Five Iron Frenzy – Upbeats And Beatdowns (1996)

Some things in life have perfect timing, and as far as albums go Five Iron Frenzy’s 1996, 5 Minute Walk Records debut Upbeats and Beatdowns was the perfect album for the perfect time. The album along with The O.C. Supertones debut, which released earlier that year ignited an explosion of popularity for ska in the christian rock scene. As huge as ska became in the mainstream in the mid-late ’90′s, I believe it became even bigger in the christian rock scene. Musically the album was punk leaning third wave ska, that for brief moments branched off into the heavier offshoot ska-core. A few things really stood out about the band, even in comparison to their mainstream counterparts. Lyrically Five Iron Frenzy had no peer, for every silly track the band, led by chief lyricist and frontman Reece Roper, produced they would write some of the most politically and socially scathing songs. “Combat Chuck” and “Arnold & Willis & Mr. Drummond” were good examples of the former, while “The Old West” was a great example of the latter. The band could also write a good praise song; never cheesy and always genuine. The album’s lead single “A Flowery Song” was a great example of this. The album itself, although not the band’s best by any stretch of the imagination was full of quality song after quality song. “Where Zero Meets 15″ and “Third World Think Tank” are just a couple of the album’s gems. For anyone looking to check out the shooting star that was the christian ska scene, I’d recommend starting at the beginning with this album.

(This review originally appeared on my now-defunct blog The Sounds of Yesterday)

Luxury – Amazing and Thank You (1995)

These guys know how to write a good song. With their 1995 Tooth and Nail Records debut, Amazing and Thank You, Luxury find a balance between raging guitars that create a wall of sound, and soft vocals that are filled with catchy brit-pop styled hooks. The end result is something that sounds like the mod scene of the 1960′s updated for the 1990′s indie rock scene. I can see fans of shoegaze and indie pop eating this album up. There is nothing better than music you can rock out to, brood with, and sing along to. Luxury offer that in spades, and most of the time all within the same song. In my opinion, this album is woefully under-appreciated. Honestly, I am not sure why the band’s first couple of albums aren’t held in as much reverence as Starflyer 59′s first two albums. They are of a similarly high quality. As good as every song on the album is, I feel that there is one that stands above the rest. That song would be “The Luxury Theme”. Everything that is great about this album is at its apex in this song. The drumming is of particular note, as it seems to contain a slight jazz influence. The follow-up track “I Know What You Think About Me” is of note as well, with it’s moody, brooding sound and soaring chorus.  Amazing and Thank You is one of those albums that may get overlooked, but was crucial in garnering respect for the fledgling label in its infancy.

(This review originally appeared on my now-defunct blog The Sounds of Yesterday)

Morella’s Forest – Super Deluxe (1995)

With the success of female fronted bands such as Veruca Salt, Bikini Kill, The Breeders, Garbage, and No Doubt in the mid 1990′s mainstream and underground rock scene, it was only a matter of time before female fronted bands started popping up in the christian rock scene. One of those bands was Dayton, Ohio dream-pop band Morella’s Forest. The band released their first album Super Deluxe on Tooth and Nail Records in 1995. Musically the album featured lush, ambient soundscapes that had a noisy, feedback drenched shoegaze edge, that helped keep those who preferred a heavier style completely engaged. Some of my favorite tracks are the lead single “Hang Out” with it’s buzzing, fuzzy guitar oriented sound, “Wonder Boy” with its spacey guitar work, and “Oceania” which features a moody, dream-like sound to accompany vocalist Sydney Rentz’ soft, melodic voice. Morella’s Forest along with the iconic Starflyer 59 are directly responsible for getting me interested in shoegaze/space-pop/dream-pop/noise-pop/insert whatever other crazy genre name here. In my opinion Super Deluxe encapsulates this moment in time better than any of the band’s other more pop leaning work. An underrated album to say the least.

(This review originally appeared in my now-defunct blog The Sounds of Yesterday)

Starflyer 59 – Starflyer 59 (1993)

The more that I write these reviews, the older I feel. It is hard to believe that this album is over 20 years old. With their self-titled Tooth and Nail Records album, Starflyer 59 gave the indie christian rock scene a taste of the British led shoegaze movement. The album affectionately known as “Silver”, was a wall of guitar from the first riff of the album’s opening track “Blue Collar Love” until the final strains of the album’s droning, closing track “The Dungeon”. I know one thing for sure, if you love thick guitar riffs this album is for you. Guitarist/vocalist/founder/one man band extraordinaire Jason Martin, does a great job of bringing a little calm to the swirling storm as he utilizes a softer, haunting style of guitar playing at times. This is in full effect on “Monterrey”, which is the closest “Silver” sounds to its follow-up, the more stripped down Gold. I also love the irony of the track “Droned”, which is actually one of the album’s more subdued songs along with “She Only Knows”.  In my opinion the best song on the album is the driving “Hazel Would”, which features a terrific, fuzzed out guitar solo, while a jangly lead is played over the top of it. This is where it all began for Mr. Martin and his much loved Starflyer 59. An album that’s mystique only continues to grow as it ages. A stunning debut album.

(This review was originally published in my now defunct blog The Sounds of Yesterday)

The O.C. Supertones – Adventures of The O.C. Supertones (1996)

With bands such as No Doubt, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Sublime, and Reel Big Fish having hits in the mainstream rock scene, it was only a matter of time until the christian rock scene had their own “version” of one of these bands. Well, what they got was so much more. What they got were The O.C. Supertones and their 1996 Tooth and Nail Records debut album Adventures of The O.C. Supertones. This was the album that brought ska music into the christian music scene, and along with Five Iron Frenzy and The Insyderz created a wave of popularity for both the style and the bands that only a few such as the metalcore bands of today could relate to. The album is pretty much straight-forward third wave ska, but the worshipful tone and vocalist Matt Morginsky’s smooth hip-hop flows made the band and the album fairly unique.  The album had quite a few standout tracks such as the praising, upbeat “Adonai”, the punk influenced “O.C. Supertones”, and the anthemic “Who Can Be Against Me”. However, as good as this album is for a debut, the band wouldn’t hit their stride until their next album, 1997′s Supertones Strike Back. This was both the beginning of something amazing, and the precursor to better things to come.

(This Review Originally Appeared in My Now Defunct Blog The Sounds of Yesterday)

Plankeye – Commonwealth (1996)

In May of 1997, my parents surprised my younger brother and me by taking us to our first christian rock concert. As cool as that was, it was made even cooler by the fact that we were getting to see one of our favorite bands, The Newsboys. They were touring in support of their hit album Take Me to Your Leader. In support was an up and coming band with a bluesy, southern rock sound named Third Day, who thanks to their song “Consuming Fire”, were on the verge of becoming huge. The opening act was one that I had heard of through 7Ball magazine and that I had seen in a music video, but other than that I had very little exposure to. That band was a small southern California outfit signed to Tooth and Nail Records named Plankeye. Although I hadn’t heard much of them going into the concert, by the time their set was over, they had made a new fan. A huge fan. The album that they were touring in support of was their 1996 release Commonwealth. The album is an alternative pop-rock masterpiece. The album opens with the driving “Whisper to Me”. Thankfully this is the only song that features the lock-jaw style of vocals that was featured at times on their previous work. I have always detested that style of “singing” and blame it for helping turn grunge music into a laughingstock. The band must have seen the error of their ways because the next song is one of the band’s best, “B.C.”. This song is catchy alt-pop at its finest, and happens to be the song that the music video I mentioned earlier was made for. The album has great song after great song, however I feel one song stands head and shoulders above the rest, the brooding, explosive “Struck By the Chord”. The song is a fine example in moody, rocking songwriting. The guitar playing is especially of note as the song features a catchy riff that becomes drenched in feedback. Commonwealth is a great place to start for those who are looking to check out Plankeye. All of the uneven writing and performing that was evident on their first two albums is long gone, and the pop sheen that coats, and some would argue dulls their next album is not seen here.

(This review originally appeared on my now defunct blog The Sounds of Yesterday.)

MxPx – Life In General (1996)

Although they had already released two albums, it wasn’t until their third Tooth and Nail Records original, full-length album that Bremerton, Washington pop-punk band MxPx really hit their stride. To say that Life In General was a game-changer for the trio is an understatement. This album is where MxPx became the poster-boy’s for punk rock in the christian music scene. Musically the album was both the most polished and most cohesive work that the band had created to that point. Songs such as “Middlename”, “Doing Time”, and “Today is in My Way” are pop-punk gold, while “Do Your Feet Hurt” and “Move to Bremerton” are mid-tempo, catchy pop-rock fare. Lyrically these guys were one of the first to receive the whole “christian band” or “christian’s in a band” backlash, and it’s not hard to see why they would be dragged into that ridiculous debate, as most of the song’s including the hit single “Chick Magnet” have something to do with girls or the life in general of teenagers (serious pun intended). Although Life In General isn’t the band’s best album in my opinion (Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo gets that nod in my book), it is definitely a classic in the christian rock scene. It’s somewhat ironic that this band never made it huge in the mainstream, as all of the elements were present for that to happen. It is even more confounding when you consider some of the band’s that did become popular in the genre.

(This review originally appeared in my now defunct blog The Sounds of Yesterday)

Klank – Still Suffering (1996)

This album was my first foray into heavy music. The first time I heard Klank was on Kansas City’s local alternative rock station 105.9 The Laser. Every Sunday morning they played two hours of the latest christian rock songs based off of the now defunct “The Pure Rock Report”. One Sunday amidst the usual grungy alt-rock and pop influenced modern rock, they played a song that was so heavy compared to the rest, that I could have sworn it was the heaviest death metal band Christendom had ever laid ears on. That song was “Downside” by Klank. As soon as I heard it, I dug out my copies of  7Ball magazine to find an ad for the album which I had remembered seeing. The ad seemed just as frightening as the song, I could have sworn that it was Pin Head of “Hell Raiser” on that cover. To make a long story short Klank’s brand of heavy music piqued my interest, so much so that I dove in head first to anything Tooth and Nail Records, and then later Solid State labeled as heavy. As we all know, Klank is not death metal by ANY stretch of the imagination. Their 1996 album Still Suffering is Industrial Metal of the highest quality. The album may be one of the heaviest Industrial albums ever made. Compared to Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails at the time, in my opinion Still Suffering sounds nothing like either one, and is a heck of a lot heavier than anything either band put out. It is no surprise that Klank would take the heavy Industrial sound of Circle of Dust to a more metallic level as Darren Dialosa, the man behind the band, was that band’s guitarist. The album had plenty of firepower as the aformentioned “Downside”, “Scarified”, “Deceived”, “Animosity”, and “Woodensoul” are all heavier than an anvil. Lyrically the album scours the darker, human side of a hurting believer, matching the music perfectly. With Still Suffering, Klank crafted an album that in my opinion has stood the test of time, and one that I still listen to today.

(This Review Originally Appeared on My Now Defunct Blog The Sounds of Yesterday)

Stavesacre – Absolutes (1997)

With their second full-length Tooth & Nail Records release, Absolutes, California based band Stavesacre delivered on the promise that was apparent with their debut album Friction. Everything that was great about Friction was not only magnified, but even improved upon with Absolutes. Musically, the album blended post-hardcore song structures and dynamics with an almost aggro-style heavy alternative. This is one of the few albums that I have run across where every single song is memorable; A testament to the songwriting chops of this talented, veteran band. As good as the music is, vocalist Mark Salomon steals the show with his strong, unique vocal style. His vocals add a depth and range of emotion that further adds to the strength of the album. When the song’s demand power, he conveys that. When the song’s convey moodiness, Mr. Salomon delivers. When the song’s possess an unexpected vulnerability, his vocals add to that. Absolutes is not a hardcore album, yet it is heavier than any hardcore album. Absolutes is not an emo album, yet it will take you on an emotional journey that no emo album will ever come close to.  Absolutes is so much greater than the sum of it’s parts. The album is in my opinion one of the greatest examples of merging faith with art, and one of the greatest albums in the history of (christian) music.

Ninety Pound Wuss – Where the Meager Die of Self Interest (1997)

Washington’s Ninety Pound Wuss were perhaps one of the most creative punk bands in the history of the Christian punk scene. Their second album, 1997’s Where the Meager Die of Self Interest, is the album that can be credited with getting me into the harder side of punk music. Up to that point my only exposure to punk was of the pop-punk nature, with other Tooth & Nail Records bands such as MxPx, Ghoti Hook, and Slick Shoes. Where the Meager Die of Self Interest was not just a simple hardcore punk album, it was much, much more. The album was a noisy, chaotic take on traditional hardcore punk, that dabbled in post-punk. The experimental song structures helped to add depth to the punk fury that was the album’s foundation. Maybe the greatest part of the album was the excellent use of the loud/soft dynamic. This helped to provide a short respite from the manic rage and tortured screams that were present during the album’s louder times. It also helped to bridge the gap between the album’s harder side, and its more experimental side. To this day, Where the Meager Die of Self Interest is probably my favorite hardcore punk album.

Roadside Monument – Eight hours Away From Being A Man (1997)

Seattle area band Roadside Monument helped to pioneer a new style with their sophomore album 1997’s Eight hours Away From Being A Man. This album along with Dear Ephesus’ Consolation of Pianissimo can be credited for bringing emo to christian audiences. Don’t let the tag fool you, this emo is not your little brother’s over-dramatic, bleeding heart, pop-punk influenced “emo”. This is the real deal. In short, emo is a shortened version of the genre descriptor “emotional hardcore”. The hardcore scene was exactly the scene that these early bands were lumped into, considering that they often toured with hardcore bands. Eight Hours Away From Being A Man was an album that could take you on a musical journey. One moment the band would be in full-on hardcore rage. The next moment you would be engulfed in a serene, ambient soundscape, with nothing but a singular, jangly guitar strumming along. The range of emotion that Roadside Monument conveyed may not have even been the band’s strongest point. The music had a complex side to the songwriting that further aided their simple trick of using the loud/soft dynamic. At times, one could get lost in the melodic, meandering guitar lines, restrained drumming, and strained, plaintive vocals. The album does a great job in running the gamut from emo to post-punk to math-rock, and back again. Eight Hours Away From Being A Man is a true masterpiece, and one of the best albums Tooth & Nail Records ever gave us.

Warlord – Warlord EP (1997)

It is a shame when good bands end before their potential is reached. Seattle area band Warlord is one such band. Warlord released two albums on fledgling label Solid State Records. Their first album was a 4-song self-titled EP released in 1997. The Warlord EP is one heavy piece of sludgy, doom metal influenced hardcore. The guitars are tuned extremely low, giving the album that distinct doom-y, low-end sound that is synonymous with the strangely named genre of “stoner metal”. I know what you are thinking, and the answer is no, I did not just make up that genre identifier. Musically, the album leans more toward the hardcore side of things with the shouted vocals and noisy, sludgy instrumentation, however the song structures coupled with the low-tuned guitars add an experimental, doom metal edge to the album. While their labelmates were all going toward a sound that would eventually become metalcore, Warlord were doing something quite different, and dare I say unique. It is no surprise when considering that Warlord and Tooth & Nail Records band Roadside Monument shared a member or two. That fact would also help explain the more complex, math-core style that would take over on the bands’ next and final release, 1999’s Rock the Foe Hammer. The Warlord EP was a glimpse into the potential of this possibly great band, a potential that sadly was never reached. Thankfully we will always have this great little 4-song EP.

Training For Utopia – The Falling Cycle EP (1997)

No other label did more for heavy music in the christian music industry than Solid State Records. Although there were labels that focused on metal and hardcore before, R.E.X. Records and Intense Records come immediately to mind, no one did it as prolifically or as well as Solid State. While most of the label’s early releases were a brand of metallic hardcore that could be considered proto-metalcore, that all began to change with the release of The Falling Cycle EP by Northern California band Training For Utopia. The Falling Cycle EP was to that point the heaviest and most chaotic album that the label had released. Musically, the emphasis was definitely on making the album as chaotic as possible. There are tempo changes galore. Time signatures seem to be changed every half measure and favor the odd, and off beat. The chaotic song structures, coupled with the heaviness of the instrumentation, and intensity of the vocals give this short, 4-song EP the distinction of being one of the earliest examples of chaos-core or chaotic hardcore, in the underground christian music scene. It is only fitting that Training For Utopia rose from the ashes of one of the heaviest hardcore bands to ever grace our ears, Focal Point. The Falling Cycle EP helped take christian hardcore and metalcore to the next level of extreme.

Innermeans – Innermeans EP (1997)

Innermeans was a short lived metallic hardcore band from Riverside, California. A few members of the band gained notoriety in other projects; Sean Stopnik previously of Tooth & Nail Records’ emo-core band Bloodshed, and later Stairwell; and Steven Dail and Alex Albert of legendary Tooth & Nail Records band Project 86. Solid State Records released the band’s one and only self-titled album, an EP no less, in 1997. The album is an explosive, brutally heavy take on early metalcore. The speed of the album ranges from mid-tempo to fast, only slowing down for massively heavy breakdowns. The guitar work is a strength, with a few melodic, harmonic leads thrown into the mix at times. A heavy album deserves equally heavy vocals, and vocalist Alfred Pedrosa delivers. He screams with such intensity and urgency, as if the world would end if he didn’t get his message across. Unfortunately, this makes his screams unintelligible. The Innermeans EP is a great introduction to a band that we were never given the opportunity to ever really get to know. It is a shame that Innermeans called it quits before finishing and releasing their proper full-length album. Thankfully, we will always have this chaotic little number to look back and wonder “what could have been?” with.

Zao – The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation (1997)

Thanks to releases by Focal Point, Overcome, and Living Sacrifice metal started to become more than just a tiny influence to most hardcore bands, it would start to become a vital component to the future direction of the genre. Solid State Records played a major role in this morphing of hardcore into metalcore, as many of their bands and releases helped the genre take shape. There is no better example than Pennsylvania’s Zao. Having previously released a split EP with Outcast, and their debut album All Else Failed in 1995, Zao were already beginning to forge their path in the hardcore scene. That path was straight up no-holds-barred hardcore. So it was quite a shock the direction that their Solid State Records debut, 1997’s The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation took. Although leaning more toward their hardcore roots, the album incorporated a heavier, thrash-ier metal sound. Musically the album was nearly a 50/50 split of hardcore and metal. On the hardcore side, fans could enjoy the fast tempos and vocalist Shawn Jonas’ pained, high pitched screams/shouts. On the metal side, fans could enjoy the heavy atmosphere and more metal leaning instrumentation. As good as the album is, this is an album by a band in transition both figuratively and literally. One can most definitely hear the band transitioning to the more metal side that their later work featured. This is not a strange thing since drummer Jesse Smith, the primary songwriter of this album, was the lone remaining member from this album to move forward with the band. It would be a shame to consider The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation a transitional album, however that wouldn’t be entirely unfair. This is one of the most important albums in the history of christian hardcore, helping to shape the sound of hardcore and metalcore to come. A sound that the band would later perfect.

Focal Point – Suffering of The Masses (1995)

More than any other label, Tooth and Nail Records can be credited with assisting the growth of christian hardcore music. Although there were bands such as NIV and Six Feet Deep who flourished outside of the T&N family, the label brought us such pioneers as Focused, Unashamed, Strongarm, and Overcome, as well as the Helpless Amongst Friends compilations. One of the bands that helped push “spirit-filled” hardcore in a heavier direction was California’s Focal Point. The album cover says it all, Suffering of the Masses is brutality personified. Coincidentally, the album starts out with the soothing instrumental “Inception”. However, just like the calm before a violent storm, the song fades out and gives way to utter chaos. This is brutally heavy, metallic hardcore not for the faint of heart. I would argue that this album, along with Overcome’s When Beauty Dies, and Zao’s The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation helped bring a form of hardcore that was just as influenced by metal, to prominence in the hardcore scene. It is only fitting that Training For Utopia, a chaotic metalcore band, would come from the ashes of Focal Point. After the aural onslaught, the band then gives you a moment to breathe and start soaking in what you just experienced with the final song “Attainment”, another instrumental. On a side note, if you are a fan of Demon Hunter and are curious about Ryan Clark’s previous work, Focal Point is where it all began- at least as far as his work with Tooth and Nail/Solid State is concerned.

Overcome – When Beauty Dies (1997)

1997 was a great year for fans of christian based hardcore music. Not only did we get groundbreaking releases from the likes of metal kingpins turned metalcore poster boys Living Sacrifice and hardcore legends in the making Strongarm, but we were also treated to great releases from upstart bands such as Zao, Training For Utopia, Innermeans, Warlord, and veterans such as Overcome; all with a very distinct take on hardcore and metalcore. Arizona’s Overcome, who had previously released a solid hardcore album on Tooth and Nail Records with 1995’s Blessed Are The Persecuted, provided a massively under-appreciated metallic hardcore masterpiece with their 1997 Solid State Records follow-up When Beauty Dies. Where their previous work was heavy, paint-by-numbers hardcore, When Beauty Dies was an exercise in blurring the lines between hardcore and metal. While not quite a “metalcore” album, When Beauty Dies was definitely a harbinger of the genre; marking the beginning of a transition from “spirit-filled” hardcore to metalcore as the genre of choice for young christian hardcore kids. Not only was the album heavy as an anvil, it featured great lead guitar work, something in contrast with the simple, chugging riffs that were a staple in hardcore. The guitar work was in fact where you see the biggest metal influence on the album, and was the biggest difference from Overcome’s previous albums. The only knock on the album in my opinion is the production, or lack there of. I love my metal and hardcore sludgy and dirty sounding, but this is even thin when compared to similar albums of the time. That complaint aside, When Beauty Dies is one heavy slab of metallic hardcore. A vital piece of christian hardcore and metal history.

Strongarm – The Advent of A Miracle (1997)

This is the band and album that inspired a countless number of hardcore kids to pick up a guitar, bass, or set of drumsticks. With their 1997 Solid State Records release The Advent of A Miracle, Florida based band Strongarm continued to build upon the complex, melodic hardcore that was first hinted at with their debut full-length album Atonement. In my opinion The Advent of A Miracle took everything that was good about it’s predecessor, Atonement, and took it up a level. The melodic parts were more defined, while also containing a heavier, faster sound than anything found on the previous album. Other than a few production miscues, The Advent of A Miracle was superior to not only Strongarm’s previous work, but nearly every hardcore record that existed before it- christian or secular. I could go on for days about how amazing this album is, and how I feel that to this day no band has done for hardcore what Strongarm did in their relatively short life, but I won’t.  It is a shame that Strongarm didn’t get nearly the recognition that they deserved until after they were gone. However, it is only fitting that like all great artists, their work wouldn’t be fully appreciated until posthumously. All I can say is check out this album and all of the other work by this highly influential band.

Living Sacrifice – Reborn (1997)

If you are a fan of christian metalcore, you owe a huge debt of gratitude to Arkansas based metal band Living Sacrifice. It can be argued that their 1997 Solid State Records debut, Reborn, was what started it all. The album ended an over three year hiatus that saw the band lose their lead singer (read: screamer) and their record label, R.E.X. Records go under. The album was a huge shift in sound as the band’s previous death metal and thrash metal leanings were replaced with a hardcore edge to their metal onslaught. Rhythm guitarist Bruce Fitzhugh stepped up to the microphone to assume lead vocalist duties. His vocals were a sharp contrast to former vocalist DJ’s wide-ranging, ever-changing screams. Bruce utilized a mid-range growl that to this day has become his signature style. Musically, the band showed no sign of being a band in transition. Their sound was tight and cohesive, a testament to their veteran status at this point in their career. You would never have guessed that they were a band coming off such a long hiatus. With Reborn, Living Sacrifice helped to pioneer a burgeoning genre of music that would take both the metal and hardcore worlds by storm, while simultaneously reinventing themselves. A legendary release by a legendary band.