Back in the day, the pioneering Christian metal band
Philadelphia put out two now classic albums.
They were 1985’s TELL THE TRUTH, which gave birth to the Top 25 CCM hit
‘No Compromise’, and 1986’s highly successful SEARCH AND DESTROY. They played at Cornerstone Festival both of
those years. They were also among the
bands accused by preachers and churches of playing the devil’s music and even
committing blasphemy. Philadelphia
recorded and demoed several songs for a third album, but it never saw the light
of day. The group broke up partly due to
issues with their label. Fast forward to
2016 and they are back with WARLORD (Roxx Records). It was produced by Richard Wicander and Brian
Martini and executive produced by Bill Bafford.
This album features all three members of the original band: Brian
Martini (drums and percussion), Phil Scholling (guitars), and Brian `Wulfie’
Clark (bass and vocals).
‘Brothers in Arms’ is a hard rock song about being ready
both for physical and spiritual battles: “An ivory city on a hill/We thought
we’d stand and never fall/Honor and justice all for a righteous cause/But still
and yet for all this while/Our city gates were open wide/And now the enemy, our
enemy’s inside/Even though we live in peace/They still would take our
lives/Massed outside our walls/Hatred and slaughter/Simply for what we
believe/Fight or surely fall.../Now to arms, to arms my brothers/We fight or
fall, it’s fight or fall/I call my brothers/It’s fight or fall”. ‘Defender’ speaks of God’s loving care for
us: “All my life I’ve been too alone in this world/Only strife/Now there’s You,
You for me/And I, I can see my Defender/Always right by my side/Kicked
around/I’ve been made to feel like a fool/I’ve been put down/Once I thought I’d
never know/A love that could turn back time/Heal these wounds and let me
grow/And now, now You’re mine/My Defender/Keeping me safe in this world/You’re
my refuge, my rock”. ‘I’m Not Listening’
is an angry heavy metal track aimed at prosperity preachers who live large
while their followers suffer: “Shiny new ride and your fancy suit/Fake bake
tan, Italian shoes/Manicured nails/Comb your hair just so/You reach so high to
sink so low/I’m not listening no, no, no more/Build a new church/Erect an
amusement park/But the Man you say you admire/He didn’t own squat.../Old widow
woman/Watchin’ you on the T. V./Sent you her last couple bucks/And baby that
was no C.O.D./When everything is said and done/And all the votes are in/Let me
tell you something, man/You gonna answer for that, Jim”.
‘Prophecy’ is a fast-paced heavy metal song on which Phil
Scholling’s youngest daughter Lauren contributes an electric guitar part, which
was a real treat for him! These lyrics
imagine a situation where another uprising of angels in heaven occurs: “God forbid
that it’s happened again, a new rebellion in heaven/Trapped in a game we never
could win/Will 3 and 4 make 7?/Angels abound but their wings are so black/Black
as their heart beats inside/If I should meet one before I awake/Father, please
keep me alive”. ‘Wasteland’ is told from
the perspective of a despondent inmate: “Drag me down in chains/Step into my
grave/My whole world is pain/All my tomorrows are yesterdays/And I’ve got no
hope left/I’ve done what I can/When you see me you’ve/You’ve seen a ghost
man/I’m such a wasteland.../Darkness is my light/Death seems sweet and
right/God help me tonight”.
‘Sane Asylum’ has a fine European metal feel to it. The lyrics admit that this world is out of
control and point to God as our Refuge: “This world we live in is a crazy
place/So tired of runnin’ in the human race/Bad things come to good people/Good
things come to bad/Search all day for happiness/All you find is sad/The city
streets look just like padded walls/Madness and violence in a free for all/I, I
need asylum/A sane asylum.../Look around and find your one true Love/He waits
for you so just hold out your hand/Gonna lead you to a peaceful land/We, we
need asylum/A sane, a sane asylum”. ‘Son
of the Morning’ is a melodic metal song that finds Lucifer talking to God,
which is definitely not a common theme in Christian music. Here are some of the words: “Yes my friend,
it’s the end/I’d rather die on my feet/Than to live on my knees/If you
please.../You say You love me and then You leave/In my darkness/Lost in my
grief/There’s no room that’s left for belief.../Did You ever stop to think just
how I feel/I was born to serve and forced to kneel/Just subtract my one/From Your
perfect seven/A king in hell, not a slave in heaven”. ‘Lady Fortune’ is an epic metal song inspired
by words found in Psalms and Proverbs: “Her slender hands lay pressed against a
bloody white dress/She’s calling in loans while she’s breaking your bones/Lady
Fortune/Listen to her siren song/Believe in what she tells you/Whispering
softly in your ear and smiling as she sells you/You fool, you think you’ll be
the one to finally tame her”.
The next two songs each run over six minutes long. ‘Way of the Skull’ has a dark, plodding heavy
metal feel to it, with drums and electric guitar at the forefront. Stylistically, think Black Sabbath, says the
band. It’s an emotional song from the
viewpoint of Simon of Cyrene: “They’re grabbing me now, they’re dragging me
now/I’ve got to help Him die.../I pick Him up now/Look in His eyes now/Can they
do this to Him?/His cross so heavy/I feel it must be the weight of every living
thing.../The women crying, this place of dying/Yet He tells me not to fear/This
man so holy/I think He must be sent from God to show the way/Can you hear me
calling?/Help me, I’m falling/Away, away”.
The album’s title track, ‘Warlord’, is the only song that dates back
thirty years when the band was originally writing for album #3, before they
disbanded. It’s no surprise then that
the song has a classic metal vibe to it.
Its subject is the Second Coming: “Comes to judge and to make war/He
grips a white horse mane/Crimson red His battlecry/No man can know His
Name/Thousands standing at His side, poised at His command/Death to all who
rule this world with blood upon their hands/Streaking down from the
sky/Vengeance is His cry/He’s a Warlord (2X)/And He’s comin’ in for the
kill”. Those who believe God is only
love will not like these lyrics, in fact they’ll likely be offended. Last up is a bonus demo of ‘Brothers in
Arms’.
WARLORD is a splendid album of hard rock and heavy metal
sounds. Blazing electric guitar parts
and solos and pounding drums and bass make this a full, meaty sounding
project. Songs about spiritual warfare
are most common. These take the form of
both good versus evil on earth, and a battle between the same two forces in the
heavenlies. God is pointed to as our
sure Rock and strength as believers.
These are songs that will make you think, which is what the band
wants. The vocals aren’t hard to
decipher, as can be the case with several bands in this genre. Fans of Bloodgood, Stryper, Judas Priest,
Barren Cross, and King James should acquire this album. I’m rating WARLORD 87%. I hope Philadelphia records more new material
in the near future. For more info visit:
www.phillymusic.us, www.roxxproductions.com, and
facebook.com/PhiladelphiaMetal.