The Crucified

Item: The Crucified
Author: Chris Vicious

(1989)

Reviewed by Chris Vicious

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Label Narrowpath RecordsThe Asbury Collegian October 25, 1990October 25, 1990

crossover thrash hardcore punk thrash metal

In the last few years there have been some great hardcore punk bands publishing material under Christian labels. Included are Believer, Blackhouse, The Scattered Few, Torn Flesh, Deliverance, One Bad Pig, The Crucified, Lust Control, Vengeance, The Lead, and several others. Generally, most of us consider ourselves to be slightly conservative, at least I do, and most likely a lot of you would never give any of these bands a chance. But this summer, as a going away present, a friend of mine who we call "Haze" gave me a copy of "The Crucified" and I loved it!

The Crucified is a young 4-piece band that is definitely on its way up. They are an excellent, excellent band with an excellent message.

The guitar screams, begging for mercy, while at the same time the double bass drum rattles your skull back and forth until you wonder where the drummer gets the endurance to keep going. The crew can throw out some high energy and intensity. It's amazing how fast they play and still maintain precision and a clean sound.

They are definitely a God-fearing band who are proud of Jesus and not afraid to stand alone. In the song, "Your Image," the chorus clearly tells where they are coming from and shows the point they are trying to get across. For example: "When you wake up in Hell, Ask yourself, Was your image worth it? Are you proud of yourself?"

The song, "Getting a Grip on Things" is also very brutal and to the point. It is a tribute to Satan: "I'd start by stabbing seven times for every lie you've said, For lust of eyes I'd pluck out yours, For lust of flesh I'd split your head...", and the song goes on.

Fourteen songs in all, which took under 42 minutes to complete, "The Crucified" is an incredible album and shows a lot of potential. The band is definitely not out to gain friendship with the world, the church, or you and me. For that matter, they are out to proclaim a message and expose the truth.

I had the privilege to speak with the drummer, Jim Chaffin, this last week and he had some very wise things to say as well as being an incredibly humble man with an intense grasp on what I feel Christianity really is. He had told me in his personal life, "The spirit's really been touching us about really trying to pursue godliness and be less tied down with the world so that we might have a deeper love for God. The closer ties you have with the world, the harder it is to walk with the Lord."

I was really impressed with the attitude of humility and openness he showed. It made my respect for the band grow deeper. But you need to hear the album. Besides the powerful lyrics and the killer music, the tape has excellent moshing value! The album is a must for inclusion in every decent collection. I recommend it to anyone who feels overly cultured, anyone with a wild streak in them or anyone who wants a wild streak in them. I warn you, it does get a little brutal, but that is what makes it so great.