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They’re angry and confrontational. This heavy metal/rap band from Minneapolis produces intricate guitar and tight bass lines, accompanied by quick, strong vocals. “Remember Me,” the opening cut on their CD, begins with Martin Luther King’s “I had a Dream,” and concludes with JFK’s “Ask not what this country can do for you….” But what’s in between is what is controversial – a constant reminder of how Jesus died for our sins.
The Junkyard Prophet call themselves a “Rap-Core Christian metal band.” Throughout disc one of their CD The Price (which refers to the price of freedom) they warn us of the media’s control of our youth. However, on many of the songs I couldn’t exactly understand what they were trying say; though I could make out the words “Jesus,” “God,” and “hypocrisy.”
Now if you still haven’t gotten the message, they include a second CD which is absent of music, but still geared mostly toward teens. A few band members speak on various topics (44 cuts in all). Some relatively non-divisive issues are presented, such as movie content, quotes from our founding fathers and how felons should be treated as criminals instead of as sick. They progressively jump to more controversial topics, such as linking “No Child Left Behind” to former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, and the increase in abortion to the increase in suicide. In addition to several anti-abortion points, they state that homosexuality isn’t natural. Other topics such as evolution, on-line games, and the Kennedy assassination conspiracy are included. If a listener can endure the lecture to this point, (well over an hour) the real evangelical teaching then begins with Bible quotes and fundamentalist Christian doctrine. After about 2 ½ hours, we’re finally done.
I would love to hear this band in a secular context, as they are skilled musicians in a nu metal vein. However, you can’t separate the lyrics from the music, as the band has a distinct purpose and agenda. I may not like much of what The Junkyard Prophet have to say, but I’ll absolutely defend their right to say it.
