January 2011

Namaste Sate by Aradhna

February 14, 2011
By
aradhna-namaste-sate

The new album by Aradhna, Namaste Sate, is a work of beauty.  Everything from the photography to the videos to the music comes together in one awe-inspiring package.  How appropriate, since Aradhna means “worship.”  For those unfamiliar with Aradhna, they are an original mix of Hindi language, English language, rock music, Indian music, guitar, sitar, and many other English and Indian influences.  They successfully remove Jesus from the white churchianity-dominated mindset of so many Americans and skillfully introduce him into an Indian mindset.  But don’t worry if you aren’t fluent in Hindi – lyrical translations are always a part of the liner notes for every Aradhna release.  Even if you take away the translations, it would be hard to not get caught up in the mood of each song.  Early Aradhna albums seemed to have more distinct lines between the rock parts and the mellow parts.  On Namasate Sate,...

Read more »

De-Plumed by The Choir

February 14, 2011
By
DePlumed Sleeve.psd

The Choir strikes gold again. This surprise release was the second in 2010 for the guys in The Choir. It was not only eagerly welcomed by fans, but it is unlike anything you have ever heard The Choir guys do. I was surprised because not only is this a stripped down acoustic Choir offering, they also revisit songs from previous albums – which is unusual for them. Normally I’m not a big fan of bands taking songs from prior albums, doing them acoustically and packaging a new disc… BUT, this is very different from anything else of that nature. They didn’t just sing through these songs with an acoustic guitar, Hindalong still handles a well favored and minimal approach to the percussion, and they have also added Matt Slocum on the cello which really embodies the richness of the acoustic melancholy of these songs. Another nice touch is that...

Read more »

Human Sacrifice by Vengeance Rising

February 14, 2011
By
vengeance-rising-human-sacrifice

Vengeance Rising… what can I say? This first release was the definitive Christian thrash record of its time. Originally released in 1988, everything about this record caused a stir. People complained about lead singer Roger Martinez’s voice, they complained about the album art, song titles, record title etc. etc. etc. Even with all the finger pointing, name calling and griping, Human Sacrifice put the metal world on notice. There were huge riffs, throbbing bass lines, guttural vocals and pummeling drums. There wasn’t anything else like this in Christian metal, and Vengeance (before they added Rising to their name) blew the doors off and could easily hold pace with any of their contemporaries in the thrash world like Megadeth, Slayer and early Metallica. It was a breath of fresh air for metal, and it was a genre defining release that other bands would always be compared to. The cool thing...

Read more »

Once Dead by Vengeance Rising

February 14, 2011
By
vengeance-rising-once-dead

Where Human Sacrifice introduced this band to the market, Once Dead solidified their place in the Christian metal world. Kicking off this record with an eerie recital of the The Lord’s Prayer, Vengeance Rising stormed back into the scene with a fury and a (ahem) vengeance. This release continues down the path that these guys started, but this offering is more mature, more concise and much tighter than its predecessor. Unfortunately this would be the last record with the original line-up, but the band gave us something memorable. With even meaner and faster riffs, sharp and crisp guitar solos, the band sounded even better than before. Staying true to form this release was also very Biblically based lyrically, controversial, but ultimately uplifting. The guys at Intense Millennium Records have done a tremendous job with the re-mastering and re-packaging of this classic record. There are an additional 4 bonus tracks...

Read more »

Bloodgood by Bloodgood

February 14, 2011
By
bloogood

Bloodgood’s classic debut album gets the re-issue treatment from Intense Millennium Records.  The sound is classic metal – a little power, a little melodic, but all shred. The only real problem when it was first released was the limited recording budget. Now that has been fixed with a nice re-mastering job that really helps these songs shine.  Two bonus tracks were also added – basically alternate versions of other songs on the album.  They also fixed the original’s odd “I kinda get it but kinda don’t”

Read more »

Rebellion by Sacred Warrior

February 14, 2011
By
sacred-warrior-rebellion

Sacred Warrior was one of the first Christian bands to take on the progressive metal genre pioneered by Queensryche.  They are not copycats by any means, but fans of simple riff rock might want to look elsewhere. You probably already know the album – so let’s talk about the re-issue.  The sound is vastly improved from the original – almost to the point of making you feel like you are listening for the first time.  The two bonus tracks are unreleased demos.  And top that all off with some great new artwork.  I can’t say I have loved all of the recent front cover upgrades, but this one is much better than the original.  The original was a cool concept, but just probably suffered from picking the wrong live picture.  The new cover is a bit gothic, but it looks great.  Another quality re-issue from Intense Millennium. [2010 Intense...

Read more »

7 Deadly Sins by Miranda Stone

February 14, 2011
By
mirandastone

I know the date shows that this album has been out for nearly 10 years, but I am just now discovering it.  Miranda is married to Aradhna sitar player Chris Hale.  So as a fan of Aradhna, I figured I should check this album out.  I am glad I did.  This is not pop-y wanna be folk – Miranda has grit and a bite that sets her apart from the crowd.  She is also backed by a full band. The grit is not only in the music but also the lyrics – some great ideas to chew on here.  Miranda also has a powerful set of pipes that fits the music perfectly.  The only problem I have with this album is that it is the last solo album she recorded.  There is another full length and ep before this one that I am hunting down – but we need to...

Read more »

Strong Tower by McAllister

February 14, 2011
By
strongtower

Tim McAllister originally made a name for himself as the leader of Flock 14 and then World Theatre.  Strong Tower has obviously been out for a while, but I recently discovered that you can download a version of it for free from his site.  I say “a version” because there is an expanded version of the physical CD for sale. You can check out the album for yourself – but why would you even bother? If you like edgy, guitar-based alternative rock, you will love this.  It is not loud or aggressive, but very enjoyable.  I keep coming back to the song “Million,” but I can also listen to the whole thing from start to finish.  I have also read that Linford Detweiler of Over The Rhine makes a guest appearance.

Read more »

Imperium by Grammatrain

February 14, 2011
By
grammatrain-imperium

Grammatrain returns with their first full album in years.  They still sound like Grammatrain – no attempts have been made to adopt a new style.  That’s not to say this is a re-hash of their first two albums.  There is definitely a good amount of growth when comparing these songs to older material.  To me, the songs seem to be a bit more plodding than in the past – fewer borderline punk songs than on Flying or Lonely House.  Not that this is a bad thing – they still have some great riffs going on here.  The spiritual dynamic is also interesting, as lead singer Pete Stewart recently said he is no longer a Christian, but tries to write songs that would not offend the Roraback brothers.

Read more »

Happy Living by Mumble

February 14, 2011
By
Mumble - HappyLiving

I’ll be honest when reviewing this and tell you that I had to listen a couple of times before I got into this release. Maybe it’s because the music is way more complex than I originally thought. These five guys hail from Michigan and put out a powerhouse of what I can only describe as indie pop. Produced by Jeff Elbel of Ping and Farewell To Juliet, this disc is actually quite fun. Upon first listen I thought it sounded somewhere along the lines of Brian May playing guitar for The Beatles. It has a grown up indie drive with a pop sensibility and thrill. The lyrics are really good and tell unique snapshots with a storyteller’s rhyme. The music and arrangements are really unique and out of the norm. Definite feel good, roll down the window on a sunny day music. Check them out and give it a...

Read more »