Christian Metal in Skull Masks

This transcript is from approved final-cut captions. Paragraph breaks follow the captions and do not indicate speaker turns; speaker names are intentionally omitted. The closing prayer is not included.

1. 0:00

   right. So if you have it itchy nose in the middle of anything, like what's the protocol for taking care of that? Just being a man and just not messing with it. Adapt and overcome. Being a man. You guys are resisting scratching an itchy nose? Like that is that is like And the more you say it, the worse it gets. I'm kinda Yeah. I'd have to run off stage. Welcome back to The Forgiven. I'm Bill with the Psalms Project Out of the Depths, and I'm joined by my co-host Kate Nardone, host of the Rock of Ages show on Ascend FM.

2. 0:39

   And if you're watching this episode, you can already tell that this show is gonna be different. For our listeners, I'll try to describe it to you. Today we're hanging out with two men wearing masks that kind of remind me of Skeletor from the He-Man universe. Mm-hmm. They use pseudonyms Disciple 13 and 14. And together with Disciple 17, they make up the band Bloodlined, which is not to be confused with bloodlines or bloodlined calligraphy. Though I do think that would be a very cool concept tour. The Yes. lore of the band is built on Ezekiel 37, the Valley of Dry Bones. Dead things God brings back to life.

3. 1:20

   Their fans are called the Army of the Awakened. Their merch includes dog tags. They have four singles out, including a cover of Mary Did You Know, because, as we all know, the best Christmas music comes out of Castle Gray Skull. Yeah. Disciple thirteen and fourteen, thanks for hanging out with us today. What I missed, you want to add anything? Looks like he nailed it. That's a pretty pretty incredible intro. Thank you very much. Thank you for having us. Awesome. Honored to be here. Well guys, n we always start with spiritual journeys and so I'll ask disciple fourteen first, where did Jesus meet you?

4. 1:53

   it's been at several points in my life. it wasn't ~ always reciprocated on on my part. but yeah, throughout throughout my life I've had tons of interactions ~ here and there and then I I didn't really grow up in a ~ religious family to really speak of. we did have ~ Bible studies and stuff that would happen at the home at our house, very infrequently. it was just kind of hit or miss, ~ family, friends or whatever, and it just nothing really stuck. so it was I was basically kind of ~ on my own looking for a while and then ~ I think my first real ~ real time the Lord spoke to me was listening to Sriper.

5. 2:27

   as a as a young kid and ~ it was like I was really into music and ~ it was the first time that I don't know, it was like the something that really touched me like music and God kind of came together. And ~ it was it w I don't know, it was just something that stuck out to me and then that kind of set me on the on the path then of ~ to try to for my own journey, for me to find, you know, what I what I felt like well at the time I didn't know I was looking for. ~ and then over the years, just ~ as you go through life, get married, have children, and then you just start asking for more and looking for more. And ~ the more I would turn toward him, the more answers I would get.

6. 3:04

   And ~ it just it's just something that is a bond that's kind of been growing as I've gotten older. And then ~ when I finally had the chance to ~ be in a band to to praise him and ultimately maybe bring some other people along with me who were kinda lost like me, I was I was pretty excited at the chance to be able to do that. And so ~ that's that's what made me kind of really I mean, the the music was first and foremost, you know, I thought the music was really well written and then ~ I'm 13 may get into it later, but I was originally asked to join the project just almost like a session person just to to do drums for it.

7. 3:37

   And ~ once I heard the music and it it affected me. It it touched me deep down. It was something I I kind of I really wanted to be part of. And so ~ as it started to go through then it was just something I really was very passionate about. And like I s like I said, it was just another way for me to kind of give back, maybe reach somebody else and then further my own faith. So that's ~ it's just been one step in front of the other for me as far as my journey and hopefully it just keeps getting stronger and stronger.

8. 4:04

   Thirteen, you wanna answer the same question? Yeah, so I was I was raised in church. So ~ my parents were very involved with our church. So I was at church pretty much from the time the door was open on Sunday and then Wednesday night and everything. So ~ I gave my life to the Lord when I was seven years old and ~ so just was always, you know, into music at the church. I sang in a little choir and ~ started playing drums first and then I was thirteen and ~ thirteen and started playing guitar. And ~ anyway, so I didn't really like the way things was going at the church I was at. And I was a preteen, so my parents just kinda I just told my parents I didn't want to go to church anymore. I kind of was seeing some politics of church,

9. 4:45

   I was hurt, you know. So my parents let me, you know, stay home. Well, my brother in law and sister, they were doing youth at another church, so I started going there. And then I started playing chur or playing guitar in the church band and we were kinda it was like a more Southern Baptist style church, so we were kinda rocking up some of the more you know, making the songs more contemporary and people were digging it. You know, I'm I'm thirteen, fourteen years old at this time and, you know, I'm a rock guitar player, so I'm trying to ~ you know, do, you know, Eddie Van Halen stuff, Zach Wilde stuff, you know, in church and So after a few weeks the Minister of Music came up to me and basically was like, Hey, you know, we don't want you to play in the church band anymore.

10. 5:24

    And so I was crushed, you know, being a teenager and you know, being a guitar player, I was crushed. So after that happened, I was kinda done with church. And ~ so I just went out on my own and started a a band that did some, you know, decent stuff and got to do some really cool stuff with music that I never would have dreamed that I ever would have got to do. But ~ I was trying to serve myself and ~ you know, I wasn't really religious anymore and wasn't really praying, you know, and ~ so just worried about myself and trying to be a rock star.

11. 5:53

    And then me and my wife, we had our first child and ~ that's kind of when things started changing for me, you know. I started praying again and ~ and then in twenty twenty the Lord really started working on me. there was a Me and a a guy was out of town working and a tornado came over the house we were staying at and everything around us was destroyed except for the little development we was in. And that's when the Lord really started speaking to me in twenty twenty, trying to reel me back in. And then it took all the way to August of twenty twenty-three when I was driving to work and he laid this vision on me for this band and ~ just He just laid it all out there in a matter of two to three minutes,

12. 6:33

    you know. It was just just a surreal experience. And so after that it was like, all right, you know, I've got to figure out how to do this and I've got to find more Christian musicians because at this time I wasn't back in church. And ~ so right after, you know, this whole thing happened, ~ me and my wife got back in church, started getting our daughter back in church, and then the Lord just kind of it's like all the messages at the church the next several weeks was just related right to me and the band. And ~ so but that's just kind of my testimony, you know, how I how I got here.

13. 7:03

    So you were not in not in a church and you're driving somewhere and God lays this vision on your heart and that was what drew you back in? Yeah, so well, like I said, twenty twenty he really started kind of working on me. you know, just he was just it's hard to explain, but he was working on my heart and ~ just through a lot of different circumstances and then when the tornado come over the house, you know, that really opened my eyes and you know, and then my wife, you know, pretty much a couple of weeks before the the vision came for the band, my wife was like, We need to get back in church.

14. 7:34

    We need to raise our daughter in church and I knew she was right, you know, I was raised in church and It's kinda scary now to think about all them years that, you know, I wasn't really living for the Lord. You know, I mean I could have died, I mean I anything could have happened, you know, but I mean i it's it's scary. So what does church look like Ex level no. for you guys today? Well, ~ I'm I'm pretty involved in my church. I play in the church band, I run sound. I'm kind of one of the tech guys there, so I I do a I do a lot. I was helping out with the youth, but ~ since this project's kind of, you know, taking a little bit more of my time, I've had to kind of step away from that, unfortunately. But but yeah, I'm I'm pretty involved with my church.

15. 8:11

    well, this question's for both of you. ~ who like has walked alongside of you spiritually through your journey? Anyone? Discipleship, working with you in ministry. Mm. There's no wrong answers, but like if you had like a spiritual mentor or Mm-hmm. Well, so when I when You don't have to name Name. when I got back into church, the the first interaction really was with a guy and I'll just say his name's name's Chet and ~ he's a musician at as well. He s he sings, writes music. ~ his two sons were in my youth group and they're musical and everything.

16. 8:43

    But me and him just clicked right off the bat and you know, with me trying to you know, get back in with the Lord and, you know, trying to change and, you know, be who I'm supposed to be. You know, he was a big supporter of that. ~ he led Bible study on Wednesday nights and that was huge for me to go in there and just 'cause like I said, you know, I I knew the I know the word. I grew up with it. But, you know, just kinda you forget certain things and then just, you know, hearing him and and everything. He's just been super supportive of the band too.

17. 9:11

    ~ he was one of the first people I told about it. So I don't know that I have many that well, I don't know. Maybe you call direct mentors, but I mean I I don't know that I've a have any, but I have many at the same time. I mean you can look to your community alone. Our our my community here where I live in, is is deeply rooted in the church. The schools are as well, lots of ~ FCA programs and stuff like that. My daughter attends all those. And ~ many of our contemporaries, I mean it's just it's b whether it's you know, playing softball leagues or church programs at the school or people you work with, you know, I'm s I'm surrounded by a a great many people, but I don't know that I have anyone in direct mentorship though.

18. 9:47

    Cool. How about ~ you know ~ of course, and my guy's in the band too, by the way. of course. Yeah. Mm-hmm. you know, a lot of a lot of Christians use the term quiet time or like a devotional time. love to hear more about like what does that look like for you? Time in the word, time in prayer. Are you are you journalers? Like what what is your devotional life look like? You wanna go first or you want me to first? Go ahead. So for me, my my quiet time is is first thing in the morning. ~ when I go to when I get up in the morning to get ready to go to work and I'm kind of driving and stuff.

19. 10:21

    So like that's a lot of that's when a lot of the praise and worship, you know, for me happens, ~ reflecting on things and just talking to the Lord and especially on this journey we're on with this band, we're following what his guidance is. You know, this is this is not about us and so this is He's been, you know, basically leading the way for this whole thing. So and there's times where he he speaks and then there's times where he's super quiet and I'm trying to, you know, just wrap my head around it. You know, I get frustrated sometimes because it's like, All right, Lord, like what's the next step, you know? And you know, we always want to be in our timing, you know, but it's his time and so and I've really learned that.

20. 10:55

    And that's been a big part of my time with him is learning, you know, it's his time and not mine. And when I want something to happen, it's not gonna happen that way. when he wants it to. So a lot of that, you know, and I've been reading little devotionals in the morning. me and my family's actually getting ready to start doing like a a Bible Bible night during the week where we get together and sit at the table and maybe have some kind of little biblical t you know, snack and, you know, just try to just read the word together.

21. 11:20

    Mm-hmm. But for me it's in the mornings, you know, first thing. It's a it's a good way to wake up and just start talking to the Lord and You know, just reflecting on yourself and the day and, you know, praise and worship, just listening to you know, I kinda cut out the secular music. I don't listen to secular music anymore. So I mean, if it's not a a song we're working on, you know, it's just praise and worship type stuff. Mm-hmm. Yeah, for me it's more ~ I find it more at like at work we have a lot of things where we'll do ~ we have a lot of mindless work.

22. 11:51

    That you can get done and you get caught in a rhythm and you start doing the same repetitive motions over and over again. And that's when your mind can start to wander. And like thirteen was saying, you know, many times you want these answers, you want them now, and you get frustrated with it, and you you study on, you think on it. Why why don't I have these answers? And to me, many times when you get in these repetitive things, that's when things will come to you, when you don't necessarily look for it and it just hits you.

23. 12:13

    And that those kind of times are even driving. is 'cause I do a lot of a lot of driving as well. And it's just when just when you can get along with your thoughts. I don't know if it's the hum of the engine or the tires on the road or whatever, but you just it's almost you get into a hypnotic state sometimes. And there's times where I've been I've gone fifty, sixty miles and not even realized how far I've gone. And the whole time I've been looking through the windshield, but you going in this in this your own little journey in your head.

24. 12:38

    And I man, I've had some of the the most awakening times in in those little in the zone moments like that. ~ is God teaching you guys anything right now? Like what are you what are you learning about him? What's he doing in your lives? Well, I mean he's doing a lot, you know. I mean, like a you know, one of the things I just said was learning his timing. That's really what he's been showing me, I mean, when I was a kid, and you used to just, hear about, wandering for forty years, in the desert and in the wilderness, you know, and and then you kinda think, Man, that's a long time and then he's kinda revealed to me that it's not really that long when you think about it, when you look at my journey.

25. 13:11

    from where I was, twenty twenty to now, I mean, he's really opened my eyes a lot. I mean, some of the stuff's hard to explain just because, we're masked, you know, characters and stuff, but he's he's really been working. I mean, especially in this band. I mean, one day we hope to be able to tell a lot of the stuff that's happened behind the scenes, but it's I mean, some of the stuff is just like it's God. I mean, you can't explain it. But, he's been working on my patience too. He's been ~ I'm I'm not a very patient person, but I've, through him I've been able to learn a lot about that and try to be more patient and like I said, he's been revealing a lot of that stuff to me.

26. 13:46

    So Yeah, yeah, same thing for me. It's it's ~ it's really it's about patience and learning ~ learning to listen, you know, and listen to to ~ when when you're being spoken to, when God speaks to you. Like you said, you want you want things Always, in your own time and that's why, my verse, Exodus fourteen, fourteen is the one I identify with. It's the Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still. And it's just something that rings true to me. It's it and like thirteen I said, it it's it's just another one of those things that repeatedly throughout the my life this band where it's just when in in God's time when things are right, they open up. And I've always I just keep saying all the time, when he opens the door, walk through it.

27. 14:24

    And It's it's happened so many times. Well, even right now, we've had an issue where there's there's only three of us in the band and we're trying to find at least two more to round this band out so that we can get playing and touring, but we haven't found the right one. We've gotten frustrated. We've had some we thought we're perfect, we're this has gotta be it, and it didn't work out. And we tried to put we know we both wanted to push and push and l let let God do his work. And when Yeah. the right one when the right one shows, it'll show.

28. 14:50

    We're gonna keep that in prayer for you as well. Yes. Thank you. Yeah, we're we're still gonna play a show this year. it was actually it's kind of funny. Me and my wife went on a on a lunch date today and we're talking about the end of the year and you know, kind of what we're looking to do and accomplish before the end of the year. And, a show is definitely one of those things. And ~ we've been kind of talking to a booking agent and we've checked a lot of the boxes for him, but he wants us to play a show before the end of the year.

29. 15:17

    Yeah, just to kind of legitimize the thing, 'cause we had some we had some AI hate, when we were first getting started and all that kind of stuff, So a live show just gets people filming you with their phones and it legitimizes the thing 'cause next year we want to be playing as much as we can. But she told me today, she's like, she said, if you keep waiting, you just you just keep putting it off. She's like, you got all these people that wanna see you guys, And we want to get out there and spread the word, So even if we do a a show as a three piece this year, we're gonna do it. and that's what I feel like God's I feel he's pushed.

30. 15:47

    Yeah, I feel like that's what he you we kinda what he wants. he's been so particular about who is involved with this project. we had so before fourteen came in, we had two other drummers and they didn't work out. And then ~ Fourteen come in and he just came in just to be a studio musician for us. We've known him for a long time. And it was like, all right, lay these drum tracks down if you don't mind. And he came in and he was so prepared. He was so just all about it. And then he called me back and was like, hey, have you got any more songs you need recorded?

31. 16:15

    He's like, 'cause I'd love to, maybe be a part of this. And then the songs just were speaking to him. And so that's been awesome. But yeah, even even videographers for music videos and all kind of stuff. The Lord has just been super picky about who's been involved with this project. You should probably tell that story about how basically kind of lost interest at a point and by coming in. Yeah. So the first the first year of the band was pretty tough. So, August of twenty three, the Lord laid this on my heart. And then ~ twenty twenty four we started, the process of getting in touch with seventeen and that whole thing happened.

32. 16:48

    Well, me and him was a little busy during that. that time frame and I'm still trying to put this band together, trying to figure out what players are. Yeah, what God's plan is, how this is gonna work and how it's gonna be received. But so it took basically the whole most of the year just to get that done. And then twenty twenty four, December, we released Mary Did You Know as our first song. Did a cover of it and ~ just kinda got us on the radar, people, nobody knew who we were and then all of a sudden, we got hundred people that kind of were intrigued by us.

33. 17:17

    But so the next year, 2025, last year, we started working on Reborn right early in January. And then ~ me and 17, we both just got kind of busy with life. Things were just not going the way we wanted it to. And 17 kind of went off and he had some things going on and he was trying to find his way. And so the band really, if if it wouldn't been for this guy, being around because he was so just excited about it and just eager to just keep going. So if he if if he wasn't if the Lord wouldn't sent him, I don't know that I would continue on pushing this thing.

34. 17:48

    ~ 'cause when when you're by yourself it's it's hard, Yeah, it's weird how it's just he keeps sending somebody else to carry the torch. When you go down, somebody else kinda comes in and it helps bring you back up, and then it's it's just kind of worked like that through the whole process of this this band. It's it's been incredible. And then finally July of last year, when we were still in the process of recording reborn, somebody at church told me that, you know, the devil can make you busy, he can get you focused on other things, instead of what you're supposed to be focused on.

35. 18:17

    And that really just spoke to me. I was like, you know what? It's time to get moving. And 17 heard the same message from somebody else at his church. we just knew that that was God saying, All right. It's time to stop, doing what you're doing and focus on what I called you to do. And ever since then things have been clicking the way they should. When God's in control, right? That's correct. All in his time. do you hope this goes? I mean, I know you're following his leadership, but if he said, You choose, we'll go wherever you want to go, where would you like the the band to go?

36. 18:48

    For me, I we've already had so many people reach out that say, Yeah, I've I've I've been on the fence with my faith, you're stepping in and out, back and forth. Your music has helped keep me on the path and keep me doing what I'm supposed to do and it's better in my life. And it that's that right there is enough. for me, I just like the music. I think if I was able to just keep recording this music and for myself, I'm fine with that. But the way it's been able to teach reach other people and bring them along with it.

37. 19:16

    if we can it the more we can, the the better. The better. it just in it's every day. It's we get more and more. And I'm just I'm I'm floored. I'm floored and we're nobody. We just we're just few a few guys from North Carolina who just make music, and do what we can and to read that you're you're touching somebody in Ukraine. or in in Buenos Aires or or anywhere in around the world, even locally. It it's every day. And so if if the if we can just keep this going and touch as many as we can, that would tickle me. Yeah, it's it's been incredible.

38. 19:49

    all the messages, emails, from all these people all over the world, that's it's touched their lives and they're sharing their testimonies. We started, ~ it was kind of funny, two weeks ago, we all three just felt led by the Lord to open up a thirty seventh legion page on our Facebook to where people can come, tell their testimonies, pray for people. and so that's been awesome just to see people's testimonies, people praying, anybody that's got anything they want somebody to pray for for, go there, So that's been cool.

39. 20:15

    But for me, I don't know, man, like the Lord is really when he laid this vision on me, like he showed me more that there's way more than what we're doing now. So getting out playing and, witnessing to people, spreading the message far and wide. one day people's gonna find out who we are, we know that. And that opens up the second part where we can do more, with the mask and without the mask, outreaches, charity stuff, helping people. just there's all kind of stuff that we wanna do with this that ~ we feel like the Lord one day is just gonna just open the floodgates for.

40. 20:46

    Well, I think that's a good pivot point to talk about probably the obvious question, the one that I think most people wanna ask. ~ why do you guys wear masks and and why don't you use your real names? what's what's the thought behind that? So when the Lord laid this on my heart in twenty twenty three, the masked thing was a big thing. So I won't go into full detail just because it's a long story, but when I was in when I was in high school, I went to a Christian high school and I had this teacher and she was very musical.

41. 21:13

    And again, I was a rock and roll guitar player and ~ I kind of liked skulls and stuff, and so she asked me if I had read Ezekiel thirty seven, and I was like I've heard of it, but I I haven't, so I read it. It talks about the valley of the dry bones. So anyway, back in that s in that school days, we started this little band playing in chapel at that the Christian school called DBL, Dry Bones Live. So when the Lord laid this on my heart, and I was actually in a masked band previous to all this, 2017, 2018. So when the Lord laid this on my heart, he reminded me of that conversation of about Ezekiel thirty seven and dry bones days and then he reminded me of my mask band that I was

42. 21:53

    in and basically was like this is how you're gonna do it. You're gonna wear skeleton masks and when you get something like that you're like okay Lord like how is this gonna work? like is this even possible? I remember when I told my wife about it, because she was basically the first person I told about it. And ~ she's like how's that gonna work? And I was like, I don't know. I was like, but it's God's plan and you know but yeah so our band's based out of Ezekiel 37 where Ezekiel ~ sees the vision of the valley of the dry bones coming to life.

43. 22:18

    What once was dead is alive in Christ. The masks also make it to where it's not about us. So it's not about me, it's not about him. it kinda points everything to God. So that way you don't have a person that you can tie each member to. It's also camouflage as protection, ~ keeps us mysterious. But again it points all the points everything to God and It's also a conversation starter because for the people that may not see the Christian side of things, they may be like, All right, these guys are wearing masks, what's is this about? And then you can, tell the good news if they've never heard about Jesus before.

44. 22:49

    So it's got a lot of different little ties to it. when when the Lord first laid this on my heart, I didn't really know all these other things about it. I just knew the, the value of the dry bones. And, we've had some people say, well, if you continue reading, it talks about they get skin and all I'm like, I know, but We only have so many wardrobe changes. Yeah. And then you look like zombies if you got half skin and so but this is how he called us to do it. we're He's doing something different with us. I mean, this isn't the way that if I was gonna start a Christian band that I would start a Christian band.

45. 23:17

    The masks have their own, ~ aggravations, especially trying to play a show and all this kind of stuff, And so it's got its whole thing behind this, but yeah, I mean, when he calls you to do something, you gotta do it. Does it help with being nervous in performances or interviews or other things? Does it kind of help to have that? Well, so I mean me and so we both have played in some pretty successful bands. We played in front of thousands of people and I'll be honest with you, I never was nervous in those days, but when I started playing at church, that was some of the most nerve wracking 'cause 'cause you're doing it for a different reason at that time, Yeah.

46. 23:51

    you know. Right. Do people at church know about the masks and the band? yeah. Yeah, there's like a the majority of my church is very, very supportive of the whole thing. we've got a whole group of people that's just been from our photographer that goes to my church, our shirt our merch guy. just everybody's just super supportive. 'Cause like again, when like even my mom, my mom doesn't understand the mask thing and she's been in church her whole life. She knows about, you know, Ezekiel thirty seven, but it doesn't she doesn't get it, and some people don't get it, but they see our hearts and they see the mission behind this, and what we're trying to do with it, And I think, people that may not like the mask, they still get on board because of the whole mission we're trying to to do.

47. 24:30

    Yeah. And that's Yeah. typically too, you have so many people who tell us, Well, this is not the right way to worship God. This is not the way the right way to honor God. ~ I don't know that we're actually even trying to reach those people necessarily. We're trying Mm. to reach the ones who don't know, who don't know how to reach God. Mm-hmm. ~ I and that's just this is just one way for us to do it. And So somebody else who's already has a relationship with God if this isn't your thing, we understand. Yeah, completely.

48. 24:53

    Go you know, there's plenty of music, plenty of theater, throw any any any of that out there, you know. But ~ we're just trying to reach the ones that that wouldn't ordin ordinarily get touched. And that's the thing, like, God can can use anything to reach people, right? I mean, masks, and then it go even goes into the AI thing, like people hate on the Christian AI stuff that's coming out. And I understand what people were saying with it, I get it. But say that somebody hears a Christian AI song, and that's the only way that they hear the word of Jesus, then God used it to spread his message.

49. 25:23

    So we can't as humans say God can do this, God can do that. God can do whatever he wants to and he's going to and he's he's proven that if you read the Bible. Mm. I had a artist, I won't say who they are, 'cause they're not ~ part of Rock of Ages anymore, unfortunately, but they were very new into the music scene, they were by themselves, they didn't have a band. so they put together what I thought was some really, really good music. But it was it was AI 'cause he lacked other members and other things. And he got it he got such bad backlash that he just backed out of the whole project and shut down the IG and and ran off with it and ~ I haven't seen since then it made me sad because I know that the heart

50. 26:02

    of it was really there for him and he just wanted to to make make music in the way that he could to honor the Lord and to get the message of the gospel out there. And what he produced was actually like very heartfelt and sincere and anointed. but it it was it was like definitely something that he felt shame and embarrassment about because of other comments and people coming out and that that kinda made me sad. And that's that's very sad, I mean, because we y people don't know what God ~ or how God called people to do that.

51. 26:33

    So who are we to judge? I mean, if if that's somebody's only outlet for making music, like I mean, then then that's what they should do, But like I said, it's it's a it's a double edged sword. I understand the whole thing with with the AI, and everything, but again, God's gonna use what he wants for his glory. That's simple as that. Right. Even the rocks will cry out. Mm. That's correct. Yeah. ~ And like that was the that was that was the crazy thing with us. Like, I never would have thought that we would have got so much AI hate when we first started this thing. Like, I mean it was kinda crazy for the first couple months, like after Reborn came out, and like people was like, You gotta prove it, you gotta prove it and it's we're like, if you can't tell our music's not AI,

52. 27:13

    then I don't really don't know what to tell you, but I mean, you know, it's crazy, man, like that people would rather People would rather die on that hill and just want you to be I AI and be what they want you to be, instead of worrying about spreading God's message, you know. That's it's sad. That completely defeats the purpose. I mean it's I I don't understand that at all. got some anti-AI stuff. My my stuff's fully human, but people would come on and say, Is this AI? And I'm like, Can't you tell just by listening to it?

53. 27:42

    Like, if you can't tell, then I'm not making good music, right? If if it sounds like AI. but That's what I told them, I said, I don't know if we should take that as a compliment or not. I mean, is it are you saying that because it's that good? 'Cause if that's the case, thank you. I don't Yeah. think it's that great. But it's Yeah, I mean our you know, and we you know, our production, I mean, we've got a you know, we record this stuff ourselves and produce it ourselves, you know, but we're working with so we we we met Rick Beato many years ago and I I done an album with him and a band that I was in and so I ended up meeting his ~ engineer, Ken.

54. 28:14

    And so basically since twenty fifteen Me and Ken's been working together on all the projects I've done since then this way. I I record the stuff, produce it as much as I can, and then send it to him. He mixes it, he puts his production side on it. And then ~ we got Brad Blackwood. He's a Grammy Award winner, but he's mastered everybody from Altar Bridge, Seven Dust, Mammoth, all those guys. And so we've got a pretty good team, working on this stuff, ~ to bring this out. And I mean, we spend a lot of time on this stuff.

55. 28:43

    we just wrapped up the next song, ~ not afraid. And I mean, there's probably over a hundred and something tracks just in that song. I wish that it was easy just to write a prompt in and put out a song, but we put way more into it than that. Sounds like if it was AI we'd we'd have a whole lot more money in our pockets. Yeah, and we you know, we probably have a whole lot more song. ~ I know, but wouldn't sound as I like that's the thing. Like I feel like people saying you're you guys are AI. I'm like, just listen, listen to it for a minute.

56. 29:10

    I mean, it's it sounds human. Your your stuff is very polished, it doesn't have that shimmer that the the AI stuff has, that shallowness, like even the the the drums and that kind of tinny guitar sound. you guys's production, it it should be obvious to anybody listening. It's not AI. ~ Yeah, they just like like I said, they just got a hate on something, so it is what it is. I have a unscripted question. I was talking to an artist yesterday and he called me because he his pastor came to him and said, Hey, there's people in the congregation that have expressed concern that you scream in your songs and I want you to quit screaming.

57. 29:53

    And the guy was like, What should I do? And and he was super mature, like just the way he would he was like, I'm gonna fast and pray about it. I I feel like I'm gonna submit to my church leadership because God honors submitting to authority. I'm going to pursue unity over anything else. So this is the weaker brother, you know, they they have some sort of freedom. issue when it comes to screaming and he's like, I'm I'm thinking I'm gonna quit screaming just for the sake of unity. And I mean that was kind of a a a really interesting thing that he's going through, but it made me maybe wonder like if that happened to you with the masks,

58. 30:31

    if people in your church came and said, Love you guys, but the masks, this is this is sinful. You guys gotta quit wearing the masks. How do you think you'd respond? Yeah, I mean it's that's a hard question, but ~ again when the Lord gave me this vision, this was a part of it and I have to follow what God said. the hard part is we worry too much in the world of what men, think and we have to feel like sometimes we have to listen to what our elders or, our church thinks. But at the end of the day, if God tells you to do something, then you do it how he asks you to do it, you know.

59. 31:04

    I mean, of course, if that was ever brought up to me at my church, which I don't ever think it will, but if it ever was, I would respectfully say I respect what you have to say. I'm gonna continue to pray about it and ~ follow God's will, and then if God one day, says, Hey, you don't need to wear these masks anymore, then so be it. And that's, the next phase of this. But again, you have to be true and you have to listen to what he says. I do have a question. But so I have a couple other bands that are also masked, that are part of the Rock of Aegis family.

60. 31:32

    N are you like Veiled Redemption? Are you familiar with that? Yeah, we've we've heard of yeah. you've heard of that. I just didn't know if there was like a masked band club or something. I don't know. If you guys A rivalry? Is there a rivalry? It's a union. I d I don't know. Well let's do some fan questions. So Chucky Irwin asks, how did your love for metal start? How did it start? Well, so like I said, I was raised in a Christian home, so for me, you know, like D C talk and all that kind of stuff. And then when POD was kinda on the borderline of being Christian and Creed, like that was about as as hard as I got.

61. 32:02

    But after I started playing guitar, I got into, T V, the Osbornes and so I started watching the Osborne's and then I started listening to Ozzy's music and his guitar players was just, amazing and so that really was My big ticket to getting into metal was was Aussie. Yeah, that's it's kind of the same for me. I mean that I just MTV had come out and all that stuff and you could just see it on T V and I mean I was always it was music all the time in my house, whether it was Motown or I'm trying to think of some of the other vocal groups or whatever. And my my mom used to sing a little bit and so we always had music.

62. 32:34

    So I was always into some kind of music and when MT T V came out it was just kinda bringing it full picture. And then bands like Motley Crew and Ozzy and Def Leopard, Quiet Ride, all those guys came in. I was just mesmerized. And I thought, This is this is what I wanna do. And ~ has put me on the path there to to heavy music and ~ I don't know. I just never look back, I guess. Yeah, when I heard the Crazy Train solo, that was just kinda it for me. I was like, yeah, that's exactly what I wanna do right there. So Awesome. Alright, so Jacob Camp, he's tagged as one of your top fans.

63. 33:07

    He asks, if you ever lost faith, how did you find it again? Also, how do you keep your faith? Hm. Well, I lost my faith for a little while, and ~ you know, God came and found me, ~ just those circumstances that he put into my life, helped me get my eyes back on him. so it was it was all him, and like I said earlier, it was it's very scary to think about all them years that I strayed and but he came back and found me and he met me, when I wasn't the best version of myself, and he turned me around, it's taken many, many years to get to where I am, today. And that was another thing.

64. 33:39

    Me my wife when we had lunch today, she she told me how proud of me she is that just of where I was and where I am now. And, those that kind of means everything to hear stuff like that, that, hey, I'm doing a good job. I am, people can see that I'm I'm different, than what I was. So I don't think I've ever really lost faith. ~ I think I've been lucky that way. but as far as keeping the faith, that's for me it's it's easy just looking looking at my daughter, looking at my wife, and every day just wanting to be better for them and to just show them a better way and to watch my daughter grow and see the person she's becoming and ~ you just see the the fruits of that labor come back. you know, it's it's ~ that is the hand of God to me.

65. 34:17

    You're just watching them grow and and become the people that you hope that they will be. But that that's easy for me. That's just looking over my shoulder. Beautiful answer. Josh Swering asks, Is there something specific you're looking forward to when you enter the kingdom? Just look forward to to seeing Jesus. that's that's gonna be an amazing day, we all try not to think about death, just because of leaving this earth and leaving the people you care about, But, the glory that that's gonna be when you walk in there and you're in his presence and you're just not even gonna be able to stand.

66. 34:47

    You're gonna fall off to your knees and just bow to him and thank him for all he's done for you. So you hope and pray that you hear, I know you. I mean that's that's another thing. More than anything, yeah. Kinda gives me tears just thinking about it. Maybe that and maybe ~ family as well. if I could be reunited with some of my my older family, that would that would be ~ a bonus with that. Yeah, seeing who made it, and then also maybe when you get there, just having somebody say, Hey, because of you, I made it here, So that would be pretty amazing as well.

67. 35:16

    Right on. Yes. All right, let's do the lightning round. question one. What are you planning to wear for Halloween this year? Probably gonna be a Lion King character. See now I'm for the past three or four Halloween, I've not really been able to dress up. We do a a little haunted trail. My my daughter's birthday is is October twentieth. So usually for her birthday, her birthday party, she wants to have us do a little haunted trail and we have her friends come out and we do we we we have a lot of fun with it. But I haven't really been able to dress up.

68. 35:46

    I've been working basically Alright. What is your skincare routine and do you have to wear sunscreen? Hmm. I don't I don't like sunscreen. I don't either. I totally against sunscreen, but I do wear ~ gosh, what is it? Like a a lotion. And I can't even tell you which one. I think it's my wife would kill me. there's a particular brand I like 'cause it it doesn't have scent or anything. It's not greasy, but I love it. Whatever it is, I love And it doesn't dry you out and right, right. Yeah, I use I use the Epsom salt lotion.

69. 36:15

    sunscreen. No sunscreen. so I should I should clarify, all of these are mask related questions. They're they're kind of humorous. We're totally missing the gem. We're missing the gym. Ha ha. I think it's hilarious that they're giving the s the serious answers to Well That's how my the s silly questions. That's so funny. That's right. Right. skin's that's how my skin stays this beautiful is that that magnesium looks. That's what I was saying, like your lotion, Yeah. so you're not drying out and Yeah. Can you eat in the mask? And if so, what have you attempted?

70. 36:42

    No, we can't even breathe in these things. Yeah. Full interview. But we can't breathe. Yeah, so we're we're I mean, you know, he's he I think he's tried to drink some water or something periodically, but yeah. It doesn't work. It doesn't work. You can't even chew gum in this thing. All right. So if you have it itchy nose in the middle of anything, like what's the protocol for taking care of that? Just being a man and just not messing with it. Adapt and overcome. Being a man. You guys are resisting scratching an itchy nose?

71. 37:11

    Like that is that is like And the more you say it, the worse it gets. I'm kinda Yeah. I'd have to run off stage. I know. Who takes the longest to get into your full costume? I don't think it's me because I'm pretty quick. Yeah, I'm pretty quick too. I've got a bung arm right now. had surgery on it, but ~ so probably me right now. But ~ I don't know. I'm pretty n I'm I'm ninja like, I think. Yeah, me too. I think it's probably seventeen. He's yeah, he probably he probably's the diva and thinks the long He's six foot five too, so yeah. He don't do anything quick.

72. 37:39

    Yeah. He's gotta do his hair. Well, he's got a his beard, he's gotta kinda do something with that. Mm-hmm. Do they do the masks have names? they should though. we could do that. We could do like a Facebook live or something. Name the mask. Well what Even the map. was fun well what was funny, when we first started this and we were trying to figure out like what we're gonna do about the names, we called our singer rattles for a little while, so seventeen was rattles. But yeah, so I guess his mask might have the name rattles, you know. Huh. I just All right.

73. 38:07

    noticed mine I've got an upside down heart nose. So I don't Is that another name? Where do the masks live when you're not wearing them? good question. This is pretty cool though. It's like a we got a like a cabinet over here at Fourteen Studio. Cabinet's a locker. So it's like Batman. Like you Batman begins when he opens the the dresser thing and then there's part of the bat suit. So that's what it kinda reminds me of. It's right next to the shop back. Yeah. Do you have like cool LED lighting shining down on ~ No. you n that's an upgrade waiting to happen.

74. 38:34

    No. But it is it is arranged nicely in there. Like it's got most of his costume stuff and then our masks are in there too. But it kind of feels like Batman just opening it up and there it is. Alright, so have your children or pets seen you in the full bloodlined scenario and how did that go? So my daughter, she, you know so we always do a big Halloween thing in our yard. So we're pretty known for it. So her at a early age, she was around skeletons and all that stuff. So when other kids are carrying baby dolls and stuff, she was carrying little skeletons and saying, he's so cute you know. So for her it was just, it didn't phase her at all. Yeah, and like you say, we've we've been playing in bands for a long time

75. 39:16

    and my my daughter's just grown up with Yeah, and she just she thinks dad's obnoxious anyway, so it's just and just another day. Right on. How do you handle a sneeze? Hmm. Well, I'll be honest with you. don't really think that I have sneezed in this mask. I don't think I have either. Yeah. But you know, I mean, probably if I sneeze, then probably stuff's just gonna come out since I don't really have a nose. Yeah, alright. So whose mask do you think smells worse? ~ Probably all of Yeah, not not mine. I spell amazing. Yeah.

76. 39:44

    You smell amazing in there. Alright. ~ I don't know. I I maybe ~ maybe seventeen 'cause he's got a lot of facial hair. Yeah. Yeah. But his mouth is actually Yeah, And he's not here. He's not here. So I mean we can just say it's him. h his mouth is open. That's true. He Yeah. his mouth is open. That's gonna mine's closed, so it probably does have a lot of especially being a drummer too, breathing heavy, I'll bet you I got a lot of fun. That's true. Maybe I just chew a lot of gun. Yeah. I was gonna say, I was actually thinking, if I was wearing a mask I'd probably chew go.

77. 40:10

    All right, you have to trade the skull for one non skull mask for a whole year. What are Hmm. you wearing? Batman mask. Nin nineteen eighty nine Michael Keaton Batman Mask. Just Good answer. I want god I would like something very non obtrusive. thinking like a ski mask because it would form to your face and it wouldn't be so hard. Maybe you could breathe through it, something like that. I don't know. and then this is ~ this is my favorite question always is w what do you think which song of bloodlines is jesus's favorite song Mm-hmm.

78. 40:43

    Well, it's probably I would think it's probably gonna be a song that we're not that we're releasing not coming out next. but it's called By My Name. That'll be the song after this next song. I'm also thinking we have another one that may come out a little later called No Devil and ~ the drums in that are so good I don't see how even the Lord couldn't just say that's my favorite. Right on. Ha ha. All right, well while we're on that, like what what's coming up for you guys? So you got you got a bunch of tracks planned.

79. 41:11

    I know there's a a psalm in there. Let's hear it. Yeah, so we're actually mixing. We've been mixing the last few days. it's called Not Afraid. It's based on Psalm ninety one. And we was originally gonna call it Psalm ninety one because it's heavily based out of it, but then ~ seventeen felt that the Lord was kind of saying to him like, Hey, it's not word for word, so let's change the name. 'Cause originally we named it Not Afraid. And ~ so we kinda went back with that. But it's It's gonna be a big song for us, Reflections was big for us. We knew it was gonna be big for us and kind of the same thing with this one.

80. 41:44

    The message behind this one is just it's incredible. I mean, the stuff that the Lord is laying on seventeen's heart to write about. We're just following what the Lord wants us to f you know to say. And like I said, he's leading this whole project. So we're just the instruments. We don't wanna get any glory for this. All the glory goes to him, so that's why If pay attention to our page, you see that we get we do nothing but give him the glory. And it's that's what me and somebody was talking about this the other day. It's kind of weird because I try not to get excited about some of this stuff, because it's different.

81. 42:15

    we're not doing this for ourselves anymore, we're doing it for the Lord. So but somebody at church was like, Well, you do at least need to get excited about it because he's working through you, So I don't know. It's it's we it's a weird thing for all of us right now. We're just trying to, not make it about us, And that even comes down to some of the guitar stuff, like, this next song's got a lot of cool guitar stuff in it, but it didn't come for me. I had no plans of doing any of this stuff. And as we're finishing this song up, ~ I was kind of struggling to figure out what to do on some of these parts and we pray before we write anything and we pray before we, record anything, just that the Lord's will be, done.

82. 42:49

    And some of this stuff that's just happened in the studio, it just it came from somewhere else. And this song is a is proof of that. The songs that you have coming up, have you performed them for anybody yet? No, people we know have kind of heard the demos, of the stuff. But ~ so basically kind of back to your question. So we've got not afraid coming out, in the next week, which that's the plan. And then we've got by my name, that'll be the next one. And then he's healing up from his surgery that he just had. He's actually doing really well.

83. 43:17

    we were out here yesterday in the studio working on Getting ready to start playing live and getting all of our stuff set up and I come in the door and he's in there playing the drums and I'm like, What are you doing? you know. Just trying to get the rust off the moving parts, that's all. Yeah. But yeah, so once he gets gets better, we're gonna try to release. hopefully before the end of the year release like a EP, five to seven song EP. It's gonna have a cover of how great that art on it. Which I'm really Nice. excited for. That one is it came out so good.

84. 43:44

    Any more Christmas songs? I wanna do another one. we was hoping on this EP to maybe do one, but I just don't think we'll get to it this year, unfortunately. Well, is there anything that we didn't ask you about that you want to share? Yeah, I mean, we could talk about, ~ 'cause this it's been brought up a few time about the the bloodlines, bloodline kind of thing. Yeah. We we c we could talk a little bit about that. Yeah. How did you So come come to the band name? So the the band name was was basically that morning that the Lord laid this on my heart. So ~ I guess I didn't really go into it earlier, but I kind of go into it. So there's always a church on my way to work that has these cool signs, they have these cool little sayings on their signs.

85. 44:21

    And this time of morning, like I guess they had just changed it, the week before. And so this is my first time passing it. And anyway, I'm driving and I read the sign that said the enemy. cannot cross the bloodline. And then as soon as I read that, that's when the Lord spoke to me and gave me the vision for this and to use the name. Well how can people be praying for you? You wanna start or Yeah, I I think one really good way would be to help us keep ~ ask the Lord to to keep giving us what we need to facilitate spreading his message, and and so far he's been ~ super generous with that and giving us everything we've needed so far, but just continue to pray that he gives us what we need and keep laying the things out in front of us.

86. 45:00

    ~ to keep moving the message forward and ~ so we can keep this thing just moving along like like he's done so far. ~ anything else you can take on? Yeah, I mean, you know, just pray for for protection for all of us. the enemy is a r is very real and he's shown himself, especially as we're trying to do stuff for the Lord. And ~ he's he's always gotta, try to cause some kind of issue or strife and and everything. So, Just pray for us in in that aspect, us and our families, and then just pray that we continue to follow God's vision for this. And, we're trying to stay very real to what he wants us to do and so just just pray for us in that aspect too.

87. 45:36

    Sounds good. Is there anything we can is there anything we can pray for you guys about? That's a good question. Yeah. Lady. me first. just for honestly, like every time somebody asks me then I just automatically think of my husband's health and just that the Lord continues to through my ministry give me good discernment. And again, kinda what you were saying, just the enemy comes hard when you're in ministry. yeah. You know, it's kinda like when you're when you're not full force in ministry and you're you're living your life, it's not that things don't happen, but once you're committed to ministry, they just one after another, right?

88. 46:12

    Like it's just No. yeah. So that would be me. I think I'll just say for me You guys get this right, that y you have day jobs, I've got a day job, Kate has a day job, and yet we're we're trying to do this podcast thing. I'm making music. I got a wife and four kids and I'm an elder in our church and just a lot of things going on and I I just wanna do it well. I wanna be a good steward of my time. I don't I wanna prioritize the things that he has given me to prioritize. I want my my ministry to my my wife and my kids to be greater than the ministry of music or the ministry that Kate and I are doing.

89. 46:52

    I don't know that I'm always getting that right. and and when I get it wrong, I just wanna hear it quickly and not not go too far down the path ahead of him or away from him or or what he's doing. And I wanna say I do wanna say thank you for, all that y'all are doing. it's it's cool to see what you both are doing through the ministry and what God's called you to do. ~ so again, thank you for for all you're doing. Thank you and thank you so much for being here with us. No, thank you. It was it was an honor. It's our pleasure.

90. 47:18

    Shall I pray us out? Yes, please.