| Musical Style: Heavy Metal | Produced By: Glenn Kaiser |
| Record Label: Independent / Retroactive | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 1989 / 2026 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 10 | Rating: 85% |
| Running Time: 29:05 |
If your taste in heavy metal runs toward the neo-classical, high-end vocal soaring and technically complex type, you’ll find Apostle 1989 custom cassette Metal For The Master delectable. The sixth album from the Jacksonville, Florida based power trio is a compiling of re-recorded songs that made initial appearance on the groups previous independent demo releases: one from 1984 EP Apostle; five from 1985 first full-length effort White Metal; two from 1986 second King Of The Saints and two from 1988 third Hymns. Suspiciously, 1987 fourth album Chariots Of Iron was leapfrogged.
Metal For The Master separates due featuring in my opinion the most professional production of any Apostle album up to this point. Specifically, the group recorded the album in Chicago at Tone Zone Studios - home of Resurrection Band - under the guidance of producer Glenn Kaiser and engineer Roger Heiss. According to the press material from the spring (CD) and summer (vinyl) of 2026 Retroactive Records reissues to Metal For The Master, ‘the band set out to re-record and refine their strongest material, giving it greater precision, clarity, and power’.
I cannot help but think Apostle successfully achieved such end and all the more so when factoring the Rob Colwell re-mastering, which ‘brings new clarity and power to these recordings while preserving their original spirit’ (again, the Retroactive press material). New re-imagined artwork and 12-page mini booklet (June 4, 2026 CD release ) and 12 X 12 full size lyric insert (July 15 vinyl release) attributes to Scott Waters of NLTM Graphics. Each version features an Apostle band history, rare photos and new write up that helps tell the story behind Metal For The Master.
Note that I am already familiar with White Metal & Chariots of Iron from the February of 2026 (CD) and March of 2026 (vinyl) Retroactive reissues. The Apostle demo is included as bonus tracks to White Metal. Hymns saw Retroactive reissue on the same dates as Metal For the Master.
Rather than a chronological track by track, I am going to instead break things down by release beginning with lone track from Apostle, “Overcome”. The song overcomes (no pun intended) the thin and demo like production to the original in realizing fuller guitar tones and decidedly weightier low end. Musically, it remains a keyed up melodic power metal cut innate to forthwith hooks, and plenty of reach for the sky falsettos and blistering lead guitar from founding member Matt Harding.
Of the five White Metal cuts, my favorite is “Born Again” with a hook driven classic metal bearing impressing as much heavier compared to the original. No small role in such regard is again improved production - not that White Metal in any way sounds bad as a self-financed recording using mid-eighties technology - highlighting a cleaner sound allowing a stronger mix of lucid bass, expansive guitars and escalating drums.
Another choice piece is “Bread Of Life”, which has been reworked to include a flashy lead guitar driven closing instrumental run extending it by an extra minute. Song is also now faster pointing to a galloping speed metal bent - timekeeper David Paul McKee gets quite the workout - akin to classic Saint track “Star Pilot” (off Too Late For Living from 1988).
“King Of Kings” also realizes a heavier formatting but in a more Sacred Warrior style power metal vein, as Harding extended with several Rey Parra style falsettos in helping take the exhilarating riff driven and double kick drum energy to literally the next level. It is a classic example of an already very good song improving that much further from better production.
Apostle goes instrumental for final two White Metal cuts “Armageddon” and “Parting The Red Sea”. Latter is an “Eruption” style open-air guitar solo but now that much improved as Harding extended with some intense hammer on driven soloing that brings to mind Brian Belew (Barnabas). There is a reason his playing invites comparison to Chris Impellitteri (Impellitteri) and Carl Grimmerk (Narnia)! Former begins to a drum solo ahead of hard charging in assertive fashion to find Apostle firing on all cylinders, particularly the closing moments that are home to double bass and flashy lead guitar.
In my opinion Hymns ranks alongside Chariots Of Iron as featuring the best production of the first five custom cassette demos. It’s a close call, but Metal For The Master presents with slightly elevated polish revealed in smoother (albeit no less heavy) guitars and expanded low end.
While not necessarily my favorites from Hymns, such indicator belongs to “I Am Persuaded” and “The Sword”, “Unlimited Power” improves with additional hyper-accelerated energy of a speed metal form and Mark Borrero’s wonderfully technical bass work. What we have is a compelling joining of power and traditional metal.
Spiritual warfare anthem “Holy Soldier” is also a top Hymns cut. It pretty much stays true to the original (by no means a bad thing) with same opening bass solo and catchy as it gets guitar riff throughout. The pleading ‘be a holy solider’ refrain borders on the epic. Warlord is a potential point of reference.
Since “I Am Persuaded” and “The Sword” also saw release on the respective late eighties White Metal Invasion and East Coast Metal compilations, my thinking is the group did not re-record them for Metal For The Master to avoid any potential oversaturation. Besides, Hymns is such a musically superior album you cannot go wrong re-recording any of its songs!
The King Of The Saints track listing includes four new songs and four from the debut Apostle demo. Two of the four new cuts are included beginning with albums title track, which realizes as three minutes of straightforward eighties heavy metal with buffeting low end, snarling riffs and impactful hooks ascertaining of the worshipful. Harding again bestows his virtuoso lead guitar abilities.
“Conquerors” is of no less merit but in a shorter (two and half minute) speed derivative package. It hard charges from the start, galloping to bludgeoning momentum as searing falsettos aplenty and multifaceted timekeeping set a boiling tone that brings to mind Barren Cross. I can see this one being a concert favorite.
If into a joining of power and traditional metal with a classical edge, I see Apostle being right down your alley. Superb musicianship and expert vocals along with technically intricate songwriting help fit the bill in such regard. Further value reveals from manner in which Metal For The Master features the strongest production to the Apostle eighties era releases. If not familiar with Apostle, the Retroactive reissue to Metal For The Master is a good place to start, but my advice is to also pick up Apostle, Chariots Of Iron and Hymns, with my experience being that the four work together as a complementary unit in that you cannot have one without the others.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “King Of The Saints” (3:02), “Overcomer” (3:12), “Conquerors” (2:36), “Born Again” (3:01), “Parting The Red Sea” (3:00), “Unlimited Power” (2:45), “Armageddon” (1:36), “King Of Kings” (2:27), “Bread Of Life” (3:24), “Holy Soldier” (4:02)
Musicians
Matt Harding - Lead Vocals & Guitars
Mark Borrero - Bass
David Paul McKee - Drums
