Living Sacrifice has reunited and have a new album, The Infinite Order, coming out in a few weeks. Of course, I tried to get an early sample off of Bit Torrent and thought I had succeeded! Don’t worry about me pirating the album, as I plan to buy it the day is released!
John Elefante’s name came to prominence in 1981 when he became the new lead singer and keyboardist for Kansas. John sang the lead vocals and performed keyboards on three multi – Platinum albums with band, giving also a major songwriting contribution.
In 1984, together with his brother Dino, he started to become involved for the first time in producing the Christian act Sweet Comfort Band. Soon the couple became one of the most renowned producers in the genre, in particular their tenure with Petra brought multiple gold and platinum albums, 10 consecutive CCM Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards, induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Hard Rock Cafe, and the only artist to ever have 4 albums in the SoundScan top-100 Christian chart.
Elefante also felt the songwriting muse and formed a Metal band with his brother, Mastedon. The band’s name was a pachyderm-inspired reference to the brothers’ last name. Although John was an accomplished vocalist and performer, the Mastedon albums featured multiple lead singers and performances by other artists, creating an eclectic sound anchored by John’s songwriting. His brother Dino played a prominent role, contributing songwriting and handling most of the guitar work.
Mastedon’s first release was titled “It’s a Jungle Out There!” (1989). A year later, the band released “Lofcaudio”. The albums charted at #25 and #10, respectively in the Billboard Top Contemporary Christian chart. To this day, they are still considered classics in the genre.
In 1996 John started a solo career that brought him to release three successful albums more in the Adult Contemporary – Pop Rock vein. After a few years of hiatus, John Elefante decided to go back to his roots sound with a brand new Mastedon album that – contrary to the predecessors – would only feature his amazing lead vocals. Musically, the new album, simply entitled “3” harkens back to the best of Mastedon and to his work with Kansas and none other than main Kansas songwriter Kerry Livgren appears on lead guitar on the release. More famed musicians and such as Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Anthony Sallee (Whiteheart), Dan Needham (Michael McDonald, Neville Brothers, Amy Grant, Garth Brooks etc) and of course John’s brother Dino Elefante.
Rich melodic harmonies and melodies are the keys to a Mastedon record and “3” is clearly an instant winner in all its moments and will remain as an hallmark in John Elefante’s career for many years to come.
MASTEDON John Elefante: all lead vocals; rhythm guitar, keyboards Dave Amato, Kerry Livgren: Lead Guitars Anthony Sallee: bass Dan Needham: drums Dino Elefante: Additional guitars, acoustic guitar, backing vocals With: Tim Smith: bass on Slay Your Demons Jr McNeely: additional guitar on Questions
As a companion to this new release, Frontiers managed to acquire the rights for the re-release of Mastedon’s legendary debut album, It’s A Jungle Out There!. Released originally in 1989, it charted at #25 in the Billboard Top Contemporary Christian chart. To this day, this album is still considered classics in the genre and has reached some amazing prices in the trades on eBay. Frontiers new reissue includes full lyrics and three bonus tracks ‘Wasn’t It Love’ (from the compilation California Metal) and live versions of ‘Islands In The Sky’ and ‘Right Hand’, recorded live at Cornerstone in 1991.
The tracklisting:
‘It’s A Jungle Out There’
‘Glory Bound’
‘This Is The Day’
‘Love Inhalation’
‘Islands In The Sky’
‘Get Up’
‘Love That Will Survive’
‘Innocent Girl’
‘Shine On’
‘Right Hand’
‘Wasn’t It Love’ *
‘Islands In The Sky’ (Live at Cornerstone ‘91 )*
‘Right Hand’ (Live at Cornerstone ‘91) *
(* bonus tracks)
Skillet’s new album, Awake, was released today. It is their first record of new material since 2006’s Comatose(links go to the Amazon.com MP3 store)
Comatose is definitely in my top 20 albums of all times. So it was with great anticipation that I waited for Awake. Here are my initial thoughts: Awake is a good album with some very awesome songs on it. Along with those spectacular songs sit some very boring songs (read “ballads”)
01 Hero Hero starts us off on a rocking pace. It is a song full of energy and conviction that makes you pump your fist in the air.
02 Monster Monster is the second track and it picks right up where Hero left off. This is possibly the heaviest song on the album (and the best IMHO). This should be the title track of the new Wolf Man movie that is soon to be released!
03 Don't Wake Me Up Don’t Wake Me Up is a sleeper of a song (sorry, bad stretch for a pun). I’m hoping this song grows on me, but I find myself reaching for the next button on my iPod whilst listening.
04 Awake And Alive Awake and Alive is quite the opposite of the previous song. The strings at the opening of the song are reminiscent of Rebirthing from Comatose. I like the dual vocal duty of the male and female singers. (I know the lead singer’s name is Jon Cooper, but I have to admit I don’t know who the girl is.)
05 One Day Too Late
Yawn…another mediocre ballad. One Day Too Late doesn’t capture my imagination or my ear. Just like Don’t Wake Me Up, I find myself reaching to the iPod to skip this song. I hope I grow to love these songs, I really do.
06 It's Not Me It's You
Ah, there we go. The Skillet we know and love. It’s Not Me It’s You is another rocker almost on par with Monster and Hero. The chorus is quite catchy. This song is quite angry…I’m glad a Christian band can make a song that isn’t all rainbows and sunshine.
07 Should've When You Could've
Crap…really? Another slower tempo song? Should’ve When You Could’ve breaks the rocker feel that It’s Not Me It’s You set. I think this is what ultimately wrong with Awake. You can never get into that rocker groove, as it keeps getting interupted with sub-par ballad type songs.
08 Believe
And the sub-standard ballady crappy songs continue. Believe is the 8th song of the record and honestly, it’s at this point I’m about to turn of the album and listen to something else.
09 Forgiven
What’s this? Piano? This makes three non rocker songs in a row. Forgiven’s lyrics are great, but enough with the bad 90’s power ballads already.
10 Sometimes Sometimes finally brings the rock back to the album. This song could be a sequel to It’s Not Me It’s You, with the angry guitar work and the the very angry lyrics. ”Sometimes I don’t wanna be better, Sometimes I can’t be put back together, Sometimes I find it hard to believe there’s someone else who could be….just as pissed of as me.” Very strong and honest words. I hope Skillet doesn’t get any grief for this song. Sometimes is the type of song I wish the entire album was made of.
11 Never Surrender
And yet another slower song. Never Surrender is better than the other slow songs on this record. The structure of the song and Cooper’s vocals make me want to keep listening.
12 Lucy
Cue piano…@#$%$%! another ballad! I know my attitude towards this song should be different as it is about someone who has died. I could possibly like it if it wasn’t the umpteenth slow song on the album.
The Deluxe Version of the Awake includes two bonus tracks (of which I forgot to upload to my server, so no audio is available). Dead Inside is another rocker (yay!) that is pretty good. Would It Matter is, you guessed it, another freakin’ ballad. Monster (Alternate Radio Version) finishes off the album.
All in all, I’d give this album 6.5 out of 10 stars. The good rock songs are great, while the majority of the album is made up of ballads that I just don’t want to listen to. If you are new to Skillet, I would buy Comatose and Collide and then Awake.
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