Thelemic Rock: What is it?

A New Genre? Yes and No...

Developed by YOUND, a French band, in 2024, Thelemic Rock is characterized by a simple, unconventional, multicultural, and open musical architecture. Its lyrics are positive, encouraging self-overcoming, action, and the expression of everyone's will. Its rhythm is often upbeat, even joyful, shaped by the feelings of the artists and listeners, rather than technique, speed, "backstage," or commercialization. What dominates in Thelemic Rock is emotion, tolerance, and above all, freedom.

Back to the Roots

The journey has been long and twisted since Alan FREED, who in 1951 coined the term "Rock’n Roll" to describe this dynamic, stripped-down genre, developed as early as 1949 by Goree CARTER. Originally, this simple and rhythmic music celebrated the joy of life and hope. Over time, however, it gradually transformed into a protest genre, embraced by youth seeking emancipation. By the 1960s, and even more so in the years that followed, rock became "rebellious," "committed." It became the voice of counterculture and liberation movements in the West. But instead of offering solutions, rock simply observed.

From a form of liberation, rock gradually built walls around each movement, each "micro-genre," confining musicians and audiences within identifiable boundaries. Value judgments emerged, with some focusing on technique or speed, others on stage performance, all agreeing that their preferred style was the very essence of rock. What began as an emancipatory genre turned into a heap of chains that are difficult to break free from.

Thelemic Rock frees itself from all these technical constraints by relying solely on emotion. Whether technique is present or not, it only matters if it serves the emotion carried by the song. Gone are the soulless slogans, the speed records without rhythm, the heartless sounds. Thelemic Rock is pure emotion, where everything fits simply, effectively, rhythmically. No commercial codes, no formulas based on three verses, three choruses, a bridge, and a solo if they don’t serve the emotion.

Hope and Protest

Between "Love me tender" and modern RAP, it's not a gap, but a chasm. While rock once advocated freedom and positive thinking, offering a vision of the "possible" to all, music has gradually shifted towards terrifying negativity. It’s easy for musicians with limited cultural perspectives, and commercially attractive for bands lacking imagination, to focus on negativity. And it sells.

Humanity is tired of fighting, sure, but it can also be lazy or misinformed. From pandemics to terrorist attacks, from famines to wars, from corruption to bloody news stories, everyone is constantly exposed to the ugliness of our world. Through self-indulgence or simple apathy, many find it more comfortable to blame others without seeing their own share of responsibility. "No reason to change, the world is made this way." And music conveys this negativity, immobilizing desires and will. Pop with its impossible loves, RAP with its injustices, punk with its destructive dogmas... most music today is built on pain, violence, grief, or injustice. Can you name many modern positive songs?

Thelemic Rock conveys the "possible." Remember Mark TWAIN’s words: "They didn’t know it was impossible, so they did it." Sure, the paths aren’t always lined with rose petals, but some paths lead to flowered valleys. The common trait among those who reached their goals? They tried, they expressed their will. As Rabelais said in 1542, "Do what thou wilt": that’s the Law of Thelema. This is what this genre conveys: collective liberation through individual emancipation—a new form of the hummingbird strategy. Too easy to observe the damage, more effective to act. Hope—that’s what this special genre brings. Hope and the example of those who follow the path of emancipation and proactivity, not resignation, those who seek to push past limits rather than simply criticize, even if it’s difficult, even if it seems impossible: at least try. "Love is the Law, love under will," wrote Aleister CROWLEY. Positivity and sharing as a bulwark against stagnation, love and joy against inactive fatalism—these are the values of this genre, certainly different, not in vogue (for now), but so necessary.

So What Is It?

Thelemic Rock is simple, emotional, positive, motivating. Far from naive idealism that advocates the simplicity of action and results, this genre shows that it’s possible. It sits in a generational societal fracture. On one side, there are the children who observe but don’t act: "The world is unjust." On the other side, there are adults who act, take responsibility, and strive toward their destiny. And in the middle, there are the majority who would like to, but don’t move forward. The rise of conspiracy theories, systematic protest, passive consent—all these elements foster passivity, enriching those who act and impoverishing the passive contemplators of modern society. "Voluntary servitude," as Étienne de la BOETIE described it in 1574. At just 23, in a century where protest was not allowed, this young man had already understood that humanity willingly strengthens its own chains, as Plato described in his allegory of the cave. Thelemic Rock is a movement that pushes for constructive liberation and opposes passive, destructive protest.

Thelemic Rock says, "Move, others have done it" in a melodic way. Those who follow will act like adults; those who refuse will continue to hope, like children…