| Musical Style: Melodic Heavy Metal | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Independent | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2019 | Artist Website: Pastor Brad |
| Tracks: 10 | Rating: 80% |
| Running Time: |
Pastor Brad gained initial renown within the hard music community for his instrumental guitar albums. The full time pastor by calling but musician on the side released following the turn of the century a five album instrumental metal and hard rock ‘shred’ series, starting in 2006 with Shred but also including Reshredded from a year later and two more in 2008, Shredded Sweet and Heavenly Shred. Back To The Shredder from 2011 completed the run. If into Joe Satriani and Steve Vai - not to mention Joey Tafolla, David Chastain and James Byrd - you will no doubt take to the artist’s instrumental material.
That which is vocal proves of no less aptitude. Many best identify with his parody cover albums, which compile mainstream metal and hard rock songs from the seventies and eighties and re-imagines them with ‘lyrics that honor Jesus Christ and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel loud and proud!’ Albums such as Storm The Gates (2016), Storm The Gates 2 (2017) and Highway 2 Heaven (2018) include covers of songs by Black Sabbath (“Iron Man”), Loudness (“Crazy Nights”) and Led Zeppelin (“Stairway To Heaven”) under new titles “Son Of Man”, “He’s The Way” and “Savior From Heaven”, respectively.
In terms of original vocal recordings, Pastor Brad introduced in 2010 the eighties metal of Break Out to feature some of the better known vocalists in the Christian hard music scene, including Les Carlsen, Ken Tamplin, Ski and others. He returned in 2017 with UP, a worship album to trend commercial hard rock tinged with AOR territory, and Crush, heavier in terms of its straightforward metal basis but also hinting of the melodic, blues based and even the modern. Rock This World, his most recent vocal outing from February of 2019, takes a similar music stance with its melodic heavy metal bent but also touches upon classic metal (to feature some of the artists heaviest material ever) and even the modern to pop based (when trending outside the box).
It is also home to some of his finest vocal cuts, beginning with the catchy melodic metal to opening “All In All”. The song sets a near mesmerizing tone, unflappable with its tempered verses driven by forward bass and rumbling guitars but explosive in terms of the unfaltering refrain to exclaim, ‘Jesus you’re my all in all, you are my everything. Jesus You are the Lord of Lords, You are the King of Kings’. A tasteful stretch of melodic soloing carries things instrumentally.
“The Only One” is this reviewer’s choice track. This one takes the heavier position in skirting classic metal territory, inbred to some of the most invigorating guitars riffs you will hear while intensifying energy levels to the point of off the charts. The manner in which its verses temper to spoken word delivery and refrain detonates with abandon casually speaks of Quiet Riot’s “Metal Health (Bang Your Head)”.
Initially I felt that third track in might be a bit early for a ballad, but “What You Want” won me over with its quality. The song proves basic but effective as it slowly wafts in worshipful acoustic form, further advancing as sizable bass steps forward to reflect upon the eloquent until bluesy guitar takes over for the final breathtaking minutes. Artist also varies his delivery from his gritty and soulful style in smoothly lowering his register as he makes a statement of faith: ‘Sometimes You seem so very far away Lord, but I know in my heart You’re always there.’
Albums title track returns to an eighties melodic metal course. With open air guitar to start, “Rock This World” capers through its initial verses in crossing the arena rock threshold - you cannot help but embody the chanted vocal melodies - but expands exponentially for the anthem like refrain to assert, ‘Roll this world, set the captives free Lord. Shake this world, let the Kingdom come Lord please’. No doubt, “Rock This World” is quite good, but I wonder if it might make a more impactful statement with the use of choir vocals to create a symphonic effect.
Back to classic metal territory (think Saint or Armageddon) with “Lord of Life”, a powerhouse mauler that grooves front to back to technical (and very catchy) riffing alongside an exhilarated bass presence. Energy levels nearly match those of “The Only One”, particularly as manifested in the torrid, ‘Ooh yeah Jesus arose, He is the Lord of life’ refrain. Of note is how the artist reaches down low to lend some courser and rawer edged gritty.
If album takes a step down over its second half it is a slight one and not a fall from a precipice, referencing the distinction to its first five tracks.
“Breakdown” ensues as another heavy hitter. With guitars crashing in and out of the mix, it finds the artist again putting his bass guitar abilities on display - the reverberating low end is not for the faint of heart - on a decidedly mid-paced song that while not catchy as some delivers the powerhouse goods all the same. Deliberate and severe is the impression left by lead guitar.
After two songs heavy as it gets, it is only reasonable for album to ‘mellow out’ (even if somewhat) for what I like to identify as a two song suite in “Whoa Yeah” and “Help Me Find My Way”. Former plays up those modern to pop based variances, opening to a drum solo followed by ‘whoa yeah’ vocal melodies as distorted bass carries things through the mirthful verses on the way to an every bit as exuberant refrain to repeat the songs title in playful fashion. In the end, “Who Yeah” is so catchy as to be almost mind numbing (in a positive sense).
Latter is albums shortest at two and a half minutes in taking the faster approach. It hard charges from the start and does not let up, pointed in light of its unflagging focus while equally essential when factoring its every bit uplifting demeanor. “Help Me Find My Way” serves as a companion to its predecessor from how it also exclaims ‘whoa yeah’ in lead up to its chorus offered up in the form of a prayer: “Sin is all around me, and I need Your grace to help me find my way’.
“You’re My God” reaches for the mid-paced with its melodic metal essence. Expansive and projection filled, the song plummets through its initial verses to guitars recoiling from the mix only to have them return as impetus powers things to the shouted refrain to mirror the worshipful: ‘You’re my God, there is no one else beside you. Praise You lord, You rule and reign forever’. I appreciate the irascibly done lead guitar.
Closer “Changing Me” is lone track not to do it for me. Perhaps it tempers a bit much when factoring the unrest that comes before, but I find energy levels (not to mention guitar fortitude) reduced in comparison to some in not making the same type of disquiet statement. That said, I like lyrical direction: ‘My God is changing me from the inside, I’m a little more like Him every day. I’m losing myself in His awesome glory, I’m a little more like Jesus every step of the way’.
Rock This World sounds fine production wise for an independently released, self-financed ‘one man band’ project (similar to many of his previous albums, artist handles all vocals, bass and guitars). Programmed drums, however, bring some minor repetition but otherwise do not distract.
In my opinion, Rock This World highlights some of Pastor Brad’s finest original vocal material or at the very least finds him coming into his own in this regard. If not familiar with his previous work, then I strongly encourage you to check out Rock This World - I am hoping for an official CD release - in that it represents a good place to start (from there move on to his parody cover albums and then his instrumental ‘shred’ releases). I equally identify with the Rock This World title as aptly deserved in giving prominence to some of his most guitar-driven moments to date, noting the strong classic metal influence. Accordingly, he nails it in terms of guitar and bass production. If this is any indicator of what he is capable, them I look forward to what he puts out in the future regardless of direction.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “All In All” (4:12), “The Only One” (4:05), “What You Want” (3:46), “Rock This World” (3:38), “Lord Of Life” (3:43), “Breakdown” (4:13), “Whoa Yeah” (3:20), “Help Me Find My Way” (2:39), “You’re My God” (4:25), “Changing Me” (3:42)
Musicians
Pastor Brad - Lead Vocals, Guitars, Bass & Programming
