{"id":15802,"date":"2025-09-22T23:23:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T03:23:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/?p=15802"},"modified":"2025-10-16T18:54:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T22:54:09","slug":"feature-songs-of-remembrance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/22\/feature-songs-of-remembrance\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature: Songs of Remembrance (Part One)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019ve never been a lyric guy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that I have your attention please understand I realize lyrics are important otherwise we just have instrumental music, right? Honestly for the most part of my life I\u2019ve only cared about the riff, the barrage of power chords, the vocal melody that leads to the hook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alas without a vocal melody (that\u2019s where those pesky lyrics come in) many songs would be lost. No payoff, no anthem no HOOK to get you to listen again and again.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that being said, this article is about those WORDS that are put to music. More importantly, how those words impacted me in some of the darkest times of my life. I can honestly say that the Holy Spirit used these specific tracks in times of doubt, in times of desert wandering, in times of loss, in times of divorce (which might as well say death, because the destruction of a relationship is a death in its own right.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And honestly I hope you don\u2019t mind that I\u2019m gonna bare my soul at this point in this article.  Without some life context the songs themselves are just bits of musical fluff, whimsical thoughts attached to endearing melodies that may or may not have importance. Truly only in the eye of the beholder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joshua 4:6-7<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, \u2018What do these stones mean to you?\u2019  then you shall say to them, \u2018Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.\u2019 So these stones shall become a memorial<\/strong> to the sons of Israel forever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: https:\/\/bible.knowing-jesus.com\/Joshua\/4\/7<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the same way there are songs that through the decades have become my \u201cstones\u201d or \u201crocks\u201d of remembrance. However when I first discovered the deep meaning for me in these songs, I wasn\u2019t expecting it. I really wasn\u2019t, again I\u2019ve really never been a \u2018lyrics guy\u2019\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can\u2019t say that so much anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me introduce you to 12 songs that impacted me and drew me closer to the Lord, or at least reminded me in a personal way that the Lord was still with me. Even if I really thought I\u2019d been left on the heap of discarded refuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the way, these aren\u2019t in any particular order. There isn\u2019t one song more important than another. With that thought let me also include here that there are a few songs THAT ARE NOT METAL.  Heck one of them doesn\u2019t fit in the rock genre at all, with that being said don\u2019t get your panties in a wad there is plenty of crushing metal encouragement to go around.  We’ve attempted to attach links to the songs themselves on YouTube so perhaps you can hear what I hear or heard…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blessings <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Track #1<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Theocracy<\/strong> – Stir the Embers<\/strong> from 2016\u2019s \u201cGhost Ship\u201d.   <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A hardened heart from the daily grind dealing with the turmoil of the day to day. Trying to deal with my place within the Kingdom (whatever that may be or where ever I am.) Wrapped within a power metal track with some proggy metal trappings this song hit like a light through the darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It caused me to re-evaluate what I was doing for the Kingdom. Was my bitterness from some event\u2019s 15 years prior still hindering me (more about that later), perhaps. After being asked to be an elder and go through a process to become one.  Then being turned down. 2016-2017 was tough on my spirit in regards to church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This prayer was truth,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA broken spirit of the ways of man<\/strong>
<\/strong>Forever paved with sorrow (Sorrow, sorrow<\/strong>)
A new awakening, arise today
No waiting for tomorrow
Tomorrow
Tomorrow<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Falling down below
Walk with me, I’ll never be the same again I know
Bring down fire from the sky
Take the ash of sin
And turn our hearts from slumber back again<\/strong>
<\/strong>Again<\/strong>
<\/strong>We cry<\/strong>
<\/strong>Come and stir the embers\u201d<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA bruised reed he will not break, a smoking flax he will not extinguish\u2026\u2019 Matthew 12:20 quoting Isaiah 42:3. This verse will be repeated again and again in my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will tell you now a lot of these events are going to sound repetitious. As I worked on this list and what these songs directed me to spiritually I wondered \u201cHave I grown spiritually? Like at all?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps you feel like that. IF you do and maybe if you don\u2019t welcome to the club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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