Nu-Rock band does a U-turn from it’s religionist roots!

curtsibling · February 7, 2004, 17:20

Nu-rock band, Evanescence have flung a tantrum about being labelled as christian rockers and want their LPs pulled from various religious media and music outlets and stations. It seems they do not want to alienate their impressionable fans.

Why?

Read the article!

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0206/p16s02-almp.html

Personally, I think if theology is what a band is into, fine.
But I will not buy music from a band who preaches in their lyrics.
I am not even into this sort of ‘rock’ anyway, but you might be.

So what do you think?

Should a band stick to it’s convictions, or are they right to ditch their christian image?

Your opinions?

Stefu · February 7, 2004, 17:24

Evanescenscenscescence ditching their roots would mean them stopping ripping off Lacuna Coil. But that would never happen.

Incidentally, I'm getting heartily sick of "nu" being used to describe anything.

curtsibling · February 7, 2004, 17:27

I refuse to call them just metal.

Do their religious leanings mean anything to you?

DinoDoc · February 7, 2004, 17:28

I wasn't aware a Goth rock band could be considered to have a religious (Reliogionist is a stupid word.) image

Elok · February 7, 2004, 17:31

On a sidenote, that word of yours is really jarring to the eyes, CS. Is there some particular reason you couldn't have just said "religious" roots for this post? Or is it just your version of "untermenschen"?

curtsibling · February 7, 2004, 17:31

You would be surprised.

A band's image is only a 2D thing.

curtsibling · February 7, 2004, 17:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Elok
On a sidenote, that word of yours is really jarring to the eyes, CS. Is there some particular reason you couldn't have just said "religious" roots for this post? Or is it just your version of "untermenschen"?

No real reason.

A word is a word.

But from it, you are free to draw whatever hilariously inaccurate concepts you wish...

flash9286 · February 7, 2004, 17:49

Evanescence is not nu rock, linkin park and limb bizkit are nu rock

Verto · February 7, 2004, 18:26

I wasn't aware they ever possessed a Christian image..

Still, some of their music is pretty decent.

curtsibling · February 7, 2004, 18:29

Quote:

Originally posted by flash9286
Evanescence is not nu rock, linkin park and limb bizkit are nu rock

They are not old rock, that is for sure.

So, how would you classify them?

asleepathewheel · February 7, 2004, 18:37

Quote:

Originally posted by curtsibling

They are not old rock, that is for sure.

So, how would you classify them?

sell-out crap.

For a while I had to mute Fox everytime I had it on, would play "Bring me to life" on a show's promo.

ixnay · February 7, 2004, 18:47

Five Iron Frenzy is a band that is very up front about their christianity.

It is in several of their songs, but they make such excellent music that it doesn't matter.

edit to add wonderful lyrics

I have been scarred so deep by life and cold despair,
and brittle bones were broken far beyond repair.
I have leveled lies so deep, the truth may never find. And inside my faithless heart, I stole things never mine.

If mercy falls upon the broken and the poor,
Dear Father, I will see you, there on distant shores.

I have toiled for countless years and ever felt the cost,
and I've been burned by this world's cold,
like leaves beneath the frost.
On my knees I've crawled to You,
bleeding myself dry.
But the price of life is more than I could ever buy.

And off of the blocks,
I was headstrong and proud,
at the front of the line for the card-carrying, highbrowed. With both eyes fastened tight,
yet unscarred from the fight.
Running at full tilt, my sword pulled from its hilt.
It's funny how these things can slip away,
our frail deeds,
the last will wave good-bye.
It's funny how the hope will bleed away,
the citadels we build and fortify.
Good-Bye.

Night came and I broke my stride,
I swallowed hard, but never cried.
When grace was easy to forget,
I'd denounce the hypocrites,
casting first stones,
killing my own.
You would unscale my blind eyes,
and I stood battered, but more wise,
fighting to accelerate,
shaking free from crippling weight.
With resilience unsurpassed,
I clawed my way to You at last.
And on my knees, I wept at Your feet,
I finally believed, that You still loved me.

Healing hands of God have mercy on our unclean souls once again.
Jesus Christ, Light of the World, burning bright within our hearts forever.
Freedom means love without condition, without beginning or an end.
Here's my heart, let it be forever Yours,
only You can make every new day seem so new.

Five Iron Frenzy - On Distant Shores

Namaste · February 7, 2004, 18:48

To sell out would imply they had integrity at some point.

Effervescence is nothing more than a bunch of talentless hacks doing their best attempt at a Lacuna Coil impression. Makes me sick that Effervescence has deluded so many people into thinking their original when Lacuna Coil has been playing that sound (and doing it a thousand times better in both the songwriting and musicianship departments) since the mid-90's.

curtsibling · February 7, 2004, 18:52

Teutonic metallers Helloween are known for their slight outbreaks of faith, now and then.

And let us not even mention Stryper, Crystal Ball, Mercury Rising and Arachnes.

All rocking for religionism.

But at least they stick to their guns about it.
And make their bible-thumping visible to the rocker, not trying to slip the doctrine under the door, so to speak.

It's up to the customer, buy the record or not.

I choose not to support religion in music, and have purged my 700-odd CDs of any bands with faith-lyrics.

Potassium · February 7, 2004, 18:57

lorl if i change the name of the band when i'm talking about them i can make fun of them and be witty roofles

Relient K is another Christian band I really love (along with FIF) who don't make songs about how much they love God and how much of a Jesus freak they are. OK, yes, there are worship songs, but there are also songs that denounce the average Christian (read: hypocrite).

"Down in Flames"

Christians - we're all afraid of fire.
We prefer to suck on pacifiers.
Baby pacifists, we're throwing fits.
We don't shake hands, we shake our fists.

We're cannibals.
We watch our brothers fall.
We eat our own, the bones and all.

Finally fell asleep on the plane
To wake to see we're going down in flames.

We're going down, down, down in flames.
We're gonna drown, drown, drown insane.

We see the problem and the risk,
But nothing's solved.
We just say, "Tisk, tisk, tisk, "
And, "Shame, shame, shame. "

Finally fell asleep on the plane
To wake to see we're going down in flames.

Let's go!

Christians - we mourn, the thorn is stuck
In the side of the body watch it self - destruct.
The enemy is much ignored
When we fight this Christian civil war.

We're cannibals.
We watch our brothers fall.
We eat our own, the bones and all.

Finally fell asleep on the plane
To wake to see we're going down in flames.

We're going down, down, down in flames.
We're gonna drown, drown, drown insane.

We see the problem and the risk,
But nothing's solved.
We just say, "Tisk, tisk, tisk, "
And, "Shame, shame, shame. "

Finally fell asleep on the plane
To wake to see we're going down in flames.

Na na na na, na na na na. [x8]

Let me pause to clarify
('cause I'm sure you're asking, "Why?").
I stand before you and proudly claim
To belong to what this song complains.

I'm part of the problem,
I confess,
But I gotta get this off my chest.

Let's extinguish the anguish
For which we're to blame,
And save the world
From going down in flames.

Imran Siddiqui · February 7, 2004, 19:12

Quote:

Evanescence, for example, initially agreed to have its "Fallen" album in Christian outlets, which seemed consistent with liner notes where one member thanks Jesus, and a song, "Tourniquet," on the album that refers to Christ. (My wounds cry for the grave/My soul cries for deliverance/Will I be denied Christ/Tourniquet/My Suicide.)

But in an interview in Entertainment Weekly last spring, the group foreshadowed their soon-to-be-announced flip-flop when they said they couldn't understand why they were being pushed in the Christian market. Evanescence declined to be interviewed for this article.

Evanescence, while good, are a bunch of idiots. Come on... why alienate a portion of the buying public who WILL buy your albums!

curtsibling · February 7, 2004, 19:14

I think they seek credibility with the real rock fan base, as opposed to the 'baggy trouser' bunch.

They better forget it.

Potassium · February 7, 2004, 21:04

Holy mother of crap, I've never seen a more cynical bunch of people in my life.

"OMG THEY SOUND LIKE ANOTHER BAND!" "OMG THEY'RE POPULAR LET'S RIP ON THEM!"

Good Christ, lighten up.

OzzyKP · February 7, 2004, 21:42

Agreed Potassium.

Evanessence is excellent. I saw them in concert and have their album. Excellent music. If some other band has similar music, good for them, look where it got them. No one has ever heard of them, and unless they deliberately tap into Evanessence's wave no one will ever hear of them.

Most likely they'll just ***** to their niche following about how they were ripped off. Though thats what niche fans want anyways, if that small band actually did make it big their following would turn on them, call them sellouts, and find some other obscure band they could latch on to.

Evanessence shouldn't turn on their religion, they should handle it like Creed and P.O.D. Didn't hurt those bands any.

asleepathewheel · February 7, 2004, 21:49

Quote:

Originally posted by OzzyKP
Though thats what niche fans want anyways, if that small band actually did make it big their following would turn on them, call them sellouts, and find some other obscure band they could latch on to.

I used to hang out with people like that. OOOH we love Dave Matthews. 5 minutes later. Damn fratboy rock. Then OOH we love Ben Folds. 5 minutes later. I hate Brick (really meaning that they hate how it gets radio and mtv play.) Then its OOH we love the Barenaked Ladies. 5 minutes later. Stunt sucked compared to Rock Spectacle (really saying that people that liked One Week were idiots)

Give me a break. Stop trying to be cool. Its not working.

OzzyKP · February 7, 2004, 21:58

Niche fans need to get a life.

Potassium · February 7, 2004, 22:24

People who complain that such and such a band was better before they got popular need to be shot.

Imran Siddiqui · February 7, 2004, 22:26

Ah, finally sanity comes to this thread.

BustaMike · February 7, 2004, 22:33

Quote:

Originally posted by flash9286
Evanescence is not nu rock, linkin park and limb bizkit are nu rock

All of these bands, especially Limp Bizkit, can lick my balls. Nu Rock sucks.

BustaMike · February 7, 2004, 22:36

BTW, for those of you that like Lacuna Coil, I saw them in concert several months ago (because Dog Fashion Disco <- see an actual good band, was opening) and they're a bunch of talentless hacks as well. That guy singer in their band needs to be shot. He reminds me of the poseur from Dead Man on Campus.

Lacuna Coil also = lick my balls.

flash9286 · February 7, 2004, 22:45

its all a matter of taste Busta i happen to like Linkin park

Ben Kenobi · February 7, 2004, 23:00

Quote:

but they make such excellent music that it doesn't matter.

Yes, I feel the same way about John Lennon. His music writing and talent overcome his atheism.

The Emperor Fabulous · February 7, 2004, 23:04

I love Evanescence. I've even seen them live. The lead singer is MEGA HOTT w00t!

I've had no inkling that they were "christian rock".

EDIT: And they aren't nu rock. They only had rap/rock in one song and that was only because they're friends with a rap group, Twelve Stones (or something). When they played live, they didn't even have the rap.

"My Immortal" is my personal favorite...

OzzyKP · February 7, 2004, 23:42

Yea, My Immortal is excellent.

Spiffor · February 8, 2004, 00:22

Immortals rock. 4.2.1 for a mere 30 shields, very early in the game, will make you you'll have a comfortably large empire right from the beginning of the game