Back in 1993 Fear Not released their excellent hard rock/metal self-titled debut album. Fast forward to 2019 and after all of these many years, they are back with a new five song ep entitled FOR THE WOUNDED HEART (Roxx Records). Group members are new vocalist Eddie Green, Larry Worley (guitars), Chris Sorensen (guitars), Rod Romero (bass), and Gary Hanson (drums). Kyle Simpson serves as producer while Bill Bafford executive produces.
First up is the lead single 'Don't Want None (Come Get Some)'. It's a strong rock song about changing one's thought patterns for the better: "The snake's deceived me and filled my head with lies/Made me believe that I had a life to despise/My feet hit the floor this morning/I'm breathing and alive/Everyday is a gift/Every day is a blessing/I'm changing my mind". 'Shadows Fade' includes a hot electric guitar solo and is all about perspective: "Mustard seed moves mountains/Doubt makes it grow/Life and death within the tongue.../Pain lets me know I'm alive/It can't defeat me!" Next we have 'Carry Me', a melodic rock ballad that is prayerful: "You said I'd never have more than I can bear/Carry me now (2X)/You know I can't do this without You/Carry me now (2X).../Please God, save my soul".
'Love is Alright' is a punchy rocker calling out to God for help: "My heart is opened wide/Why don't You come inside?/Love is alright, free me tonight/Love is alright, save me tonight". Last up is 'Shipwrecked Hypocrite' which paints a dismal picture of an individual: "Headed for the rocks/Can't escape the waves/Can't find the truth till the end of days/Alone on your island, solitary castaway/Shipwrecked hypocrite/Can't find your way".
Scott Waters did a great job on the cover art layout and design for FOR THE WOUNDED HEART. There's great pics of every band member in the cd booklet. Eddie Green shines on lead vocals. He reminds me at times of Holy Soldier's Eric Wayne. This ep has contagious energy and drive. The band conveys their Christian faith in a simple, non-judgmental way. They believe only God can set a soul free. If you like the sound of Daughtry and Nickelback this ep is for you. I hope they put out an all new full length album in a year or two. I'm rating this ep 95%. For more info visit www.roxxproductions.com and connect with the band on facebook.
Back in 1991 Love Life released their one and only album GOODBYE LADY JANE. Fast forward to 1993 and now known as Fear Not they put out a self-titled album on Dino and John Elefante's Pakaderm Records. Group members were vocalist Larry Worley, Gary Hanson, Rod Romero, and new addition Chris Sorensen. In 2017 Roxx Records re-issued the album. The glossy CD booklet includes a good interview with Larry Worley.
Starting things off is 'Give It Up', a hard rockin' song of spiritual invitation: "Give it up, you can't run away/Today's tomorrow's yesterday/If you want to save your soul/You've got to let it go/Give it up, pain is not a crime/If your heart is doing time/And you want to set it free/You have to give it up". 'We Have A God' has a terrific electric guitar solo and truly rocks. It shares good news: "We found a love straight from the top/And it's coming down/Ain't going to stop/Yes, we have a God and His Name is Jesus/Yes, we have a God and His Name is Jesus, yeah, yeah".
'Mr. Compromise' calls for an individual to make a decision for Christ: "Hey, Mr. Compromise/I'm sick of your life/Oh, you've got to believe, you've got to believe/What your heart says (2X)/Stop living a lie and stand on your feet/And know just what, what you believe in". 'Til the End of My Days' is a good rock love ballad: "Now the lonely days are over/And all my dreams I'll share with you/Well, this life won't last forever/But forever I'll be with you".
What follows is the album's longest track at just shy of six minutes long. 'Suicide Sunshine' is a rock ballad encouraging an addict not to take their life: "Your bloodshot eyes and all the lies/Show pain and misery/Just open up your tainted heart/And mercy will set you free tonight.../You've got to fall down on your knees/All you've got to say is please/Don't throw your soul away". 'Money Money' brings the metal and speaks out against greed: "Money money/You can't buy what you get for free/Money money/You don't need no material things/Money, money/You are all I need/Picking up all the pieces/Your love has taken hold/Now I know I'm ready to give to You/Every little bit of my soul".
'Easy Come Easy Go' is a down to earth story song: "Johnny's been a rebel ever since he was five/Spent his life running around, trying to survive/Susie was a dancer on the wrong side of town/Anything goes when they lay their money down". 'There is Love' speaks of life transformation: "Hey, you've got to come to understand/It don't take much to be a different man/There is love/Find room in your heart/Don't run away/There is love". This track sizzles!
'Mad World' is a fast paced rock song that shares problems and offers a sure solution: "Where are the answers to the problems of today?/Bullets fly/A mother cries as the innocent one lies face down on the ground/Burning buildings light the sky/The streets are cold and empty all around.../God is the answer, that's all/That's what this world needs". Last up on the original album is 'Take A Hold'. It's got an acoustic ballad feel to it. It addresses God directly: "Give Your love to me tonight/Hear what I'm saying/Lord, won't You turn my wrong to right/Is what I'm praying/Well, I found out just what it takes to heal this heart of mine/It's Your warm embrace that I feel time after time/And I don't know why I can't resist this love inside".
The 2017 remastered version of the album contains two bonus tracks. 'You Got Love' is from Liberty N Justice's ep LIFE SONGS and asks: "Hey, you got love/But does Love have you?" 'Love is Alright' is a previously unreleased track recorded for this 25th anniversary release of the album. It's a meaty rock cut that finds someone submitting to God: "My heart is opened wide/Why don't You come inside?/Love is alright/Free me tonight/Love is alright/Save me tonight".
FEAR NOT is a memorable hard rock/heavy metal effort. There's a good mix of faster songs and slower ones. Larry Worley's lead vocals have a bite to them that you won't easily tire of. The main theme of the album is that of inviting the lost to come to or to come back to Jesus Christ and enjoy His love and protection. There are songs testifying of God's goodness. Suicide and materialism are spoken out against. If you enjoy Bride and/or Guns N' Roses, you'll eat this album, which I'm rating 98%, up! For more info visit www.roxxproductions.com and connect with the band on social media.
Back in 1991 Love Life released their one and only album, GOODBYE LADY JANE. It came out on Blonde Vinyl Records and was produced by the now legendary Michael G. Knott. Group members were vocalist Larry Worley, Darin Eby, Gary Hanson, and Rod Romero. What I am reviewing here is a 2019 re-mastered edition of the cd, along with five bonus cuts, released by Roxx Records.
'Real Love' is a great metal track of longing: "I've been cryin' all my life/Never had a place to hide/Real love come and take me/Pull me off the ground/Real love/Got to find some real love". 'Do You Love Me' is a rock song with a melodic chorus: "Do you love me?/Do you want me?/Don't you know that I care?" 'Heart of Fire' is a love ballad: "Now I'm holding on/Thinkin' this will last forever/And I'm on the edge/And I know I won't get over you/Oh girl, my heart is on fire/And you're my one desire/Got a hold of my heart/Don't break it now".
'When Loneliness Comes Knocking' is a rock ballad of gratitude: "When loneliness comes knockin' at my door/I hope that it's next to never/Cause I don't feel lonely anymore/Now that you're here forever". A catchy metal tune, 'Girl Gone Bad', follows. It's a story song: "She's got one bad attitude and she just don't know what to do/Now she makes a lot of money/Wearing those diamond rings/Well, it doesn't even matter/Because they don't really mean a thing". There's a good electric guitar solo on this one.
'Fill 'Er Up' is a fourteen second electric guitar solo. The title track, 'Goodbye Lady Jane', follows. It rocks and anticipates heaven: "Goodbye my Lady Jane, how I will miss you/Goodbye Lady Jane, 'til we meet again/Beyond the big blue sky/Goodbye Lady Jane/Your memory will remain/Now you can fly". It's dedicated to Granny Morgan.
Moving on, 'In Blue Again' is a tough rocker about well, moving on: "My heart is, my heart is on the line/And I've got to, gotta leave the past behind/Oh yeah, yeah/And I've had enough of this loneliness inside/And I've had enough, oh yeah". '1000 Reasons' is worthy of raised lighters or cell phones in a concert setting. It's a song of positivity: "The miracles they seem never ending/They keep coming my way/And you're giving me a thousand reasons, a thousand reasons/You're just what I've been looking for".
Next, we have a cover of the Beatles' 1964 hit 'A Hard Day's Night'. It's a good one. Here are the opening words to this love song: "It's been a hard day's night and I've been working like a dog/It's been a hard days night/I should be sleeping like a log/But when I get home to you/I'll find the things that you do/You make me feel alright". Last up on the original album is 'Do You Believe in Love?'. It testifies: "High upon the mountain/Looked to the sky above/Put my hands up in the air/Reached out for His love/Now I don't believe in money/I don't believe in fame/Can't believe in riches/I just believe in His Name".
Collectors will quite appreciate the fact that the 2019 remastered re-issued version of this album includes five demos. Three of them were re-recorded and made it on to the album. The other two are entitled 'Believed in You' and 'Lonely'. They're both quite good.
GOODBYE LADY JANE is a splendid hard rock/metal album. Most of the songs deal with male-female romantic relationships. There are songs about loneliness and aching for love. Then there are songs that revel at actually being in a reciprocal romantic partnership. In addition there's a song about moving on when a relationship ends. The two spiritual songs on the actual album are about heaven and seeing God as the ultimate Source of love. I'm rating this one 96% and recommending it to fans of Bon Jovi, Guardian, and Poison. For more info and/or to purchase visit www.roxxproductions.com.
Michael Harrison Sweet was born on July 4, 1963 in Whittier, California. He is best known as the frontman for Stryper, whose latest album was 2018's GOD DAMN EVIL, which caused quite a stir but was very successful. Sweet released his self-titled debut solo album back in 1994. Fast forward to 2019 and he's back with his tenth solo album, TEN (Rat Pak Records). He enlists an impressive number of mainstream musical guest artists, including Rich Ward (Fozzy), Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), and Todd La Torre (Queensryche).
First up is the sizzling 'Better Part of Me'. It echoes Paul's words in Romans 7: "Part of me is searching for the holiness in Thee/Part of me is reaching for the worldly things I see/I'm fighting for the better part of me". 'Lay it Down' is about giving all to God: "What will it take for us to see/We're not a mistake or a losing plea if we/ Lay it down? (4X)".
On 'Forget, Forgive' Sweet shares some of his desires: "I want to live/Forget, forgive/Learn from the past/Find what will last". 'Now or Never' is a rock ballad that has this prayerful chorus: "Save me tonight/Here and forever/Show me the light/It's now or never".
The title track, 'Ten', follows. This slow rocker is based on the Old Testament commandments: "You've got to remember the Sabbath day/Honor your father and your mother too, yes/Thou shall not kill or commit adultery/Don't ever steal, bear false witness, or covet". 'Shine' is a rockin' song of encouragement: "You're chosen to be a light within the dark/Never let that go, no/Hey-there's only one of you/Hey-don't let life run you through/Hey-you're one of a kind/You don't have to hide/All you have to do is shine".
'Let it Be Love' is a sentimental ballad: "Love is when there's less of you/And when you help somebody make it through/Ain't it true?.../Love is all we really need to break the chains/And set the captives free/Oh, can't you see?" 'Never Alone' packs a rock punch and finds God speaking: "Never alone/You know I'm with you/Heart and soul and mind/You're never alone/All you've got to do/Say a prayer and find/You're never alone".
What follows is 'When Love is Hated', a hard rock song that speaks truth: "When love is hated/Doesn't mean it's all in vain/When love is hated/In the end it's all that will remain". 'Ricochet' strikes a positive chord: "I've got air to breathe/And a light to see, yeah/And solid ground to walk on/No need to complain about the pouring rain/Cause I get to see another dawn".
Two bonus tracks complete the album. 'With You Till the End' is first. Ian Raposa is a guest vocalist on this straight up heavy rocker that is a love song: "When you love someone/You know it's better or for worse/From the rising sun/Until there's no more time on earth/I'm with you till the end/Cause I believe in love and what we've fallen in". Todd La Torre duets with Sweet on the heavy metal track 'Son of Man'. It's an end times song: "As lightning will come from the East/It's also so clear in the West/Will you take life at the feast/Or die and go down with the rest?/He's the Son of Man/Coming back again/Son of Man (3X)".
I would say that TEN is an all around success! If you like to crank up and/or work out to hard rock and heavy metal tunes there's lots to chew on here. Sweet's vocals are strong as ever. The lyrics make clear without a doubt, Sweet's Christian faith. He's not ashamed of being a believer. His faith is not just a theory. It's something he aims to live out on this earth. I'm rating TEN 90%. For more info visit www.michaelsweet.com and or connect with him on social media.
Kim Boyce was born on March 14, 1961 in Winter Haven, Florida. In 1983 she was Miss Florida. In 1984 she competed at Miss America. She released her debut CCM album (self-titled) in 1986. Fast forward to 1994 and she released her sixth project, BY FAITH (Warner Alliance). Producers used were Bryan Lenox, Bill Cuomo, and Robert White Johnson. Eric Wyse served as executive producer.
Starting things off is 'Tell Me', an adult pop song that finds God addressing us: "I've loved you for all time/Even when you had no thought of Me/I walked along with you/I've watched you all the while/Longed for you to call on Me". Marty Paoletta plays sax here. 'Oh, What A Love' is directed at Kim's husband, Gary: "I know heaven's speaking to my heart/Cause I feel forever/When we're together/Made it look so easy when you saved me/Have I told you lately/Exactly what you mean to me?/You're my joy, my everything".
The title track, 'By Faith' was written by Chris Rice and Scott MacLeod. It's an adult contemporary ballad about trusting in God: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe/Blessed are the hands that keep giving and never receive/Blessed is the heart that gets broken and keeps holding on/Holding on for another day". Ty Lacy and Steve Siler wrote the hit 'Not Too Far From Here'. It's about caring for others: "Help me, Lord, not to turn away from pain/Help me not to rest while those around me weep/Give me Your strength and compassion/When somebody finds the road of life too steep".
'Just Believe' is an upbeat pop song that spurs us on: "Ain't been easy, worry's on my mind/I get discouraged when I think of it sometimes/But believe me when I say there's gonna be a better day/Hold on, cause help is on the way.../Hey, now people, sing with me/You can make it, just believe/Brothers and Sisters, set each other free/Come together, just believe". 'After God's Own Heart' includes this chorus of confession: "The truth is I have been running from Him/Chasing after things that keep us apart/Now I see how desperately I am needing to be/Running after God's own heart".
Up next is 'Rescue Me', penned by Kim and Tommy Greer. It's a good pop song calling out to God: "I'm sending out an SOS now/I know You`ll hear me somehow/When You see that I am drowning/That's when I feel Your arms around me, arms around me". Kim co-wrote 'Dreams I'm Dreamin'' with Bo Cooper. It was written when Kim was 3 months pregnant: "Dreams I'm dreamin'/Lullabies I'll be singing/When your little face I see/Hopes I'm hoping/All the prayers I'm praying/Baby, hurry now to me". It's touching.
Eric Champion wrote 'Imagine A Love', a pop/dance song that finds God speaking: "I know you well/Before the earth had its form I knew your name/And I can tell something is wrong/Cause right now I feel your pain". Closing things out is 'Shelter Me With Love'. It's a quiet song serving as a prayer: "So shelter me with wings of mercy/And comfort me with arms of love/Then speak to me with words of wisdom/And breathe on me with Your sweet, precious Spirit/Shelter me with love".
BY FAITH contains five adult pop songs and five adult contemporary ones. There are definitely more slow songs here than fast ones. This isn't the energetic pop/dance music of early Kim Boyce efforts. That being said, this is a terrific album for adults. God's love is a central theme. He desires an intimate personal relationship with us and so should we. He is our Maker, Father, and ultimate Lover. We can fully trust Him though we can't see Him. His desire for us is that we help the hurting and lonely we come across. I'm rating this album 87%. For more info visit www.kimboycemusic.com or connect with her on social media.
