HM Magazine, Issue 117 (Jan/Feb 2006)

Zao Chasing Victory August Burns Red Maylene & the Sons of Disaster Enlow Ester Drang Sevendust Underoath Poster ®

THE HARD MUSIC MAGAZINE

PAYABLE ON DEATH

January, February 2006 • Issue #117

$3.50 USA / 4.95 CDN

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TA B L E O F C O N T EN T S

09

From the editor REGULAR

Doug Van Pelt

Letters Hard news Live report Heaven’s metal

10 12 19 20

DON’T LET DEATH BRING CHANGE

FEATURETTE I’m watching a promotional DVD about the great One Life Revolution organization, which features a featurette about the departed Mike Yaconelli (Youth Specialties founder) and how special he was and how he impacted those around him. It reminds me about the earthen treasures in people I know. I really don’t want to wait until they die or come close to death in order to appreciate them and their gifts. Our life is a gift, and love is our gift that we can share with each other and give back to our Creator. Even if our religion turned out to be a fairy tale, we’ve got the greatest story and rule known to man – love one another. In a balance of others-focused living, I want to love the strangers around me (both local and long distance), and I want my friends to know I love them. I am so thankful for HM Magazine and the ability it gives us to highlight some such special people. Our scene is full of some really awesome treasures, and it’s a great joy to just share that goodness with our readers.

On the flipside of that is the reminder that we are human – and prone to failure. Now it’s time to play the “Failure Game” (or “Spot Doug’s Goofs in the Last Issue”). See if you can spot the mistakes. We’ll give you a head-start: Page 16, Same Question... section, The “Clubs...” quote was uttered by Eric Koruschak of The Showdown (sorry, Eric). Whoever can find all the mistakes (without making us feel like complete losers) and emails me will win some sort of cool HM prize.

If you didn’t get a copy of our 20th Anniversary (Jul/Aug) issue, order it as a back issue. It is still cool. Take care.

Enlow xlookingforwardx Chasing victory The listening

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FEATURE Ester drang August Burns Red P.O.D. Maylene & the sons...

Underoath poster Zao Rev run Sevendust says

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INTERMISSION Dog the bounty hunter Columns

52 62

REVIEW SPINNING AT HM NOW GO FISH DEREK WEBB LUST CONTROL P.O.D. BLINDSIDE THRICE VARIOUS ARTISTS

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Superstar Mockingbird We Are Not Ashamed Testify The Great Depression Vheissu Happy Christmas, V.4

Just kidding... I hate it.

Beautiful. A modern Keith Green? Maybe.

It’s like work, I had to preview the master.

Another good one from a great band.

Should be titled The Great Album!

“Image of the Invisible” means something.

The best Christmas album in a long time.

Music DVD, book, & gear Indie pick Staff picks 2005

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11/18/2005 12:51:00 PM

10 L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R ®

EDITOR/PUBLISHER OFFICE MANAGER MKTG & ADS

restrictions. Should we wantonly abuse animals? Of course not. But God thinks man was worth sending a Savior for, not animals.

And the quote in the back by Emery cannot be Biblically supported. The ugliest form of hatred and apathy is towards people made in the image of God, not animals. PETA does not believe in the biblical God and has hurt people in its support of animal rights. Your free ad, while maybe not intending to, offers implicit support of the organization. Yes, we could find a nugget of good to support, but the big picture is more important here. For even Hitler revived the German economy, yet at what expense? Still a Fan, –Brent Johnson, via internet

SPOKEN, MAN I love your magazine, it’s really great. I’m not really a metal guy, but I‘m into Tooth and Nail bands, Blindside, Lifehouse, emo bands, and a lot of other genres. You guys do a great job of keeping me informed about a lot of the bands. But has Spoken ever been on the cover or at least recently? I’ve really got into them lately. Their new album is off the hook. How bout a Spoken cover with a nice long article? And since I am asking favors, Lifehouse is my favorite band. Since they are kind of secular, sort of, at least not up for any Dove award, could you interview them or interview them for a regular article?

Keep up the exceptional work! I have also read your articles in CCM mag ... about the rock scene. God bless ya!

–Steve Isaacs, via internet Ed – We hope you liked our big Spoken story in the last issue. Here’s a fun cover for ya...

HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND? First off this may come across as a negative letter and I want to say how much I have appreciated your magazine. I’ve been reading it almost since it first came out in stores and have sort of grown through my early adult to late thirties years with you.

So, please take this as a concerned fan.

If you want to talk about causes, I think it could be done differently, like identify what they are, what their overall philosophy is and compare that to Biblical teaching. As for PETA, I will not support or practice it even temporarily. The Bible does not support what they espouse. The animal is not equal to a human. In fact, the Biblical use of animals is always for human use. Beginning with God making garments of animal skins for Adam and Eve up to God telling Peter to not call unclean what He calls clean.

Referring to Gentiles as well as lifting food

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Ed – I understand your point, and I tried to tackle it head-on in my introduction to the “Causes” feature. I still think helping someone you disagree with can be an eyeopening thing. But that cause was, like, so four months ago!

Doug Van Pelt Charlotta Van Pelt Heather Reynolds

INTERNS

Sam Farries, Brandon Ryan

CONTR EDITORS

Kemper Crabb, Greg Tucker

CONTRIBUTORS

Nate Allen, Jamie Buchanon, Chris Callaway, Chris Francz, Dan Frazier, Lee Haley, Tim Hallila, Tim Hudson, Kern County Kid, Dan MacIntosh, Jon Nelson, Brian Q. Newcomb, Josh Niemyjski, Austin Powell, Jamie L. Rake, Andre Salles, Bradley Spitzer, David Stagg, Darren Tindell Jr, Chris Troutman

COVER PHOTO BACK PAGE PROOFREADERS

SCRIPTURE

James Minchin Marcia Furman Vicki Bobick, Bethany Johnson, Valerie Maier, Heather Reynolds, Carolyn Van Pelt “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

DID THIS GUY LOSE HIS MIND? I recently bought the new Nodes of Ranvier cd. When I got it I loved it, I thought it was one of their best cds, but there was some questionable stuff in it. Then I looked at the outer cover, it was a picture of the band (the same picture of the band that’s on the website) and one of the members has a Metallica shirt on with a toilet seat and a metal spike coming out of the middle of it and it said “metal up your (bleep).” The same guy has the shirt on in this month’s HM magazine. What was this guy thinking? What was Facedown Records thinking letting this picture of the band get on the cd cover and on their website? I think this t-shirt crossed the line. Let me know what you think.

–George, via internet Ed – Not the kinda shirt I’d wear. Tasteless.

MAYLENE RULES! Great issue, guys. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve met you both in person, but there is something about HM that exposes the heart of the people that put it together (that’s meant to be a compliment). I thoroughly enjoyed the Iero interview, and I must say that the “So and So Says” feature consistently encourages me to be more open and engaging with my faith and relationship with Christ. Thanks for all the work you do. The layout looks great this issue by the way.

–Shawn Blackney, via internet P.S. I agree whole-heartedly on your assessment of Maylene & the Sons of Disaster!!!

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11/18/2005 12:45:03 PM

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HARDNEWS Quick & concise THE SANE

SEVEN SYSTEM

THRIVING IN LOS ANGELES

LEAVING LOS ANGELES

After being compared to a mix of early Radiohead, U2, and The Cure, the buzz surrounding the Los Angeles trio hasn’t fallen on deaf ears. Members of The Pixies, Garbage, and Weezer have attended shows. While garnering such critical response, The Sane have spent the better part of 2 years developing a sound that they could call their own. This sound comes full-circle in their first full-length, entitled Hush. Produced by Charlie Campagna (John Cale), Hush will be released independently in late March. In the meantime, The Sane is busy booking a national tour as well as shooting six videos with director Tony Leech (Hoodwinked) as part of a DVD.

Seven System has been recording with Bob Burch (PAX 217, East West) for their third album, Hope Arises, which was mastered by Paul Miner (Atreyu, Thrice, Death by Stereo), and releases in late April. The album features a ton of guest vocalists, including Jeff Schneeweis (#1Gun) and Mike Tubbs (EW). The band has left SoCal (after a series of goodbye shows) for the green trees of Nashville, TN. “It is totally a God thing, none of us wanted to leave. When John said his wife felt God leading the band out of Cali, no one agreed.

He said, ‘Pray about it...’ 3 days later 10 people agreed to uproot their lives/family and move to TN. We are not sure this move has anything to do with music, but we all know God is up to something, and we want to be a part of it either way.”

News bullets Just like the months leading up to The Fundamental Elements of Southtown release, P.O.D. has released another advance Warriors EP to stave off the hunger pains for their next major release, Testify. The Warriors EP Vol. 2 is another collection of demos, live tracks, b-sides, and remixes “documenting the band’s recent musical journeys.” The band’s tour with Staind and Taproot should end right before Christmas.

Underoath‘s They’re Only Chasing Safety has now sold over 200,000 copies – this before the limited edition double-disc re-issue. Besides a 16-page CD booklet (with cover art from Converge vocalist Jacob Bannon), the bonus material includes an unreleased song, called, “I’ve Got Ten Friends And A Crowbar That Says You Ain’t Gonna Do Jack!”

There’s also three demo songs of TOCS material in their pre-evolutionary state.

The DVD side has over two hours of footage, including live performances from their 2004-2005 tours. This Fall saw the band interviewed on MTV2’s Headbangers Ball, as well as on a big nationwide tour with Thrice. Drummer Aaron Gillespie recorded some solo tracks. Two are at purevolume.com/ thealmost and one will be on the new Happy Christmas album.

Nodes Of Ranvier joined up with Becoming The Archetype, Scarlet, and The Agony Scene for a short tour this Fall.

Briertone has been staying busy, touring with Stiletto Formal and Sparrow’s Gate, in addition to writing songs like crazy.

Bono throws fiabove) rst punch (again) U2 frontman Bono (pictured had lunch with President Bush while the band was recently in Washington DC for two sold-out shows. Bono and GW discussed increased funding for the fight against AIDS, TB, and Malaria, as well as debt cancellation for developing countries and efforts to make global trade fair. When asked if he was nervous around big-time world leaders, Bono told Rolling Stone, “They should be afraid, because they will be held accountable for what happened on their watch. I’m representing the poorest and the most vulnerable people. On a spiritual level, I have that with me. I’m throwing a punch, and the fist belongs to people who can’t be in the room, whose rage, whose anger, whose hurt I represent. The moral force is way beyond mine, it’s an argument that has much more weight than I have.”

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Daphne Loves Derby has recently hit the road with Copeland, as well as on a headlining tour with Socratic and Quietdrive.

Forever Changed has been in the studio with Jeremy Griffith (Moments in Grace), refining their new songs. The band has purposefully interrupted their tracking time to hit the road a few times, joining Staple and Sides of the North on one tour, and then Showbread and Yesterday’s Rising on another.

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HARD NEWS 13

Mono Vs. Stereo released its new compilation, The Revolution Will Begin In The Blink Of An Eye, Vol. 2, which features some cool previously unreleased tracks, like the “The Calendar, The Energy” by Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes, as well as indie gems like Anathallo’s “Don’t Kid Yourself, You Need A Physician,” and cool stuff from its own label and others (like The Pits, Across Five Aprils, and Forever Changed).

Namur is recording its third album, Songs From The Valley Of Baca.

Project 86 has hit the road with Mourning September, Spoken, and Number One Gun.

Silence The Foe: The Sound of Rotting Shrimp

BY AUSTIN POWELL

In the same way that listening to Bloc Party is like drinking poison or eating glass, Silence the Foe’s latest Sweet Sweet Suicide is an unhealthy mix of up-tempo, aggressive dance tracks injected instead with hardcore vocals.

Simply put, this record is the prophesied Shape of Punk to Come Refused sang about back in 1998. Sweet Sweet Suicide is, in bassist Arnbjorn Joar Styrkor Marklund’s terms, “A nice introduction to the band.” The Trondheim sextet (seven live, an extra percussionist is used for a little bit more flavor), originally recorded this album between January and February of 2004.

It shows in the music that the band is influenced by almost everything around them. Marklund elaborates, “Everything in your life can inspire you, from having a good conversation, or eating good food, to hanging out with friends.” The intensity of the record, which was recorded in a house studio, was said to be brought about by the smell of rotting shrimp that permeated throughout the building. “We never found that bag (of shrimp) until a couple of weeks after the record was finished,” recalled Marklund.

The album was actually released in their homeland of Norway in April of 2004, but much like the band members themselves, it has only recently hit American shores. To make up for this time and distance, the record includes two bonus tracks from their Melancholy Street 7inch as well as two music videos that offer the chance to preview the live performance that Foe pride themselves so much on. “Our vocalist (Anders Voldronning) is a much improved version of Axl Rose,” says Marklund of their energetic, passionate, and charismatic band leader, whose performances encourage the audience to, “live out the idiot within themselves. We want to connect with the crowd, we don’t care what we look like,” he adds later. “In Germany it’s not like, ‘Let’s make a circle pit,’ I mean, that’s fun, but we’re more like, ‘Let’s Dance!’

You don’t have to do this kung-fu (bleep).”

Don’t expect a softer side from Silence the Foe. Four of the members of the band are also in a group called The Lionheart Brothers, which allows them to get out all of their softer sounds on the side. Instead, Sweet Sweet Suicide comes fresh and harsh, even after a year.

Silence the Foe has now been properly introduced; soon, things are going to get personal.

The Myriad has hit the road this Fall with Mute Math and The Afters, in addition to being tapped for a song on the Wal Mart New Music Sampler in the October issue of Seventeen Magazine.

Life In Your Way toured with Inked In Blood this Fall and then went over to Europe for a few shows as well.

The Insyderz played its final show ever on September 24.

Flyleaf‘s Octone Records label have signed a new distribution deal with S/R/E Recordings that puts their music in both mainstream and Christian markets.Their self-titled full-length debut (produced by Howard Benson) follows their EP released in early 2005. They are set to share some dates on P.O.D.’s tour with Taproot.

Strikefirst Records has signed Counting The Days (fka Black Out).

The Facedown imprint describes the music as similar to the raw hardcore of American Nightmare, Count Me Out, and Desperate Measures.

Switchfoot played a Katrina benefit concert on the Santa Monica Pier, which the band called “surreal – right down to the prop plane flying by, dragging a Switchfoot banner.”

Ten 33 is looking for a new drummer.

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14 HARD NEWS

HARDNEWS Page fourteen News bullets Roadrunner Records have put together a 19-track project called The All-Star Sessions, featuring various band members from their huge roster.

Collaborations include Still Remains guitarist Jordan Whelan joins vocalists like Howard Jones (KSE) on “The Dagger,” Max Cavalera (Soulfly) on “Independent (Voice of the Voiceless)”, and guitarist Robert Flynn (Machine Head) on “Army of the Sun.”

Flyleaf

BY CHRIS TROUTMAN What’s a writer to do when interviewing an incredibly talented, young, up-and-coming band, who in their short three year history have rocketed from playing shows in city park gazebos, church picnics, and local karaoke bars to coast-to-coast touring with the likes of P.O.D., Staind, Taproot, Cold, Smile Empty Soul, Trust Company, Static X, Breaking Benjamin, and Saliva while finding time to record with the legendary Howard Benson (P.O.D., Cold, Blindside, Papa Roach, Hoobastank) – and they won’t say one single word with any hint of the rock star arrogance that makes these sort of interviews tasty?

“Our mission makes us different; our faith,” said bassist Pat Seals from his motel somewhere in Tennessee. “We wouldn’t be a band if it wasn’t for God ordering our steps and keeping us together. On the top of the list, that is number one- our spiritual heritage and our purpose.”

Meet Flyleaf. The female fronted hard rock act (think the Cranberries on acid meets a velociraptor… sort of) hails from the town voted most-unlikely-to-produce-a-nationally-touringrock-band- Belton, Texas.

The quintet nonchalantly devoured the Texas local scene as Passerby and after an industry head turning South by Southwest performance in 2003, signed with Octone Records and adopted

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the moniker Flyleaf.

“You can be the home town hero forever and enjoy it,” said Seals. “But I think getting out there and playing for people who have never heard of your band before and are watching you for the first time on the stage, I mean that to me, that’s more of a thrill.”

Flyleaf is comprised of Sameer Bhattacharya and Jared Hartmann on guitars (both possessing a wizard’s knack for sonic effects), songster Lacey Mosley with her porcelain voice meets fingernails on a chalkboard, clockwork drummer James Culpepper, and a beast of a bass player, Pat Seals.

Flyleaf didn’t write the book on hard rock; they just borrowed it from the library and never returned it.

Aside from defining themselves as a point of reference for hard music with depth, Flyleaf aim to bring more to the table.

“It’s an honest picture of life,” Mosley said into her cell phone. “That all of it can come together for the good. To make somebody stronger to be who they are, and who they are meant to be. It makes you feel like a success when someone comes up to you and says ‘there’s something different about your show and it gave me the chills and I don’t know what it was.’ (It’s) Cause we pray for our audience… to feel God.”

As I Lay Dying hooked up with director Lex Halaby (Killswitch Engage, Mudvayne) for its latest video, “Through Struggle.” Shot at the Morell Meats Lot, an abandoned meat locker near downtown LA. The band says it collaborated with Halaby for the unique and dark concept, drawing inspiration from a very specific stanza in the lyrics: “Only through struggle have I found rest / With a piece of me taken away / I begin to understand / Hollow out this machine-like chest / with its gears that turn to make me feel / and assembled thoughts that fade away / Remove from me this deception that I called love.”

Tim Lambesis expounds: “Spending a whole day in an old, abandoned meat locker may not sound like a good time, but we really could not be happier with how well the video shoot went. The imagery really captured the song.”

Kutless raised over $50,000 at a Katrina benefit show for Convoy of Hope. “It was one of the most emotional shows we have ever played,” admits vocalist Jon Micah Sumrall.

When Sleeping At Last recorded its Ghosts album, they had 2 leftover songs that they’ve held onto until now, combining them with two newly recorded Christmas songs for the Ghosts Of Christmas Past EP, available only online [sleepingatlast.com] Members of a fan-based Star Wars character group stormed the stage at a recent Phladelphia MxPx show, where the band was “kidnapped” by Carida Stormtroopers and then escorted out again for the last encore.

Psychoacoustix signed Sombrance.

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HARD NEWS 15

The Afters were named winners for the “Streaming Video” category of the 2005 mtvU Awards. The video for “Beautiful Love” was voted by college students on mtvU.com, beating Hawthorne Heights, My Chemical Romance and Aesop Rock.

Jason Burkum has just completed producing the new Pivitplex album, The King In A Rookery, which is due in stores in February.

Suffering & The Hideous Thieves Tell me about your new album, Ashamed. What are the highlights for you? What songs stand out as truly special to you? Why? Ashamed is the first record we have written as a whole band. We recorded it fairly quickly in two different sessions doing overdubs in the basement of our drummer’s house with his roommate, who engineered the first set of songs that were recorded. This album is not a concept, like Rats in Heaven. It is more of us documenting all the songs we were writing together for the last few years.

It is the most diverse album we have done stylistically speaking. We have our popiest song, as well as our most punk song, along with polka, blues, indie rock and Goth type songs all on the same album. My favorite tracks are “Awake”, “Babylon”, and “As You Like it”. “Awake” came from a jam that we ended up refining. It was pretty spontaneous and a lot of fun. It ties in really well with “Babylon”, which is based on the story of Belshazzar in Daniel 5, as well as aspects of our culture’s depravity, and some of the stuff about the great whore in the book of Revelation. It was fun to write and came together pretty quickly. We have a few other arrangements of the song, but this was the one we decided to use for the album.

Musically, It reminds me of a punk rock version of The Doors. “As You Like it” is a great song that is very funny to all of us. We don’t really fit in musically with any other bands we know, or any scene that we know of. This song was our attempt to sound like a “Seattle” band. The lyrics are all about us not fitting in, but being more musically interesting than all of the status quo boring indie rock bands that seem to plague the beautiful city we live in.

It is tongue-in-cheek, considering we don’t really think we are better than any other band, and wouldn’t care if we were or weren’t. We do what we do, and all of us enjoy it much more than most other musical acts. So it is

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kind of an arrogant song, but at the same time we really don’t care. Playing music to all of us is a primal thing that spawns from the fact that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, and have the desire to create something new, and in community with each other.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Our website is never updated. Everyone should check us out on myspace. Another thing is that this band has members who are not Christian. Some of the guys and girls at times in the band do not believe the same things I do, but they all know where I stand, and we all enjoy playing music together.

How much is Suffering & The Hideous Thieves the “Jeff Suffering Show” (or a solo project of sorts)?

And how much is this a full band?

It started off as a way for me to do the songs that did not fit in the other bands I was in at the time. I also wanted to work with a whole bunch of musicians and wanted a way to do that. So it was originally my solo project. After Rats in Heaven I started to desire a band situation again.

When looking for new folks to play with it just kind of happened naturally that we became a band. We are so much a band that while I am taking a break they are still writing and recording songs without me. They are going by “The Hideous Thieves” and are all trading out vocal parts and doing gang vocals. The songs they are currently making are the best we have ever done. I am excited for them to release an album without me. After that we will probably rotate between “Suffering and the Hideous Thieves” and “The Hideous Thieves.” So, keep your eyes and ears open.

[To read the entirety of this great interview, visit hmmag.com]

Inked In Blood recorded a cover of Cutting Crew’s “I Just Died In Your Arms,” during their Lay Waste The Poet recording sessions, which can (only) be found at purevolume.com or heard live on the road.

Nodes of Ranvier has had its video for “Glass Half Nothing” play on MTV2’s Headbanger’s Ball.

TFK won three Covenant awards at the Canadian Gospel Music Association (CGMA) Covenant Awards, held in Toronto. The categories were, Artist of the Year, Group of the Year, and Modern Rock Album of the Year.

In response to the demand of recordings of their live show, The Juliana Theory have teamed up with Instant Live (instantlive.com) to record several of their November shows on the Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat Tour.

Not only will the live shows be recorded, but also duplicated at high speed, making CDs of the show available for purchase within minutes of the show’s end. The CDs for these shows will also be available for sale on the Instant Live website.

Demon Hunter’s The Triptych topped the Billboard “Heatseekers” chart with an astonishing #1 debut. The band’s third album landed on the pop charts at #136 and sold nearly double the first week debut of last year’s Summer Of Darkness. The band just shot a cool video for the song “Undying” with director Chris Simms.

The Showdown will record in January with producer Paul Ebersold.

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16 HARD NEWS

HARDNEWS Page sixteen News bullets

Pit Moves: #3,“Clearing Cobwebs” YOUR GUIDE TO THE SWEETEST PIT MOVES Description: Moving forward in a semi-crouch position, alternately throwing forearms with elbows cocked outwards to inflict injury if contact with another is made, almost as if you were running out of a haunted mansion and clearing the cobwebs as you went (this title is unofficial, as this variation of the “windmill” is often labelled as such, and is seen at about every show). Speed starts off slow and rapidly accelerates. Many times this move is made travelling in a straight line, followed by retreating back or transitioning into another move.

(on a scale of 1-10)

Degree of difficulty: 3 Likelihood of injury: 5 Cardiovascular intensity: 9

[Expert illustration by Ivan Minsloff]

Same Question Different Artists HOW IS HARD MUSIC EVOLVING? “I think it’s simply getting stronger and more accessible. The music and bands making it are just getting better and spreading their wings a bit stylistically. I also think kids that listen to it are discovering new variables in the music, which consequently opens up the doors to a larger audience. I really think this genre will be around for a while longer because its bands are realizing the importance of constant growth and evolution. As long as its listeners are willing to accept growth, the genre will live on.”

–Paul Pelsue (Kids In The Way) “Regardless of what style/genre of music, a great song or lyric will always touch and effect someone. I think as long as bands put forth the best music, message, production, live show and overall quality that they can, music will continue to change for the better and continue to evolve into something that is more and more powerful and effective to touch lives.”

–Michael Sweet (Stryper)

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“I have no idea. Honestly I’m surprised to see it is where it is. When bands like Demon Hunter start singing on their albums, something is up. Musical trends are so unpredictable, and I’m not about to start predicting.”

–Kevin Young (Disciple) “Hard music is definately on the border of blowing up again. Since metal has been on the top before, with bands like Metallica selling over 90 million records, then within the next few years it will happen again.”

–Eric Rorschach (The Showdown) “I think heavy music is evolving to become the new mainstream. I feel like you are going to start hearing heavier and heavier bands on mainstream radio, and thus become more and more accessible. I also think we’ll see a lot more electronics in heavy music. It has to evolve some way and it’s definitely not going to be with horns. But heavy music will eventually become the new mainstream; It is just going to take a little bit of time.”

–Jimmy Ryan (Haste The Day)

Congrats are in order for mewithoutYou, who won an award in mtvU’s “Most Original Artist” category, described as, “genre-busters, coming out of left field to surprise audiences so much, they still have no idea what section of the record store to look for them in.” They beat out their peers, The Arcade Fire, Matisyahu, M.I.A. And Saul Williams.

They also recently redecorated the set of MTV.com’s Overdrive and tore the place apart with another dynamic performance. [Editorial note: In case you haven’t noticed, mewithoutYou is greatness among us. They really are special. Expect everyone else to catch on soon.]

Seventh Star did a video for “Resistance To Resistance,” which was directed by Andy Reale, who is also working on an upcoming DVD for the band, due out soon.

Skylines is recording a new album called Identity. It’s being produced by Chris Dowan. Look for it in February.

The Rose is entering the studio for an album with a March release.

The Masters Of Horror soundtrack (a companion to the Showtime series), features Norma Jean (“ShaunLuu”).

Foreknown have decided to break up while currently on the road alongside Blessed By A Broken Heart and A Day To Remember. “We are not breaking up because of bad feelings,” they say, “but because we lost our focus and some of us lost our passion, and rather than continue under the same name with new members, we figured that it was better to part ways.”

Blood & Ink Records just signed Sarasota, Florida’s Burden Of A Day. The band plans for a May 2006 release.

Jason & Ronnie Martin to record together (for first time since Dancehouse Children).

Starflyer 59 is releasing a songbook, with tab and lyrics.

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18 HARD NEWS

HARDNEWS Page eighteen Causes Some causes are someone else’s passion.

Some get thrust upon you by an emergency (like last issue’s hurricane relief cause); while others hit you square over the head with the tremendous need and the Godgiven love and compassion in your heart that yearns to help. This is when a cause changes from one you’ve heard about to one you “own.”

I knew we’d be getting to the AIDS crisis in Africa eventually, but I didn’t know that it’d be prodded along by a very personal experience at this Fall’s Youth Specialties convention, where World Vision erected a maze/exhibit to pass through with a portable mp3 player as the visitor identified with an African who was impacted by AIDS. Africa is our neighbor. Let’s help.

Jesus Wept

BY JON NELSON

Hardcore bands typically blend an angry, fistpumping sound with a lot of anti-everything attitude. But from Erie, PA comes Jesus Wept, which brings a new attitude to hardcore. The band daringly injects the emotion of the heart and the trials of each day into a blank-faced musical scene.

Jesus Wept recently released a seven-song EP, Sick City, on Strike First Records and is slated to release its first full-length album, Show’s Over, in early spring 2006 on Facedown Records. It has accumulated 20,000 downloads on the Strike First Web site – an impressive mark for a “new” band.

But of course the five members of Jesus Wept aren’t exactly strangers – vocalist Dan Quiggle, guitarists David Quiggle and Sean Sundy, bassist John Beckman, and drummer Adam Salaga spent nine years together as xDisciplex AD. “Jesus Wept is in some ways a continuation of xDisciplex AD, but it is a brand new creation on its own for us,” says vocalist Dan Quiggle. “It felt very natural to let [the old band] go. Within a month or so we all had a new thirst, a new hunger, to do something again.

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ONE LIFE REVOLUTION “Starting a brand new band with a brand new name is very refreshing,” he adds. “Our new attitude was to be even bolder – not preachy, but bold about our beliefs.”

The new attitude demanded a name that expressed it – hence “Jesus Wept,” the shortest verse in the Bible. The name was chosen because it, “really illustrates God as a human being with real emotion,” says Quiggle.

The band seeks to convey real emotion through hardcore. “Our lyrics are about things that are on our hearts and things that we are going through in our lives,” Quiggle explains.

Heavy, aggressive anthems will be featured in the band’s forthcoming release. “Show’s Over is definitely the type of record you can sing along to in your car, but is still tough enough for the inmates to pump iron to. I personally think this is the best thing we have done to date, and that includes all that we did in xDisciplex AD or any other bands we’ve been a part of.”

There’s a demo from Show’s Over for fans to check out on purevolume.com.

oneliferevolution.org One Life Revolution is a partnership between Youth Specialties (an organization that serves, connects, and equips youth workers in the USA) and World Vision (a mercy organization that feeds, clothes, and brings healing to impoverished people around the world).

MISSION STATEMENT:

To mobilize people to make a difference in the lives of widows, orphans, and vulnerable children suffering as a result of AIDS. ACTION POINTS:

You can make donations to build a life-giving water well, purchase Bibles, vegetable growing kits, food, health care, building health clinics, shelter, schools, blankets, a dairy goat, income-producing animals (cows, pigs, chickens, etc), sewing machines and job training, churches, youth centers, a minibus, and other practical helps. You can also join forces with this helping infrastructure and serve overseas short-term or long-term. One Life Revolution is set up to help connect one person here with one person there – to bring real help now.

CONFLICTS:

Matthew 25:34-40 Matthew 28:19-20 Acts 6:1-6

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LIVE 19

LIVE REPORT Eisley at ACL Fest September 25

BY DOUG VAN PELT AUSTIN, TX – In the sweltering 104-degree high humidity in Austin’s Zilker Park, 60,000 fans braved the conditions for some sweet music. Robert Randolph & The Family Band brought the house down on Saturday night; which was no surprise, but what shocked a few was how often Randolph left his slide guitar and stool for a six-string slung over his shoulder, jamming away.

Eisley played a good hour set, featuring old songs and songs from their full length. Sharing lots of sweet sibling banter between songs, they made the outdoor crowd of a few thousand (perhaps numbering over 10,000) feel like they were family, too. They didn’t waste much time, though, almost rushing through the set for us, “so ya’ll don’t have to stand out there in the heat so long,” yet they completely filled their one-hour time slot, even though they started 10 minutes late.

The swirling harmony vocals sounded as dreamy as ever, floating in the outdoor air like kid’s balloons. “We were going to rehearse a lot for this show, but instead we worked up this new song, ‘Many Funerals.’ It might not sound great, but you guys will be the first to hear it.” It featured some cool call and response vocals. We also heard “Marvelous Things,” “Golly Sandra” (with its twangy guitar tones and calypso vibe), “Telescope Eyes,” and “Memories.”

An old song they dusted off and re-recorded, “Head Against The Sky” was the only song in the set where one instrument (guitar) competed against the vocals a little too much for portions of the song. They ended with “Tree Tops,” which was ironic, because the Cingular Stage they played on bordered the park against some huge Oak trees.

Touring the grounds revealed that this was simply a first class festival. It’s like going to an arena that’s in an outdoor field. You don’t have to worry about camping and that fact helps bear the barely bearable conditions. I visited the nicest and cleanest porta-potties I’ve ever seen at a festival. And there were over a dozen of Austin’s finest restaurants offering quality food at an affordable price. Most meals were $5 or below. Nice.

The Capitol Metro stage showcased Gospel and Blues all day long. I had a chance to see a show-stopper in Ruthie Foster. She was

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majorly gettin’ down, and spoke over the music in a powerful and spiritually uplifting way. Her band was solid, using slide guitar to spice it up just right, and the rhythms were as thick as BBQ sauce.

It was all too much to take in, but the mix was good. Franz Ferdinand and Coldplay ended the fest on some very pleasant notes. Coldplay played a 2-song Johnny Cash medley that featured “Ring Of Fire.” Another aspect that makes the whole experience do-able is that it’s all over by 10 pm, which also makes Austin’s clubs a viable option for the energetic and adventurous. The closing headliners also unified the crowd, which swelled to 60,000 strong. This made traversing any area difficult and the jumbotrons necessary. Coldplay used the big stage vibe like veterans, utilizing giant balloons filled with confetti and keeping it all relaxed. That’s very Austin for ya.

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20 H E AV EN ’ S M E TA L

Metal tracks • Josh Kramer of Saint has written a novel that’s an adaptation of the legend of St. Nicholas. To accompany the story, he’s composed a soundtrack and also recorded an audio book where he reads it (with an accent like Sean Connery).

• The specialty label, Retroactive Records, has unleashed a treasure chest of limited edition re-issues (usually 1,000 units of each title). In addition to re-releasing the two albums (Struggle and The Road Less Travelled by metalcore pioneers Six Feet Deep (who later went on to form the emo-ish Brandtson), the label just released Unveiled by Whitecross, which includes the 2-song demo that got them signed (“He Is The Rock” and “Lookin’ For A Reason”). Other titles just re-released include: Stairway’s No Rest: No Mercy (which features the artwork of the great Rodney Matthews); Temporary by Heaven’s Rage; and two releases by Lucid (S/T and Broken).

• Lawrence Bishop (the bassist for Bride) has released two solo albums, Two Shades Of Blue and Prayer Of A Bad Man).

• Girder Records is re-mastering Stryken’s First Strike, which will be available for the first time on CD. It will include all original songs plus the bonus song, “Surprise,” new artwork, liner notes, and more. Guitarist Dale Hopkins has just announced

his candidacy for Texas State Rep, District 54 [Stryken.net] • Liberty N’ Justice continues to tease fans with song-bysong announcements of the various guest vocalists that are recording with them. The latest is Sebastian Bach (Skid Row).

• Tiles have brought its original drummer, Mark Evans, back into the band. The band is currently arranging material for their fifth album, which they plan to once again record with producer Terry Brown (Rush) sometimes in early 2006.

• ‘Tis the season for re-issuing great albums from the past.

Tourniquet has just re-issued its hard-to-find Crawl to China.

• Inpop Records is releasing Petra Farewell, a live album from Petra’s final tour (which includes performances from John Schlitt and Greg X Volz), and plan on having a DVD release to follow sometime in 2006 with plenty of extra features.

• Walk The Sky’s debut album (featuring former Soldier and Regime guitarist Rick Hunter) includes a great cover of the Touch song, “Don’t You Know What Love Is?” • Rick Wakeman has released Out There, a new solo album that pays homage to the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

• The next issue of Heaven’s Metal Fanzine features Divinefire, Neal Morse, Saint, Jet Circus, and David Benson.

Album reviews WHITECROSS – Nineteen Eighty Seven This album is perhaps the biggest news in Christian metal at the moment. Rex Carroll and Scott Wenzel got back together, along with drummer Michael Feighan and re-recorded this classic Christian metal album. This album was a spark in the fledgling Christian metal scene that had its Stryper, BC, Bloodgood, and a number of West Coast bands, but it was the hard-edged Ratt-like vocals of Wenzel and piercing Lynch-like guitars of Carroll that punched the excitement level in the entire scene up a few notches. The 2005 studio sessions afforded the band to fix the “thin-ness” of the audio spectrum and any other of those nit-picky things that Carroll just had to have fixed.

The most immediate difference is a wider, more solid guitar sound. The songs seems to move a little bit slower (losing some of that “urgency”), but dang if those guitar licks don’t sound note-for-note true to the original. The doubled vocals in areas are quite different, and were perhaps un-necessary, but they are few and far between. It’s rough dealing with a clas-

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sic, but I think Whitecross mostly improved. (“A/B-ing” it with the original makes that point clear.) Adding the cassette/vinyl only single, “Love On The Line,” was a smart and appreciated move. The die-hard fan/collector will now only have one question left: What happened to the ballad, “You’re Mine?”

CIRCLE OF DUST – Brainchild This re-issue (on Retroactive Records) is 100% justified, cuz this outfit single-handedly ushered the Industrial Revolution into the Christian metal realm back in the day. “Deviate” still sounds crisp and sharp. This is truly amazing and intense stuff that rivalled (and exceeded) the noise of his peers (namely Ministry, Frontline Assembly, Skinny Puppy). The short shelflife of Christian music caused this and dozens of other great titles to go out of print only a couple years after its release, so don’t let this limited edition get away without picking one up (and grab the Disengage re-issue while you’re at it).

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22 F E AT U R E T T E

ENLOW

BY CHRIS FRANCZ Rising from the ashes of Enlow, a hardcore band from Oklahoma, is…well, Enlow! The band broke up shortly after their debut record (The Desperate Letters) on Blood and Ink Records in 2003 and true to the cliché: You can’t keep a good band down.

When Jamie Nester of Blood & Ink Records heard that the band got back together, he was more than eager to work with the band again. “I sent them an offer to keep them on Blood & Ink without thinking twice,” Nester said. “Working with Enlow had been great. For me, Enlow adds sincerity to hardcore. So many bands use that word, but most don’t really mean it. They have always been down-to-earth guys with a lot of heart to back it up,” Nester added.

I asked Joel about the break-up of the band.

“Things were just on kind of a high stress level.

We had lots of stuff going on in all of our lives, and we were trying to practice every night. It was just too much. We just weren’t enjoying it. Over a year later, things had changed and we just kind of called each other and we all agreed: ‘we’ve got to

play some music!’ so we got together and it just worked,” Joel answered.

Enlow had almost perfected the art of creating passionate, emotional hardcore, but Aaron, the band’s guitarist, told me that the new songs were a little different, more aggressive. Aaron explains: “The music is more driving in a sense. Our last album was hard, but there was a lot of emo-type stuff on there. We did more experimenting on that album. (The new record) is faster, more straight forward, and is more directed toward getting people to want to participate at shows.”

I asked Joel to explain about how they want people to feel after listening to the band – whether at home on their stereo or at one of their shows.

“I really want people to find a sense of encouragement from our music. On our new CD, the whole album revolves around renewing our lives and the lives around us. Taking hold of the good things in our lives and pressing on, despite opposition. I have so many friends with so much potential to do great things, but circumstances have brought them down. So many people have let worldly things get in the way of their God-given gifts and

talents that they start losing their vision, their fire, and the faith they once had. I believe that God has called us to rise above all that. I’m not saying it’s easy. In fact, it can be extremely hard, but that’s the beauty of faith. When we play live, it’s all about connecting with the audience and just giving it everything we’ve got. We hope the crowd connects with it and follows suit,” he said.

The band went into the studio on October 17th to record with Stephen Eggerton (guitarist of All, The Descendents), who used to work at the infamous Blasting Room studios in Colorado. “It’s amazing to me that we are recording a record with someone that I have looked up to as a guitarist for a long time. He’s a great guy who has done a lot of work that sounds amazing,” Aaron said.

The Recovery will be released in January and the band is currently planning a tour that will begin in February. “We’re promising very high-energy live performances,” Joel stated. This touring will also include hitting various festivals.

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24 F E AT U R E T T E

XLOOKINGFORWARDX

BY SAM FARRIES After a short stint with Blood and Ink records, xLooking Forwardx found themselves without a label home. That is until Jason Dunn of Facedown Records heard the band while filling in on drums with The Deal. “We just kind of hit it off after talking to him and getting to know him,” comments guitarist Josh Chaillou. After signing with the label back in April, xLooking Forwardx went to work on their third album, The Path We Tread. Even though the band doesn’t agree on most things, that wasn’t enough to keep xLooking Forwardx from making the record they wanted.

Where do you guys get your influences?

We get them from everywhere. It’s crazy, cause, I mean, we’re like-minded musically, but we come from totally different directions, almost, musically. I was a music major in college, so I really dig technical music, you know? I listen to a lot of stuff like Dream Theater, and I love old Genesis and Yes and stuff like that. But, like, Kevin O, the

drummer – he comes from like a largely punk background, so he listens to a lot of Misfits and he likes Celtic music and stuff. Kevin and Justin listen to a lot of mid-90’s power punk and a lot of the heavier tough-guy stuff. So, I mean, it all kinda comes together and I think it really shapes what we do. I think we grab elements from, like, the metal side, and punk and hardcore and kind of put them together. But it’s also largely the reason why you won’t hear xLooking Forwardx do too many covers, because we really have a heck of a time agreeing on something.

While you were recording your album, were there any difficult stories or any hard times or any good and inspiring stories that kind of got thrown into this record?

Well, the record really was tough, across the board, for everyone. It was a new experience, because ... with all due respect to the other two producers, this one really was just kind of on a different level altogether. Eric Rachel is extremely exacting. He likes to have things precise and he

really had an incredible ear for these things. We would play tracks and think that, ‘Yeah, I nailed it.’

And he would be like, “You can do that better, do that again.” At first he was like ahhhh, just irritated, but then once you hear, you know, the finished product, it’s just like, “Wow, this dude really knew what he was talking about.” I mean, really, I did my best right from the start to trust him. Here’s a guy whose produced Hatebreed, Snapcase, and Symophony X and, like, all these incredible bands.

It’s like this guy’s got to know what he’s talking about. And we couldn’t thank him enough for how it turned out; but, I mean, it was an extremely tough time. Tensions were definitely present. It was inevitable. It was tough, nailing some of the parts and this time the stuff that I wrote was clearly more challenging than the other two records – without a doubt. It definitely was tough.

I guess what inspired us most was finishing it.

I mean, once we were done, we were just like, “Man I can’t believe it.” It just seemed like it took so long. But once it was finished man, we could not be happier with the finished product.. xlookingforwardx.com

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26 F E AT U R E T T E

CHASING VICTORY

BY CHRIS CALLAWAY Chasing Victory certainly knows how to run after a little controversy. One glance at the cover for their recent disc, I Call This Abandonment, and all thoughts of Southern understatement go running for cover. Spread horizontally across a human torso’s midsection is an open drawer swimming with snakes of many shades. A particularly pale serpent is draped around the unknown person’s neck. Is this a modern-day pictorial display eluding to Pandora’s Box, or a skeletons-in-the-closet representation? Regardless, the heavy, emotionally-packed tunes couldn’t have a more acceptable artistic rendering. Vocalist Adam Harrell refuses to hold anything back in his written reflections and confessions. He readily admits that the lyrical page is scribbled with whatever happens to affect him. “I just kind of write what I feel,” he reveals. “I don’t want to offend anyone. It just kind of comes out.

It’s not something that I think about or ponder too long.”

With what could be described as uninhibited writing, loaded with emotional weight, the extreme musical aggressiveness inherent in

Chasing Victory’s material is a given. Whether the power saw of sound filling out “Oceans Away” is shooting through the speakers or the gentle strokes of “Speak Easy” are tickling the eardrums, the quintet manages to create an accessible, mature sound that grows on the listener. Harrell’s vocalizing, however, is the standout element. His heart-pulsing screams smack the head like a brass knucklecovered fist. His equally powerful melodic singing soothes the wounds. It’s no wonder Harrell takes his voice seriously. “Earlier in, I guess, our career as a band I [thrashed my voice] a lot, and I had to go through a lot of vocal warm-ups and things,” he confesses.

“But it rarely happens now. I just sing so much I guess my voice got stronger and stronger and adapted to it. I took a little bit of vocal training before I started singing and it helped a lot. I would advise any singer to get some training; to actually learn how to sing, ‘cause there’s a right way and there is a wrong way to sing. My vocal teacher was a 60-year old woman and she still told me that, ‘Hey, I can even show you how to scream.’”

There was a time when singing was a bit more of a chore; not due to a deviation from

proper voice mechanics, rather a bit of fun while touring. “Earlier this year, one [humorous] thing I can remember [was when] we were on tour with House of Heroes and the Fold and we were riding around Michigan,” Harrell recalls. “We had these fireworks and they weren’t firecrackers. They were actual explode-fireworks-in-the-air, like 4th of July fireworks. I was gonna light one in the van while we were riding down the highway and throw it under the van and [let it] explode and scare ‘em. As I light it, Chris [Cargile] our guitar player, is sitting in the front seat, [and] yells, ‘There’s a cop coming! Don’t light it!’ It was already lit, so I spit in my hand and tried to grab the fuse to burn it out. It just burns my hands so I threw it out of the window and it explodes all over the street. Cars are stopping and looking. The cop turns around and, not chasing, but he turns around and starts to pursue our vehicles. He couldn’t decide which vehicle threw it, so he just turns off thinking that maybe one of the cars left. I couldn’t sing for like a week. I had to hold the mic in my other hand ‘cause I burned my hand all up.”

[Photo by Pool Photography]

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28 F E AT U R E T T E

THE LISTENING

BY DAN MACINTOSH One of today’s most popular worship bands is evolving right before our very eyes.

“Officially, our last show as The Rock ‘N’ Roll Worship Circus will be on New Year’s Eve,” explains vocalist Gabriel Wilson. “We have been playing shows under (the name of) The Listening, but there were a few shows still booked as The Worship Circus – just for the sake of promotional ease. Technically, as of November 15, we’re changing the name as we release the record, The Rock ‘N’ Roll Worship Circus Becomes The Listening.

Such a big change, surprisingly enough, can be traced back to one small catalyst.

“There is this one song we had in our previous repertoire, called “The Undiscovered,” which was this very Pink Floyd, very dark, very ambient song.

But it wasn’t a “vertical” worship song: It didn’t have lyrics sung from man to God, like the standard “Famous One” by Chris Tomlin, or whatever.

We found that it was the most powerful song of the evening every time we played it. And it was kind of a crowd favorite, a fan favorite, and we kind

of took that approach – lyrically and musically – and built an entire foundation upon it.”

With this newfound cornerstone of songs, God has begun to use the band in new and powerful ways. “(These songs) are more prophetic in nature,” Wilson continues. “(They’re) not necessarily prophetic, like prophesying the future; but prophetic in the sense that we’ve assumed a prophetic role as mouthpieces for God. We’re writing songs that are very much from the heart of God towards mankind.”

Its directional change also reflects how the act initially reacted to a few recent lineup alterations.

“We had some member changes, and we were practicing with this new lineup as we were getting ready to go out on the road with Delirious?,” Wilson remembers now. “But instead of practicing all of our old songs, we just kind of found ourselves in the youth room of our church, five nights a week for eight hours a day, writing brand new music. And it was a vast departure from a lot of (our older) 60s, candy-coated pop songs that were very Monkees-y and with a Beatles influence.

This (new) stuff was a lot more along the lines of “The Undiscovered” – more of a Pink Floyd

and a Radiohead influence. And lyrically, I began to write – as I would pray about what the Lord wanted to hear and ask Him for lyrical inspiration – I would find myself more in the prophets of the Bible, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Hosea, (and) things like that. I was also very inspired by the things that were going in the lives of people around us – in our church body, and the lives of people that are my close friends. And it was almost like I was writing to them from the Lord’s perspective. It was like the Lord was giving me words of encouragement for them, or just songs to their hearts inspired by Scripture. It was just kind of a conglomerate of many things put together.”

As every human being knows, change can be both scary and exciting at the same time. But The Listening is certain that its recent metamorphosis is for the better. “It’s definitely a rebirth,” Wilson summarizes. “We just realized that we had turned this corner as a band and it wasn’t necessarily about this sort of sugary worship experience (anymore); it was very much about being the voice of God to the world around us.”

[Photo by Jimmy Abegg]

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30 FEATURE

Life is no accident THE MOOD RING OF ESTER DRANG

BY TIM HUDSON

T

RYING TO FIND A SINGLE MOOD OR FEEL TO ENCOM PASS ESTER DRANG’S FORTHCOMING ALBUM, ROCINATE PRONOUNCED: ROSEINAHTAY, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST IS AS MOST FANS WOULD GUESS ANYWAY, DIFFICULT. ALTHOUGH THE SONGS SEEM MORE, WELL, LINEAR, ESTER DRANG SINGER AND GUITARIST BRYCE CHAMBERS SAYS THAT THE BAND WAS NOT GOING FOR ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR.

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“We started out with forty songs and just picked the ten that we liked the best,” he says. “So, in terms of them, they were coming from all over the place.”

The record was recorded or rather pieced together from sessions in Chapel Hill, Huntington Beach, and Seattle, as well as in the band’s hometown of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma over several years. Eventually, the album was brought to a completed state by Scott Salter (Spoon, Mountain Goats, Two Gallants) at Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco.

When asked the inevitable question of what the album’s title means, Chambers replies, “It’s from Don Quixote, Rocinante was his horse.” He adds, “We just dropped one of the n’s to be a little different.” He says that the band became interested in the name while listening to a book on tape, Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck.

“In the book he nicknamed his vehicle ‘Rocinante.’ We became interested in why and that led us to Don Quixote, even though he was crazy, his horse was guiding him the whole time. I think there is a spiritual connotation.”

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ESTER DRANG 31

The year prior to Rocinate’s arrival saw major changes erupting in the landscape of Ester Drang. With the departure of bassist and Ester Drang co-founder Kyle Winner in 2004, the band found themselves without one of the pillars of the band’s existence. Rather than attempt to fill his shoes, the band decided to continue on as a three-piece.

“The decision not to replace Kyle was easier for traveling and we had a lot of friends that could fill in,” says Chambers. Chambers is, at least for now, the only member of Ester Drang to remain stateside. James McAllister and Jeff Shoop, Drang’s drummer and secondary guitar player respectively, are currently holding down the fill-in rhythm section of Sufjan Stevens’ world tour.

“I think they are in Europe as we speak,” says Chambers. “But I’m not sure.” Chamber’s melancholy retort would seem out of place and even shocking in any other band; but, for Ester Drang, it ... well, fits.

Chambers is himself much like Drang’s music: complex and mysterious, seemingly born to occupy the space on the outskirts of any activity. A glance at virtually any review of the band’s efforts and it is difficult to get a grasp of what the band actually sounds like.

For example, when reviewing Infinite Keys, the band’s 2003 effort, Rolling Stone used words like “quirky, flawless, lush, ethereal,” and phrases like “space-like ambience.” AP magazine chose “manic, glacial, dense,” and referenced the legendary Pink Floyd, saying the effort contained “comfortablynumbing consistency.” Other interviewers used “orchestral, dreamlike, glittering, silvershimmering,” and “sublime.”

All of these words and virtually any other adjective in the English language would apply. Songs are at the same time flowing and aggressive. Instruments and passages that the listener would have thought improbable or even impossible mere moments before seem to become inevitable.

Much like the band’s decision to forge on without a bass player. “Chad from Hero

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Factor has been filling in for us sometimes,” Chambers says. “We’ve had random kinds of people play for us, though.” He trails off for a moment and then says, “seems to work.”

just sat there for a second and then started crawling out of the windows. The van was pretty much just broken glass and twisted metal. We couldn’t open the doors.”

Other times the band runs a bass track through an amp while they are playing. “It doesn’t seem that it is that out of the ordinary for a band like Ester Drang, does it?” he says rhetorically.

Chambers says that he’s positive that a divine presence was with the band at the time of the accident. “I’m sure that God helped us out that night,” he says. “The woman that hit us ended up dying in the wreck. It was terrible, totally surreal. Just seeing something like that... I don’t think anyone could go away unaffected.”

Will the band see a permanent addition?

“I don’t know, whatever works in whatever situation we’re in,” he says. “It could be a bassist or keys or whatever people play.”

Ironically, the event that most divided Ester Drang’s last album, Infinite Keys, and what would become Rocinate was a devastating wreck near St. Louis, Missouri. “It was 2004 and we were touring with American Analog Set,” Chambers remembers. “It was about 2 a.m. and we were right outside of St. Louis and were headed to the hotel to rest for the night.”

According to Chambers, the aforementioned Kyle Winner was driving the band’s van with Shoop in the passenger seat at the time of the crash. “James and I were sleeping in the rear when it happened,” he says. “I didn’t really see anything; but, from what Kyle said, the person in front of us swerved off of the road and then a pair of headlights headed for us, so he turned the wheel all the way to the left to avoid being hit head on.”

Winner’s quick thinking quite possibly saved the lives of several – if not all – of the band members as the van was broadsided on the right side in lieu of being hit head-on. “Her car hit us and then somehow slid all the way down the van and hit the trailer and tore it off of the van,” Chambers remembers. “We went into a ditch and the trailer went to the opposite side of the street and was hit by a semi.”

According to Chambers, the moment of sudden violence left the band dazed as they stared out of broken windows at the misshapen wreckage of vehicles and gear. “We

“Pretty eerie,” is how he describes the aftermath of the accident. “The police report said that she may have been driving under the influence, but some think that she may have been suicidal. In any event, she was a middle aged woman. It was all very sad.”

He says that the seriousness of the situation hit the band on the scene. “We were rummaging through our equipment, just trying to find things and all of a sudden we were like, ‘What are we doing?’ We’re just happy to be alive, so we just left our stuff where it was. I think we all understood that someone was really hurt.”

In the following days the band was able to piece together enough gear to continue with the tour. “The band that we were out with let us borrow all of their equipment,” he says. “Literally three days after the wreck we drove from Oklahoma to New York and played the CMJ Festival.”

In the end the band’s insurance came through and money covered the band’s losses. “It was a long ordeal to get money and buy all of our new instruments,” he says.

“My first thought, however, was about the implications of the wreck and her death. It totally made us think about our lives, like any near-death experience would. I just think about everyday life a lot more now.”

11/18/2005 7:09:01 PM

32 FEATURE

BY SAM FARRIES To become a Mafia boss in the underworld of organized crime, you have to start small: running errands, “taking care” of grimy lowlifes and choosing silence over an amazing plea bargain, just to show your unwavering loyalty to the syndicate of shady suits you work for. But with some shoveling and a hard-nosed reputation, being “made” comes expectantly. With that being said, such cold-blooded qualities are needed to make a name for yourself in do or die musical circles. Without them, you’ll soon be pushing up daisies. As August Burns Red looks to shake up the scene with their bleeding knuckles brand of metalcore, one might question whether they have what it takes to survive the ride. But as quickly as your pessimistic thoughts arise, those inclinations would be proven otherwise in the Pennsylvania natives’ debut album, Thrill Seeker. Guitarist JB Brubaker is more than happy to point out why.

In terms of your band, how do see yourselves and your record impacting the scene?

Well, I guess that depends if we really catch on or not; but I feel like we’re playing, like ... we’re not re-inventing the genre, obviously, but I feel like we’re trying to get away from the same old 4/4 breakdown formula – like the slow chugga-chugga thing. I mean, we play tons of breakdowns like every other band. I feel like we’re playing tighter and more interesting rhythms and stuff; instead of just, like, ‘duhn-duhn-duhn, duhn-duhn-duhn,’ you know what I mean? We’re trying just to keep our rhythms more interesting and avoiding doing everything in 4/4. And I feel like we play a lot of catchy parts along with the heavy stuff and I think that helps to keep people interested. It’s hard to describe the music.

Instead of slugging it out on the road for years like most young independent bands, you guys got signed by Solid State pretty quickly. How did that come about?

Honestly, I feel like we really lucked out. We had only two DIY tours ourselves and then we put out an EP with a small indie label from our hometown, called CI records; and after that we recorded some demos and stuff and posted them online and John Dunn at Solid State just happened to stumble upon one of our demos and asked us to send a press kit. We didn’t even have press kits at the time. We made some up quick and sent them out and then kinda kept in touch for probably four months or so. We just exchanged emails and called each other every once in awhile and eventually we just kinda said, “What’s going on, are we getting signed or not?”

Because they were asking us if we would be willing to drive out to Seattle to play a show. And you know, we were all in college at the time. So, if we were going to do that, like a trip all the way across the country just to play one show... I was like, “Yeah, we’ll come if we’re getting signed, but otherwise, I don’t know.” They’re like, “Yeah, we’ll send you a contract.” And they didn’t even make us drive out, fortunately, which was great. They

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just kinda sent us the contract, we negotiated for a couple months, and here we are.

One can call your band “metalcore.” From what bands do your metal influences come from and from what bands do you draw hardcore influences?

Well, honestly, I’d say we’re drawing more from the metal side as of late. And most of the bands that we draw influence from would be considered metalcore bands as well. Some of our biggest influences are like, Between the Buried and Me, A Life Once Lost, and Unearth – stuff like that.

Honestly, we don’t listen to a whole lot of straight up hardcore. I’m definitely a big Bury Your Dead fan. We listen to definitely more metally stuff than hardcore. But I’d say our show is more like a hardcore show than a metal show. Like, performance and crowd reaction and stuff, it’s more on the hardcore side.

How do you see the hard music scene evolving?

Umm, I feel like as of late ... maybe it’s just because we’re on a real tough guy tour, but I feel like the whole tough guy mentality is real popular right now. I don’t know how I feel about that.

Obviously, it doesn’t cater to the genre we’re playing, but I guess as long as kids are coming out to the shows and having a good time, it doesn’t really matter what the trends are, as long as people are listening and liking what they hear.

I don’t know. Especially the kids on the message boards and stuff are with every band who is playing metally stuff: “Oh, I’ve heard this a thousand times before, do something original.” And then they’re all pumped on the bands who are rehashing riffs from 1995 and, like, stealing every Madball riff. And they’re like, “This is so original, blah blah blah.”

How important do you feel it is to fuse your faith with your art?

I think it’s important to a point. I think it’s important as a band to figure out exactly what you want to do with your band. Especially if you’re a band

like us. We are all Christians, and we definitely talked about what we want to do with this band and how we want to link it or fuse it with our faith.

And, at this point we’re not on stage preaching.

We pray before our sets. Obviously, just because of our label association – being on Solid State – people know we are Christians and we’re a Christian band, but we haven’t been, you know, like, getting on stage and saying, “We’re playing because we love Jesus Christ, this is why we are up here.” And I feel great when bands do that.

I think that’s awesome, but at the same time, I think it can alienate some of the people who could hear your music and get into you and I think it’s important to just, like, not have kids write you off immediately, you know? If they can buy a copy of the record and read the lyrics and stuff and then find out what you have to say in that way...

I think that’s just as beneficial as getting up on stage and saying what you believe. And I think interacting with kids – actually talking to people and showing them you’re different because of what your beliefs are and everything... I just feel, there’s a lot of different ways to go about it.

If your band was chosen to defend the U.S. against, say, Sweden and Norway; and you had to fight in a ring against Meshuggah and Dimmu Borgir, who would win?

We would lose. Meshuggah and Dimmu Borgir would both beat us up and if there’s a fight between Meshuggah and Dimmu, Dimmu would win because they used to have Nick Barker, who was a beast.

I would pay money to see that, in fact.

Dude, it would be awful. I don’t feel good about our chances against Meshuggah and Dimmu.

11/18/2005 2:33:47 PM

AUGUST BURNS RED 33

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11/18/2005 2:35:53 PM

Payable O 34 FEATURE

WHETHER IT’S ONSTAGE OR IN A CROWDED ROOM, SONNY SANDOVAL HAS GOT THAT INTANGIBLE QUALITY THAT YOU CAN’T TEACH. YOU CAN FAKE IT, BUT NOT FOR LONG – CERTAINLY NOT AS LONG AS P.O.D. HAS BEEN IN THE VERY PUBLIC LIGHT. IT’S A HEAD HELD HIGH CONFIDENCE YET STRANGELY CHARISMATIC AND MAGNETIC CHARM THAT IS PERFECT FOR ROCK STARS AND CELEBRITIES. ONCE HIS BAND GRADUATED FROM SMALL SWEATY CLUBS TO HUGE STAGES AND ARENA TOURS, THIS FRONTMAN JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO TRANSLATE THAT “NO BARRIER” ETHOS BETWEEN BELOVED AUDIENCE AND PERFORMER. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LEAD SINGER FOR P.O.D. NEEDED A BURLY SECURITY GUARD NEARBY AS HE LAUNCHED HIMSELF INTO THE OUTSTRETCHED ARMS OF APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCES. PERHAPS TAKING A CUE FROM BONO, SONNY QUICKLY PACKED EACH AND EVERY AUDIENCE RIGHT IN HIS BACK POCKET, MAKING THEM FEEL AS SPECIAL AS IF THEY WERE IN HIS LIVING ROOM OR BACK IN ONE OF THOSE SMALL SWEATY DIVES. Somehow this combination of onstage charisma, live shows, and songs have resonated with millions, and the band was thrust to the forefront of the mainstream music scene, gaining new fans with every performance and seemingly with every car that drove by with windows down and “Alive” blaring for the neighborhood to hear. The height of their success and the unforeseen yet very visible changes the band has gone through in the past three years have suddenly made this album, the second with new guitarist Jason Truby, take on the importance of a must-win game for these returning champions. While Payable On Death have avoided catastrophe, it seems like “drama” has been their middle name.

The band rented a house in Palm Springs, California so they could write “the album of their careers.” Producer Travis Wyrick came out to record tracks has been an arduous process of picking and choosing. Perhaps it is one of the reasons why the release date was moved from December 6 to January 24. The first single choice of the band was “Roots In Stereo,” which features some guest rapping from Hasidic reggae artist Matisyahu.

But apparently there was some turf rivalry between labels and the necessary releases for his guest appearance have been another hold-up. The band’s plans for a big-deal video in Crown Heights Brooklyn’s Jewish Hassidic community got nixed. “All of a sudden,” explains Sonny, “all the beauty that we made with Matisyahu and just the connection we had with him has been, you know, shut down because of two egos...

The reason “Goodbye For Now” was accepted by the band as the first single choice was married to another exciting video plan that’s hit a snag.

and produce demo tracks for what they were creating, and everyone was “feeling it.” It looked like everything was clicking, but when they gave the songs to Atlantic, the excitement wasn’t mutual. The plans to begin tracking last January were scrapped and P.O.D. headed up to Sausalito with Greg Siddleman to re-write and re-record the tunes. This soon hit a creative wall and the band went back to San Diego to press on. They were almost out of time and recording budget as they started recording vocals. “It seemed like we were just kinda duplicating the demo work,” explains Sonny. The progress and changes made from location to location were starting to blur together, so the band got together with hitmaker Glen Ballard to get an outside opinion and a fresh perspective on these songs. The band started to feel good, hopeful, and confident again about the songs. The process of whittling down the 20 songs to the standard 12 Apparently the Disney people working on the Chronicles of Narnia movie loved the song and wanted to do a special promotional campaign video, including footage from the movie. But it seems the director is battling unforeseen delays with the movie, which obviously makes overseeing a promotional video for the thing take second place on the priority list.

Instead of fretting about how the first single is promoted, the band decides to focus its energies on a cross-country tour with Staind. “We just want to go and play the best set that we can and just kind of forget about all the labels and all the writing process and just go out and have fun playing. It’s good to just go out and play the songs that we have been writing and you know, recording for the past year and then playing all the old stuff as well.”

drama is our

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11/22/2005 1:32:32 PM

On Death

PAYABLE ON DEATH 35

r middle name 117_pod.indd 2

11/22/2005 1:32:53 PM

36 FEATURE

Your new album, Testify. I’ve heard an advance and one of my observations or questions that is begging to be asked is this: With Satellite, your band seemed to really elevate itself above and beyond the trend at the time of raprock, opting for rock and roll exploration. Many of the songs I hear seem to be fully embracing those earlier influences, where reggae and hip-hop take a prominent role. What made the band go after this direction?

I think it just came down to doing the things that we like. I know a lot of the talk when we did Payable On Death was, you know, everybody had their opinions and they’re saying, ‘Oh, raprock is gone and it’s dead,’ and we’re like, ‘Well, that’s kind of what we love to do.’ But I think it kind of sunk in a little bit, you know? With having Jason, it was kind of like, ‘You know what? This is our opportunity to kind of, just, you know, shoot from the hip with Jason and whatever comes out, comes out.’ I think, with this record, it was like, ‘Man, that’s just one thing we love to do. We don’t really care whether it’s in or not.’ You know what I mean?

Uh-huh.

We have about 20 songs right now and we’re still deciding which ones are going to make the record. I’m proud that we have a lot of that rap influence back. Everyone asks me, ‘What’s this record sound like?’ I’m like, ‘Well, depending on what songs make the record, it’s kind of collaboration of all the past records, you know, since Fundamental. Even on one of the songs on the new EP (Warrior) reminds me of some old Brown stuff.

I think, man, we had taken so much time… It was like, we just started writing songs and however it came out, it came out. We just realized, ‘You know what? These songs are going to be fun to play once we start jamming and once people know it.’

Getting back to Satellite once more: I’m curious how much pressure the band faces after the huge success of that album. Please tell me. And please follow-up with an explanation of how P.O.D. managed to focus on being a band and rising above the business pressure to repeat another hit. (laughs) That’s the thing: I don’t think we put pressure on ourselves.

Maybe we should have. You know what I’m saying? I think with the stuff that we went through on Satellite and jumping into Payable on Death, I think we just… You know, when Fundamental hit, it was like, ‘Wow! The record’s taking off.’ It went platinum. We approached every album with the same idea: ‘Let’s just go in and make a record and let’s have fun doing it and it’ll take a few months.’ And Satellite came out and was like, ‘Wow! Sold 4 million copies.’ It’s like, ‘That’s awesome!’ And then it’s like, we get to tour the world, we come home and take a break and then we have our little inside issues and Marcos leaves the band and all of a sudden it’s like, ‘Okay, we’re still going to go in and make a record, because we have a date.’ And Jason jumped in and we made a record with the same heart, with the same idea and kind of the same routine that we were used to for the past two records. We jumped right back in with Howard (Benson) and we started writing, went into rehearsals, went into the studio and started recording and we write a record that we’re proud of and we’re happy with and it gets out there and then all of a sudden you have all these label shifts and all these things going down and all of a sudden there’s 95% of the people that we spent the last few years building relationships with at the label that are gone and there’s new heads of labels and they’re saying, ‘We want a new P.O.D. record,’ and we’re like, ‘Wait a minute! We’ve got some good songs on here that we believe in. We’ve got some great touring schedules ahead of us.’ And once all that stuff kind of unfolded and they kind of – not necessarily shelved our record, but they kinda admitted the state that the label was in at the time; and just encouraged us to go in and make a great record. And it was like, ‘Okay, we’re in this routine of how we do things and then all of a sudden our follow-up record to our biggest record is not considered a success, you know? Even though

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world-wide it did go platinum, which is a success to us, but all of a sudden it’s just not Satellite. So everybody compares you to the Satellite record, compares Jason to Marcos and there’s just so many things that go on.

With this record, we kind of put the pressure on ourselves a little bit, but at the same time I think the label and the people that are in tight with us that work for the label, they wanted to make sure this was the record that was going to come out and there was going to be a hit song. There was going to be songs that captured the label’s attention. Sometimes we wish the label would build a career band, rather than, ‘Hey, let’s get a band and if they have singles, if they have hot songs,’ they go ahead and push ‘em.

So, right now, we’re kind of just, ‘Let’s see how the label does. Let’s see if the single does well.’ But right now, you never know, man. We can only do what we do. Then we’re just getting ready to go on tour. At this point, if the label, does the job that they say they’re gonna do, then, you know, looks like we have the next few years ahead of us that’ll be really busy, you know? And if they don’t do their jobs, then it’s like, well hopefully, they might just have to strip it all back down and just do things ourselves again, you know? Which, to me, is a win-win both ways. If the label does their job, then they make a success of this record, well then, that’s awesome, that’s great; but if they allow us to go back and just do things the way we want to do, then we see that as a blessing as well. In the mean time we’re going to tour our butts off and see what happens.

So, what songs on Testify stand out to you? Which ones are you most excited about and why?

One of my favorite songs is “Roots In Stereo,” and that’s the one we did with Matisyahu; and just because, you know, to me, it does have that cutting edge side of P.O.D. It has that street vibe. I thought the song was awesome before, but he came in and put down his vocals, it just brought that song that much more to life and it made sense. I thought it was a beautiful combination to come together and collaborate on a song. To me, becoming friends with him and getting a taste of his world and vice versa – that was a beautiful moment for us. There’s a new song that’s going to be on the EP that actually is probably one of my favorite songs at the moment, I think it’s going to be a P.O.D. anthem once people learn it and hear it, but, you know, that might just stay on the EP and not the record. It’s called, “If It Wasn’t For You.” I love it, man. “Teachers” is one of my favorites, just because, you know, live it’s going to be fun. There’s a lot of participation parts. I think it says something, too. One of the songs we’ve been playing live lately is “Mark My Words,” just because it’s heavy. (laughs) It’s just brutal live. There are a couple songs on this record that we actually broke out the seven-string for the first time and got a chance to drop tune that. It just sounds heavier than we ever have before.

The song “On The Grind” has some verses that sound like the singer is referencing “breaking the hymen…” Do you think that graphic lyric will get you in trouble? What were your thoughts about including that on this album? (I understand the advance I have might include songs that won’t see the light of day).

At the point – ‘cause I didn’t hear when he dropped the line – and that’s the first thing I said. And then I talked to my manager… he knew that we’re like, “Dude we don’t want no swearing, no cussing, no… you know, keep it clean, keep it positive.” And he said that he explained to him that, um… (laughs nervously) I feel weird talking about this. He explains to him that it’s a piece of skin in the eardrum and that’s what he’s talking about, breaking the hymen of his eardrums. And so he actually asked my manager if it was cool, at the time, like I said, I wasn’t even there and Tim said, “You know what, if that’s what you mean, then that’s what you mean. I understand it, I get it, I’m not worried about it.” But then when I hear it and I hear his concept and I hear where he’s coming from I’m like, “Okay,

11/22/2005 1:33:04 PM

PAYABLE ON DEATH 37

“So everybody compares you to the Satellite record, compares Jason to Marcos and there’s just so many things that go on.

With this record, we kind of put the pressure on ourselves a little bit...” cool, you know? Lyrically I get it, creatively I get it, but I also understand that someone that takes it and they would be like, “Oh, this guy’s being graphic, he’s being nasty.” And that’s just something that we’re dealing with right now, you know? I show my wife the song and that’s the one word she hears, as well; and, without trying to comment from a lyrical or creative standpoint, she sees it one way and so we have to take all that stuff into consideration. And then again, most people that hear it, don’t say a thing about it, you know? That’s one thing that we’re still discussing. We already have a track record of upsetting people too much, so that’s one thing we take into consideration and, you know, if we can avoid the drama, then let’s avoid the drama. But again, I think when we know where we’re coming from, sometimes we want to over-analyze things and someone’s going to have to deal with it in their own way.

What led to the choice to release another version of The Warriors EP (which, by the way, I think is a great thing you do…)?

Again, just the label pushing back stuff and ... we’ve been promising a record since last March, and it’s like nobody really understands the drama you go through. So, at this point, thinking that we are going to have a November release ... then that’s not happening and it’s going to be a late January release... You know, at that point, it was like, ‘You know what? We have so many (songs)... We’ll keep it cheap... just to let people know that we haven’t forgotten about ‘em.’ There are exclusive new songs on the EP and there’s the two songs as well that, once you get the record, you’ll see how much change we made. It was just something to get in the kids’ hands. That way it’s saying, “Hey, we’re grateful that you’ve guys have stuck around, and you’ve been told so many different things. It’s kind of like the first EP, where there was a different version of “Southtown” or “Lie Down” and all of a sudden you get the record and it’s like, ‘Okay, I know these songs, but they’re a little bit different. They were recorded differently, here’s where they’ve made some changes.’

So, at least for those two songs, it kinda takes you through the process of what changed (during) those few months that we switched producers and switched studios. Some people might be like, “Man, I liked the EP version better.” Some might be like, “I like the record version better.”

The lyrics have changed, and guitar sounds have changed. There’s so many things that, for the kid that kind of digs deep a little bit, there’s something special...

That’s cool.

It’s more of a thing to say thanks and it’s one more thing that’s special

that kids can grab and have for themselves to let them know that we’re still doing it, you know? And hopefully they’ll know the songs by the time we hit the road. Even before the record comes out, it’ll be those special moments that some kids know the songs before the record comes out.

I put out the call to our readers to submit questions. Here’s a few: The changing of a lead guitarist… What kind of impact did that have on the music – either stylistically or thematically? How so? (sighs) Man, I think that whole period of time was just…sad. I think it still is, you know? I think we’ve moved on, but it’s still… You can never think of the experience and get over it, you know what I mean? To this day I still think that it’s a shame. I still think it’s a bummer. It’s heart-breaking every time we think of the deal. Just yesterday at the studio, Wuv popped in the Live At Tomfest disc and it was just so raw and so dirty, ya know? But it was just like, whenever you think of those moments, you think of all the times with Marcos. It definitely is heart-breaking. One of the things when listening to that, even Jason said, “Man, Marcos, he should still be here, ya know?” I think it was an emotional time for us.

But, to be honest with you, it was a learning experience. It’s growing.

But at this moment, man, I wouldn’t… You know, Jason… I wouldn’t change it for the world. I just hope that, you know, in the future with Marcos things will get better.

I’ve got my own question as a fan: Do you think we’ll ever hear some of the songs from the past, like “Breathe Babylon” or “Full Colour” in concert?

Yeah, man. We were just talking about that. Now, obviously, we have a 40-45 minute set with Staind. It’s like, “We’re not going to play, you know, old indie record songs,” but we were thinking when we headline and do our one-off, it’s like, we want to do…even if it’s not the whole song…

What if it’s like we just did a medley of, like, 8 songs. You know what I mean? Kind of just do like a verse and a chorus and kind of make it this little grand finale thing. Like I said, we were listening to Live At Tomfest and it’s like, ‘We love those songs.’ Those are some cool moments, you know what I mean? It might be a small minority, but they’re still those kids that are out there – you know, they’re not kids anymore (laughs), but they’re like, “Man, these are my favorite songs.” And it’s like, “Me, too,” ya know? It’s just, if we played all of our songs, we’d have a whole day set. But we definitely want to put something together maybe on a headlining tour. Something special like that. continued on page 66

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11/22/2005 1:33:18 PM

Maylene 38 FEATURE

DISSECTINGTHE CRIMINAL MI

BY SAM FARRIES

It’s been an hour now since the last gunshot rang out, piercing the thick humid air of swampy Oklawaha, Florida. Inside a bullet-ridden cottage, two bodies remain in perfect stillness, as if in a deep slumber. With fingertips cold and wet with perspiration, the youngest son of infamous mob boss, Ma Barker, awakens from unconsciousness and reaffirms his grip on the stock of his Tommy gun. Realizing that his mother is dead and that he is about to join her, Fred Barker takes a breath and murmurs his final words in the form of a prayer. He asks for deliverance but not for himself, but for those like himself, the merciless and the cold-hearted. And with that, Fred dies. But his legacy as a cruel and menacing mobster of the “golden age” of crime lives on. His desperate prayer remained unanswered for many years, until a young Dallas Taylor became enamored with the local legends. “I grew up in a town near where Ma Barker was gunned down,” says Taylor. “When I was a kid I used to go to re-enactments. And it always weirded me out because I thought it was so out of this world that they would have re-enactments of this crazy southern backwoods lady.”

Taylor’s unsettling fascination of the criminal legends manifested itself in the form of his new band, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster.

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But the journey to Maylene hasn’t always been a smooth ride for Taylor. In the midst of growing from an unheard-of band to a gaining a respectful following, the young frontman for Underoath was loosing his grip on what really mattered to him most.

“I started getting almost afraid of standing up for who I was. I really didn’t know who I was as a person. I didn’t know who my identity was, I was just trying to look the part, and play the role and I didn’t even know what part to play or how to look. I just got lost in music and I was afraid of what people might think if they knew I was a Christian, they might be embarrassed or they wouldn’t have any respect for me. And I think people saw through that and had less respect for me. Rather than just, ‘This is who I am, if you don’t like that, well, that’s fine.’”

When asked why he left his former band, he replies, “I guess just a difference in opinion; but I never left the band, I was asked to leave. I was just going through some really hard times with my girlfriend, who is my awesome wife now. We were just going through hard times, you know, being on tour. Sometimes it’s really hard. Just so people know, I was asked to leave,

so no one thinks I’m on some crazy drugs or anything like that. I didn’t do anything like that, never touched anything like that. I wasn’t put in a mental institution or anything,” he says jokingly. “I guess those guys just didn’t really have a need for me in that band anymore. I guess they didn’t find the need for me to be doing vocals in the band.”

Since his departure with Underoath, Taylor moved from Florida to his wife’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Music wasn’t the huge focus it once had been, but he was content and keeping active, playing bass and keyboards for small bands. He never thought he would be in the position he finds himself now.

“When I first got out of the old band, I never actually thought I’d do music again seriously.

But I moved up here and one of my roommates was playing in a band, but they had a singer that wasn’t working out; and one day joking around, I was like, ‘You should just let me come around and goof around.’ And that’s how it started.”

You would think that Dallas would return to his roots that helped plant Underoath, but in order to not add to the growing stench of the typical

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MAYLENE & THE SONS OF DISASTER 39

MIND

and stagnant in the hardcore scene, Maylene would work hard to develop a sound that, in a way, only can only be attributed to the band’s southern surroundings.

“People here (in Alabama) live life totally different than Florida, and I grew up in the country in Florida; but people here are just down to earth country. Going to shoot shotguns on the weekends – that’s what people do here. We were wanting to start a band like that.”

Their offbeat culture soon caught up with their desire to go beyond the expected, and showed up early in the band’s first sessions.

“We first started writing some stuff and then we all took a step back and were like, ‘Let’s just play something that’s different – out of everything we’ve ever done,’ – as for me and as for them. Basically, we just wanted to do something new to us, cause a lot people might say, ‘What you’re doing is not new.’ That’s not what we’re saying. We’re saying we just wanted to do something different from what we’ve ever played before. Ever since I was younger I wanted to be in a band like I am now. For a long time, I’d just never done it. It was kind of just

getting the chance to do it.”

Musically, the band has taken cues from gritty southern styles and incorporated them into the harder flavor they all love.

“I’ve always liked southern rock bands for a long time. Even when I was in Underoath, we were going to goof around and make up a southern rock band, but it never took off; but I’ve always wanted to do it.”

“And my guitar player is into Ryan Adams and he’s a big Black Label Society fan. Influences just come from there. We just try come up with whatever pops in our head.”

“I’m really big into story telling, too,” he interjects. Getting the chance to start all over again has given him and the boys the opportunity to draw influence from their favorite storytellers.

“Some of the biggest people I get into who write lyrics are like Tori Amos, Willie Nelson, people like that, who just tell stories in their songs. I like to write as if I’m the person in the story, so that’s where it all came up and molded out to be.”

Taylor has mixed his desire to be more of a storyteller with his fascination with the Barker Gang. As a result, this has led to the unique perspective that Maylene’s songs take.

“We’re writing as if we are the sons (of Ma Barker). It’s basically, we’re crying out, to warn people not to go down the road we’ve taken.

That’s where basically our cd layout goes, from our cd layout to a lot of the songs that are written. We’re talking from the criminal mindset. It’s just saying what goes around, comes around.

It’s a different aspect that I’ve never taken before, writing lyrically,” he comments.

Finally, Fred Barker’s prayer of deliverance will be fulfilled with a vengeance in the menacing snarl of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. Lock up your women and children. You have been warned.

[Photo by Ryan Russell]

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11/18/2005 5:57:13 PM

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11/18/2005 5:57:29 PM

42 FEATURE

BY DAVID STAGG

There’s no feasible way to write out the history of Zao in a convenient 1,200-word article. You’d need space comparable to an analytical concordance of the Bible, and even then it might be just as confusing. In fact, there seem to be as many questions as there are answers floating around the underground about what’s actually happened to Zao over their some-odd decade-long career. After this, I now know what Cliff must have felt like writing his Notes while staring down Hamlet.

Either way, Zao has taken it on – moment for moment, swing for swing in live-action form.

The band has released a two-DVD set – The Lesser Lights of Heaven, named after a track on their most recent release, The Funeral of God – to help dispel rumors and set the record straight with the official Zao story. “I think that with everything that goes on, there are a lot of questions,” vocalist Daniel Weyandt says, “and some people are curious.”

Unfortunately, there are many speed bumps on Zao’s highway yielding many reasons to make a DVD in the first place. So, not surprisingly, one of the two discs – the documentary one – runs a cool three and a half hours – and this is pared down from its original run of seven hours.

There’s a history to the band that doesn’t seem fair to even attempt to encompass. “There’s still a good bit of stuff we didn’t include in it,” Weyandt says. “But I guess not a lot of people want to watch a seven-hour documentary. In fact, there’s nothing really I’d want to take out, but there are things I wish that could have gotten put in… A lot of it’s more the story of the band as opposed to any external story.” Even at seven hours, bits and pieces showing sides of

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the band not directly related to the meat of the Zao story and history were taken out to make for a pill that could be swallowed.

Both Weyandt and current Zao guitarist Scott Mellinger are quick to attribute the idea of a DVD to friend and manager of the band, Ryan Downey. Ever since the mid-’90s, he’s been by the band’s side and they’ve all remained friends – a position most bands are never lucky enough to be in. “The nice thing about the situation is that our manager has been a long-time friend of the band; he’s been with us since ’97,” Mellinger said, “So he has kind of an emotional stake in the past and in the future. He brought up the idea, and we were all kind of weird about it at first. I mean, it’s your life and your story, you don’t think it’s cool enough to be a DVD.” Weird as it may feel, it was still approached logically; as Weyandt puts it, “(Our manager) isn’t the type of person that just jumps into anything. He came to us with a pretty good plan.”

But, for some members, the DVD becomes alarmingly close to being autobiographical; this is, after all, the history of their jobs captured and recounted. “A lot of personal stuff from every-

body is on there,” Weyandt says. “It’s one thing to do an interview and people are reading it, but it’s a different feeling when people can actually see you talking. It wasn’t that weird to do, but it was definitely weird to see it.”

Mellinger, too. He joined the band when he was 18 (he’s now 27) and watching some of the bad decisions, extended clashes, and things not proud of played out on screen can be hard to stomach: Do you ever look back and see things you wish you could have done differently?

Mellinger: I didn’t know anything back then. You go into the music business with no knowledge at all. There were a lot of decisions that were made that we weren’t a part of.

Anything specif ic you can think of?

Mellinger: Oh yeah. For example, I think the fact that Zao would always be misconstrued as being so public about when we supposedly “broke up.” That just drives me insane, because all those times we never really broke up. It was like, “Zao is to a point now where we need to take a break from it,” and that’s all it ever was. Looking back, all we needed to do was say, “OK, we’re going to take a little break,” and then we’re back. I would change that.

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ZAO 43

And due credit should be given to Zao (now composed of Mellinger, Weyandt, drummer Jeff Gretz, and guitarist and bassist Russ Cogdell and Marty Lunn, respectively) for stacking the discs with as much of this as they could, including uneasy moments, such as the infamous show where the band parted ways in front of an audience. “Jesse was kind of incapacitated and we broke up on stage,” Mellinger says. “I think having something like that happen, you can take that route and be upset and embarrassed by it – which we were – but you have to learn from it. It happened. You gotta show it.”

As a band with a controversial past, it’s refreshing to see that they don’t try to pull any political punches and do away with the hard parts, either. One night, as Mellinger and his wife were looking through old footage for the DVD and he came across the aforementioned show in Pittsburgh, he didn’t think to hide it. Instead, he almost immediately reached for the phone to call Downey to get the tape into his hands for the DVD. “A lot of that stuff, like the trials and trying to get stuff to go right at the time… This was just a perfect example of a train wreck that you kind of have to watch. It was pretty intense

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when it happened,” he says.

In the opposite direction, stars come out of the woodwork to support the band and lend their faces and quotes to the inspirational Zao story, like Asterik Studio guru and Demon Hunter member Don Clark or Stretch Arm Strong vocalist Chris Lane. “I enjoy those weird things, like traveling,” Weyandt said, “but I think my favorite part over the years is the people we’ve met, just as bands, and becoming friends.” So much so, for example, that back home in Zao’s hometown of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Every Time I Die’s vocalist Keith Buckley let Weyandt tattoo a hammerhead shark around his neck (Weyandt has a job slinging ink in Pennsylvania where he works when the band’s not on tour).

got to put out. All the trials and tribulations and all the bad things that happened to Zao – and then finally, now, getting to a point now where there’s nothing holding us back. Everybody’s ready to go, everybody’s excited about it – and not having that worry about it ever being broken up again. “We want to play music,” Mellinger continued, “even if I’m not going to be rich. If I can just make it and do this, there’s nothing better than that.”

With Zao releasing a double DVD set, we thought we’d find out what dvds are spinning when Scott & Dan grab the remote. Here’s what we found out: SCOTT MELLINGER LIVE CONCERT:

Faults and friendships are on there, but the beauty is not that the bad things exist among the good ones, but that the story has a happy ending. After everything you can stuff into a documentary, after every piece of gossip, magazine article, member change and rumored story, the band is no longer a funeral, but a celebration of life. ”The best thing that ever happened to me in the band is this last record we

Metallica Pantera Johnny Cash TELEVISION:

The Muppet Show (orig. ‘70s ver.)

Thundercats Season 1 Seinfeld MOVIES:

Any Pixar animation (especially Finding Nemo)

DAN WEYANDT LIVE CONCERT:

Nick Cave Morrissey (and the Smiths) The BH Surfers (Live from Detroit ‘85) TELEVISION:

6-part live-action Japanese series: (Lone Wolf and Cub)

MOVIES:

Sin City Natural Born Killers

11/18/2005 2:53:22 PM

44 H I P - H O P F E AT U R E

REV RUN WALKS THIS WAY

Hip Hop Veteran Finds New Day as a Shepherd in the Lord’s Fold (But Keeps Rockin’ the House)

BY BRIAN QUINCY NEWCOMB

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BEATS [hip-hop news ‘n’ reviews by SphereofHipHop. com]

THERE WAS A TIME, WHEN RUN WANTED TO TEACH THE WORLD TO “WALK THIS

WAY.” RUN DMC HAS RIGHTLY BEEN CREDITED AS THE RAP ACT THAT TOOK STREET RHYMING AND DJ SAMPLING TO THE NEXT LEVEL, ESTABLISHING A SOUND AND STYLE THAT WOULD INFLUENCE HIP HOP MUSIC FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THAT ADIDAS WEARING, ‘TOUGHER THAN LEATHER’ AGGRESSION AND THE MUSICAL MASTERY OF DJ JAM MASTER JAY, ESTABLISHED FASHION STYLES AND LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE SUCCESS OF PUBLIC ENEMY, N.W.A., AND BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS.

But it was the collaboration with Aerosmith in 1986 that broke rap music out of the ghetto and into the ‘burbs, stretching an ostensibly black urban expression in ways that connected it with white folks in the hard music culture. Breaking ground artistically and commercially, Run DMC was influencing the direction of the music culture itself, as exhibited in the later work of Kid Rock and Eminem.

However, these days, the newly ordained Run has a different kind of walk. He’s “preachin’ like a preacher, healing with the vinyl / Word to the Spirit like I’m preachin’ from the Bible” (from “The Way”).

Of course, it’s not news that Run is talking about his faith in Jesus; that was established on the 1993 Run DMC comeback effort, Down With the King. But in the wake of Jay’s murder in the studio two years ago, Rev Run’s solo studio debut arrives with a keen sense of poignancy and divine intervention.

“I was prompted by God on the direction to go on the new album,” says Run over the phone line.

“It was clear that I wasn’t going to be taking any styles from anyone but myself, which was fun. I had some dreams and heard different prophesies from the church, so I was able to just go and make a record that sounded like Raising Hell and Tougher Than Leather, just a very Run sounding record.”

“I didn’t have to worry about radio, or today’s climate, so I had a lot of fun. I could just go in and do what I do, a lot of screaming… It was very liberating to make an album that sounded like what I know how to do well,” Run admits, laughing.

This was the first recording for Run apart from his partners, which means it was his first time working with a producer other than Jay. He turned to Whiteboy, a capable young man, who’s main qualifications, says Run, were: “He had a lot of respect for Run DMC and for my sound, he was willing to come in and let me be me.”

“I was very much in control of the music and the lyrics,” says Run, “and he was very helpful, but he respected me like I’m some kind of legend.

So he let Run be Run, and so when I said I want the drums to do this or this, or I want this old

sample, and he just jumped into it and we had a ball, dancing around, making the kind of record I wanted to make. He let me have so much freedom; it’s an overwhelmingly Run effort. And, I had that unction from God, to give out what I gave you, that’s what God told me.”

For all the God talk on the disc, in songs like “The Way,” “I Used to Think I Was Run,” and “High and Mighty Joe,” Run is reluctant to think of Distortion as a “Christian rap album.”

“I think of it,” he says, “as just an old school rap album. My brother Russell (as in Russell Simmons, of Def Jam) and you agree, but his eyes are open like yours. The overall tone of the record is probably just what you say. When I think Christian rap, I think of a very judgmental, religious kind of album, which this is not. It feels to me more like a secular album, but I like that you see the overall sense of spirituality. It’s a classic Run album.”

As for the Rev title, Run talks about that “dark night of the soul” back in the early 90’s when things were not working well, and he was looking for answers. The engagement he was looking for came at church. “I was sincerely wanting to sort things out, and it was my church that guided me through that period. I’m a pretty intense individual, and soon it became clear that God had a plan for me, and there’s this collar wrapped around my neck. It’s a whole new lease on life that God gave me, that Run would come back to minister or entertain through my television show, and my album.”

That’s right, not only is the Rev Run back with new music, his life is being chronicled for an MTV reality show, “Run’s House.” Training for the pastoral role was hands on, supporting his Bishop (doing everything from carrying his bags to helping with the day-to-day ministry), “touching the people, healing and praying with people, just being around the church. When I came off the road from a tour with D, peace was at the church, joy was at the church. Just serving God and being a humble man, that’s where I ran to, it’s where I run to daily. It’s my healing place. It’s a whole new life that God gave me. It’s a beautiful thing, and I feel great at this moment.”

News shorts…

The Lightheaded crew is certainly creating quite the buzz, as both a crew and as solo acts. Ohmega Watts continues to draw rave reviews from all major mainstream publications in addition to incredible word-of-mouth. If you have not given an ear to his album, The Find, get on it quickly! Othello just finished up work on a record full of brand new material to be called Alive At The Assembly Line. This new album follows up his indie debut, Classic, and his Elevator Music project, recently released on Syntax Records.

How about a hip-hop show in your living room? Listener from Deepspace5 is currently doing a tour aptly named Tour of Homes. His site (Listenertourofhomes. com) explains: “it’s an excuse for me to get all around the country and play in your houses with your friends, families, and local stangers eating together and sharing an evening of art and community.” Check the show listing on his site for times and locations in your area through the month of December.

Syntax Records is working on a DVD project that will chronicle the history of the label and its artists. It is in production now and they are asking for your help.

Do you have footage from any of their related artists shows? If you do and are willing to contribute to the project, please visit syntaxrecords.com for more info.

Deepspace5 is definitely a prolific group, as each of the individual members maintain full plates with their solo efforts in addition to holding it down with the crew. 2006 looks like a year packed with the freshness. Sintax.the.terrific is nearly complete with his sophomore record release, tentatively titled Curb Appeal.

Beat Rabbi, master of the ‘breaks’, is also finishing up work on the group effort, titled Deepspace5oul (read: Deepspace Soul). We are finally going to get new records also from Playdough and Mars ILL. Should be a good early part of the year for DS5 fans. (illect.com / deepspace5. com / marsill.com)

Gotta check these releases out…

BlackSoil Project – Live: Katrina benefit project; Othello – Elevator Music; J.R. – Metamorphosis; Sivion – Mood Enhancement; and DJ Maj – BoogiRoot.

Get more hip-hop news and MP3 downloads at sphereofhiphop.com

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11/18/2005 2:00:08 PM

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FEATURE 49

What Sevendust Says EVER SINCE THEY SPLASHED ONTO THE SCENE IN 1997 WITH THEIR “NEW SCHOOL” MELODIC TAKE ON HARD ROCK AND METAL, SEVENDUST HAS ATTRACTED A LOYAL AND GROWING FANBASE ADDICTED TO ITS VOCALS AND INTENSE RHYTHMIC ATTACK. EVEN THOUGH THEY’VE EVOLVED AS A BAND OVER THE YEARS AND INFLUENCED DOZENS OF BANDS, THEY FELT SOMETHING WAS MISSING WITH ITS POPULAR SEASONS ALBUM, AND SET OUT TO CONTROL THEIR OWN SOUND AGAIN. LISTEN IN AS DRUMMER MORGAN ROSE EXPLAINS WHERE THEY WENT WITH NEXT.

[Photo: Fran Strine of Motley Motion Films]

Well, tell me a little bit about your new album and what direction you’re taking and how you feel about the tracks and all.

Well, we got to do this one on our own without any outside interference, so we kinda didn’t have anything holding us back from doing whatever, whenever we wanted to do it. I guess the direction – I would have to say the majority of it is directed to the first two records.

Oh really?

It’s a little heavier, but we still have a lot of melodic stuff on there that’s just more of the stuff we have learned over the last eight years. We love it and it seems to have gotten some really good response. I think that people are realizing that we had a lot of people trying to point us in one direction when really we were signed for one reason – the way we sounded and I think that we’ve gotten back to our roots much more than we have in the past.

Wow. You mentioned this one was kinda liberating. Not so much somebody trying to tell you what to do. How would you describe the album Seasons, as being a result of some of that kind of pressure?

We like what we do. The sound that we have when we’re writing something. You could have Barry Manilow write a song for us and if we played it our way, we’d find something out of it that we like. I sure that there’s some people out there...

We’re lucky enough. We have loyalty, that people just happen to like the sound of the band. The really hardcore people that liked us from the start, some of those people liked where we were at and they liked the direction that we had and we were pretty much like that until right around the third record when we were doing Animosity. We started out our way, then we were told, “You need to maybe start looking at trying to get on the radio.” We had already been on the radio and

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we had sold millions of records by doing it our way. People wanted us to try to re-invent the wheel. And I don’t think we were really prepared for that. When we did “Angel Sun,” it opened the door for us to be extra melodic and they started to try to push us (in) that direction, so by the time we got to Seasons after Animosity, Animosity was a success to us. We sold plenty of records on it. We just didn’t sell a million. We just didn’t go platinum on it. And, again, people started pointing the direction for us and the next thing I knew we had people in the room writing songs with us and getting extra melodic on everything that we were doing.

I mean, the only two songs... There’s really only two songs on that record that didn’t have people trying to put their two cents into and one of them was “Face to Face,” which happened to be a really big song for us and that was something that we did on our own. And the label didn’t want to release it! We wanted to release that song and they were like, “This is too heavy,” or whatever and we were like, “This is the band. This is who we are, this is what people like about us.” I think the direction people wanted us to be in, which was different to what we have been and that was just a struggle. Again, there are some songs on there that are extra melodic that I really like. Butch Walker is an unbelievable songwriter and he does great with anything that gets put on his plate; but to our fans, we had sold ourselves out. That’s basically the vibe that I got from a lot of people was, “You’ve got a few heavy songs on here and that’s really cool, but it sounds like you guys are getting further and further away from what it is we fell in love with. That’s basically the long version of Seasons.

It’s kinda interesting. I don’t want to say it’s funny, but I know it’s not a fun thing to go through; so I appreciate you weathering the storm, so to speak.

Yeah. It’s been a long, long ride for this to get back to where we feel really comfortable. We’re just some rednecks from Georgia that liked to play heavy music

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50 FEATURE and we had a guy that could sing. And that was always the idea – we got a handful of voices in this band, we got a guy that can really sing, we got aggression coming from my vocal, we got really heavy music and hooky choruses and that was really our trademark for a long time; and somehow or another it got taken away. And when we got out of our record deal, instead of going and signing with somebody else and having them try to tell us what to do, we took the gamble and recorded the record on our own and then shopped it as is and said, “Listen, we want to feel comfortable that whoever it is that wants to sign us is because of who we are.” You know, it was very liberating to see the offers that we were getting and then seeing many record labels wanting to sign it. It was like, “Whoa, wait a minute.”

For years, we’ve been getting the feeling that what we did is wasn’t good stuff. Now we’ve got people flocking to try to get it. It was very comforting and made us feel a lot better about ourselves.

That’s really cool. So, how has being a father changed your perspective?

Oh man. She’s a grown up now almost, she’s almost six, and it’s like, I have real conversations with her. It’s funny, I just got off a phone call where I was... I go through massive emotional swings and depression because I got a daughter that’s growing up and I haven’t been there for the majority of it and the only thing that justifies it is that I need to make a life that’s going to be good for her. We’ve been hurt so much financially over some of the dealings we’ve done over the last eight years, that I should be pretty happy with the fact that we’ve gotten ourselves in a place where we can be financially stable and be able to build a future for our kids, but now I’m finding it hard not to dwell over the fact that I’ve just spent the better part of her life trying to make something good for her and really wasn’t able to put a dollar away for her. I don’t spend money like a crazy man and I don’t go on vacations and fly all over the place and spend money on that crap, because we never had it. Pretty much, I mean, as brutal as it may sound, the band pretty much lived paycheck to paycheck for the last however many years.

Contrary to what a lot of people might think, we were getting hurt bad financially. We were out there spending our own money to be able to play. No offense to anybody, but I’ve had a lot of fun in this business and I’ve been blessed to play music, but with my kid at home. I would definitely hand it over without thinking twice to spend time with her if it wasn’t for the fact that I have a chance to make it easier for her. So I’ve sacrificed my time with her so that maybe the time that I can have later will be better.

Yeah. Here’s hoping...

It’s not the best job to be gambling on, but we feel pretty strong about this.

Good, that’s a good feeling to have something. I bet you’re looking forward to the release and getting it in people’s hands.

Yeah, definitely. The funny part about it is that every record we ever did, we would record the record and be on the road in five minutes. After recording, we would just jump in the bus and start touring...

(chuckles) And it was only because we didn’t have any money and we needed to make enough money to pay the mortgage and

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the car payments and get food in the baby’s mouth. So, that is how we did it forever and this time around, I’m not home right now because we’re doing some press stuff, but we’ve had some time off and we’re not going to tour the States for real probably until the beginning of next year.

It’s nice to not have to just haul (bleep) out there to make a dollar to be able to feed your family. So, it’s pretty crazy. It’s really an alien-like feeling for all of us.

I can imagine. So, were you in the band, The Piece Dogs?

No, John was.

Okay.

But he played drums in that band.

I heard an interesting story about that band and the lead singer quit and got saved and went into the ministry, which kinda disbanded the band. I wondered what kind of fallout that created with the other band members or what not.

The funny thing is, I never even heard anything about it.

John had left the band before the singer ever did, I think.

He just wanted to have his voice heard. He wanted to be able to write songs and he would doodle around on the guitar, but that was basically how I put the whole band together; was a mutual friend of ours said, “Now you should go over there and listen to some of John’s demos.” He had a little four-track with a guitar with no strap and said, “He’s got some cool songs.” And the first song I ever heard was “Black.” So me and Vinnie went in and did a demo – just the three of us. And we went in and just recorded three songs and me and Vinnie were in another band and I looked at Vinnie and said, “You know, this is pretty refreshing sounding.” And it didn’t really sound like anything that was going on in music, but it sounded refreshing and John was a great guy and we just wanted to be with people that were good people. So that was when I broke up the band I was in and started this one. Got a bunch of guys that we could hang out with.

Yeah that makes a diff erence when you’re crammed in a small vehicle, doesn’t it?

Oh yeah, totally. You gotta have good people around you.

I remember a job interview I took one time and the guys told me, “We decided ... we learned a long time ago that we only want to work with people that we want to work with.” I always remembered that.

Yeah, it’s the best way to build chemistry. It’s kinda hard to build a good chemistry in a band if you don’t get along.

Well, what do you think about Jesus Christ?

What’s that?

What do you think of Jesus?

We like to feel that we are a religious group of guys, I mean, everybody in the band has their own way of dealing with it.

We take it seriously. We make mistakes like anybody else.

You know, I do a lot of asking, that’s for sure.

What do you think about His claims to be “the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me?” Well, that’s a deep question. I think that ultimately it’s a struggle just to be ... to deal with, it’s a struggle in life to keep yourself on the right path and what seems to be the best way to get yourself back on course when you’re going off is to talk to the Man. I think that’s really the only way is when you start feeling good about yourself and it’s hard to feel good about yourself unless you’re talking to the Man.

Well coming from your perspective, what’s the importance of a seven-string guitar and down tuning and other technological aspects to sound?

Well, we don’t use any seven strings; we just tune like crazy people. It’s like we’re just regular – the old school. There is nothing that’s standard anymore, and then moving to that to seven strings and drop D, now we just... The funny thing about it is, usually when John’s writing and stuff, you know, we’re just pretty basic guys. We’re rhythmically advanced, I think, to a certain extent, but as far as songwriters, especially when you’re writing songs in bulk, it’s the easiest way to get new chords and to get new notes out of the guitar for those guys – especially if you change the tunings. They’ll fret the guitar the same way, but it will just be a completely different chord. So, we got songs that are in A sharp and then a different form of A sharp tuning, and B. We’ve even got one in G and a few that are in A, (and) C sharp. We are constantly changing tunings, more or less, just to get more ideas to come out. And it ends up fooling a lot of people, unfortunately. You listen to a Sevendust record, it’s not really easy to just grab a guitar, pick it up and start playing chords, cause those guys are doing stuff that is completely out of whack.

That’s cool. If Clear Channel just gave themselves to me and said, “It’s yours now, you can do what you want,” I would probably take King’s X and force it down everybody’s throat and make them superstars.

I would take the Scorpions’ new album and make people rediscover their sound. I would take UFO and make them heroes. I would take that album by Extreme called Th ree Sides to Every Story and shove it down everybody’s throat, just play it like crazy until everybody got it. What songs or albums or bands would you do that to if you were the owner of Clear Channel for a year?

Oh, man. That’s an awesome question. Well, as far as stuff that’s more present, I’d have to say Clutch. I would make sure that everybody was aware that there’s a band Clutch out there, because they’re, as far as we’re concerned... I mean, that is a style that we don’t tap into that much. I think they’re very content with where they are in the music world but, (bleep), they are an unbelievable, unbelievable band. A band like Switched, who I liked. A lot of these bands that I mentioned are bands that just never got the fair shake. All those bands that you mentioned, I’m completely down with all that stuff. At least they had a shot at one point. And Clutch do their thing, so I don’t want to downplay where they stand in the music world, but a band like Switched, they never had a chance. And another band that I really, really like is a band called Ours. And I’m a big vocal guy actually; I love vocals more than anything.

Even though I’m a drummer, I love the vocals more than anything. As far re-introducing some old stuff, Scorpions Lovedrive, I mean I used to listen to that when I was a kid.

Before I’d go to bed I’d have the cans on and I would fall

11/18/2005 4:02:37 PM

WHAT SEVENDUST SAYS 51 asleep to that every night. Any of the old obvious stuff that seems to be making its way into some of the kids’ eyes now with all the old Maiden stuff and all the old Priest stuff.

First concert I ever really saw was Screaming for Vengeance with Uriah Heep opening up, and I was terrified. It’s so funny, then I saw Priest, like, a month ago and I’m sitting backstage, hanging out with Halford and just sitting there, like, shaking my head going, ‘This is just too weird.’ Yeah, that’s a really good question. That’s kinda on the spot there.

Without a doubt, it wouldn’t sound the way it sounds right now. I can tell you that.

If Kurt Cobain had not died, and let’s say to make the question or scenario a little easier, let’s say he cleaned up enough to where he wouldn’t die the next year, where would he be now? What would he be doing?

You know, I was an average Nirvana listener. I never really got it. At the beginning I really didn’t like it, because it seemed to take away from the stuff that I’d grown up on.

So yeah, it destroyed the hair bands and all that, which people can say that’s great or that’s not great, whatever, even though if you want to be honest, you can probably play half

a dog would be howling at and, if the lyrics are going to make me, you know, if they’re going to hit home with me, then all of a sudden I get addicted to the song. We really try to do that as much as we can and we did it. We went pretty deep on a few songs on this record and those are the ones that I like the best. It’s not the heaviest ones, it’s not the ones that have the most licks in them or the most chops in them, it’s just the ones that lyrically, you know, we hit – we hit the mark on them.

Yeah, I’m with you there. I’m a big fan of football, but I’m kinda simple. When a play starts, I just watch where the ball goes. I’m not really studying how the guard’s blocking or whatever.

Sure.

It’s the same way with music; I’m following the singer.

Totally.

mean, you can sing a song and the lyrics to a song and have people understand those words and take out of them what they want. You know, we have written a lot of aggressive material, you know, not politically correct and all and, you know, that is just our anger and our way to remove it. Then again, we have written some really heartfelt songs that are really deep and, you know, we’ve had plenty of kids that have come up and said, “That song helped me through this,” or “That song meant a lot to me and my father passed away and that song is the song that got me through it.” And you know, we got into this just to have fun, you know, to enjoy being able to play music and not have to think about anything else and then all of a sudden you realize that you actually do effect a lot of people. It’s an amazing, amazing feeling to look at somebody that’s got tears in their eyes and them telling you, “My father passed away and ‘Angel Sun’ got me through it.” And you know, I want to fall apart when they say that. I’m completely blessed and beyond lucky enough to be able to make any type of positive difference in somebody’s life. I mean I never, ever would have expected that we would have any kind of impact like that.

And it makes it a lot easier to do what you’re doing.

“...it’s a struggle in life to keep yourself on the right path and what seems to be the best way to get yourself back on course when you’re going off is to talk to the Man.” of those bands now and give them a different haircut and people would like them. But I really started to understand what he was as a songwriter after he had died. And I think the rest of the world did too, because I had this feeling that they were starting to not actually be as big as they were. I mean, they were huge when they first came out and I got the feeling that they were slowly starting to fall into what would inevitably be what bands do and that is, you know, there is very few that can stay around forever. Plus, you know, he was... I’m a firm believer that drugs and alcohol and whatever it is, if that’s the way you can tap into your art, once you take that away, it does do some damage. It’s not me, that’s not the way that we write songs or anything, but I know that I’ve seen it happen to other bands where somebody will get off of something that’s hurting them and all of a sudden the whole sound changes as a band, because whatever they were tapping into mentally is not there anymore. So, I don’t know what would have happened if he cleaned himself. I think it’s pretty lame that he killed himself, but I don’t think I’m in the minority with that.

Yeah. Well, what to you makes a good song? What are some ingredients that need to be there, especially for a song that’s going to last the test of time?

Well, lyrics and melody is really ... that, to me, is really all that counts. I mean, you can have a person sing a capella and if they hit the right notes and the lyrics hit home, then you’ve got a good song. If you want to go past that, you know, songs with good beats that make you nod your head obviously... but it all comes back to vocals. I mean, anybody that thinks that vocals aren’t the number one thing is just ... they’re just a... I don’t know, you know, that somehow or another guys like Satriani and Steve Vai and the stuff without vocals that survived because they’re so unbelievable on their instrument; but, you know, it’s all melody and it’s all lyrics. I mean lyrics, to me – I can listen to somebody that

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You mentioned Barry Manilow earlier. So, what Barry Manilow song would you cover if you could cover one of his?

Uh, let me think. I have one in my mind, but I don’t remember the name of the thing. Um...

I used to listen to him as a kid.

Oh man, I can’t remember the name of the song. That’s so sad that I would even have the song in my head. I actually did listen to him when I was a kid, too. My mother and father, I think they were punishing me with that. It was that and Logins and Messina.

Oh no.

And the Eagles. The Eagles are one of my favorite bands ever. Barry Manilow, (bleep), well I’ll just be cliché and say “Copacabana.” I’ll probably heavy that one up a little bit.

I like it when a band like Type O-Negative covers “Summer Breeze” or “Cinnamon Girl.” So, what do you think is the purpose of art, music specifi cally?

It’s all about expression, you know? Half of it’s for the geeks who got their butt kicked by the jocks; it was because they had a twitch or their hair wasn’t right or something. Me in particular, my whole thing is, I don’t know how to fake my way through anything when we’re playing it live. It is my time to be as ridiculous and stupid as I want to be. And I really don’t even look at it like that. I only realize how ridiculous I look sometimes after the show’s completely over and I’m watching a video. And I look at myself on video and go, “Oh my (bleep), what am I doing?” It’s just expression, you know. Visually it’s your way of letting your hair down, so to speak, and just being able to react to what you created. And the other side of it again is lyrically. I

Yeah, that’s intense. Okay, so I got kind of a geo-political question for you. Assuming that it’s true that parts of Islam or members of that sect have declared holy war against the United States, against the West, what do you think is ultimately going to happen there? Do you think it’s going to come down to a full-blown world war? What is going to happen? Why or why not will that confl ict erupt out of that whole situation?

I’ve never been fearful that there would be any type of world war that would be on our land. I mean, they got us and I’m sure that people would be naïve if they didn’t think they’re going to try to do something again and, you know, I’m a little nervous – to say the least – about that, because you never know where it’s coming. This Jihad thing of just suiciding themselves to do it, there’s really no defense for. I find it hard to believe. The strangest thing about it is that, if they really wanted to, they could do damage every day.

I mean, they could walk into a bus station or something every day with a bomb strapped to them and they could blow up hundreds of people a day, thousands if they really wanted to. Their whole idea is this making a bold statement. I don’t ever think that it would be a world war like that. I’m not educated enough to really even voice an opinion of whether I am for or against anything. I mean I wish that none of this was happening, obviously. I support our troops over there because they’re over there and they’re dying for us. And regardless of whether I agree with it or not, I’m behind them a hundred and ten percent, because they’re our sons and daughters over there and they’re losing their lives for this thing. I don’t really know what’s going to happen with the whole thing. Again, I don’t feel stupid by not voicing any opinion on it, because it’s so out there of how those people act and what they believe in, I just don’t get it. Scary. cont’d on page 66

11/18/2005 1:51:43 PM

52 I N T E R M I S S I O N

A CLOSE SECOND TO BILLY THE KID...

BY LEE HALEY Duane “Dog” Chapman – better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter – is considered the World’s most famous Bounty Hunter, second only to Billy the Kid. After serving time in a Texas prison (for being in the wrong place at the wrong time), he was convicted of murder. When a fellow inmate tried to escape, Dog begged the Warden, “Don’t shoot him! Let me try to catch him.” After nabbing the escapee, the Warden advised Dog, “You need to do something with your life, once you get out of here,” which gave him the inspiration to become a Bounty Hunter. Now, after over 3,000 captures and growing in popularity, he has his own top-rated reality show on the A&E Network. HM Magazine’s own Lee Haley chatted with him on the phone and discussed life, television, family, and most importantly, his faith.

she was a preacher in the Indian reservations when I was a kid. I was raised by a Pentecostal mother and grandmother and, of course, my dad and they were Christians. So, when I got away from God, I knew that I was doing a bad thing. Then when I got back with Him, I knew that I better jump on and hold on. I think that the prayer is just part of our, you know ... we’re going into a realm that we don’t understand and sometimes... and someday maybe one of us won’t come out, so I wanna be sure that the prayer has been said before we go in there.

I’m really intrigued by your attitude with these guys, you know? I’ve never seen anything like that and I think other people notice that too.

Well, I hope they do, too. Well, everyone deserves a second chance. I mean, just because they made a mistake in life doesn’t mean they are all a bunch of scum. You know what I mean?

I’ve wondered that, you know. It’s so funny, because, you know, it’s recorded when you’re watching the show on television, but you get into it so much you just wonder – are they going to be okay and, you know, realistically after it’s over, you say, “Well, yeah,” you know?

Yeah they’re still alive today, right (laughs)? Yeah, we’ve got broken ribs, noses and stuff that, you know, that you don’t necessarily see – like you see me with the brace on and stuff. I mean, it’s a physical game, you know what I mean?

Of course!

Now some of them are scum, brother.

Yeah (laughs).

Believe me – they are the front-in-the-line scum, but not every one of them.

Being a bounty hunter, I mean, you’ve got a certain reputation you’ve got to uphold, and here you are saying you believe in Jesus, and you’re praying on national television. That takes a lot of guts.

Right.

How did you become born again? Was that through the prisons?

Well, my mother was half Chirakawa Indian and

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Wow, yeah definitely.

Yeah, you definitely go into a foxhole and don’t know if you’re coming out or not.

Sure, when that guy attacked Leland that time, and I was like, ‘Man!’ And, you know, he just started punching out on him, of course.

Yeah, Leland got charged with third degree assault and once the District Attorney saw that, they dropped all charges.

Wow! Yeah, we all got a charge and they dropped them as soon as they saw that we were not the aggressor, because when you go in there like that, Lee, the law says you are acting as the sheriff. Remember that (with authority in his

voice)!

Okay.

Not when you are going to Taco Bell... (laughs) Or not when you’re going to the drive-in, but when you are hunting a fugitive and you are confronting that fugitive or you’re on the road, you are acting as the sheriff. So, whatever a sheriff would do in that situation, which is probably shoot the guy, we are going to do the same – only we don’t carry guns, so they attack my kids and my family. We’re gonna knock ‘em out!

Of course, of course. Wow! I never looked at it that way.

But that’s the law we work under, Lee. That’s the federal law. It says you are acting as the sheriff of the county. You know, I told the guy on that episode, “What do you think the badges are for, get in drive-ins?” (laughs) Yeah!

This is the real deal. This is a real game. The law, Lee, is as old as when Abraham Lincoln put it into effect – that’s how old this Bounty Hunter law is. So, the criminal... That guy was arrested 48 times that Leland got into scrape with – 48 prior arrests, brother! You don’t think he knew what a bounty hunter was?

Yeah!

And a lot of those guys don’t want to give us credit for having the authority that we do, because they are convicts! So he wanted to challenge our authority.

Interesting... [to read more of this fascinating interview, go to hmmag.com]

11/22/2005 4:02:26 PM

D O G T H E B O U N T Y H U N T E R 53

...

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11/18/2005 6:03:10 PM

ALBUM REVIEWS

55

Album reviews

55 ALBUMS 60 ENTERTAINMENT 61 BOOKS & GEAR

DEMON HUNTER THE TRIPTYCH

Since their inception, Demon Hunter has been surrounded by a great deal of hype. No surprise, seeing as how they feature former members of Training For Utopia. Unfortunately, this hype led to disappointment when they released their self-titled debut in 2002. The Summer of Darkness wasn’t much of an improvement either, failing to meet expectations associated with the band once again. With two mediocre albums behind them, it was hard to expect much more from The Triptych. But, as the saying goes, “the third time is a charm.”

The Triptych begins with a choir preaching, “Sing now serif, find the calm within your soul. Bring us closer to the flame that guides us home.” – demonstrating the lyrical boldness showcased on the album. Directly following, “Not I” declares independence against society’s sinful behavior (“I won’t conform to what I see in you/ I won’t surrender what I am/ And even if it was a part of me/ I’ll never be that way again”). Similar declarations are evident throughout the rest of the album.

Rating system 05 04 03 02 01 *

117_album reviews.indd 1

CLASSIC FABULOUS SOLID SUSPECT AMISS 1/2

Compared to most heavy rock albums, The Triptych is extremely versatile; and thus, much more acceptable among the masses.

“Deteriorate” soars with beautiful melodies and warming vocals, and is one of the softest songs on the album (next to “The Tide Began to Rise”), while “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” is entirely drum-driven, focusing on beefy chords and hard-hitting lyrics. Demon Hunter still straddles the nu-metal line, but thankfully this release ventures away from the cheesy, overproduced music of their past.

The Triptych is Demon Hunter’s most solid, respectable release yet. Finally, we can now put “Not Ready To Die” behind us.

[SOLID STATE] DARREN TINDELL JR.

11/18/2005 1:05:18 PM

56 A L B U M R E V I E W S

NO INNOCENT VICTIM TO BURN AGAIN It’s refreshing to see No Innocent Victim make its way back to hardcore with their fifth release, To Burn Again. Making a comeback, NIV seeks to inspire and re-affirm audiences’ beliefs in not only the band, but also in a scene that they believe has been lost. The record is a start, but a little more dust needs to be shaken off before they retake their throne.

If you’re going for veterans, almost no one has been in the game as long as the Southern California-bred No Innocent Victim. History lesson for those who don’t know (but should): NIV, originally formed in 1992, set the standard for Christian hardcore, touring relentlessly before being invited to tour with hardcore kings Agnostic Front. After a glorious career, the band finally decided to call it quits in 2002, four records deep. After a surprise appearance at 2004’s Cornerstone, the band announced they were getting back together with a couple member changes and a new record.

Because the band is veteran, the songwriting on said comeback record is top-notch. It’s throwback hardcore of what seems like myth to today’s scene.

Musically, the breakdowns are there, but they’re driven by the song. Here, surrounded by fast drums and punk ethic, they stand out and push songs to new levels.

Unfortunately, it’s some of those surrounding walls that seem to cave the record in. The longest song tops in at just a shade less than three minutes.

It’s a good thing, too; too much more and the songs might fall apart.

Inspirational lyrics, a thorough drive (after all, they didn’t NEED to come out of retirement), fast playing and a belief in true hardcore do set them apart. Aside from some weak musicianship, the record stands a chance; it is a good welcome back, though the record may not be everything that kids these days will hope for.

DAVID STAGG [FACEDOWN RECORDS]

ESTER DRANG ROCINATE The song “Hooker with a Heart of Gold,” from Ester Drang’s third full length album, Rocinate, could be seen as a musical interpretation of the Bret Harte short story, “The Outcasts of Poker Flat.” The title being a reference to the character Mother Shipton, while a line from the song, “It’s like a bullet through your heart,” represents the anti-climatic ending to the story in which a down on his luck gambler, John Oakhurst, takes his own life in similar fashion.

The point is that the Tulsa trio, Ester Drang, create music that is so surreal, textured, sincere and compelling, that it often sounds and feels like the soundtrack to a movie you haven’t seen, or an interpretation of a book you haven’t read.

Like any great movie soundtrack, the feeling of euphoria engulfing Rocinate, is created by layers upon layers of gorgeous musical variation. “Come Back Alive,” aside from its haunting lyricism and

117_album reviews.indd 2

echoed vocals, features a refreshing breeze of sweeping horns. “Valencia’s Dying Dream” offers bittersweet rain drop piano alongside notes from a western slide guitar that yields a similar result to that of World Leader Pretend, in sounding both sincere, but completely bombastic as well.

“Caledonia,” a song that bridges the musical gap between their elaborate first effort, Goldenwest, and their more structured second, Infinite Keys, is an almost entirely instrumental piece that features racing flutes, harsh electronic effects and rollicking drums. The strength of such tracks makes Rocinate their most appeasing and mature work to date.

[JADE TREE] AUSTIN POWELL

NESHAMAH COMMUNICATING IN HEARTBEATS These guys and girl (Jen Roomes) had me headbanging in my office chair from the first track (actually it’s the second track), “Temporary Satisfaction of Desires.” Hailing from South Africa, this band does a blend of hardcore and metal with vocals to match. Vocals alternate between tough-guy hardcore and metalcore. I really like the lyrics of “Realization To Move On!”: “The scars of Christ imbedded in my mind / overcome, realization / makes me want to overcome / realization to overcome and press forward onto what He has in store for me.” Themes cover sacrifice, overcoming, pride, and even self-respect through not giving yourself away sexually. Blood & Ink Records does it again. Good, solid metalcore with great breakdowns and danceable parts. I love watching kids hardcore dancing in pits). The pit for Neshamah would be very entertaining at a show filled with hardcore dancing enthusiasts. I’m imagining it right now! Wow! [BLOOD AND INK] JAMIE BUCHANON

INKED IN BLOOD LAY WASTE THE POETS Awakening Vesuvius, Inked in Blood’s EP, lasted one play in my stereo. To my surprise, on their debut full length, Lay Waste The Poets, Inked In Blood successfully stepped beyond the confines and stereotypes of modern hardcore. The thought and intention placed into every aspect of Lay Waste The Poets has paid off. Inked In Blood have managed to lay down a masterpiece. I can easily see this record blasting out of boom boxes and motivating youth around the globe to rise up and embrace their potential for at least the next ten years. Lay Waste The Poets is raw, beautiful, honest, and highly recommended.

(FACEDOWN) NATE ALLEN

AUGUST BURNS RED THRILL SEEKER August Burns Red perfectly selfdescribes themselves – intentionally or not – with the title of their song, “Your Little Suburbia Is In Ruins.” With a wholesome appearance – as if they were all raised by soccer moms – these Pennsylvania natives unleash brutallic met-

alcore as if in an attempt to attest you cannot always judge a book by its cover. And just as quickly as a tornado can impact your local neighborhood, this quintet of youngsters ravish their presence with twisting guitar lines and thunderous rhythms.

[SOLID STATE] DAN FRAZIER

HAWK NELSON LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT SPECIAL EDITION Since the release of Letters to the President back in July of 04, Hawk Nelson have stayed busy touring the States, signing autographs, and portraying rock ‘n’ roll icons The Who, in NBC’s hit show, American Dreams. In tribute to that experience, The Hawk covered “My Generation” and included it, along with acoustic versions of “Take Me,” “Every Little Thing,” and “Letters to the President” in a special edition of their debut album. As an extra bonus, the band included three videos featuring chairs, roller coasters and the “Letters to the President” music video. A nice package here for Hawk fans, worth picking up if you’re into bonus features.

[TOOTH & NAIL] SAM FARRIES

Ratings DV

Writer

Demon Hunter The Triptych

04

03

No Innocent Victim To Burn Again

04

03*

Ester Drang Rocinate

04

04

Neshamah

Communicating In Heartbeats

03*

03

Inked In Blood Lay Waste The Poets

04

04

August Burns Red Thrill Seeker

04

04

Hawk Nelson

Letters To The President Special Edition

03

03*

xLooking Forwardx The Path We Tread

03*

03

Flyleaf

03

03

Suffering & The Hideous... 03 Ashamed

03

FailinGravity Tainted

02

03

Telecast

Eternity Is Now

03

02*

The Stivs

Sweet Heartache And The Satisfaction

03

03

Derek Webb Mockingbird

04

Third Day

Wherever You Are

02

03

In Praise Of Folly

03

04

S/T

Means / End

11/18/2005 1:05:34 PM

ALBUM REVIEWS

XLOOKING FORWARDX THE PATH WE TREAD Without any reason to waste time, Maryland’s Looking Forward slaps out nineteen tracks of pure anthem hardcore for their third album, The Path We Tread. By denying any frills or filler, the songs rekindle the dwindling brotherhood flame to remind you how you became a part of this scene in the first place. Hopefully you haven’t forgotten how to pull off a double floor punch. This is the test. Are you ready? [FACEDOWN] DAN FRAZIER

FLYLEAF S/T When I discovered this self-titled debut was produced by Howard Benson (P.O.D., Blindside, My Chemical Romance), I was quite interested, knowing the kind of outstanding albums this maestro has produced over the years.

Benson handles the gritty, somewhat by-the-book riffs found here well, and vocalist Lacey Mosley has an outstanding voice. Overall, this is an album sounding similar to Evanescence, with soaring, strong female vocals overtop of crunchy guitar riffs. Not a bad debut, but a little more creativity in song structure and an overall development in sound would be nice to hear next time. The talent is certainly there. [OCTONE/SRE] TIM HALLILA

SUFFERING AND THE HIDEOUS THIEVES ASHAMED Suffering and The Hideous Thieves is a collective based around the musings of one Jeff Suffering (90 LB Wuss, Raft of Dead Monkeys). Rats in Heaven, The Thieves’ previous effort, was a consistent mixture of brooding violence (ala Nick Cave), muddy bar ballads and passionate hymns.

As a follow up to Rats, Ashamed fails to compare as a collective picture; instead its strength lies in individual songs. Ashamed burst out of the gate sounding like the logical extension of the Suffering sound but by the time, “I Will Always Find A Way” rolls around, it’s clear the pallet has been expanded.

For a few tracks, The Thieves Collective sounds more like a symphony than a rock n’ roll band.

“Babylon” and “Believe” swagger in a few songs later, sounding like vintage Shorthanded Operation era 90 LB Wuss. Surprisingly, the final tracks “I Am Tomorrow” and “1975” bring things to a smooth and easy end. The final tracks are the closest The Thieves have ever sounded to resolved and normal.

Ashamed comes out sounding more like a Cliff Notes version of hard times past and great things to come than a complete record. [LUJO] NATE ALLEN

FAILINGRAVITY TAINTED Imagine Mac Powell of Third Day fronting Creed, 12 Stones, or Kutlass. Justin Adams has some good vocals for a band of a genre that – these days – are a dime-a-dozen. These guys

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stand out. I like “Chemical Burn.” Justin sings, “Give me all your anger, Give it up and lay it down in front of me,” showing us a God that understands us and knows our pain. The lyrics of this entire album are catchy and very relational. There is even a cool guitar solo in “Fable” and “Wish Upon A Star” that brings me back to The 80’s and my teenage years.

I admit, I “air guitar-ed” a little during these solos.

There are some well-placed screams for the hard folks. This is some good, modern hard rock. Support cool labels like Wounded Records and bands like FailinGravity. [WOUNDED] JAMIE BUCHANON

TELECAST ETERNITY IS NOW I have to admit that I was really looking forward to Telecast’s next disc. After a song such as “The Way,” I was sure they would continue in similar fashion and would soon be taking over the worship setlist at your local church. But my gut reaction after one spin was to chuck the disc right then and there. However, I decided to give it a more thorough listen in hopes that songs would “grow on me” and I would find some diamonds in the midst, somewhere. I didn’t. Eternity Is Now seems very uninspired. The melodies don’t differentiate as the album progresses and each song seems to lack a central theme that ties the verses to the chorus. When considering the music choices available, this release would more than likely be near the bottom of your list. [BEC] SAM FARRIES

THE STIVS SWEET HEARTACHE AND THE SATISFACTION In the midst of everything post-trendy, The Stivs reclaim what punk used to be about – ATTITUDE! Solely created out of the sweat and grime left on stage at CBGB’s, these 70’s era punk darlings remind us why we wore leather jackets, pierced our ears (or whatever) with safety pins, and raised our fists at corporate stiffs. This album captures the glory of the “good old days” of no-frills, in-your-face punk and bites back with the evident influence of AC/DC. [BOOT TO HEAD] SAM FARRIES

DEREK WEBB MOCKINGBIRD If you love the “innocence” that shimmers all over the John Davis album, then grab this latest disc from former Caedmon’s Call songwriter, Derek Webb. In fact, pick up all of his solo albums. They’re beautiful and, dare I say it -- pure. Check out these lyrics: “My first allegiance is not to democracy, but it’s to a king and a kingdom ... there are two great lies that I’ve heard: the day you eat a fruit of that tree you will not surely die and that Jesus Christ was a white middle-class republican, and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like him.” This is beautiful, mellow, and rich. [INO] DOUG VAN PELT

57

LET GO S/T By coming from a college town (Tempe, Arizona), Let Go naturally knows how to maintain a constant energetic state of partydom.

For their self-titled debut, this rock trio blasts out powerful jolts of pop with sharp shrapnel hooks.

Headman Jamie Woolford appropriately places harmonic vocals and extra instrumentation (piano, strings, synths) which allow a higher range of structure and twist. Go ahead and keep smiling. It’s easy to do. [THE MILITIA GROUP] DAN FRAZIER

THIRD DAY WHEREVER YOU ARE When I walk in a room, I can judge the coolness factor from a long-distance glance. The way people stand, shuffle, or sit tells everything. Dress, hair, jewelry, and if proximity permits, voice tone, volume, and vocabulary finishes the assessment. It doesn’t take long to see that Third Day is extremely low on the coolness factor. But I popped this sucker into my convertable GTO for a long-distance spin. It’s a good travelogue soundtrack. It holds up like a Bob Seger or Jackson Browne 8-track. These songs are meant to be heard together, and they don’t sound half as bad as that flippant dismissal from the Hot Topic clerk would have you believe. Get these rockers in the studio with Desmond Child or Brendan O’Brien and you’d be shocked. [ESSENTIAL] KERN COUNTY KID, THE

IN PRAISE OF FOLLY MEANS / END After a Spinal Tap-esque rotation of drummers and several cleverly-titled EPs, In Praise of Folly arrive with their second fulllength record, Means / End. Similar to bands such as the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age, whose sound is completely dissimilar, the strength of Means / End is brought out by having a frontman (Benjamin Verdoes) who is convincing and capable behind both the drums and guitar. After nods to their classical influences (“Prelude in C# Minor”), this strength is directed toward the hauntingly beautiful “Affluenza,” and its culling continuation “Affluenza (Reprise),” a snippet of which is used to open the record. This fragmentation offers sincerity and desperation, emotions that are only heightened

by Jared MacFarlane’s stellar violin performances.

With carefully crafted chaos like “Empiricism” and “Happenstance” the means for In Praise of Folly definitely justifies the end. A terrific record.

[LUJO] AUSTIN POWELL

ELECTRIC ILL SPLIT (W/ VLA HEMIA) Kevin Robinson (Viva Voce) has a free jazz/hip-hop side-project here. Produced fairly well, it’s fun, crazy, and hypnotic enuff to make your Coltrane-loving gramps and your crunky uncle Freddie proud. [RADIANT] DOUG VAN PELT

11/18/2005 1:06:00 PM

58 A L B U M R E V I E W S

P.O.D. TESTIFY Creem writers Lester Bangs and Dave Marsh would sometimes use the album review form like an “avante garde” artist might use a ceramic dinner plate. That dish might look pretty and all, but if all I wanna do is hold my meatloaf, then the peyote-inspired designs all over it don’t mean much. Instead of waxing poetic about an imaginary desert encounter with Jim Morrison, I will cut to the chase: Testify is better than the last self-titled disc by P.O.D. and (the shock! the horror!) they have embraced the heavy reggae and hip-hop hybrid that it explored in earnest with Fundamental Elements and Satellite. “Lights Out” is built on a riff almost as cool as “Southtown” or “Alive,” and “Goodbye For Now” sounds like “Youth Of A Nation, Part 2,” (so much so that I want to interject “too bad he never told her she deserved much better!” in between the verses). Yes, P.O.D. is back in the form its fans will love, and it doesn’t have to top Satellite to do that, which is a good thing, because some of the melodic rhyming is likely to freak out the loyalists (the smooth hip-hop vibe of “On The Grind” is a case in point). If the self-titled album was a band trying to find a new identity, Testify shows a band surrounding itself with what’s familiar, and doing what it knows how to do very well. Phoniness smells bad from a mile away, and these songs smell like roses – even after 20 listens.

Worriers, worry no more, the “real deal” guys have still got it. [ATLANTIC] KERN COUNTY KID, THE

PILOTDRIFT WATER SPHERE Pilotdrift could easily be described as a musical circus troupe that would most likely have an address on the Island of Misfit Toys. Too bizarre to pigeonhole in a genre, yet too incredible to dismiss as inaccessible-pretentiousartsy-fodder. Their unique sound feels like a modern exhibit in an old museum. Water Sphere, following the successful independently produced Iter Facere, is best listened to while orbiting the moon. The East Texas quintet bring together a massive aural attack composed with an arsenal of instruments more likely heard on a grand film score.

“Caught In My Trap” introduces Pilotdrift with a piano meets electric song that begs for a clever Queen/Radiohead collaboration quip. By the end of this first track there is little mystery why Polyphonic Spree front man Tim Delaughter made this the first non-Delaughter band signed to his label Good Records. Early in the album the young musicians flex their flair for the fantastic in the melodramatic song “Passenger Seat.” At the predictably mediocre midpoint of most albums, the genuinely creepy “Jekyll & Hyde Suite” dominates with almost 10 pleasurable minutes of horror rock oper-ette. The pinnacle song, “Elephant Island”, is an amazingly written tribute to the tale of the same name. This incredible song single handedly spun the underground indie think tank into a riotous frenzy over the actual definition of “independent rock” and the debatable

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inclusion of such an idealistic yet unreasonably enjoyable song. Although Pilotdrift’s sound is daring a genre to claim it, Water Sphere is an accessible pleasurable listen. [GOOD] CHRIS TROUTMAN

NEAL MORSE ?

Morse has discovered a well of “Living Water” that brings everlasting joy. The clean, melodic progressive music on his third solo outing is accompanied by resounding songs of thanksgiving and spiritual worship. Hearken back to the days of sitting, holding, and listening to classic rock albums under the cans of headphones or the hue of a blacklight, being engrossed by the 24” x 12” gatefold album cover artwork, as the carefully crafted tunes and words settle upon your brain and emotions. Now imagine interjecting the spiritual dimension of worship into that equation.

Go head, enter the temple. Neal Morse is a musical priest, and he’s inviting worshippers to come with him. There is depth here. Come and drink.

SILENCE THE FOE SWEET SWEET SUICIDE I am apprehensive to label this record as being anything comparable to what’s out there now. While listening to Sweet Sweet Suicide, it’s hard to pin down the sound that’s coming from your stereo. So, in an effort to explain the soundscape I’m hearing, I’m having to forego my Western thought pattern of describing things in black and white and explain with more of the Eastern thought approach of opposites co-existing at the same time. Here’s a couple words with the new mindset: the abandonment and exploitation of existing space, the spiritual and the material realms captured on a one dimensional plane, the magnetization of energy and ambience. All this is accomplished in a short twenty-one minutes, only leaving you wanting more. Included are two music videos, one of them having the most insanely cool video concepts seen in a long time.

[LUJO] SAM FARRIES

[RADIANT] DOUG VAN PELT

SAXON SHORE THE EXQUISITE DEATH OF Everyone’s trying to create an album that says, “Here I am, I’m awesome.”

Whether Matt Doty and co. set out with such an intention is questionable. Regardless, such a label can be given to The Exquisite Death Of. Without even hinting at Sigur Ros, Saxon Shore manages to create one of the most epic movements in recent pop music repertoire. Yeah, I know that’s a bold statement. Unfounded? Not hardly. Each song presents layered detail with a minimalist approach without the use of multi-instruments, save some electronics. This is an electric awakening engulfed in rich melodic waves and driving atmospheric bleeds. But there is more going on here than meets the ear as Saxon Shore conceptually explore their death through ten songs without using words.

Ratings DV

Writer

Electric Ill

Split (with Vla Hemia)

03

P.O.D. Testify

04

03*

Pilotdrift Water Sphere

03*

04

Neal Morse ?

03*

Saxon Shore

The Exquisite Death Of

03*

04*

Nothing Left To Lose The Last Battle Hymn

02*

02

Silence The Foe Sweet Sweet Suicide

03

04

NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE

Thrice Vheissu

04*

THE LAST BATTLE HYMN

Castanets

First Light’s Freeze

02

The Clergy All Who Fly

02*

Totalisti

Slave To None

02*

Campsite

Names, Dates & Places

03

Rock Of Ages

02

[BURNT TOAST VINYL] SAM FARRIES

Just like every Linkin Park song sounds the same, so it is with The Last Battle Hymn. Drawing from older metal and rock influences, this disc fails to bring any new life to the scene, as the songs are dulled down by mediocre lyrical pentameter and lack of thoughtful melody. Getting lost somewhere in the mix of typical metalish guitar riffing, the vocals don’t evoke a heartfelt sing-along, but rather sound more like a nasally James Hetfield (without the growl), struggling to be heard above the poorly mixed noise. Technical proficiently isn’t lacking, but a lesson in songwriting needs to be learned if the band plans on having a successful future. [ZERO YOUTH] SAM FARRIES

S/T

03*

11/18/2005 1:06:21 PM

ALBUM REVIEWS

ZAO THE LESSER LIGHTS OF HEAVEN (DVD) This three-and-a-half hour documentary takes its viewer from Zao’s early beginnings in Greensburg, PA through each album in the band’s decade plus career. Members past and present help fill in the gaps as to what thoughts and feelings were engulfing the band through each record and member change. This isn’t a dressed up version of the band’s history, but rather the naked truth told straight up (cuss words and all) with stark realities and tense moments for all to bear witness to. Finally, the crazy rumors that surround this band’s legacy have been laid to rest. The bonus features are abundant with revealing deleted scenes and music videos. On the second disc, many rare live performances dating back to ‘96 are archived for the viewer to enjoy as well as two recent live shows. Chalk full of memories good and bad, Zao’s essence is captured in uncompromising detail, which is why every Zao fan, old or new should own this collection. [FERRET] SAM FARRIES

PROJECT 86 SUBJECT TO CHANGE THE MAKING OF ...AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW (DVD) In the advent of their fifth studio album, Project 86 decided to give us a glimpse into the creation of ...And The Rest Will Follow. The film starts off in Los Angeles, during one of Project’s writing sessions leading up to their trip to Vancouver, B.C., where the album was recorded. It’s interesting to watch the band bounce ideas off each other in the songwriting process. After a little car trouble, it’s off to Vancouver to record with producer GGGarth where tensions and fears are dealt with and overcome with humor and hard work. After a one month period, the band is back on the festival circuit, playing for packed audiences. This is good insight into the work ethic and ethos of Project 86 as well as pure wisdom for any band entering a studio for the first time.

[TOOTH & NAIL] SAM FARRIES

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THRICE

TOTALISTI

VHEISSU

SLAVE TO NONE

Oh my gosh! Is that a ouiji board?

This must not be a Christian band!

While the occult is pretty strongly condemned in the Bible, having unique album cover art was not painted as sin. What might be a greater sin, I jest, is neglecting to “encounter” this great new Thrice album. Two lines on this album might do more for my personal spiritual growth than a month’s worth of sermons: “...as long as we live, every scar is a bridge to someone’s broken heart / and there’s no greater love, than that one shed his blood for his friends.” Treating people with dignity is preached pretty loudly with subtlety in “Image Of The Invisible,” all to a chant-along chorus that’s as infectious as Comeback Kid. This is a band that’ll win almost as many “cute points” as any of those bands with days of the week in their names, but also rally the boys with their tough-guy riffage.

Even the picky musician types have plenty to be impressed by, as Thrice’s rhythm section is tight, progressive, and exploratory. If you’ve waited this long to check out Thrice, this could be as exciting as those days when you discovered U2, The Alarm, or The Call. [ISLAND] DOUG VAN PELT

59

Creed surprised a lot of people in 1997, in part resurrecting grunge with a more mainstream and accessible rock sound.

Creed is over and grunge is just a distant memory, yet bands like Chevelle and (now) Totalisti keep the rumbling down-tuned low end chugging under that “guy voice” thing that Stapp capitalized on.

And there’s a heavy quotient of start/stop chunky power chords on this Scott Rockenfield produced album. Yeah, no new ground is covered here, but Totalisti does what they do well. It’s a solid release, and it’s always refreshing to see a band of believers release their art in the mainstream.

[MAGNA CARTA] DOUG VAN PELT

CAMPSITE

CASTANETS

NAMES, DATES & PLACES Put on your dancing shoes, darlin.’

While this album doesn’t stack up to Thriller (what does?), Campsite will get your foot a tappin’ and your hips a shakin’. Influences from The Killers and The Strokes are obvious throughout and are caramelized by light and breezy melodies that guide us through the soul searching of lead singer Johannes Nidam, making this album enjoyable yet deeper than “Somebody Told Me.”

FIRST LIGHT’S FREEZE

[SALLY FORTH] SAM FARRIES

This follow-up to the brilliant Cathedral is a mesmerizing collection of notes, free jazz, airy tunes that lull the ears into that nebulous area between joy-filled numbness and the exciting anticipation of “what’s coming next?”

Sometimes the hesitation between strums is enough to catch your breath. Imagine if Daniel Smith or Sufjan Stevens (who makes a guest appearance here) were recruited into 16 Horsepower and given lead vocal duties. Very relaxing and yet progressive enough to perk up the ears of a muso.

[ASTHMATIC KITTY] DOUG VAN PELT

THE CLERGY ALL WHO FLY Seeing this band back in action – especially after its stylistic re-birth a few years ago – is a treat. The first half of this somewhat new album (came out in April 2005) romps along at an energetic and an almost old school punk rock pace, featuring Christi Simonatti’s strong vocals.

The second half of the album, however, starts to bog down with much slower material that’s almost listless. The good far outweighs the bad, though. At a time when Spirit-filled hardcore was taking root, there were punk rock counterparts like The Clergy rocking out, Sonic Youth style. Here’s hoping they keep it up (and crank out more cool tunes, like “The Call” and “I Try.”). [BOOT TO HEAD] DOUG VAN PELT

ROCK OF AGES S/T Here is another worship project of rocked-up hymns. It’s hard not to yawn, and it’s also difficult to criticize someone’s musical offering to the Lord; but since this 3-disc set is on store shelves (and thus “offered” to the general public as well), I’d say it’s fair game for criticism.

Some of the songs, like “Agnus Dei,” sound pretty good (and that’s lil’ Jordan Dickerson on vocals); and, yes, that’s the Billy Idol “Dancing With Myself” riff you hear on “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands,” and that’s “Where The Streets Have No Name” accompanying “I’ll Fly Away!” Other tunes, however, sound so faithful to the original that they’re possibly less lively than a spirited old lady on the pipe organ. Nevertheless, for some, these blues and Southern Rock influenced hymns will be a sweet answer to prayer. I just don’t count myself within that “some.” If the bottleneck slide guitar licks heard in “Jesus Loves Me” went a little wild and frenzied, perhaps I could get excited. The spirit is willing, but this “flesh” is really, really weak!

[MADACY] DOUG VAN PELT

11/18/2005 1:06:37 PM

Entertainment reviews DVDS, BOOKS & GEAR 02 LOST

BUENA VISTA

The hype and the accolades for this show seem a little over the top, but the storytelling is outstanding. The character profiles and anecdotes keep adding to the “value” and interest of the mystery. The extras help, too. While the action isn’t as heart-pounding as 24, the suspense is right up there.

03 LORDS OF DOGTOWN 01 KINGDOM OF HEAVEN FOX VIDEO Sometimes movie makers (and the investors and movie houses behind them) use this medium to spread propaganda concerning one subject or another. In a modern world that could explode in religious war, this might be a dangerous thing to do. As I approached this film, I worried about a potential heavy-handed “message” being woven into its story. While there could be seen biases or favored views within this movie, I was relieved to find that I was mostly swept along in an epic historical drama and all of its battle action and character-based suspense. Ridley Scott’s direction can be credited for that. Overall, Christianity is no more villainized than Islam. In fact, they are both humanized by several degrees. It was hard at times to decipher one side from another on first watch, but as the story unfolded and the extra features explained, it becomes clear who is who.

It was sad to see the phrase “the will of God” used to manipulate the bands of warriors, as it was sad to see leaders corrupted by power and greed. The documentaries on the bonus disc, however, paint with a much heavier hand with its commentary on history. While the Crusades stand as the ugliest period of activity done in the Name of Christ, now is a good time to have discussions about it. DV

SPIRITUAL RELEVANCY %

04 CSI: NY

SCENES OF GORE NUDITY / SEXUALITY

PARAMOUNT

Jerry Bruckheimer’s crew took the CSI formula and turned yet another hit with CSI: NY. Mac Taylor runs a likeable crew, complete with NY attitude and unflinching yet tender tough chicks like Stella Bonasera. The ability to fly through episodes and documentaries magnifies the character development.

05 WARRIORS

PARAMOUNT

Ever since P.O.D. started calling their fans “warriors,” I’ve longed for this classic tale of NY ganglife to be released on DVD. The perspective of time and the extra commentaries give this dated movie the comic book context it came from. A dark horse classic, yes; but only average as a movie.

06 THE AMAZING RACE

PARAMOUNT

Normal “everyday Joe” couples slugged it out with each other in this grueling world-wide scavenger hunt-style race, where real-life challenges make the difference in winning or elimination. The extras offer further insight into the mishaps and fun with interviews of the participants looking back.

07 ARRESTED DEVELOPTMENT: Season 2

FOX VIDEO

The Bluth family’s spiteful attempts to out-do one another is even more devious and self-centered than the previous season, making Michael Bluth’s job of keeping the family together that much more difficult until his own selfish plotting contributes to the comical dysfunction.

08 STAR WARS III: REVENGE OF THE SITH

FOX VIDEO

This lives up to the expectations of a Star Wars fan in dramatic fashion, as do the 6 hours of extras. The “Within A Minute” feature takes the cake. However, the real fun is being able to hit pause and see things like a smiley face in the opening battle. The saga ends in an amazing fashion. Ken Washburn

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

100

30 17 7

10 38

40 18 19 10

30 49 3 1

10 23

50 100 13 1 40 1

OBSCENITIES

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COLUMBIA TRISTAR

This is a story that had to be told. While succombing to the glitz and drugs of skateboarding celebrity isn’t exactly rated-G pretty, it’s the truth. Transferring action sport into drama for the big screen doesn’t have a great track record, but this one comes closest to keeping the cool from turning into cheese.

8

1

08

11/18/2005 6:13:28 PM

EN T E R TA I N M EN T

Strobelight Generation

Writing Dylan

Billy Lamont – Infinity

Larry David Smith – Praeger / Billboard

In the midst of today’s beatnik wannabees and hipster revolutionaries, there is a rock steady voice that screams, “Anyone can write down words on paper, but not everyone has soul!” That voice belongs to poet Billy Lamont. His latest collection of poetry, Strobe Light Generation, affirms the cries of the American soul in 21st century stigmatas such as environmental protection, social justice, corporate greed, and spiritual identity. In the face of such heavy content, these poems take the side of the possibilities of what life can be if we choose to live our beliefs in the perspective of being a child of God. Sam Farries

iCans Ultrasone I’m always looking for good headphones for my portable mp3 player. I want it loud, full, comfortable, and snug. The best I’ve found for the economy-minded is the Sony Fontopia ear buds ($39), but these iCans come in a close second. The highs come through loud and bright and the portholes on the bottom give the low end bass room to breathe (in effect increasing its volume and “bigness”). Pressing in the ear “cans” slightly really makes the bass sound like thunder.

I mean, I’m hearing low vocal whispers from Bono in “Vertigo” that were almost inaudible before. The cloth covering each earpiece feels soft and looks durable. These suckers fold up and are plenty portable, but they’ll fall off with the slightest of headbanging. If you’re just sitting on a plane with a movie or music, these are great.

If you wanna move, forget it. $129 [ultrasone.com]. DV

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61

If you’re going to write a detailed academic treatise about the lyrics and methologies of a pop music singer-songwriter who’s been around for more than a hot minute, Bob Dylan’s your man. He’s become Larry David Smith’s man twice. After a previous volume wherein Smith juxtaposed Zimmy’s wordplay with that of Bruce Springsteen in the context of American songwriting, Writing Dylan: The Songs of a Lonesome Traveler singularly tackles the artistry of the poet laureate of Hibbings, Minnesota. And how!

With index acknowledgements and bibliography, Smith falls not far shy of 500 pages. In eight lengthy chapters dedicated to the periods of Dylan’s artistic metamorphases, Smith writes what are essentially song-by-song album critiques that consider aesthetic strides in context of Dylan’s social, personal and musical mileaux. Readers of this reivew may be most interetsed in Smith’s ruminations on his subject’s post-coversion Moral Period and the Pop Icon Period during which he was still garnering generous Christian market press. Some devoted enough Dylanites may just say “Bah!” and cherish their own interpretations and those of the man himself in his recent autobiography. For others, Writing Dylan will provide engrossing, if exactingly verbose, lumination on the enigmatic iconoclast who has done so much to broaden rock’n’roll’s literary pallet. Jamie Lee Rake

Marked Steve Ross – Seabury Graphic novels are hit and miss. This one even tackles the Gospel of Mark in one book, for crying out loud! But the artwork is great, and the freestyle (and 20th century urban) adaptation of this story was compelling. It’s always neat to see what facet of Scripture stands out to different people, and there are several little gems that really stand out – like the deliverance ministry of Jesus being almost central to His work, the inclusiveness of His kingdom, His impending death, and the incredible value of people.

Outstanding. DV

11/18/2005 6:13:48 PM

62 C O LU M N S

WITH KEMPER CRABB A few observations on worship and the arts Part 7

Worship Wars

Over the previous several issues, we’ve examined the most recent outbreak of the worship wars, waged between the ‘70s converts from the counter-culture (and their cultural heirs in the Church), who reject traditional hymns in favor of contemporary (e.g., rock-, folk-, r +b-, and pop-styled) worship music, and traditionalists who will countenance nothing but hymns in the Church’s worship.

As we saw in the last issue’s column, both sides in this debate have much to offer each other. The traditionalist emphasis correctly holds up the Church’s traditions (e.g., the way Christians have lived out their faith across time) as something to be treasured, assessed, and consulted for keys as to how we in the present should live as believers; this includes how we write, arrange, and use music in worship. Tradition is, after all, the bridge from the past which has carried forward the things of great value resulting from the Holy Spirit’s Actions upon His People in the past. To despise this is to cheapen our heritage, and to proceed blindly and rootlessly into the future.

On the other hand, our traditions also carry within themselves many things which, despite their amazing efficacy in the past, are simply not engaging or directly relevant to the present due to the historical cultural forms in which they crystallized in the past, and have little to offer to contemporary worshippers (and/or non-believers). With all the insight and content we can learn from our Christian past, we must study to extend the influence of the Gospel into today, and to avoid becoming locked and frozen into forms of perceived irrelevance. Rather, informed by the effective practices with which Christians of former times engaged the people and cultures of their generations, we must work hard to engage our own time with the Gospel in ways which present the Lord Jesus in culturally understandable and engaging terms.

We must understand and remember, and, in the ways possible to our time, continue the Church’s Tradition, not least of which involves expressing the Gospel in ways which speak to the present and shape the future. This is especially true in the area of the music we use in worship. This means we must balance, in creative ways, the past and present of the Church’s Tradition.

A couple of issues ago, we asked why this balance had not been widely attempted, resulting in this newest expression of worship wars. We observed that the reasons for this lack had mostly to do with the selfishness and pride of both opposing parties in the quarrel.

Each side was convinced it was entirely right in its opinions, and refused in any meaningful way to obey Romans 12:10, which commands that we be “kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in

117_columns.indd 1

honor giving preference to one another,” and ignoring also Phil. 2:3-4, which demands that we “esteem others better than ourselves, looking to their interests.”

In most instances of this conflict, no preference was given by one side to the other, and the interests of other brothers and sisters were not looked after. In this, the Spirit was grieved, and Satan rejoiced. Rather than patiently hearing out the other side’s position, and prayerfully and thoughtfully considering its Biblical strengths and advantages, most people involved in this struggle simply wanted what they preferred, ignoring the needs and legitimate desires of their opposing brothers and sisters.

The converts who preferred contemporary worship wanted to rock! (or folk! or whatever) and generally made no secret of their despisal of “irrelevant” hymns.

The traditionalists wanted to continue their well-loved and comfortable hymns, and refused to see that there might be any legitimacy in expressions of worship that might speak effectively to those not familiar with traditional worship forms. Both sides, in their refusals, diminished themselves, and, in so doing, diminished the effectiveness of the Church, breeding unforgiveness, bitterness, and hostility toward their own fellow Christians.

Both sides, as I’ve pointed out, need each other.

If they had been willing to countenance the Biblical worth in each other’s positions, they could have (as the term is now used) blended their styles. Would it have been uncomfortable to some extent for all involved?

Undoubtedly, at least at first. After awhile, though, each side would have discovered that there was value in the other side’s expression, and (wonder of wonders) even found that they liked things about the other side’s worship expressions. After a bit longer, both sides would discover that both types of expression had also become their own. The traditionalists would have discovered (as many have) the real value of contemporary worship. The non-traditionalists would have learned the value of the past, and began to draw on it for continued contemporary expressions (as many are currently discovering).

This is not simply sheer speculation. For the last year and a half, I have lead the worship at a large Episcopal church. When I began the task, there were factions among the congregation, some preferring hymns, some “older” contemporary worship songs, and others “modern” worship songs. We began to do all of these types of songs together (all, remember, in the context of liturgical worship). Within six months, the factions had all but disappeared; the blended worship had become “our” common worship, and unified the worship and attitudes of the congregation. It wasn’t comfortable for some, at first, but ¨

11/18/2005 1:16:53 PM

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C O LU M N S 63

Devotions with Greg Tucker

“Creative” doesn’t begin to scratch the surface.

Recently I heard about high school students who wanted to give $3,000 for hurricane relief. They weighed the traditional fundraising options, (carwash, candy sale, jog-a-thon, etc.), but this was a small private school, and the standard programs had been done far too often to be effective. Finally, someone had an “Aha!” moment that changed everything.

“We’ll play a song,” they suggested, “and we’ll keep playing it until people pay us to stop.” The perfect song was Hanson’s 1996 hit, “MMMBop.” “MMMBop” blared through the PA system before school and after, between periods and during lunch, and in just a matter of days their “Stop the Bop” campaign easily met its goal. “Students couldn’t give fast enough,” recalled the principal. “Even though it was for a good cause, they simply wanted the song to end.” As an unexpected bonus, Hanson heard about the deal and matched it with their money, bringing the total to $6,000. Not bad for a small-town high school fundraiser.

Their success reminds me of a principle every Christian needs to know: There is no such thing as a money problem.

A few observations on worship and the arts... continued:

their desire and need for worship relevant to them was not forgotten (it simply began to share the time with other styles of music), and they came to enjoy and love the other expressions, which became their own eventually, as well. They preferred their brothers and sisters to themselves, looking out for others’ interests, and were blessed for it.

Let us never forget, as well, that, in the final analysis (as we saw in the first article of this series) worship is primarily for GOD, not for ourselves. The God Who desires for us to express the Unity we have together in Him would be most pleased if, in humility, we preferred our Brethren to ourselves, and ended this latest shameful round of worship wars, being servants, first of God, and then of our brothers and sisters. Will we do so?

I suspect that God has began to act to bring peace and unity in the worship of the American Church today. The real question is: Who will we serve?

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It’s true. You may have an idea problem, or an obedience problem, but God says he will take care of people’s needs if they’ll put their trust in him and follow where he leads. (Psalm 37:25, Malachi 3:1012, Luke 12:27-31, and Philippians 4:19).

The story is told of a new employee walking past the office of Apple founder Steve Jobs. He found the door open and Jobs sitting back, staring blankly into space. “What are you doing?” he asked.

Jobs snapped to alertness and replied, “Thinking. You should try it sometime.”

Actually, that employee was typical. And if you’re normal, you probably forget to think sometimes as well. Most people are too wrapped up in their daily routines to consider different, far-out options for reaching their goals. But the ideas are there if we’ll take time to look for them.

This week, schedule some time to think. Take a notepad and go someplace where you can focus. Ask God to open your mind to new and creative ways to fulfill the dreams He’s given you, and I think you’ll discover there’s an “Aha!” moment in your future.

11/18/2005 1:19:09 PM

64 I N D I E R E V I E W S

PICK OF THE LITTER Auto Defe Good, groovy, sporadic, mathematical. Incubi-sh. There’s a lot to love here on this 6-song EP, When The War Is Over. Daniel Algara’s vocals shine bright here amongst the fun-to-follow instrumentation. Like most good trios, the music here is tightly played and well produced. The songs are dynamic and distinct little vignettes, showing restraint, patience, and chaos and energy – all at the same time. Track #3, “The Erudite” is a 12 minute, 32 second epic with 5 movements: “The logos defense,” “Rumination,” “Aperture Internal,” “Ensuing Essence (Turmoil)” and “Musing Expiration.” Like most “Pick of the Litter” choices, we predict you’ll be hearing a lot more from this band. (Doug Van Pelt) autodefemusic.com

Frank Hart

Arma Secreta

It’s a wonderful thing to hear Hart’s voice loud, front and center again. It’s been too long since his band, Atomic Opera, released anything. One of the most compelling parts of his work has always been that voice, which is accompanied here with mostly acoustic and quieter instruments that don’t compete with his range and tenor. Human Liturgy is the culmination of the last few years of writing and recording his ambient, worshipful songs. Beautiful. (DV) frankhart.com

Back when post-hardcore was just good heavy music, bands like Stavesacre wowed us all. Enter Amra Secreta (which means “secret weapon” in Portuguese). Lots of start/stop frenetic energy. (DV) armasecreta.us

AbnerTrio I hate it, but I love it! Very strange, original, and chaotic. Avoid the dull slowness of this album if you’re high on caffeine. Distant Thunder of the Sacred Force trip you out. (DV) abnertrio@hotmail.com

AfterTheTragedy This hard-hitting screamo act delivers anthems to pump your fist to.

Screams are belted out with the upmost intensity, while melodic verses deliver in graceful fashion. (Sam Farries) myspace.com/afterthetragedy

Vindicated Don’t be deceived by the extremely misleading cover art. This six-piece band melds keyboard sounds and hardcore breakdowns with an urgency and worshipful, contemplative lyrics. Fans of Underoath: don’t get mad, just get this album! (DV) vindicatedrock.com

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The Underwater Passion resonates vocally within this emotionally driven rock without being labeled as “emo.” Haven’t heard notes hit that high in the low register since Chris Cornell. (SF) theunderwater.net

Manchester Orchestra Soft vocal leanings (Ben Gibbard to a tee) mixed with thoughtful songwriting give this indie pop group an advantage amongst their musical peers. These sugar-laced songs are just begging you to sing along. (SF) myspace.com/manchesterorchestra

Signet Rage Against the Machine got back together and changed their name to Signet. This 5-song EP was produced by Jesse Sprinkle and the band and is an enjoyable listen for all you rapcore fans out there. (SF) signetplanet.com

LastPageFirst This pop punk quartet has all the ingredients for success – hooks, songs, good vocals. Simple Plan, watch out! (DV) lastpagefirst.com

11/18/2005 6:17:24 PM

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11/18/2005 6:26:57 PM

Payable On Death | cont’d

What Sevendust Says | cont’d

So, if I have a time machine and I’m going to give you an opportunity to change one event – that’s just limited, your choice of the event can be anything whatsoever – what one event would you change if any, and why?

Well, I mean, at the moment, right this second and I’m sure that I could find many and this one would be because it’s on my mind, but I would have to say the murder of Dimebag Darrell at the Alrosa show in December. I would do anything to not have him gone. I mean, I’m sure I could come up with many, many other ones, but that one’s right there, that one’s still sticking with us real hard. I definitely wish that Darrell wasn’t at the Alrosa that night in December.

I was going to ask you about him. How much has that event scared you as a performer in a quasi-celebrity…

Yeah, it definitely affects us. Not to mention that we had a member change in our band. And we do have some loyalty out there. And you never know how people are going to react and, obviously, there are people that are not even close to right, to be able to do something like that. He was an absolute brother to us. And I still talk to Vinnie all the time and I’m always thinking about him and to call it tragic is just an understatement. It’s not supposed to happen. We’re just up there entertaining, you know? There’s no reason for anybody to want to do anything to anyone who is playing music. I mean, it just doesn’t make sense. He had nothing but great things to give to the world. He was a great human being. He never did anything to hurt anybody. And he’s gone now, because somebody just lost it. We cancelled a show a few days after, because they didn’t have any security there and the kids were right on the stage and I couldn’t believe it. I was like, ‘Wow, we don’t cancel shows and we’re canceling one because there’s just not enough security sitting here.’ I mean, we used to invite people up on the stage. Now we’re like, “We need more (security) up here, because these people are going to be too close.” It’s definitely changed. We sit on the bus a lot more than we used to. There’s security around us a lot. We’ve got our own guy that travels with us. You know, it stinks.

What are your comments on the Forever In Our Hearts project and any plans on playing with Phil Keaggy on his next rock album?

Man, you know, Jason and Phil Keaggy – those guys are bros. They’re really in contact often. We always kind of leave it up to Phil. Whatever he wants, we tell him, ‘We’ll do whatever you want us to do,’ because we just love that guy. He’s one of those guys and one of those artists that his music means something to us. It always has. Before I was a Christian, I knew about Phil Keaggy, you know what I mean? And I felt his music. It wasn’t because it was Christian music, I felt this guy. It was real. Again, even having conversations with him and learning from him. It’s the same thing. We’re in this boat where you’re getting judged because people know of your faith. You don’t know. Is it a blessing? Or is it a battle you constantly have to face? Critics have called him, you know, up there with people like Hendrix, you know what I mean? But at the same time, is he not getting the credit that he deserves because of things that he believes – his faith? Just learning from him and him sharing his experiences and his advice and saying, ‘If he could do it again,’ and those type of moments with him. Just being able to really soak from his wisdom and all his years and experiences, and so we’re down for whatever when it comes to Phil, man. The Forever In Our Hearts thing was just a good time. It was an emotional moment and tragedy striking the world and I happened to get one of those calls, “Hey, you want to do this?” And instantly you’re like, ‘Yeah, I’m down for whatever. Whatever I can do to help. If it takes coming into the studio and dropping a couple lines, cool man, I’m down.’

There’s moments, too, where you’re just, like, there. It wasn’t whether I’m Christian or you’re Christian. It was because of love right here. That’s why we’re doing it. This is because our hearts are broken at the moment and we’ve come together, and music brought us together and just getting a chance to meet a lot of those artists and different genres of music. For the moment, we were there for a good cause. It was a great thing. I saw actors and actresses, people on tv shows and movies. Metal bands to R&B to hip-hop groups. It was a cool moment. It was a cool experience.

I‘m glad I got a chance to do it.

She wouldn’t remember me but I interviewed Coal Chamber a couple times. I thought they were a pretty cool band. Thanks for your time today.

That’s awesome. You know, it’s, uh… You usually don’t say this kind of thing to people, but, uh, Phil Keaggy kind of reminds me of you. I think there’s kind of an intangible quality, and I think it’s people that have believed that God really loves ‘em. And you’ve kind of entered the Sabbath rest – and you’re not trying to impress God.You kind of know that He loves you and you’re just relaxed and that kind of emanates from you and it’s just cool to feel that from people. And I think a lot of people feel it from you, and that’s…

I appreciate it, man. See, that’s just it. I know that God loves me. I’ve never questioned that. It’s almost like there’s been times where I feel like God loves me so much, and that’s what God is saying: “Man, just relax.” You know? “I’ve got it. I’ve got you. I’ve got everything that’s going on. Don’t overwhelm yourself.” You know? “Don’t get caught up in the moment. Don’t let these kind of things frustrate you.” You know, I’ve been through all my little questions and my little struggles and, no matter what, God is always good. He’s always calming my heart, you know? A lot of times I get heated. I get frustrated. I don’t make the right decisions… All I’ve got to do is look at my kids, you know what I mean? All I’ve gotta do is think back for a moment and hang out with the guys for a minute and realize all the things that God has brought us through and continues to do and continues to bless us, you know? In our hearts, I think we just wanna… We wanna honor God in our music and the things that we do; but at the same time, just not really think it. Just go out and… I mean, people that say things and judge P.O.D. or have expectations of us? It’s like, ‘Just come hang out with us for a couple minutes,’ you know what I mean? You’re gonna know, dude! All these things you think, that you write about or that you say or you pass judgment? It’s like, ‘Dude!’ Man, I tell people, ‘My door’s open, man. I barbecue a few times out of the week.

My buddies come over, my family, my kids. I’ve got nothing to hide. You come over and hang out.’ It’s like, you’re gonna feel that. Nobody’s preaching at you. Nobody’s doing nothing. We’re just sitting here and saying, ‘Look what God has done. Look how good He is to me and my family and to P.O.D. and to the people around us... my city.’ It’s like, God is good. And we’re grateful by that. Let’s not go crazy. Let’s not go overboard. Let’s just relax in it, man.

Absolutely. Well, what’s one question you’ve always wanted a journalist to ask you?

Oh man. I don’t really think there’s anything that I really mind as is more of the one’s I do mind. I still always like the, “How did you guys get started?” As much as it’s so cliché and so often asked... My story’s relatively unique in the fact that my father was a guitar player and as a three year old kid, he got me a little drumset and I was playing “If 6 was 9” by Hendrix.

Cool. Your wife Rayna used to be in Coal Chamber. Does she have a hard time not being in that band?

She wanted to be a dance instructor and go into stuff like that and all of a sudden she fell into this job (Coal Chamber). So, she really doesn’t have a tough time with it at all. She is way content with just raising our daughter. It’s a trip. I would have thought that it was the complete opposite. She never liked being a rock star. She never liked having people pawing at her. And now, she is just as regular as she wants to be, just being a mom.

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11/22/2005 1:34:25 PM

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11/18/2005 6:28:14 PM

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11/22/2005 5:02:48 PM

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11/18/2005 6:29:10 PM

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11/22/2005 10:34:50 AM

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11/18/2005 6:31:22 PM

72 A N N UA L

KRISS STRESS

Favorite Albums S/T Elgin Avenue Breakdown Silent Alarm Let Us Never Speak Of It Again For Now We Know In Part: 1 Favorite Indie/Unsigned Band Favorite Live Show

1 2 3 4 5

The Evens The 101ers Bloc Party Out Hud Headnoise Hook Line & Sinker The Showdown

1 2 3 4 5

Emery As I Lay Dying Haste The Day Bloodlined Callig.

Stretch Arm Strong Madison Fair The Chariot...

The Question Shadows Are Security When Everything Falls They Want You Free At Last

1 2 3 4 5

U2 John Davis Maylene & The...

Disciple Still Remains Hundred Year Storm The Myriad @ GMA

How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb S/T S/T S/T Of Love And Lunacy

1 2 3 4 5

Death Cab For Cutie The Frames Mae House Of Heroes The Pale Pacific Radiant The Frames

Plans Burn The Maps The Everglow S/T Urgency

1 2 3 4 5

Shadow Gallery Demon Hunter Redemption Disciple Becoming The Arch.

Whitecross Queensryche

Room V The Triptych The Fullness Of Time S/T Terminate Damnation

1 2 3 4 5

Anberlin U2 Adam Watts David Crowder 4th Avenue Jones — Toby Mac

Never Take Friendship Personal How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb The Noise Inside A Collision Stereo: The Evolution Of HipRockSoul

1 2 3 4 5

MxPx Blindside Life In Your Way Andy Hunter Sides Of The North Storm Of The Son

Panic The Great Depression Ignite And Rebuild Life EP The Incurable Romantic

1 2 3 4 5

Aqueduct Bloc Party Headphones The Octopus Project Pilotdrift The Glass Family Modest Mouse

I Sold Gold Silent Alarm S/T One Ten Hundred Thousand Million Water Sphere

1 2 3 4 5

Sufjan Stevens Death Cab For Cutie Ben Folds The Choir Kate Bush Mainers Cerbervo The Choir @Cstone

Illinois Plans Songs For Silverman O How The Mighty Have Fallen Aerial

1 2 3 4 5

Open Hand Echo and the B...

Depeche Mode Eisley Jesu Chase Pagan Open Hand

You & Me Siberia Playing The Angel Room Noises S/T

1 2 3 4 5

The Choir Copeland Mae Veda Death Cab For Cutie The Symptoms The Finn Brothers

O How The Mighty Have Fallen In Motion The Everglow The Weight Of An Empty Room Plans

1 2 3 4 5

Demon Hunter Project 86 Stavesacre mewithoutYou Gods The Accident Exp. Stryper

The Triptych ...And The Rest Will Follow Bull Takes Fighter Catch For Us The Foxes I See You Through Glass

DAVID STAGG

BETH. JOHNSON 1 2 3 4 5

Maylene & The...

Forever Changed Becoming The Arche.

Various Artists The Myriad Captured! By Robots Family Force 5

S/T The Need To Feel Alive Terminate Damnation 2005 Warped Tour Compilation You Can’t Trust A Ladder

1 2 3 4 5

As I Lay Dying Dug Pinnick Still Remains Stretch Arm Strong Pushstart Wagon Pushstart Wagon Last Tuesday...

Shadows Are Security Emotional Animal Of Love And Lunacy Free At Last L.A. Was Our Alamo

1 2 3 4 5

Larry Norman Rock Bottom Choir After The Fire Alpha Band Glass Harp Seven Hours Late O.C. Supertones

Street Level For All The Saints, Vol. 1 DerKommisar The Arista Years It Makes Me Glad

1 2 3 4 5

Mae Project 86 Blindside Copeland Emery Caleb Engstrom Underoath @Warped

The Everglow ...And The Rest Will Follow The Great Depression In Motion The Question

1 2 3 4 5

Cartel Chroma Emery Copeland The Evan Anthem Acceptance One Amazin Kid Cartel @Warped

S/T The Question In Motion Sens Phantoms

1 2 3 4 5

Neal Morse John Davis Starflyer 59 The Choir Sufjan Stevens Manchester Orchestra Roe vs. Pritzl

?

S/T Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice O How The Mighty Have Fallen Illinois

1 2 3 4 5

Comeback Kid Most Precious Blood War Of Ages Seventh Star Norma Jean My Children, My Bride Norma Jean @SOTU

Wake The Dead Merciless S/T Brood Of Vipers O’ God, The Aftermath

1 2 3 4 5

Violence & Valentine Inked In Blood Black Rebel Motor...

Suffering & The...

Insomniac Folklore Violence & Valentine Suffering & The...

S/T Lay Waste The Poets Howl Ashamed Smile Or Die

1 2 3 4

Coldplay The Myriad U2 Norma Jean — Deas Vail Blindside

X&Y You Can’t Trust A Ladder How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb O’ God, The Aftermath

1 2 3 4 5

Jars Of Clay Switchfoot The Listening Black Rebel Motor...

The Choir The Listening Roe vs. Pritzl

Redemption Songs Nothing Is Sound The R&Roll Worship Circus Becomes...

Howl O How The Mighty Have Fallen

1 2 3 4 5

Rob Rock Antestor Slechtvalk Holy Blood Stryper Ceremonial Sacred Stryper

Holy Hell The Forsaken At The Dawn Of War Waves Are Dancing Reborn

1 2 3 4 5

Bruce Springsteen Mae As I Lay Dying Thrice In Praise Of Folly The Invincible Czars Audioslave

Devils & Dust The Everglow Shadows Are Security Vheissu Means/Ends

MARK FISHER

DOUG VAN PELT

GORD WILSON

JAMES WETZ

TIM HALLILA

JON. SWANK

DAN FRAZIER

H. REYNOLDS

DR. TONY SHORE

LEN NASH

D. TINDELL JR.

NATE ALLEN

ANDRE SALLES

TIM HUDSON

ERIC W. ALEXY

JOHN THOMPSON

CHRIS CALLAWAY

CHRIS BECK

CHAD OLSON

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AUSTIN POWELL

11/18/2005 6:24:44 PM

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11/18/2005 6:35:06 PM

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11/18/2005 6:35:55 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THORN CLOTHING

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11/28/2005 3:53:01 PM

WWW.NOLONGER.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

All the clothing stimulates conversation in order for you to share what you know best, your own testimony. Give God the glory for what He has done in your life by sharing the victory with others who may be struggling. Love them as you would have wanted to be loved and show them grace and mercy as you would have wanted to have been shown grace and mercy.

NO LONGER. Clothing Company has toured the nation at the largest Christian music festivals and is currently being stocked in retail stores around the country.

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Now extra special, just for the HM readers, these are some of NO LONGER. Clothing Company’s friends who shared some of their NO LONGER.’s with them.

You might have heard of them.

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Barlow Girl- “We NO LONGER have to conform to the ways of this world.

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Josh- “I NO LONGER conform to this world because we as Christian are called to stand out and to live in a way that people see something different in us.

John- “I NO LONGER lean on my own understanding.”

Think about all the things that you no longer do or have in your life...

Drugs? Material possessions? Disease or sickness? Jobs? Good or bad relationships? Abuse?

Whether the things in your past were good or bad, God is ultimately the one who gives and takes away. God is NEVER surprised and ALL things are perfectly planned by Him to work together for our good and growth.

So why NO LONGER.? We believe that the one true God loves all people and when Jesus died on the cross, it changed everything. We all now have the choice to be freed from sin. To believe in Jesus means to no longer be slaves to sin and our past once and for all. NO LONGER. means NO LONGER...period, Jesus said, “It is finished.”

We know this is true because Romans 6:6-7 says, “knowing this, that our old self is crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on, we should no longer be slaves to sin. For he who died has been freed from sin.”

NO LONGER. Clothing Company uses their clothing as vehicle for their ministry to share the victory that can be found in the Lord over all things.

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I am trying to be like Christ and love people unconditionally just for being a creation of God’s.”

Dustin- “I NO LONGER am afraid of what I will become because I know that He who has begun a good work in me is faithful to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Brad Duncan- “I NO LONGER worry.”

Manafest- “I NO LONGER walk in sin no more. God has set me free.”

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11/29/2005 1:19:39 PM

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11/29/2005 1:20:05 PM

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11/18/2005 6:36:57 PM

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11/18/2005 6:37:58 PM

ev-

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erywhere i go is a mission field. this verse comes to mind: Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity.

Colossians 4:5

11/18/2005 6:39:28 PM