the Lighthouse
vol2#2  Shining Light on Today's Christian Music  February 1993

WHITECROSS
Aggressive, bold, and in-your-face.  That's Whitecross.  For the last
seven years, the members of Whitecross have been playing their version
of rock and roll music all over the nation.  The last five years have
been a virtually non-stop road trip for the group spanning the globe.
I had a chance to speak with Rex Carroll, lead guitarist and original
member about the group.  Despite his aggressive guitar work, Rex is a
surprisingly soft-spoken individual, in volume only.  What he saves in
loudness he makes up for in boldness.
COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE FORMATION OF THE GROUP?
"The group's actually been together seven years�hard to believe for
us.  We're all from Chicago.  We didn't play out too much.  We did our
first recording in 1987.  That was WHITECROSS.  We have five albums
from that time.  We played together (our first major break) at
Cornerstone in 1987�that was like a local gig for us.  It used to be
twenty minutes from where we all lived.  So that was a big thrill for
us at the time.  STEVE TAYLOR called and we opened for his tour in the
spring of 1988.  That tour really launched us into being a full-time
road band.  It just went from there.  [There] were so many invitations
to do festivals and we were able to book a fall tour and the next
thing you know, here we are�full time on the road.  We hadn't really
planned on getting out there that quickly, but we did.  Then we just
dove right in to our second album, HAMMER AND NAIL.  Then we did more
touring.  We did some international dates.  There was a whole time
frame in there from Spring of 1988 until Spring of 1990 [that] kind of
went by in a blur for me.  It was like one big, gigantic road trip.
Then we also did our third album, TRIUMPHANT RETURN.  We did some
European tours in 1989 and in the fall of 1989 we went to Guatemala
and our first experience with the third world.  We've been back to
Guatemala and El Salvador and Nicaragua.  Then StarSong purchased the
Pure Metal label and [we] became a StarSong artist.  We did IN THE
KINGDOM for StarSong in 1991.  There was a Dove Award out of that for
metal album.  TRIUMPHANT RETURN also received a metal album Dove
Award.  This last year, in 1992 we did the most number of dates that
we've ever done in a single year.  It's the biggest traveling road
show that we've ever taken out.  In the summer of 1992 we did HIGH
GEAR, which is our fifth album.  That brings us up to date on the
particulars."
"There have been some personnel changes along the way.  I would just
say that when we've had personnel changes, it's never been a situation
where three guys [were] ganging up on one guy.  [We've] never had that
type of situation.  People leave for various reasons, basically, God
calling them into other ministries.  [We] have maintained friendship
and contact with all the individuals over the years.  Mike Feighan has
actually been in the band two years.  He's our drummer and backing
vocalist.  Our newest guy has been in the group for one year.  Scott
Harper is from Dallas and he's a wonderful bass player, vocalist,
[and] keyboard player.  He brings a lot to the band, musically.  When
we audition players for the band, first, we screen for A: 'Can they
play music and can they play it well?'  So that's a given.  Then
narrow the field down to the guys that can play.  After that, we get
to the real test: 'Which of these guys [has] a heart for the Lord?
Which of these guys is called by the Lord into being in a ministry
such as ours?'  The guys that we have really love the Lord and there's
a unity in the group.  We all want to serve the Lord and we want to
lift Him up in the music and the concerts and we want to see young
people making decisions to follow Jesus Christ.  Above that, we want
to see them discipled.  We want to see kids making decisions to follow
the Lord and then we want to see them growing in that decision and
growing up into mature Christians.  That would be the microscopic
picture of the band."
SO HOW LONG WILL THE "WHIRLWIND" WORLD TOURING LAST?
"It's starting to slow down a little.  Last year, 1992, was a big
year.  It was also a hard year.  It seemed like we were just gone all
the time.  A couple of us, myself and Scott Wenzel, have families.  In
1993, we're going to do an extensive spring tour and we're going to do
a fall tour.  In the mean-time, we're going to take three months off
over the summer.  Which, as far as the public goes, it's like the band
was never gone.  We're out there all spring, we're out there all fall,
the new album, HIGH GEAR, is out there.  We're working on videos, so
the band is going to be in your face, pretty much all year."
"Then, strategically looking ahead to 1994, all this Lord willing,
we're going to do a new album for the spring of 1994.  We'll do some
summer festival performances, and we'll hopefully plan a large fall
tour with the biggest production yet for 1994.  I think, for the first
half of 1994, we'll be away for a while.  I don't think that's a bad
thing.  We've toured so extensively.  I see people now that approach
us at a concert and say, 'Yeah, I've seen you guys a half a dozen
times.'  That's wonderful.  I appreciate the loyalty and it's fun
having a devoted audience like that, but at the same time, it gets to
the point where, 'Okay, I've seen you guys this many times, what can
you do that's new that we haven't seen already?  Give us a reason to
keep coming back to the concert.'  I think giving it a rest for a
while is a good thing."
"There's a lot of things that I've wanted to do.  Areas of producing
some other artists that are coming up and Scotty, at the present, is
working on a solo album.  He is interested in doing more laid back,
he'd like to have an album that's a little more laid back�more
ballads.  I'd like to get a chance to maybe do a solo album exploring
the blues.  I've always been a sort of a closet blues freak.  I've
wanted to do that for a while.  I've been talking about doing that for
the last three years.  Taking a break would give us a chance to
explore some of those other interests and keep all of our perspectives
on the band healthy at the same time.  It's nothing for any of the
fans to get worried about.  The commitment to being in Whitecross is
there.  We've been touring for five years and 1993 is going to be a
big year."
HIGH GEAR SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TO ME.  HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
THE EVOLUTION OF YOUR STYLE?
"At the very beginning of our band, back to the first appearance at
Cornerstone in 1987, we had a major press conference at that one
because people were all excited about the group back then�new artist
out of nowhere, it seemed like.  People asked, 'What is the sound of
Whitecross?'  Back then, I said, 'Give us about 4 or 5 albums.'  We
loved the metal sound, but there's a lot of other influences that I
would like to draw from.  I would like to see the band grow up and
mature and develop into its own sound.  I remember, even back then,
saying 'Hang with us for four or five years and then ask the question
again.'  I've wanted to experiment with bringing in blues influences�
which we did on IN THE KINGDOM.  [Before], we would write a ballad
just because it was like, 'You can't have 10 rock and roll songs in a
row.  You have to stick one ballad in there to break things up.'
Moving from that into what we've got on HIGH GEAR is we have one of my
favorite songs, 'I'm Asking You Today.'  This is just an acoustic
guitar, a cello, an oboe, and Scott [Wenzel].  It's the most tender
exposed kind of thing that we've ever done.  I like it for what it is.
It's from the heart and it's something that we wanted to do and the
time was right to do it, and we did it.  At the same time, there's
screaming rock and roll on the album.  When StarSong came on board,
they also have thrown some things into the band and injected some
things.  Dez Dickerson wrote the song 'In the Kingdom.'  For the new
album, he wrote 'In America,' which sonically, is very similar to 'In
the Kingdom.'  We're doing that and there's been some clunkers along
the way...  I have wanted to get away from [the rock anthem which]
lead to doing things like 'Holy War,' which, from a song-writing point
of view, was a big success on IN THE KINGDOM, and 'Dancing in Heaven.'
As far as conventional song writing formulas, it's way different.
It's taking some chances, taking a risk every now and then as a
songwriter, trying to push the band into exploring new territories.
Looking ahead to the next album which would be the spring of 1994,
that's a long way's off, but I would say maybe there's a good chance
that we'll go back and it will have a more of a rock and roll sound
like some of the earlier things that we used to do."
"I don't think we ever really were [a heavy metal band]�our influences
are a little more diverse, I think."
I NOTICED STARSONG IS REALLY PUSHING HIGH GEAR.  IS THAT ENABLING YOU
TO DO ANYTHING MORE THAN BEFORE?
"It all gets added into the pot.  I think [there are] two primary
reasons the group has been successful, as much as we have.  Number
one: we've been out touring and that makes people aware of the band
and number two: because of the clear message of the lyrics with the
altar calls at the concerts and being very clear about who we are.
There's been a level of acceptance, within the church, that has maybe
been denied to some of the other groups.  I think it's the two of
those things working together that has allowed us to be successful to
where we are.  Now, with StarSong helping out with marketing and
taking care of the business types of things, that's going to help all
the more.  There seems to be a growing recognition within the church
that the group is a ministry band.  We certainly do appreciate all of
it.  It just helps make our job a little easier."
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A GROUP OF CHRISTIAN PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING TO
YOUR CONCERT ABOUT BRINGING UNSAVED FRIENDS?  HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE
THEM?
"I would say, let's not forget, in all of this serious ministry talk,
we like to have fun.  The concert is a lot of fun.  We have a state-
of-the-art computerized moving light show that we've never had before
this year.  It's going to be unlike any other Christian event that
you've ever seen.  The music is the best it's ever been.  The band is
the best we've ever been.  So it they're a Whitecross fan anyway, this
is one you're not going to want to miss.  The concert is fun, it's
loud, it's rock and roll.  I say rock and roll, but it's all those
other things too.  If you've got a friend who likes rock and roll,
then they're going to love this concert.  There is no way that
somebody is going to leave this concert without having seen a clear
picture of who Jesus Christ is and an opportunity to do something
about it.  Because we will present the Gospel and we will give people
a chance to respond to the Gospel.  We always have counselors
available at the concert to be with people if somebody makes a
decision to follow Christ we have follow-up prepared for that in
advance.  It's an excellent opportunity to have fun, lift up the Lord
together, celebrate His love in our lives, and expose people who don't
know who God is to expose them to all that and give them an
opportunity to join the party."

Whitecross is devoted to ministering to kids more than anything.  Rex
states, "we love doing the music, but what we really want to do is to
do what Jesus did.  He ministered to people... that we would meet the
needs of the people."  Lead singer, Scott Wenzel is quick to add that,
"when we quit hearing of good reports of the fruit that Whitecross is
able to produce through our Lord, that's when I quit.  I give up.
That's the only reason I do this.  I love doing the music, but I have
more of a desire to see kid's lives changed.  If I stop seeing that at
any time, I'm through."
How do they summarize the main goal of this ministry?  Almost in
unison, they respond "to exalt the Lord."
�J. WARNER SODITUS

From the Editor
I hope your year is going well and that you have kept your New Year's
resolutions.
Thanks to everyone who sent back the reader's survey forms.  As you
can see, the year end favorites are listed, as well as the Top 20
selling albums of 1992.  Congratulations to Tara Younce, her name was
picked from the surveys returned to receive a pair of CD's.
Speaking of the surveys, I appreciate the comments.  I see that very
few people were interested in the song lyrics, and they have gone.  I
am seriously considering your suggestions to expand, but right now,
it's not financially possible.  With the increase in printing costs
and postage, I couldn't do it.  Hopefully, I can soon attract some
advertisers to defray the cost, since I don't want to raise the
subscription cost.  Several people commented that they liked the lack
of advertising here.  Well, it's a trade-off.  Limited advertising
means a compact information-packed magazine, but it limits the
resources that I have available.  (For the record... my taxes aren't
quite finished, but the bottom line looks like a net loss around $800
for the nine months of operation last year).  I don't want to make a
profit, but I want to keep relatively financially sound.  I always
welcome your suggestions on these and other matters.
There are a lot of new releases scheduled this month.  Feel free to
take a stab at writing a music review.  I welcome your submissions.
Send for a copy of the writer's guidelines�they'll help.  Also, to
those who have written for guidelines: if you haven't received them by
now, let me know.  The mail has been a little flaky around here.  Some
things may have gotten lost.
Take care, drop a line... God Bless!
�J. WARNER SODITUS, EDITOR

Executive Editor/Publisher: J. Warner Soditus
Copy Editors: Anne Daniels, Neal Guilmette
Contributing Photographer: Patty Masten
Contributors: Roger Appelinski, Beth Blinn, Bryan W. Brendley, Brad
Mattern, Keith A. Valentine
Subscription Information:
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The Lighthouse is not for profit and is published monthly
Copyright: the Lighthouse copyright 1993 by Polarized Publications,
all rights reserved
Writers guidelines are available upon request.
The Lighthouse will not be responsible for any products or services
offered in advertisements.

HALO
For the past year and a half, Halo, a band of pop-rockers that hail
from Alabama, has been gaining increasing attention from Christian
radio.  Recently, Mike Graham, the group's drummer, took a few minutes
to talk about Halo�their past and their future.
Halo began in 1980, when Graham, who was fourteen at the time, was
introduced to Scott Springer and Keith Mead.  The three decided to
play together, despite the fact that Springer and Mead were seven
years older than Graham.  Mead and Springer were both Christians, and
made it clear to Graham that their interest was in pursuing Christian
music.  Although he had some reservations, Graham agreed.
"I'd been playing in Southern Gospel bands since I was 12, for a
couple of years," explains Graham.  "I really didn't want to do all
Christian music, but I liked the kind of music that we were playing so
I said sure.  I figured, I'd played [in] Southern Gospel bands and I
wasn't a Christian, so I figured I could do this and not be a
Christian."
Eventually, though, Graham realized that he needed God, and became a
Christian on January 9, 1982.  At that point, all three members were
focused on the same goal, and the group really began to take form.
For nine years, Halo played in various places around the South, mainly
throughout Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia.  At one point in
their travels, they met Bob Hartman, guitarist and primary songwriter
for Christian rock's most prominent band, PETRA.  For Halo, that
meeting proved to be a turning point.
"He [Bob] really took an interest in our ministry," says Graham.  "He
drove down from Nashville, took us out to dinner, and said he was
really interested in what we were doing.  Bob just really gave of
himself, I mean, every aspect of himself.  I can't say enough about
how good of a man he is.  He just really took interest in our
ministry.  He helped us, taught us more about song-writing, he
provided us with equipment so we could have a decent P.A. system to go
out and play... he's a man that's got a true heart after God."
In 1989, Springer felt he was being called to full-time ministry.  He
wasn't sure exactly in what capacity, but felt very certain that was
what God wanted.  At first, it looked like he was going to go to
seminary and become a youth pastor.  About the same time, Bob Hartman
called Graham and told him about John and Dino Elefante, the brothers
who began Pakaderm records and were the producers of the last several
Petra albums.  Halo had made a demo tape in Hartman's studio, and
Hartman took it to the Elefantes.  Shortly afterward, Pakaderm offered
a recording contract to Halo.
Halo has released two albums since joining up with Pakaderm, but it
was their second, HEAVEN CALLING, that really started garnering
attention among contemporary Christian music fans.  Comparisons to
PETRA have been plentiful, but that is not surprising, given the
influence of Hartman and the Elefantes.  Springer is the primary
lyricist in the group, with Graham and John Elefante doing most of the
music.  P. J. Marx has recently joined them as their new guitarist.
So, what's it like working with the celebrated Elefante brothers?
"That's everybody's favorite question," laughs Graham.  "It's work!
It's a lot of fun, a lot of frustration sometimes, when they're
pushing you, and you don't think you can do it any better, and they
keep pushing you until they get something better out of you.  It's
hard work, but they're a lot of fun.  They love to cut-up and play."
Throughout their history, Halo has done a lot of touring.  A trip that
had a big impact on them, though, was one they took to Guatemala over
Christmas of 1991.  Graham explains, "Guatemala was a whole,
different, unique experience.  I don't know if I've yet to come up
with words to describe it...  You hear about the poverty in other
countries, and I guess you sort of become numb to it.  But we were
able to see it first hand.  The poverty is just devastating."
But, amongst the poverty, Halo found an openness to the Gospel.  "They
are a Spanish-speaking country, and we couldn't really communicate
with them except through the missionary that brought us there.  We
went to a church service that Sunday, and it was really neat...
there's an interest, there's a hunger for the Gospel.  Whereas, here
in the United States, especially down here, where we live in the Bible
belt, there's just a lot of rejection of the Gospel, because of the
fall of the T.V. evangelists.  So many people see Christians, and see
people who call themselves Christians, and when they fall, they think,
'Well, I don't want any of that.'  People in the United States have
sort of become hard against the Gospel.  But down there it was a whole
different experience."
And, although the road can be hard, being away from families and home
churches, there are definite rewards.  "My most memorable experience,"
remembers Graham "was when we played in a club in Evansville, Indiana.
We'd played there before, in July of 1991.  We came back eight months
later, something like that, and we played this little club again, and
this girl came up, and she was just beaming.  I mean, you could just
see Jesus all in her face.  And, we got to talking with her, and came
to find out that she had gotten saved at our concert.  That was just
the biggest blessing to me, seeing that someone had come to know the
Lord through our concert, and being able to come back and see that
they got rooted and grounded in the Word."
While Graham is very comfortable with the direction that Halo is
going, musically and ministry-wise, he has an appreciation for fellow
artists who feel a different calling.  "There is, of course, the big
controversy, the big artists that have gone and have been successful
in the secular market as well.  I've heard people criticize them, and
you know, that's up to them [the artist], what God's wanting them to
do.  Being a musician and an artist, it's so weird, because, if you
work at a grocery store, you don't have threats of people saying,
'Well, that's not a Christian grocery store.'  You know, it's just,
you have a job.  But, in the music industry, it's a whole different
ball game, which in a sense, it is the same thing, because you have a
job.  To some people, it's more of a job, and not as much ministry.
For us it's really ministry first, and that's the reason we do it, is
to have an open door�to be able to share the Gospel with people.  But,
as far as those other people, I say more power to them.  If they can
make a difference, I pray that God will just continue to bless them.
And I'll say this for AMY GRANT�my wife and I went to one of her
concerts about a year or so ago... and it wasn't like one of our
concerts, where you hear a lot of preaching, and a lot of sharing
about the Gospel.  But, the few things she said, to me, were so
powerful.  I really felt the Lord there.  I know that just by her
concert, I could tell, at least the night that I was there, the Spirit
of the Lord was definitely there.  She said some things�she didn't
give an altar call, or give people an opportunity to accept Christ,
but she shared with them, just real simple, about the Gospel, and it
was a way that wouldn't intimidate people or scare them off... and I
pray that she will continue to do that, and not get away from that."
Halo is currently working on their third album.  As of this interview,
Springer was in California, laying down the vocal tracks at the
Pakaderm studio.  The projected release is May or June.  No title, as
of yet.
"We seem to always run to the last minute, trying to come up with a
title.  Hopefully, in the next three weeks to a month, we'll have a
title,"  Graham says.
�BETH BLINN

URGENT MUSIC GROUP
When he was a senior at The University of Texas, Phillip Sandifer was
challenged by a friend who was discipling him: "Phillip, before you're
through your senior year, I want you to consider going into music
full-time�using music as your evangelistic tool."  Phillip will tell
you that he is "one who really doesn't jump into things until [he]
know[s] at least a little bit about what it is."  So he took his
senior year off and went to California to study the Christian music
industry.
In 1984, after graduating from The University of Texas, Sandifer was
offered a record deal with Sparrow records.  His manager, at the time,
worked out a deal for the two of them to begin a new record label�
Urgent Records.  When Sandifer and his ministry took over the company
from his manager in 1988, the first change they made was the
relocation of the company from California.  The move to Austin is part
of what helped make Urgent Records unique.
Most of the record companies are situated in Nashville or in
California, so this move was away from the industry, which would later
be representative of the change in focus, also away from the industry.
Sandifer feels that this has been one of the most challenging things
Urgent Music Group has had to deal with.  He has read that the
industry heads are concentrating on the business end of the industry
and not the spiritual needs of the audiences.  "It just really struck
me," shares Sandifer, "that this industry has gotten so unit focused
and not ministry focused... Christian Music started because a group of
musicians in the late 70's and early 80's had a talent and they said,
'I'm a Christian and I've got this talent and I'm going to use it to
reach people for Christ.'  They went and performed concerts and it was
a real ministry driven industry... So when you start talking about
units and market shares and increasing the market share, and the only
thing you can do is that, you make the message more palatable.  When
you start making the message more palatable, you start compromising
the message�it's the true Gospel of Christ that's going to change
people's lives, not a watered down version."
So when Sandifer has new artists looking at signing with one of the
companies under the Urgent Music Group, he says that he's looking for
"someone that's going to stand up on a soap box in the parking lot of
our building and tell people about Jesus.  Because, if they don't have
a desire to go and tell people about Christ, whether it be in our
town, or in the music industry, having the willingness to go and do
100-120 dates a year in other cities across the country, then they
don't really fit into our [Urgent's] purpose very well.  Our purpose
is to take the Gospel to the world and to do that, you've got to
travel and to go to different towns and be willing to do that."  With
a strong sense of dedication and commitment to Christ, Sandifer tells
young hopefuls, they can go far, but it is getting "discovered" that
sometimes stops young people from answering the call to music
ministry.
Recently, some of the few who have answered this call and were
willing to go and tell the world about Jesus went looking for a label
to sign with.  When Sandifer saw the ministry-focus of these talented
artists, he wanted them to sign with Urgent Records.  But, another
thing that makes Urgent Music Group different is the fact that they
are "label-identity" conscious.  Since Urgent Records is mostly adult-
contemporary and some of the new talent that they were looking to sign
was alternative or inspirational, Sandifer and his team at Urgent
Records had a dilemma.  The best answer they came up with has proven
to be quite successful; Sandifer and his group decided, "Well, hey!
Let's start a couple new labels to accommodate these people we really
want to work with."  This was the beginning for Enclave Entertainment
and Heart and Soul Music.
One of those artists to sign with Urgent Music Group was Mark Heard.
Last summer, as Mark and Urgent Music Group were awaiting the release
of his album, Mark was performing at Cornerstone Festival near
Chicago, Illinois.  In the middle of his set Heard turned to a girl in
the band and told her he thought he was having a heart attack.  The
girl, naturally, thought he was joking-that it was just an expression.
But after the concert, Heard came off stage and collapsed.  He really
had been having a heart attack.  Heard was rushed to a hospital in
Chicago where he was revived and given a full check-up.  Heard was
eager to get back to California, but while he was waiting in a hotel
room for his flight to California, he had a second heart attack and
fell into a coma.  It was this heart attack that eventually killed
Heard.  The hospital bills poured in and created an additional
enormous burden for his family.  So Dan Russell, Mark's manager, put
on several benefit concerts.  A radio special has been planned and is
ready to go but the process is being slowed by the paper work that is
involved in setting up the "900 number" for people to call to help
with the fund-raising.
Something that has been weighing heavy on Sandifer's heart recently
is "that we have all these problems in our society, such as parents
that leave their kids at home [alone], problems with our education
system, AIDS... If there ever was a time for Christian musicians to
stand firm on a very clear message, it's now.  People, more than ever,
need to hear the Gospel.  They don't need to hear a watered-down
version of the Gospel, they need to hear the true Gospel of Jesus
Christ.  [He] would encourage [everyone] to stand on that and not
believe all the stuff that [we] hear.  What He cares about is people
believing in the true Gospel."
�Jennifer A. Howard
ED. NOTE:  ANYONE WISHING TO ASSIST THE HEARD FAMILY WITH THEIR BURDEN
OF MEDICAL BILLS MAY SEND CONTRIBUTIONS TO: HEARD FAMILY FUND, P.O.
BOX 197, MERRIMAC, MA  01860 OR CALL (508) 346-4577

SARDONYX
Sardonyx stands out as a unique Christian heavy metal band.  Having a
full-time ministry behind the music in the form of an international
metal magazine (Lightshine International Metal Mag) sets them apart
from the pack.  They use their music to make contact with youth and
show that they are truly concerned with them, which touches kids
today, since many feel abandoned.
Tom Denlinger, the group's lead singer and spokesperson, describes
the start of the band, "In March of 1988, drummer Michael Anthony and
I met Charles Turner, Rod Feltman, and Tim Swarthout.  We formed
Sardonyx under a rather unusual set of conditions.  We lived 7 hours
apart from each other.  For the first two years of the band we would
travel an average of 225 miles per weekend just to practice... Now we
only live about 2 hours apart traveling approximately one hour to
practice on Saturdays."  Swarthout has left the band and two members
have joined: Kevin Bradley and Jeff King.
Most bands deal with bridging gaps between differing musical
influences and styles, but usually this isn't too challenging for a
metal band�right?  "We all have different backgrounds in music,"
states Denlinger, "differing from rock to classical to jazz to
country."  Perhaps most important is that each member loves music and
sees a need to reach out to youth.
"When I was a youth leader, I realized the need to reach a segment
of youth that the church had no strategy to reach.  Metal is probably
the most powerful style of music to teach Biblical truth.  I've seen
the style manipulate young minds negatively for years and desired to
reverse the pattern.  Today we use metal to show the awesome power and
majesty of God in order for this metal subculture to realize the need
they have to give their lives to Him."
Denlinger continues, "Christian young people see the shortcomings
of their local church in reaching a lot of their friends who love
heavy metal.  The result is they get frustrated and either leave their
church or develop a very bitter attitude.  We become the role model
for them to learn to adopt a significant Christian life that deals
with issues they face.  We have become an arm of the Body of Christ...
a catalyst for the local church.  Again and again, we get letters
telling us how our bold witness had encouraged them to stand strong
personally."
Naturally, some conservative Christians may not understand what the
band is doing (or for that matter, Christian music is doing).
Sardonyx, through their non-profit Lightshine International
Ministries, consider themselves musical missionaries.  Denlinger
explains, "A wise believer in Jesus Christ will understand me when I
say that I am a 'cross-cultural missionary.'  A missionary is someone
who takes a message to another people group in order to evangelize to
them.  Often times, his local church has no idea how to deal with the
problems he faces.  Therefore, they stand behind him as their
representative with prayer and financial support."
"The unsaved metal head gets fed the propaganda of Satan and
someone has to challenge him with Biblical truth.  At first, they
react harshly because they picture us as the typical middle class
American church leader.  But after they hear our music, or hear that
we give good answers to their questions, they realize we are friends
and [they] choose to listen more openly."
Of course, all of this works.  Denlinger shares, "I've reached the
people through this ministry that I wouldn't have ever even been able
to talk to when I was in Bible college with my short hair and suit."
Speaking of the hair�is it really necessary?  Christians everywhere
debate this topic, but, for Sardonyx, it's just a tool.  "I call my
long hair and metal look 'camouflage,'" relates Denlinger.  "It gets
me in.  After that, it's not important�they get to know me for who I
am and we get right to the issues.  [The] problem is, I'm always in
building mode, so the hair is vital to my ministry.  To be honest,
long hair gets to be a pain though, especially in the summer.  But I'd
never cut it off for my comfort alone.  I like my hair, especially
when I know it can accelerate a witnessing opportunity."
The band wouldn't debate that their work is a challenge.  A major
challenge for them is not living close enough to each other to spend
quality time together.  But, as they face this and other challenges,
the reassuring times are not too far away.  Denlinger explains, "Every
once in a while you really experience God's anointing.  One time, we
were getting ready to do a show at a youth center and the director
there told us not to get discouraged if the audience is rude and
inattentive.  Most of them were unsaved and some of them were going to
walk out or mock us if we spoke at all�at least that's what he
thought.  During our first tune, I remember praying with my back to
the audience and I felt very weak.  I frankly had no idea what to say
or how long [to speak].  Suddenly, God spoke to me in my spirit and
said, 'You do your job and I'll do mine.'  An incredible amount of
boldness and clarity of thought overwhelmed me as I talked at the
first break.  That night, we were on stage two and one half hours and
we played approximately one and a half.  The director of the youth
center was amazed because he never saw those kids sit through so much
teaching before.  It was a very obvious working of God.  Whenever that
happens, we are convinced that we have His favor."
So what's on the hearts, specifically, of the band right now?
Christian kids are "becoming like their parents," states Denlinger.
"Spiritually, very carnal and apathetic.  Christian kids need to see
role models that live a powerful Christian life... not just say they
do.  This ministry is designed to set a higher standard for living a
bold and significant existence for Jesus.  Unless you decided to break
the chains of your past and become a new creation through Jesus, you
will never see your potential as a woman or man of God.  This is not
about metal.  This is about changing our world."
Since you've probably been wondering what, exactly, Sardonyx means.
"Sardonyx," shares Denlinger, "is a precious stone that decorates the
fifth foundation of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:20).  Our work is
important and significant to God but is only a small part of His huge
foundation."
�J. WARNER SODITUS

ED. NOTE:  FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTSHINE INTERNATIONAL
MINISTRIES, YOU MAY WRITE TO: LIGHTSHINE, P.O. BOX 456, PARADISE, PA
17562

MUSIC REVIEWS

Whitecross: HIGH GEAR (StarSong)
One of the all time leaders in Christian music is back with a new
ground breaking album.  This album is a big improvement since IN THE
KINGDOM.  The only problem with their music is they get lighter, and
lighter every album.  I mean 4 ballads is enough to kill most "metal
heads."
The album starts off with "High Gear," which is a straight-up "kick
you in the face" metal song.  "Dancin' In Heaven," points out that the
Bible doesn't say that dancing is wrong�after all David danced naked
before the Lord.  "In America" is next, the first of four ballads, and
really cranks, the only problem is sounds too much like "In The
Kingdom."
Rex Carroll's new guitar solo, "Overdrive," comes up next.  It's
not his greatest since the whole song sounds the same way.  Next album
they should go for a solo from Michael Feighan so I won't have to skip
a song.  "Without Your Love," is a strong power ballad with some
crunch behind it.
"Coming Home" is up next�another ballad.  This tune grows on me the
more I listen to it.  "My Love" is the most beautiful song I have ever
heard.  This song could climb up the top-40 if it were released in
that market.
"I'm Askin' You Today" is another ballad and probably the lightest
of all, with violins and everything!
"Gonna Keep On" is a very powerful song musically and lyrically:
"I'm gonna keep on/Trustin' in God's son/Lord I need you."  "I Shout"
is a song about praising the Lord.  They have a great lyrical approach
on this song, but the music is dull.  The last song on the album,
"Long Road To Walk," a pretty good rocker.
Overall this is a good album and is worth having for hard
rock/metal fans.  The album has its ups and downs but it's a solid
project.
�BRAD MATTERN

Hokus Pick Manouver: PICK IT UP (Word Canada)
Now, here is a band that likes to have a lot of fun.  In fact, they
like to have so much fun that I don't think that they could quite
decide on what style of music to play.  PICK IT UP contains so many
styles of music that if you asked me to describe what style this band
is, I would have a hard time putting a label on it.
This album has everything from "beefed-up" later 60's sounds (I
thought I heard the DOORS in there), late 70's southern rock sounds,
folk tendencies, dance themes, and even Irish tunes and loony tunes.
Alright, to sum it up�the band is rock.  I guess I'm just not used to
hearing such a wide range of rock influences on one album.
If I had to compare Hokus Pick Manouver to other Christian bands, I
would probably say that their style is a cross between JACOB'S TROUBLE
(yet not so jangly), THE STAND, and (very little) THE NEWSBOYS.
Granted, these are probably bad comparisons, but this is a really hard
album to categorize.  Hokus Pick Manouver is not bad, but their
inexperience shows.  Musically, they display talent, however Russ
Smith's lead vocals are not very impressive.  They carry with them an
immaturity which lacks clarity, but I believe this falls upon the
inexperience of the band.
Lyrically, Hokus Pick Manouver is strong though subtle.  With songs
cleverly titled "I.B.I.J.I.T.O.F.W." and "I.G.Y.F.T.C.H." ("I Believe
In Jesus In The Old Fashioned Way" and "If God's Your Father Then Call
Home" respectively) they take their stand for Christ and make His
message known.  I enjoyed their music, but as each song in its own
right.  It was hard for me to put it all together and accept it as
coming from one group.  Maybe I'm just a stick in the mud.  After all,
variety is the spice of life, and if you like this spice, give Hokus
Pick Manouver a listen.
�KEITH A. VALENTINE

Rose: HEALING (Intense)
HEALING is the second project of (Randy) Rose, one half of the
critically acclaimed brotherly duo of MAD AT THE WORLD. Rose explores
more of a grunge rock sound, as opposed to the more modern rock that
he and brother ROGER pursue as the aforementioned group.
This album is something of a downer�musically and lyrically.  It
explores some of the darker aspects of being human and being a
Christian, although it is not without its moments of hope.  With
titles like "D.O.P." (Depression, Oppression, Possession) and "Seeds
of Sorrow," Rose tackles some subjects and feelings that many
Christians generally try to forget or ignore.  It's somewhat
refreshing to see an artist willing to tackle some generally unpopular
topics.
The best cuts are "Healing" (one of the more hopeful songs),
"Hooked," and the previously mentioned "D.O.P."  Rose is solidly
backed by Steve Kumada and Ben Jacobs on guitar, Mike Link on bass,
and Don Richert on drums.
If you are interested in what is becoming known as the "Seattle
Sound," as popularized in the secular market by NIRVANA, PEARL JAM and
others�check this one out.  But make sure you are prepared for some
heavy listening, musically and lyrically.
�BETH BLINN

Godsent Humans: LIBERTY OR DEATH (New Breed)
Godsent Humans is George Everman (lead vocals), Tony Aguon (guitars
& vocals), Biker James Rasmussen (bass & vocals), and Greg Baker
(drums).  Their release LIBERTY OR DEATH is a powerful new heavy metal
monster.  Through their lyrics and musical arrangements, they paint a
picture of the death which will befall those who do not choose the
liberty and eternal life offered through Christ's redemption.
With the use of repetitive and sometimes even morbid bass lines,
voice distortion, and guitar riffs (which are at times monotonous and
other times changing from one lick to another without warning),
Godsent Humans shows what kind of confusion there will be in the last
days.  I believe this also describes the struggle that goes on in many
of us.  Although it is not a pretty picture that they paint, it is one
of truth.  Many times our lives are filled with darkness and despair.
It may seem that as we look around ourselves we see nothing but trash
and filthy garbage�the dirt of our sins.  There is only one way that
we can be cleansed of this�through Christ.
Admittedly, the lyrics on LIBERTY OR DEATH are not as strong or
blatant as some conservatives may like, but this is heavy metal.  They
don't try to hide anything, they just describe it as they interpret
the Scripture's accounts of the last days.  As I said, the picture
they paint can be morose and their lyrics are sometimes quite
explicit, but check out in your Bibles in Revelation and see for
yourself the damnation the nonbeliever is going to experience.
I must confess that I am not as much of a metal or thrash listener
as some of you may be, but my experience tells me that Godsent Humans
makes good use of the techniques they have chosen and the abilities
they have to minister to those who need it most.
�KEITH A. VALENTINE

Bride: SNAKES IN THE PLAYGROUND (StarSong)
SNAKES IN THE PLAYGROUND  puts out some kick-butt music�the band
gets better every album.  Dale sounds so much like AXL ROSE of GUN'S
N' ROSES.
The album starts off with one of the best tracks, "Rattlesnake."
The song is about how evil hides in little cracks, and comes out when
nobody's expecting it, and if you don't have God they'll get you.
"Would You Die For Me" is next, it's one of the slower songs�but not
too slow.
"Psychedelic Super Jesus" is another great song.  What they're
singing might sound a little blasphemous at times, but they've got a
point to it.  What they're talking about is an underground band they
know, that is always dissin' God like He's nothing.  The song has a
power crunch and you'll learn the lyrics in no time.
"Saltriver Shuffle" is a short, funny song.  Guest guitarist Greg
Martin of THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS plays a little bit of country, and
right when you're starting to get into it, out comes a screaming NOT
from your speakers.
Another scorching tune is "Dust Through A Fan."  It's a true metal
song.  The song is a sad song, though, about people selling their body
into sexual sin�"Sold their souls for sex and greed in the bathroom in
the back."
"I Miss The Rain" is a beautiful ballad that looks at people who
have lost a loved one, and tells them that God is the only one who can
erase all the pain that has been haunting them.
"Don't Use Me" is a pretty heavy song, vaguely reminiscent of
NIRVANA.  This song has some pretty hard core lyrics just like all of
Bride's songs.  This time they're tackling the drug abuse problem.  As
you can tell this band knows a lot about problems on the street, it
would be nice to see this band get pushed into the secular market.
�BRAD MATTERN

Lanny Cordola: OF RIFFS AND SYMPHONIES (ERG)
For fans of guitar music, Lanny Cordola's latest release, OF RIFFS
AND SYMPHONIES, is not to be missed.  With cuts that are stylistically
all over the musical spectrum, Cordola displays his versatility.  From
jazz to funk to hard rock to Latin-flavored acoustic, this album gives
evidence that Cordola is a major talent.
While I really enjoyed his last disc, ELECTRIC WARRIOR, ACOUSTIC
SAINT, (his version of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" is a personal
favorite), this album has more of a "whole" feeling to it, as
stylistically diverse as it is.  The songs flow well into each other
and Cordola's songwriting skills have grown.  The diversity, no doubt,
flows from his influences, which he lists in the liner notes.  They
range from ERIC CLAPTON to STEVIE RAY VAUGHN to PAT METHENY to JOHANN
SEBASTIAN BACH.
Most of the cuts are instrumental, but four tracks feature
different vocalists, their voices matched to the style of the song.
Especially effective are Jon Gibson on "Won't Be Long to Paradise" and
James Christian on "The Revelation."
My favorites were the Spanish/acoustic "YV," the hard rocking "The
Obstinate Toy Soldiers," and "Lo I Will Be With You Always," which
also featured Darrell Mansfield on harmonica.
This is a must-have for any guitar fan.
�BETH BLINN

Tom McCain: TOM MCCAIN (Urgent)
I have really struggled with figuring out how to describe Tom
McCain's debut album.  Because, I really like it and I don't want to
sound critical, but the best word I could come up with was, well,
simple.
Quick!  before you quit reading, that's a real compliment.  When
most music these days is packing layers on top of layers on top of...
well, some gets a little thick.  Tom has taken us back to some of the
basics with great songwriting (he wrote or co-wrote on all), excellent
lead and background vocals, and enough instrumentation to set the
project in motion.  The players are familiar names, too: Tom Hemby
(guitars), Mark Hammond (drums), Gary Lunn (bass), and Brian Green
(keyboards).
It's not an album that jumps out and grabs you right away (except
for "Mary Don't You Cry" and "They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To").
It is on the subtle side, yet the songs are provoking when you listen
more intently.  I found it easy to put in the background and listen
for five or six runs through.  But, unfortunately, the album is a
little short with only nine songs, but I think it makes up for it in
content.
It's sort of Stephen Curtis Chapman-Susan Ashton-ish songwriting
and country-influenced contemporary sound.  It's very enjoyable.
Tom's got potential for even more in the future.
�ROGER APPELINSKI

Sacrament: HAUNTS OF VIOLENCE (R.E.X.)
I am excited about the latest Sacrament album, HAUNTS OF VIOLENCE.
Unfortunately, it's not as heavy as their previous work�it shows the
loss of Mike Terrone.  Their TESTIMONY OF APOCALYPSE is much better,
and more into the grind/core scene.  But this will be a big hit for
thrash fans.
Their album starts of with "Haunts Of Violence."  What can I say?
It sounds cool, and the lyrics have to do with God being the answer to
what the world's like�all the evil, violence, and profanity.  Song two
is "Carry The Corpse."  The intro sounds a lot like METALLICA.  The
guitar solo cranks out the power of Mike Didonato, and shows his
incredible talent on the guitar.
"Seared Consciences" has some great vocal effects in the beginning,
but they unfortunately drop back to his regular vocals.  While
Sacrament remains an excellent band, the album gets a little boring�
it's too similar.
Sacrament also offers a bible study on all their songs.  So if your
mom complains about the music, you can prove that it's Godly.
�BRAD MATTERN

Liaison: HARD HITTER (Frontline)
Larry and Tim Melby, a.k.a. Liaison, have finally cranked it up
with their HARD HITTER.  Their hard rock metal wanna-be style comes
through loud and clear on this album.
Along with numerous guest guitar riffs (Oz Fox, Lanny Cordola, and
Tony Palacious) is a heavy bass rhythm that even ventures into the
blues in "Steal, Kill, and Destroy."  Apart from the blues diversion,
they might be described as METALLICA vocals meet WHITECROSS guitar
riffs meet RICK CUA'S early bass work.  Suffice it to say, it's hard
rock with metalish guitar work.
Their ballads are even a little harder than previous ones.  No more
songs like "Go and Sin No More."  These won't get any AC airplay,
they're too hard and the vocals are too rough.
Not only is the music aggressive, but the lyrics are in-your-face
as well.  They cover the range of Christian life from praise ("My God
is a Rock") to sin ("Whatsoever U Sow") to forgiveness from sin ("As
Far as the East is From the West").
It's a solid package that should please hard rock fans.  The album
is a HARD HITTER.
�ROGER APPELINSKI

Living Sacrifice: NONEXISTENT (R.E.X.)
Are you ready to DIE?  The brutal new sound of Living Sacrifice is
totally mind blowing.  The vocals are so hard to understand, D.J.
sounds like a monster from hell dying.  As the album starts with
"Emerge," you wouldn't think this album was so heavy, it starts off
with an acoustic intro, like a lot of the other songs.
"Haven Of Blasphemy," is a totally killer track.  It comes off of
their EP NOT YIELDING TO UNGODLY.  Although the original was better,
this is still good.  "Chemical Straightjacket" is a song about drug
abuse.  D.J. says "I've had a few friends and have seen a few things
that have influenced me about the use of heroin and how it really
destroys people's lives."
If you're a die hard metal fan, this album must be added to your
collection.  I'm not gonna take the time to review all the songs�they
all sound awesome.
�BRAD MATTTERN

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