Reviewed by Ian Webber

In 25 years, Christian metal music has come a long way and this groundbreaking album is not controversial in comparison to many releases today. It was however produced at a time when Stryper and the Rez Band were considered extreme music. The graphic cover art, death metal growl of Roger Martinez and thrash influenced guitar work made this a challenging product for most Christian bookshops of the 1980s. A contemporary listener will find the sound a little dated, but full of real quality and musicianship. The twin guitars of Larry Farkas and Doug Thieme drive the record forward with a blues-influenced speed. They provide some of the most memorable moments with their heavy wah wah peddle usage during the intros to "Burn" and "Mulligan Stew" and choppy rhythms of "Beheaded". The lyrics growled or rasped by Roger Martinez are blunt and forthright, many taken straight from Scripture. A particular favourite is the worshipful "White Throne". Remastering of this recording for limited edition release has made a good job at improving some of the flaws in the original material. The drums no longer sound like muffled cardboard boxes and the guitars take on some brighter tones. Sadly Vengeance Rising never reached the heights of their debut recording again, but these 13 tracks opened the door to many acts that followed and it could be argued that this album deserves the status of a classic.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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