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Excellence | Posted May 14, 2012
Theocracy's past two efforts (Theocracy and Mirror of Souls, in 2003 and 2008 respectively) have left us with some of the best lyrical theology in the entire industry, and some of the most unique music in the Christian scene. While progressive/power metal is fairly common in secular European circles, it is more severely limited in American, and especially Christian, scenes. Unlike other Christian metal bands, Theocracy isn't simply a rip-off of a popular secular band. While their influences can be determined, and their sound compared to Edguy, Avantasia, Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian, etc., they cannot be called a copy of any single band. They breathe life into an often cheesy genre.
The most notable improvement of 2008's Mirror of Souls comes in the form of Val Allen Wood, their new Lead Guitarist. He is much more comfortable shredding than Matt and Jon (who, although great guitarists, didn't really solo much on Mirror of SOuls). Every single song has at least one guitar solo - but it never feels excessive. They aren't Dream Theater - soloing for the sake of it. Each solo fits pefectly within the song, and feels natural. It is also a much darker record than Mirror of Souls. While the latter had an overarching theme of redemption, this record focuses on the depravity of man - especially in the title track, which announces "So we blame You, 'cause our world's not come out right while the devil's masquerading as an angel of the light. Just imagine all the pride and all the nerve to ask where You've been when we're the one's we served."
I AM kicks off the record with a symphonic flourish, going back and forth between mellow verses and frantic choruses in the first section. The bridge, which features impressive counterpoint vocals before an aweinspiring section. I won't ruin too much, simply because I couldn't do it justice with text only. You must hear it. The song closes out with a melodic section with beautiful lyrics. The Master Storyteller wastes no time coming out with guitars blazing. It has a certain Sonata Arctica feel to it, with lightning fast guitar hooks, yet almost punk-like chords punctuating the verses. The lyrics are about seeing God's hand in everything, and His existance being obvious, if you know where to look.
Nailed is a thrash metal song about the Protestant Reformation, and the need to speak out against corruption in the Church. Contrary to some beliefs, it is not attacking Catholics - it is attcking certain practices that the Church USED to have, such as selling indulgences, and speaking out against justification by works. Hide in the Fairytale has a definite Iron Maiden vibe to it, galloping rhythm guitar and all. The lyrics speak of original sin, with lyrics like "If mankind doesn't have a sinful drive, then tell me why he'd reck his life to get some on the side" and "Humankind in innocence, a lie so thinly vield. Man born without soulsickness, this is the fairtale."
The Gift of Music begins as a slower ballad, but soon progresses into symphonic metal, and finally thrash metal. The lyrics speak of the beauty of music and its correspondance with creation. They also seem to be autobiographical, especially in the second verse. The first single, 30 Pieces of Silver, is a heavy song about forsaking God for praise, fame, or wealth, with lyrics like "When all the world is asking you to sell your soul and to deny the cross for silver and for gold, [is] the kiss of Judas or the bended knee - vainglory or humility - the ultimate goal?". Drown is a more melodic song about keeping the faith through hard times.
Altar to the Unknown God was an instant fan favorite, with it's heavy guitars, interesting riffs, and catchy chorus. The song is about Paul's speech to the Athenians, found in The Book of the Acts of the Apostles. Light of the World is a challenge - are we the light of the world? Are we carrying the torch? Are we representing Christ, or are we becoming increasingly secular. Do we "stand like a wall and resist the temptation to sell ourselves out for hollow acclimation....or are we failing to answer the call?" Musically, the song is poppier than the rest of the CD, but still definitely identifiable as Theocracy.
The title track begins with a piano and Matt softly singing, wondering why we blame God for things that are our fault. Then the song gets heavier and much faster, with the lyrics pointing out that we were explicitely warned about the consequences of sin, but we thought we knew better. In interviews, Matt said that the song serves as an answer to the question "If God is good, why does he allow bad things to happen?" And the ending of the song is beautifully humble - Matt, in a chorus, cries out to God:
"Please forgive us, for we've only made it worse
Even after You had warned us sin would only bring a curse
Guess we knew better, 'cause we went a different way
Now we're only sleeping in the bed we've made
All the glory and the power left this place
When we turned our backs upon You and chose to live in our disgrace
But You warned us, and You let us have our way
Now we're only drowning in the mess we've made"
All in all, this is one of the strongest Christian records I've ever heard, both lyrically and musically. Pick it up as soon as humanly possible, if you're a fan of hard rock or metal. There's no screaming, and Matt is one of the best vocalists of all time - his range is just short of unbelievable. Val Allen Wood and Jon Hinds are fantastic guitarists and compliment each other wonderfully. The rhythm section, coutesy of Jared Oldham on Bass and Shawn Benson on Drums is incredibly heavy, adding depth to the music. The orchestration is beautiful and moving.
The only reason I don't rate this a 5/5 is that, unlike other reviewers, I reserve such ratings for literally perfect records - and so far, there is no such thing. This is an objective review - the score isn't based on other albums.
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