| Musical Style: Melodic Metal | Produced By: Rex Carroll |
| Record Label: Dark Star | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2024 | Artist Website: Whitecross |
| Tracks: 11 | Rating: 90% |
| Running Time: 44:34 |
Melodic heavy metal plus virtuoso guitarist: It’s been a surefire winning hard music formula since the eponymous Van Halen debut from 1978. With elite shredder and founding member Rex Carroll setting the tone, Whitecross sounds right at home here with its eighties derivative and Ratt influenced take on the form. By that, of course, I am referring to front man and co-founding member Scott Wenzel, whom vocally has received comparison to Ratt counterpart Stephen Pearcy with a similar raw edged and raspy style. The Carroll and Wenzel partnership proved the driving force behind Whitecross during its late eighties to early nineties prime, resulting in five critically acclaimed albums released during the span.
I take to the 1987 self-titled debut, which in my opinion features the strongest selection of songs on a Whitecross album, but also value 1988 sophomore effort Hammer & Nail from including two of my favorites from the group in “Take It To The Limit” and “Because Of Jesus”. Whereas 1989 effort Triumphant Return highlights Whitecross’ best combination of songwriting, production and performance (again, my opinion), In The Kingdom from 1991 separates as the most well produced Whitecross album, while 1992’s High Gear is home to the groups finest ballad, “Without Your Love”.
Whitecross might have carried on following the early nineties departure of Carroll, but much of the magic that made the first five albums so special was missing on follow up releases Unveiled (1994), Equilibrium (1995) and Flytrap (1996). The group remained inactive better part of the subsequent decade only to reunite with Carroll in 2005 for a re-recording of the debut under the new title 1987 in addition to the occasional festival appearance. Carroll, meanwhile, stayed busy with a solo blues from album from 2010, That Was Then, This Is Now, in addition to releasing in 2013 a third album with King James entitled MaXimus. Subsequent to recording a second album with Fierce Heart, War For The World from 2020, he re-organized Whitecross with talented new front man David Roberts along with bassist Benny Ramos and drummer Michael Feighan.
Upshot is the first Whitecross album of original material to feature Carroll in over thirty years in the Dark Star Records March of 2024 full length offering Fear No Evil. Impression with this reviewer is that if Fear No Evil is not the best Whitecross album, at the very least it ranks alongside Whitecross and Triumphant Return from featuring the compact songwriting to the former and top-level performance and production of latter. Regardless, if a fan of melodic metal and hard rock with great guitar playing - and by that I am referring to Angelica, Joshua, Impellitteri and Letter 7 - Fear No Evil will not disappoint.
Shining in this regards is opening cut “The Way We Rock”. The song finds Whitecross determining exactly that, as an exciting eighties based explosion of melodic metal hooks to see Carroll lead the way with his quaking rhythm guitar and accomplished soloing and Roberts shine equally in terms of his complementary soulful and raspy classic tenor vocal style. With the in-step rhythm section of Ramos and Feighan providing solid support, Whitecross is literally firing on all cylinders.
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“Lion Of Judah” represents another showstopper, five minutes of technical metal revolving between up-tempo moments fiery with intensity and resolve and others tempered in composed but focused fashion. The gentle keyboards serve to embolden further the preeminent melody. With its accessible rhythms, the song echoes of early Impellitteri (think Grin & Bear It and Answer To The Master). Lyric snippet:
God gives to all mortals life and breath
Jesus Christ the Son raised from death
Perfect Lamb of God who knew no sin
Paid the price so we can live again
The Lion of Judah
Who comes in His power
Bringing salvation
Let this be the hour
Each of the five Carroll era Whitecross albums feature an “Eruption” style guitar solo and Fear No Evil proves no exception with “Jackhammer”. What we have is an inspired minute and half of open air soloing with a neo-classical edge exhibiting why Carroll was recipient of multiple Heaven’s Metal Magazine guitar hero awards.
“Man In The Mirror” starts with a high-end falsetto ahead of morphing into a mid-tempo mauler. Song gradually gains force moving ahead, no-nonsense in powering through its unyielding verse sections, but making a sweeping statement for the vocal melody driven refrain. Manner in which the keyed up rhythm section further heightens the resounding hints of Triumphant Return. Lyric snippet:
Another day has come and gone
The smell, it starts to creep
So alone, can I atone?
A life I cannot keep
Send me to heaven
Or send me to hell
Another trip to the wishing well
Running out of time
Till the final bell
“Blind Man” is first of two finely honed ballads. It brings a medieval folk flair, as classical guitar and flowing rhythms align with Roberts’ gravelly voice to extent Petra front man John Schlitt comes to mind. The atmospheric melodic to command cannot help but draw in with repeat play. If I were to invite comparison, it would be to System Breakdown ballad “Paths” (off the group’s first and only album 102 from 2003).
The acoustic sentiments to Blind Man” carry over to first minute of albums Psalm 23 influenced title track. At just the point you think “Fear No Evil” is another ballad, however, commanding rhythm guitar punches in and joins with persuasive bass, the churning mentality to prevail speaking of the dynamic as an emotional melody prevails. Carroll lets loose with albums best stretch of adeptly played lead guitar. Lyric snippet:
The Lord God
He is my shepherd
He leads me beside the still waters
Into the path of righteousness without shame
I spend my days inside the house of His name
He will lead me through the shadow
I fear no evil
I am forgiven from the horror of my sin
And now I never walk alone
“29,000” takes a bluesy metal approach that would not sound out of place on In The Kingdom. Song proves fittingly laid back and reserved, churning abundant melody of a radio friendly capacity but yielding intent guitar signatures pointing to Bride’s Snakes In The Playground. Interestingly, guitar leads point to the neo-classical.
“Saints Of Hollywood” gives prominent to the up-tempo with its cowbell driven form. It maintains the bluesy aspects but in a more hard rock direction, transitioning between calmer Latin influenced passages in which organ decorates the backend and those to see the groups melodically driven guitar proclivity leading the way. Upshot is an even joining of the reticent and impassioned. Lyric snippet:
He wants to find a way out
He needs to know what it’s all about
Beyond a shadow of any doubt
You gotta keep, keep pushing
And when you finally surrender
Lay your burden down
Such a beautiful Savior
Leading you to solid ground
Final hard rocker “Vendetta” is a good one. It delivers its share of variances, encompassing slowly moving moments in which rhythm guitar tempers to a diminished role and others in which rhythm guitar gradually expands to a place of prominence in intrepid fashion. Catchy vocal melodies tie both sides of the fence together.
Album closes to a pair of well-done ballads. First “Wishing Well” takes a classic ballad stance, as the symphonic keyboards covering the opening seconds give way to acoustic guitar and orchestration that regally compel the lushly done remaining distance. Further value reveals in the female backing vocals lending an aesthetic basis and multiple bluesy guitar solos allowing for a rock ballad feel. Lyric snippet:
You can love again
You can see the Light
It’s time to pray again
Just give it a try
You can believe again
All things will be made new
Just put your trust in Him
Let Him show you the way
Second “Further On” also takes an acoustic stance but features the grainy mid-ranged vocals of Carroll. Yes, the song is well constructed but also comes in at just two minutes, which leads to my lone constructive comment regarding the album: with eleven songs but two on the shorter side (noting minute and half instrumental “Jackhammer”), Fear No Evil could have been rounded out with an extra song or two. Or at the very least the group could have gone a route similar to Sacred Warrior on its 2013 comeback album Waiting In Darkness and re-record a couple classics from the past.
Fear No Evil adds up to a very solid comeback album from Whitecross that checks all the boxes: strong songwriting; top-notch musicianship and vocals; excellent production. After a wait of over thirty years, it is good to see Carroll return to Whitecross in such fine form! David Roberts proves a more than capable replacement for the departed Scott Wenzel, a strong vocalist in his own right. Looking ahead, I hope Whitecross follows a pattern similar to that of Stryper and delivers a new album every two to three years!
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “The Way We Rock” (4:04), “Lion Of Judah” (5:05), “Jackhammer” (1:19), “Man in The Mirror” (4:42), “Blind Man” (4:54), “Fear No Evil” (4:48), “29,000” (4:11), “Saints Of Hollywood” (3:44), “Vendetta’ (4:40), “Wishing Well” (5:11), “Further On” (2:05)
Musicians
David Roberts - Lead Vocals
Rex Carroll- Guitars & Keyboards
Benny Ramos - Bass
Michael Feighan - Drums
Additional Musicians
Todd Waites - Keyboards
John Lawry - Orchestration & Keyboards
Greg Bailey - Cello
Chris Cook - Percussion
