March 21st, 2008
The Sword
Yesterday, I went to the butcher’s. The exact nature of my purchase is irrelevant (as if most of what I write is), but once I had procured the necessary meatstuffs, I approached the counter to pay and struck up a bout of small talk with the butcher as my debit card transaction went through the necessary validation operations.
“So I guess Good Friday must be a quiet day for you, considering you’re not supposed to eat meat,” I said. The butcher pursed his lips, and sniffed lightly.
“Not really. People don’t pay attention that much anymore,” he answered, handing me my receipt.
Hm. I guess religion is all a matter of taste after all. Kind of like metal. Not everyone cares for it. Even some people who say they like it only like it because it’s kind of ironic to like metal. But it’s hard not to appreciate the brash, exuberant, epic thralls of The Sword, especially when accompanied by a song bearing Fire Lances Of The Ancient Hyperzephyrians as its title. Whether you feel attracted to its over the top title or not, you can’t but feel crushed by the Austin ensemble’s demolishing instrumentation and blistering powerhouse arrangements, which constantly slam you in the face with gritty darkness at every measure.
Yes, it’s ultimately all about taste. Have a Happy Easter, folks.