New Examiner column talking about my favorite Christian album (thus far) of 2009.
It seems like ancient history now, the raging debate in evangelical circles over heavy metal. Then again, in pop culture circles metal itself seems like ancient history, having long since faded from public view since its halcyon days in the ’80s when spandex and makeup-laden sneers ruled the land. The more serious, darker sides of the genre also enjoyed higher visibility back then before grunge took over and the powers that be decided flannel shirts and depression were the ticket to stardom. Metal went back into the none-too politely ignored department, where it remains to this day despite how veteran acts such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest still pack arenas whenever they come to town.
Back to the metal controversy among evangelicals. The cartoonish rebellion and sex-drenched antics of pop metal acts coupled with the far more sinister appearing elements of its more aggressive side were met with near universal revulsion, many an evangelist turning decrying the obvious (at least to them) satanic evil permeating the artists and the music itself into something of a cottage industry. Meanwhile, there was a contingent of Christian metal fans, small in number but stalwart in the extreme, who with equal fervor declared all music capable of glorifying God and metal’s raw power perfect for proclaiming the raw truth about Jesus. It was a clash of three-piece suits looking for Beelzebub in backmasking versus t-shirts and denim with an occasional outbreak of leather preferring to worship at full volume as they slammed for the Lamb.
Whether metal is any more accepted in the evangelical church now than in the past is debatable. This duly noted, there remains a thriving underground metal scene in contemporary Christian music. A re-energized Stryper is being hailed on its twenty-fifth anniversary tour. Now, an equally veteran band has released what it easily the best album of its career. Which, when you realize the band in question is Bride, says a lot.
Bride has long been the metal band for people who can’t stand metal. Led by the Thompson brothers (Dale on lead vocal and Troy on guitar), Bride has over its lengthy career managed the delicate balancing act of appealing to both pop metal fans as well as those preferring heavier fare. The Thompsons have also brought sufficient grit into their music to where rockers who customarily reject metal as formulatic posing have embraced Bride as the real deal. And oh, is their new album the real deal.
For Tsar Bomba, Bride has embraced the business model of other veteran acts such as the English progressive rock band Marillion, that being music for the fans and directly paid for by them through pre-selling an as yet unrecorded album in order to finance its creation. The fans who participated are getting their money’s worth, as Tsar Bomba is stuffed to the gills with terrific hooks, crunch a-plenty, tons of guitar, and an overall vibe of a band well versed in classic metal without having turned a deaf ear to what’s been going on in harder music the past twenty years.
Troy Thompson is a painfully underrated guitarist, and throughout Tsar Bomba makes this evident via both thunderous solos and the occasional classical interlude, the latter highlighted by a sly rendition of the operatic portion of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The years have taken some of the razored edge off of Dale Thompson’s singing, which is actually a good thing as his more gruff sound fits in well with the album’s more modern grunge and industrial-influenced songs such as the superb and aptly named “Industrial Christ.”
Tsar Bomba is both an oasis for thirsty metalheads and a fantastic introduction for newer fans who love it loud but aren’t altogether sure where loud came from. Do yourself a huge favor and seek out a copy, either on iTunes or the band’s Web site. You will not be sorry.
