| Musical Style: Melodic Metal/Hard Rock | Produced By: Halo |
| Record Label: Girder Music | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2020 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 11 | Rating: 85% |
| Running Time: 40:15 |
The 1982 Halo debut demo Life Goes On is one of the long lost gems of the Christian hard music scene. With its name an acronym for ‘Heavenly Angelic Light Orchestra’ and tracing its origin to Alabama and 1980, Halo came about when drummer Mike Graham (age 14) was introduced to vocalist and bassist Scott Springer and guitarist Keith Mims (both 21). The power trio got its start playing churches and Christian coffee shops in addition to setting up a flatbed trailer at local parking lots on Friday and Saturday evenings to preach and play music. Halo continued its street ministry until the late eighties and a chance meeting with Petra guitarist Bob Hartman, whom took an interest in the group after listening to its demo. A second demo recorded at Hartman’s studio made its way to John and Dino Elefante, with the Halo self-titled Pakaderm Records debut following in 1990.
Life Goes On is a completely different animal when placed alongside the AOR and melodic rock tinged Halo. Production, for instance, lacks the trademark Elefante polish in taking a rawer and stripped down approach that does the better job highlighting the group’s youthful energy and verve. Gist is a faster and heavier version to Halo with a sound rooted in eighties influenced melodic metal and hard rock not that far removed from Van Halen, Guardian, Stryper and Whitecross.
Mims proves the driving force in this regard, decorating the album with accomplished licks and chops accenting a high level of musical maturity well beyond the bands youth. It is uncanny the manner in which his rhythm guitar sound closely mirrors that of Eddie Van Halen, while soloing wise he might not be a tap on virtuoso but is a force to be reckoned all the same. Springer plays every bit the crucial role. No, he does not bring the exuberant flair of David Lee Roth, but otherwise performs solidly with a soaring and classic tenor vocal style in perfect step with the groups sound.
Far as ‘lost gems’ go, Life Goes On was never released back in the day and correspondingly drifted into obscurity. It remained in the vault for close to 40 years - reportedly the Elefante brothers were not even aware of its existence - until re-mastered (courtesy of Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound) and released by Girder Music in spring of 2020. A multi-page mini booklet features lyrics and liner notes in an easy to read font, detailed band biography and vintage band photos.
Opener “Time To Run” embodies the raw but high-energy Halo sound. It begins to several seconds of guitar feedback ahead of plowing forward as an emboldened hard rocker. With keyed up bass and bluesy vestiges leading the way, the song commands with its robust melody and multiple spicy lead guitar breaks. This is first of two songs Halo re-recorded for its self-titled debut. Lyric snippet:
There’s a tie to laugh and a time to cry
A time to live and a time to die
And a time to show other people the Savior’s way
Just get all your friends in a big ‘ol pile
And carry His message that extra mile
And teach ‘em how to praise the Lord every day
Spacey keyboards to start “The Welder” before it transitions to plunging bass reminiscent to that on Van Halen’s “Running With The Devil”. Guitar fades to the backend as the song flows through its tempered verse sections, not gaining force until rhythm guitar takes a staunch tone in backing the forwardly hook driven refrain. Again, Mims’ soloing approaches the bluesy.
At two and half minutes, “I Love Jesus” is albums shortest. It is also one of the fastest, setting a speed based tone to highlight Graham’s spirited timekeeping and the tightly woven guitar riffs to go in hand. A curt but daring melody serves to reinforce the all out catchiness at hand. Barren Cross comes to mind. Lyric snippet:
Well, I met a man from Galilee, and Jesus is His name
He said he’d always love us and we should love Him just the same
Yes, He’s the one that shed His blood on that hill called Calvary
And He’s coming back again to set His people free
He will knock on your door, but He won’t force Himself in
Until you open your heart and say, ‘forgive me of my sin’
“The King Is Alive” separates as another top tracks. It begins its first minute instrumentally in gradually gaining impetus, taking off to an impaling upbeat tempo as Springer sets the tone with his inspired croon, particularly for the majestic ‘the King is alive’ refrain. There is an almost worship metal mentality prevailing.
Open air guitar launches “Life Goes On”, a forward thinking mid-paced melodic metal cut with near spoken word vocal delivery and catchy mentality that refuses to quit. With the raw production combined with focused bass and guitar interplay, albums title track would sound at home on Whitecross’ 1987 debut. At this point, I want to reinforce the expert songwriting, noting how each song brings the type of draw you in riff and hook certain to remain with you for some time. Lyric snippet:
The cowbell backed “Get Saved” aligns classic hard rock with the signature Halo bluesy metal guitar vestiges. Of note is how Springer lends some lower register grit and soul to his deliver, while Mims cuts loose with albums most melodic stretch of soloing. Again, I am reminded of Whitecross. Lyric snippet:
You better get saved
Before he takes His church away
You better get saved
An, before its too late
Get saved and stand on His promises
Get saved and be born again today
Get saved it don’t matter what you’ve done
Get saved and join hands with the Son
Second song re-recorded for Halo ensues, “Jesus Music”. When placed alongside, I take to the Halo version in that I find it a better fit for the groups early nineties AOR influenced sound. Not that it is in any way flawed, but rather the songs pop basis sounds out of place in a heaver Life Goes On metal guitar format.
“Jesus Cares” gets the album back on track. It comes across in the form of a grainy hard rock ballad, starting moody and tranquil for its airy verse sections only to peak for the haunting refrain to continuously repeat, ‘Oh, Jesus cares, Oh, Jesus cares”. Highlight is how impetus elevates for the blues drenched instrumental moments. Lyric snippet:
You may not like the way that I hang around
And you may not like the way I say ‘I’ll be there’
But there’s one thing, you know we must all agree on
Is that Jesus cares
You many not understand when I say I’m saved
But this one thing I’ve just got to share
When you’re alone and don’t have a friend in the world
Just remember Jesus cares
Instrumental first minute to “The Cross” morphs from a fast-paced bass solo to the group’s signature Van Halen derivative riffing. Song takes a mid-paced heading flowing ahead, touching upon a semi-ballad basis with its at times tempered rhythm guitar moments and AOR melodic overtones to approach the commercial. I can see this potentially challenging for radio play back in the day. Lyric snippet:
Did you hear about the man who bore all our sins at the cross?
Did you hear His crying voice to lend him a hand at the cross?
Blood stained line made His bed
A crown of thorns dressed His head
The say turned to night when Jesus bowed His head at the cross
All our sins were washed away so that we might live today at the cross
But alas on the third day, the stone was rolled away
And His love you can feel, if you will only kneel
“Miracles” represents a fun party rocker in the vein of Guardian. Plenty of melodic groove and boogie flavored rhythms carry the day, aligning with the group’s signatures youthful exuberance and penchant for seething laden hooks. Sometimes less is more as far as production is concerned in that the Halo true sound ends up captured in the process.
“The Witness” starts gradual and dreamy before launching into a hard rock gallop. A technical metal allure is the upshot, with verse sections swirling in convoluted form to touch upon a light progressiveness and refrain distinctly catchy but not backing from the intricate themes. Do I detect a hint of Stay Of Execution era Deliverance? Lyric snippet:
You know I love Him, you know I care
I want to thank Him with this prayer
You know we’ll worship Him in the end
So why not witness? It’s here we must begin
You can be a witness- if you’ll let Him
Show the way, you’ll see the power He brings
It is tempting to complain that Life Goes On was not professionally recorded, but that might be a misnomer in that I am grateful the album saw the light of day despite any production misgivings. Besides, any further production polish might rob Halo of its natural youthful exuberance. Give credit to Girder Music for making what amounts a long lost gem available after sitting in the vault for close to 40 years! Yes, the album potentially shows its age by being somewhat musically dated, but if into eighties metal and hard rock akin to the artists referenced throughout the review, you will not be disappointed with Halo debut demo Life Goes On.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Time To Run” (4:03), “The Welder” (4:15), “I Love Jesus” (2:27), “The King Is Alive” (3:59), “Life Goes On” 3:43), “Get Saved” (3:45), “Jesus Music” (3:05), “Jesus Cares” (3:54), “The Cross” (3:48), “Miracles” (3:09), “The Witness” (4:07)
Musicians
Scott Springer - Lead Vocals
Keith Mims - Guitars
Mike Graham - Drums
