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.