Evanescence are christian rock band or not?

[esther18]

have you heard of evanescence?the male vocalist from here is also doing in 12 stones and they are christian rock band,so i was just wondering if evanescence are also christian band!

 

[steverock]

no they're not - there have been sooo many threads on this its unreal (well, about 2 ) !
the male vocalist from 12 Stones is only in "Bring me to life" none other songs and was only on it because they are on the same record label and someone suggested it would be a could idea.
one of the band members said this in an interview:
"We're actually high on the Christian charts, and I'm like, What the f*** are we even doing there?" - Evanescence member Ben Moody in Entertainment Weekly

so no they're not a christian band eventhough a christian message could be got from some of the songs.

 

[onikirimaru777]

they are a rock band, since when?

 

[Infernal Freak]

No they are not a Christian rock band. They came from AR, where I live, and um, there was a place in our newspaper about 5 months ago. They interviewed them. A question they asked was, "How do you feel about being played on KLRC [101.1, Christian radio station.]The guitar player said some really bad things. He said that, "they were not a ****ing Christian rock band." He also said that he did not want to be compared to that... he went on to say that if you listened to the album, half the songs on there would blow Christian radio's mind! He said, "It's not that I do not ****ing believe in God, but I just don't want to be played on Christian stations or considered a Christian band."

Well, that was just a few words that he said...I am not sure if that is exactly the way he said it...but the F word was in there 24/7! I'm like, okay, and you call yourself a Christian! [That is not something that I like to hear out of a Christian's mouth!]

But, just a little insight on Evanescence:

The lead vocalist's father is like a Christian Radio station speaker or something to that effect...and that is partially how she got her toll. He made her music very known here is Arkansas! He even got her on some of the most 'popular, secular' stations by getting her a song with Paul Coleman from 12 Stones. That is just a little bit of stuff that I know about them...and from what I've heard of their music [not Paul Coleman, he is just a singer in one of their songs] but of Evenescence...I do NOT like them. They are kind of talented...but not really. They are not using their gifts and talents for GOD's glory! That bugs me. I mean, I want to do everything I can for GOD. He is so wonderful! I just can't see how anyone could claim to be a Christian, and act like that.

Speaking of which...
Have you seen the 12 stones broken music video? [It is a very truthful song about a lot of people...] but the video is not so great. I think he could have been a little bit more modest...he did NOT have to put lesbians in there. That is completely discusting! They claim to be Christians [I don't know if they are or not...I like their music...but after that video...I WILL NEVER WATCH ANYTHING FROM THEM AGAIN!] I just thought that was gross! I would not have done that in any case if I was in a Christian Rock band...which I would like to....but I don't know. Anyway, that was not very Godly.

Well, there's my 2 cents worth!

Your Sister In Christ,
Heather

 

[xpunkskaterx]

theres no such thing as a "Christian Band"

 

[theSaved#1]

evanescence is not a christian band at all, but i think they still rock!

 

[Yamagi]

I have only heard one song by them, but my friend told me they sing about suicide all the time...

 

[Qyöt27]

The best explanation I've seen of this is on another thread that was posted in the Secular Music Charts forum.

http://www.christianforums.com/t104117

Read TerraSin's explanation. And for those that'll be confused by it: 'Xian' and 'Christian' are the same word. 'X' is often used interchangably with 'Christ'. It's just shorthand.

I have only heard one song by them, but my friend told me they sing about suicide all the time...

Those are actually metaphors and analogies, just like is very common in much of music as a whole (although, admittedly, not so common in Top 40 music, whether it's mainstream or specifically the Christian Top 40). Evanescence is a rarity on the Top 40 charts when it comes to having all those metaphors in their music, considering they are very much a mainstream band now.

Although, on a side note, Amy Lee did contribute vocals to one of Big Dismal's songs from their album Believe, which was released in May 2003, several months after Evanescence's mainstream chart debut.



Personally, I view them as a Christian secular band, just like Creed or U2 (or Celldweller or Klank, considering those two bands are focusing their marketing strategies on the mainstream). Their lyrics are very spiritual, and because of the background of the band's members, obviously the lyrics are coming from a Christian spiritual background. To give an excerpt from www.allmusic.com

"Tourniquet" is an anguished, urgent rocker driven by chugging guitars and spiraling synths, with brooding lyrics that reference Evanescence's Christian values: "Am I too lost to be saved?/Am I too lost?/My God! My tourniquet/Return to me salvation." The song is Fallen's emotional center point and defines the band's sound.

A song which ponders the questions of one's salvation or faith probably wouldn't be received well by Christians, even though many Christians deal with that struggle as a very real part of their faith. It's the same reasoning behind some of U2's songs, notably "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". Being labelled as a 'Christian' band is more or less a derogatory statement in the MTV trash world, and so most bands that are labelled that way might be accepted in, but are galvanized horribly if they happen to sing one song or do one thing that the secular world perceives as not being very Christian, which is hardly a Scriptural perception at all. Not to mention how many of the Christians that are supposed to support them that suddenly whip the rug out from under them if they make just one mistake. That kind of viciousness from both sides is a main reason why many bands don't like to be put under the category of 'Christian' and prefer to have strong spiritual themes in their music that can give the music an appealing edge to the non-Christian listener, but still uplift anyone who hears it and possibly bring nonbelievers to Christ, even if it's not outwardly preaching. I wonder how many people have wondered exactly what Evanesence's lyrics were inspired by, only to find out it was Christianity, and then proceed to try to understand the metaphors and actually become Christians themselves?

 

[Yamagi]

Those are actually metaphors and analogies, just like is very common in much of music as a whole (although, admittedly, not so common in Top 40 music, whether it's mainstream or specifically the Christian Top 40). Evanescence is a rarity on the Top 40 charts when it comes to having all those metaphors in their music, considering they are very much a mainstream band now.

Oh cool. Thanx for clearing that up. I wish more people understood figurative language. Ya, I guess that makes sense. The person that told me they sing about suicide a lot isn't really the brightest star in the sky.

 

[bkniceley]

Evanescence is a wierd band lets just say that. They have had MANY cds b4 their last one with bring me to life on it. Im thinking around 5 or 6. And throughout that whole time they were selling those cds in christian music stores... now why wouldnt they say something then? seriously.. that must have been at least 6 years and they didnt think once hmm we arent christians.. get those out of the store. I mean cmon.. or was it maybe that popularity after their new album got to their heads? I dont know.. i listened to their new cd and there is no doubt that every song on that album talks about god or some christian value in a good way. Maybe just the singer is a christian? Thats what i think and she just writes the lyrics and just went along with the band with not wanting it in christian stores. Just have to wait til the next record to see how it is then

 

[LADY DI]

No, Evanescence is not a Christian band

 

[Rabidone]

I'd say they arn't a Christian band. Certainly not as Christian as U2.

I get the impression that whomever wrote the lyrics on the Evanescence Fallen CD is a tortured soul. I get the impression that they are strugleing with a depressive personality.

At least two of the songs deal with suicide, 'Tourniquet' and 'Whisper'.

The track 'My last breath' is about death.

Several of the tracks seem to deal with depression and the futility of life and the loss felt in it.


Having said all that I think this is the best CD/album I've ever heard. And that's after 30 years of enthusiastic listening to every kind of music. The songs are haunting and have real feeling in them. Many of the songs have a double catch in them, the second of which is only heard once, leaving you always wanting to hear the track again.

Evanescence may not be a Christian band, but the Fallen CD has a strong spiritual input and content to it, and reminds me of my mortality and of God.

 

[pthalomarie]

No they are not a Christian rock band. They came from AR, where I live, and um, there was a place in our newspaper about 5 months ago. They interviewed them. A question they asked was, "How do you feel about being played on KLRC [101.1, Christian radio station.]The guitar player said some really bad things. He said that, "they were not a ****ing Christian rock band." He also said that he did not want to be compared to that... he went on to say that if you listened to the album, half the songs on there would blow Christian radio's mind! He said, "It's not that I do not ****ing believe in God, but I just don't want to be played on Christian stations or considered a Christian band."

Well, that was just a few words that he said...I am not sure if that is exactly the way he said it...but the F word was in there 24/7! I'm like, okay, and you call yourself a Christian! [That is not something that I like to hear out of a Christian's mouth!]

Certainly one can be foolish/immature and still be a believer. Churches are full of people who struggle with profanity and rationalize it.

However, something in you post doesn't add up. What newspaper prints profanity?

I think the answer is within what Qyöt27 posted, and what they said in your cited interview. There's a big difference between being a Christian who plays in a rock band and being in a Christian band. One carries with it certain negative stereotypes and ghettoizes your audience; the other label does not.

 

[Sleepy Jean]

They're not a christian band. they have one spiritual song (turiquet) on their album and every body goes crazy. whatever.

 

[Ponder]

eveanesence song do sometime realate to christanity if you reaaly open up those hardened ears and list

 

[Rich48]

They are not Christian, and do not want to be called such.

Rich

 

[~SHINE~]

^^ That's what decides it for me... if you can find some Christian content in their songs, but they deny being Christian when they're asked about it, I don't see why they'd still be considered a Christian band. I can understand how some Christian bands don't talk about God in every song, that's fine, they play on secular stations, that's fine, but if someone asks a truly Christian band about God, they should be willing to answer.

 

[Qyöt27]

^^ That's what decides it for me... if you can find some Christian content in their songs, but they deny being Christian when they're asked about it, I don't see why they'd still be considered a Christian band. I can understand how some Christian bands don't talk about God in every song, that's fine, they play on secular stations, that's fine, but if someone asks a truly Christian band about God, they should be willing to answer.

They didn't deny being Christian, they denied being a Christian band. That's a big difference. The spirituality in Evanescence's lyrics is from a Christian perspective, but they don't want to get pigeonholed into a section of music that severely limits your audience and your expression. There are certain subjects that 'Christian' bands aren't supposed to talk about or merely skirt around the issue instead of addressing it head-on, like many 'secular' artists do. This, of course, comes from pressure from the secular media and, often times, of certain extremely legalistic Christian camps, and both are more than willing to point fingers at bands when they say one thing that could easily be taken out of context and start saying 'Well, you're a Christian band but you just did such-and-such...', and the only thing the band can try to do is stress is that they weren't making religion the focal point of their music - in other words, denying they're a Christian band. They can still be Christians in a band, though, and most listeners to the Top 40 and the mainstream music media could care less about the actions of the band members when they take that stance, because their religion in no longer under scrutiny. Not every person is suited for evangelical work or giving personal testimony, so it's not surprising the subject of religion doesn't come up at all unless someone is calling them a Christian band, which they aren't. They're simply Christians in a band, or a band whose pivotal members are Christian.

And on a side note, Origin, their album before Fallen, was a Christian album with no denial of that fact, and most of the songs that appear on Origin are also on Fallen, just with a little glossier production. The circumstance is simply that Fallen was supposed to be a purely 'secular' release, the record company screwed up, the band makes the comment that the CD wasn't supposed to be on the Christian charts because it wasn't meant to be there, and suddenly their personal status as Christians is called into question.

 

[Rich48]

They didn't deny being Christian, they denied being a Christian band. That's a big difference.

Correct, and I should have made that more clear in my first post. Sorry for any misunderstanding-they do not deny being Chirstian, but do not want to be called a Christian band. The line is thin perhaps, but there is a difference.

Rich