DAVID BENSON - PURPOSE OF THE CROSS reissue

David Benson has been around the Christian Metal scene since the mid 90’s. Yet this re-issue is my introduction to him and his music. He’s been one of these names that I’ve heard about and pondered what his music would sound like. Many of you who are more familiar with him are probably shocked that I’d not heard him before.

Well with Intense Millennium's reissue of Benson’s first album I’ve finally got the opportunity to check him out for myself. Purpose of the Cross was originally released in 1996, this edition has been remastered and expanded for a modern audience. Three extra tracks were added that Benson recorded with former Tempest guitar player Mick Rowe, more about those later.

Purpose of the Cross is the almost perfect amalgam of early 70’s era Sabbath with a strong sense of melody and just the right touch of early solo Ozzy. Benson is clearly influenced by Ozzy as his vocal performance is clearly brings that spotlight to it.

Yet without the songs themselves no amount of posturing will save any artist and Benson has the songs to back up his performance. From album opener Purpose of the Cross to Shout through Works album closer Faith, and this album is some true doomy metal. The more I listen to this album the more I like it and it actually excites me to hear someone playing Heavy Metal in a traditional manner. It also makes me wonder why there aren’t more bands from a Christian point of view doing it.

This disc rocks my friends, if you dig stuff like Barren Cross, Whitecross, Trytan then you’ll have no problem here. If you’re a purist who feels that wearing one’s influence on your sleeve this way is a problem then don’t buy it, but if you’re like me and just want some tunes to rock out to, grab this album NOW!

On the production end of things Purpose of the Cross has that underground feel and I’ve no doubt that the remastering has helped to improve the sound. The frequencies seem to be balanced appropriately; it’s not overly thin or boomy. Lyrically David lays his Christian message right out there.

Now back to three bonus tracks, Benson and Rowe collaborated on what would’ve been a new Tempest album. Yet that album would’ve sounded nothing like the Tempest of the late 80’s. These tracks are doomy sludge that follow the style of Benson’s other material. On this release they are right at home and perhaps are even heavier then the rest of the album. Just listen to Crushing the Dark Cathedral and your head is gonna sway hard.

Fans of Ozzy era Sabbath should find something to cheer about here. Doomy, powerful metal with melody and a message, Purpose of the Cross is the real deal. A big thumbs up and here’s looking forward to more from where this came from.

9 axes

VENGEANCE RISING - DESTRUCTION COMES

Vengeance Rising’s third album Destruction Comes has been reissued and remastered by Intense Millennium. They’ve even included the music video for the track Before the Time.

Destruction Comes, if you’re not familiar with it, is full on thrash/grind metal which is low on subtlety and long on bombast. Gone are many of the somewhat melodic elements of the first two Vengeance albums and what you have here is pure brain crushing ear splitting metal best heard at high volume.

You Can’t Stop It, Countless Corpses, Thanatos, Before the Time and the rest don’t allow you to breathe (well maybe part of Raegoul does…). Undoubtedly the even more brutal direction is due to the fact that only Roger Martinez remained from the original line-up.

The guitar tone on this album is much more processed which I thought the remastering might help clean up. Unfortunately that really didn’t occur, many of the tones are louder which adds to a bit fuller sound, but that also means that the guitar elements are just louder as well.

This is still a solid Vengeance album and I’ve read where some fans actually like this disc and the one that followed Unleashed Upon the Earth even better than the first two. Myself I’m glad to see Destruction Comes see the light of day in an updated format.

If you like things hard and heavy this is a must add to your collection.


7 axes

DELIVERANCE - WHAT A JOKE

Intense Millennium has brought another long out of print metal classic back to the forefront. The mighty Deliverance and their third album entitled What a Joke is the album of the moment.

For many Big D fans this album seems to get the short shrift. A mish mash of short comedic type songs i.e. ‘Happy Star,’ ‘Cheeseburger Maker Du’ (a short riff that goes back to 1987) and several standard full on speed metal tunes i.e. Prophet of Idiocy, What a Joke, J.I.G. and Pseudo Intellectual.

A re-worked version of Attack appears as does a rather heavy version of Silent Night. However it would be a crime not to mention their cover of Black Sabbath’s After Forever. That blew a lot of people’s minds back in the day and I’m sure it will again.

This re-release has also been remastered. There are some things that have definitely been improved with this reissue. The sound of the drums have benefited as have the guitars. However I’ve found that the shelf of frequencies above 8-10k seem to have been brought down so low that I have to manually adjust my stereo to bring much of the high end back.

The sound is a bit fuller with improved low end response, but it seems that the dynamics of the high end were sacrificed. I just wonder if some type of happy medium could’ve been achieved.

A solid bonus track entitled Strings of Sorrow is also included. This track harkens to what would come on their next release Stay of Execution. No information is included as to where this track came from or when it was recorded.

This particular edition also includes a limited edition album cover. Apparently some big broo ha ha has erupted over it and has led Intense Millennium to state that the original cover will appear on later releases of this album.

For those of you who have been wanting to pick this one up here’s your chance. Jesus Is God!!!


7 axes

RANSOM - RANSOM remastered

Southern California hard rock act Ransom released two acclaimed albums in the early 1990’s. With a sound not unlike Heart, Stryper or Lita Ford; Ransom delivered a solid ball of rock that could compete with the best of them.

Intense Millennium have remastered and re-issued their debut album with several bonus tracks. Songs such as Lasting Love, Rumors, Etched in Stone, and Break into Darkness sound better than ever. With some really strong performances from Tony Ortiz on lead guitar, Michael Ciado bass guitar and Randy Kantor on drums the foundation was laid for Lisa Faxon’s smoky vocal to soar over the top.

Ransom had a strong knack for writing catchy melodies that really stuck with you. Whether it was the above named songs or tracks like Fallen Angel, Fool that I am and Your Broken Heart the hooks dug in deep. It really is one of those albums that get better the more you listen to it.

The remastering brings great dynamics and depth that simply wasn’t there before. The Frontline studios (aka Mixing Lab A & B) often got good sounds, but many times the dynamics were overlooked and the finished product ended up sounding flat. Steinhaus studios again provided stellar work to make a rough gem sound pristine.

If you were a fan of Crystavox back in the day or Shout, but you overlooked Ransom now is the time to take a second look. You even get three bonus tracks, all from the bands three song demo. Sin Killer, Sticks n Stones, and To Be like You. There is also a hidden track (which isn’t so hidden now is it!) I’ll let you discover it for yourself. Why the track from Cal Metal Two isn’t here, a cleaner version of Sin Killer is unclear.

Some extra liner notes would’ve been nice as to see how the members of the band are doing now, but that is just a small negative on an overall great package. Fans of melodic hard rock/metal should grab this album and play it loudly. It’s definitely worth the money you spend.

8 axes.