Reviewed by Peter John Willoughby

After a certain time things come back into fashion. Messenger have a sound that takes you back to the late '80s, when Pure Metal Records was at its peak. Back then the major releases were Saint 'Too Late For Living', Bride 'Live To Die' and Whitecross 'Hammer & Nail'. Fast forward 20 years to 2008 and Washington DC's Messenger here release their debut. The reason that I am referencing Messenger back to those late '80s Christian metal acts is not just the sound, but also the simple biblical messages in their lyrics. "Hell Is No Party" is a glorious heavy metal romp with "One time you shake your fist in the air/One time you shout to the sky/One time you destroy what good could be there/One time you just got too high/God says it's sin and you say 'Oh well, I'll laugh with my friends when I get to Hell'/ Hell is no party, Hell is no fun/You face the Maker (and eternity) in a crowd of one/Hell is no party!" Next up is the epic "King Of Kings" with its smoking guitar solos and time changes. It is based on Revelation and the return of Christ on a white horse. The chorus is "And his vesture dipped in blood/He is the Lamb who bore the cross/He is the mighty King Of Kings/The war shall not be lost". "Bright And Morning Star" starts out as a gentle ballad before throwing in hard rock riffing. This is followed by "Don't Shoot The Messenger" which beats you around the head with the chorus "Don't shoot the messenger/You know I bring good news/If you feel the fear of God/You know what you must choose/Don't shoot the messenger/my message - don't refuse". "Forbidden Love" is a thoughtful ballad about being attracted to a beautiful woman, but not knowing whether she shares the same beliefs. There entails a lot of soul-searching. The musicianship on this album is great, especially the twin guitar attack. The lyrics may leave non-Christians puzzled due to some of the biblical/church language but no one can doubt that this is well executed old school metal.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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