The extremely graphic clip - which has been… Read Full Bio ↴WARNING: VIOLENT CONTENT
The extremely graphic clip - which has been viewed 116,000 times in a week - depicts an Islamic State-style decapitation, and torture of prisoners by American soldiers.
Perhaps the most contentious element however is the presence of a tearful, blood-spattered blond child wearing a suicide bomber's vest. His head is wrapped in an scarf with Arabic lettering as he is handed an assault rifle, which he points at the camera.
The band initially featured an image of the boy in the suicide vest on the cover for the album, also titled Holy War, but used a different image after advice from its label, Unified.
Andy Marsh, lead guitarist for Thy Art is Murder says the boy is the child of "a vey dear friend" who supports the band and its message.
"Everyone involved with the project understood our vision and message one hundred percent and were very supportive of the video and treatment [sic].
"We worked hard to walk the line and not take the video too far in to bad taste. We even omitted some scenes after the director and I had several lengthy discussions about it."
Many music industry sources are expecting Holy War to debut in the top five when the charts are released on Saturday.
The extremely loyal followings for major metal acts often mean their albums make fast impressions on the album charts. Thy Art is Murder has 445,000 followers on Facebook and is currently on tour in the United States. The band will also tour its new material locally from October 14.
It should also be noted that intense imagery, although not necessarily violent, is commonly matched with hardcore music.
Marsh told Fairfax that the video is intended to provoke debate about the whole idea of God - regardless of religion.
"We recreated some scenes from recent memory with the addition of mimes who were all blacked out except for their white hands acting as the hand of God manipulating his puppets.
"When we are able to realise that all this senseless killing and hatred around the world comes from Him, maybe the masses will let the idea of religion go," Marsh says.
The goal of the album and the band, he said, was to "generate intellectual discussion ... motivate and educate. We feel very strongly that religion is a negative force in the world." In that sense the clip is 'equal-opportunity' in its criticism of religion.
The video clip received an overwhelmingly favourable reception from fans, although the band's position that all religions and all gods are negative - rather than just extremism - was contentious among fans.
One user called the video "idiotic", adding "The only group of people fighting a 'religious war' right now are a group of Islamic hillbillies. All other current global conflicts are based around economics, not religion. This band makes great music, but the implications from their lyrics and symbolism are coming from a place of ignorance."
Holy War
Thy Art Is Murder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Father and son marching in rhythm
Firing bullets through the skulls of the children
Holy war, mortars and martyrs
Holy war, unholy followers
Holy war, brainwashed with death
Holy war, unholy mess
I reject the laws of the misguided
False prophets imprison nations fueling self annihilation
I reject pocket lined political demons
Who arm the ignorant for election season
Empires buried in sand
A history of the failures in man
Armies of guardians, servants of bibles
Reciting verses as they stand before rifles
Millions of lives erased
Hatred marked as madness
Violence in leaves of scripture
A world aflame with malice
We will all die for nothing
There is silence in the house of God
There is only the cry of hell
There is silence in the house of God
There is only the cry of hell
Holy war, mortars and martyrs
Holy war, unholy followers
Holy war, brainwashed with death
Holy war, unholy mess
Die for Christ, die for Allah, die for Jerusalem, die for Torah
Father and son marching in rhythm
Firing bullets through the skulls of the children
Holy war, holy war
We will all die for nothing
We will all die for nothing
The lyrics of Thy Art Is Murder's "Holy War" warn against the destructive nature of religious conflicts that have ravaged humanity throughout history. The call to die for one's faith, whether for Christ, Allah, Jerusalem, or Torah, is delivered in a sarcastic tone. The absence of a single, superior deity is highlighted by the juxtaposition of the various religious factions, all willing to fight to the death in the name of their respective faiths. The image of a father and son marching and firing bullets through the skulls of children underscores the futility of these wars that often have devastating consequences for innocent lives.
In each verse, the song takes aim at different entities that it believes contribute to the propagation of holy wars. False prophets are accused of imprisoning entire nations in a cycle of self-annihilation. Politicians who arm and incite the ignorant for the sake of their own agendas are seen as culpable for the spreading of hatred and violence. The song argues that a history of human failures lies buried beneath empires made of sand.
The chorus repeats the refrain of "Holy War," underscoring the power of the religious institutions and the lengths to which followers are brainwashed to defend and die for ideologies that are often based on unwavering faith in ancient texts. Finally, the last lines of the song suggest that, despite the promises of eternal glory, all who die for nothing but religious wars will end up in the silence of an empty, hellish void.
Line by Line Meaning
Die for Christ, die for Allah, die for Jerusalem, die for Torah
The idea of a holy war is presented, where people are willing to die for their beliefs, even if it means taking the lives of others who believe differently.
Father and son marching in rhythm
Firing bullets through the skulls of the children
A specific example of the violence of war is given, highlighting the tragic reality of innocent lives being lost in the midst of religious and political combat.
Holy war, mortars and martyrs
Holy war, unholy followers
Holy war, brainwashed with death
Holy war, unholy mess
The chorus emphasizes the disturbing and destructive nature of holy wars, and how they often result in many deaths on both sides, while also breeding hatred and resentment.
I reject the laws of the misguided
False prophets imprison nations fueling self annihilation
The lyrics reject the idea that holy wars are justified, instead stating that they are often driven by misguided leaders who use religion as a tool to gain power.
I reject pocket lined political demons
Who arm the ignorant for election season
There is criticism of political leaders who use holy wars as a way to manipulate their followers for political gain, often targeting those who are easily swayed and not fully informed about the complexities of the issues involved.
Empires buried in sand
A history of the failures in man
The song acknowledges that holy wars are not a new phenomenon, and that they have been a part of human history for centuries, often leading to the downfall of empires and societies.
Armies of guardians, servants of bibles
Reciting verses as they stand before rifles
Another example of the violence of holy wars is given, emphasizing how soldiers are often seen as being defending their faith or beliefs, even as they are forced to face deadly weapons and potential death themselves.
Millions of lives erased
Hatred marked as madness
Violence in leaves of scripture
A world aflame with malice
The lyrics paint a bleak picture of the destruction caused by holy wars, including the massive loss of life and the fact that religious texts are often used to justify acts of violence and hatred.
We will all die for nothing
There is silence in the house of God
There is only the cry of hell
There is silence in the house of God
There is only the cry of hell
The song comes full circle, returning to the idea that holy wars ultimately result in nothing but death and destruction, and that there can be no true victory in such circumstances. The idea that even God is silent in the face of such horrors is emphasized, creating a sense of despair and hopelessness.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: William Scott Putney, Andrew Marsh, Christopher McMahon, Kevin Butler, Lee Stanton, Sean Delander, Will Putney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Willy Salads
Crazy how relevant this song is as of today
Alex Cmb
Very relevant!
Broken English
Yeah it will always be because wars always happens eventually
zac cincinelli
its been relevant for 2 thousand years lmao
Pain and Pleasure
Too right mate
Unlicensed_Camera
@BrokenEnglish487 Yeah but some happen pointlessly over religion and are unnecessary.
Benjamin Gertz
I once heard that no genre will touch the subjects that metal does. After you hear this song, I'll leave that determination up to you.
mattiegaming
Nick cave
Duke Lion
I'm pretty sure you or whoever said that has never listened to hip-hop. Not talking about that radio shit either
ruger 50
@Duke Lion beat me to it