The whole Christian metal atmosphere is to me, a bit creepy. Xtian music is created for those that believe they may commit some sin from hearing regular, mass marketed music. So therefore their lyrics are "pure" and about loving God first and foremost and so forth. Atleast, the regular bands, there are exceptions to every rule. So therefore, most of these outfits are pretty much ripoffs of other, popular acts. They emulate the sounds and then spoon feed it to those too holy to partake into the real thing. Like your fingers are going to spontaneously combust from touching a Megadeth, Testament or...Lord help us, Slayer cd. Other than Stryper, there are few that have broken into the mainstream, and even fewer that had an original sound, although they do exist. Barren Cross, Halo, Shout, Guardian...if you dig around there are some good bands lurking out in the desolate Xtian scene. Then there are the copycats that were beloved simply for giving their audiences something they had been clamoring for and were absolutely jacked up to diety-like status for it.

Whitecross is one of those copycat bands. They were better known for sifting out any titillating sinful debris in Ratt's music and putting into the purity filter to squeege out something that wouldn't damn you to hell for listening to it, and still retain the sleaze feel. Sleaze and Christ just doesn't seem to go together. Now to commemorate the release of that sole disc that got them out of their little world and into a slightly bigger spotlight, Whitecross has rerecorded the album, minus one song. It's called - inventively - "Nineteen Eighty Seven." One wonders why a disc that was considered to be something of a classic (atleast to the underground that was clamoring for this sort of thing) needed a rerecording. Perhaps a remastering, but a rerecording? After twenty releases did Whitecross finally run out of ideas? Is it some kind of trick to get media attention? Because it certainly did that, as everyone wants to know why and if it sounds better or worse than the original. People love to compare and this is just begging to get put through the ringer.

The singer Scott Wenzel sounds like Stephen Pearcy, and the guitarist is pretty much a shred hero by the name of Rex Carroll. Their songs are Cinderella/Ratt copycats that talk about our Lord and saviour instead of girls and good times. Occasionally they throw in a track that's more heavy on the melody and then its like Bon Jovi/Van Halen with Ratt overtones. The only reason to even listen to this is to hear Rex's guitars which the riffs themselves are technically interesting knockoffs of the equally impressive Warren DiMartini (also of Ratt fame).

Rex is playing with such passion and fire you'd think he considered this his final performance and just gave it his all. And even more remarkable is that in twenty years, his guitar sound has not changed at all. Gained some ground with better recording equipment, but other than that, it's 1987 all over again. The drumming is also thumpier and more dynamic, lending a feel that is thunder bumping good. The whole album is truly improved, and Scott's more subdued vocals fit better than the full out screeches as before.

For Ratty goodness you get the "Lack of Communication" sounding "Signs of the End". More melodic is "No Way I'm Goin' Down" and "Who Will Follow". Lyrically, this is a lesson in pain as they are so far cheesed they make Stryper's yellow and black getups look hip in comparison. "Enough Is Enough" may be better than the original since it has a thicker overall sound and rougher guitars. Just ignore the putrid "Enough Nuff" chorus line. "Seein' Is Believin'" has a classy hookline, some snazzy guitars and an overall party vibe - with a message - that makes it a delightful little track in the familiar veins of the rodents they strive to emulate.

The "new" material you get "Love on the Line" that only appeared on a various artist compilation called "Testify".  It definitely rocks and was a popular song for their concert set.  "You're Mine" is missing and who knows why. It was a ballad and is just not present. Eh. No one is going to cry over it's absence, but it does make you wonder why it was omitted. Not Godly enough perhaps? Rex shreds it up on "Re:Animate", a new guitar instrumental that is kind of a nod to the classic "Eruption". It's an interesting punctuation for a re-recording re-release that doesn't really need it. The meat of the disc is good enough on its own to hold up but the added material is a nice bonus.

Whitecross lost Carroll in the mid 90s but trucked on without him. The sound with Carroll was vastly different than without. Some love the early stuff, some the latter and then there's this album, "Ninteen Eighty Seven (2005 Recording)" which is a rehash of their earliest mark on music. Many Whitecross fans are swearing that this is a better, improved version of the original, and its hard to argue that viewpoint. The overall sound is richer, the guitars are just as daring and even beefier and the atmosphere is just ringing of a Christian Ratt revival. While it may not be recommended for the average music fan (picking up some of Ratt's discs is a better choice overall), but those into the CCM scene will lap this up like a second coming.

Written by Alanna
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Show all reviews by Alanna

Ratings

Alanna: 6.5/10

Members: No members have rated this album yet.

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Comment by Brian (Staff) - Thursday, May 15, 2008

View Profile Comments: 81 No Alanna, it was created for those rock / metal fans who maybe believed that a celebration of Christianity was an improvement on the banality of songs about sex and drugs. Arguably, Larry Norman kicked it all off with 'Why Should The Devil Have All The Best Tunes?'. Me, I don't listen to Megadeath, Slayer and whoever, simply because I don't like their music. Stryper, Guardian, Whitecross, John Elefante, Kansas, Petra, Bride, Mastedon, Novella, Whiteheart and more. I could go on but I won't. All great rock / metal bands. Yes, they had their influences. Name me a band that doesn't. It's good to see '1987' creating a few waves in 2008. Brian Posted by Brian (Staff) Thursday, May 15, 2008

Comment by Alanna (Staff) - Friday, May 16, 2008

View Profile Comments: 245 I did mention quite a few very good Christian themed bands right at the start of the review including Guardian. Unfortunately I grew up with some kids (teenagers) who's parents would not allow them to listen/watch/read anything that was not Xtian related. It was a sin to do so and these beliefs followed them into adulthood. That's why I said it was creepy, because there are many, many more like them. And that's the target audience of most of these bands as well. Sure everyone is influenced by somebody, but many Christian bands were clones of their big brothers. Whitecross sounds just like Ratt. While Ratt was popular. Such shameless riffing on other bands would not have been tolerated in the "secular" musical crowd. Just look at how much Whitesnake was ripped a new one for so-called "copying" Led Zeppelin (something I could understand in Kingdom Come but didn't agree with for WS for the most part). As for Christian bands, all I have to say is: Saviour Machine. Absolutely fascinating and delving deeply into eschatology. If you haven't heard them, I highly recommend it. Posted by Alanna (Staff) Friday, May 16, 2008

Comment by Brian (Staff) - Friday, May 16, 2008

View Profile Comments: 81 Eschatology! Wow! I bit too deep for me I think. I prefer lyrics that provide some insights into the here and now. But I know the band...thanks. I agree with everything you say...except...It's unfair to claim that the people you described are/were the target audience of Christian rock bands in the eighties. I think it's reasonable to claim that their purpose was twofold. 1. To provide contemporary rock music to Christian teenagers, music that was lyrically relevant to their religious beliefs and 2. Through the music, to open Christianity to a wider audience. On the latter, probably only Stryper truly gained a sizeable audience outside of Christian circles. I used to write the Classic Christian Rock review section for a magazine called Hard RoxX. It always got great feedback. When i think of some of the really great artists . . .Phil Keaggy, Liaison (the Melby brothers), Idle Cure (now there was band). . . Scott Wenzel's solo stuff. Great times. Anyway, I think we're both agreed that the re-recorded version of 'Nineteen Eighty Seven', whatever the motives, is worth a listen. Posted by Brian (Staff) Friday, May 16, 2008

Comment by Little Drummer Boy (Member) - Saturday, June 14, 2008

View Profile Comments: 166 Ratings: 46 Barren Cross is my favorite "Christian band" out there (though I do not believe they have released anything since Rattle Your Cage). STATE OF CONTROL and ATOMIC ARENA are great releases. Posted by Little Drummer Boy Saturday, June 14, 2008

Comment by Alanna (Staff) - Tuesday, June 17, 2008

View Profile Comments: 245 I love Barren Cross as well, a very good band indeed! There was a Xtian metal act that I believe came out around either 88-89 or 90-91 that was a snapshot copy of Queensryche. Some record label awhile back released two of their albums from that time period into a double set. I had it, and liked it quite a bit, but CANNOT for the life of me, remember what this was or even the band name and its driving me insane. I had it around 1999-2000 and must have lost it when I moved the first time in 2000. Anyone help out here? Posted by Alanna (Staff) Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Comment by Little Drummer Boy (Member) - Monday, July 20, 2009

View Profile Comments: 166 Ratings: 46 Veni Domine!!!!!! 1st full studio release was in 1991 and had 5 others since that time with the last one being released in 2007. Just to bad their view is that the world would be a much better place if everyone was a christian kind of put me off. Posted by Little Drummer Boy Monday, July 20, 2009