How healthy do you think listening to death-related music is?

[Alfonso Crawford]

(My question assumes that death is a big thing for you, of course.)

I noticed that, while I tend to freak out when I think about death, I really like listening to Necro, a pioneer of "death rap." I'm wondering if listening to someone whom constantly muses about things like how you ought to kill yourself and others (peferrably in an extremely gory manner), etc. is very productive in getting over my anxiousness regarding mortality.

[cdn2wheeler]

It's all about context, I suppose. Mainstay themes of rock music have always been sex and death. Can't speak to rap as I don't listen to it, but I don't imagine that, thematically, it's much different than the classic, The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult (circa 1976).

There are other songs about death, though, that take a completely different tack. Most notably is The Pass by Rush. Lyricist Neil Peart writes,

Originally Posted by NEP

I just can't relate to it at all, but I wanted to write about it. And the facet that I most wanted to write about was to demythologize it... of taking the nobility out of it and saying that yes, it's sad, it's a horrible, tragic thing if someone takes their own life, but let's not pretend it's a hero's end. It's not a triumph. It's not a heroic epic. It's a tragedy, and it's a personal tragedy for them, but much more so for the people left behind, and I really started to get offended by the samurai kind of values that were attached to it, like here's a warrior that felt it was better to die with honor, and all of that kind of offended me. I can understand someone making the choice; it's their choice to make. I can't relate to it, and I could never imagine it, for myself, but still I thought it's a really important thing to try to get down.

Powerful stuff. Still gives me shivers when I hear it.

[flyer]

I'm also interested in this. I listen to a lot of aggressive and suicidical music(metal). If we trust in the Law of Attraction, it must have a very negative influence on our minds and lives. I know one thing for sure, when I listen to this music, I become unfocused and anxious, that's why I never listen to this when I work or study, at this time I listen to special calm compositions, mostly by Jeffrey Thompson(Egg Of Time album is my favorite).

I noticed that, while I tend to freak out when I think about death, I really like listening to Necro, a pioneer of "death rap."

And when you listen to this Necro, you start to think about death, don't you? If you don't want to think about death, than you should not listen to it, because it reinforces your thoughts.

[Alfonso Crawford]

I've never heard that one before, cdn2wheeler, but I'll look into it... after my nap. Here's a snippet of Necro's "You Did It," a song about suicide. It always gets a chuckle out me, this part:

Originally Posted by Necro

If you got a problem, suicide'll solve it.
Check out the hook; Bob Dwyer with the revolver.

Could you ever really come up with a more twisted way to parody Vanilla Ice?

Necro... has a different approach to death. His music has the opposite effect during the time I listen to it, flyer. When I listen to Necro's fascination with death, I become less anxious--and I can think more clearly too, which I think has more to do with his rapping very quickly over complex metal/hip-hop arrangements, giving me something I have to concentrate to keep up with . I guess that the effect is that, if he can look at death and not tremble, then so can I.

The long-term effect may not be along the same lines, I'll admit .

[Ilya]

When I've seen the title of the thread I thought about Requiem by Mozart and some other classical pieces associated with death. And I thought, well, nothing wrong with it.

It seems, though, that I'm very unfamiliar with the modern music trends. I've never imagined that there is something called "death rap"

Still it is funny, that people in this thread use the words music and lyrics interchangeably. I wonder if you would you ever know that the music is about death if this music was not for a song with words about death?

Speaking on the main question of the topic... Death is one of the eternal topics in world art. It is present in paintings, sculpture, music, poetry, prose, cinema.
Death is a fascinating subject. Scary and attractive at the same time. The subject with inherent drama associated with it. It's no wonder that Hamlet musing with death with his "to be or not to be" is considered one of the most complex characters in the history of the theater.

Some can say that "death rap" can not even try to match the depth and skill of the geniuses who approached the theme of death before. I say, the time will tell. Each generation makes its own attempts to solve the eternal questions in its own way. Why not "death rap"?

However, knowing the history of art helps to recognize that there is nothing unique in "death rap" in terms of the theme. So the question if it is healthy to enjoy music (art) dealing with death is kind of answers itself. People did it throughout the history of mankind and it did not lead to anything terrible. On the contrary, the healing power of art teaches us to deal with this difficult topic, teaches us what how the previous generation have dealt with it.

[Ilya]

Originally Posted by flyer

I know one thing for sure, when I listen to this music, I become unfocused and anxious, that's why I never listen to this when I work or study, at this time I listen to special calm compositions, mostly by Jeffrey Thompson(Egg Of Time album is my favorite).

May be the problem is not with the theme of the music, but with the strong rhythm of the music that forces the mind into a state that is just not optimal for mental work?

I've discovered that for me it is virtually impossible to work or study while listening anything else than classical music or instrumental, ambient music with no strong rhythm.

[Alfonso Crawford]

Originally Posted by Ilya

It seems, though, that I'm very unfamiliar with the modern music trends. I've never imagined that there is something called "death rap"

Death Rap isn't too terribly popular at the moment . The music/lyrics-thing you pointed out is kinda voided, since Rap of any sort is just poetry with notes behind it. It'd be hard to discern a classical piece without the string-instruments, wouldn't it ?

Beyond that, thorough blasting of insight from thou hast been absorbed by me, Ilya . I leave you with another Necro-quote that doesn't even rhyme, but is very amusing, especially when you actually hear it

Originally Posted by Necro

Death Rap;
Extreme violence and brutal murder!
Cut your head off with a machete;
Evil rules!

The song is called "Evil Rules." Tell me that ain't funny !

[LifeFirst]

Prefix for Death is his best album...musically and lyrically

Nonphixion's Future is Now is a classic as well

Goretex's album has a really dark/evil movie feel to it.


I can't believe there are people on this forum that listen to this stuff. I used to, but I laid off it, simply because 99% of Hip-Hop is pure garbage these days.

[Alfonso Crawford]

Originally Posted by LifeFirst

I can't believe there are people on this forum that listen to this stuff. I used to, but I laid off it, simply because 99% of Hip-Hop is pure garbage these days.

In other words, you stopped eating cheesecake because of the brocolli-with-E. Coli-thing? Have you ever heard of MC Frontalot? He's good. I should stop before I go the way of the Shamu .

[flyer]

Originally Posted by Ilya

May be the problem is not with the theme of the music, but with the strong rhythm of the music that forces the mind into a state that is just not optimal for mental work?

Yes, fast and heavy rhythm and harsh vocals cause the anxiety, but lyrics also play their part. Take these two examples:

Can you hear the call of the North Star
Feel its longing in your heart
This bond is eternal
Sworn through blood
At the end we will stand as one!
Even if the daylight dies
Our horde marches on and on
If we should fall down to the ground
We'll rise again and never give up!

and this:

Watching myself decaying, falling from high spirits
I flee... Throughout the ruins of me
Longing for finding my way out
Leaving myself, there's nothing left for me
The ruins are about to crumble down.

The flame is dying by shivery winds of jet black skies
It reflects hatred in my eyes

both of these bands use similar harsh vocals and fast beat, the first one makes me more energetic, whereas the second one has more emotional lyrics and therefore causes more anxiety

But the thread is about long-term effect. yeah I think such lyrics, unlike music, have a negative long-term effect

[LifeFirst]

Originally Posted by Alfonso Crawford

In other words, you stopped eating cheesecake because of the brocolli-with-E. Coli-thing? Have you ever heard of MC Frontalot? He's good. I should stop before I go the way of the Shamu .

You seriously think today's Hip-Hop is better than back when it was in the 80s and 90s?? You know what Hip-Hop is like today? It's like one looooong music video/song that never changes, with different rappers appearing acting more and more ignorant by the minute. But hey, I guess ignorance is heaven on Earth these days.

I mean, unless you listen to Little Brother, Common, Brother Ali, Cunninglynguists....that commercialized stuff is so shallow.

[Alfonso Crawford]

I listen to Necro, MC Frontalot, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, MC Chris, Jesse Dangerously, DZK, Little-T and One Track Mike, KRS-One, MC Lars; and I don't even have cable or a radio, so I am unable to follow popular music very closely, even if I wanted to (which I dont, from what I've heard ).

[Ilya]

Originally Posted by flyer

Yes, fast and heavy rhythm and harsh vocals cause the anxiety, but lyrics also play their part. Take these two examples:

You know what I did? I've just sang those words to some slow and waltzing classical tune stuck in my head. I actually liked it
Trying to concentrate on any words would destroy my producive working state. So the only music with lyrics that I can use, is either something in a language I don't understand, or something that I've listened a million times and don't need to understand the words.

As for long term effect. I think it is impossible to listen to such lyrics for a long time. Being so rough the lyrics are completely straightforward. It is like very sweet candy. You can't eat it exclusively. Sooner or later the brain will ask for something more subtle. The mind will eventually "figure out" all few secrets behind those lyrics and they will become boring. And the person will move to a more sophisticated music.

[Old Soul]

I can't believe there are people on this forum that listen to this stuff. I used to, but I laid off it, simply because 99% of Hip-Hop is pure garbage these days.

todays hip hop is laughable!!! the lyrics are so ignorant, so racist, so criminally minded that what can you do but laugh at it ? do it openly , mock it , attack it

shame it!!.... raise the IQ of the apathetic followers :-) maybe it will fall upon the ear of the hip hop artist who writes it :-))

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by Old Soul

todays hip hop is laughable!!! the lyrics are so ignorant, so racist, so criminally minded that what can you do but laugh at it ?

Meh, depends on the artist.

You're 95% correct though. Its too bad.

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by Ilya

You know what I did? I've just sang those words to some slow and waltzing classical tune stuck in my head. I actually liked it

Funny how different lyrics sound with different music, eh?

I like it too.

[Dive Bomb]

It is interesting how humans associate the major key with happiness, and the minor key with sadness by instinct upon listening to it.

and Dan, that Gin and Juice cover is hilarious. I gotta play it with my rap fan buddies next time we're all out.

[mlc82]

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

Funny how different lyrics sound with different music, eh?

I like it too.

This is another funny example:

YouTube - Cannibal Corpse Lounge Music

Personally, I love death metal, although I mainly just use it as weight lifting music

[Quack]

I'm really disappointed to see what passes as being miserable music on this forum. The above examples are rubbish! Sorry, but they're just not particularly depressing, lyrically at least.


Well I stepped into an avalanche,
It covered up my soul;
When I am not this hunchback that you see,
I sleep beneath the golden hill.
You who wish to conquer pain,
You must learn, learn to serve me well.

You strike my side by accident
As you go down for your gold.
The cripple here that you clothe and feed
Is neither starved nor cold;
He does not ask for your company,
Not at the centre, the centre of the world.

When I am on a pedestal,
You did not raise me there.
Your laws do not compel me
To kneel grotesque and bare.
I myself am the pedestal
For this ugly hump at which you stare.

You who wish to conquer pain,
You must learn what makes me kind;
The crumbs of love that you offer me,
Theyre the crumbs Ive left behind.
Your pain is no credential here,
Its just the shadow, shadow of my wound.

I have begun to long for you,
I who have no greed;
I have begun to ask for you,
I who have no need.
You say youve gone away from me,
But I can feel you when you breathe.

Do not dress in those rags for me,
I know you are not poor;
You dont love me quite so fiercely now
When you know that you are not sure,
It is your turn, beloved,
It is your flesh that I wear.

Avalanche -Leonard Cohen.


Procession moves on, the shouting is over,
Praise to the glory of loved ones now gone.
Talking aloud as they sit round their tables,
Scattering flowers washed down by the rain.
Stood by the gate at the foot of the garden,
Watching them pass like clouds in the sky,
Try to cry out in the heat of the moment,
Possessed by a fury that burns from inside.

Cry like a child, though these years make me older,
With children my time is so wastefully spent,
A burden to keep, though their inner communion,
Accept like a curse an unlucky deal.
Played by the gate at the foot of the garden,
My view stretches out from the fence to the wall,
No words could explain, no actions determine,
Just watching the trees and the leaves as they fall.

The Eternal - Joy Division.


Catch me if I fall
I'm losing hold
I can't just carry on this way
And every time
I turn away
Lose another blind game
The idea of perfection holds me
Suddenly I see you change
Everything at once
The same
But the mountain never moves

Rape me like a child
Christened in blood
Painted like an unknown saint
There's nothing left but hope
Your voice is dead
And old
And always empty
Trust in me through closing years
Perfect moments wait
If only we could stay
Please
Say the right words
Or cry like the stone white clown
And stand forever
Lost forever in a happy crowd

No one lifts their hands
No one lifts their eyes
Justified with empty words
The party just gets better and better

I went away alone
With nothing left
But faith

Faith - The Cure


Days since I last pissed
cheeks sunken and despaired
so gorgeous sunk to six stone
lose my only remaining home
see my third rib appear
a week later all my flesh disappear
stretching taut, cling-film on bone
I'm getting better
Karen says I've reached my target weight
Kate and Emma and Kristin know it's fake
problem is diet's not a big enough word
I wanna be so skinny that I rot from view
I want to walk in the snow
and not leave a footprint
I want to walk in the snow
and not soil its purity
stomach collapsed at five
lift up my skirt my sex is gone
naked and lovely and 5st. 2
may I bud and never flower
my vision's getting blurred
but I can see my ribs and I feel fine
my hands are trembling stalks
and I can feel my breasts are sinking
mother trys to choke me with roast beef
and sits savouring her sole ryvitta
that's the way you're built my father said
but I can change, my cocoon shedding
I want to walk in the snow
and not leave a footprint
I want to walk in the snow
and not soil its purity
Kate and Kristin and Kit Kat
all things I like looking at
too weak to fuss, too weak to die
choice is skeletal in everybody's life
I choose, my choice, I starve to frenzy
hunger soon passes and sickness soon tires
legs bend, stockinged I am Twiggy
and I don't mind the horror that surrounds me
self-worth scatters, self-esteem's a bore
I long since moved to a higher plateau
this discipline's so rare so please applaud
just look at the fat scum who pamper me so
yeh 4st. 7, an epilogue of youth
such beautiful dignity in self-abuse
I've finally come to understand life
through staring blankly at my navel.

4st 7lbs - Manic Street Preachers


When people ask me I always say
That targeted assassination is the only way
They might promise a better day but it's false & it's false yeah it's false
They've stopped asking so how can we explain
By the people for the people that was yesterday
They'll keep taking more & more away
'Til it's gone & it's gone & it's gone
So take your snipers rifle in hand
& Do a massive favour to the people of these lands
Assassinate a corporate billionaire
Or their heirs or their heirs or their heirs
They hold us back & keep us in our place
They lie & cheat & steal from our plate
If we were just we'd resign them to their fate
With a gun with a gun with a gun

We're falling asleep at the wheel fellow slaves
We must rise from this bed that we've made
& Never forget that we're all on our way
To the grave to the grave to the grave

Planting Seeds - Matt Elliott


use sex for control
use power for power
use money for cruelty
use hate for freedom
take control and keep it
don't let go
he was your friend
she was your friend
they were wrong
turn against them
sex, power, money, hate
take control and keep it
don't let go
power for power
power for power's sake

Power for Power - Swans.


Phew. Breathe in, breathe out...

[Alfonso Crawford]

Again; Necro is not depressing. I'll prove it:

Originally Posted by Necro and Ill Bill

[Verse 1: Necro]
Before ligaments and fridges
The triple six digits religion
Might sacrifice pigeon's fidget
Was created by ancient midgets
My kamikaze cronies
Listening to Ozzy over Rick Rock's chords
Doing quasi religious ceremonies
I see with the Alseek
Curse you into paralysis
Drinking blood from the chalice with Alistair Crowley
I feel no guilt, for the blood that got spilt
**** "thou shall not kill," do what thou wilt!
Skeeming on Rosemary's baby in witches' shrine
My cult'll leave you shocked like Polanksky in '69
Introduce you to hallucogenic narcotics
Bathing you with females rocking psychodelic bell bottoms
Fu-Manchu in effect
Banging spoons like Yuri Yella
Then I'll sharpen the ends
And juks you in the neck
67 stab wounds in the lubyankas
Allows you to sip droplets from the goblets of Pompous conquerers

[Verse 2: Ill Bill]
Javel and dagger
Author of death
Virgins with big breasts
Orgies of morbid thoughts
Nuns indulgenin' in incest
Bring me the goat, manipulating woman on dope
Kidnap the pope
Hang from the rope
And stabbed in the throat
I'll spill your blood in the name of Satan
And capture your soul
Author of sacrifice, use the Bible to bash in your skull
The master within the code
Authors of math
Step in my chapel of goons
My collection of scalpels and tools
And used for ritualistic and sadistic purposes
Cermonial death
Serpin the ancient verses
Pazuzu possesses the sister
Masterbating in the monastary
She used the crucifix to pop her cherry
Perverted priests flirt with the deceased
The black mass is achieved
Shadowy figures joyfully dance with the beast
Hunger for human flesh, is sex to cannibal's feast
Head of the jackal, six figure hand is complete

I'm not going to say that this is particularly cheery music, but it sure it ain't meant to get you down .

[Jack]

Maybe this topic is a bit old(the last answer was 2-3 months old) but it catched my attention.

Someone made a song in my country years ago with these lyrics:
"I write a poem,I sing a song
One i become you,one i die
I die this night only for you
Your eyes can't hold me.

I grow in your dreams i grow
I become your nightmare i die
I grow in your dreams i grow
I become your nightmare i die.

I die tonight,nobody can stop me
You can't hold me,stars can't hold me
I fall down from your eyes like a cliff
Your eyes can't hold me"

And in a few days,we had some suicides in my country,some people said that that people killed theirselves after listening this song.And many people blamed this song for suicides in that days.

I believe that death related lyrics affects people negatively.Also i believe that it has negative effects on LoA.

[Domenic]

Well, my brother committed suicide more or less as a result of such music.

To explain: there were no problems in his life beyond minor teenage drama, no substances, no family problems, etc. As best we can figure out (no note), he impulsively decided to act out the death-glorification that his music inspired him toward in a "down" moment.

Something to think about!

[brroha1]

Originally Posted by Alfonso Crawford

I listen to Necro, MC Frontalot, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, MC Chris, Jesse Dangerously, DZK, Little-T and One Track Mike, KRS-One, MC Lars; and I don't even have cable or a radio, so I am unable to follow popular music very closely, even if I wanted to (which I dont, from what I've heard ).

Since I have kids, I get to listen to Wiggles, Barney, and Backyardigans all the time. This stuff will make you want to bang your head into a wall just the same as death metal or death rap. Trust me.

[aSearchingSoul]

About three weeks ago I began consciously paying attention to the ways I would feel after listening to different music. Sure, I've always paid enough attention to realize that THIS music makes me feel energetic, THAT music makes me feel depressed, etc., but this time something just clicked. The vast majority of the music was negative, and much of it particularly violent and angry.
I began thinking that I'm going to have to trash a lotta CDs because I'm just not feeling it like I used to. I've moved to listening to music that I never used to like, after hearing a song that I absolutely loved while surfing YouTube a few months back. As soon as I realized I needed to change what I listened to, this song/video popped into my head and hasn't left since. I say "needed to change" only because that's how it feels to me, at this moment in my life, for the things in life I would now like to accomplish.
I also think negative lyrics can harm one's LoA efforts. This, and the undercurrent of emotions I would feel after listening to the music are the main reasons for my decision. I get songs stuck in my head very easily, so I go around singing and such with lots of emotion behind it. When I do this, I eventually become conscious of the negative vibes I'm sending out, whether or not they're real, whether or not it's "just a song", etc. The LoA does not seem to take into account any intention(s) behind the vibrations, instead it just seems to give us what we give it, without fail...
I would say that, for my two cents, if one perceives something as being negative, stay away from it, whether or not it's a seemingly harmless negative thing.

[shiggityjoe]

i remember i had to stop listening to "Adam's Song" by Blink 182 when I was ine 4th grade. It was so good, but just too depressing and it was like crushing my soul. haha 4th graders.

[Sanity Panda]

Hm. To live a life without viewing sadness because it undermines our own happiness doesn't seem right at all.

Wouldn't understanding it cancel the effect that it may have on you in a negative manner or positive manner?

[Ninja]

Originally Posted by Domenic

Well, my brother committed suicide more or less as a result of such music.

To explain: there were no problems in his life beyond minor teenage drama, no substances, no family problems, etc. As best we can figure out (no note), he impulsively decided to act out the death-glorification that his music inspired him toward in a "down" moment.

Something to think about!

Did he commit suicide because of the music, or did he listen to the music because he wanted to commit suicide? Music alone can not inspire a healthy person to take his/her own life. It can be the proverbial 'last straw', but there's always something else going on. There's a reason they say it's the 'quiet ones' that are the most likely to one day shock everyone by committing suicide, rather than the stereotype 'emo kids' that often just seek attention.

[blackisgray]

There's probably a reason you are drawn to the music right now, and as you raise your consciousness...you won't find the need to listen to such gruesome music. You could also try exploring other types of music that have a more positive message, to "counteract" listening to death related music. But trust that when you're ready to give it up, you will.

Originally Posted by Old Soul

todays hip hop is laughable!!! the lyrics are so ignorant, so racist, so criminally minded that what can you do but laugh at it ? do it openly , mock it , attack it

shame it!!.... raise the IQ of the apathetic followers :-) maybe it will fall upon the ear of the hip hop artist who writes it :-))

I can understand where a lot of people get this idea of Hip Hop, but it's important to keep in mind that commercial Rap is what's racist, misogynist, etc. And, the same thing can be said for other commercial genres. Can anyone say that Pop is any better than commercial Hip Hop?
There's actually a lot of Hip Hop with spiritual consciousness to it, like Zion I, Common, etc.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by aSearchingSoul

About three weeks ago I began consciously paying attention to the ways I would feel after listening to different music. Sure, I've always paid enough attention to realize that THIS music makes me feel energetic, THAT music makes me feel depressed, etc., but this time something just clicked. The vast majority of the music was negative, and much of it particularly violent and angry.
I began thinking that I'm going to have to trash a lotta CDs because I'm just not feeling it like I used to. I've moved to listening to music that I never used to like, after hearing a song that I absolutely loved while surfing YouTube a few months back. As soon as I realized I needed to change what I listened to, this song/video popped into my head and hasn't left since. I say "needed to change" only because that's how it feels to me, at this moment in my life, for the things in life I would now like to accomplish.
I also think negative lyrics can harm one's LoA efforts. This, and the undercurrent of emotions I would feel after listening to the music are the main reasons for my decision. I get songs stuck in my head very easily, so I go around singing and such with lots of emotion behind it. When I do this, I eventually become conscious of the negative vibes I'm sending out, whether or not they're real, whether or not it's "just a song", etc. The LoA does not seem to take into account any intention(s) behind the vibrations, instead it just seems to give us what we give it, without fail...
I would say that, for my two cents, if one perceives something as being negative, stay away from it, whether or not it's a seemingly harmless negative thing.

I agree to your thoughts.

When someone listens to the songs carefully,it's not difficult for him/her to n
otice that lyrics are mostly negative,even in songs which has energetic music.

There is a song in which includes"I get cold".When i listen to this song repeatedly,i sometimes start feeling cold,or the next day becomes windy and colder hehe.(maybe is it a random thing?hmm...)

[Terumoto]

Immortal Technique's "Dance With the Devil" is the most depressing song I think I've ever heard.