38th Parallel

Item: Turn the Tides
Author: Jeff Edwards

Turn the Tides

(2002)

Reviewed by Jeff Edwards

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Label Squint EntertainmentThe Phantom Tollbooth2002

alternative rock nu metal rap rock

The average gen-xer has seen the demise of many a musical fad - new wave, hair metal, grunge, ska and swing to name a few. (As a sidebar, one can only hope that "Bands that sound like Creed or Blink 182" will soon follow.) Although it may be obvious to many, rapcore is now a part of the same list. Those in the genre who wish to survive are wisely moving away from the straight-edged guitar and rap sound and infusing the dying genre with other influences. One camp has moved from center toward more straight-ahead metal, with results like Drowning Pool and System of a Down. Moving to the far corner are others such as Incubus with harmonic moments mixed with electronics and scratching, or Linkin Park with the more obvious hip-hop influences. It should be noted that at the past two Ozzfests, Incubus and Linkin Park respectively seemed the most out-of-place bands on the day.

This prelude leads into the introduction of the newest Christian act to ride the waves of the secular market, 38th Parallel. The Christian music market is often criticized for tailgating on the fads in the music industry as a whole, but with far too many car lengths in between. 38th Parallel, however, has a better sense of timing than is typical. Bands including Project 86 and .rod laver laid the foundation, and now 38th Parallel is moving to the same side as Incubus and Linkin Park - in fact, the band cites Project 86 as a major influence and Linkin Park as an oft-used comparison. Fair or not, the comparison will be made again and again.

38th Parallel is a five-piece rock band sporting the LP-esque dual vocalists. Mark Jennings and Nathan Rippke alternate on tracks and individual lines in songs, and the effect is actually a nice bit of texture. While one achieves a Brandon Boyd (Incubus) sound during slower moments and a Zack de la Rocha (ex-Rage Against the Machine) wail during more intense portions, the other has a lower, more gravelly tone. Aaron Nordyke on drums and Jeff Barton on bass maintain the needed precision of rhythm, while Shane Moe crunches along on guitar.

If this all sounds very promising and timely - it is indeed promising. However, it is only promising in terms of something slightly different that shows great hope for future albums. On the debut release Turn the Tides, the execution does not live up to the obvious talent and ambition of the band.

The main issue that stands out with the record - and the one that will turn off the crowd fondest of Linkin Park and other parallels - is that the harmony is prevalent above the rock sound, giving the impression of a watered-down rapcore rather than an intense blending of contrast into the rock sound. "Higher Ground" and in particular, with jangly guitar upfront and distortion relegated to the background, almost falls into the standard CCM radio-ready category that will definitely turn off those wanting a rock experience. Likewise, "State of Mind" is a very catchy and listenable song, but there are points where the harmony rises too far above while the guitar is further down in the mix, making the overall impression too gentle.

The lyrics leave no question as to where the band stands and what agenda they hold. Even song titles such as "Three Times Denied" and "You Are My God" indicate the evangelical bent of the lyrics. "You Are My God" in particular is quite overt spiritually, and musically as well as lyrically would be better suited to a rock-worship album. However, there are some genuinely nice turns of phrase, such as the repeated line from "Turn the Tides":

Fix your eyes on the Son,
Get burned on the inside.

38th Parallel has created a freshman release for Squint that they can be proud of, as it is diverse and well-performed. However, the diversity is also a roadblock, as it gives a certain inconsistency to the recording and lends the overall impression that the album is not as "hard" as advertised. There is a foundation to build upon here, and one hopes to see great things for them in their quest to bring Christ's message to both the Christian and secular market. Unfortunately, this album will likely not make a sizable splash outside of the Christian end of the pool.

2.5 tocks