Thursday, September 8

HB - The Battle Of God


HB
The Battle of God
2011
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It was quite a surprise to get this album in the mail. It came with the message:”Hopefully the Christian content doesn’t bother you, judge it on quality!” So, that’s exactly what I did, because I have to admit that I do not like it when Christian metal bands only sing about God and religion. But you have to give every new album a fair chance. And from the first note here I’m in love with the music.

HB is a Finnish metal band, and this is their 10th album. Finland always gives us some great metal, and happily HB is no exception. “The Battle of God” starts with the song “Time of Silence”. Pounding drums, worthy of some head banging, is the order of this album, guided by a deep and full distorted guitar. I was afraid, because this is a female fronted metal band, that we would get into some opera or at least classical trained vocals. Luckily, this doesn't happen for HB. The vocals are pop/rock-ish, low registered, and just lovely. 

I have to admit that the music is very well made. The ballad “Hallelujah” is superb in his use with classical instruments combined with rock elements. I love that song even though it’s clearly a song intended for God, and that's really the only problem I have with this album at all. I don't mind Christian music so long as it isn't forced upon me. Okay fair enough, I shouldn’t listen to this album if I don’t want that. But hell if I'd let some metal like this go to waste just because of the lyrics. 

The vocals are a bit raw and low, and I like it when a female fronted metal band does this. There are enough classical instruments in it to make up for the lack of classical singing (which I don’t mind) and along with the band's aggressive metal. I couldn’t ask for more. I always say something about the production, so let’s do that again. The sound of “The Battle of God” is incredibly good. Everything is in balanced and every instrument gets his own part to shine on this album. 

So if you’re Christian and you like metal, this certainly is something for you. If even an atheist like me can be convinced that this is good music, you may well think it is the best thing you’ve ever heard.

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Kelvin’s rating 3.5/5

4 comments:

The Protagonist said...

See now, I'm Catholic myself and I actually don't care for this overabundantly. Sure it fits in mostly with how I believe, but I don't care for such overt worship, etc. most of the time.

"But Dan, you love Theocracy!"

I know, but it's different there. It's more real life application and the story of a single man.

Anyways, good review!

Kelvin said...

I think it depends on your faith if you like the overabundantly christian thingies or not.
I actually never like it, but this album is just... Well I don't know I just love it. As long as I ignore the lyrics.

Anonymous said...

The thing that always get me that people get so worked up when a metal band is christian, but not when they're satanic. They both make music about what they believe in, yet somehow it's an issue when they're singing about God and not the devil. Metalheads do have double standards :)

The Protagonist said...

I've known a number of metalheads that think that anything that's vaguely Christian is not metal at all. There's definitely a stigma around it.

Metalheads definitely do have double standards. While many bands will degrade and profane Christianity, they're simultaneously doing what Christianity may have once done to their ancestors, and are no better. Most Christian metal, while preachy, isn't hateful (though there are sad exceptions), it tends to come off as presumptuous. Sometimes that's the intent, sometimes not. It depends on how authentic they are.

Most people don't put enough thought into belief period these days, IMHO.