Interview:

When directed with a question on the spiritual significance of music, I have to take myself out of genres, and the “flavors” of the day, to seek a deeper introspection. I will also aim to touch on “Christian Hardcore” to link my response together with our music in A Thousand Times Repent. The word “spiritual” can be defined as “of the spirit or soul; in a moral or religious aspect; refined in thought or feeling; and supernatural.” We can go to the root word “Spirit”, that is defined or derived from the Latin word “spiritus” meaning breath. To me this opens numerous doors. I believe we were created by the breathe of God. We are imbued with his essence. We as musicians, artists, or creators in our own God given right, exhale our experiences, our emotions, our thoughts, and our fears. We are spiritual beings aurally orchestrating our refined, concentrated supernatural selves living in a human world. We broadcast the sounds through our respective instruments and unleash the end result on the world. In my heart I believe that we were placed in our current state with a preconceived higher directive. Everyone, not only artists, are included amongst the “chosen”. Upon this world we are to share our emotions, our fears, our thoughts, for the spiritual growth of the whole human race. This is our mission or cause in most respects. Our voices resonate throughout the cosmos calling, affecting, and effecting all that will listen. To some we “Christian Hardcore” musicians are thought of as noise-makers and cultivators of blasphemers. Some of our own kind protest that we distort, or in some diversion of opinion, repel love. The importance of “Christian Hardcore” is that of warfare. Short and simple: we are at war everyday. We are assaulted by the works of evil-doers. We are made to think and feel we are incorrect in listening to our spirit. The spirit that calls us to stand for our Creator; broadcast, amplify love, and dissipate the hatred we see. Deeply rooted in all of us, is the Creator crying out to love us. Some choose to listen while others by freewill choose not to listen.

“We broadcast the sounds through our respective instruments and unleash the end result on the world.”
– Shannon Hill, drummer in A Thousand Times Repent