Pendragon Music Blog by Jeff McCormack
Messenger returns with this live release for 2010, recorded during a benefit concert for Corinne's Kitchen at Arlington Assembly Auditorium. This release is available on CD as well as DVD and, believe it or not, (soon) Blu-ray. The band seems to be appearing everywhere, and in the short time since hitting the music scene, seem to be accomplishing quite a bit. I had the privilege of reviewing their first release I'm Talking to You
(See Previous Jeff McCormack Review)
For a live album, it has excellent sound quality. A lot of independent live releases sound like glorified bootleg recordings, but not On Delivery (Live), it almost at times sounds like a studio release. Each instrument is heard with clarity and great separation, which is rare on many live albums. As expected, in a live setting many of the songs appear in extended rocking formats from the studio release, so this is not like simply listening to the studio album with an audience track; plus there are tracks here that were not present on the studio release (Fear No Evil, Let My people Go, The Risen Christ, Rulemaker), making it that much of a better package.
So, grab it, sit back, and let it melt your face off with that classic rock/metal feel. The album opener is Chained, which makes sense - I thought it felt like a good single so why not a great show opener to get the people pumping and singing along. Let's focus on the songs not included on the studio album:
Fear No Evil is an upbeat, powerful metallic rocker speaking of living this life with no fear of evil, knowing that the Lord is with us and in control. Let My people Go starts off with the acoustic ballad feel, but eventually kicks it up a notch with a great sing-a-long feel. A real stand-out live track to get the crowd singing along - which they do. The Risen Christ starts with a opening keys sequence that feels like it may take a spacey mellow approach, but nope - it kicks right in with a mid-tempo crunch that tells the story of the crucifixion. A Bible story set to music, it is yet another great standout song of praise for the work of Christ, I can almost picture this as a scene in a rock opera, similar to the track Crucify by Bloodgood. Then there is Rulemaker which starts up high energy, then drops down into the pocket for a straight-forward hard rocker with a nice shredding guitar solo.
I am not sure if these four songs are older tracks that did not make it to the first album, or newer songs written since then, but I hope to hear some studio versions of these, they really compliment the band's style. The total track listing for On Delivery (Live) is as follows:
Chained
Fear No Evil
Wallowing in the Mire
Let's My People Go
Bright and Morning Star
The Risen Christ
Rulemaker
The Rapture (Extended)
So Good (Extended)
Don't Shoot the Messenger
King of King's (Extended)
I am looking forward to eventually grabbing a copy of this on DVD to experience it visually. These guys rock, and they sound like they are enjoying every note; I just hope to one day see them in person (which shouldn't be too hard since they are located only a few hours from me). I encourage you, if you like hard and heavy classic rock, this band shines in the genre.
Fire Stream Music Vault - Old School Doom
Messenger: On Delivery (Live)
Plug into 45 minutes of a live concert done very well. This is one excellent live recording; vocals have never been more coherent and the Godly MESSAGE never more blatant. Great crowd interaction too. Wish I was there for the show! BONUS-This sophomore album introduces 4 new songs also done live. Very good classic hard rock throughout. Much like their debut, they just don't make 'em like this anymore.
The vocalist is not a ringer for David Byron era Uriah Heep (nor does he try to be) but he definitely reminds me of early Heep.
Here's a MESSAGE for MESSENGER; please keep up the great work of blessing us with more great music with a MESSAGE.
Tartarean Desire - Matthew Kirschner
Lusty and uptempo stuff that splits the difference between ‘80s-style metal and ‘80s style hard rock with occasional and ill-advised forays into glam-oriented fluff, dopey blues-rock and post-grunge mainstream rock drivel, Messenger’s I'm Talking to You provides a nice overall diversion for the bulk of its twelve song playlist. At its best, this thing conjures true metal magic on “King of Kings,” “Special Delivery” and the careening-for-2:38 “Roar,” replete with stirring riffs, guitar-and-keyboard interplay perfect for any Riot or Manowar fan. At its worst, you have an all-thumbs opener like “Hell Is No Party,” which sounds like an invitation to the dullest L.A. glam orgy in history, or a clunky power ballad such as “Forbidden Love,” which sounds like something Tesla half-wrote and palmed off to Daughtry, which was then reduced to simpering, over-enunciated earnestness. One just wants to wrench frontman Frank Clifton Herring loose from his concessions to modern rock formula and tell him to belt out clarion screams like you know he wants to! Still, this thing hits for better than 0.500, with a good six or seven tracks out of twelve doing what they need to when they need to do it. Alas, this one also comes with a caveat emptor: if Christian lyrics be not your thing (and they ain’t mine), this one will grate you to the point of screaming. There’s something to be said for nuance and implication, and then there’s the sort of imploring and proselytizing such as on display here that makes you feel as though the music is actually secondary to the message. Given the band’s moniker, I’ve got no one to blame but my ol’ lonesome.
Heaven's Metal Magazine - Jeff McCormack
Messenger: I'm Talking To You
This will be basically a greatly expanded copy of my Heaven's Metal review.
One word comes to mind when listening to this disc…old school. Everything about this release screams late 70’s to early 80’s Christian rock/metal…and I mean that in a good way. I have been listening to Christian rock since the early 80's, in a time when metal bands like Stryper, Barren Cross, Deliverance, Guardian and all of the amazing melodic metal bands had not quite ripped open the scene to the more metal styles that came along. While these bands are accredited with busting the doors open in Christian rock/metal, they were preceded by many, many great heavy rocking bands of the late 70's and early 80's.
I remember back in the day, almost any band appearing on Tunesmith records was probably going to be a great listen, and we saw the start of hard rocking bands like Banabas, Servant and the Hank Laake Band on that one label alone. Messenger reminds me a lot of those type of releases as well as the classic hard rock/metal sound reminiscent of the heavy guitar power of early Rez, Daniel Band, Darrell Mansfield and other such bands of that era, but with a little added dose of metal punch.Their lyrics are very up-front, in-your-face and unashamedly evangelical. Production is superb for a self-produced independent release, with just enough roughness to keep it feeling warm. Songs include:
Hell is No party
With it's gritty and heavy guitar opening riff, leading into a wailing onslaught, the album opens with great anthem rocker. "Hell is no party, hell is no fun, you face the maker in a crowd of one, hell is no party" is a sing along warning to all.
King of Kings
Kicking in with thundering drums, and screaming lead guitar shredding, you feel the power immediately, but then the song quickly shifts gears and plows forward in one of my favorite tracks here, lyrically and musically.
Bright and Morning Star
Following up the glorious praise worthy lyrics of the preceding song, this track starts acoustically, giving you a more emotional praise feel before the guitars crashing making this an even more powerful rock ballad singing the praise and giving glory to the name of Jesus.
Don't Shoot the Messenger
A mid-tempo crunchy attack that sums up the band's name and message with a distorted guitar foundation, sweet leads and a melodic feel throughout.
Special Delivery
Changing gears a bit, and kicking up the pace with a bit more metal power, this track is a all out instrumental track letting the band shine with powerful riff after riff, leads and an overall thunderous rock feel.
Forbidden Love
The piano intro sets you up for a sweet ballad showing the band's lighter side. The vocals pour forth the heart-felt lyrics, and the guitar does come in eventually to pump up the power part way through before ending on a high note with an increase of pace and blazing guitar leads closing it all out.
Wallowing in the Mire
Back to the grind, this heavy driving song bring the album back up to pace with a song dealing with a person who is content in their sin, hiding it from others and themselves.
The Rapture
Another mid-tempo rocker that chops in and out with guitar licks, before picking up the pace near the end.Heavy and distinctive bass tones appear throughout.
Roar
Probably the heaviest feeling song, due mainly to the faster tempo, this song reminds me some of the late 70's Judas Priest feel (minus the Halford screeching vocals of course).
Chained
I could see this being a single from the album, with its anthem sing-a-long chanting chorus. Tasty leads and mid-section adds even more to this driving track.
America, Why?
Slow the pace down to a touching acoustic rock driven song dealing with the plague of abortion in America. This tune is not so much a ballad as it is an emotionally-laced laid back rocker crying out for the children.
So Good
The one and only really heavy blues rocker on the album, this is for all fans of the laid back blues feel of Darrell Mansfield and the like. Guitars shine and shred as expected, and the song has all of the typical elements you'd expect for this style.
Andrew Rockwell - AngelicWarlord.com (Feb 27, 2009) -abbr.-
Ever had a musical experience that brought back memories of an era gone by? The kind which you cannot help but say not only have you heard this before but that it is good to hear again? That would be the best way to describe my listening experience with Messenger and its independently released 2008 full length debut I’m Talking To You. Hailing from the Nation’s Capitol, Messenger brings a throwback sound that hearkens back to the eighties. Now, by “throwback” I am not necessarily referring to the fluffy hair metal that was prevalent at the time but rather a heavier and more muscular side to the decade. And by that I mean the joining of guitar driven hard rock (similar to Rez Band) and old school heavy metal (not unlike Saint) that characterizes the bands sound.
To understand my point check out the all out metal of “Roar”, driving hard rocker “Hell Is No Party”, palatial “King Of Kings”, groove flavored “Chained”, and no-nonsense “Walking In The Mire”, five energetic pieces in which Messenger puts its accomplished songwriting skills on full display. A more mid-paced (but equally notable) direction is taken on the heavy duty “Don’t Shoot The Messenger” and ominous “Rapture” while “Bright And Morning Star” and “Forbidden Love” head in quality ballad territory. Rounding things out is the instrumental “Special Delivery”. One of the standout qualities to Messenger is its triple guitar team of Frank Clifton Herring, Vladimir Gurin and Joe Fulford. To say that the three lay some tight as they get riffs and melodies would be an understatement. Specifically, Herring handles rhythm guitar duties and Gurin and Fulford lead guitar. Gurin best exhibits his abilities on “Roar” and “Chained” while “Hell Is No Party” and “Bright And Morning Star” allow Fulford to shine. “King Of Kings” and “Don’t Shoot The Messenger” find the two trading off. Bassist Elliott Powell also deserves mention for the manner in which he helps anchor the low end. I enjoy how his bass stands out in the mix on “Rapture” and “Chained”, a particular testament to the albums clean production values. Frank Clifton Herring also handles lead vocal duties. The best way to describe his vocal approach would be mid-ranged (almost low-key) but with rich and warm flavorings. While I would hesitate to make a direct comparison, his delivery hints at Paul Aviles (Chariot) and Thomas Wilson (Unforsaken & Incarnate).
Keeping in mind there is no such thing as a perfect album, I would like to offer some constructive commentary: First, there are a couple of filler tracks, “America, Why?” and “So Good”, at the albums end. At this point it must be reinforced that I’m Talking To You brings near perfect continuity over its first ten tracks. That continuity, however, is interrupted by the two. The best advice I might offer any band would be to give your audience your ten best songs; it is not necessary to record your entire back catalog. Second, packaging is lacking somewhat. While the cover artwork is well done and complements the music here, no lyrics are included. Keeping in mind space limitations and costs involved, if it is not possible to include lyrics then the least an artist can do is post them at their website or MySpace profile. Speaking of lyrics, Messenger proves an aptly named band in that the prose here is straightforward and forthright as it gets. The band pulls no punches in presenting its faith and bold and upfront “message”. A lot of people are going to be reached by the project.
Track Listing: “Hell Is No Party” (3:34), “King Of Kings” (4:17), “Bright And Morning Star” (3:25), “Don’t Shoot The Messenger” (4:41), “Special Delivery” (5:01), “Forbidden Love” (4:31), “Wallowing In The Mire” (3:46), “The Rapture” (3:13), “Roar” (2:38), “Chained” (3:13), “America, Why?” (3:41), “So Good” (2:58) Musicians Frank Clifton Herring – Lead Vocals, Keyboards & Guitars Vladimir Gurin – Guitars Joe Fulford – Guitars Elliott Powell – Bass Tim Tieff - Drums
Rowe Productions/August 2009 - Steve Rowe
Messenger
"... just this past month I have discovered a killer Jesus Metal Band called Messenger.
... please check Messenger out at www.messengermetal.com. You will hear their songs streaming and have the opportunity to buy their CD from CD Baby. You will hear that Messenger are killer and the message is very evangelistic. It is bands like this that we as True Christian Metal fans need to support into the future. "
Blabber Jesus Network - oldschooldoom
Messenger: I'm Talking To You
Check out their website and Myspace for sound bytes.
The first thing that hits me when I took this out for a spin was the great mixing. The vocals are out-front with UP-front lyrics.
Album artwork conjures up thoughts of greats from the past.
This classic metal could also have been from 20 years in the past.
*Five*stars*from*me*
