The Music Genre: "Themis Wicca Rock"

Wicca Rock follows an earth or nature spirituality, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation.

Not necessarily the music used to create ambience for various Wicca rituals, Wicca rock is certainly alternative rock and is perhaps arguably a subset of Gothic rock but not to be confused with Pagan rock.

Wicca rock has a message that "each of us depends on the well-being of the whole and so we of Wicca have respect for the community of living beings, for people, animals, and plants, and for the preservation of Earth, the air, water and soil. [creed]"

Wicca rock sings praise for Wicca, vegan (herbivorous habits), feminism and ecology.

It is not about witchcraft. The largest proportion of members in Wicca are known as eclectic practitioners. That is, they are not a part of any specific Wicca craft and often not part of any coven. Instead, these Themis Wiccans draw upon several sources to form their own individualized and innovative religious practices. That's what the emerging Themis Wicca Rock is all about. Even Christians feel comfortable. "Live the life you choose for yourself" is a mantra of Themis Wiccan rock, "but be responsible for your actions".

The feminism aspect of Wicca and Wicca rock is not to be confused with Dianic Wicca which excludes men almost completely.

It's more about the focus on Gaia (Mother Earth), a female quasi-deity. Females are respected as equal but have a slightly higher rank to males perhaps owing to the importance of several Titans who while being female are truly deities for both genders equally.

Originating in Canada, Wicca rock emerged when Canadian band Themis began touring Canada and the America with a repertoire promoting the divinity of nature; the "Lord and Lady in the forest of life" and an ethical credo that resembles Wicca philosophies as much as it does the global ethic standard adopted by the United Nations and by the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago.

Wicca Rock Subculture

Evidenced in lyrics of Wicca Rock songs like "I am The Shadow", "Love of Life"; and in publicly promoted events like a Black Swan (Toronto) Halloween event posted for October 31, 2008 in which the promoters declare that they have invited a Toronto "Wicca Rock Band", Wicca rockers advocate a culture promoting ecology; of non-violence and respect for life; the divinity of mother nature; solidarity with 'earth' and a just economic order; tolerance and truthfulness and equal rights and partnership between men and women (although Wicca women have a higher rank).

According to an article published by Web Radio Canada "[Themis Wicca rock is] Still a fairly new genre of music ... [Themis Wicca rock is] catching on quickly in North America. ...With the public's growing awareness of the harmful effects of polluting and abusing the environment, more and more people connect with the Wicca message of respecting the beauty and mystery of nature. Wicca's and non-Wicca's alike can experience and appreciate Mother Nature's precious earth and every drop of life each of us is given."

Wicca Rock and Religion

Wicca Rock may not be religious neutral to many of the Christian faith. While there are some quasi-Wiccan Christians, the past history of Wicca is associated with dual deities and hence many Christians balk at the thought of Wicca. In these circles Wicca rock might only barely be acceptable. Some conservative Christians feel that even gospel music or Contemporary Christian Music is unholy.

On the other hand, perhaps less about political correctness and more about ecology beliefs which are common to all religions, Wicca Rock, according to Themis Wicca, advances a more eclectic Wicca wherein the earth is the true temple; and the plants and creatures their musical partners and inspirations. See Themis Wicca Theology

"We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation. Our bible is the wind and the rain." - Ruffian Angel song writer and lead singer of Themis

"We thrive in the song and spirit of the birds and other creatures of the wild -- our music is written from a love of all life."

Light over Dark

Unlike much Gothic Rock, and even alternative rock, Wicca Rock is bright and cheerful, promoting positive ideals. Converse to Gothic rock which comes from the dark, Wicca Rock comes from the light side.

Wicca Rock's Musical Style

Themis Wicca rock vocals, chorus, and some spuriously added wind instrumentals are the re-creation of the sounds of nature.

Other simulations of nature's sounds include:

a breeze moving through the trees (i.e.: vocals "The wind in the trees of the forest of life sing a song like this..." Themis - Love of Life).
the roar of an ocean crashing on jagged cliffs;
droplets of rain ("splashed across my cheeks" - Themis - Love of Life );
the crackling of lightning (i.e.: the clopped out, over flogged beautiful crash cymbal, Themis Drummer 'The Countess' hauls around from show to show to create the lightning crashes in Themis song "Your Angel".);
The cry of birds and roars of animals are some of the "instruments" that help comprise Wicca rock.

In Wicca Rock, the guitar tone is sharp and clear with compressed sustain, and in some songs processed with light electronic effects or sharply overdriven without much fuzz.

A bright overdriven guitar sound with compression is delivered clean or processed with some flanging and analog delay.

Creatively tuned ride cymbal patterns maintain the melodic rhythm of the Wicca song while repetitive closed and open high hat and Snare drum snaps push the beat.

Wicca Rock has a characteristic guitar playing style that resembles early rock and roll styles with percussive, full rhythm guitar chords. There is still a little of the down stroke playing style from punk, to add angular melodic lines instead of heavy chords. Minor keys and minor mode melodies are prevalent, but major keys are also used particularly in the brightest of songs such as Themis's "Love of Life".

The Music Genre: "Themis Wicca Rock"

Wicca Rock Subculture

Wicca Rock and Religion

Light over Dark

Wicca Rock's Musical Style

References