I listen to a lot of music. Here's a short list of what I typically listen to:
* Adele
* Melissa Etheridge
* Tamarack
* The Piano Guys
* Lindsey Stirling (haha, you thought it was gonna be alphabetical)
* Various Dubstep
Kind of a wide range, right? I think it runs in the family. I started listening to Tina Cousins after my DAD started listening to that CD. I shouldn't think of it as weird, but I found it funny that my 40-year-old dad listens to teenage pop. There's also my mom, who frequently listens to classical radio (as in, both classic orchestra/piano and classic rock) and, on occasion, Guns 'n Roses. She says it's energetic and gets her inspired to move around and get stuff done.
There is one heavy metal band that I listen to frequently, and that's Blind Guardian. Listening to it has similar affects on me as it does on mom; it makes me get up, get moving, rock out a little if no one is around, and definitely is inspiring. But I think it's for different reasons.
A couple of decades ago, there was the stereotype that heavy metal bands screamed about satanism and/or sexy chicks (I don't know if this stereotype is still around, though). Blind Guardian may have a little bit of satanism (I've heard them say "father of lies" a few times) but it's in a totally different context. This kind of satanism is about fantasy worlds where demon beings rise up, mired in evil, and the land is in peril, and it's time for a hero to rise up as well and defeat that demon.
Here's the lyrics to their song "Wheel of Time:" (look it up on Youtube, it's awesome)
I strongly recommend hearing the music along with the lyrics:
(also I keep talking at the end, if you can't be bothered with the music skip down to the part that says "whew")
"Now there is no end
The wheel will turn, my friend
I'm in flames cause I have touched the light, it pulls me so
We shall be one forevermore
That's all I want, it's all I need
Everything is fixed
There's no chance, there's no choice
It's calling me
'Saidin'
So precious and sweet
My mind keeps fading away
It's scratching deeper
My sole reliever
How can I find you now?
Passing through the flames, I see how terror will rise
It soon will be over
Oh, father of lies
Like foul winds at twilight
It's coming over me
What was and what will be?
What is? I don't know
Driving me insane
Just feel the heat
Madness creeps in
I'll tear it down
chorus:
There's no end
Wheel of time
It keeps on spinning
There's no beginning
Turn the wheel of time
There's no beginning
Just keep on spinning
Light - it binds me
Light - it blinds me
Light - it finds me
Light denies me now
I creep along, so desperate and tired
Let me ask you,
Why?
I am what I am
Prophecies I am the chosen
'Taveren'
The flame will grow
Feel the heat
I'll keep on breathing
After all there's no tomorrow
Wheel of time
Save my soul, find a way
And if I fail, will it all be over?
Oh, wheel of time
The vision so fleeting and vague
Once again I will bring down the mountain
One last glimpse
It is constantly slipping away
[instrumental part of awesomeness]
The young man said
'I will never give up'
The inner war
I can hold against it
My mind, my mind,
My mind's in darkness
The young man says
'I will never give in'
The prophecy, behold it's true
I conquer the flame to release the insane
I'm crying
I cannot erase
I'm the dragon reborn
And in madness, I soon shall prevail
Twice I'll be marked and
Twice I shall live
The heron sets my path and name me true
Twice I'll be marked and
Twice I shall die
My memory's gone, but twice I pay the price
Wheel of time
Save my soul, find a way
May it be as the pattern has chosen
Oh, wheel of time
Turn the wheel of time
It keeps on spinning,
There's no beginning
There's no end, wheel of time
There's no beginning
Just keep on spinning
Shine on!
Embrace and deny me!
Turn on, wheel of time
Shine on, you've burnt me, now guide me,
Weave on, wheel of time!"
[instrumental awesomeness, ending epic flourish]
Whew. I only meant to write a few verses, but I got caught up in the song. And I'm writing these lyrics down from memory, I've listened to it so many times.
The reason I love Blind Guardian, and why I'd choose it over Guns 'n Roses, is because they don't sing about how great/right/bluh satanism is or about sexy chicks. They sing about epic tales, fantasy stories, legends from another world. The meaning or the story of the lyrics are often hard to unravel, and I enjoy the challenge. I also love how there seems to be an outer story told throughout the albums, by piecing together the meanings of each individual song, something that people rarely bother to do anymore, seeing how many people buy singles.
Anyway. I'm gonna go play Minecraft and listen to "Imaginations from the Other Side." Something else you should look up. Bye.
