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| Living Sacrifice
Artist: Living Sacrifice Label: Solid State Records Length: 10 tracks / 44:41 minutes |
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I still remember when I first heard this album back in 1991, and how wide my eyes got as the first sick wall of dirty distortion blasted into my ears. To this day, no other Christian metal album has captured pounding pure heavy thrash like Living Sacrifice's debut.
Younger fans who only know Reborn will either recoil from this or embrace it as a classic from the era of aggression they never knew. Hail to Tooth & Nail for re-releasing it, an unexpected move for the mostly punk/hardcore label. You know Brandon Ebel was always a closet metal fan....
So, the music. The main criticism, which still stands, is that the album sounds really close to Slayer. Usually, having a Christian alternative to non-Christian bands is completely unnecessary, but what believer would want to listen to Slayer's blasphemy anyway? Living Sacrifice almost reaches the same levels musically, filling each song with handfuls of killer riffs to make the headbanger lick his lips in anticipation, and cranking the same big brutal drumbeats like a freight-train barrelling down the tracks. Differences would be slower and less plentiful leads, and less dynamic vocals. Instead of the bubbling bile of Slayer's Tom Araya, original Living Sacrifice vocalist D.J. favors a monotone shout. Vocals have always been Living Sacrifice's weakpoint. At least here you can understand them, but it still takes a bit away from their impact.
They definitely have the traditional metal dependence on images of
violence for lyrics, as in the description of the final judgement of "Phargx
Imas":
Harvest of the
earth now takes place
Divine authority
to remove the disgrace
Permission given
the sickle is swung
Gathered together
in the press they're slung
With great wickedness
the vats overflow
Rising high,
simulation of the flood
Return to ruin
valley of blood
But they encourage the Lord's example in dealing with our fellow man now, in "Dealing With Ignorance":
Mention Christ
in effect
Stubbornly backs
will turn
Void of knowledge
declining to understand
Scraps of information
forcing knowledge to expand
Dealing with
ignorance
Realize patience
through observing the tolerant
Exercise gentleness
toward those who are ignorant
Beyond examples like these, though, the band makes use of highly theological lyrics that cause the listener's brow to furrow in concentration one moment and their hands to lift in praise the next.
Don't know how well this will go over in today's limp musical climate, but if you're one of the few who pick it up anew or again...make sure you crank it loud and pound your fist in the air. That's the way we did it in the old days.
Josh Spencer 9/15/99
