METAL FOR JESUS Compilation

Metal for Jesus is an album of incredible music but also an incredible message. Featuring tracks from Narnia, Golden Resurrection, Audiovision, Divinefire and Modest Attraction this seventeen song album is a great collection to give to your unbelieving friends.

Johannes Jonsson is the driving force behind this release along with Christian Liljegren. The Metal for Jesus album is a musical tract with songs picked especially for their lyrical content. However that shouldn’t dissuade anyone, as from a musical point of view this album shreds. In conjunction with the Metal Bible this album should provide a great introduction to Christian Metal.

From symphonic metal, melodic metal, neo classical metal and hard rock this album contains a large swath of styles that should appeal to a vast audience.  Believers who desire to have an album of pure Christ based content should find this album to be a breath of fresh air from those releases that force you to wonder if they’re Christians or not.

For those of us who want an album of pure Jesus Metal this album is truly for you. From the Metal For Jesus website Johannes wrote this,

“Lots of prayers have been going into this album to make sure that the right tracks were chosen and right comments written so that it should be everything God wanted it to be. We want Jesus to be glorified and we dedicate this album to Him! Focus on the album is totally on God and what Christian faith is all about. Booklet contains salvation prayer and comments by me where I explain the lyrics and talk about God's mercy, why Jesus is the only way to God, second coming of Jesus, prayer and how to get to know Jesus and overall what true Christian faith is all about.”

I myself  believe this album to be a great listen. It’s encouraging and uplifting and I get rocked out at the same time. Great musicianship and quality recordings completely remastered. This album is definitely one to give your friends.

TRACK LIST:

Narnia - People of the Bloodred Cross
Narnia – Living Water
Narnia – Long Live The King
Audiovision – The Way (Stryper cover)
Audiovision – We Will go
Divinefire – Divinefire
Divinefire – Live My Life For You
Golden Resurrection – Proud To Wear The Holy Cross
Modest Attraction – Down On My Knees
Golden Resurrection – The Final Day
Golden Resurrection – God’s Mercy
Divinefire – Never Surrender
Golden Resurrection – Flaming Youth
Golden Resurrection - Golden Resurrection
Divinefire – Open Your Eyes
Divinefire – Bright Morning Star
Divinefire – The Way To Eternity 

Here is more information about how to obtain this album from the Metal For Jesus website:

"Metal For Jesus album is available to order worldwide directly from me. I sell it for $15 + $5 shipping all around the world. Send payment to Paypal account: johannes@metalforjesus.org and I'll ship it right away.

If you live in Sweden you can also get it from my Christian Metal Shop Metal Community

The Metal For Jesus album is also strongly connected to The Metal Bible and features info about it and how to get it." 

GOLDEN RESURRECTION - ONE VOICE FOR THE KINGDOM

Golden Resurrection has returned with a barnburner of an album, entitled One Voice for the Kingdom. A much more up tempo release is in store for the listener as opposed to their previous album, Man with a Mission. That opus provided a much more commercial feel; it is quite clear that One Voice for the Kingdom is a more straight ahead metal record with a stronger neoclassical flair.

Tommy Reinxeed delivers again on the guitar; he is a tremendous player who has a keen sense of melody and nuance. He can also just plain shred when the song calls for it. Just listening to his playing during the two instrumentals will make a believer out of you, Heavenly Metal & Moore Lord are exceptional bits of guitar playing whimsy.

One of the things that really stood out to me is that the drums on this release are completely ‘natural,’ no effect triggers were used. A nice organic sound which reminds me that human beings made this music, not machines. Alfred Fridhagen takes over in the drumming department (he's only 19!) and his playing is tremendous, he solidifies a powerhouse rhythm section.

The songs are good, solid driving neoclassical heavy metal. Can’t Slow Down, One Voice for the Kingdom, Born For the Strangers are immediate standouts with their fast and furious tempos with stronger melodies. However this release did take me a few listens to get a handle on the hooks. That is perhaps the one thing that was the most glaring; the melodies didn’t necessarily jump out and dig in deep leaving me humming them when the album was over.

There isn’t a ‘bad’ track on the album yet it would seem to me that perhaps an outside producer to help bring out the best in each song. Someone to help make those melodies even stronger and perhaps a little more accessible. Not in the sense of a ‘hit single’ but just to help make things a bit more memorable, for many of the tracks are worthy.

Christian Liljegren continues to deliver exceptional vocal work in the vein of Dio with a touch of Halford thrown in. The lyrical message that Liljegren delivers is one of hope, without compromise or condemnation.

One Voice for the Kingdom is a natural progression from the last two albums, with its more upfront guitar work and slightly less polish in the production department. The keyboards have their place but don’t dominate as often as on Man With a Mission.

Golden Resurrection have again delivered a healthy dose of guitar driven neoclassic power metal. Leather and denim jackets need only apply; this type of music is designed with the proverbial air guitar in mind. I got mine! Where’s yours??

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GOLDEN RESURRECTION - GLORY TO MY KING

Crafting a smooth neo classical metal sound Golden Resurrection is upon us. With both Tommy Johansson (ReinXeed) and Christian Liljegren (Audiovision), Golden Resurrection has crafted a very good album of hook filled melodic metal. Glory to My King is a rockin' offering of headbanging musical whimsy.

Glory to My King offers plenty of neo classical metal elements. The solid melodies and hooks are nonstop, starting with See My Commands, Glory to My King, Proud to Wear the Cross are just a few. Liljegren delivers well executed vocals that any fan of Dio, Jeff Scott Soto or Rob Rock should just eat up.

It must be pointed out that Johansson’s guitar work is truly the stitching that wraps this all together. Melodic and soulful with the technical precision that enhances each song and doesn’t overpower it. His playing is tasteful and senses the proper place to cut loose which is unusual for a neo classical player as they often try to fill every open spot with a 5 second solo fill.

The other players on this album are not to be looked over as each plays at a top level, bass player Stefan Käck, drummer Rickard Gustafsson (Pantokrator) & keyboardist Olov Andersson (Audiovision & Grand Stand) respectively.

The production breathes and allows the instruments to have proper definition. There will be cries for more bass response which depending on one’s ear could be a reasonable request. A world class sound Glory to My King has.

The lyrics are obvious in their intent and meaning. Any project with Liljegren involved I would expect no less, and he again writes top drawer material that is uplifting and edifying without coming across preachy or corny.

It must be pointed out that this is NOT another Audiovision album. Where Audiovision has more of a Stryper, Dio flavor per se, Golden Resurrection is more Yngwie Malmsteen, Europe in musical flavor. The musical differences between the projects Christian provides vocals for is evident.

Glory to My King is a good album, perhaps even better than the Audiovision (Focus) album which preceded it earlier this year. Melodic Heavy Metal with a neo classical flair is what you’ll find here and you won’t be disappointed.

8 axe