A German Requiem (Brahms) humanism persists through the work. Brahms purposely omitted Christian dogma. In his correspondence with Carl Reinthaler, when Reinthaler expressed concern over this, Brahms refused to add references to "the redeeming death of the Lord", as Reinthaler described it, such as . In the Bremen performance of the piece, Reinthaler took the liberty of inserting the aria "I know that my Redeemer liveth" from Handel's "Messiah" to satisfy the clergy. In addition to soprano and baritone soloists and mixed chorus, "A German Requiem" is scored for: Since Brahms inserted the fifth movement, the work shows symmetry around the fourth movement, which
Solace of Requiem band also structures their music similarly to the way classical music was written, lending a neoclassical feel to their sound. They blend together technical instrumentation with a mix of things including classical passages, doom riffs, midi instruments, and an overall dark ambiance. The lyrics have their basic roots in philosophy, typically very dark in essence. Themes include expressions of hatred, brutality, psychology, hopelessness, and secular minded philosophy based on scientific principles. The style is often poetic, and presented with rotating perspectives. The initial lineup of Solace of Requiem (Jeff Sumrell, Chris Young, and Luke Downing) began under the moniker Sarcophagus