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.)

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.

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.

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.