DANIEL AMOS - ALARMA! Deluxe Version Born Twice Records

Music is a funny thing. 

At a certain point in time an artist that doesn’t resonate with you can, many years later, weave itself into your psyche. When this happens you start to wonder why it never did before. After all the music didn’t change but quite obviously something did, oh yeah that would be me! It always amazes me when that happens and it allows me to start to enjoy an entire new catalog of music.

Daniel Amos is one of those artists that never quite endeared itself to me back during their apex. Yes many of you who know my preferences for screaming loud heavy metal will point at that and say, “Well obviously duh!!” I’m not so sure that is the root of the issue. Unknown too many of you I was an avid fan of Steve Taylor and Undercover, following them from their first and second releases onward.

Not the same you say? Possibly but listening to Alarma! These many years removed have left me scratching my head as why I missed riding the wave.

I could sit here and spin accolades about how much genius Terry Taylor and company display as I listen and read the lyrics and accompanying booklet enclosed.  However if you’re a fan of Daniel Amos you’re already aware and wondering what took me so long all I can say is it’s never too late. Even then Taylor was speaking out against the plastic popular society and Christian culture, that despite claims to the contrary, was and has embraced philosophies and methodologies from said society.

The last track on the originally released album Ghost of the Heart asks the most poignant question;

“Way back in my heart, is the motive for this

I ask the question, did I do this for self?

I need the light on, the monster of vanity gets

Frightened by the Ghost of the heart”

What more can be said?

Musically how would you describe to a newbie what DA sounds like on this release?  The Beatles meets The Cars, Devo, Beach Boys with a touch of Tom Petty and throw it in a blender??? Yet on the other side is something rather unique and altogether engaging. 

This double disc release from Born Twice Records is the full monte as it were. It is a complete tour de force that has brought me into the DA fold with arms open wide and sniffing around for more. When a release forces me to (not really forces but you get my meaning) to the artist website to ingest a back story that I missed. It even reminded me of two Daniel Amos concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area that I missed to my chagrin.

Disc one is the complete Alarma! album remastered by J Powell at Steinhaus. The genius behind the frequencies gets this album sounding pristine and well defined.

Disc two however is a complete gem as it contains 21 tracks of previously unreleased demos, outtakes, several alternate mixes and a reading of the Alarma! story by Malcolm Wild (at least the prologue and part of the first chapter). The preproduction demos are a cool insight into the whole recording process. These types of demos are usually put together so the artist can share with the label the elements of the songs to be put on the album.

There is also a three song mainstream demo which features the tracks Little Things, Off My Mind and As Long as I Live.  The first two songs definitely fall into the Tom Petty category while As Long as I Live is pure surfer rock.

If this is your first exposure to Daniel Amos you can plunge in head first and enjoy the ride. But if you’re a long time fan you’ll want to add this release for the second disc if not for the completist in you. Daniel Amos were ground breakers in their hey day and with a brand new album out now, add this gem from their past to your Christian Music Library. A classic…

(axe designation withheld because it falls outside the normal metal music reviewed.... kinda hard to compare apples and oranges..)

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." 

MY SILENT WAKE - THE ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY Reissue

My Silent Wake for the uninitiated is the brain children of Ian Arkley, the former guitar player, vocalist of perennial thrash favorite Seventh Angel. However since the demise of Seventh Angel he has carried on in several other bands including Century Sleeper, Ashen Mortality and Paramaecium. All of the bands since Seventh Angel have fallen more into the category of doom metal.

Many fans will remember the rather bold lyrical stances taken on those Seventh Angel releases and if they were to come to these releases with those same expectations they would be disappointed in that regard. In light of those differences it can be said that the lyrical concepts discussed by My Silent Wake are of a more introspective and reflective tone. Questions are asked that don’t have neat and tidy answers, which causes one to think. Not enough thinking goes on at times, too much talking.

The Anatomy of Melancholy is actually a double album. First Volume is pure bone crunching gothic tinged doom metal, strong and powerful. Extreme vocals mixed with hauntingly crushing melodies, not for the squeamish. Heretic is such a strong song.
The other volume (The Last Volume) is just the opposite, an acoustic issue that is simply beautiful in a dark and foreboding way. Acoustic and classical guitars, mandolin, percussion, cello, clarinet, piano are played that should give you an idea of what to expect musically. Revolution is perhaps my favorite track here, wow. It just strikes the emotional chords and leaves a haunting melody behind. (Reminds me of a cold overcast day at the ocean, love it)

This reissue has been remastered by sound engineer Jeff Mortimer, who actually mastered the album originally. As I don’t have the original releases to compare to I will simply say, the clarity on this album is fabulous. It is heavy and powerful with some very solid dynamic range as there are plenty of subtle passages on first volume to contrast the bombast. The sound is huge or in a word EPIC!

Perhaps best described as gothic/doom metal (MSW uses this description themselves) but clearly that is not all they’re about. Straight from their website “The bands style could be described as gothic death doom, although it also includes more varied elements. Their influences are wide ranging but predominantly include early Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, Trouble, Celtic Frost and of course Black Sabbath.”

My Silent Wake has done us a great service (along with Bombworks) in reissuing this album. This release is dark and foreboding with plenty of lyrical themes about life that can cause the average person to miss the point. I will simply say as I said before; My Silent Wake The Anatomy of Melancholy in a word, EPIC!

9 axes

EMPIRE 21.... Who you say? Read on and find out!!!

EMPIRE 21 is a brand new hardrock act from Sweden, determined

to bring You a debut album as strong as it gets.

Neither the band nor the album to come was brought together by coincidence, but rather by a desperate need to fill a gap in todays music scene.

The force behind EMPIRE 21 consists of:

Germán Pascual - Vocals

CJ Grimmark - Guitars

Tobias Enbert - Drums

Andreas Ålöv - Bass

John Svensson - Keyboards

Having worked hard on the debut album behind locked doors over the past few years, the day of the release comes closer as dates for final mix and mastering now have been set for late spring 2013.

The album mix will be handled by none less than Tobias Lindell, the man behind the sound on albums by Mustasch, Europe and many more. 

The sound will be heavy, melodic rock/metal with tons of energy and great musicianship, and as soon as the album is out, EMPIRE 21 will be ready to hit the roads and travel anywhere to meet their audience.

ONE PROMISE is that the music of EMPIRE 21 will be just as fit for an arena or outdoor festival, as for a small rock club.

/EMPIRE 21

HAVEN - YOUR DYING DAY Retroactive Reissue

To the uninitiated Haven were a traditional heavy metal band from the American northeast. They released two solid metal platters on the R.E.X Records label back in the early 1990’s to much acclaim. Retroactive Records has seen fit to reissue their debut release Your Dying Day, well actually this arrived last year (2012) and somehow just missed my radar.

At the time of the albums original release strong comparisons to Queensryche were floating around the landscape. Listening to this album in 2013 I’m not so sure all of those comparisons were valid. Yes many of the elements are present, melodic intros and strong non traditional arrangements (at least in comparison to most traditional heavy metal). Perhaps think of The Warning era of the Ryche catalog, I think they were much heavier than Ryche period.

However the one item that strikes me differently this time is out is the vocal of Kevin Ayers. His delivery is much more raspy (like Les Carlson) than Geoff Tate. Yes he touches the stratosphere on such tracks as Below the Grave and Escape, and his range is there however it’s not as ‘clean’ as say Ray Parra. However this is part of what brings Haven to life for me, I love music that could or should be clean but the raw edges are left intact.

Fans of traditional metal will find quite a bit to chew on here. Whether it’s the driving Help Me Follow, the clutch and brake of On Judgement Day or the pure mayhem of the high octane title track this album packs a wallop. My personal favorite is the aforementioned Bellow the Grave. Ayers let it rip and the riff is a chugging piece of metallic brilliance.

The remastering brought on by our favorite mastering artist J Powell at Steinhaus once again delivers the goods. You won’t hear harsh frequencies but rich and defined bass and some soaring clarity amongst the middle and higher end frequencies.

A quality four panel layout digipack brings this package together quite nicely. Retroactive hit another gem and brings it all together.

Haven’s Your Dying Day is a must have if you don’t already own it. Be reminded of when the name of Jesus was brought to the forefront and not hidden under a bushel. A pile driver of a metal album well worth your time and consideration.

9 axes

STRYPER - SECOND COMING

Back in 1984 reading through a copy of Campus Life magazine I saw a photo and read a blurb about this new band from Southern California called Stryper. The article mentioned that their first release would be out later that summer on Enigma Records. The accompanying photo was in black and white so I wasn’t able to really see the Full Monte as far as their attire. I wondered what could they possibly sound like?

One day about four months later it came to my astute attention that the Yellow and Black Attack had been released two weeks earlier. After a cross town ten speed ride I found one copy of said 6 song EP at my local Record Factory (now defunct). Two things caught my attention (well actually three), first was that it appeared that the bottom part of the cover was trimmed off (a printing defect corrected in subsequent pressings), second the big thank you to Jesus Christ The Boss Man (wow maybe this was for real), third was their absolutely nuts yellow and black outfits!! Not too mention all that hair!

When I got home and spun the original six song EP I was completely blown away and proceeded to play it…. Over and over and over and over again… for just about anyone who would listen, Ad infinitum Ad nauseam! That just started a rather long love affair with Stryper, who weren’t always my favorite band but one I always would gravitate to.

With all that being said it now brings me to their latest release entitled The Second Coming. Lots of folks were very vocal about a new Stryper album, hoping for new stuff and then finding out that only two new tracks would be present. However 14 classic tunes would be re-recorded. 6 songs from To Hell With the Devil, 6 songs from Soldiers Under Command and 2 tracks from that original EP. (No Writing on the Wall from In God We Trust??)

If you’re not a fan of re-records then you might as well stop reading right now, because if done right I’m a HUGE fan! The Second Coming was done right!! The spirit of the originals have been captured without simply being a rehash. The quality of the performances is world class as we have come to expect from Stryper. Truthfully Michael has never sounded better, one of the defining voices in rock n roll today period. Oz has continued to show that he is an underrated talent on guitar, not to mention the contribution that Michael brings as well. One of the best one-two punches in heavy metal from the six string point of view.

On this album the drumming of Robert Sweet is amazing. He brings such a groove and meter, his style has blossomed and it shines throughout this album. He delivers that underlying energy which drives it all. However on The Second Coming we can say authoritatively that Tim Gaines bass guitar is present and delivers a lock in step with Robert. And in some instances without that bass guitar (Calling On You, Free) those new versions would fall.

The overall feel of this release is one of energy and punchy power. The guitars are more upfront than on the original recordings, and because of that the edge has increased rather dramatically. Just listen to Calling On You the guitars are stronger, Gaines bass guitar pushes things along and Robert’s drums smack of authority. Superior! (Alright I will admit I never was a big fan of the original, way too bubblegum for my tastes).

Throughout this release the biggest change is that Michael sings in a lower register, just listen to Reach Out for an example. Yeah it was weird the first time or two, but to accomidate a lower register (the guy isn’t 25 anymore.) However don't make the mistake that Mike can't cut loose anymore, that would be a mistake. The drums embellish a lot on this album, but to these ears that’s part of this releases charm.

Some of the song highlights include The Rock That Makes Me Roll, Soldiers Under Command, The Way, More Than a Man and To Hell With the Devil.

Don’t expect a simple rehash of what was on the original releases.  That would be boring. If anything this album has reminded me what was so exciting about Stryper to me in the first place; high energy music that glorified God and was top tier through out. It was music that I would not be ashamed to play for my friends.

Heck with all that said there are even two NEW songs! Bleeding From the Inside Out and Blackened, both of whom are fantastic bits of heavy rock whimsy.  Of the two I’ll take Blackened as my favorite, a much harder and faster tune. Bleeding From the Inside Out has more of a commercial vibe, but I’ve always been a bigger fan of Stryper’s heavier stuff.

The Second Coming is great album of melodic heavy metal. If you’ve never bought a Stryper album before than this might be the best place to start and if you’re already a fan then be prepared to remember why you loved them in the first place.

9 axes

MASS - TAKE YOU HOME Retroactive re-issue

Take You Home was originally released as a six song EP by Enigma Records subsidiary label Medusa back in 1988. This EP was Mass’s first release following their 1985 RCA release New Birth, after that albums release contractual hell ensued and Mass fought for their release and got it. Take You Home has been reissued by Retroactive Records with one bonus track, Under the Gun.

With songs that are straight to the point and highly melodic, without losing their guitar driven edge, Take You Home is sure to please fans of TNT, Stryper, Dokken, Crystavox. An array of melodies that is extremely memorable from the title track to the album starter Pedal to the Metal and the upbeat Over You.

Perhaps of all the tracks the one for me that stands in contrast to the others is the original EP closer, Holy One. Musically it’s one of these tunes that start off slowly and almost melancholy, yet it builds and builds to a driving conclusion. Holy One is a pretty heavy song musically but also lyrically. Mass on the whole I’d give a PG rating lyrically (typical boy girl stuff but very innocuous), but Holy One brings in some strong religious overtones that are pretty hard to ignore but very cool.

The production values are extremely 80’s with the big drum sound with the biting guitar attack, with a tone reminiscent of George Lynch. The re-mastering done by J Powell at Steinhaus is superb as has been his reputation.

Under the Gun which is the bonus track is a solid tune. I would guess it didn’t make the original cut due to the length of vinyl EP’s back in the day.

Take You Home is a nice slice of melodic metal that will fit just fine in the collection of anyone who enjoys this genre of music. I was pretty surprised and I’ve found myself hitting replay on many occasions as I’ve spun this disc. After you grab this one don’t forget to get the Michael Sweet produced Voices in the Night!

7 axes

STRONGHOLD - FORTRESS ROCK Born Twice Reissue

Born Twice Records, if you’re not already familiar, is a division of Retroactive Records with one purpose; to reissue Classic Jesus Music releases primarily prior to 1982. With that time frame caveat you might wonder if there was a lot of hard driving Christian Metal/Hard Rock released back then and you’d be surprised to know that there are several releases.

Enter Stronghold with their 1982 album, Fortress Rock. Originally released on a small Canadian label called Tunesmith (who also released some of the early Barnabas albums) this is an album that I used to hear about for YEARS! I mean that. When I first started listening to Christian rock which was 1983/84 this album was already out of print and impossible to find. However the name would come up from time to time and my question would always be, "What do they sound like?"

Well here I hold this reissue in my hand and it’s quite good. Even though Stronghold (originally from New York) issued this album in 1982 it feels more like an early to mid 1970’s hard rock album. Musically at times I found myself thinking of Blue Oyster Cult (another product of New York!), not ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ but Seven Screaming Diz Busters, Astronomy or Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll. The arrangements and song structures had the same feel and power to these ears.

Some reviews claim a comparison with early Judas Priest (only their first album Rocka Rolla comes close) or Black Sabbath (?). The production values are actually quite well done for an early 80’s release, better than some of the more well known Christian albums issued at that time. Lyrically there is no mistake as to what they stand for, this is Jesus music remember?

J Powell at Steinhaus again does some master wizardry behind the mastering controls and helps to bring this release to life. Some nice reflections by drummer Jay Molina and a few cool photos are includes in the 6 panel digipak. 

The songs themselves are what you’d expect from a band of this time period, not written directly for commercial radio play. Fortress Rock is gritty and driving with a tinge of a prog feel at times, but mostly heavy and moody. This is heavier than Daniel Band or Jerusalem, if you’re a fan of 70’s hard rock this album is a must.

7 Axes

MENCHEN - IN THE LIGHT

Retroactive Records released this second Menchen album actually in 2012. In The Light is the title of this fine release of heavy metal wreckage. The players on this album include Robert Sweet on drums, Ken Redding on vocals (who sang on the first Menchen disc) and Cousin Bruce Menchen who handles the bass guitar duties.

These tracks are actually an amalgam of older material written for some of Bill’s older bands, Redeemer and Rev Seven. Having said that I will say, that doesn’t matter one iota; these songs have some great melodies that rock hard and heavy. I actually found this album to be a bit better than the first Menchen album. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but these songs seem a bit more energetic.

This doesn’t sound like a Titanic or The Seventh Power release (at least not a carbon copy), the songs themselves have some different arrangements and it really grabbed me the second or third time through. When looking at the song credits cousin Bruce has several credits where Bill does not (i.e. Don’t Leave, Remember My Chains, King or Liar) it just adds another dimension to the song writing. Straight ahead heavy metal with plenty of hooks.

Strong production elements which emphasize the pounding drums of Robert Sweet as they lock in with Bill Menchen’s crunchy guitar rhythms, just check out You’re Not Alone for exhibit A of this hammer head approach. Crushing.

In The Light is a solid album of bruising heavy metal with strong hooks that stay with you long after the album is done. They don’t break new ground musically, but you know what you’re gonna get; a loud album of straight ahead Christian heavy metal that makes no bones about their lyrical stance.

8 axes