Line #32 Music/Theocracy


1	->''This page is about the band. If you were looking for a trope about theocracies, see TheTheocracy.''
2
3	Theocracy is a [[ChristianRock Christian]] HeavyMetal band from Athens, Georgia in the US. Their style mixes elements of PowerMetal and ProgressiveMetal with plenty of Music/IronMaiden influences. The band was formed in 2002 by Matt Smith [[Creator/MattSmith (no relation)]], who played all the instruments, performed all the vocals, and programmed the drum machine on the first self-titled album, as well as mixing and polishing it. The band has since become an actual full band -- there were three members who played on their 2008 sophomore album, ''Mirror Of Souls'', and there are currently five members. Their third album, ''As The World Bleeds'', was released in 2011 and marks their first release as a full band, followed by ''Ghost Ship'' in 2016.
4
5	On October 18, 2020, lead guitarist Val Wood was fired for unethical behavior due to scamming fans, leaving the band as a four-piece. Taylor Washington (Paladin) would eventually take his place.
6
7	Current Members:
8	* Matt Smith - Vocals
9	* Jonathan Hinds - Guitar, Backing Vocals
10	* Ernie Topran - Drums
11	* Jared Oldham - Bass, Backing Vocals
12	* Taylor Washington - Lead Guitar
13
14	Former Members:
15	* Seth Filkins - Bass, Backing Vocals
16	* Josh Sloan - Bass, Backing Vocals
17	* Patrick Parris (Music/LascaillesShroud, Music/{{Judicator}}, Project: Roenwolfe) - Bass, Backing Vocals
18	* Patrick Nickell - Drums
19	* Shawn Benson - Drums
20	* Val Allen Wood - Lead Guitar
21
22	Studio Albums to date:
23	* 2003 - ''Theocracy'': "Theocracy", "Mountain", and "Ichthus"
24	* 2008 - ''Mirror of Souls'': "Mirror of Souls", "Laying the Demon to Rest", and "On Eagles' Wings"
25	* 2011 - ''As the World Bleeds'': "I AM", "Nailed", and "As the World bleeds"
26	* 2016 - ''Ghost Ship'': "Ghost Ship", "Wishing Well", and "The Wonder of It All"
27	* 2023 - ''Mosaic'': "Return to Dust" and "Mosaic"
28
29	Not to be confused with a [[TheTheocracy political Theocracy]].
30
31	----
32	!!Theocracy provides examples of:
33
34	* BookEnds: "I am" is both the first and last two words of "I AM".
35	* CoverVersion: Of "I'm in a Cage" by Neal Morse and "Time" by Angra.
36	* EpicRocking: Every album features at least one song over nine minutes long.
37	** From ''Theocracy'': "The Serpent's Kiss" (11:56), "The Healing Hand" (11:36), and "Twist of Fate" (11:30)
38	** From ''Mirror of Souls'': "Laying the Demon to Rest" (9:37), "Mirror of Souls" (22:26)
39	** From ''As the World Bleeds'': "I AM" (11:00)
40	** From ''Ghost Ship'': "Easter" (9:53)
41	** From ''Mosaic'': "Red Sea" (19:08)
42	** Christmas Tracks: "Christmas Medley" (11:03) and "Wynter Fever" (10:23)
43	* GenreRoulette: "Wynter Fever" shifts from power metal to blues and then back again.
44	* IAmSong: "I AM." is [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin one of these]] from the perspective of God. Almost every sentence begins with "''I am.''"
45	* LongestSongGoesFirst: ''As the World Bleeds'' opens with the eleven-minute "I AM".
46	* LongestSongGoesLast: On the other hand, ''Mirror of Souls'''s lengthy title track wraps up the album. ''Mosaic'' also closes with the nineteen-minute epic "Red Sea".
47	* LyricalColdOpen: The last three tracks of ''As The World Bleeds'': "Altar to the Unknown God," "Light of the World" and the title track.
48	* Medley:
49	** The "Christmas Medley."
50	** "Theocrapella," the B-side from the "Wages of Sin" single. It is a medley of the vocal tracks from several of the songs off ''Mirror of Souls''.
51	* MetalScream: Twenty seconds in to "Laying the Demon to Rest."
52	* NewSoundAlbum: Due to the the lack of a complete lineup prior to the release of ''As the World Bleeds'', every album so far has had a distinctly new sound when compared with its predecessors.
53	* PerformanceVideo: "Hide in the Fairytale" and "Ghost Ship."
54	* PowerBallad: "Sinner", "Bethlehem", "Drown", and the first half of "The Gift of Music".
55	* PowerMetal
56	* ProgressiveMetal
57	* PunctuatedForEmphasis: "Laying the Demon to Rest."
58	---> ''Lead! Us! Not! Into tempation / But! De! Liv! Er! Us! From the evil one''
59	* SelfTitledAlbum: They're called Theocracy, they have an album called Theocracy, and they just happen to have a song called Theocracy as well.
60	* SpokenWordInMusic: "The Serpent's Kiss" and "The Master Storyteller" both include sections of sermons. "Wynter Fever" has a very quiet conversation between Festus and Santa's former head elf during the blues section. "Rudolph vs. Frosty" has a short exchange between the title characters. "All I Want for Christmas" also has one.
61	* TomatoInTheMirror: The narrator of "Mirror of Souls" learns what he really is after looking into the eponymous Mirror of Souls in the Hall of Truth.

Context Music / Theocracy