Kingdom Metal

Just this weekend I was digging around looking for a good fix of old-school Christian metal. I uncovered a pile of CDs that had several absolute classics in it, and immediately popped one in CD player of the KMH ride.

Within seconds, the driving beat layered thick with lush textures of keyboards and guitars took me back… it’s hard to believe this record is almost 20 years old now. The band? Mastedon. The disc: Lofcaudio.

Lofcaudio cover art from Mastedon

It’s surprising to me how many fans of Christian music have never heard of — forget heard! — this record. Of course, the names of its members are familiar, and when I announce that it was the metal studio band of Christian music legends John Elefante and Dino Elefante, immediately heads start nodding and words take on the hushed tones of reverence.

I’m exaggerating a bit, perhaps, but the Brothers Elefante have produced arguably some  of Christian music’s best work in the last 25 years. I remember first hearing of them when Petra’s Back to The Street record hit the scene in 1986. Considering that their first joint production effort earned them a Grammy® nomination, you could say they were off to a good start.

With phenomenal vocal performance skills dating back to his time with the legendary Kansas, John Elefante had music with more of a metal edge him, however, as compared to the pop-rock flavor of Petra. And in the mid-1980s, it was still too early to seriously begin the headbanging in Christian circles, with bands such as REZ and Stryper still relegated to the fringes. So… the Brothers Elefante would wait until 1989 to release the first Mastedon record, It’s a Jungle Out There.

Alas, I still have yet to hear that first Mastedon record. In all my years of nosing around in little holes in the wall searching for out-of-print masterpieces on multiple continents, for whatever reason I have yet to stumble across that one. But Lofcaudio (loosely named after Shel Silverstein’s character) changed me for good. I was already a fan of the work coming out of Pakaderm Records (owned by John & Dino) by the time I heard this. Guardian, Halo, and a few other bands’ projects had made their way into my hands. But this record was like no other.

Perhaps it was ahead of its time. Maybe the Christian scene wasn’t ready for the heady, complex music and robust production… after all, the scene had only cautiously embraced the work of progressive rocker Kerry Livgren and his band (A.D.) after his departure from Kansas. But Lofcaudio, even though it charted, didn’t attract the attention or the sales volume requisite to chalk it up as a serious commercial success. Nevertheless, for fans of Christian metal, the record stands alone.

Laden with ear candy, the complex rhythms and chord structures on this 10-track masterpiece require multiple listens just to savor completely. For a metal effort, the band was generous in its use of synths and pianos, not to mention layer after layer of effects-ridden vocals. There are moments when you reach for the EQ to bring out the somewhat buried cymbals, but the sound is so unique that it’s impossible to complain. I’m guessing that the band wasn’t working with an unlimited budget, and yet the project absolutely oozes creativity and brilliance. The record concludes with a thoughtful — and relatively calm — celebration of what was accomplished on the Cross:  the melodic “It Is Done” leaves you craving more of the voice that John Elefante has become famous for, and is a preview of sorts to the solo recordings of his that followed years later.

Rumor has it that the band played in public at a Cornerstone festival. I’ve even seen some footage purporting to be the same, but considering the lengthy list of incredible players and singers that contributed to this recording, I think it’s safe to say that the stage couldn’t have handled the Mastedon of this recording.

So… imagine my surprise today as I was digging around online when I discovered that the Brothers Elefante have teamed up with Dave Amato (yes, THAT Dave Amato, of REO Speedwagon fame), who contributed some amazing vocals to the Lofcaudio project, and Anthony Sallee (who played for a stretch with WhiteHeart in the absence of Tommy Simms) to create another Mastedon beast. Rumor has it that Kerry Livgren’s appearance resulted in a juicy 11-minute piece of music that has already got me salivating.

Unconfirmed reports that the band has signed with an Italian label (Frontiers Records) are fueling the fires of rumor about the upcoming Mastedon III record, which may be slated for a fall 2009 release. Be sure to keep an eye out here on KingdomMetal.com for updates. We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as it’s available.

Stryper's 1986 To Hell With the Devil Tour stage rig (Image: Wikimedia Commons user Hard.fael)

Well fellow Metalheads… it’s official. Stryper is hitting the road for a massive US tour in the fall of 2009!

More on the tour in a moment, but first we need to mention that this good news is mixed with some unhappy news. We previously mentioned that legendary Stryper frontman Michael Sweet’s wife, Kyle, was battling cancer. Sadly, she lost that battle in March after two years.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Sweets and Kyle’s entire family.

I’m sure that Kyle’s illness has been a barrier to any plans for a reunion tour, but there’s no better time than a 25th Anniversary to hit the road. Expect stops in 50 US cities, followed by an early-2010 excursion to see the band’s many international fans.

Murder By Pride - new Stryper material!

And what better time than a 25th Anniversary to release a new record with all-new material? Murder By Pride will be released on July 21, 2009, but is already being sold — a song at a time — in a nifty iTunes gimmick promotion. You can only by one song as it is released. And if you miss one you get to wait until July. More details here.

And a new record raises the question… what material will the band play on tour?

Well… I’m glad you asked! According to LiveDaily, they’ll be playing 2 sets in each show. The first set will feature new material — and new bassist Tracie Ferrie. The second set will be classic Stryper (including original bassist Tim Gaines with the rest of the original lineup) in full-blown yellow-and-black spandex regalia. I can hardly wait… I think.

While the sight of these guys in spandex never did really thrill me… and it’s a little hard to imagine them 25 years later… the classic songs and the return to the amazing stage show definitely is a thrill. What can I say, I’ve missed the “visual drummer!” This is a must-see show.

Tickets are going on sale right about now!

Tell me something:

Why has there never been an album this good since?

This one remains a perennial favorite. It’s just the right combination of gritty wild vocals, hard-hitting blues-based guitar riffs, decent production (for the budget, I’m sure)  and in-your-face lyrics. For anyone who thinks that Christian music (always) sucks, they need listen no further.

I had the chance to emcee a Bride show in Tampa not too long before this record was released. What I can tell you is: Dale Thompson is the real freakin’ deal. You may not always like his attitude or perhaps even his theology, but the guy is a genuine as the day is long. His brother Troy has been accused of crafting overly simple guitar parts, and the band has experienced its share of turnover, but nothing — and I mean absolutely nothing — beat Bride live in the early 90s.

This record captured much of the attitude and raw grit of the band in that era. It isn’t a live album, of course, nor was it intended to be. But in the language of studio recordings, it communicated what you heard in a Bride show live. Heck, they even managed to get away with a ballad or two on this one.

Later recordings from the band were hit and miss, in my opinion. Scarecrow Messiah ranks as a 2nd favorite from this Kentucky-based quartet. When they got into the studio with the ex-Pakadermers (the Elefante brothers), things went a little in the “so-so” direction. And — even scarier — when the band had a chance to make a record the way they wanted to do it… well… you have to own it for the collection, but it might collect dust.

I once read an interview with Dale Thompson who responded to the question, “When are you going to make Snakes 2?”

“Listen to Snakes 1.”

With his failed bid for the Presidency in 2008 (yes, you read that right), my guess has it that Dale is back to lifting weights. The band’s website hasn’t been updated in a while (apparently since the 2006 Skin for Skin was released), and there hasn’t been much word of them touring. If they do hit the road again and you have a chance to catch the show… don’t miss it.

*UPDATE* It bears mentioning that Snakes is available for download  in high quality from iTunes. Get it here. The disc has long been out of print and the iTunes files sound great.

*UPDATE #2* I guess in the world of Social Media and Web 2.0 an out-of-date website doesn’t necessarily mean an out-of-touch band. Bride’s official MySpace profile (which appears to be manned by Dale) is quite up-to-date. It looks like Mrs. Dale (Sharon) has suffered from breast cancer (but appears to be recovering cancer-free after surger) and Dale himself is going under the knife for a shoulder replacement due to arthritis. Just one of those would be enough to sideline many a band, but both of them combined with some health issues for their son adds up to one big bummer. Praying for the whole family, and looking to God to sustain them powerfully. Read the updates here, here, and here.

This is a post 15+ years in the making. I’ve been dreaming of the day when I could get my hands on this footage since the early 90s when it was rumored that REZ Band had cameras rolling when they recorded the legendary XX Years Live show in Chicago.

I placed an order at my local Christian bookstore (now long since out of business) and checked on it for months. The video had been assigned an SPCN number and showed up on the microfilm from the distribution house, but alas… it never arrived.

What was the story? One never knew.

But now…

That’s right, folks… footage from the XX Years Live show.

I remember catching tours of REZ Band in the late 80s and early 90s. My brother had seen the Hostage or Mommy Don’t Love Daddy Anymore tour (I can’t remember which) years earlier. Then one day, a personal dream of mine came true: the opportunity to MC a show — even carting the band to the show from the hotel. Wow. Meeting Glenn and Wendi in particular was a dream come true.

Oh man… now they’ve released a box set that features over 3 hours of music from the entire career of REZ Band. Named for their first project (recorded in 1972, which I still have on a cassette tape I picked up on a visit to JPUSA), Music To Raise the Dead contains 3 CDs and a DVD along with an 80-page booklet.

The memories… geez, I had Colours on 8-track. I wore out I don’t know how many cassettes. Today, I still have some of the stuff on CD — particularly Silence Screams and Innocent Blood.  So many favorite songs.

Okay, okay, I’ll shut up (for now). Here’s where to go get the limited edition box set. Tell ‘em the Kingdom Metal Head sent ya.  (Just don’t tell ‘em I was drooling at the time.)