måndag 8 Jun 2009, 12:07

I sure think so.

Disclaimer: this article is not about the musical qualities of Liturgy's last album. This is about the lyrics particularly. Now, on the musical side, the album is pretty good. Too bad the lyrics are what they are…

Liturgy's lyrics are supposed to be anti-christian (according to MA), but I'm not completely convinced about this.

If anything, the lyrics strike me (for the most part) as being pro-christian, but in a non-orthodox way: they deny the church but praise the "lost gospels" which are supposed to be the words of Christ anyway.

Let's quote Shrine of Moria:

A battle for scripture and faith ensues, these are the lost gospels buried again, these are the words of Christ. buried again, these are the lost gospels, the faiths we never knew

Notice this is a verse on its own and is not taken "out of context".

Now check the lyrics for Shrouded in Suffering, as you can probably see, the lyrics are exposing the alteration of christian gospels, and the hiding of other less-known christian documents (probably referring to the dead sea scrolls, the gospel of Judas, or some shit like that). But it claims these hidden/buried/cryptic christian documents are "authentic relics", and that "Thomas must be heard". To me this only is against the modern view of christianity as supported by the catholic church, but it is in no way against "ancient" forms of christianity.

And how about the lyrics on Scars of the Saints? They bash gnostic gospels, talk about a (christian) revelation coming form "documents of christian antiquity". And again claim modern "scholars" and believers are miles away from the truth that lies only in ancient and secret christian scripture. All of this is said in a way that makes me wonder why they're trying so hard not to use words that could be perceived as directly insulting modern christianity (and its branches and sub-divisions). It's as if they're merely stating their point without trying to make the church angry. This already seems like something that is way too soft for a Death Metal band, and miles away from being anti-christian.

Other lyrics in the album condemn the church's past actions and how many people have died in the name of "god", and continue to identify "heretics" as people who don't follow the present views of christianity but rather are excommunicated because they follow what the true and ancient documents say, or at least that's what I make of it..

Down of Ash's lyrics say:

"Split a piece of wood and I am there.
Lift a stone and you will find me." I will never
rest until I am found.

Obviously these are words which according to the bible were supposedly said by Christ.

The closer you come, temptation grows stronger.
You must find atonement for the demons. They
will come and feed on the weak. I am all around
you. I live inside you.

This verse follows the one quoted above. It tells the listener that Christ lives inside him and is all around him. It mentions demons, but more in a personal way (avoiding temptation) than mythological, and even if it is said in the traditional sense, I see it as being rather misleading, for it mentions finding atonement (religious/spiritual reconciliation) for the demons, or you'll be weak and will become their food. Well, I still see no solid anti-christianity here, and this is the closest I see this album coming to being slightly anti-christian.

Wounds of Christ is a full-on blowjob towards Jesus. I mean, come on! "Back lashings bleed as the blood odor reeks of flowers"? Fuck you.

I could keep quoting lyrics from their one and only commercial album "Down of Ash", but I won't because going further into this would be giving them too much importance (as if I haven't done so already, hah). In any case, read the lyrics yourself if you still think they're "anti-christians".

Perhaps I'm misunderestimating them; if so, you're free to explain this to me.

Otherwise… I still think these people are posing as anti-christians to deliver a positive view on (ancient) christianity. For this reason I think:

This band sucks ass.

I also believe Liturgy are yet another band that has come to be part of a certain trend; a trend which has been seen a lot in American Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore bands in the last years: graphic and violence-ridden lyrics about gore, with no compromises–and yet, Christ-hugging morals underneath it all, and even some pro-Christian lyrics and messages buried within the walls of brutality. Yet another "Jesus is cool" movement, aimed to gain followers amongst death-metallers.

These christian posers sicken me.

The only two bearable songs in the album (lyrics-wise) are the Brodequin and Disgorge(US) covers, says I.

Nikintemictisneki.

——————————————————————————————————————