HEADS, STOP YOUR BANGIN, AND BOW THEM IN REMEMBRANCE

Growing up in a military family I know a thing or two about the personal sacrifices members of our Canadian Armed Forces give each and every day, so that way I can exercise my personal freedoms. Just about every member of my family is in the military and in my teenage years I had the opportunity whilst living in Germany to visit every place Canadians fought and died in WWI and WWII in the European theatre. From Dieppe to Vimy Ridge to the Somme and everything in between, I began to understand what it truly meant to be a hero and how brutal and costly war can be. I also visited places like Krakow and Auschwitz, places of immense death and suffering, the soot still stains the fences and barbed wire of Auschwitz black.

It is because of being at these historic places and seeing these sights that the phrase "Lest We Forget" has serious significance for me personally. Most Canadians however do not even know why it is we fought or more disconcerting where and when. Place the blame wherever you like, but thats not the point I am trying to make today. No matter your level of understanding of the day, just pay your respects to those who fought, people you never met, or ever will know but mark my words they affected the way in which you live your life today.

Every metal fan knows that war is a common theme in their music, speaking moreso about the atrocities committed than glorifying it as something 'cool". A good example is Slayer's song "Angel of Death". It talks about those that suffered at Auschwitz.

Like Remembrance Day, some Heavy Metal keeps our history alive, making sure the wrongs of yesteryear do not happen again because remember...

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
-George Santayana (1863-1952)

Some songs in Remembrance of those who came before us.

A short tribute to Canadian troops set to Metallica's song "One"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLOSo5Ki39o

A Remembrance day tribute set to Iron Maiden's "These Colours Don't Run"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xVue2kx1G8
System of a Down's song "Soldier Side" a little more on the American side but the lyrics and video run true for anyone who has a loved one in the Armed Forces.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8YluAMCRT8