Before God - Biography
Biography
Before God is a side project by the members of the band "Bound for Glory". Although the members and the band are American, there music focuses on there family heritage which revolves around Pagan beliefs and music. A brief description about the band taken from there official myspace:
Near the conclusion of the eighth century, when men of the north took to the seas to rain fire upon the excesses of the expanding Christian empire, monks along the coast were known to pray, "From the fury of the northmen, O Lord, deliver us!" Now, more than 1,200 years later, a new wave of northmen has taken aim at the bloated carcass of Western civilization, and though their weapon of choice is an axe with six strings, their fury is every bit as intense as that of the warriors that terrorized the sprawling corruption of the Judeo-Christian system more than a millennia ago.
Indeed, Under the Blood Banner the sophomore effort from Minnesota's Before God invokes the intense fury and hatred of both their sea-faring, spiritual brethren and the acts first album, Wolves Amongst the Sheep. And, to be sure, such hatred is a necessary element in the dichotomous struggle against the powers-that-be, whether these powers are issuing bloodthirsty credos from jeweled thrones in Vatican City or lobbing bombs and cruise missiles into Kosovo from across the ocean.
Where Under the Blood Banner truly shines, however, is in its ability to pair this unrelenting desire to tear down todays evil empire with the spirit and essence of the mighty culture that the spread of modern civilization destroyed the same spirit, of course, that will also rise from the smoldering ashes of todays civilization as well. In other words, woven throughout the ferocious twin-guitar assault of Under the Blood Banner are themes that capture the spiritual nature of tribal life in pre-Christian Europe, as well as musical concepts based on the ideas of the great masters such as Beethoven and Wagner, whose work thundered across the continent before Europe succumbed to the leeches of political correctness.
It is this classical influence, in fact, that frames Under the Blood Banner and separates the album from the tired heap of thrash- and death-metal records focused almost exclusively on the fetid underbelly of modern civilization. Indeed, the five men responsible for Under the Blood Banner have no fascination with the Occult, grave-robbing, or ritual murder; instead, Before God employs classically-structured melodies to thoroughly eviscerate the issues that truly matter as well as pay tribute to those that have died fighting the good fight.
Though classically inspired, Under the Blood Banner is thoroughly modern, and fans of the extreme metal acts will not be disappointed. Jaw-dropping tempo changes, soaring leads, and growling vocals are all found in ample abundance on the album, blended perfectly with clean, harmonized choruses and classical elements such as the piano to create a completely original and inspiring sound. Discerning listeners will also note the bands careful attention to detail, with string bends bringing insanely fast guitar riffs to a close and precision drum work featuring innovative fills and pummeling up-tempo runs, all designed to ensure that every second of the record is utilized to brutal perfection.
More than anything, the 10 songs that comprise Under the Blood Banner are anthems to all those who are alienated and disenfranchised by the creeping sickness that pervades every aspect of modern life, from the McDonalds restaurants that scar the landscapes of virtually every corner of civilization to the dirty backroom machinations that rule the political world--a means of summoning the ancient spirit that rests dormant across the blood-soaked fields of Europe and awakening the slumbering giant that sleeps inside all of us who know the truth. Under the Blood Banner is five northmen's sounding of the horn of the apocalypse--now.
(source: http://www.myspace.com/beforegodmetal )
Near the conclusion of the eighth century, when men of the north took to the seas to rain fire upon the excesses of the expanding Christian empire, monks along the coast were known to pray, "From the fury of the northmen, O Lord, deliver us!" Now, more than 1,200 years later, a new wave of northmen has taken aim at the bloated carcass of Western civilization, and though their weapon of choice is an axe with six strings, their fury is every bit as intense as that of the warriors that terrorized the sprawling corruption of the Judeo-Christian system more than a millennia ago.
Indeed, Under the Blood Banner the sophomore effort from Minnesota's Before God invokes the intense fury and hatred of both their sea-faring, spiritual brethren and the acts first album, Wolves Amongst the Sheep. And, to be sure, such hatred is a necessary element in the dichotomous struggle against the powers-that-be, whether these powers are issuing bloodthirsty credos from jeweled thrones in Vatican City or lobbing bombs and cruise missiles into Kosovo from across the ocean.
Where Under the Blood Banner truly shines, however, is in its ability to pair this unrelenting desire to tear down todays evil empire with the spirit and essence of the mighty culture that the spread of modern civilization destroyed the same spirit, of course, that will also rise from the smoldering ashes of todays civilization as well. In other words, woven throughout the ferocious twin-guitar assault of Under the Blood Banner are themes that capture the spiritual nature of tribal life in pre-Christian Europe, as well as musical concepts based on the ideas of the great masters such as Beethoven and Wagner, whose work thundered across the continent before Europe succumbed to the leeches of political correctness.
It is this classical influence, in fact, that frames Under the Blood Banner and separates the album from the tired heap of thrash- and death-metal records focused almost exclusively on the fetid underbelly of modern civilization. Indeed, the five men responsible for Under the Blood Banner have no fascination with the Occult, grave-robbing, or ritual murder; instead, Before God employs classically-structured melodies to thoroughly eviscerate the issues that truly matter as well as pay tribute to those that have died fighting the good fight.
Though classically inspired, Under the Blood Banner is thoroughly modern, and fans of the extreme metal acts will not be disappointed. Jaw-dropping tempo changes, soaring leads, and growling vocals are all found in ample abundance on the album, blended perfectly with clean, harmonized choruses and classical elements such as the piano to create a completely original and inspiring sound. Discerning listeners will also note the bands careful attention to detail, with string bends bringing insanely fast guitar riffs to a close and precision drum work featuring innovative fills and pummeling up-tempo runs, all designed to ensure that every second of the record is utilized to brutal perfection.
More than anything, the 10 songs that comprise Under the Blood Banner are anthems to all those who are alienated and disenfranchised by the creeping sickness that pervades every aspect of modern life, from the McDonalds restaurants that scar the landscapes of virtually every corner of civilization to the dirty backroom machinations that rule the political world--a means of summoning the ancient spirit that rests dormant across the blood-soaked fields of Europe and awakening the slumbering giant that sleeps inside all of us who know the truth. Under the Blood Banner is five northmen's sounding of the horn of the apocalypse--now.
(source: http://www.myspace.com/beforegodmetal )