I love me some HARDCORE music. I have been into Hardcore for the last 17 years. I remember my first Hardcore album. It was Bad Brains “Rock For Light.” It changed my life. I was into the standard fair of Minor Threat, & Black Flag the holy trinity of Hardcore. Then I discovered 7 Seconds, Jerry’s Kids, & Sick of it All. I got really into the Straight Edge scene. Although I was never really “sXe”…I smoked cigarettes on the DL.
Judge, Slapshot,Youth of Today, Judge, Bold, & Gorilla Biscuits. Earth Crisis, Strife, Excessive Force, 1134, Chain of Strength. I loved me some Hardcore! I would go to shows and “dance.” I still listen to Hardcore when I work out. I love Hardcore. Hardcore has formed, destroyed, and reformed my understanding of the world around me. Thus, it has had a lasting affect upon my understanding of the Divine. When I was in seminary I began a project about Hardcore music and the folks that live in it, by it, and with it. The folks of Hardcore music express a theology within their music and I am working on a guide to that theology.
I have been working on this project I have called, “The Theology of Hardcore.” I ran across this. It is a great example of what is out there in the way of evangelical, hardcore christian music. I have not come across much progressive christian voice in the hardcore scene.
Give this one a listen and read the words. Share with me what you think the theology may be that inspired the message offered in this song.
Being RKP 
Interesting mix of prophetic messages, call to a reformed life, resistance to the dominant culture, but wrapped up in a very disturbing style and way to express these ideas through this music genre.
I guess my overall reaction is this is disturbing as it is combined here. Counter cultural but embedded in a specific cultural context.
While I enjoy the hardcore sound, I’m not sure how effectively it conveys the Gospel message in the absence of translation/subtitles. It’s a bit like one of my personal hardcore faves, which you can check out here at a live concert in Philly:
It’s…intense. As content, it has…intensity.
That’s not to say it has no place in the Christian’s musical vocabulary.
Where the hardcore sound works theologically is in articulating defiance against injustice and a expressing a deep awareness of the brokenness of our culture. These are good things.
listen to advent. their lyrics are pretty outspoken:
I don’t know if I’d ever consider Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Black Flag, 7 Seconds, Jerry’s Kids, or Sick of it All to be hardcore. Advent, yeah. But the others? I dont know about that.