16 hp. Christian hilbilly goth rock.

Yep that is the genre of the music by the group "16 Horsepower". The lead singer was raised by a very strict father who was a pastor (can't remember which denomination?)They're lyrics are really stirring and very fire and brimstone like. A lot of their songs are in reference to the devil as an enemy and his effect on th writer and the people around him. The theme of a lot of their music is pretty doom and gloom in a lot of cases but it's all got a very stirring feel to it with the banjo and stand up bass. The lead singer sometimes plays something called a bandonian. I saw them in concert about 5 years ago and the way he played it gave him quite a stage presence. Below are the lyrics for Black soul choir and below that is the video for the song. I would have preferred just finding the mp3 without the video but I found the video first and quit looking after that.

Here's one critics description of watching David Eugene Edwards play the bandonian.

"All of this clicked together and the three men on stage were like heavy machinery grinding together in perfect harmony. For some of the earlier songs in the discography, Edwards would take out an ancient instrument that brings to our modern minds an accordion. But, nay, it's bigger and closes into a box and is called a "bandonian." Similar to an accordion in that you push buttons and pull and push a bellows that creates sound through the movement of air. However, instead of being a whine, the bandonian creates a low drone, not unlike an organ at a church if you press the bass notes. The instrument is also about 5 times longer and heavier than your accordion. You take this gigantic beast and pull it apart with inhuman force while pushing buttons for whatever tone you want. Then, once it's all spread out on your lap and your arms are in the crucifixion position, you force the damn thing back together. It was incredible."