Norma Jean Haste The Day Slayer Robert Randolph poster Altar Boys Stryper Behind the scenes at HM Top 100 Christian Rock Albums List ® The Hard Music Magazine
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FINAL.indd 1 6/1/10 9:07:48 AM TABLE OF CONTENTS 09
From the editor Doug Van Pelt
Regular The Flaw and a Half-baked Apology We’re happy to be able to say that this magazine has been published for 25 years Letters 10 now. It’s been exciting, rewarding and difficult to see this dream for a music 12 magazine that focuses on Christian heavy metal, rock, punk, alternative, etc., come Hard news to life and carry on. We are grateful to God and His people for the support we’ve Live report 14 had over the years. Over the years we’ve had a few special “Anniversary issues” (our 7th, 10th, 15th, issue #100 and the 20th). To be slightly different this time – in addition to some retrospective articles – we’ve centered this issue around a Featurette daunting task: The Top 100 Christian Rock Albums of All Time list. This brings me to my next point: Stryper 16 There is a flaw in the label “Christian Rock.” We’ve all known this forever, right? Altar boys 18 There are four popular explanations of what defines a song or album as “Christian 20 Rock.” They are: Scaterd few Tourniquet 22 24 1) the song features lyrics that tell the Gospel story (sin, salvation, Jesus); Brandon ebel 2) the song features lyrics that, while not necessarily conveying the Michael guido 26 “Gospel message,” are shaped by a Christian worldview; 3) the song is performed by and/or written by Christian musicians (including instrumental music or “secular” lyrical themes); Feature 4) the song is considered “Christian rock” by many Christian people or, 28 for lack of a better term, it is “of interest” to Christians. The top 100... 40 It is the fourth definition that we’ve kind of gravitated towards over the years. Haste the day 42 Because we’ve taken this approach, some of our selections on this great list might Impending doom be questioned by purists and/or the bands themselves. If your band is on this list Norma jean 46 and you don’t consider yourself to be a “Christian rock” band or you’ve even gone 48 to great lengths to distance yourself from this career-influencing tag, we have a half- HM magazine flippant and half-sincere apology for you. “Sorry. It is what it is. Deal with it.” Slayer says 51 A great man once said, “The purpose of lists is to inspire argument.” While no one may have ever actually uttered that statement, I believe it. We hope you enjoy this issue. As always, let us know what you think! Intermission
Robert randolph poster 36 Columns 62
spinning at hm now Review
55 Erwin McManus Wide Awake An audio book that edified creativity in me. Music Jet Velvet S/T Beatlesque harmonies and pop. Good. 64 Johnny Cash Setlist: The Very Best... A live performance compilation with gusto. Indie pick 65 Anberlin New Surrender Fighting on the list choice vs. Friendship vs. Cities. DVD, book, & gadgets FLyleaf Momento Mori (demos) Don’t be jealous of Bianca’s musical collection. Thrice Beggars Jeff’s been overdosing on Thrice lately. Life In Your Way Waking Giants Uplifting hardcore that’s got Nathan stoked. 10 Letters to the editor
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Editor/PUBLISHER Doug Van Pelt CHIODOS SAYS... Office Manager Charlotta Van Pelt I’ve been reading back issues of HM recently mktg & Ads Doug Van Pelt and ran across the interview you did with CONTR Editors Kemper Crabb, Greg Tucker, Chiodos last year. In the introduction to Chris Wighiman the interview you mentioned that the band E-NewS Hound Jason Irvin member dodged a couple of questions, and Myspace Cowboy Levi Macallister interns Nathan Doyle, Bianca Montes, then you published the text of the interview. Jeff Sistrunk After reading the interview I realized that not only did he dodge a couple of questions, Contributors Matt Conner, Jef Cunningham, Loyd Harp, Tim Harris, he wasn’t very effusive with the rest of his Jon Kindler, Rob Shameless, answers even though you gave him some all David Stagg star questions. When reflecting on the intro cover photo Chad Sengstock you wrote and then the body of the interview back page Bianca Montes itself, I realized that you showed great restraint Proofreaders Corey Erb, Levi Macallister, in not adding any personal opinions to your Valerie Maier, Carolyn Van Pelt intro. It would have been easy to rip on the guy or make a disparaging comment, but you SCRIPTURE “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth refrained. Nicely done Doug! I always enjoy and rust destroy, and where theives PETE STEWART IN HM? the so-and-so says interviews, and most of break in and steal. But store up for First of all, thank you for fighting the good the band members seem to not want to yourselves treasures in Heaven, fight in keeping HM in print. It is by far the where neither moth nor rust quit talking, so the Chiodos interview stood destroys, and where thieves do not best publication that finds its way into my out for its brevity. You seemed to handle this break in or steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20) mailbox! Secondly, I was wondering if you well during the interview, and you certainly have considered doing an interview with Pete MAILING ADDRESS PO Box 367 handled it well in the article write-up. Thanks Hutto TX 78634 Stewart? As I am sure you are well aware, for showing the love! he is still cranking out some stellar music, –Barry Wolfer, via internet CUSTOMER SERVICE 877.897.0368 both solo and with Grammatrain. It would [email protected] FAX 512.535.1827 be interesting to hear from him in regard to Nate – If you liked that, just wait until you his break from the Christian music scene, read our “Slayer says” story. EDITORIAL [email protected] his time with The Accident Experiment and MARKETING & ADS [email protected] 512.989.7309 most recently his reunion with Grammatrain. Thanks for your time! GETTING THE MAG TO THE MASSES SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S.A. – $18, Canada/Mexico – $23, –Dave Kratz, via internet I can’t tell you how thankful I am for you and [PRINT] Overseas – $28 the magazine and ministry. I am getting ready [DIGITAL / ONLINE] Everywhere – $6 Nate – First of all, I’d like to know what other to purchase 10 subscriptions for my Sunday IF YOU MOVE Please send us your new address, School high schoolers. With so few outlets for or you’ll likely miss issues from publications make their way into your mailbox your subscription. Send an email to (it doesn’t take much to top Divine Equestrian “good” Christian music I have been a fan and [email protected] Quarterly). Secondly, I would love to get Pete reader for a long time now. I am also going to donate to the cause. My wife and I are praying WRITE US Letters/email must include full in here. I’ll get someone on that. name. All submissions become about the amount. I have been so blessed by property of HM Magazine, and may you all over the years. As a 39-year-old profes- be edited/condensed. THE SHAPE OF METAL TO COME sional man, I don’t know what I would do or SEND TO Letters 2 Ed, POB 367, Hutto, TX What is your perspective on the lifespan how I would find out about all of the amazing 78634 | [email protected] of hardcore/metal music, especially in the music God is inspiring these young men and Christian subculture? I have noticed, like women to make without HM. I incorporate Answers hmmag.com/faqsupport Facebook facebook.com/HM.Magazine most, that hardcore and metal have been music in my Sunday School lessons each Twitter twitter.com/dooglar receiving more attention over the past 5-10 week and have played everything from the old MySpace myspace.com/hmmag years. Case in point, Cornerstone, IL is P.I.D. (Preachers in Disguise), who are in my HM Magazine is dependently mostly “heavy” bands. Do you think the top 100 albums, to Project 86 and the kids just owned and operated (Psalm 62) genre is at its peak and will begin to decline, eat it up. I hope and pray God will continue to Printed in the U.S. like punk or grunge did, or do you think the use you all and I want to thank you for your Internet will continue to fuel the (formerly) faithfulness. FUELED BY niche audience? –Tim Otken, via internet –Nick Hardy, via internet Nate – Thanks man, we’ve been really Nate – Emo kids turned into scenesters, who blessed by the encouragement that’s been evolved into hipsters. Music is in a sweet sent our way. Be sure to check out the Top transitionary period right now and I feel like 100 Christian Rock albums to see how it the people who really get where the scene compares to yours! HM Magazine (ISSN 1066-6923) is printed in the USA, is and where it’s come from are going to published bi-monthly for $18 per year by HM, 1660 CR 424, fight to keep it alive, but as a whole I expect Ed – I hope y’all don’t mind how I let Nate Taylor, TX 76574. Periodicals Postage Paid at Taylor, Texas and at additional mailing office. a lot of metal and hardcore to be overtaken step in and reply to the letters this issue. We love to prove that interns do more than fetch POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: by pop punk and indie rock. I could write an HM, PO Box 367, Hutto TX 78634-0367 essay on this. coffee here at HM Magazine. All contents copyright © 2010. HM contents may not be reproduced in any manner, either whole or in part, without prior written permission. For retail distribution, please call Ingram Distributors (800) 627-6247
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HARDNEWS News bullets Quick & concise Fortyfest has re-scheduled after its rained-out date earlier this March. The new date is August 21, 2010 and the lineup includes: Red, Decyfer Down, Pillar, Project 86, Brian “Head” Welch, Wavorly, Ivoryline, The Letter Black and Don’t Wake Aislin.
New Showbread Disc a Gift Stryper’s “Holy Land” Tour Skillet, Theft and Red have been Fifth Album to be Free Download 2011 VIP tour will be limited to 150 fans announced as special guests on select dates for Creed’s $20-10 $Tour, which After 12 years as a band and four albums on a large record Platinum-selling Christian metal pioneers Stryper will be kicks off July 28 in Washington, D.C. and label, industry veterans Showbread have decided to try hosting a 10-day tour of the Holy Land February 12-21, ends September 4. something completely new. The band has partnered 2011. Stryper fans will have the opportunity to hang out with Come&Live! – an organization that helps ministry- with the band during this travel opportunity. “Oz, Robert, August Burns Red is embarking on a oriented bands offer their music as a free gift – and is Tim and I are excited to go to Israel and see first-hand mini-tour of South America. Between preparing to release its fifth album as a free high-quality the birthplace of Christianity,” says Michael Sweet. August 13 and August 28 the band will download. On September 21, 2010, the band plans to “And to be able to share this experience with some of play six dates on the continent before return to Radiostar Studios in Weed, California, to begin our fans makes this even more incredible.” Sites to be heading back up to the States to conclude recording the album with Sylvia Massy, who has worked visited on the tour include Mount Carmel, the Jordan their summer tour in Frenchtown, New with Tool, Johnny Cash and Prince, among others. River, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Dead Sea. Jersey, on September 4. Showbread are accepting donations to help fund the The cost of the trip is $3,299 per person, which includes production and distribution of the album. To that effect, airfare out of NY, LA or Toronto; hotel accomodations; all Petra will be back in the studio this they’re offering some perks. Everyone who makes a buffet breakfasts and dinners; an English-speaking tour summer to re-record a CD of previous donation to the band will be given a membership to the guide and entrance fees to all sites. Reservations can be hits from the records Never Say Die, Rawrockmilitia.com forum, including the “exclusives” made for $300 by e-mailing Ari Bauer at [email protected] More Power to Ya, Not of this World, section where Showbread post rare content. or calling 1-877-999-8868 ext 415. and Beat the System. Classic songs like “More Power to Ya,“ “Judas Kiss,” “Grave Robber,” “Adonai” and “Beat the System” will be revamped with a modern production edge. In addition, the band will craft some new songs to add to the classic hits on each record, with production scheduled to be completed August 10, 2010.
Facedown Records has signed Minneapolis/St. Paul’s Your Memorial as the newest member of its roster. Your Memorial will release its debut album for Facedown in winter 2010.
MXPX’s Mike Herrera will tour South America with his rockabilly side project, DestroySan Diego metalcore the Runner giants Destroy finish the Runner the have race broken up. The band’s official Tumbledown. The tour, which includes nine dates, will begin on August 12 and statements explains: “We all posses an insurmountable gratitude for any and every end on August 22. one who has given our music a chance. There is an even greater gratitude we possess towards anyone who has helped us in any way on the road or at home. We have been Haste the Day is playing a leg of Warped fortunate enough to have met some of the most incredible people on our journeys, and Tour in support of its fifth album, Attack we thank all of you for imparting your fervor on us. We hope to see you all again one of the Wolf King. The band’s run on the day.” The band has no intention to release its highly-anticipated third album, but individual tour will conclude on August 15. members will continue to write music in various projects, including Chapter 14 and Other Mountains. Check out hmmag.com for an exclusive interview with vocalist, Chad Universal Records released a disc of early demos by Owl City’s Adam Young Ackerman for more information about the fate of DTR and what the future holds. July 27. An Airplane Carried Me to Bed offers 11 tracks that Young recorded in his teenage years as Sky Sailing. Get late-breaking news once a week! sign up for the HM e-mail list at hmmag.com
Hard news 13
Flyleaf is celebrating its alliance with World Vision to help stop human trafficking with a free MP3 of “Set Apart This Dream.” If you text UNITE to 20222, $10 will be added to your cell phone bill and a donation will be made to World Vision’s effort to rescue the victims of sex slavery.
Collective Soul were scheduled to play their first headlining gig in their hometown of Atlanta in two years on June 23 at Chastain Park Amphitheatre.
Billabong’s 4th annual Design For Humanity benefit was scheduled
Photo: Cal Knapp to be held on June 10 on the NYC Streets Backlot of Hollywood’s famous Paramount Studios. The massive block Petree party featured two concert stages, DJ dance parties, a runway fashion show showcasing Billabong clothing, a by matt conner “From a songwriting basis, it’s not much custom art gallery and more. 100% of different,” Petree said. ticket sales and proceeds from the art shows went to Invisible Children. Sorry Mr. Petty, but sometimes it’s the moving “I don’t think ‘selfish’ is the right word, but that’s the hardest part. it was just about doing this by myself. In the Facedown Records’ In the Midst of movies, you have the hero, who has to go out Lions are in the studio with Jamie King For Stephen Petree, such a move required and finish things off by himself. Not that I am by working on their Facedown debut, The . The album is scheduled a calling to form a new alt-rock outfit, yet myself right now, because there are other guys Heart of Man to drop in August 2010. the creation of Petree also meant leaving his in the band, but the principal songwriting came brother and friends behind in a little band from me, and where I was headed. So, I think a As I Lay Dying continued to climb the named Shiny Toy Guns. lot of it had to do with that aspect of it.” Billboard charts with their fifth album, The Powerless Rise, which was released “During the time I was making the decision Petree wrestles with missing out on the on May 11. The album debuted at #10 on to bow out and cut to something different success that Shiny Toy Guns now enjoys, the Billboard 200 with first-week sales – that was definitely the toughest thing I’ve but ultimately he knows he made the right of 38,000. done, especially because it’s my brother,” decision. It’s a choice not based on success, Petree said. The mammoth Cool Tour, featuring As but Petree’s beliefs about the very art he’s I Lay Dying, Underoath, Between the been called to create. Buried and Me, blessthefall, The Acacia “That was tough. Then it was also wrestling Strain, Architects, Cancer Bats and War and saying, ‘I hope I made the right choice.’ “What drives me is art more than anything of Ages, is set for a 18-date run that You see, the songs that you wrote or co-wrote else,” Petree said. extends from July 12 through August 1. and used to play with the guys, and now they’re blowing up. All that comes in and makes you “Success certainly helps, but the decision to Daniel Davison (ex-Norma Jean) will fill the drummer’s seat on the recording say, ‘I hope this is it.’ But after a year, I was leave was based on an expression I needed approached by a record company and then you sessions for Underoath’s new album and to make as an artist that was slightly different on live dates during the Cool Tour.The think, ‘Well, this is what I held out for.’” than what Chad (Petree) and Jeremy (Dawson) follow-up to 2008’s Lost in the Sound of and I had going together.” Separation will be released this fall. Now, the L.A. quartet is finally releasing Weakness Makes You Beautiful, a collection Thrice embarked on a huge headlining already finding airtime on MTV’s The Hills. tour in support of last year’s Beggars Petree said the songs themselves don’t differ on June 3. The tour wraps up July 17 in much from his former musical endeavors. Pomona, California. 14 live live report The Powerless Rise Tour: As I Lay Dying, Demon Hunter, Blessthefall, War of Ages May 10
Review: Jef Cunningham; photos: Darren Tromblay & Daniel Garcia
(Nashville, TN) A night of metal in music city is always a good thing, especially since just over a week before torrential rains flooded vast majorities of downtown Nashville and surrounding areas. Luckily having a generous serving of tasty metal to take your mind off things was just what everyone in attendance needed. Doors opening 20 minutes late barely gave the near-capacity crowd time to filter into The Cannery Ballroom before War Of Ages began. They sounded HUGE with impressive guitar work and Leroy Hamp’s massive-sounding vocals. The last song of the set was the crowd favorite “All Consuming Fire,” where Leroy split the crowd in half before the song began, and once the song dropped in the crowd erupted into a pit that engulfed most of the room.
Blessthefall came onstage to an epic instrumental intro that was reminiscent of a LOTR score. The crowd seemed pretty docile for most of the first 3 songs, only coming to life around the mid point of the song “To Hell & Back.” The vocalist Beau Bokan made mention of the recent floods and that all the bands were donating their food per diem for that day to flood relief, which I thought was a pretty awesome gesture due to the fact that on the road you don’t make a whole lot of money.
Demon Hunter took the stage and the energy output as AILD launched into “94 crowd was primed to sing along. Opening Hours” singing along so loud that you with two tracks from the newest CD The couldn’t hear vocalist Tim Lambesis and World Is A Thorn after an interesting solo would be hard pressed to distinguish guitar intro by Patrick Judge. The band the powerhouse soundtrack underneath. played a great mix of material from all AILD is such a tight, focused band and but the S/T debut. This incarnation of I was shocked at just how heavy they DH seems less polished and more like actually are. The crowd sang every word an angry motorcycle gang ready for a to every song with the songs “An Ocean brawl than previous lineups with the new Between Us” and “Within Destruction” members seeming quite at home in such sending the crowd over the edge forming a beloved and established band. Vocalist giant circle pits around the ceiling support Ryan Clark owned the stage and had the beams. Jordan Mancino delivered a stellar crowd in his pocket. Most of the time drum solo at the midway point of AILD’s the crowd sang louder than the club’s PA set utilizing several metal “tricks” but was system. Demon Hunter never disappoints able to keep it interesting and technical and left this crowd wanting more. at the same time. The band kept up its intensity and energy throughout their As I Lay Dying began with an epic, entire 15-song set. morose classical intro while the stage lights strobed in time with the music. The crowd erupted tenfold their highest
Clockwise from top: War of Ages; Demon Hunter’s Ryan Helm; Ryan Clark; Blessthefall’s Eric Lambert (photos: Darren Tromblay); and AILD’s Josh Gilbert (photo: Daniel Garcia)
16 Anniversary Special
Stryper “The chemistry of the songs and where we recorded the songs and the time we recorded the songs – you name it. It was all lining up perfectly...”
“I remember that it was an interesting time,” singles and videos) segue one into another. “It’s interesting. We got a little resistence, explains frontman Michael Sweet as he relates “Calling On You” has a big choral ending but not as much as I expected. I don’t know what the band was thinking around the making that’s immediately followed by a drum roll that if we’ll get a lot more when it comes out, but of To Hell With The Devil. “We wanted to step goes right into “Free.” Sweet commented I think people are much more open-minded up everything in a production sense and go to a on how it happened: “It’s one of those than they were 25 years ago when we first new level, so we reached out to some producers things when you’re mixing an album or came on the scene. I think people would that were doing some big things and this guy mastering an album that those ideas kind of have freaked out and we would have been that we contacted was named Stephan Galfas. come to you. It may be suggested by a band persecuted beyond measure for doing so He was sold as the producer/co-writer for the member or a producer or the mastering back then. We’re doing ‘Heaven and Hell’ big hit single by John Waite, ‘Missing You.’ We engineer, where they say, ‘Hey, it’d be really by Black Sabbath; we’re doing ‘Over the thought, ‘Oh, wow! Cool! This guy is doing cool if these songs go right into each other.’ It Mountain’ – Ozzy Osbourne; ‘Trooper’ – Iron big things,’ and we wound up working with worked perfectly with those two and we do Maiden; ‘Blackout’ – Scorpions; so there’s Stephan and we wound up finding out that he it live, too. We’ve continued to do that ever some controversial stuff on there that people didn’t produce that song. It turned into not a since we started playing those out live back might be opposed to Stryper covering, but very good situation and we felt like he wasn’t in 1986. We kept it going. We still do it to this they were specific songs that shaped us really on the up-and-up and whatnot. We had day. We go right into ‘Free.’” musically, so that’s why we wanted to a lot of question marks in our mind as we were cover those songs. They changed our lives going along and it became disrespectful and Stryper is about as active as ever these days. musically and basically made us who we are somewhat negative and we thought, ‘Oh my Last fall saw a very successful tour that was musically speaking. Primarily, a lot of these gosh! This isn’t working,’ but in the end we reported to be killer performance after killer bands were influencing to Oz and I with our wound up coming up with a great album and the performance. The band is currently finishing guitar playing – like Randy Rhoads, Eddie most successful Stryper album of all time. So, up a covers album, called The Covering, Van Halen, Scorpions, Iron Maiden. Not so that’s all that mattered. We had a blast making which should hit later this year. much vocally. Klaus Meine is amazing, but that record. It was fun. Everything just came he didn’t influence me as a vocalist. It’s going together. The chemistry of the songs and where “We decided to really have some fun and to sound like me singing the songs. we recorded the songs and the time we recorded not be under the burden or the stress of the songs – you name it. It was all lining up having to put together 12, 13 or 14 tracks for “We’re doing a new song as well, called perfectly. So, we were able to create this amazing a new album as we have been for our entire ‘God,’ that’s more old-school Stryper. A album that did incredibly well for the band.” career. We decided, ‘Let’s just have some melodic metal song and lyrically very bold fun. Let’s do an album of all the songs that and in-your-face and cut and dry kind of One of the highlight moments of this album infuenced us musically.’ message.” is how two of the songs (each released as [Photo by Todd Myra]
By Doug Van Pelt Please Promise
NEW E.P. “YOU’RE WORTH IT, YOU’RE PERFECT” AVAILABLE NOW Also check them out ON TOUR FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TOUR DATES VISIT: THIS WWW.MYSPACE.COM/PLEASEPROMISE AUGUST 18 Anniversary Special Altar Boys “I knew going into it (GLM) that this was going to be a special record.”
“In fact,” recalls frontman Mike Stand, “I told wait on two tracks that had to get done my master’s degree. When I finished that our road manager, John Stott, at the time, ‘This – about a month or two. It was a special up in the fall of ‘09, we decided to work on is gonna be an important record!’ If you look at record as we were recording it and when it something serious. It’s been great. More my songwriting from the Altar Boys 1 to ...Rebel was done we felt real good about it.” recently we added Chuck Cummings to the it was progressively getting better, I think. As a mix. We do half covers and half Altar Boys writer, it was a little more prolific. And during Besides having created one of the great songs. It’s just a great twist on the music. the recording process, I just knew that this was albums in Christian rock history and being something really special. Billy Batstone was part of a great band, Stand has been married “At first I got some flack, ‘What are you supposed to produce it. He did When You’re A to his wife for 25 years and is still walking doing?’ Kind of making a mockery of it. ‘Why Rebel and he wasn’t able to, so Terry Taylor and with Christ. Not every musician from that are you doing this to this music?’ And I said, Rob Watson produced the record. era, unfortunately, can say that. “There, but ‘You know, it really is early punk rock.’ When for the grace of God, go I,” he responds rockabilly first came out with Elvis, it was “The songs were written in about a year and when asked how he managed that. something so different and so unique and a half time frame, a lot of it in my home. ‘You also it was in a lot of ways like punk, where Are Loved’ was actually written on vacation Musically, he’s active in a rockabilly band people were going, ‘What is this stuff? in Palm Springs. My wife wasn’t too happy called The Altar Billies. that I was distracted with writing songs,” “But that’s what I’ve been doing and it’s Stand chuckles in recollection of 1985 and “A friend of mine named Johnny X, who I been great. We’re playing one to two times 1986. “I was constantly writing at that time. met about seven years ago and we started per month and we’ve done some recording. On ‘I Question It,’ one of the suggestions playing together at a Bible study about It’s great just to be playing again. For all was that it was too short. ‘Let’s fill it out with four years ago. That led one evening to intents and purposes, I was retired. I had a slide solo.’ (Devlin) played slide guitar on it. him turning to me and saying, ‘You know done my thing. It was fine. Raised a family. That was really exciting. I remember when what? The Altar Boys stuff would be really Been there, done that. Didn’t feel the need Ric brought in ‘Life Begins At the Cross’ I just great sung rockabilly!’ I said, ‘Huh?’ And he to go out and play. We did a couple Altar went, ‘Wow! This is great!’ goes, ‘No, really! Let me do a little demo of Boys reunions and that was great. We ‘Against The Grain’ and I went, ‘Oh... Yeah.’ decided to put that away permanently in “It just felt good recording it. It felt good And we started formulating some things. 2006 and boom! This comes along. It’s been when it was done. During the process we We played a church picnic and were asked incredible. It’s been great to get out and play had all but two tracks down and Jeff got a for a name, so we threw out, ‘Uh ... it’s the these songs and do it with a different twist. piece of glass in his finger, so we had to Altar Billies.’ At that time I was working on It’s so accessible, yet it’s still on the edge.”
By Doug Van Pelt
20 Anniversary Special
Scaterd Few “that album was always so much bigger than me and has its own legs and a life of its own.”
Scaterd Few made a thunderous impact in the studio … he was lending us gear. I hated he ended up in Texas of all places, but Southern California back in the early ‘80s, the guitar on that album for the most part – a there’s a common thread with the reggae which was finally captured and recorded on the big chunk of it. Terry brought in Greg Flesch roots in each band. “It’s kind of like a Sin Disease album that Terry Taylor produced from Daniel Amos. He played some stuff on reggae, Middle Eastern tribal type of thing,” for Intense Records almost a decade after the there. Greg Lawless from Adam Again – we he describes, “a little different smooth band’s formation. brought him in and he played a little guitar jazz undertone to it and it had to be the stuff on there, because we had no guitarist. Keith Green model of unadulterated pure “The thing I remember about making that I’m not a lead guitarist. I can play rhythm and worship before the Lord with the entire album,” relates frontman Allan Aguirre, “is, I did, but we needed some shredding leads intention to bring Heaven down on Earth, man, it was rough! I was so broke, I wasn’t on that thing and between the guy that was, not a feel good warm fuzzy pep rally.” able to pay my rent, I just had a baby… ‘in the band’ when we got into the studio, We were recording in Orange County and Lawless and Flesch, we were able to lay He describes the Christian music industry that was a good hour-plus away from the some leads on there. that was built in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s Valley. We lived just on the other side of the as an “Ishmael” that was not the Lord’s plan Hollywood sign and getting to the studio was “So, not having any money, not knowing for us. “That’s how what’s happened to the a challenge. I remember we got to the studio how I’m gonna pay my rent, and having really music industry is no surprise to us. We’ve really late and that was typically because of spotty transportation brought an element of watched it happen for the last 30 years. transportation. I mean, I had to bum rides just – not desperation, but – hardship to it. When We’ve been watching it going limp, but look to get to the studio and we were mixing and you’re making a record it really helps if things at what’s happening. Look what He’s taking I remember, we showed up like three hours are going smoothly. We went for it, we did it. down and look at what He’s raising up. Is late or something. They were pissed. Gene It was just the place and working with Terry it any surprise that at the exact same time said he was really mad, and I’m like, ‘I can’t and Gene and those guys are amazing and Come&Live would start? Sonny would hear help this.’ So, it was really rough. the rapport we’ve had with them. I mean, the word to start the Whosoever’s and the you’re talking about a seven-year relationship Exit Concerts. That Rypo would rise up… “We didn’t really have a guitar identity with at this point, so it was awesome. I think it was It’s no big surprise. It’s orchestrated by the that album. The guitarist we had quit after an unspoken … we all knew without having Spirit, not man. So we all found ourselves, a third of the recording session, because I to say anything that we were actually doing we’re musicianaries. We’ve abandoned all guess his wife evicted him from the band. something that was going to be special. You to serve Him and to go like He told us to. It was one of those typical, textbook LA never think about it, but looking back – we At what costs? Well, our lives, our homes, scenarios: you got a guy that plays guitar knew we were doing something pretty cool. our families, our possessions and to offer really good and his wife or a girlfriend or We were doing something that was going the Gospel in this arena free of charge. The whatever decides she’s gonna try and to be pretty significant, but surely not to the Last Days Ministries model: ‘Pay whatever control the band and she realized very quickly extent that here we are, 20 years later and I you can. If you have a lot, give a lot, because that was never gonna happen … so she still get phone calls or opportunities because there’s a guy behind you that only has two convinced him this band was going nowhere of one record I made.” bucks to give, too.’ Isn’t that just insane? And and he needed to quit. So, he left after a that’s what we’re doing. It’s hard, because third of the recording process. So we had no Today Allan is “leading the charge of a there’s no model, there is no manual, we’re guitar identity, which meant we had no gear, bunch of 20-year-olds in a prophetic worship figuring it out as we go along.” so we’re borrowing guitars and amps from band called Men as Trees Walking.” While it everyone. I remember Pat Nobody from might sound like a far cry from his days Hmmm. Sounds kinda like the beginning, Nobody Special, he didn’t live that far from with Scaterd Few, it’s a long story how huh?
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Blood and Water Album: In Character | Release date: July 13, 2010 | Home: Fremont, CA Members: Matt Trettin – Lead Guitar | Brad Hagmann – Vox/ Guitar/ Keys | Matt Hagmann – Vox/ Bass | Jason Barnes – Drums | RIYL: “The O.C. Supertones, Weezer, Less Than Jake, Jimmy Eat World, Something Corporate.” If you could ask God one question, what would you ask him? “Is He going somewhere, that we wouldn’t be able to ask Him questions whenever we wanted? I’m not sure we could ask just one question... I feel like each solitary answer would lead to another question (kinda like Lost) .” What’s a secret or little-known fact about your band that would make you the darlings of the music world if we all knew it? “In the 4th grade, as the majority of our peers were concerned with Limp Bizkit, Sisqo and Spice Girls, we were chiefly focused on starting a Christian ska band. Also, our good friend Derek Booth looks like Robert Pattinson. He roadied for us on tour once.” Name 3 bands that, had they not released a certain album at a certain time ... you would not exist as a band. “The O.C. Supertones – Chase the Sun; Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American; MxPx – Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo.” If there was another band and another album that you could give everyone as a present for Christmas, what album would that be? Why? “Bleach’s Astronomy. It’s a great album and a real picker-upper. The sound of this album brings us back to a better time in the world of music.” If you had a chance to perform for most of the televised world and play just one song, which song would you play ... and why? “‘Africa’ by Toto... truly one of the most beautiful songs ever penned by man. Having a rough day? (slaps on Toto jams) No, not anymore.” What is one belief, conviction, idea, or passion that you honestly think might’ve been deposited inside you or given to you by God? “We all feel we’ve been given a passion for ministry through music. Music has the power to change a person’s mood; to inspire, depress, encourage and communicate ideas. God has immensely used music in our lives and relationships with Him.” What’s the best video on Youtube (like, if our readers had to type in a word or a few to search it, what would the keywords be?) “Asian Travis Barker.” ROCK AND ROLL TOWN HALL See full interview with artist at hmmag.com 22 Anniversary Special
Tourniquet “It (Psycho Surgery) was our first album as a full band. That was exciting.”
“Obviously,” admits drummer Ted Kirkpatrick, That made it special. Also we had rehearsed different album. It’s what they call a stoner “I was very into tornadoes at the time, because the songs as a band before we did them on album. I’m very happy with the way it came we did that song, ‘Viento...’ It had quite a bit of the record. We’d actually rehearse the songs out. It has a very vintage sound to it. I used medical terminology on it. I know at the time as a band before they were even recorded, some 1970s Orange amps from England a lot of people thought it was like my dad was so that was something a little different, and Sun bass cabinets (also) from the ‘70s. a doctor or something. Actually, while I was too. I think most bands probably do that, I’m also about to release a new solo album, in Tourniquet I was also in high-tech medical but sometimes with Tourniquet, when we called In The Shadow of the Masters. And, equipment sales, so a lot of the lyrics came from played live, everybody ... because we’re in along with the animal welfare, another thing that. On songs like ‘Vitals Fading’ and the title different places, everyone’s got to know their I’m absolutely crazy about is classical music. track, ‘Psycho Surgery.’ It was exciting. We had parts and, you know, hopefully, if everything So, this is me drumming over symphonic just gotten Eric Mendez in the band. Eric and goes right, everybody finishes the song in and other classical things, which I’ve done Victor (Macias). That was their first album. It roughly the same time. maybe one song here and there on past was our first album kind of as a full band. That albums, but this is an entire album of that. was exciting. That’s what I remember.” What are you individually and the band Drumming-wise, it’s beyond anything that collectively up to these days? I’ve done before. I’m just about finished What factors do you think came together Nothing has changed from day one of with it and I can’t wait for people to hear it. to make that brief period of time so Tourniquet – from Stop the Bleeding for Hopefully, it’ll be out by the end of May. prolific for Tourniquet (maybe including me. That meaning that I still consider it so the debut album, maybe starting with much fun and a privilege and very humbling Lord willing, we’re recording a full-length Psycho Surgery, but definitely including to see the number of fans and people that Tourniquet album later this year. It’s been the third album, Pathogenic)? are constantly bugging us to put out a new a long time – way, way overdue for a new We were a full, five-piece band at the time album. I still absolutely love doing Tourniquet. Tourniquet album. 2003 was the last album, and it was in the early stages of our Frontline We’ve never been a touring band. A tour for which was Where Moth And Rust Destroy contract, so it was fun in that we were just us would be four shows strung together. on Metal Blade. We’re scheduled to use a starting to do live shows and Frontline was That’s not really a tour. I now have a recording different producer – Neil Kernon – on this. kind of getting them set up, kind of getting studio at our home. Before it was kind of He’s a well-known producer from England, out to the festivals and so on. I think it was a a music room where I would practice. I but he lives not too far from me. He’s done combination of when you have an album out, released my first solo album just about a everyone from Judas Priest to Dokken to now things are a little different. Now there’s month ago. It’s called Ode to a Roadkill. older bands, like Yes and Kansas and weird a lot more self-promotion going on, that’s Most people that are into Tourniquet know bands like Magma, that I’ve loved for years. for sure. At that time, with Frontline, you’d that I’m very, very sensitive to the issues He’s done some Platinum albums, like Hall record an album and they, of course, had of animal protection and animal welfare. & Oates and the real heavy stuff, like Nile connections with the festivals and different Always have been and I imagine always will and Cannibal Corpse. I’m very excited to be shows and then we would go out and play be. So, this is kind of a tribute to animals working with him. songs. You’d announce from the stage, “This that are struggling throughout the world. I’m is the first time we’re doing this song live.” really happy with how it turned out. It’s a very [Photo by Jannis Lootens]
By Doug Van Pelt
24 Anniversary Special
Brandon Ebel Predictions: “The Dallas Cowboys are going to win the Super Bowl this year. mark it down. Most rookie receivers don’t do well, but dez Bryant is going to kill it. I think more people are consuming music than ever before. it’s more competitive than ever before. i think that most likely the days of having arena bands like U2 may be over ... unless it’s affiliated with a tv show. but, now more than ever, bands that want to work hard and that are focused on the vision of their band can succeed.”
ne of the most endearing Adam Again.” In retrospect, 1993 turned rock album sitting there – next to the things about Brandon Ebel is out to be a perfect time to start his label, band with a similar alphabetical character his passionate love for things. since early on it re-issued the self-titled instead of a theological difference marking Football might be at the top of the list. Might proper debut from the Crucified (and later where the album is displayed (in other O their demo releases, Take Up Your Cross words, “not stuck in a Gospel section be. We all know by now that God, family and music are right up at the top. Whenever I’m and Nailed); had Gene Eugene engineer a that only believers waded through”). around him I love to talk football, though, ton of albums for T&N prior to the singer’s Tooth & Nail have done a great service because he’s so animated, informed and vocal untimely death; and even released a Mike for us by taking their brand and their about the things he has an opinion on. If Jim Knott solo album (Strip Cycle, with arguably bands far outside the sheltered walls Rome ever loses his job for going over the line one of the greatest songs ever in the of the Christian bookstore market. Call on his radio show, this dude could easily take satirical “Rock Stars on H”). it genius. Call it revolutionary. Just be his place – and do better. thankful that it happened. “When I started the label, people said, For this issue, I wanted to get a bunch ‘You shouldn’t do a label. There’s too many “The number one goal is to put out music of pioneers in a room and let them talk labels already.’” Once again, the pioneer that is legitimate and sign bands that are about their pioneering ways and the proves his early detracters wrong. legitimate,” Ebel says. “If you do that highs and lows that Christian rock as a and the focus is on the music and letting business has seen. But then I realized Since that time there’s been a lot of joy- the band do what they’re called to do, that this guy is in a league of his own. filled moments for the label, including: all the rest will follow. When we brand “I want to thank Forget Ray Nenow and Jimmy Kempner. “Getting our first Gold record with Jeremy and market Tooth & Nail it was really all HM for being an Ebel’s outdone them all. Camp and Underoath; getting MxPx on about the bands. We didn’t try to shove K-ROQ down in LA and when they first our beliefs down people’s throats and awesome partner When asked what he’s done right in these got on MTV; both MxPx and Supertones brand it as ‘This is Christian this’ or ‘This over the years. last 17 years, his words are short and both getting real big and they would go is Christian that.’ It was like, ‘Hey, here’s a We’ve done at simple: “Signing really great bands that and play with thousands of seats sold label. It’s Tooth & Nail. Here’s the bands.’ work hard and then branding Tooth & Nail, out; and getting out of debt,” he adds with We were never a non-profit organization least one print having a brand-type entity and a loyalty to a chuckle. This is an understatement for or a church. We were a record label that ad in every single the brand.” anyone that’s launched a small company, was supporting bands that had a similar issue since we’ve many of which never get out of debt, worldview as I did. That’s how Tooth & Nail As a music fan, it wouldn’t be hard to much less change the landscape of an has always been run.” been a label. guess which bands he’d want to work with entire music scene. We’re in HM, if his label had started, say, 10 years earlier The fact that this model worked speaks baby!” than it did. When asked this hypothetical It’s especially exciting for us old-timers, for itself. “That was always the goal.” question, he rattled off a short list that’s who used to dream of the day of walking long on greatness: “LSU, the Crucified ... into a Licorice Pizza or Musicland or [Photo by Renee McMahon] maybe 411, Nobody Special, Daniel Amos, Tower Records and see a Christian punk
By Doug Van Pelt
26 Anniversary Special
Michael Guido “What’s it like when you pray with this band or that band? I say, ‘Well, it’s basically the same. When you close your eyes and bow your head, it’s little boys in a big man’s body, scared to death, wanting to know God is their Father.’”
I first met Michael Guido back in 1985 when circle of musicians. For a brief moment, these you’re listening to is on a mission from God Stryper blew into Texas with its small entourage guys will set aside time to look at this former to connect with you in a real way. It’s a simple of a couple crew, family members, a manager and ceramic tile dealer and listen with expectation connection that’s based on relationship. If this Italian guy with a broad smile and a Bible for God to impart His heart through this guy. it’s one-on-one, you’ll have his full attention. that could be seen, as often as not, with his hands He’ll listen intently to you and share with on someone’s shoulder praying with them. Just a Turns out, though, the interview would not a soft voice but a clear direction. It’s like year or so earlier he’d been enlisted by their pastor take place that next day. Or the next. Or the the discipleship that Jesus modeled: pour to lead the band in a small Bible study in Stryper’s next. To not fret over it I had to trust that this yourself into a small group of people and then garage rehearsal space that grew and grew. Since article idea was a God-inspired one and that they’re equipped to do the same to others. then he’s toured with bands like dcTalk, P.O.D. we’d eventually connect. It’s like I was living and numerous other artists. He’s not a frontman in his world. “I deal with so many battles on the road. I or “public” personality, but there’s not a nicer guy feel like I live in a toxic environment. The only that you’d love to have around. It was getting late. I’d sent him the interview cure is the fresh life of a relationship with questions in an email as a back-up in case the Christ. I have to have it in my own life, so While I’ve never seen him clamor for attention interview could not take place over the phone that I have some credibility. No one’s gonna or try to get credit, I figured he would be a before deadline. We finally connected on the get it perfectly, or no one would preach on perfect fit for this special issue where we phone. Turns out, though, I didn’t have to ask Sundays, you know? The pulpits would be share stories about the past, present and a single question. All I had to do was turn on empty. But I do think sometimes we lose future of this scene we call “Christian rock.” I the tape recorder, sit back and listen as he read sight of the holiness of God and how He knew it might be kind of awkward to interview and addressed each question with a casual but really does want to take over our lives. him and I secretly feared we might be tinkering thoughtful explanation. It was like an expository with the guy’s heavenly rewards if we offered sermon with only an outline. “I’m called a lot of names, but I don’t think him praise in print in these pages. the label of pastor or chaplain opens the I wanted to know what he did and how he door. It builds a wall. I’d rather open a gate. Turns out I had to chase him in a game of did it. “I’m supposed to be in the background Hopefully it happens with the lead artist, but phone and text message tag to make an waiting for a moment. If you ask me what it’s not always the case. When people ask interview happen. On the eve of the interview, I literally do, it’s I’m waiting for a moment. me which band I’m here for, I say neither and he called and asked me to pray for him. We Getting inspired by the Spirit and not forcing both. That whole road pastor thing has kind prayed just before he stepped off a bus to go in it. It’s hard.” of evolved.” and impart ministry to the band he was touring with. It felt just like being there and it was a Those moments are simple encounters. If When he originally asked his commissioning privilege to ask God to remove his doubts, you’re the musician or the lighting guy or the pastor what to do, he was told: “Just give fears, stress and grant this brother peace as person in catering, your moment might start ‘em Jesus!” Guido admits: “That’s the best he was moments away from entering a small out like a normal conversation, but the guy advice I’ve ever been given.”
By Doug Van Pelt [Pictured L-R: Chris Daughtry, Michael’s wife, Celeste and Michael Guido]
28 anniversary Special The Top
Christian Rock Albums of All Time
The reality is that everyone will hate this list (or at least be angry about some One of the biggest factors is the “classic” factor, which I like to break down to the inclusion or omission), but the good news behind this arduous task of whittling simple question of, “Will I be listening to this album five years from now? “In down the preliminary list of 500+ that we developed down to a final 100 is that the case of some early Jesus Rock albums, like Only Visiting This Planet or So Long there is a lot of great Christian rock out there. The bad news, of course, is that Ago The Garden, the lifespan has nearly surpassed 40 years. This is why I rarely a lot of these titles are out-of-print and probably a tad difficult to find. Maybe give a “5” rating for albums in our Album Reviews section. To me, a “classic” is the attention1 this list brings will help resurrect a title0 or two. This would be an one of those albums0 that stands the test of time. It still sounds great long after honor and a great reward for this tough exercise in rock criticism. its shelf-life (which is a pretty sore subject with me and the Christian music industry, who seems to have no appreciation for the classics**). It’s really hard to While the companion/parallel list we printed in our “sister” publication know in the present how something is going to fare when it falls into the deep (Heaven’s Metal Fanzine’s “Top 100 Christian Metal Albums of All Time”) past of just four or five years. had a simpler and more narrow focus, defining exactly what “Rock” is was a tad more difficult. The ‘90s revitalized and catapulted an ambiguous genre Another huge factor is the “historical impact” of an album. Did it put Christian called “indie rock,” which certainly threw a wrench into the far simpler “does heavy metal on the map? It could be argued, for example, that Stryper’s To Hell it rock or not” litmus test. Lighter, ambient and sometimes atonal experiments With The Devil did that with its multi-Platinum sales and mad success on MTV’s in music found their way into the hearts of rockers everywhere and we’ve tried Dial MTV. Did it freak out the establishment big-time? This could be said for early to reflect that in our list assembly, too. pioneers, like Larry Norman, either of the two Randy’s (Matthews or Stonehill) or Petra. Did it evolve a scene or take it to another level? The Human Sacrifice album Ultimately, there are five major factors that go into judging an album in this light. by Vengeance Rising was certainly a historical event. One is greatness. Did the album touch the skies, so to speak? Did it achieve greatness? This is both subjective and objective. This is where it’s good to meet And finally, which (like the others) could stand on its own as possibly the most and discuss with industry people with either a keen sense of history or a great important factor (though I’d argue it’s not) is popularity. Did it sell over a awareness of current trends (both is even better). We had the help of friends and million copies? How many times? Did crowds flock to see the artist on this compatriots like Brian Quincy Newcomb, Chris Hauser, Dr. Tony Shore, as well particular album’s tour or shortly thereafter? as some smart and enthusiastic readers who chimed in on Facebook. Ideally, the Top Christian Rock Albums of All Time would score at the top in Beyond greatness is that personal, entirely subjective factor of “Do I love it? Do each of these five categories. Conversely, if they failed miserably in any one of I sing along to it?” (or play air instruments). Basically, “Is it one of my favorites?” these categories, it’d be hard to consider it the best. It would only make sense that your vote for “best” would be equal to or close to “favorite” as well. This criteria is usually what will put an album on the list, and the So, without further ado, we press on with the list to end all lists. Or – more other four criteria are the kind of factors that will keep an album on this list. accurately – the list that started World War III in our scene. “This CD was the turning point for me the List 25 with U2. This album was so inspiring to the world. It was a universal cry of spirituality and common sense of human feelings. On Joshua Tree Bono continued to inspire me to write honest lyrics, like he did when they first came out in 1980. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” helped bring me out of my religious insanity. It was a perfect album in my opinion. The biggest thing I noticed about this CD was after 4 awesome records there was a new maturity in songwriting. God bless Bono and U2.” —Doug Pinnick (King’s X)
“The Joshua Tree is not only one of the greatest rock albums of all time, but look at how its sound has directly influenced modern worship. The impact of U2’s style on the church of today is unquantifiable!” —Paul Q-Pek (One Bad Pig)
U2 “Joshua Tree is one of my favorite Island | 1987 albums of all time.” 1 The Joshua Tree | —Sonny Sandoval (P.O.D.)
It’s only fitting that the top album on this This album took the band from huge to greatest crescendo in rock in what could be list is also a great candidate (and a good mind-blowing in terms of prominence the greatest song in rock and roll. It builds 100 argument) for the top rock album of all and historical impact. It starts off with with a spiraling tension that just explodes time, period – sacred or secular. Given that an unforgettable song that both creates with color – like the transition from black rock’s roots go straight into the church in tension and brings emotional fulfillment. and white to vibrant stage lighting that the the first place, it shouldn’t be much ofa Like any great blues song, it laments our band employed for that performance scene surprise that an artist of faith would make current conditions as it longs for heaven, in their movie, Rattle and Hum. I think the some of the best music around, but it’s still where people will not get beat down for band learned about the power of a hypnotic, a cool thing. living in a certain neighborhood. “Where the building vibe with the previous album’s Streets Have No Name” has probably the showstopper – “Bad.” —Doug Van Pelt
** A note about out-of-print albums and how they get there: The notion that the Christian music industry is to blame for this lack of appreciation for history is incomplete. You can’t blame the guys in the suits at the record companies when you and I as an audience are equally at fault. We don’t buy old albums in numbers. Part of that short attention span is the radio and television programming that’s out there. If no one introduces us or educates us on the classics, how are we to know? Not everyone has that friend who takes the time to inform you of Christian rock’s rich history. Magazines and other mediums are guilty, too. At HM we try to keep a balance of history and current. We know that current is what people want, but we also realize that history is the foundation of what’s current. Our old managing editor, Jason Dodd, stole the quote from somewhere (I think): “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” As rock critics we can satisfy our hunger for greatness at the same time we dish out current trends if we have a little of both. The formula for when an album becomes “out of print” goes something like this: when the amount or cost of warehousing the music (think boxes and boxes of CDs on a shelf somewhere) exceeds the income from sales, it’s marked out-of-print and flushed out of the system. Retailers may get a chance at one final order with big discounts and then it’s off to the “junk dealers,” that buy these items in bulk at pennies on the dollar. “I used to get really bummed out when one of our albums went out of print,” admits T&N’s Brandon Ebel, “but there is an upside to digital” (and that’s keeping these albums alive). “The prayer was that God would use (this album) to get it in front of gazillions of kids. He honored the prayers of the saints.” —Noah Bernardo, Sr. (Founder, Rescue Records; father of drummer, Wuv)
“Satellite changed my life.” —Sonny Sandoval
Payable On Death 2 Satellite | Atlantic | 2001 With an album that came out on 9/11, along with a song that soon became a healing balm for a generation (“Alive”), this album had perfect timing ... and monster jams. “Boom,” “Set It Off” and “Anything Right” roared with power, while “Youth of the Nation” was chilling and “Thinking About Forever” was just chill.—DV
“One of the most eye-opening albums of my childhood! Changed the entire music rulebook as we knew it!” —Brad Noah “One terrific album – great sound, great riffs, solos, hooks – everything a memorable metal album that stands the test of time should be.” —Ted Kirkpatrick
Stryper 3 To Hell With The Devil| Enigma | 1986 When this album broke, it went multi-platinum, forever raising the ceiling of what heavy Christian music could do. While the ballad “Honestly” might’ve broadened the band’s appeal, the band perfected its pop metal sound with sharp-edged songs like “Calling on You,” “Free” and “Rockin’ The World.” They were giants in those days and their message on “More Than A Man,” the title track and “The Way” were as clear as any Sunday morning preacher. For some odd reason, however, the decision was made that the painting of four angels casting an evil dude into the fire was “objectionable” and a “safer” version was sold into Christian bookstores.—DV
“Making that record was a turning point for us. I had just opened the studio and we were becoming more confident about our music. The record company thought we were doing demo’s for them, but we decided we were going to make the record without their input. We felt we were on to something special. That record is still one of my favorites.”—Derri Daugherty
The Choir 4 Chase The Kangaroo | Myrrh | 1988 This band helped define how great “alternative” Christian rock could be. This album flows from one track to another with refrains from one (“Clouds”) re-appearing in another and referencing a previous album (“The Rifleman”), making the album seem like a warm, yet melancholy journey. “Sad Face” was probably the first great mountain peak the band scaled, which they’d repeat with killer songs like “To Cover You” and “Sentimental Song” on subsequent albums.—DV Altar Boys The Seventy Sevens King’s X 5 Gut Level Music | Frontline | 1986 6 Seventy Sevens | Exit/Island | 1987 7 Faith Hope Love | Megaforce | 1990 This one remains strongly ensconced on my personal top-ten list. Every song is a gem, every moment just about perfect. So what that the rest of “You Found Me” could be the greatest punk rock the world missed the boat on this one, the band hit love song from God ever written.—DV a home run. Intelligent, gutsy, brutally honest and undeniably hopeful, I still listen to it regularly and “A timeless alternative rock classic. Outdoing not sing along with every word.—John J. Thompson You’ve heard the term “art rock?” Well, this was art just all Christian rock releases, but equal to or metal, and it was perfect.—DV better than their secular counterparts The Clash, “I can’t think of many other records in my collection Bruce Spingsteen & John Cougar Mellencamp. that are this solid from top to bottom. It also “There was some good stuff on that CD, it was Still on rotation in my music listening regulars. carries a twinge of sadness for me. The songs are our biggest selling album. But it’s like looking at A strong Christian message played & presented melancholy, and there’s also the memory of this a yearbook for me, I’m just too close to make an with unprecedented passion and arranged with project getting far less attention and success than it evaluation. But I still think ‘I’ll Never Get Tired Of ageless appeal.—Steve Rowe (Mortif ication) deserved.”—Chris Hauser (freelance radio promotions) You’ is a great song.”—Doug Pinnick
Stavesacre mewithoutYou Vengeance Rising 8 Speakeasy | Tooth & Nail | 1999 9 Brother, Sister | Tooth & Nail | 2006 10 Human Sacrifice | Intense | 1989
You should have seen the Star Song sales reps pre-selling this album at the CBA Int’l convention before this one hit in ‘89. They were giddy yet “There’s another top three lyricist on the label as clueless at the revolutionary prospect. Nothing well, with Aaron. mewithoutYou was a surprise. We has really come out before or since this album sign some bands that have remained extremely hit the scene. Awesome riffs played at breakneck “Mark Salomon is probably one of three if not the small on the label and that was a band, where you speed, but just gnarly, groove-heavy riffs on top lyricist in Tooth & Nail history. An amazing voice didn’t necessarily know where they would go. They their own. Tunes like “White Throne” and the title and artist. He’s done everything from hip-hop to basically became a band that has a complete cult track are without question high water marks of metal, hardcore and rock. One of the most talented following. They got pretty big and are definitely the Christian metal scene. Has only one blemish guys I’ve worked with. That’s an amazing record, one of the highlights for us as a label in my career (probably the worst audio engineering glitch of as well. Some people even think the pinnacle for putting out their records. Definitely a band with a all time) – a bad vocal edit, which comes in at 2:02 Stavesacre.—Brandon Ebel (CEO, Tooth & Nail) lot of integrity and vision.—Brandon Ebel during the song “Burn.”—DV Switchfoot Precious Death Larry Norman 11 The Beautiful Letdown | Sparrow | 2003 12 Southpaw | Metro One | 1995 13 Only Visiting This Planet | Solid Rock | 1972 An excerpt from HM#99 said this album was As inventive as Faith No More was to Let your history search start here with the mainstream metal was this progressive grandaddy of Christian rock. The first of a killer “perfectly titled ... and I’m not talking about the release to the Christian metal scene. Mix trilogy, this album features excellent, witty, sharp words ‘the’ or ‘beautiful.’...” I guess HM was Living Colour with Metallica and Cher on lead and poignant lyrics. He’s bold, blunt and street wrong on that one, huh?—DV vocals. “Say what?” Exactly!—DV level (see “Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus”).—DV
MUTEMATH Adam Again Scaterd Few MUTEMATH | Warner Bros. | 2006 Ten Songs | Broken | 1988 Sin Disease | Alarma | 1990 Cutting14 edge and even somewhat controversial, For15 their sophomore effort, Gene Eugene 16 this is a landmark release and it simply blew took his band to the next level, mixing soul & people away with a fresh sound and world class funk with his edgy alternative rock leanings to One of the best records to ever come out of songwriting. This album is so good it sounds like come up with a record that is sophisticated and the ‘punk’ scene. a major UK release.—Dr. Tony Shore moving.—Brian Quincy Newcomb —Caleb Olsen (Boot To Head Records)
Sixpence None the Richer Tourniquet Daniel Amos Sixpence None the Richer | Squint | 1997 Psycho Surgery | Intense | 1992 Doppelganger | Alarma! | 1983 Everything17 about it – the friendships forged thru 18 19 trials, the song cycle borne of artistic despair, I’d spent a couple years stretching my church the covert recording sessions, the extraordinary It’s hard to pick between Pathogenic Ocular friends (and radio listeners in Syracuse) with musicianship, the subsequent birth of Squint, and Dissonance or this one for this list, so we just earlier DA, Mark Heard and Rez Band. When the album’s eventual worldwide success – still flipped a medical thesaurus and it opened to Doppleganger hit my desk, I was the one who seems like a miracle.—Steve Taylor Psycho...—DV got stretched.—Chris Hauser We polled the experts and crunched the numbers, here are:
1. Gang Affiliated 4. The Earthworm 7. Composition No. 1 10. Fashion Expo Round 1: 12. Shades of Grey 15. Traveling Circus 18. Plague –Gospel Gangstaz –LPG –L.A. Symphony TruHipHop –Braille –RedCloud –Dirt 2. After the Music Stops 5. Christology 8. Factors of the Seven – Sackcloth Fashion 13. 7th Avenue 16. Experience 19. Bible Break –Lacrae –Ambassador –Grits 11. Raw Material –KJ-52 –Tunnel Rats –Stephen Wiley 3. Heaven’s Mentality 6. Redeemed Hoodlum 9. Phase III –Mars Ill 14. Extra Credit 17. No Plan B 20. Rain System EP –The Cross Movement –T-Bone –SFC –Theory Hazit –4th Avenue Jones –Othello & Manwell
I think we were all into Jane’s Addiction when we wrote that album. Infectious, original, Zao has had an amazing, I thought we were awesome and very prolific and brutal career really ahead of our time musical. “Middlename,” thus far (both musically when we finished it, but “Chick Magnet,” and personnel-wise), listening back to it, you “Cristalena” and “Move but this one really kicked can defiantly hear the To Bremerton” are all into that heavy gear that Seattle influence. still staples in a great live helped define “metal- —Tim Taber show.—DV core.”—DV The Prayer Chain MxPx Zao 20 Shawl | Rode Dog | 1993 21 Life In General | Tooth & Nail | 1996 22 Where Blood & Fire Bring Rest | Solid State | 1998
Quite an original metal sound. Unforgettable Lotsa people hate on tracks include the Crucified frontman Mark Creed, but they perfected back-to-back “Crucify” Salomon tries his hand at that classic rock formula and “Messiah,” but old school punk here and of quieter verses evangelistic fervor knocks one out of the exploding into huge meets metal in “Self- park. Every track rules. power choruses better Destruction” and “Manifesto” is a rally than most bands. I still the ballad “Alone in ‘round the microphone like these songs. punk anthem.— — Suicide.”—DV DV David Bach (Guardian) Bloodgood Outer Circle Creed 23 Detonation | Frontline | 1987 24 Outer Circle | T&N | 1998 25 Human Clay | Wind-Up | 1999
This monumental album puts the lie to the idea that As great as Chris Christian music has to be Carrabba was with FSF, I loved this album. positive. Angry, confused, his leaving to go solo was I remember them hurting and worn to a thin an awesome decision. rehearsing these songs hot line, this punk record Hearing these bleeding- for a demo before they was about telling the cold heart songs sung back to got signed to Geffen. hard truth about existence, him from 1,000 voices in They were such naturals while we “cling to the the audience in concert at harmonizing. And with faith” (“Tether to Tassel”) on this tour was a flat-out brutal metal underneath. that “there is More to Life” phenomenon. —Doug Pinnick than what we see.—BQN —DV Galactic Cowboys Lifesavers Underground Dashboard Confessional 26 Galactic Cowboys | DGC | 1991 27 Shaded Pain | Frontline | 1987 28 The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most | Vagrant | 2001
“If You Will” into “The Listen to this album. Why this album didn’t Call” is almost as good as It’ll blow your mind. It’s change the world metal gets.”—DV simplistic ‘80s metal to is a crime. Fleming a fault (think Ratt with McWilliams’ operatic This record would forever Jesus-first lyrics), but vocal range and hubby change and impact me the shredding lead guitar John’s adroit songwriting and the Christian metal by Rex Carroll in every was an eclectic groove music scene as we fill, nook and cranny is alt-rock match made in knew it! primo.— — DV heaven.—DV Bill Bafford (Roxx Prod.) Whitecross Fleming & John Deliverance 29 Whitecross | Pure Metal | 1987 30 Delusions of Grandeur | R.E.X. | 1995 31 Deliverance | Intense | 1989
One of my fav albums. Two vocalists dancing Sonic brilliance, great over sideways, rhythmic hooks and killer riffs and very electronic made “Alive and Awake,” A dynamic mix of the beats was a fresh and “Rift,” Godspeed” and right amount of chaotic highwater mark in 1984 “Nepulsultra” stick in riffage, doomy low-end for a few ex-members of your head long after the vocals, and singable Kansas that wanted to tracks ended. Could be choruses got this world- pen intelligent Christian the most accessible class album noticed in lyrics to thinking man’s industrial style music ever the mainstream. prog rock.— DV made by believers. —DV —DV Kerry Livgren AD Mortal Demon Hunter 32 Timeline | CBS | 1984 33 Fathom | Intense | 1993 34 Summer of Darkness | Solid State | 2004 Here’s a terrific, inventive and dynamic metal album Perhaps this is what U2 Possibly the musical that was miraculously might’ve sounded like success story of 2009. given time to build an if they had formed in a Adam Young somehow audience and take off post-hardcore Orange crafted a dozen electronic over the course of 3-4 County. A creative songs in his parents’ years. One listen and masterpiece and high Minnesota basement that you’ll never doubt again if mark that the band keeps just ooze infectious joy. girls can do metal. threatening to top. Scary. —DV —DV —DV Owl City Flyleaf Thrice 35 Ocean Eyes | Universal Republic | 2009 36 Flyleaf | Octone | 2005 37 Vheissu | Island | 2005
I would’ve never started playing drums, which led to Maybe we should just me being in NIV & then to The Alarm were one of blame the marketing starting a label, if it wasn’t my favorite bands back in the early ‘80s. I was and radio promotions for Pillars...— departments at Elektra for Jason Dunn so blown away by them failing to make the song The Crucified is one of using Marshall amps with “Jesus” as memorable the reasons why I joined acoustic guitars! They as a Nirvana hit. How and started P.O.D.. Pillars were so spiritual, but not could they have failed of Humanity was the first preachy at all. They were with material this good? “Christian” album I’d ever an inspiration to me. — — DV heard.”—Sonny Sandoval Doug Pinnick Aunt Bettys The Crucified The Alarm 38 Aunt Bettys | Elektra | 1996 39 Pillars of Humanity | Ocean | 1992 40 Strength | IRS | 1985
When Christians make I (originally) signed ‘em, art that blows people because I loved their What a change from away with its creativity, heart. The way they Embrace the Eternal to skill and excellence ... connected with the kids this album ... and what a well, isn’t that the way was phenomenal. They killer song in “One Less it’s supposed to be when made kids feel welcome Addiction.” It was like a people are in relation all the time and they new band – an awesome, to the Creator? Sanity were pranksters. I loved passionate and emotional Obscure – case in point. that about them. new band.—DV —DV —Noah Bernardo, Sr. Embodyment Believer Dogwood 41 The Narrow Scope of Things | Solid State | 2000 42 Sanity Obscure | R.E.X. | 1991 43 Building A Better Me | Tooth & Nail | 2000
This record best captured the I knew this was going apex of their live energy and On paper the idea to be a special record great songwriting. sounds crazy: a hardcore on hearing the demos. —David Bach frontman singing lyrics about Ma Barker over It brings back many fond A turning point for the memories of a great time a Southern Rock/ legitimacy of true hard rock metal hybrid ... but it’s in my life and marks the in the Christian market peak of my career at (as opposed to overly a marvelous thing. The T&N. Without a doubt, premeditated/watered-down ballad “Just Wanted to this was a defining youth group filler). Snakes... Make Mother Proud” moment for Underoath. was to Bride what Appetite... could be today’s “Free Bird.”— —Chad Johnson (Come&Live) was to G ‘n R.—Dez Dickerson DV Underoath Bride Maylene & the Sons of Disaster 44 They’re Only Chasing Safety | Solid State | 2004 45 Snakes in the Playground | Star Song | 1992 46 I | Mono vs. Stereo | 2005
Confirmed that, inspite of Even though you could life’s challenges, “I Still Believe find this album’s title (Great Design).” And I find track if you mashed “Self Hands down ... the God’s Spirit “Everywhere I Go.” Esteem” with “Smells A masterful musical collection most underrated ... songs of thoughtful, often Like Teen Spirit,” it is Christian rock band of biblical imagery, they revealed still a great rally cry for all time. This record is you could write about Christian rockers. The sick! Tim Bushong is profoundly spiritual themes in album had more than one of the great unsung mainstream settings and rock one good song, too. And music geniuses of with intentionality, cuz “we it (thankfully) found them Christian rock. need all the hope that we can moving towards rock. —David Bach get.”—BQN —DV Lovewar The Call dc Talk 47 Soak Your Brain | Pakaderm | 1993 48 Reconciled | Elektra | 1986 49 Jesus Freak | Forefront | 1995 There are lots of songs in the annals of Christian rock history that almost elevate the album to classic status. Songs that are so good that they make up for, perhaps, weaker material elsewhere on the album. For this reason, we thought we’d suggest a mixtape for you culled from albums that didn’t quite make this list (but might’ve come oh-so close just because of these songs). THE HM MAGAZINE “Run Mary Run” “The Devil is Bad” “Carry Me Down” “Dreams” “Big Boys” “Shut Off ” “Breakaway” –Cush (S/T EP) –The Ws (Fourth From the Last) –Demon Hunter (Storm the Gates of Hell) –Recon (Behind Enemy Lines) –Flock 14 (Brave New World?) –Puller (Sugarless) – Idle Cure (S/T) “The Blood” “The Vision” “Loving You” “Oh, Lord, You’re Beautiful” “Don’t Say Suicide” “Save Me” “Shine” –Street Angel (S/T) –Darrell Mansfield (The Vision) –The R&R Worship Circus (Welcome to…) –The Insyderz (Skalleluia!) –Rick Cua (You’re My Road) –Rich Mullins (S/T) –Newsboys (Going Public) “My God” “Fifty-Five” “Strong Tower” “Without Eyes” “Rock Stars on H” “Nice Guy” “Elle” “Bow” –Audio Adrenaline (S/T) –Rod Laver (Trying Not To Try) –Phil Keaggy (Find Me in These Fields) –Veil of Ashes (Pain) – Mike Knott (Strip Cycle) – Fell Venus (@) – Avion (White Noise) – Focused (Bow)
Got this record when it I was the Myrrh Records came out. Still have it promotion guy when they on vinyl! It was ahead got signed. We all had very of its time musically high hopes for them. They for Christian music. had Stryper’s old manager It sounded secular, and ably played all the LA which was a no-no Sounds classic even clubs where Poison and Van in Christendom back though it’s only two Halen got their starts. We then. Times have truly years old. Organic piano had a couple #1’s – and the changed, and this record rock with grit, soul and a band was the first ever color stands the test of time. voice (in Aaron Morgan) cover of HM Mag! —Doug Pinnick that’ll fill a room.—DV —Chris Hauser John Mehler Seabird Holy Soldier 50 Bow & Arrow | A&S | 1982 51 ’Til We See the Shore | Credential | 2008 52 Holy Soldier | Myrrh | 1990
Scott Albert’s an industrial music genius With each album David The song “Flood” was – fusing the power of Bazan was able to break one of those surprises metal, dance grooves through my defenses, that catapulted this band and noise sampling. disarm my guards and of college friends all His second opus was inject a good dose over mainstream radio, originally released as of truth into my life. giving this skilled group a side-project called Control was one of of songwriters a healthy Brainchild, but later those records. career that’s thankfully re-released as a Circle of — Caleb Olsen still going.—DV Dust album.—DV Pedro The Lion Jars of Clay Brainchild 53 Control | Jade Tree | 2002 54 Jars of Clay | Essential | 1995 55 Mindwarp | R.E.X. | 1994
This thing is chock full of hits, which weren’t After refining its sound even exhausted on radio, with the fantastic Never but helped make them Take Friendship Personal, Warped Tour darlings. Anberlin was able to top Critics should note that themselves with a great these songs would sound Shock rock, raw rock collection of songs (like great with a guy singing and dance rock all came “Adelaide,” “Godspeed” ‘em and the girl that together (with a sense of and “The Unwinding does belt ‘em out ain’t no humor, too) for one great Cable Car”), including the slouch, either.—DV album here.—DV über-epic “Fin.”—DV Paramore Showbread Anberlin 56 Riot! | Fueled by Raman | 2007 57 Age of Reptiles | Tooth & Nail | 2006 58 Cities | Tooth & Nail | 2007
Two of the most talented artists ever to be involved with Christian music come together on this classic release from one Reborn could just as This was our sophomore of the most underrated bands... easily be sitting here, and transition album Jason Martin’s Starflyer. but the band expanded with new members, Leave Here A Stranger was its personnel and its label and producers. Still produced by Terry Taylor. They sound once again for sounds decent after all are all good but this record is a this album, achieving these years. This album shining star in a discography of another brilliant musical is still the anchor of our artistic brilliance. breakthrough. live set to this day. — —Dr. Tony Shore —DV David Bach Starflyer 59 Living Sacrifice Guardian 59 Leave Here A Stranger | Tooth & Nail | 2001 60 The Hammering Process| Solid State | 2000 61 Fire And Love | Pakaderm | 1991
Mortification alum Jayson Sherlock adopts the alias of On this, their second Anonymous and records the album, 441 crystalized album to kick off a Christocentric that dreamy male infiltration of black metal culture. The word “crunk” might vocalist new wave sound Purported death threats and the as well have a photo (a la Duran Duran, Simple mistaken idea that Sherlock of FF5 next to it in the Minds, Paul Young) meant to lampoon the music’s dictionary. This album to perfection, adding unrelenting evil follow, but the could very well be that heartfelt joy and an one-man act’s lone studio album genre’s best. These 11 innocent worshipfulness holds up as a righteously furious songs sure stand up that was magic.—DV assault.—Jamie Lee Rake well.—DV 441 Horde Family Force 5 62 Mourning Into Dancing | Blue Collar | 1986 63 Hellig Usvart | Rowe Productions | 1994 64 Dance Or Die | Tooth & Nail | 2008 Jerusalem Lone Justice Warrior | Lion & Lamb | 1982 Shelter | Geffen | 1986 65 Maria66 McKee remains one of my faves to this day and This Swedish hard rock band hit on all cylinders with “Man of I keep this album near me at all times. As a teen it was the World” and “Constantly Changing,” but were revolutionary “I Found Love” and “Reflected” that rocked me. As an adult, “Dixie Storms” slows me in my tracks every with its epic 12-minute “Sodom.”—DV time I hear it.—John J. Thompson
Petra Midnight Oil Back to the Streets | Star Song | 1986 Diesel and Dust | Columbia | 1988 67 Peter68 Garrett’s intense political concerns about the After several albums of being “pretty good” musically, this environment, justice for aboriginals in Australia, and first album with veteran vocalist John Schlitt was flat-out a world gone war-mad gives this breakthrough for arena rock great. Check out “Shakin’ The House.”—DV Midnight Oil the furious energy of Hebrew prophets like Hosea and Amos. Aggressive, engaged, intense.—BQN
The Violet Burning Undercover 69 Strength | Bluestone | 1992 70 Balance of Power | Brainstorm Artists International | 1990 Strength just plain blew us all away. From the Tubbs brothers’ I grew up on the fun punk anthems of Undercover, but version of the band (precision with passion) to Pritzl’s Balance of Power marks a high point for the band with a chemical presence behind the front mic, this was worship very mature and artistic sound and it’s still my personal music like I had never heard. Graceful, intense, evocative, favorite from a very amazing band.—Dr. Tony Shore sensual and soulful, in all the right places. Brilliance.—JJT
Matthew Ward One Bad Pig Armed and Dangerous | Live Oak | 1986 Smash | Pure Metal | 1989 The71 one male voice in the pretty, petite trio 2nd Chapter of 72 Acts, you might never guess he could wail like Steve Walsh, Birthed out of Austin’s early ‘80s punk scene, this but this album did that – with Dann Huff’s guitar shredding album captured that spirit with tunes like “Isaiah 6,” all over it, too.—DV “Frat Rats,” “Looney Tune” and “Let’s Be Frank.”—DV
Jeff Johnson Kansas Shadowplay | Ark | 1983 Vinyl Confessions | Kirshner | 1982 It’s73 amazing that music this experimental was ever distributed When74 the songwriter behind “Dust in the Wind” found into the CBA. Take the trippiness of Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Jesus, it was a big deal to us Christian rockers. This and meld it with deep lyrics inspired by C.S. Lewis, George was Kerry’s second post-conversion Kansas album MacDonald, etc, and you’re in prog rock heaven. Total sonic and the first with vocalist John Elefante.—DV excellence from the pre-digital era.—DV
Novella Magdallan 75 A Liquid Earth | Star Song | 1992 76 Big Bang | Intense | 1992 Songs like “Missionary,” “Bad Place” and “Don’t You Run” We were trying to set new standards in Christian rock resonate with a hopeful melodic sweetness and an arena in hopes to inspire others to do the same. Something rock thunder a la Journey in their heyday.— bulletproof the world would have a hard time demoting to DV irrelevancy like they do with most all Christian Music. I pray we did that and am still proud of that album.—Ken Tamplin
Robert Randolph & The Family Band Red Sea 77 Live at the Wetlands | Dare | 2002 78 Blood | Rugged | 1994 Robert Randolph and his Family Band introducing us all to the “sacred steel” genre is easily one of the best things to happen with rock guitar in the past decade (or two).—DV Led Zeppelin. Whitesnake. Red Sea.—DV
Sacred Warrior Sufjan Stevens 79 Obsessions | Intense | 1991 80 Illinoise | Asthmatic Kitty | 2005 On its fourth album this power metal band tweaked its Maiden/ In his second of a 50-state project, this prolific songwriter Queensryche sound more towards the Operation Mindcrime became an overnight critic’s darling. The esoteric spectrum. In 1991 this was the perfect decision. —DV excellence of these songs are reason why.—DV
Andy Hunter Wovenhand 81 Exodus | Nettwerk | 2002 82 Mosaic | Sounds Familyre | 2006 Hunter’s debut intersects the notion of DJ-led praise & worship Any fan of great songwriting and alternative music will love with authentically club-banging techno/trance textures for the this release. It is simply one of the most original and beautiful rare sanctified dance music project to rock listeners for whom the albums I’ve ever heard. The instrumentation and melodies will disco is their church. US Christian label patronage would move leave you wanting more. The fact that this is an independent on, but not before leaving this scintillating classic.— Jamie Lee Rake release makes it that much more amazing.—Dr. Tony Shore THE HM MAGAZINE “Kites Without Strings” “Duane Joseph” “Up from the Wasteland” “Unicornicopia” “Every New Day” “Sodom & America” – The Seventy Sevens (S/T) –the Juliana Theory (Understand this is a Dream) –AD (Art of the State) –Joy Electric (the White Songbook) –Five Iron Frenzy (Our Newest Album Ever) –XL & DBD (Sodom & America) “Keep Me Runnin’” “Baroquen Spirits” “Escher’s World” “It’s Hard to Take” “Who’s Who Here?” “Shelter Me” –Randy Stonehill (Welcome to Paradise) –Larry Norman (So Long Ago the Garden) –Chagall Guevara (S/T) –The Front (S/T) –Daniel Amos (Mr. Buechner’s Dream) –Balance of Power (Perfect Balance) ““Church of Do What You Want to” “Three Nails” “Wind at My Back” “Train” “The Murder Weapon” “Is It A Crime?” –Jacobs Trouble (Door Into Summer) –Undercover (Boys & Girls Renounce the World) –Spock’s Beard (Snow) –Jet Circus (Step On It) –T Bone Burnett (Proof Through The Night)–Zion (Thunder from the Mountain) “The Suffering Servant” “Ecumenical” “A Little Love” “Goldilox” “Valerie” “Gotta Serve Somebody” “Six Feet Under” –Leviticus (Setting Fire to the Earth) –Black Eyed Sceva (50,000 Miles Davis) –The Brave (Battle Cries) –King’s X (Out of the Silent Planet) –Sweet Comfort Band (Cutting Edge) –Bob Dylan (Slow Train Coming) –Applehead (Meaning) See an even longer mixtape list at hmmag.com
Vigilantes of Love Evanescence Audible Sigh | Compass | 2000 Fallen | Wind-Up | 2003 A83 decade into it, Bill Mallonee’s VoL appeared to find its mojo working with 84 producer Buddy Miller, a way to connect his strong poetic lyrics to potent musical 15 Million copies of this album have sold worldwide. settings. Emmylou Harris sings harmony on “Resplendent,” one of the best Not bad for a band that had sent its independently songs of his canon. “Nothing Like a Train” and “Could Be a Whole Lot Worse” released Origin demo CD to this magazine two years prior.— make this a prime exhibit of the portent in his literate songwriting.—BQN DV
Comeback Kid Project 86 Turn It Around | Facedown | 2003 Drawing Black Lines | BEC | 2000 85Sometimes the best bands and albums are created as a fun outlet With86 its second album Project 86 punched nu metal in – an experiment based upon musical hunches, passion and a the gut with real metal. The band’s been as consistent hunger. Such was the wonderful surprise of this first chant-along as ever with each release, but this one remains a fan album by some of these former members of Figure Four.—DV favorite and live set staple.—DV
Arkangel Skillet 87 Warrior | Star Song | 1980 88 Comatose | Ardent | 2006 This might be the best album in the entire universe. Art/ After years of being “pretty good for Christian rock” prog rock from 1980. Imagine Jethro Tull, Rush, Kansas they can now stand toe-to-toe with any mainstream and ELP rolled into one. “Warrior” is perhaps the best rock band and kill it. “Falling Inside the Black” and hippie worship song ever.—DV “Rebirthing” both soar.—DV
Tonio K Steve Taylor Romeo Unchained | What? | 1986 I Predict 1990 | Myrrh | 1987 At89 a point when most of Christian music sounded the same and had There90 was so much controversy surrounding this to meet certain lyrical requirements, along came artistic genius Tonio album – the cover, the content, the store boycotts, K with quirky avant-garde sounds and lyrics that were way too honest the cancelled Australian tour – that in retrospect, I’m and intelligent for the masses.— Dr. Tony Shore amazed it was ever released.—Steve Taylor
OC Supertones Allies Supertones Strike Back | BEC | 1997 Long Way From Paradise | Dayspring | 1989 91Kings of ska’s third wave? Possibly so. Along with FIF 92Dayspring Records probably never knew what hit ‘em. at least able to make a claim towards the crown. Fiesty, These veteran rockers let it all bang out on this blues fun and fast. Four of these songs made it on their just- hard rock opus with greats like “Devil is a Liar,” the title released best-of, ReUnite.—DV track, “Old Man Down” and “Christian Man.”—DV
Mad At The World Iona 93 Mad At The World | Frontline | 1987 94 Beyond These Shores | Forefront | 1993 Don’t say “Enya clone” until you’ve heard this band’s This album stretched the mostly empty boundaries of what songs. It’s like Dream Theater minus the metal. was really cool and “edgy” in Christian music at a time Progressive yet beautiful and moving. Joanne Hogg’s when the only other genre doing that was metal.—DV vocals soar on “Treasure” and “Burning Like Fire.”—DV
Sam Phillips Extol Martinis & Bikinis | Virgin | 1994 Undeceived | Solid State | 2000 95The artist fka Leslie Phillips perfected her songcraft on this 96 album, with powerful tunes like “Black Sky” “Baby, I Can’t Please You” “I Need Love” the trippy ballad “Strawberry Burial introduced us to these Nordic Viking metallers, Road” and the Lennon cover of “Gimme Some Truth.”—DV but Undecieved kicked it up even another notch.—DV
Degarmo & Key Jimmy Hotz Straight On | Lion & Lamb | 1979 Beyond the Crystal Sea | Vision | 1980 97 98The guy who produced Arkangel’s album self-released “Livin’ on the Edge of Dyin’” could’ve been an outtake from his own solo album around the same time. It’s classic Springsteen’s Born to Run album. And “Enchirdion,” “Long prog rock in the vein of acid rockers like Yes. Lots of Distance Runner” and “Jericho” ain’t no slouches, either.—DV atmospheric and space rock keyboards.—DV
Asight Unseen PAX217 99 Circus of Shame | New Breed | 1991 100 TwoSeventeen | Forefront | 2000 From out of nowhere this young band rocked with a veteran I would love to say I discovered and signed this band, but confidence and swagger. Influenced from a myriad of sources, like one of my A&R guys (Mark Nicholas) scouted them and rockabilly, grunge, The Cult, STP, Jane’s Addiction. And how can you chased down Howard Benson to produce. “Prism” is still one of the best Christian rock songs ever.— go wrong when you write a song called “Jimi Jones Boogie?”—DV David Bach Robert Randolph & the Family Band Robert Randolph & the Family Band Photo: Danny Clinch SUB- SCRIBE TO HM MAGA-
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