So, there's this modern hard rock band called Red; one of my favorites. I'm all for in-your-face spirituality in lyrics like Disciple, HB, Theocracy, etc. offer, but Red purposefully teeters between the Christian and secular crowds, offering spiritual encouragement ("Pieces", "Not Alone", "Best Is Yet To Come"), often talking about being at war between our human and spiritual nature ("Fight Inside", "Death of Me"), reciting words of hope for those who feel hopeless ("Gave It All Away"), and anthems for the ones who feel alone ("Who We Are", "Faceless", "Feed The Machine"). Their goal is to encourage those looking for answers, to try and be a light in the darkness, and to attract as many as they can with a message inclusive to everyone, not just believers.
As said, i love when a band just throws it all out there, saying blatantly where they stand, waging war against sinfulness, pointing out the wages of sin; "We are the war against the sick and fatal fall of man, a hollow-tip to the notion of a Godless stand" ("A Thread of Light" by Demon Hunter). But it's nice that there are bands out there, like Red, who are appealing to a secular crowd, yet pray for and with their fans, take time for their fans, they spread the Word of God using the stage as a pulpit, etc. They hand out tracts at their shows, from what i've heard, which is impressive for a band whose latest album reached #1 rock album of the year on iTunes in preorders alone.
But i do have an issue with them; one, and one alone. I noticed it while listening to them in the car earlier.
They mention in some songs the grace and mercy shown to them ("Forever", "Start Again", "Pieces"). It's rather obvious, even to someone who's never opened the Bible, that they're talking about God. However, they don't write about forgiving others . . .
The song "Wasting Time"; "Don't even try, you're wasting time. Come back, i'll beat you down, and turn around--i'm fighting my way through you. Push you away, i'll never break; come back i'll beat you down, it's over now. I'm turning my back on you."
The song "Watch You Crawl" is a little more aggressive, gloating even, stating "I'll let you drown in your despair, now nothing can save you. I will fight until the end (get ready to collide), and i will watch you fall again (i'll bury you alive). You tried to bring me to my knees (you tried to take it all), now i will stand and watch you crawl. I'm still here, i'm still here, i'm still here, now i'm gonna watch you beg, beg, beg."
So yeah . . . That's my issue with Red. "Hymn For The Missing" and "Not Alone", however, are two of the most patient, loving, forgiving and beautifully written songs i know of. In "Hymn...", it's just so passionate; he's essentially saying "I don't care what's happened, I'm still here, still reaching for you, still longing for you to come back to me."
There's my music review for the day. All-in-all, there are a couple songs i skip by Red (though not for indecency or anything), but they are one of my favorite bands.
