Former members of the “Egypt Central” band formed Devour the Day in 2012. The band is an American hard rock band founded in Memphis, Tennessee by guitarist/vocalist Blake Harrison and bassist Joey Chicago.
The band was formed after Egypt Central was disbanded and the duo recruited drummer Ronnie and guitarist David Hoffman to work on their debut album “Time and Pressure” which was released later in 2013. Devour the Day currently consists of guitarist Harrison, bassist Chicago, and drummer Ronnie Farris.
Their song “Good Man” received mainstream success and earned the band more followers after its release. Some listeners who have been looking out for good Christian bands have asked if Devour the Day is a Christian band owing to the band’s blend of Christian imagery with themes that address several life experiences. This article will use factors like Devour the Day’s lyrical composition, themes, and comments by band members to answer the question: Is Devour the Day a Christian rock band?
Is Devour the Day a Religious Band?
To ascertain if a band is religious or not, there are some factors to consider. Some of such factors include the musical elements of the band and the beliefs and lifestyle of the band members. A religious band is a band whose songs are influenced by the beliefs and principles of a particular religious group.
In a 2013 interview with Loud Wire Nights and bassist Joey, when asked about how he felt writing “Good Man” which contained significant religious elements, he stated:
“It was a hard song to write because I’m not a religious person and I was from a religious town where I felt like that stuff was shoved down my throat. And I wanted to paint a picture of someone who maybe doesn’t believe in a God or believe in something, but when you come to this point in your life, if everyone is honest with themselves, everyone has, where you get to this place regardless of your belief system, you just are calling out to something. Something bigger than yourself or bigger than an understanding that you don’t have.”
He added also that:
“I wanted to start a conversation and challenge people to be honest with themselves and relate to people maybe feeling the same feeling because this is not a song that I’m feeling, ‘Man, people are going to get this.’ This is a song that I wrote because I was there in that moment, and I was, even without a belief system calling out to God or whoever is listening to give me direction. I think that’s why it translates so well because it is a literal telling of where we were at that time.”
Devour the Day has not admitted to being a religious band, some band members have disclosed that they are not religious. Bassist Joey mentioned that since he came from a religious town, it seems religion was shoved down his throat. We can’t conclude if the band is religious or not but what’s obvious is that the band employs religious elements in their songs. An example is their hit song “Good Man.” Below are the lyrics:
Goodman by Devour the Day
“I want to be a good man, I want to see God
I want to be faithful, but I know that I’m not
I want to be a good man, I want to do right
I don’t wanna be a criminal for the rest of my life
Everything that I’ve done before
Has brought me back down to my knees, yeah
And I’m crying out to you, Lord
It’s getting harder and harder to see
If there’s good left in me
Is there any good left in me?”
What Kind of Music Band is Devour the Day?
Some sites have described Devour the day as a Christian rock group, but what is generally known and accepted about the band is that the band is an American hard rock band. Hard rock also known as heavy rock is a subgenre of rock music.
Hard Rock music emerged in the mid-1960s and some pioneers of the genre were; The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Blue Cheer, and Steppenwolf amongst others.
Devour the Day’s music style is a blend of hard rock, nu-metal, alternative metal, post-grunge, and experimental rock. These genres are characterized; by distorted electric guitars, aggressive vocals, strong bass drums, repetitive riffs, screaming, wailing or growling, rapping, falsetto voice, down-tuned guitar, DJ sampling, turntable, scratching and electronic backgrounds, a blend of harsh and accessible vocals, less intense and abrasive tones, avant-garde influences, improvisational performances, and opaque lyrics.
Songs by Devour the Day are based on personal and real-life experiences and they explore an array of themes some of which are; love and relationship, heartbreak, faith, depression, grief, anxiety and pain, fear, courage, and recovery amongst others.
Devour the Day has released three full-length albums. Their debut and breakthrough album “Time and Pressure” was released in 2013 with Grammy-winning producer, Skidd Mills. The album was packed with amazing songs, with anthemic choruses and creative hooks. In 2016, the band released S.O.A.R. under Razor and Tie and released “Signals” in 2018 under the same record label.
Is Devour the Day a Christian Band?
A Christian is a person who believes and trusts in Jesus Christ, who is said to be the central figure of the Christian faith. A Christian lives according to the laws and teachings of the religion, beliefs in God, and other structures of the religion. These Christian beliefs are usually reflected in their lifestyles.
Similarly, a Christian band is a band that has publicly declared its support for the Christian faith. Band members should identify as Christians and this should be notable in their behavior and attitudes. The lyrical composition of their songs must portray the beliefs of Christians, and should contain biblical references, Christian messages, and themes.
Devour the Day has been rumored to be a Christian band owing to the significant use of Christian imagery in their songs. However, since the band has not openly affirmed that they are a Christian band, and their song lyrics and themes address different issues we do not consider the band a Christian band.
Notwithstanding, the band has released a good number of songs that portray Christian imagery and resonates with Christians all over the world. Some of their songs have even been recommended as contemporary Christian songs. When talking about their song “Faith” in an interview with Live Metal, Joey and Blake disclosed that sometimes when they employ Christian terms, they use it as a metaphor but people take it too seriously. In their words:
“You’d be surprised. Out of total respect for the name of Jesus Christ, we understood what we were doing as far as the weight of the metaphor. But also, it’s a metaphor, and some people take it very, very seriously. I respect that passion. I have the same passion for music, and I think that, in turn, makes ironically the point very clear as to what the song is about. Those things that make you feel safe and you believe in them, and music, for us, has always been there. I think anyone who would know our history would see that. Music has continued to just continually save us.”
Several songs by Devour the Day employ Christian symbolism and we’ll be looking at them subsequently.
Devour the Day Christian Songs
Some songs by Devour the Day contain Christian terms and messages and have been used to address different life issues. Looking closely at these songs, they are not outrightly Christian songs. The band has used Christian elements to talk about a wide range of issues. Some examples are:
Faith
“What can move a mountain
Push the doubters out of my way
Faith is enough for me to die for
Faith is the only thing you need
Faith is the voice of my revival
Music is my God, my records are Jesus Christ
Let us not forget
What it gave and how it made us
We felt born again
We were lost and then it saved us
Living in the background
Feeling like a ghost town
Looking for a way out
Ready for redemption
Something with a message
Can I get an amen?”
Good Man
“I want to be a good man, I want to see God
I want to be faithful, but I know that I’m not
I want to be a good man, I want to do right
I don’t wanna be a criminal for the rest of my life
Everything that I’ve done before
Has brought me back down to my knees, yeah
And I’m crying out to you, Lord
It’s getting harder and harder to see
If there’s good left in me
Is there any good left in me?”
Give it Up
“Late at night, I lie awake for answers
Praying for anyone to hear
Somehow, someway, I could change forever
Somehow, help me let go of the fear
Give it up, (give it up) yeah!
Give it up, (give it up)
It’s gonna hold you back
As long as you hold on”
Is Devour the Day a Satanic Band?
A Satanic band can be identified by its music style, practices, anti-christian themes, and acknowledgment of Satan in its songs. Satanism is also characterized by demon worship and dark and horrific themes. Though some lyrics by Devour the Day are gloomy, the band is not a Satanic band and has not shown any Satanic affiliations.
Final Thoughts
After closely examining songs by Devour the Day, we do not consider the band a Christian band. Songs like “Good Man” can lead people into thinking that the band is a Christian rock band. Notwithstanding, “Devour the Day” has been outstanding in the American rock scene. Their anthemic choruses and creativity have earned them massive listenership and their songs transcend religious barriers and appeal to listeners in different moods.
Think we were wrong? Write your reasoning in the comments and prove us wrong!