Symbol - anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture
Anberlin's song Miserabile Visu (Ex Malo Bonum) references many biblical allusions in the lyrics. For example, the "Red priest" is a symbol for Jesus Christ, who "spoke such words never spoken before" and performed "miracles like you've never seen". Also, "the man from seven hills" references the Devil.
Language - a system of symbols that allows people to communicate with one another
"Language forces us to perceive the world as man presents it to us."
Anberlin's fanbase is mainly in English-speaking countries, such as the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, etc. However, they have toured non-English speaking countries, such as China and Thailand.
Values - culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful and that serve as broad guidelines for social living
Because of Anberlin's values as a Christian-led rock band, lead vocalist Stephan Christian says, "It's not like we have a huge platform. We're not Coldplay or U2, but I want to touch people's lives. I've got two routes to go. I can either go the sex, drugs, and rock & roll route - which is so temporal - or I can invest in people's lives. When I look back on my life, I want it to have meaning." His values coincide with society's values of being remembered and famous long after he is gone.
Beliefs - specific ideas that people hold to be true.
Anberlin's songs reflect many beliefs about the effects of a relationship between a person and his past. For example, in The Unwinding Cable Car, Stephen Christian sings, "It's the choices that make us who we are." Later in the song, Stephen says, "This is the correlation of salvation and love / Don't drop your arms / I'll guard your heart." Because he believes that his choices have made him who he is, he is determined to protect who he loves, as he has made a commitment to be there for them.
Stephen sings about the choices he has made that has come to define him.
Postindustrialism - the production of information using computer technology. Production that centers on computers and other electronic devices that create, process, store, and apply ideas and information.
Postindustrial technology has become a major player in unbringing of Anberlin's popularity. Almost every Anberlin song has lyrics posted on various webpages, and these webpages allow viewers and fans to comment on and discuss their individual interpretations of the songs One example is LyricsMode.com. They have a full list of songs by Anberlin, and pages of discussion by viewers. This is important because no Anberlin song is formulated around just one central theme. They all revolve around multiple themes.
Multiculturalism - a perspective recognizing the cultural diversity of the United States and promoting equal standing for all cultural traditions.
Anberlin has promoted multiculturalism by including different musical styles from other cultures into their new material. During an interview with Jonah Bayer on ShockHound in September 2010, Anberlin was asked if there were any tracks on their new album, Dark is a Way, Light is the Place, that would surprise their fans. The band leader, Stephen Christian replied:
"I know there are moments where listeners are going to be shocked, and I think “Pray Tell” is one of those moments. For that song, we studied how we could manipulate Brazilian music and use it for Anberlin; we had just gotten off a Brazilian tour, and we loved the music and the culture so much that we studied and added the beats that we learned from a Brazilian song."
Language - a system of symbols that allows people to communicate with one another
Values - culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful and that serve as broad guidelines for
social living
Beliefs - specific ideas that people hold to be true.
- Anberlin's songs reflect many beliefs about the effects of a relationship between a person and his past. For example, in The Unwinding Cable Car, Stephen Christian sings, "It's the choices that make us who we are." Later in the song, Stephen says, "This is the correlation of salvation and love / Don't drop your arms / I'll guard your heart." Because he believes that his choices have made him who he is, he is determined to protect who he loves, as he has made a commitment to be there for them.
Postindustrialism - the production of information using computer technology. Production that centers on computers and other electronic devices that create, process, store, and apply ideas and information.
- Postindustrial technology has become a major player in unbringing of Anberlin's popularity. Almost every Anberlin song has lyrics posted on various webpages, and these webpages allow viewers and fans to comment on and discuss their individual interpretations of the songs One example is LyricsMode.com. They have a full list of songs by Anberlin, and pages of discussion by viewers. This is important because no Anberlin song is formulated around just one central theme. They all revolve around multiple themes.
Multiculturalism - a perspective recognizing the cultural diversity of the United States and promoting equal standing for all cultural traditions.
- Anberlin has promoted multiculturalism by including different musical styles from other cultures into their new material. During an interview with Jonah Bayer on ShockHound in September 2010, Anberlin was asked if there were any tracks on their new album, Dark is a Way, Light is the Place, that would surprise their fans. The band leader, Stephen Christian replied:
- "I know there are moments where listeners are going to be shocked, and I think “Pray Tell” is one of those moments. For that song, we studied how we could manipulate Brazilian music and use it for Anberlin; we had just gotten off a Brazilian tour, and we loved the music and the culture so much that we studied and added the beats that we learned from a Brazilian song."