| Musical Style: Metal/Hard Rock | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Roxx Records | Country Of Origin: USA & New Zealand |
| Year Released: 2020 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 13 | Rating: 70% |
| Running Time: 50:24 |
Never one to rest on his laurels, iconic vocalist Dale Thompson has started branching out from his signature band Bride into other projects. One of my favorites is The World Will Burn, which finds him joined by multi-instrumentalists Alan Zaring for an at times modern and others hard rock sound on a three album stretch (and counting!) between 2016 and 2019. Perpetual Paranoia sees him aligning with guitarist Tiago De Souza to give prominence to straightforward metal and thrash on a pair of albums released in 2018 and 2019, while The Thomas Thompson Earth Project, noting the presence of multi-instrumentalist Garrett Thomas, offers a variety of metal and thrash styles on its two albums from 2019 and 2020.
In similar vein to Bride is We Are Resolute, featuring guitarist Bryan Carman and bassist John Mokma for the bluesy metal and hard rock of its 2020 debut Shine The Light, and No Other God, including guitarist Nenel Lucena, drummer Alexandre Aposan and bassist Raphael Dafras also in metal/hard rock territory on its 2019 release Take It By Storm. Artist’s most recent project Swingle Thompson Ordained also touches upon a sound Bride fans will identify on its 2020 Roxx Records debut The Thunder That Rocks The World. With rhythm guitarist Randy Swingle and lead guitarist, bassist and drummer Erik Nelson accompanying Thompson, STO delivers straightforward hard rock but also draws upon blues-rock, funk, metal and even some light punk vestiges. Lyrics are unabashedly Christian.
Albums opening title track proves a hard rock anthem in the truest sense. Catchy, bursting of vim and stressed by exuberant bass, “The Thunder That Rocks The World” represents all that works well with the STO songwriting. Yet, follow up cut “Setting The World On Fire For God” also reveals some of the frustrating inconsistencies with STO from how it draws upon a melody a near image to that of “The Thunder That Rocks The World”. Perhaps it is just me, but impression is “Setting The World On Fire For God” is an early demo incarnation of the song that turned into “The Thunder That Rocks The World”.
“Darkness Destroyed” is much better as a rollicking, lively bass driven example of melodic hard rock to see non-stop hooks hold sway and Thompson shining with his trademark gritty and raspy vocal qualities. One cannot deny the commercial sensibilities. Likewise, “Hurricane Force” with a similar (but not carbon copy) mirthful form in speaking of the joyful, jaunty and every bit non-stop hook filled. Soloing of Erik Nelson is not of a virtuoso kind but stays true to the song nonetheless.
“Stormz” is another top of the line cut, opening to air raid sirens prior to powering its span at a mid-tempo hard rock clip in touching upon the gallant if not all out victorious. I find the subtle punk lacings to guitars hard to resist. I also rate “I Wanna Know” highly but taking a more melodic form with slight worshipful additives but upholding similar punk-ish themes guitar wise. Particularly standing out is the manner in which Thompson lowers his register to lend a scratchy feel to his delivery.
You will also find three songs with a close affinity for Bride, with “Break Those Chainz” a dead ringer for Kinetic Faith with its bluesy guitar signatures and undeniable hooks, and “The Stone Is Rolled Away” also blues influenced but bolder with an exultant if not uplifting feel and light acoustic lacings. “I Can’ Live Without You” hearkens back to Drop with its reserved guitar tones and funk nuances, noting the blithe backing vocals for the refrain. Of note is the wonderful guitar work on the three.
“Destroyer Of Death” deserves its own paragraph as my album favorite. It represents STO at its heaviest in reaching for traditional metal, with potent riffing from the start and projecting of a darker form its remaining distance as the band locks into an implacable groove. The strapping ‘destroyer of death!’ refrain bears striking resemblance to Saint’s “Destroyers” (off Time’s End) ‘Destroyers, destroyers of the world!’
There are, however, three songs to close the album that fail to do anything for me. “Let It Rain” projects of old school 70’s hard rock but also lacks the distinct melody to draw me in with repeat play, while the same applies with “No More A Slave” in taking an added upbeat melodic hard rock stance. “Under The Blood” might be heaviest of the three but a slight repetitiveness also prevents it from garnering my long-term listening attention.
Lyrics are so good (each song comes with corresponding scripture references) the deserve a separate section. Albums title track highlights an Easter based theme:
The power of God rocked the tomb
There was such a loud boom
On the 3rd day the angel said
Jesus is not here, He has risen from the dead
Death could not stop Him, He is God
I am the Resurrection & the Life
He that believes in me shall never die
Though He were dead yet He shall live
Fear not I have overcome the world
“Darkness Destroyed” celebrates the salvation experience:
Salvation is freedom from our sins in the infernal abodes
You shall bring forth the spoils
From the depths of Hades
The grave has given up its dead
Jesus shall come back in the clouds
With great power, magnificent glory
To His kingdom there is no end, He shall reign forever
Darkness Destroyed!
“Hurricane Force” is a song of victory:
Jesus reigns, darkness lives in fear
Coming at you like a hurricane
The end is here!
Christ came to save all sinners, this much is true
I’m the chief of sinners, how about you
Mercy in the wind, the voice, the call
Grace pouring down to the worst sinner of all
“Stone Is Rolled Away” proves aptly entitled:
The stone is rolled away, that’s what the angel did say
That our Lord has risen today
The stone is rolled away
Wood & flesh pressed together as one
The suffering of the Son
Every breath He drew was to speak your name
To pronounce your innocence
He took your pain
Likewise with “Under The Blood”:
Christ has dominion, only in Him salvation
From the very beginning, we are His own creation
Jesus the man, yet divine
Stepped from heaven into our time
The Father had perfect faith
His Son fills His commission, His blood is shed for you
There is a lot to like about STO and its debut full length The Thunder That Rocks The World. The group displays ability to compose a strong song when at its best, while Randy Swingle and Erik Nelson provide solid support musicianship wise, as does Thompson from vocally meshing with the earthly STO sound. Production and packaging are up to standard as well. Lone misgiving is that the album features a few too many skip buttons for my taste- at 13 songs it suffers from what I like to refer to as ‘track list bloat’. Overall, STO has a lot going for it, but I would also like to see more consistency musically on any album it might record in the future. In other words, go with your 10 to 11 best songs and you will be fine.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “The Thunder That Rocks The World” (4:06), “Setting The World On Fire For God” (4:12), “Darkness Destroyed” (4:07), “I Wanna Know” (3:50), “Hurricane Force” (3:59), “Stormz” (3:20), “Destroyer Of Death” (3:34), “Break Those Chainz” (4:09), “The Stone Is Rolled Away” (3:48), “I Cant Live Without You” (5:12), “Let It Rain” (3:09), “Under The Blood” (4:05), “No More A Slave” (2:54)
Musicians
Dale Thompson - Lead Vocals
Randy Swingle - Rhythm Guitars
Erik Nelson - Lead Guitar, Bass & Drums
