Effects on your consciousness by the type of music you listen to

[Asmo]

This is only a half-serious post, I just wanted to see if other people have pondered the same theme and to hear their opinions. In almost all ways I consider myself a loving and peaceful individual. I want the best for everyone else, I always try to help people when I can just for the joy of helping, I detest all kinds of violence and aggressiveness etc. I have meditated on these feelings and intentions a lot and have found them to be genuine.

Yet my musical tastes seem to reflect the complete opposite of these feelings. Even though I listen to a lot of genres, the only thing that constantly resonates with me as "my own genre" and which I never tire of is pure and evil black metal  It's almost beyond my own comprehension how much I love it. The more evil and chaotic the atmosphere is, the more depressing and haunting the riffs are, the more misantrophic and aggressive the lyrics are, the better. I even love how demented and dangerous well made corpse paints can make the band members seem, and the genuinely dangerous atmosphere on some of these band's concerts. A song is perfected when in addition to these elements it has some absolutely creepy, disturbing and unexpected elements.

The reason why I started this topic is that a lot of spiritually inclined people I know seem to think that this kind of music actually has an effect on my consciousness or my soul, and that If I want to keep growing and steer clear of negative energies I should avoid this kind of music. At first glance this seems like a ridiculous idea, but I have to admit that when listening to the kind of music I described above, it actually makes me feel depression, aggression, melancholia, and even madness to some point. But since all of these feelings clearly arise from the music, I can observe them as curiosities, and enjoy them like I would enjoy more happy and positive feelings. And after the music has ended, they are gone.

I would be really interested to hear if any of you have an opinion about this, or have friends with the same kind of beliefs. Even though I'm not taking these claims completely seriously, I admit this topic seems to pop in to my mind at regular intervals.

(Funny and related side note: When I spell checked this post, the only suggestion given to me was to change "half-serious" to "hellfire's"  )

[Astralzombie]

There's no doubt that music has the ability to change our moods while listening to it. It may even be more incredible than just that.

I see your taste for "darker" music no differently than the soccer mom who loves to read Stephen King or loves a scary ghost story.

No big deal to me, though I wouldn't let you near my kids.

I had a wanna-be-goth gf in school and she got me hooked on all music Danzig for a while. I still enjoy many of his songs though I only occasionally want to hear them.

Stay balanced and don't worry.

[Fwewyu Tìomumä]

I totally agree with  Astralzombie. There is definitely a link between the conscious mind and music. Take binaural beats, for instance.

There was a time in my life a few years ago that was very tough. The only thing that made me forget the pain was music, and I listened to Disturbed's albums many times over. I had listened to each song on 5 of their albums at least 100 times (according to iTunes), and some more than that. It made me temporarily take my mind off the stuff happening in my life because I like to sing, and I would sing along with every song, but my parents noticed that my mood was changing. I had to give that kind of music a break because it was affecting me spiritually and physically. In fact I deleted it from iTunes and didn't listen to it for several years.

Now, I'm actually doing quite well, and I enjoy listening to Disturbed's stuff every once in a while, but I don't overdo it. Like zombie said...Everything in moderation.

[Asmo]

Yes, everything in moderation. I listen to a lot of stuff, and during the rare times when I'm feeling down, I listen to completely different and more uplifting stuff. Somehow it seems that my tastes in music is trying to compensate for my current mood. When I'm clear minded, "high spirited" and overall happy, the need for black metal comes pouring in, and I can enjoy it's intricacies as well as the emotions it summons from an outer perspective.

This is in no way meant to undermine your taste in music, but since the first examples in the replies were Danzig and Disturbed, I feel it necessary to provide some examples of the themes I described in my original post 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m8BkcIzG7M (The beginning is a good example of the atmosphere in some concerts, as well as the singer looking and sometimes sounding completely demented and possessed)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3c9a-xeiok (Chaos, hopelessness, anger)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mrY9u3KUUY (Evil riffs, overall disturbing atmosphere and a lot of creepy and unexpected moments)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZug9y81Axk (Hauntingly beautiful, melancholic, final and epic. If you can concentrate all the way to the end, this song has the proven potential to leave even the non-metalheads sitting in total awe)

[Astralzombie]

Still, I see no difference in them compared to older bands like Cannibal Corpse or Deicide.

Their evilness is so over the top that it becomes cartoonish.

The guttural singing is what made me never get into this stuff back when there was a small window of opportunity.

Do you just want someone to say that this music is evil and you should never listen to it again?

The double bass also makes me a little nauseous. I never wanted to say this in my life but I really can't understand what they are saying anyways. They could be singing about bottle feeding baby puppies and I wouldn't know the difference.

[Asmo]

Do you just someone to say that this music is evil and you should never listen to it again?

Of course not I just wanted to know If other people have been thinking about the same thing. The examples I provided just for fun and maybe in the hopes of finding someone in this forum who shares my taste in music.

EDIT: Your dislike for the guttural singing and double bass is completely understandable. Each genre is a world of it's own and requires time and dedication to learn to appreciate it and all the smaller parts of it. When I first heard black metal back in my early youth, my opinion of it was quite similiar to yours.

[Volgerle]

Look at it as some form of catharsis. A trigger or valve that needs to be operated to let steam off once in a while. We all have our "dark" sides to cope with, maybe this is yours,  it could even be a cleansing effect.

There is a decisive difference for you and it makes you differ from a "die-hard" black metal (satanist etc.) fan: you are still aware of the difference it makes. You are not "in it". You can look at it from outside of the box. Thus I would not worry if I were you. It is like with emotions too: when we have negative ones it is important not to entirely "become one" with it but remain an observer at some (higher) level or degree. Same with you. As a consumer you are also observer, which this thread shows as you noted the discrepancy to your 'other' attitude in life.

It is also a matter of interpretation and personal taste. Aesthetics are all subjective despite the fact that some (or many) claim the opposite and regard their taste and preferences as 'superior'.

This makes me think of another example: Dr Masuro Emotos water experiments where the interpretation (of him) was that e.g. Classical music makes water form harmonious patterns while Metal does create confusion. I however favour another interpretation offered: It is the observers thoughts and their connections to the music (their taste) they make. Dr Emoto disliked Metal and thus the water structures were ugly and not coherent. If you as a Metal fan would connect the water to your Black Metal music it would probably form harmonious beautiful structures again - all due to your personal aesthetic feel and taste.

[Volgerle]

As a former rock musican (drummer) I was also "heavy" into music but I love and loved lots of other styles too. I mostly listened to progressive metal during my musician days, nowadays I listen to less or no metal at all but I do not connect it to any spiritual development at all.

However, still today two of my absolute favourite bands are some kind of metal (although not so extreme as Black Metal):

Tool and Rammstein.  

I love them to bits. Both are spiritual in their own way for me. No jokes.

While Tool is obviously into the magick and esp. "occult" stuff, Rammstein are more dealing in a parodistic and very ironic way with "lower astral human matters"   .

Btw, we had an interesting thread on Tool on the Astraldynmaics forum, if you're interested:

http://www.astraldynamics.com.au/showthread.php?12415-Meditating-to-TOOL

One song is talked about specifically there: "You were the light and the way they'll only read about." is a line from one of their best songs which gives me shivers and goosebumps all over every time again!

[Volgerle]

Rammstein deserve some more comments. I am German and so I can also understand and enjoy the lyrics. The singer is also a lyricist who writes also dark poetry books. I believe they are by some (politically correct people) heavily misunderstood, maybe it's even one of the most understood bands on the planet.

Yes, they only cover almost 'dark' and lower astal topics. But many people (some even despite they are fluent in German) don't get the gist of their parody. They hold up a satirical mirror to society, better than any other band in my view.

If you don't get their bizarre humour by their lyrics (which is not difficult, imv) one can still see it in most of their videos, or if not there it's in their live performance. In some it is more obvious, in others more hidden. Thus, as some metal bands who take themselves seriously are (as said above) an involuntary parody, Rammstein is an obvious and intended one.

Rammstein imv also have the best video clips nowadays from a purely artictic purpose, such as e.g. Sonne (Sun), but there's so many more. I recommend checking them out.

Sonne:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyb5I295SC0

The best example of the parody might be "Mein Teil" (My part = penis), a song on the true story about the Cannibal of Rotenburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armin_Meiwes).

While the official video itself is certainly disturbing (to some), despite its critically acclaimed artistic value:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ3kVtd2CCA

... the live version leaves no doubt about the parody aspect. Or how can we take seriously the singer barbecueing the keyboarder in a giant saucepan heating it with a flamethrower? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SQbvrT5izk

Some other parody official video clips, obviously very funny but with a serious "message" still:

About gluttony and personal decadence with depression (the politically correct would argue it makes fun of the obese, but they do not get it as usual):

Keine Lust - I Don't Feel Like It:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1st6O1tqII

About nationalist tendencies and xenophobia (this only gets clear in the end!).

Mein Land - My Country:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaV2hiuLN7U

So again, same for me, despite my 'spiritual' outlook on life and practice, I will always cherish this band for what they are and have no problems with it, same with Tool or other metal bands.

[Asmo]

Very good description of Rammstein, it was one of my favorite bands about 5 years ago. I still like them very much exactly for the reasons you said.

One song is talked about specifically there: "You were the light and the way they'll only read about." is a line from one of their best songs which gives me shivers and goosebumps all over every time again!

Just reading that line gave me shivers and goosebumps 10000 days is one of the most emotionally touching songs I have ever listened to, especially after I read somewhere that the song is about Keenan's mother, who spent about ten thousand days in a coma before finally dying. Not 100% sure if that's true though.

[phaseshiftR1111]

My first out of body experience was right after I listened to slayer taking a nap. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cb/Slayer-DiabolusInMusica.jpg


And it was a beautiful experience. The most memorable one I have ever had.

My music choices have changed a bit. I listen to oldies, enya, 80's, etc. But at the time that music did something to my energy in a good way. I definitely think music has an impact. I put in headphones when I go to places in public because it keeps my anxiety levels at least average. It definitely has an impact on the whole spirit in general I think. You ever listen to a song and have goosebumps shoot through you?

Good stuff. =D

[Asmo]

Inspired by how people see spirituality in music, and since this thread is mainly about metal, I thought I'd share some of my favorite metal songs with spiritual lyrics (or at least lyrics, in which I personally see spiritual elements):

Solefald - Red view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g9SUUiIJMQ
The singing style makes it quite hard to make out what he's saying, but the reason this song piqued my interest at first listen was the few lines that I managed to grab ("Pieces of a paradise never created, floating on the tide of the human mind." and "See the universe unite and yourself become its key, and a sense of correlation your opportunity")

Oranssi Pazuzu - Olen aukaissut uuden silmän: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRj10e7IEHg
One of my absolute favorite songs. The lyrics are in Finnish and I don't know whether there's a translation somewhere to be found, but if someone is interested enough to actually ask me, I can try to translate them. The title of the track means "I have opened a new eye", and the first line "Sisältäni portin löysin" translates to "From inside of myself I found a gate".

Transcending Bizarre? - Infinite: Manvantara / Pralaya / Manvantara: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHwUQWoGRpc and Music of the Spheres: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX9eR3HL3-Y and a lot more
Like you can guess from the band's name, the lyrics are at times a bit bizarre However a lot of their songs deal with the nature of the universe, our place in it, and the nature of ourselves from a spiritual point of view that reminds me of Monroe's books and Tom Campbell's lectures.

And then there's Samael, which in my view is basically "black metal turned astral metal" They started out as rather boring black metal, but album by album their lyrics started to deal with more inspiring and spiritual themes. They seem to have an extreme dislike for organized religion though. A few examples:
Reign of light: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz5N-a5N1eo
Year Zero: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8qYmujHCM
Telepath: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEKt9gQKQcw
Promised Land: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0NWiP15bjQ

There's definitely a lot more I just can't remember now. If any of you know of more spiritual-ish metal bands, I would be very interested to try them out.

EDIT: Forgot an absolute gem: Havoc Unit - Ignoratio Elenchi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=256F4JAmvr4.
Ignoratio Elenchi means basically and argument that is in itself valid, but is unrelated to the current issue. They named it like that because the lyrics are actually from a translation of a Nazi book called Faith and Action. You'll understand when you read them

[Volgerle]

My first out of body experience was right after I listened to slayer taking a nap.

Mine was after watching the concert DVD of a medieval pagan folk band (with shamanic beats- maybe that's why) for the first time that evening. During the night I had my first success with a conscious exit and I will always be grateful to them. No wonder, the music is 'enchanting' and has its very own 'magick' for sure. Seems it put me on a 'vibrational' predisposition for reaching this state then.

[Lionheart]

Mine was after watching the concert DVD of a medieval pagan folk band (with shamanic beats- maybe that's why) for the first time that evening. During the night I had my first success with a conscious exit and I will always be grateful to them. No wonder, the music is 'enchanting' and has its very own 'magick' for sure. Seems it put me on a 'vibrational' predisposition for reaching this state then.

Just curious Volgerle, who was the band?

Thanks! 

[Volgerle]

Just curious Volgerle, who was the band?

Thanks!  

Faun.

They are very spiritual anyway, also lyrically. Pagan spiritualism but also general open-minded spirituality. (E.g. despite the label "pagan" they have also some songs from Christian and other e.g. Eastern cultures, and do many of their unplugged gigs during their acoustic tour in Christian churches and chapels).

In Germany we have a great and very alive Folk-(rock) scene. Mostly it's 'dark' folk and a lot of it Folk Metal or Rock. Faun is not metal music (no e-guitars, just acoustic and some electronics) but still has Metal fans too. They are also ranked amng (for whatever reason) the Medieval / Gothic Folk / Dark Folk / Pagan Folk / Metal Folk / Neofolk scene.

This is parts from the concert DVD I saw that night. Here's the opener about "Gaia", quite epic if you ask me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA-_hI7cyEE

It is sung in old Greek. I have even made the translated lyrics a signature in another forum:

I will sing about the mother of all,
the well-founded and eldest
who feeds all creatures as many as they are,
all that move on the trusty land, and all in the sea, and all that fly, all these are fed from her wealth.
Hail, Mother of the gods,
wife of starry Heaven.

Here's another more "rocking" tune with some high degree of hypnotic and psychedelic-ecstatic elements for me, esp. when he does that brutally weird Nyckelharpa solo at about 3:00 min, check it out, hilarious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoNBzIYYvNw

No wonder that sent my flying for the first time that night.  

(Now I saw here's even the entire gig from 2007: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITv0jCsMm1s )

Other examples:

Here's from a soundtrack of a historic / fantasy saga movie based on an epic poem (Nibelungensong - Song of the Nibelungs):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcEO54iY5hk

Here's a trailer about their album called "Eden". It's cool they even cite Rumi (sufi poet and mystic) and Alan Watts in their songs there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqATZ-934N8

Here an oriental tune of which they have lots too (they are multilingual):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWneUac1Kv8

Instrumental, unplugged:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mty9TEmdfc

A love song in Spanish:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3UZA1MV5pE

There's many more, of course. This music always gets me into an 'altered' state even when I'm wide awake.  

[Lionheart]

 Thank You Volgerle! 

This is "hauntingly" awesome! 

[sqprx]

I read on the web that there were a study done which established that people listening to metal have tendancy of having above average IQ scores. I personally listen to metal n bands like Whitechapel, Chimaira, Deftones, Spineshank. Despite the harsh vocals and lyrics I think there are more truth in metal genre than any other genre, if the artist is sincere. I view violent message directed to everything that is wrong with our world, the corruption, lies, betrayal. And there is positive message at its core.  Of course there are always exceptions though

[SeekingBlue]

Well I read somewhere that our subconscious minds pick up information, images, words, sounds and other things without us even knowing it while we are awake. So it's possible that music could have an effect on the minds of somebody who is not consciously aware of themselves or who is easily manipulated. Kids, teenagers and people with mental health problems are the ones most susceptible I think because they haven't built up any barriers and are not very self aware. It's like the person who watches a scary movie and then goes to bed that night and has nightmares. That's a normal way for a person's subconscious to discard any information that disturbs the person or that the person doesn't need. But if you try to start acting things out when you are awake that means that there is an imbalance between the subconscious and the conscious minds. I would know. I am going through it. I am just "waking up" as a person. I often see things right before I sleep or right after I wake up from a dream. I am TRYING to discern what's real and what's not. Some things may just be my own emotions and fears. Others plainly aren't. Music can work in this way against a person too. The trick is to become aware of who you are as a person and just let go of whatever you don't think matches up to that. Like, you listen to Metal, but don't act on it as a person. That's because you know who you are. A child growing up in a household where the family has poor parenting skills might begin to act violently after listening to such music. Or an adult with a serious mental illness might begin to act violently after listening to violent music.