Monday, May 31, 2010

Metal Missionaries book (2010)


This is a first for my weblog.  Normally I try to pick music that I like & really want to give exposure to (I'm a bit of a fan of "the underdog" if it wasn't already obvious!).  Occasionally I'll have a band or label ask for a review, and they'll either send me a digital download or CD to listen to & give my honest opinion about.  If I accept that challenge, I like to think that I'm not just saying nice things to placate them for getting the free stuff, but that I'm giving them honest feedback about what I truly feel about their particular product.  I haven't run across a situation like that where I didn't enjoy the releases in question, nor have I run into a time when I felt like the label or band was asking more of me than I could deliver because I didn't feel I was qualified to make an objective assessment.  The same can be said about this book offering, entitled "Metal Missionaries: The Assimilation of Extreme Christian Metal into the Mainstream Consciousness" - quite the mouthful!


This is an interesting book, with a cool concept.  Interview a bunch of bands and give them the exact same set of questions.  Each band answers the questions in a different way, based on any number of factors.  The list of questions drills down to the heart of what it is to be in a Christian band" and just what focus each band takes on, such as expressing their faith through art, blatant evangelism, or perhaps somewhere in between.  The questions are all well thought-out, and generally elicit very good, often very complete responses.  They are worded in such a way that it's pretty clear what the interviewer/author is asking for.

What I really like about this book is the diversity of bands interviewed.  Not so much from a genre perspective, but more from the vantage ponit that there are "big names" (as big as extreme faith-based metal can be, anyway), and little small bands who are just beginning to make a name for themselves.  There are brand new bands, and seasoned veterans of the "scene" as well.  There are bands who are in it for the art & to please the Lord, and others are out there trying to win souls for Christ.  The musical diversity is good as well, ranging from melodic metalcore & "southern hardcore" bands to brutal death & black metal acts, and some range in between.  The fact that this spread is present means the author took time to really think about the list of bands for the book.  In addition, this book spans America, Europe, Eastern Europe, as well as Central and South America in its span, so the majority of locations where faith-based extreme metal comes from are well-represented.

There are a couple minor quips.  First, the photos used were almost always "stretched" to fit an area, and it looks kind of bad.  They are also usually too small to fit the space, so when stretched also look really pixellated.  If a bit more time had been taken to select or obtain more space-fitting photos, that would have improved the look of the book.  Also, genre-nazis like me will note a couple spots where the genre tags might not be totally accurate.  There are a couple minor grammatical things gonig on, but only the most picky of readers will likely pick up on those bits.  The only other potential complaint is that the spectrum of bands isn't even greater.  In other words, there aren't any "huge" names like Demon Hunter or As I Lay Dying, or any truly obscure bands from the underground.  Again, this is a minor complaint, as the spread is good enough for most fans to get an idea of the diversity of perspectives.

All in all, aside from the minor issues noted above, this is a quality book with a lot of interesting perspective.  Bruce does a good job setting up the interviews with history & background, and his own story in there gives good context as to the kind of outreach that "Christian metal" seeks to be & do.  Despite being in digital form only, I'd say this is probably the best example of a literary work on the subject of more extreme forms of metal with a slant from the Christian faith perspective.  Recommended.


Video review:


Sunday, May 23, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + interview!!!

Tonight's episode is very exciting!  First, I'm replaying an interview I broadcast several months ago with Colin Parrish, guitarist & songwriter for the new band Monolith.  Their debut album just came out on the 22nd of May, so it's a great time to share this with you all again!  Secondly, everything else you hear in the show besides the Monolith & Asher (Colin's former band) songs are new to The Gamut!  Some of it is brand new, other is stuff that's just new to my collection, but everything else is making its debut in The Gamut this evening!

Not only that, but tonight we have 2 CD giveaways - the awesome black metal assault that is Wintersoul, with their debut "Frozen Storm Apocalypse", plus the debut from Sullen Records artists Willow Mount, entitled "Vanitas"!

Tonight's playlist!!!

Hguols - In This Exchange Of Demise (Instrumental Black Metal)
Steve Yost - Petrafied (Hard/Classic Rock)
War of Ages - Eternal (feat. Sonny of POD) (Metalcore)
Pastor Brad - I Live (Hard Rock/Metal)
The Right Wing Conspiracy - Stepped On Your Toes (Grindcore)
Eternal Mystery - Visions of Black (Grindcore)
Ken Tamplin - Livin' For My Lord (Commercial Metal/Hard Rock)
The Lead - Oh No, Not Again (Female-fronted Hardcore Punk)
Wintersoul - Dawn of Ice Hearts (Black Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Alkemyst - Another You (Progressive Metal)
Impending Doom - More Than Conquerors (Deathcore)
Jacob's Trouble - Wild, Wild Ride (Rock)

Asher (CA) - Exhortation (Female-fronted Melodic Metal)
Asher (CA) interview, part 1
Asher (CA) - The Shadow Hour
Asher (CA) - Fallen
Asher (CA) interview, part 2
Asher (CA) - Paradox
Asher (CA) - Unavoidable
Monolith interview, part 1
Monolith - A Faithful Few (Symphonic Extreme Metal)
Monolith - Call of Wisdom
Monolith interview, part 2
Monolith - Chokehold
Monolith - Break the Cycle
Monolith interview, part 3
Monolith - Golgotha
Asher (CA) - This Burden

Take It Back! - Lost Generation (Hardcore)
Vindex - Far Down Under the Ground (Metal)
Willow Mount - Kingdom of the Night Owl (Black Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Sereiah - Devastating Daydream (80s Metal)
The Way Sect Bloom - Subsidize (Techno Industrial)
The Last Hope - Fabrication (Punk)
Soul-Junk - (gimel) the teeth (Indie Rock)
Corrosion Bath - Bile Infusion (Experimental Noise/e-Grind)
Rebelhead - Dreams (Groove Metal)
Elgibbor - Lord Inquisitor (Black Metal)
Philadelphia - Search and Destroy (Classic Metal)
Overture Divine - Only a Man (Progressive Hard Rock)
Mantric - Tower of Silence (Progressive Post-Hardcore/Metal)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + CD Giveaway!!!

Tonight's theme is a take on the famous words of Mr. Miyagi: "Different, but same."  What we have is 2 different bands, 2 differend styles of music, but the 2 share the same song title.  I'll be playing each pair of these shared song titles back to back, so you can get the contracst of band & style.  It's always a fun time when I'm left to my own devices in coming up with playlists & themes!

Also, tonight we have a CD giveaway - the smokin' new album by Wrench In the Works, "Decrease/Increase".  This is a potent, heavy burst of noisy metalcore that will likely surprise some by how heavy & intense it is!  Tune in to have your chance to win a copy!

Tonight's playlist!!!

Crimson Thorn - Eternal Life (Death Metal)
Adiastasia - Eternal Life (Progressive Metal)
Eternal Ryte - Surrender (Classic/Commercial Metal)
Floodline - Surrender (Progressive Extreme Metal)
Dead Risen - I Am (Death/Grindcore)
In Grief - I Am (Progressive Extreme Metal)
Exeter Flud - Mystery (Alternative Rock)
Letter 7 - Mystery (Classic Metal)
Dead Artist Syndrome - Alone (Gothic Rock)
Harmony - Alone (Power Metal)
Bringing Down Broadway - Destiny (Metalcore)
Scourged Flesh - Destiny (Groove/Thrash/Death Metal)
Stricken - Gethsemane (Groove Metal)
Wrench in the Works - Gethsemane (Noisy Metalcore) - CD Giveaway!!!
Grave Robber - Fear No Evil (Horror Punk)
Watchmen - Fear No Evil (Classic Metal)
Patriarchs - Hope (Melodic Hardcore)
AWAS - Hope (Death Metal)
Deliverance - Deliverance (Thrash Metal)
Sovereign Strength - Deliverance (Hardcore)
Of the Son - Lion of Judah (Metalcore)
Rob Rock - Lion of Judah (Power Metal)
Divine Fire - Out of the Darkness (Power Metal)
Bloodgood - Out of the Darkness (Classic Metal/Hard Rock)
Deitiphobia - Communion (Industrial)
One-21 - Communion (Punk Rock)
Die Happy - Justified (Bluesy Hard Rock)
Extol - Justified (Progressive Black Metal)
MAd at the World - Mad at the World (Synthpop)
Magdalen - Mad at the World (Bluesy Hard Rock)
Divine Symphony - Martyrs (Symphonic Black Metal)
Theocracy - Martyr (Progressive Power Metal)
Orphan Project - Fallen (Progressive Hard Rock)
Asher (CA) - Fallen (Female-fronted Melodic Metal/Ballad)
Sacred Warrior - Famine (Classic Metal)
Indwelling - Famine (Death Metal)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + interview!!!

This is a special night for The Gamut! I had the opportunity to interview Guitarist & founding member of Halcyon Way, Jon Bodan the other day, and now I'm broadcasting the interview for everyone to hear! Not only that, but you'll get to hear 2 new Halcyon Way tracks for their up-coming release! Jon's a great guy & this was a fun interview, so tune in & check out what he had to say!

Tonight's playlist!!!

Miseration - Perfection Destroyed (Melodic Death Metal)
Dance House Children - Mountain Boy (Synthpop)
Ascension Theory - Saturn's Rein (Progressive Metal)
Angelica - The Fire Inside (Commercial Metal/Hard Rock)
Castaway - Exposure to the Pain of Suffering (Death Metal)
ManufraQture - insane (Industrial)
Sardonyx - Voice of the Prodigal (Progressive Metal)
First Strike - Slow Poison (Hard Rock)
Daniel Amos - No Spaceship (New Wave/Rock)
The Blue Letter - We'll Cut Down the Trees and Name Our Streets After Them (Post-Hardcore)
Mankind - Hinndenburg (Sludgy Hardcore)
Wrench in the Works - Faith is a Virus (Noisy Metalcore)
Fall of Echoes - While I'm Alive (Progressive Hard Rock)

Halcyon Way - A Manifesto For Domination (Progressive Metal)
Halcyon Way - Blind Eyes to the Sky
Halcyon Way - interview segment 1
Halcyon Way - Deliver the Suffering
Halcyon Way - The Lonely Road
Halcyon Way - interview segment 2
Halcyon Way - Rise to Revise - The Gamut premier!!!
Halcyon Way - interview segment 3
Halcyon Way - The Age of Betrayal - The Gamut premier!!!

Walk the Sky - Castles in the Sand (Classic Metal)
Step Cousin - Hook Through the Lip (Thrash/Groove Metal)
Maugrim - Beast of the Swamp--Lurkers of the Deep (Black Metal/Ambient)
Dreamer - Cryin' (Commercial Metal)
Arnion - Fall Like Rain (Thrash Metal)
Within the Torn Apart - The Day of My Disaster (fire on vox.) (Drone)
The Throes - Fertile (Alternative Rock)
A Hill To Die Upon - Twin Heads of Vengeance (Black/Death Metal)
The Echoing Green - Like a Child (Synthpop)
Crimson Thorn - Eviscerate (Brutal Death Metal)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com ! You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo! Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + CD Giveaway!!!

This is a GREAT night for The Gamut! Not only are we re-launching after being away for a week, but we are now on the newly branded Untombed Radio! Formerly Blabber Jesus Radio, Untombed Radio carries on the tradition of rock & metal, and The Gamut will continue to bring you the best music we can bring, from the classic to the obscure!

To celebrate this, we are giving away 2 CDs this evening! That's right, 2 CDs to win! First, the debut by In the Midst of Lions, "Out of Darkness". This is a hard-hitting deathcore release with great songs, technical guitar work, and monster breakdowns. Second, the exclusive Christian Metal Fellowship compilation, Volume 2! This has some tracks on it that aren't on any other compilations or albums, so make sure to get them before they're gone - I'm giving away one of these bad-boys tonight!

Tonight's playlist!!!

Darkness Before Dawn - Kings To You (Modern Death Metal)
Seventh Avenue - Infinite King (Power Metal)
Inevitable End - Firstborn of the Dead (Brutal Death Metal)
Vigilance - The Time Has Come (Classic Metal)
Vector - Mannequin Virtue (New Wave)
The Drama Scene - I Wish I Could Wear Square Pants (Modern Rock/Emo)
Grave Robber - The Night Has Eyes (Horror Punk)
Crystavox - Home Again (Classic Metal/Ballad) - new version, The Gamut Premier!!!
Jesus Wept - Still Fighting (Hardcore)
The Predators - Plastic Surgeon (New Wave/Rock)
Revealed By Fire - One Nation (Groove Metal)
In the Midst of Lions - Herod's Demise (Deathcore) - CD Giveaway!!!
Die Happy - Slide Rule (Metal)
This Or the Apocalypse - Geist (Metalcore)
Godsent Humans - Hell House (Punk/Metal)
DigHayZoose - Express (Funk/Alternative/Metal)
Elder - Little Man (Grunge/Alternative)
Asher (US) - Sunday Afternoon (Modern Rock)
Engravor - Betrayed (e-Grind)
Disaffection - Mystery of God (Thrash Metal)
Erasmus - Nausea (Black Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Pastor Brad - Turn Up the Light feat. Ken Tamplin (Hard Rock/Metal) - The Gamut premier!!!
Spirit's Breeze - Dominium Over the Earth (Female-fronted Death Metal)
Undercover - Love Me Dangerously (Hard Rock)
Holy Blood - To Heaven (Folk/Black Metal)
Mad at the World - City of Anger (Hard Rock/Alternative)
Dance House Children - Homespun is Happy (Synthpop)
Katamari Deathroll - Pastors Are CEOs (Dance Punk/Hardcore)
The Scurvies - Daggers (Punk)
Venia (FIN) - Ei mun tarvitse (Female-fronted Power Metal)
Sacrament - Destructive Heresies (Technical Thrash Metal)
Point of Recognition - Sin Revealed (Hardcore)
Bakery - Holocaust (Progressive/Classic Rock)
King James - The Calling (Metal)
Tourniquet - Pushin' Broom (Thrash Metal)
The Sacrificed - No Promise Of Tomorrow (Classic Metal) - The Gamut premier!!!
The Throes - Don't (Alternative Rock)
Rosanna's Raiders - Masks (Female-fronted Hard Rock)
Trytan - Playing With Fire (Progressive Metal)
Thy Will Be Done - New World Idolatry (Metalcore)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com ! You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo! Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Grave Robber - Inner Sanctum (2009)


I am not a first impressions guy.  This is something I consider to be a major quality, which is completely opposite what everyone is told in regards to living their lives.  The idea of "first impressions" is drilled into our collective conscience via nearly every media outlet, teacher, parent, etc.  The problem, however, is that first impressions, while great for job interviews & professional situations, are not something you can rely upon at the level of confidence that this world would have you believe.  Indeed, you may meet the person God intended to be your marriage partner on an off day and they're a complete jerk to you.  If you're a first impressions-only person, and you dismiss further contact or interaction with this person because they didn't carry themselves the way they ought to have, wouldn't you feel sheepish if you knew you had blown off a major opportunity because you let your "first impression" rule the day or let your ego get in the way of a potentially fruitful relationship?

It is with that in mind that I begin to discuss "Inner Sanctum".  At first blush, I was disappointed that it lacked the "fun" factor that it's predecessor "Be Afraid" had, with all the sing-songy choruses that contrasted so well with the allegorical subject matter.  Singing joyfully along with a chorus like, "I wanna kill you, over and over again" has a certain irony to it that can only be experienced, not fully explained.  The very dichotomous nature of Grave Robber's lyrics (B-grade movie horror lyrics as spiritual allegory) made their debut a winner - the combination of hard-hitting punk rock and semi aggressive vocal attack, combined with overt melody and "sing-along" kind of choruses that made you want to simultaneously pump your fist in the air, and smile from ear to ear.  I didn't get that upon first listen of "Inner Sanctum" - I felt as though the band had lost something.

Then I broke the rule of first impressions and listened again, after taking a break & coming back to it later with a fresh perspective.  Guess what?  I was wrong.  Nearly all the elements are here, they're just peppered with more influences, greater musicianship, and better production.  What I thought was lacking was just more layered in the mix, as the band had grown as musicians and expanded their song-writing palette.  Rather than resting on their collective laurels, the men (or monsters!) in Grave Robber have added additional influences into the mix so they're more than just a mere Misfits clone; they have now transcended that tag and have begun to forge their own identity.

Instrumentally speaking, Grave Robber have raised the bar for themselves.  Everything is tighter, Lamentor's guitar is more varied (and heavier), and the inclusion of melodic guitar solos that do more than follow the vocal melody is a nice touch.  Bass work, while often buried in the mix, is great when audible, and really shows that Carcass is no slouch.  Plague's drum work is well done and has dynamics where necessary, but he can really pound the skins when the song needs that extra push.  And of course Wretched is in fine form, showcasing his deep, rich voice tone in more cleanly sung passages (like much of "Tell Tale Heart") and really pushing the aggressive, throaty tone for rougher passages.  The group "woah-oh-oh" vocals are as good as they were on "Be Afraid", and in some spots better - they carry more difficult melodies here and there, like in "Valley Of Dry Bones".  The band knows how to camp it up when necessary, like in "I'm Possessed" or "Men In Black", but can be serious as well such as in "Fear No Evil" or "The Night Has Eyes".  Also, the band's sped-up take on Black Sabbath's "Children of the Grave" (the unlisted final track on the album) is fantastic, with Wretched's tone is a stark contrast to Ozzy Osbourne's somewhat high-pitched, nasally sound, not to mention the more punk pace of the song, and the band adding their signature sound to it is a nice touch.

Lyrically, I thought perhaps the band was beginning to wear the whole "horror movie lyrics as spiritual allegory" concept thin, but that's not the case.  Instead, they're still doing that with aplomb, but also expanding their abilities. Tell Tale Heart minimizes the horror lyrics, though still present, to sing a simple love song.  "Men in Black" takes the turn from B-movie horror to B-movie sci-fi, which fits well.  "Shadows" is a bit more literal, speaking of spiritual warfare, but still having enough tie-in with the horror genre to make sense, and "Fear No Evil" parallels Christ's suffering on the cross & the emotional journey that may have been like.  So while everything isn't monster-this or evil-that, there's enough of that to please fans of the debut, while the band tries new things & succeeds on other fronts.

So what we end up with is a fantastic sophomore release that puts the band at the forefront of the "horror punk" genre without being so intrinsically tied to it that they can't break free of that tag if & when it suits them.  They have boldly moved forward to show that they're not a "one trick pony" but instead have proven that they have more in them than just simple two and a half minute punk songs about zombies and eating flesh; they have demonstrated what every band should do from their debut to their second album: grow.  Thus, I raise my chalice of blood to toast these ghouls for their success in writing & producing a stellar second album.  Highly recommended.

85/100

Video review: