Customer Reviews

Brainchild

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4 star:		(3)
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This album has been long out-of-print, and I own both versions. In 1992, the band was called Brainchild, and the album was called "Mindwarp." Two years later, Scott Albert (later changing his name to Klay Scott, his renowned Circle of Dust moniker) remixed and rereleased the album as "Brainchild." And it is a masterpiece of underground industrial. This is a great pick for fans of hardcore beats mixed in with death metal guitar riffs and pulsating electronics and textures. The music fits into a Ministry vein, but Circle of Dust achieve some sense of comprehension where Ministry lacked in any sense of cohesion or melody (don't get me wrong, I love Ministry, but their music was about dissention both lyrically and musically). "Brainchild" is wrought with samples from movies, TV, and cartoons, using quotes from "Blade Runner," "Robocop 2," and "The Abyss" all over the place. Normally I would think this to detract from the music, but the choice of quotes is excellent and adds an eerie twist to the music. If it wasn't for the electronics, one might think this to be some artsy-fartsy experimental death metal album. The best songs on this album would have to be "Telltale Crime" and "Deviate." The version of "Deviate" here is far superior to the original '92 release, and is a masterpiece of industrial-thrash. The "Regressor/Aggressor" mixes are awesome as well. If you can find a copy of this album anywhere, I encourage you to give it a listen. It's an aggressive and hard-pounding album that should be in any underground industrial fan's collection. Circle of Dust has since moved on to become Celldweller, and Klay Scott continues to experiment and evolve. I look forward to the first Celldweller album, but until then...I have Circle of Dust to tide me over.

In preparation for the arrival for my copy of Whitecross' "Nineteen Eighty Seven" cd, I dusted off my copy of their 1987 self titled debut cd. The moment the opening chords for "Who Will You Follow" rang out, I found my mind flooded with memories. Whitecross was the first metal group I heard with a strong christian message. A friend of mine let me hear his copy of the four song e.p. "Love On The Line" and it stuck in my head for seemingly years. Being more a fan of music than lyrics, it was quite unusual that Scott Wenzil's voice had almost equal power as Rex Carroll's incredible guitar playing in attracting me to their songs. The opening chords to "Love On The Line" caught my ear and Scott's screaming of the lyrics "caught in the middle, your heart's been burned, your only love has walked away, the page is turned" had me hooked. This same friend and I saw Whitecross live in festivals, churches and community halls about 8 times (maybe more) between 1987 and 1993. Whitecross is the only group that I've traveled literally hundreds of miles to see in concert. Therefore my review may not be without bias.

First off, let me say that somehow, Rex's guitar sound on this new cd is almost exactly the same as the original cd. I'm not sure if it's that the riffs are that distinctive or Rex remembering his settings (maybe some combination of the two). Allowing for a possibly bigger budget and better recording gear, the guitar is louder and meatier but over all it's amazingly similar. A big thank you to Rex for "keeping it real". Thanks to Mike Feighan, something that HAS changed is the quality of the drumming. It's much better than on the original recording. A direct comparison between the 2 disks will allow you to hear that the drumming is smoother, more dynamic and has more imaginative fills on the newer cd. Another change is Scott's vocals. For about the last 10 years, Scott has been singing in a lower register. Compare his vocals on "Signs Of The End" on both disks and you'll hear just how hard it is for him to sing in the higher octaves. However, he's pretty much hitting the notes the same as he did on the original recording, the trademark raspiness is still present and his vocals have a bit more grit. A huge thanks to Scott for even trying to get back up in that vocal stratosphere.

A high percentage of the songs are played practically note for note so if you're familiar with the original recordings, there's no need for a complete song by song review. In spite of this not really being a "band" recording (Rex plays bass on many of the songs), the energy hasn't been lost and that serves this project well. Rex occasionally plays notes in place of a dive-bomb that was on the original disk but my goodness, even for a master guitar player like Rex, it's darn near impossible to play every song exactly as it was originally recorded. The vocals are slightly different in areas such harmonies and the occasional vocal doubling on the original recordings aren't duplicated on the newer cd but it's readily apparent that Scott's intent was to sing them the way they were meant to be sang. So literally, what you're getting is a re-imaging of the original cd minus the ballad "You're Mine", the welcome addition of "Love On The Line", the instrumental "Reanimate" (excellent!) and a few outtakes. The only song that doesn't quite hold up to the original is "Nagasake". The backwards vocals (which actually said "trust in the Lord") at the beginning of the original are missing which is no big deal. The first 2/3 of the solo is great but Rex's guitar playing is uncharacteristically stiff during the classical descending runs (reminiscent of the licks Steve Vai played in the movie Crossroads during the guitar duel). To my ears, the original sounded sort of like Rex just played this incredible classical oriented guitar solo "off the cuff". There's seemingly conflicting emotions of the wide eyed joy exuded by a young boy picking up the guitar for the first time and thinking "wow, I can actually play this stuff?" while simultaneously oozing with the confidence only an artist with years of wood shedding and being other worldly talented can exhibit. That sense of discovery seems to be missing from the newer version. Also, I love "You're Mine". I would have loved for them to have included an updated version of that song as well. But all in all, this new cd is very much appreciated. While the music style may or may not be outdated (I love what they do so much it's hard for me to tell), I get the feeling these guys could be at the forefront of a 1980's metal revival. It doesn't say what year this occurred but in the liner notes, Rex mentioned that he used the song "Reanimate" to enter a Rock contest in New York AND LOST!!!! To who? Eddie Van Halen? Jimi Hendrix? Besides those two, what more could you possibly want in a "rock" guitarist? Being heavier than anything in their catalog, "Reanimate" could be sign that Whitecross is moving into a new heavier direction which certainly would save Scott's voice.

While it's unusual, I don't find to be a huge surprise that they decided to rerecord the entire self titled debut cd because this is something at which they have a bit of a history. In 1988, Whitecross contributed a song on a various artist compilations called "The Axemen". That song was called "Shakedown" which was rerecorded and appears on the "Triumphant Return" cd (their best in my opinion). "No Second Chances" which appears on the cd "In The Kingdom" was rerecorded and included on the Whitecross compilation cd "One More Encore". This is a group that knows they have treasures lying in their catalog.

As a side note, the title track of the 4 song e.p. "Love On The Line" actually did appear on cd however it wasn't a Whitecross cd. They contributed the song to another various artist compilation called "Testify" (send me an email at hdetter at gmail.com and I'll burn a copy for you). Two of the remaining three songs "No Way I'm Going Down" and "Enough Is Enough" appear on the self titled debut however "I Believe" can't be found on cd anywhere. This song was a departure from the trademark Whitecross sound in that it's blues-rock oriented and Rex handled the lead vocal chores (Scott's unmistakable background harmonies are excellent).

Anyway, "enough is enough" on the Whitecross history. Here's hoping that this leads to a cd with new music.

I'll begin by noting that I don't consider myself a Whitecross fan; I do, however, enjoy great Christian hard rock and metal. Like so many other folks, I first discovered Whitecross back in 1987 when their debut release generated quite a buzz in the CCM community. They were the answer to my prayers; I was tired of listening to Christian music that tried unsuccessfully to appeal to fans of hard rock. Aside from the obvious Stryper, Saint, Messiah Prophet, and even Bloodgood, there was little on shelves back in 1987 that really sounded like the music I heard on secular rock radio stations. When I first heard "Who Will You Follow," I thought I was listening to a re-tooled and converted version of Ratt. I was stunned to learn that Whitecross was its own entity, and that they had an entire album full of tunes that could easily fit with many successful secular artists at the time. Over the next few years I found that I liked each successive Whitecross release less than the one before. I'm not sure if their debut was so good that it was impossible to top or if I was growing as a music fan. Though I never became a Whitecross fan, their debut release retained a special place in my heart. So, once I learned that Rex and Scott were planning to re-record their classic, I was both ecstatic and fearful. I was happy that their early music would get another shot at appearing on a CD, but I was worried that they would taint my memory of the original recording. I had fears the band would make the same mistake that Ozzy made when he recently had the bass and drums on his first two classic albums re-recorded. Fortunately, I was to be pleasantly surprised. In my humble opinion, I feel that Whitecross improved their debut. I'm sure that purists would argue the first release is the better of the two versions, but I don't think so. The new version of "Whitecross-1987" has all the chops and riffs of the first recording, but it is also a bit more thunderous. "Enough Is Enough" (despite its silly "enough, nuff" chorus) is solid, and the guitar work comes through much more powerfully than the original. Likewise, "Signs of the Times" offers a take on the original that is true to the 1st version but much more aggressive. Best of all, the inclusion of "Love on the Line"--an often overlooked Whitecross song--rounds out the CD with a classic sound that doesn't compromise its power for a slower tempo. The song is reminiscent of AC/DC's earth-shaking "For Those About to Rock." Even the lone new track, "Re-Animate," fits on the disc rather nicely. Though the track is an instrumental Rex Carroll piece, it sounds as if it could have easily appeared on the original debut release nearly 20 years ago. All said, "Whitecross 1987" is a worthy rendering of the original recording. In fact, I feel comfortable saying that it is better than the original. Listening to the CD makes fans realize how good Whitecross's debut was, but it also reminds us that some things just get better with age...

Usallu when a band decides to "re-record" an album disaster strikes! Not with this release! It surpasses the original. The original "Pure Metal" release has been out of print for quite some time. I bought it brand new on cassette in 1987. That cassette is long gone. So instead of paying high-dollar for an original CD I decided to wait on this and it was worth the wait!

VERY true to the originals, no updated sound here. Rex's guitars shred almost nore-for note to the originals. Scott's vocals are a bit deeper now. The drums and bass sound much better with today's production technology.

Kicks off with "Who Will You Follow", contains "Eough Is ENough", "No Way I'm Going Down" and more. Only the ballad was left off, which slips my mind at the moment. Contains 2 "new" tracks. "Love On The Line" was never released on CD. "Re:Animate" is a new instrumental/solo from Rex. It is the only thing that sounds remotely "modern" but it still shreds.

You can hear good MP3 samples at the Whitecross website (google it).

Also, lots of cool pics from the 80's and new liner notes from Rex.

If you are a fan of Christian Metal, give this one a try. Old School at its best! also, Saint is still out there too!!

In the 80's, hair metal ruled. While bands like Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Poison, and Cinderella were rocking the world, groups like Shout, Barren Cross, Holy Soldier, and Bloodgood kept the church rocking too. There were the "posers" too; bands that had the look but not the sound. Then, in 1987, a band named Whitecross released their first recording. They were definitely not posers, but had the chops to back it all up.

Folks immediately took notice because of their unique sound. Scott Wenzel's vocals brought comparisons to bands like Ratt and AC/DC. Rex Carroll launched into it with scorching guitar riffs and fearless solos. The band went on to win a Dove Award and release 12 recordings in some incarnation or another before disbanding completely.

Now, nineteen years later, the band has reformed. Rather than release a CD of new music, they took the unorthodox route of completely rerecording their debut CD. Bringing back Mike Feighan (easily their strongest drummer and the one who played on more releases than any other in their revolving door backing band), they hit it with a more aggressive sound than before. So how does it hold up?

To me, the strongest Whitecross recordings were their later ones after Rex left and other guitarists came in to give Whitecross the gut-level rock sound it deserved. Scott took things in a new direction and really made the band something to notice even as it was on its way out. If they were going to remake a CD, it kind of seems more natural to choose perhaps some greatest hits and go from there. Still, the wealth of material on the debut album gives them a lot to work with.

One thing to say about Rex Carroll, he's consistent. He sounds exactly the same as he did 20 years ago. As a matter of fact, he sounds the same on every single record he plays on. Rather than try anything too daring, he stays with the same signature sound and solos he's always played. This time though, the rhythm guitar parts that are the backbone of the songs have some crunch to them. He plays riffs in every song like it's the last time he'll ever get to play (unfortunately sometimes cluttering the song with too much noise-especially when Scott's singing). It's probably impossible to see his fingers move in some parts. "Nagasake" is as strong now as it was then.

Scott's vocals are a little more subdued now, but I think that's to be expected. Nobody can keep singing in the stratosphere forever! What he loses in range he makes up for in passion. This is more of the vocal style he used in the later Whitecross recordings like Unveiled and Equilibrium.

The strongest songs on the CD are "Who Will You Follow", "Enough is Enough", and "All I Need". In addition to the songs from the original recording, they include "Love on the Line", which was never released on CD before. This fist-pumping version rocks (think an angry Led Zepplin) and actually sounds better than the original. There's also a new guitar instrumental by Rex called "Reanimate". If you like his instrumentals from other releases, you'll probably like this one. Some catchy hooks, but mostly just the same stuff as always from Rex. It kind of gets repetitive after a while.

All in all, this is a good release and it's nice to see the band get to revisit their debut and clean it up a little. Fans of the hair band years will love this nostalgia trip. It's definitely worth picking up just to hear an updated sound from the band. Hopefully next time they'll choose to take songs from other releases and do this again instead of working their way back through their discography. Or better yet, give us all new material!

Stryper returned last year with a new CD. Whitecross brings us this new release. Holy Soldier's even working on a new set. Just goes to show: hair bands can still rock.

Complete Track Listings:

1. Cranial Tyrant
2. Telltale Crime
3. Prayers Of A Dead Man
4. Regressor (Aggressive Mix)
5. Enshrined
6. Course Of Ruin
7. Descend
8. Deviate
9. Pale Reflection
10. Aggressor (Regressive Mix)

If your a Whitecross fan or you like old school rock, you gotta have this cd this is there best album by far, out of all there albums, Must have!! 5 Stars all the way!!

I hadn't heard much about Whitecross. I had maybe heard a couple of songs but not the whole album ever. I got this album as a Christmas present from my friend. When I listened to the album for the first time, I thought: What a great album. At that time I didn't know that this is a re-recording of their debut album. Now I know. The production is absolutely amazing, and there's great songs like "Who Will You Follow", "Enough Is Enough", and "Lookin' for a Reason". There's two instrumental tracks: "Nagasake", and "Re:Animate" which both are great but the latter one if better. There's also "Love on the Line" which wasn't in their first album. I think that it is an EP song or something. Anyway, This Whitcross album is a great Christian rock album, reminding me of the bands like Skid Row and Whitesnake.
Stars: Who Will You Follow, He Is The Rock, Love on the Line

For some reason, this is supposed to be a review of "1987" by Whitecross. I now see that it is being put under "Brainchild" CD - ??? I don't get it. I didn't put it here.

I am a Whitecross fan and have been to a few concerts in the past. I have all their CD's up until Rex left the Band (well, not their debut CD). I have heard a few of the songs from their original CD and debated buying it, but could never find a copy. When this re-issue was released I bought it right away (incidentally, for only $15).

The sound quality is MUCH better on the new release. More bass, better drums, less of a 'thin' sound, and awesome guitar sound. This is definitely one of my favorite CD's. I especially like "Who Will You Follow", "He Is The Rock", "Nagasake", and "Love On The Line", but they are all good. I love the 'add-ons' Rex blazes into his playing. Having seen him play guitar live and ad-lib stuff, it is awesome.

Overall, highly recommended CD for working out or just rocking out. Thanks!

I am a bit skeptical about re-recordings and remixes in general, so I am usually hesitant to buy them, especially when I love the original recording as much as I loved this one way back then. This disc is amazing! It keeps all of the great parts of the original recording, but gives them a much fuller sound and includes "Love on the Line" which was previously only available on the Heavy Righteous Metal compilation. The two best songs on here are Signs of the End, and No Way I'm Going Down. The ballad "You're Mine" has been left out, but it was the weakest song on the original recording anyway. Check out the great Demos and solos on the end of this thing. The only negative on this is that it is obvious that Scott has lost a little on his vocals in the higher range, but in the end it doesn't affect the quality of the songs at all.....A great addition to your collection!!! BUY IT!!!