Musical Style: Varies	Produced By: Varies
Record Label: Roxx Records	Country Of Origin: Varies
Year Released: 2022	Artist Website:
Tracks: 17	Rating: No Quote
Running Time: 73:57

The Roxx Records summer of 2022 various artists release Preachers Of The Underground: Volume 1 embraces the ‘compilation’ proposition of compilation albums.  It proves successful in this regard by celebrating the music and ministries of bands both of days gone by in addition to those new by breaking down into two parts.  First features ‘old school preachers’ (made up of re-mastered songs from out of print albums re-issued on Roxx Records) and second ‘new school preachers’ (encompassing songs from bands to recently new albums on Roxx).  Further value reveals in the wide array of musical styles and genres presented, including eighties influenced melodic metal and hard rock, classic metal, modern rock, progressive metal and thrash.

Old School Preachers

With one notable exception, the ‘Old School’ side to the project draws its track listing from demo material of unsigned bands.  That said do not let the unsigned designator mislead you in light of the quality to the music at hand, albeit you will find some occasional albeit non-distracting production thinness.

Getting things underway is Judea and the polished melodic metal to its classy track “Heart Of Stone”, making its initial appearance on the 1988 California Metal 2 compilation, and Golgatha, trending traditional metal territory with gravelly vocal and driving rhythms on “Prisoner” (off its 1985 demo EP of the same name).  Both songs appear on respective releases Out Of The Dark (including both CM2songs and a high volume of unreleased material) and an expanded version to Prisoner (featuring the original four demo tracks and two previously unreleased live bonus tracks).

Other choice ‘Old School’ songs include the up-tempo, hook driven melodic metal of “Wise Eyes” from Chariot and every bit laudable Telestai number “On The Line” that literally has it all: high-end vocals, solid production, hooks to spare and lightning-like leads.  Former attributes to the re-issue to both Chariot custom cassette releases Tell The World and Step Into Light (under the title History Lesson - The Complete Anthology Of Chariot) and latter the group’s seven-song It Is Finished demo along with five bonus live tracks (appropriately entitled It Is Finished).

A bit outside the box but still good is Guardian Angel number “Immortality”, which combines hard charging metal with a punk allure in the form of lower register vocals and chanted backing vocals (off the re-issued entitled Fire From Heaven to include the three songs off the groups lone EP demo and nine bonus live tracks.).  Also standing out is Antioch with a hard rock heading as opposed to metal with its fine cut “Let It Flow” delivering a streetwise sound emanating the raw and gritty with contrasting smooth vocal melodies (from the re-issue to the groups seven song custom cassette entitled Spontaneous Combustion).

The highlight ‘Old School’ number attributes to Leviticus (that lone signed band in question) with “Foij Mig” from its 1982 four track 12” Maxi 45rpm EP entitled Stå Och Titta På (translated to English means ‘Stand & Watch’).  In reflecting a classic metal vibe, it gives prominence to driving rhythms, power riffing and lower register vocals to remind somewhat of Saint cut “The Choice” (off the groups 2004 release The Battle).  Stå Och Titta På was re-mastered and re-issued to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

New School Preachers

The ‘New School’ side encompasses current material - from albums either recently released or soon to be released on Roxx Records - and accordingly brings added polish in the form of stronger production values.

A good measure of the ‘New School’ track listing reflects an eighties metal and hard rock edge, including the catchy Whitesnake influenced “Welcome To Reality” from Reign Of Glory (noting soulful vocalist Robyn Kyle Basauri) and blues tinged hard rock of “Skin & Bones” by The Reconciled (to feature raspy vocalist Dale Thompson).  Both songs come off 90% Angelic Warlord reviewed albums All Will Bow and Skin & Bones respectively.  Also fronted by Thompson is Not Of This World and the title track to its debut album Never Forget, five and half minutes of brazen guitars and Hammond B3 pointing to a gritty hard rock sound with a seventies vibe.

Maintaining the eighties vibe is Latter Reign with the commercial ‘hair-pop-glam’ metal to “Latter Reign”, upbeat to manifest hooks and lively rhythm section, and True Strength in realizing a straight up old school metal vibe on “Chariot Of God”, emotional with its classic tenor vocals and apocalyptic flair speaking of the sublime.  Former comes off the appropriately entitled sophomore album II and latter Book of Ezekiel based concept album The House, The Holy, The Third (90% Angelic Warlord review).

One of my favorite ‘New School’ numbers is the nine-minute progressive metal to Seventh Servant number “Jezebel” home to atmospheric keyboards, choral overtures, commanding guitars and too many time signatures to detail.  Bonus points in the form of lower register vocalist John Greely (of Iced Earth fame) and excellent production.  Song comes off the groups Book of Revelation themed concept album The Tree Of Life (review forthcoming).

In a more modern direction, Fear Not combines eighties style hooks and flair with periodic ‘screamed’ vocals on “Fields Of Sorrow”, while All For The King number “The Seventh Seal” represents melodic hard rock with a modern edge found in earthy front man Ricard Hulteke and all the hooks you could ask.  “Fields Of Sorrow” is the title track to one of the years top albums (noting the 95% review) and “The Seventh Seal” one of the better cuts off All For The King sophomore album Let There Be Light (again, review forthcoming).

Of the unreleased material, I take to Vultures Gathering and its accelerated (almost thrash-infused) cover of classic Bloodgood song “America” to feature double bass galore and Chaz Bond’s distinctive lower-register, doom-like vocals.  If this is any indicator of quality to the group’s forthcoming album The Hunt, it comes highly recommended.

Finally, whereas Ritual Servant’s “Hearers and Doers” - off the 7” single Veritas (Part 1 of 4) - might not be my cup of tea from extending into Metallica style thrash territory (with Hetfield influenced vocals to boot), it represents an essential inclusion all the same.  I can see Ritual Servant appealing to those into early Eternal Decision.

I appreciate the creative take on the compilation album format by Roxx Records, noting its recently released ‘Halloween Comp’ (All Hallow’s Eve: We Love Hating Evil) and ‘Easter comp’ from 2016 (A Celebration Of The Death & Resurrection).  Preachers Of The Underground follows suite in this regard with a strong song selection and variety of styles and eras, which plays up the depth to the Roxx Records roster in the process.  Looking ahead, good news is that the Preachers Of The Underground - Volume 1 indicator (emphasis added) points to a series with additional releases (i.e.: ‘Volume 2’) hopefully to come in the future!

Review by Andrew Rockwell

Track Listing (Old School Preachers): Judea - “Heart Of Stone” (4:47), “Golgatha - “Prisoner” (2:45), Chariot - “Wise Eyes” (3:36), Antioch - “Let It Flow” (4:21), Guardian Angel - “Immortality” (4:11), “Telestai - “On The Line” (5:04), Leviticus” - ““Foij Mig” (4:11)

Track Listing (New School Preachers) Fear Not - “Fields Of Sorrow” (3:37), Reign Of Glory - “Welcome To Reality” (4:20), Seventh Servant - “Jezebel” (8:59), All For The King - “The Seventh Seal” (4:41), Vultures Gathering - “America” (5:07), Latter Reign - “Latter Reign” (4:47), The Reconciled - “Skin & Bones” (3:47), True Strength - “Chariot Of God” (4:58), Not Of This World - “Never Forget” (5:35), Ritual Servant - “Hearers & Doers” (4:23)