Trytan

Item: Celestial Messenger
Author: Chelsea Lewis

Celestial Messenger

(1987)

Reviewed by Chelsea Lewis

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Label Regency RecordingsThe Phantom Tollbooth2000

hard rock heavy metal progressive metal

Magdalene's re-release of Trytan's 1987 Celestial Messenger is not unexpected. The label is known for re-releasing classic Christian music albums. The liner notes had this statement: "There are a lot of wonderful albums that go out of print. They are written off as not being worth the time or effort to re-release. At Magdalene Records, we see each re-issue as a piece of Christian music history, still worthy of time and attention of music enthusiasts around the globe." Their choice to re-issue this album, along with many others, is a good one because new listeners are exposed to the beginnings of Christian music and can appreciate how far the industry has come.

Trytan's music is put together well and the lyrics focus on getting closer to God and not rejecting the Truth. Rip Van Winkle is a song about being called by God to follow him. The lyrics are direct and explain exactly what one should do when called:

Wake up, wipe the sleep from your eyes.
Stand up, come and follow me.
A tale passed down through the years, to remind us not to sleep.
Your whole life is flying by, laying by that tree.
Wake up, wipe the sleep from your eyes.

The other songs deal with similar subjects, with song titles like "Don't Turn Away," "Nowhere to Run," and "Chains." There are three bonus tracks included at the end of the disc. Two are from previous demos, and "In Her Eyes," a song previously unreleased. Even though the listener will know immediately that the music was recorded in the 80s, it is nice to hear the early stages of Christian music and lets the listener appreciate the bands and diverse genres present today.

3.5 tocks