The Trendy Core of Metal

Skinny jeans, skate shoes and shirts that are too small do not make for a talented band. That is, unless you are signed to Solid State, Victory or Facedown records. Being the fan of hard and heavy music that I am, I was on social media and following the posts of Solid State Records as they went on a spree of posting album covers from their catalog. I followed with the intent of looking for albums that I personally own, until I realized that every single band posted was labeled as "Metalcore." Other than a couple of bands on Solid State's roster, this is the only genre that they produce. This leads one to ponder other labels that cater to the Jesus-metal enthusiast. For fans of the more traditional styles of metal, one must be willing to dig through the layers of detritus and garbage that is marketed as "music." Short of extensive research or a working knowledge of the Christian metal scene, one must rely on record labels and their rosters, fanzines, and podcasts. The problem is that the Christian metal community is so small that any new trend tends to wipe out the previous wave completely. In order to stay relevant, record labels, fanzines and podcasters must follow these trends religiously just to stay in business. Meanwhile, Roxx Records, Retro-Active Records, and Bombworks Records are doing the best that they can to offer variety and stay afloat. 

In early 1992, grunge replaced glam (hair) metal as the trendy music of the next generation. This forced metal back underground, and almost killed the entire genre. Grunge pushing metal underground for a decade was beneficial in hindsight. This move made fans and musicians alike reevaluate what metal is and its place in society as a relevant form of artistic expression and entertainment. The benefit of hindsight has also given me an understanding for why people like Chris Cornell, Kurt Cobain, and Eddie Vedder hated the glam metal scene. There were so many bands that looked, acted, and sounded alike that there was no form of real expression or individuality left. Even the harder edged thrash scene that spawned giants like the Metallica, Megadeth, Testament and Exodus, had their own problems with over-spawning and exceeding the saturation limits possible for an industry. While the problems with thrash were not as big as glam, it was still too packed to breathe freely. Such is the case with metalcore.

Metalcore began as an underground movement in the mid-90's and has it's roots in extreme metal like death-metal and thrash while equally pulling influence from the hardcore punk scene. In the early 2000's metalcore exploded out of the underground spawning bands like As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, and Demon Hunter. Essentially, metalcore consists of growled or barked vocals, heavy drop-tuned guitars, fast double-bass drumming and melodically sung choruses. Gone is the virtuosity and spontaneity of thrash, the fun of glam, or the brutal riffing and frenetic pace of death-metal. Metalcore has devolved into a scream verse-sing chorus-scream verse-blastbeat/breakdown-chant bridge-sing chorus formula. While the lyrics tend to be more introspective than the aforementioned genres, they still retain that whiny gloominess that nu-metal brought but with a more positive spin. The end result is a music style that cannot grow or expand beyond its own boundaries. This is not to say that metalcore as a sub-genre and movement within the metal community is devoid of influence.

Metal-core has influenced other styles of music. This influence can primarily be seen in the labeling of newer sub-genre's. Besides the labeling of the style followed by the word "core" the music does have it's own spinoffs. For instance, there is now deathcore, grindcore, groovecore and mathcore. It would seem that the record labels are so desperate to seem hip and cool that they have added "core" to just about everything in an attempt to legitimize the existence of any given sub-genre. Genius. The album art is no exception, while the graphics and fonts of different styles of metal tend to follow their particular sub-genre, metalcore is all over the place. They have incorporated all the different styles of graphics into a blender, gave it a spin and dumped the contents on a canvas. Like the music, the album art is just as confused and contrived.

What the next big thing will be is anyone's guess, but with critical-mass achieved by metalcore, it must be somewhere on the horizon. Will the next trend be a swing back to pop infused punk, or hard rock with pop sensibilities? Will it be a simplified, stripped down style of rock n' roll or industrial fuzed with dance? Will it be something completely new? In the meantime, while we watch and wait, I would suggest that new bands who are trying to break in to the current metal scene change their genre's names to Hair-core, Traditional-core, Prog-core or Power-core to seem more "with-it" and keep up with the trends. After all, metal is just not as legit as metalcore.

Friendly Fire

 

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 Back in the late 70's and early 80's when the Christian rock scene was beginning to explode, it was not uncommon to see people who called themselves followers of Christ vocally picketing bands that were using rock music to spread the gospel through their lyrics. Bands and artists like Keith Green, Rez Band, Petra and Stryper, who are unashamed of their stand for Christ were verbally chastised and publicly denounced from the pulpit. Specifically, Stryper became almost every Pastor's favorite whipping boy as they decried the immortality of heavy metal. While Stryper's peers relished the sex-drugs-rock n' roll lifestyle, Stryper was taking the gospel to clubs and concert halls and delivering it with a sonic bombast to anyone who would listen.

Stryper and their fans understand what continues to baffle the American Church as an entity. That is, an open sanctuary door does not accomplish anything. You have to go out

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into the streets where people live and invite them in with open arms, regardless of the appearance, status or lifestyle. A missionary does not go somewhere, build a church and hope that people eventually show up. By necessity to ensure survival, a missionary must be involved in the process and engage the people that they are trying to reach on the level where they live. Ironically, on one level Americans get it, they support missionaries on foreign soils, but rare is the occasion when a missionary is supported on mission to their own community. Even Seattle's Bloodgood released an e.p. called Metal Missionaries. In 1990, speed metal masters Sacred Warrior wrote a song called Minister By Night that contains the line "I`ve been seen in places that you`d only pass in daylight, but that`s our biggest difference, in the darkness we spread the light". Sacred Warrior, Stryper, Bloodgood and their compatriots continue live out their calling.

What has happened to our ability to think? Are we to sit in the pews like mindless drones

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accepting what is told to us or are we to take our God-given intellect and discernment and test it against the scriptures for authenticity? As my experience has led me to believe, we are to talk about "unapproved" music styles and genre's in hoarse whispers for fear of repercussion?  forget the lyrical content. This was reinforced recently by a conversation with a friend who said that they did not talk about the music that they listen to because they did not want to cause some one to stumble. I agree with and respect this to a point, but when does it become legalistic, fearful, or simply spineless. If the music glorifies God and encourages the listener to seek Him more fervently, then does the musical style really matter? If we are living fearfully of the spiritual leadership that has been placed over us then our submission is not based in love, respect, or obedience. It is based on a desire for acceptance and a fear of consequences.

Simply stating that you don't like a certain style of music therefore it is not "Christian" is wrong! Who are we to say what God will or will not use to enlarge HIS kingdom. He is God on high and we human beings are not. God has and continues to use musicians of all varieties and styles to bring the gospel to those that would otherwise remain unreached. Conversely, calling music Christian because there are Christians in the band but whose lyrics are feel-good-happy-happy-joy-joy and don't address the spiritual reality of man are just as wrong. In Revelations 3:16, God says that he will spit these people out of his mouth. Compromising the word of God is a dangerous and futile exercise in the long run, but no more so than rejecting His chosen servants and witnesses.

Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music.  ~President Ronald Reagan

Three Nails and the Truth

Country music writer and legend Harlan Howard once said that "Country music is three chords and the truth." For this to be possible one must then understand what truth is. Truth by it's very nature is unchanging and infallible, therefore, the author of truth must be unchanging and infallible. To be a human and an author of truth is not possible. Human beings can only offer opinions, unless speaking of the truth, in which case, said human must quote directly, accurately, and often. Eli Prinson and Mike Phillips of The Sacrificed do exactly this.

 The Sacrificed are a band out of Lakeland, FL, and came together in 2005. While they may be fairly young as a band, the music is pure American traditional metal, with some progressive vibes throughout the album to keep the music entertaining. At times the band has been compared to Queensryche, Deliverance and Sacred Warrior. The primary reason behind the comparison is the phenomenal vocals of front-man Eli Prinson. Eli has a range that is better than Geoff Tate of Queensrych and rivals the high-pitched wails of King Diamond himself. That is not to say that Eli rips off either person, rather his vocal style, and delivery is very similar. Add to the band the master guitar shredder himself, Mike Phillips. Mike is from the old school of metal, where one must have chops AND melody. On the songs that need a smokin solo to keep things moving, Mike delivers flawlessly. At other times, he plays a moving passage, and it is pretty obvious his soul wrote the notes. Mike also has a flair for the progressive styling in his playing but does not fall prey to the technical wankery of other players, rather, each note is placed in each song for the overall effect. Daniel Cordova holds down the low end of the band on the bass and brings the drums and guitar work together with a practiced finesse. There are not very many runs and fills in his playing style, but again, each note is played with emphasis and power, always keeping in mind the final product to be delivered. The bass is handled very competently and adds to the overall effect of the album, blending perfectly with the tempos set by drummer Jay Williams. Jay has incredibly fast feet and keeps the beat strong while adding fills and blast beats in exactly the right amount for flavor and dynamics. Whether he is holding the beat, pausing in an interlude, dropping out or crashing in, Jay Williams sense of taste and timing is impeccable. In short, The Sacrificed has brought together 4 guys that are clearly on the same musical mission. Mike Phillips and Daniel Cordova may be new to this band, but the overall sound that is achieved has 4 guys playing music that they love and it is evident in the intensity of the music created for this album.

Eli Prinson wrote the lyrics to 7 of the 10 songs on the album, Mike Phillips wrote 2 and the last is a song called Before the Storm, that is a Queensryche cover. Ironically, I would have not known from the first listen that Before the Storm was a cover, as it flows with the album and fits the style of the band. Lyrically, every song is taken from the Bible and urges people to seek Jesus without coming across as preachy and in-your-face. Songs Like The Nephilim Agenda, Behold the Power of God, and Ark of the Covenant are all written from  a historical perspective and tell a small story. The Nephilim Agenda deals with the events leading up to the flood. Ark of the Covenant is the history of the Ark from its inception, creation, capture by the Philistines and its ultimate return to Israel. Behold the Power of God is about Aaron and Moses' confrontation with Pharaoh when they demanded the release of the Israelites from slavery. Regeneration is more political and it is a plea for the people of America to turn back to God before this nation is destroyed. 24 and Falling are the two Mike Phillips penned songs and both of these focus what life without Jesus would look like and repentance from sin. 24 finds it's inspiration in the book of Revelations and describes the prophecies while at the same time offering hope in salvation. Lyrically, this band is refreshing in their lyrical approach because they walk the fine line of truth with gospel while not being overly preachy.

The only down-side to the album is the production on the vocals. To my ear it seems to have a bit too many effects dialed in and this tends to make the vocals muddy and distorted when the band is really playing. After a few listens and when played at a higher volume, this problem is not as noticeable, but at normal levels it really comes out. What made the vocals stand out is the crisp production on the rest of the instruments creating a really odd out-of-balance dynamic. The production on the instruments is outstanding and modern and yet the band has still achieved that classic metal sound.

All-in-all, I find The Sacrificed's III to be a fantastic example of classic metal and what it should sound like. these guys are wearing their influences on their sleeves with pride. They are not out to do something new, rather they are doing what they love musically while still bringing the gospel of truth to a lost world. They do not hedge or waffle but stand up for what they know to be right.  

Bay-Area U

It's 2010 and the great thrash resurgence is waning, but a little farther south of the United States is a little country that has taken the torch.This little country has been heavily influenced by the San-Francisco bay area thrash scene that spawned the mighty Metallica, Mega-Dave and his crew of Deth, as well as the infamous Slayer with their hordes devotees. This scene also gave birth to the oft-overlooked Death Angel, Testament, Exodus, Vio-Lence and Forbidden. More important than any one of these bands or the combined power of their sonic might is the influence that these bands continue to have. Bay-Area Thrash became a movement that rivaled the size of the NWOBHM and influenced all future generations of metal-heads. This effect was also carried down to the nation of Brazil. 

Disaffection take their thrash cues from the god-fathers of metal and bring it up to date. From the beginning of the album with the sounds of gunfire and whistling bullets to the blinding ferocity of the closing track, this album never lets up. The influence of the Bay-Area is unmistakable. From the patch covered denim vests, to the bullet belts, to the classic high-top tennies, to the album cover with its "V" guitars, these guys have the look. If not for the Portuguese accents, these guys could have grown up in San-Francisco in 1985. The attack of the drums is pure Dave Lombardo, and the vocal delivery is reminiscent of Mark Osegueda from Death Angel, and the influence continues into the depths of the album. The highlight however, is the ever present riff. These guys have nailed it. Be the song a blast driven mosh fest or a slower bass driven groove, the riffs don't let up. While the album is pure thrash and pulls it's influences from the masters, Disaffection still maintain their unique take on the genre. They do not emulate any one band but seem to pull pieces from each one creating a sound that is fresh without reinventing the thrash wheel. The one downside to the album is the weakness of the guitar breaks and leads. The lead is present and accounted for but do not have the technicality and feeling of a more seasoned band.

The lyrics are blatantly Biblical but steer away from the "turn-or-burn" variety. Rather, the lyrics seek to offer hope and answers to folks struggling in their lives and Christian walk. Encouraging people to think about their situations is the basis for songs like Stupid Ideas and Mystery of God, while Mortuary Man is a reminder that those who are born again do not have to continue in past sins but are now alive in Christ. The opening track Metal Kombat is a call to arms against fallen angels and other evils that are in this world because of sin. Every single song is theologically based and no-where is this more present than in the song Blind Man. Blind Man uses biblical truths and the analogy of darkness and light to describe the difference in life between one who is saved and one who is not. The song is wrapped up in short testimonial bridge that brings these ideas together.

Disaffection are a strait-ahead thrash band from Brazil that don't hesitate to share their faith and their ministry is their music. The lyrics are refreshing break from the "look-how-evil-we-are" variety. Disaffection play a style that is immediately recognizable and yet also new. Thankfully, this is only a debut and I look forward to many more releases from this band with great anticipation.