Your gods Lie Destroyed (Death Metal, Progressive Thrash, Metalcore, Jazz)
“Heavy Metal ain’t what it used to be†is one of the greatest understatements of music in recent times!!! Many would say that it is at such a healthy place right now due to the popularity of extreme music. This is a time where extreme metal bands are charting in the Billboard Top Twenty more than any other time in history! The internet has also been a great place to see the development and success of some killer groups. Many would also argue that it’s pretty bad because of the “trendy†styles that are being copied by everyone such as Metalcore, Emo, Screamo, etc. Somewhere in the sea of Metal bands is Your gods Lie Destroyed.
YgLD is really a breathing contradiction! A band that is predominately black in a genre that tends to be dominated by white males. They are all different ages, ranging from 19 to 39. There is only one guitar player and the rest of the band is keyboardists and drummers (okay, we recently added a bass player that will soon be hailed as.... well, stay tuned!!). They are all part or full time employees and members of several area mega-churches; embracing a culture whose members seem to be a lot more interested in burning churches than joining them. They also all have more of a history playing and producing progressive Black Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, and Jazz in a culture that usually sees these styles as irrelevant and full of “posers.â€
After great success in these genres, the next genre to conquer is logically metal! Joel Goodwin (the founder, main songwriter, keyboardist/drummer, and vocalist) was raised in a religious household not unlike Metallica’s James Hetfield famously discusses. Disillusioned with most of the music, messages, and culture of popular Gospel music (but not with God), he found a friend in music of the underground including CCM, classical, and thrash metal in the late ‘80s; and equal doses of Jazz, Native Tongues Hip Hop, and Death Metal in the ‘90s. By the time the Millennium rolled around, he was producing Gospel and R&B songs that incorporated all of the above influences. Now the songwriting approach is turned on it’s head when it comes to writing for metal. Death, Prog, Thrash, Doom, Classical, Jazz, and Gospel all collide into a music style that hails the past and also looks forward to the future with great hope!
Speaking of hope, the message of YgLD speaks of hope in the midst of darkness. This same darkness is also addressed frequently but The Solution is also offered. The name of the band is inspired by 1 Samuel 5:1-5. The depiction of the god Dagon broken into a few pieces bowing before the Ark of the Covenant proved to be some cool subject matter that represents how futile anything other than Jesus is when it comes to life fulfillment.
Your gods Lie Destroyed is dedicated to presenting a punishing live show at all times. Also, look for an EP to be released soon just in time for festival season.
