Music is very personal. Beyond preferring certain genres, each person’s choice of favorites is entwined with what they can identify with in life. Our personal challenges and experiences or those of people in our lives color the way we receive a song. Our souls can process songs in such a deep way that they somehow become part of us. Counting back his top 5 to number 1, Donn gives us his 2021 choices for the songs that spoke to his soul in various ways.
Number 5
CONVICTIONS – The Price of Grace
The Price of Grace is about the brother left behind after a suicide. It’s a deep song, really hitting home for anyone living with mental health issues or knowing people with them. Michael Felker’s vocals truly make us feel the anguish felt when losing someone to suicide. I probably listed to this song a hundred times last year.
Number 4
IMPENDING DOOM – I Must End
With their “in your face” metal, new music from Impending Doom is always welcomed. I love the song lyrics, this one especially spoke to me “Every time I open my heart. I feel the whole thing ripping apart.”
Number 3
WAR OF AGES – No Altars
This worship song about God being the only one done in heavy metal is just awesome!
Number 2
PHINEHAS – Severed By Self Betrayal
This is another song that hits home with my life and how hard I treat myself. I totally feel the lyrics, “Looking in the mirror, I don’t see anything, anything that looks like me.” Phinehas released my number one album for 2021, The Fire Itself, and “Severed By Self Betrayal” is my favorite song on it.
Number 1
CONVICTIONS – Wreckage
The lyrics “the nails in your wrist cut the blades from mine”, “I need a miracle”. This song depicts God saving someone from suicide, which he has done for me so many times. The song describes the darkness I felt in 2021 and its release was right on time for me.
