Thanks Gary for the good info. I appreciate it. And send me an e-mail regarding which albums you're wanting, if they're OOP I can shoot'cha some mp3s or I may even have originals that I'm desperately trying to get rid of. (I got several CDs that I don't want anymore since my whole collection is 100% digital now)

Oh and about Cage. Very vague... even though they sound excellent, I'll be pulling them too. Interpretations of the lyrics could lean one way or the other - I've got Christian albums I bought at Christian bookstores on Christian labels that are more vague and seem mainstream. I'll look into them a little deeper. I was given the Cage albums with a buncha Christian albums and assumed they were Christian too.

Thanks for the info !

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

That does make it difficult to categorize. I'm familiar with most of the bands you listed as not Christian "per se" - Most I've included cuz I've already listened to them and know that the only reason they make it into the hands of Christians is cuz a band member is a Christian who played with another band that was definitely of The Way.....

I figured you knew that, and I agree. I have several of those bands in my collection as well.
I will send you a email regarding those titles I'm trying not to be envious over.

Staybrite wrote:

Ok, I only found one band (other than Cage) that I would definately say is not Christian, "Babylon A.D."

Also this list of bands I have heard others indicate as not "Christian" per se, but maybe with Christian members or Christian friendly or something like that. (not that I'm some kind of authority).
AdrianGale
Antithesis
Avian
Byrd
Daughtry
Defiance
Fierce Heart
Giant
Pyramaze
Scott Stapp
Shadow Gallery
Walk the Sky

And nevermind that I didn't even recognize like 1/3 of your collection.

Off of this list, Scott Stapp professes to be a Christian as does Chris Daughtry.

The lead singers and primary song writers for Shadow Gallery and some of the other memebers are professing Christians (they have a lead singer that I do not know about now since the previous one passed away). Their lyrics on their last album were blasted by several secular reviewers for being too evangelical.

Fierce Heart was not a Christian band, but Rex Carroll played in it so it got the Chrisitan tag. Lyrically is has some rough stuff if I remember correctly.

Avian and Pyramaze are bands fronted by Lance King, who has professed to be a Christian, but his view tend to be more of a spiritist from what I have read.

Byrd has a lot of spiritual content in the lyrics, but he has said he is not a Christian, at least not an evangelical Christian. He was pretty blunt about it if I remember correctly.

Giant was a product of the Huff brothers who are Christians. Not evangelical, but I don't remember much that is offensive toward Christians. The same type of thing with Adriangale. Jamie Rowe is the lead singer for them and their lyrics are pretty tame, but not evangelical in any fashion.

I think Antithesis has a couple of Christians in the band, and Defiance I do not know anything about. So from the Christian vs. secular debate, Staybrite is right, none of those bands really are Christian, especially if you consider a Christian band to be at least somewhat evangelical in their lyrics.

Wow Nazpastor agrees with me (well mostly anyway).
Very cool.

Quote :

Fierce Heart was not a Christian band, but Rex Carroll played in it so it got the Chrisitan tag. Lyrically is has some rough stuff if I remember correctly.

Avian and Pyramaze are bands fronted by Lance King, who has professed to be a Christian, but his view tend to be more of a spiritist from what I have read.

Byrd has a lot of spiritual content in the lyrics, but he has said he is not a Christian, at least not an evangelical Christian. He was pretty blunt about it if I remember correctly.

All of this I did NOT know, so thanks Naz, that's good info. I haven't listened to F.H. yet but I will be aware of any "rough" lyrics. I don't particularly care to have a band listed in my collection that has trash in their lyrics.* And I have listened to Avian and Pyramaze but must have missed the Spiritist content. I will be careful to listen a little closer as I don't want that kinda stuff on my list either. The only exception as far as non evangelical, non "Bible-Only-believing" rock I've allowed has been Mass. Great band and pretty good lyrics for the most part, but definitely catholic in some aspects.

And I'm rather surprised that Byrd would have lyrics like he does, then say he's not a Christian. I would think he's a full on believer. Again, maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention to his lyrics.


* footnote: I have an album by a punk rock band "Praiser" who have VERY in-yer-face Christian lyrics... the odd part is, their lyric writer includes curse words. Now, in my early days with God, I was very "righteous" and kinda unrealistic in my endeavor to be perfect to please Him. As I've gotten older in the Lord, I've realized my own depravity and complete inability to attain perfection or anything within a million miles of the edge of perfection. I say all this to say, I think there's a place for their ministry and though many may disagree with it, I'll bet many have been able to hear the message of Christ because these guys are in the underground preaching a realistic Gospel to people who would never come near someone in a suit and tie.
So, yea, it's a difficult concept since God does want us to represent, and the Word is clear that we are to watch our mouths, on the other hand Paul was all things to all people too. Christians feel that they're more holy cuz they say crap instead of s**t, but they're both just words.... wow I'm starting a whole new thread aren't I ?? Maybe I'll just stop here for now.

Here is an excerpt from a James Byrd interview. Take it from this whether you wish to consider him a Christian artist or not"

How would you describe your beliefs then?

I am a serious student of the Bible, it's history, it's alterations and deliberate use of certain words which literally have no literal single word translation into English or ANY modern tongue save for perhaps Hebrew. These certain words were used for political reasons in the distant past. I'd accept christian (small 'c') and admit, I don’t feel like a very good one not a very good one from MY personal perspective. But God does indeed love me anyway I hope and "believe". If I'm "hell-bound", I believe it’s my actions, not my lack of a denominational devotion or creed. I'll finish any arguments with my self-proclaimed "SAVED" Christian friends then and there perhaps. I believe I love God. I say this NOT because I'm a well behaved man, or because I have a group of people who've created a consensus that says "Yes James, you'll be in Heaven because you've agreed to our fundamental 27 precepts critical to your salvation". I say this only because I hate cruelty and corruption. I long for justice. Not man's justice, we all know what a joke THIS has become. No, I mean true justice. God’s justice, and God’s alone. And I've diverged here because Flying Beyond The 9 is an attempt to convey this idea, with NO intended cruelty to anyone. It's part of an ongoing story, and it's deeply personal, yet I tried my best to make it "Universal". Most of my work always has been. The only "label" I’ll accept for my "beliefs" is "Unitarian".

Wow, yea, um definitely a rather "Love" over "Absolute Truth" kinda guy, isn't he? I guess he'd fall into my "clean secular music" section, rather than on my Christian music List. If I hear false teachings in his lyrics then I'm not interested at all.

I think Byrd doesn't grasp what the term Unitarian actually means... I know what he means though, that he believes in a loving Creator that wants us all to agree in good things and abhor evil. Kinda what most ppl already believe. Sounds good too, but unfortunately that's not what Jesus put on the table.

Bummer.

If you notice, he says nothing about Jesus, or a personal relationship with Him.

again.... Bummer

His talent should be used to Glorify and Lift Up The King of Kings... the whole reason God gave him his talent.

nazpastor wrote:

If you notice, he says nothing about Jesus, or a personal relationship with Him.

That was the clincher for me. The rest of what Byrd said seemed like a dog's breakfast and I was left a little confused at the end about what he did believe in.

That said he is an excellent guitarist, and I have the album he did with Fifth Angel (secualr band) in my collection.