Retroactive Reissues Classic Christian Metal from Daniel Band, Titanic, & Final Axe
March 4th, 2010 by Craig Hartranft
Retroactive Records, based in Iowa, will release four Collector’s Edition reissues from three notable Christian metal bands. The titles include Daniel Band‘s 1982 seminal work On Rock, two from Titanic, Maiden Voyage (1996) and Screaming in Silence (2002), and Final Axe‘s Beyond Hell’s Gate (recorded in 1989, released 2005). These reissues are an excellent contribution to the history of hard rock, heavy metal, and the Christian inspired influence to both genres.
They are also a study in contrasts showing how Christian rock and metal evolved in less than seven years, and into the later modern age, to dilute the Gospel message.
Daniel Band: On Rock (1982)
Hailing from our northern neighbors, Daniel Band was quintessential late 70s to early 80′s melodic hard rock with touches of heavy metal. Being from Canada their immediate influence and competitor for the hearts, souls, and minds of youth was Rush. Vocalist Dan McCabe was mostly a faux Geddy Lee in performance. On Rock is a genuine classic with not a single dull piece on the entire work.
[On a personal note, back in the day (I can't remember the year), I had the opportunity to work as a stage hand for Daniel Band at a concert in Pottstown, PA. The band flew in by special request of the promoter.]
Generally, as was common in the era, Daniel Band and others were more followers and imitators of the latest secular trends in music. The obvious Rush motif throughout bears this out, as does the clear imitation of Ted Nugent’s Cat Scratch Fever on Two roads. Back in that day, imitation was simply what Christian bands did. Pioneering creativity was not necessary or, at best, nuanced not to cause waves.
Nevertheless, how Daniel Band (and other Christian bands at that time) differed from the later Titanic and Final Axe was their bold expression of the Christian Gospel and the need for conversion to it. Daniel Band were lions in their day boldly roaring out the rock and the Gospel. Yet, taking a listen to Final Axe’s Beyond Hell’s Gate, recorded only seven years, later this was all about to change.
Titanic: Maiden Voyage (1996) & Screaming in Silence (2002); Final Axe: Beyond Hell’s Gate (1989, 2005)
The common threads among Titanic and Final Axe are multiple. All three releases feature veteran (of many Christian bands) Bill Menchen on guitar. All three titles have been remixed, remastered, and partially rerecorded. For the latter, and again on all three recordings, legendary drummer Robert Sweet (Stryper) was brought into replace the original drum machine (smart move). Additionally, by genre, the three albums run the spectrum of melodic hard rock to heavy metal, from traditional (Beyond Hell’s Gate) to more modern (Screaming in Silence). Again, like the Daniel Band work, all three reissue are solid representatives of early modern Christian heavy metal. I liked all three, but found Beyond Hell’s Gate a closer favorite. If you are collector, you should not miss them.
As compared to Daniel Band, the common thread for these later Christian bands is the continuing imitation of current music trends. This is certainly present on Beyond Hell’s Gate. Yet, with Maiden Voyage and Screaming in Silence you can hear some deliberate attempts to push Christian music out of the poor Christian’s generic ghetto with some ingenuity. However, since the intent (I hope) is to win the unrepentant listeners of pagan mainstream music to the Gospel, neither Final Axe and Titanic could veer to far from their closest secular cousins.
Conversely, in greater contrast to Daniel Band, Titanic, Final Axe (too a lesser extent), and many more early and late modern Christian bands evolved in their presentation of the Gospel. It became more muted or, more often, diluted to the point of incoherency. Where their contemporary Christian music brethren in the melodic/praise pop/rock side were making Jesus their boyfriend or girlfriend through a watered down, man-centered, feel good theology , the hard rock and heavy metal acts referred to the Trinity and the Gospel by innuendo or allusion, often in cathartic experiential terms for young teenage angst. Unlike Daniel Band who were lions as Gospel heralds, Titanic and Final Axe were kittens (better: pussies) shrinking away from a bold proclamation of the soul-saving Gospel.
Influences Upon Modern Trends
Much of this trend continues today in modern Christian hard rock and metal. You need only survey the bands that appear in the pages of HM magazine to verify this much. The fact that most modern metal favors a hardcore motif and dirty/death metal vocals, the Gospel is even more obscured and vacated from the music and lyrics. Consequently, these bands suggest that the alternative to speaking a bold Gospel is bearing witness by their lives. This begs two questions.
First, if I can’t understand you or your lyrics, why would I want to talk beyond your music, clothing, and tattoos to the God of the Universe and his savior, Jesus Christ? Second, how do you ignore the clear Biblical truth and admonition that ‘faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.’ If the medium is supposed to be relevant, then put the message in it. Ultimately, I think most of what is done in modern Christian metal is done to be relevant and unoffensive. The former can work for communicating the Gospel, but the latter neuters it. By it’s very nature, the Gospel is offensive (which is why heavy metal works so well as a medium, but not in the case of modern metal).
These are probably the greatest reasons why I don’t listen to or give little credence to much modern Christian hard rock and metal. The Gospel is obliterated or ignored and, if present, reduced to personal experience and self-interpreting theology, and not to a Savior you died on a bloody cross upon a hill outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago for the forgiveness of sins. In the end, in our post-modern, post-Christian culture, hard rock and heavy metal bands may be musically relevant and recognized for their contributions, but they’re still preaching to the converted.
Tags: Daniel Band, Final Axe, Retroactive Records, Robert Sweet, Titanic
This entry was posted on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 3:52 pm and is filed under Commentary, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Music News, Music Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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I just read your review of Daniel Bands On Rock. The song that sounds like Cat Scratch Fever is no Under Cover Christian but Two Roads. I know I was the drummer on the Album .
Thanks, Peter, and I knew that. But rather than check my notes, I went from memory when writing the article, not a good idea for this aging metalhead. The correction has been made.