Christian rock bands tend to get a bad rep, usually failing to garner attention or critical acclaim because, in general, they’re just not very creative. But what about bands that are full of members who profess Christianity but don’t use Jesus’ name in every chorus?
That’s the case with Cyrios, a band composed of a UH student, a UH alumnus, a Houston Community College student and a friend of theirs. While all members recognize Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior, they don’t use his name in order to make fans, receive interest or sell albums.
“The difference between ourselves and other Christian bands is that we don’t sing worship and praise songs,” said UH marketing senior David Hitchcock, who sings and plays guitar for Cyrios. “That is not to say those things are bad in the slightest, (because) there is definitely a place for them. However, we wanted to put a message out there that would reach people who either were never Christian or who have been disenfranchised by Christians not behaving like Christians should.
“When you say we are a Christian band, think of us in the same light as Flyleaf, Anberlin and Killswitch Engage, (which are also) Christian bands,” Hitchcock said. “It’s there in the lyrics, but it isn’t necessarily in your face. Because of this approach, we’ve actually found welcome reception in both Christian and secular audiences.”
It’s a tightrope walk, but Cyrios’ members are open about their faiths while also trying not to disenfranchise non-religious fans.
“We do not market to the Christian audience. We strive to bring hope and good feelings to all listeners through our music and lyrics,” UH alumnus Ronald Collins said. “If you listen close enough to the lyrics, you may find a few Christian undertones.”
Houston’s music scene is difficult for bands such as Cyrios to thrive.
“Hard rock and metal are probably the least popular genres here in Houston, while hip hop is definitely the most listened to,” Collins said. “I don’t even see big metal bands come through Houston often. Most of the time, big bands skip over Houston and go straight to San Antonio and Austin, where the metal scene is more accepted. It is definitely a struggle to get off the ground for metal/hard rock bands in Houston.”
Cyrios’ sound is radio-friendly, melodic metal. It may not be the most well-received genre in Houston, but with the popularity of 94.5 The Buzz and the accessibility of The Texas Buzz, these music-loving students may be on the radio before they know it.
Band members strongly believe that it can make it work with help from family, friends and fans, all of whom have been extremely supportive in all of Cyrios’ endeavors. And if they can’t make it big, they’re happy to play as frequently as they can book shows.
“Music is everything to me,” bassist Stephen Hague said. “If I can play and make it a career, that would be awesome. If that’s out of the question, then I’ll do it part time to keep me sane.”
No matter listeners’ religions or preference of genre, it’s hard not to get behind Cyrios’ underlying message of hope.
“I hope that our listeners are getting a positive message out of our songs and go away feeling uplifted,” Collins said. “If our music can make life’s problems seem distant for even a second, I am happy.”
*to (it's late/early)
My difficulty with the Houston metal scene is not so much that there are not metal bands, but that in general the Houston "audience" is not as receptive to metal, hardcore, metalcore, etc. That isn't to be critical of Houstonians – people listen to what they listen to – but it is more difficult for metal bands to find sufficient fan support and followings here than in other cities where there is a larger audience and metal itself gets more radio airtime.