Tourniquet – Broken Chromosomes

Christian metal band Tourniquet has been active since 1989.   The name comes from a surgical tool used to slow hemorrhaging by applying pressure, figurately describing sanctification: the lifelong process by which we become more like Christ.  God becomes our tourniquet by helping us become less like ourselves and more like Him (John 3:30).

They released twelve albums, including:

• Stop the Bleeding (1990)
• Psycho Surgery (1991; re-released in 2001 as Psychosurgery)
• Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance (1992)
• Intense Live Series, Vol. 2 (1993)
• Vanishing Lessons (1994)
• Crawl to China (1997)
• Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm (2000)
• Where Moth and Rust Destroy (2003)
• Live in California – 1998 (2010)
• Antiseptic Bloodbath (2012)
• Onward to Freedom (2014 as the band name The Tourniquet Ark)
• Gazing at Medusa (2018)

They received numerous awards from HM Magazine, including Favorite Drummer of the Year (1990-1999 and 2003), Favorite Lyricist of the Year (2003), Favorite ’90’s Band, Favorite ’90’s Album (Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance), Favorite Band/Thrash Band/New Band of the Year (1990-1992, 1995-1995), among others.  They were also nominated six times for GMA Awards for their work on albums Psycho Surgery and Stop the Bleeding, and song  You Get What You Pray For.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Tourniquet-broken-chromosomes-lyrics.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

An unnamed individual speaks to God, with his thoughts “interpreted” by Tourniquet.  Let’s call them “Frank”.  Frank was born mentally-handicapped.  His father is a piece of work.  Beautiful on the outside, he has plenty of buddies and beautiful women to enjoy.  Yet, to his son, he shows hatred.

Franks’s grandfather abused his dad growing up.  Perhaps angry at his father’s mistreatment, Frank’s dad took his problems out on his son.  Perhaps, in part, because Frank was a bothersome individual.  Frank cannot help himself.  He is born with a mental deficiency.

Where is Mom in this picture?

Unable to cope with his abuse, Frank considers taking his life.  He begs God to save him from his abusive father, with tears in his eyes.  After pouring himself out, he realizes that only God can rescue him.

Focusing his eyes on Jesus instead of his problems, he knows that he’s not alone in this world.  He can hear the voice of God and follows Him.

My only concern is the possibility of wrong expectations.  Tourniquet’s message is not that Frank is rescued from his father, though he pleads God for removal.  Rather, Frank found comfort in Jesus as Christ takes away his suffering, at that one moment.  This gives Frank the strength to endure his father until God intervenes.

Score: 9/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

The entire song is Biblical.

This song does not contain a Verse/Chorus/Bridge structure.  Therefore I will assign stanzas to each paragraph.

[Stanza 1]

Lines 1 and 2: Frank is contemplating suicide as a means to escape their circumstances, described later in the song.

Lines 3 and 4: They cry out to God, unable to comprehend if He listens or cares (Psalm 22:1-2).

[Stanza 2]

Lines 1-4: At first, I thought that Frank accused God of abandonment; However, as the song continues, it becomes more clear that Frank’s subject shifts from God to his earthly father.  His dad beats him not in the way that God disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:4-11), but because he was annoyed at his son’s behavior.

[Stanza 3]

Lines 1-4: References the pattern of sin, where parent’s mistakes influence their children, who in turn influence their children with the same error (Numbers 14:18 and Deuteronomy 5:9).  Just as Frank’s grandfather pulverized his dad, so too Frank’s dad pummeled him.

[Stanza 4]

Lines 1-4: As we gain a fuller picture of Frank’s life.  He is mentally challenged and frustrated about it, offering a fake apology for “annoying” his dad for becoming a burden.  Dad behaves contrary to Galatians 6:2 and 1 Timothy 5:8.

[Stanza 5]

Lines 1-4: Frank wonders why a guy who has much fame, fortune, and good looks would show much disdain for his son’s disability.

[Stanza 6]

Lines 1 and 2: Perhaps drawing inspiration from Psalm 22:16, Frank feels surrounded by ravaging animals, devoured by the onslaught of his father’s rage.

Lines 3 and 4: Frank cries out to God for help, seeking escape from his abusive father (Psalm 22:11, Psalm 22:19-21, Psalm 40:13-17, Psalm 69:13-18, and Psalm 70:5).

[Stanza 7]

Lines 1-9: More details of dad’s mistreatment.  Frank recognizes that his father’s actions are highly influenced by his grandfather’s actions, as discussed in Stanza 4.

[Stanza 8]

Lines 1-4: Frank decides to keep on living rather than taking his life.

Lines 5 and 6: Contrasts the failures of man due to sin (Genesis 3:22, Genesis 8:21, Job 15:14-16, Psalm 14:2-3, Psalm 51:5, Proverbs 22:15, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10-18, Romans 5:12, Romans 6:23, and Ephesians 2:2-3) and the faithfulness of Jesus.

[Stanza 9]

Lines 1-3: In much the same way as King David lamented about God’s seeming abandonment and recognizing that God has not left him (Psalm 22:11 and Psalm 22:19), so too Frank knows that God has not left him to die.

[Stanza 10]

Lines 1-4: Frank knows that only God can hear his inner-cries for help, perhaps an allusion to Romans 8:26.  His father recently stomped on his back.

[Stanza 11]

Lines 1 and 2: Frank seeks Jesus, quoting from the words of Peter in Acts 4:12.  Though the context of Peter’s words is about salvation from sins, it uniquely identifies Jesus as the One to whom Frank seeks refuge.

Lines 3 and 4: Frank unfolded, within the last ten stanzas, casting his anxieties on Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30).  With his mind spent, he can fix his eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2), who comes right away to comfort him.

[Stanza 12]

Lines 1-4: Frank trust in Jesus and finds rest for his weary soul (Matthew 11:28).

[Stanza 13]

Line 1: Frank hears the voice of Christ (John 10:27-28).

Line 2: These words are incomprehensible; However, it sounds like “cause I left them all, away by the Son”.  If so, this is more trust language.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Those outside the camp of Christ will find interpretation easy.  Tourniquet’s vivid details into the horrors of Frank’s life is too familiar to those who had abusive dads.  It offers a message of hope, that unbelievers can turn to the Son of God to find rest.  He dries their tears and takes away their pain.

As mentioned in section 1, I have a concern about expectations.  It gains strength when addressing unbelievers who may not understand that prayers are not guaranteed.  The last thing I want is for unbelievers to walk away from Jesus because they thought prayers were always answered in the affirmative.  The song ends with freedom, easily misinterpreted as freedom from dad.

Score: 7/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God as it describes Frank’s transformation from self-loathing to focus on Jesus.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Tourniquet’s Broken Chromosomes helps us think about the mentally disabled and the horrors they might experience and cannot communicate to us.  I am grateful that one found comfort in knowing Jesus, where others may decide to end their life.  If we come to it with realistic expectations about prayer, It brings a message of hope to those who have abusive fathers, bringing God glory.

Let the reader understand that this song had a profound, emotional impact on my life.  Especially Stanza 7.  That was hard to read…and hear.

This song is not appropriate for corporate worship.

Final Score: 9/10

Artist Info

Track: Broken Chromosomes (listen to the song)

Artist: Tourniquet

Album: Psychosurgery

Genre: Classic Heavy Metal

Release Year: 1991

Duration: 5:21

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Updates:

03/26/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.