Here's some heavy thrash music that should please both the thrash metal and hardcore crowds. "The Pit" starts things off with some Larry Farkas-sounding wah-wah guitar screams from Greg Minier. This song and "Thread" have the most metal-type solos on the album. It describes the swirling fun of a mosh pit, while encouraging those with "violent thoughts" to take 'em elsewhere. Cruisin' tunes with a deep groove, like "Your Image", really make this album enjoyable. Vocalist Marc Salaman sings with rapid-fire passion and guts. Jim Chaffin got a pretty good sound on his snares...they could be beefier, but the bass drums have enough punch to make up for it on most songs. The rhythm chops of Greg Minier and bassist Mark Johnson came off thick and heavy. "One Demon to Another" is a Marc Salaman look into the world of the spirit a la Frank Peretti. Two demons are circling a boy who rejects Christ, waiting to escort him to hell. It ends with the finality of a slamming door. "A Guy in a Suit and the Pope" parallels the life of a crooked tv preacher and the pope. "The Insult Circus" is a brief dissertation on the hypocrisy of thrash bands like Slayer and Anthrax, who hide behind the guise of social commentary without offering any answers. These bands are named too, which is kinda funny: "...boys from South of Heaven, who knock tv preachers with every other word/ You come off so concerned and charge $20+ for a t-shirt...you couldn't care less if I rot in hell...the band named after the cow disease...if you're so wise, then solve my troubles/ Instead you ask more needless questions and my troubles double." "Crucial Moment" ends the album with a rallying cry for unity in the body of Christ "with love". This is a crowd-pleaser in concert. It mixes some funky grooves with some rap delivery and snare drilling. The album speeds along at a break-neck pace. This is a very solid effort by a tight band. If you're into Vengeance Rising, Believer, and The Lead, you'll definitely, positively love The Crucified's debut album.
Other coverage for this album
The Asbury Collegian October 25, 1990Reviewed by Chris ViciousIn 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…Similar sounding releases
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