I was in The Ark Christian Bookstore (See, sell Heaven's Metal in your store and get a free plug!) listening to the demo tape of AD's new album, Reconstructions, and was being disappointed. I thought I might even like Petra's new album better than this one, but I still bought it. On the way home I thought about my prediction in issue #4: that, "if AD released another album, it would receive my vote for best album of 1986." I started to feel bad because I thought "that's probably the last time I mention AD in Heaven's Metal." But, during the trip home, something happened to the album. When I played it on the stereo, it came alive. I realized I was dead wrong about my preliminary judgment. This album deserves to be in Heaven's Metal more than any other AD project thus far. Kerry Livgren has done the "artistic dance" again: he's taken the familiar (guitars, keyboards, drums and bass sounds) and created something new. He's gone where no one else has gone before. This is what the Star Trek Enterprise crew rocks out to whenever Spock goes to sleep. It's fairly reminiscent of late Kansas - the Kansas that had a lot of electric guitar. (Audiovisions, for example, which has some of the best Christian rock songs: "Curtain of Iron," "No One Together," "Hold On" and "Relentless.") Kansas is presently reforming with: Steve Walsh on vocals; Steve Morse, who has done guitar work on Rob Cassels' Kamikaze Christian album and who fronted the Dixie Dregs, on guitar; Phil Ehart on drums; Rich Williams on guitar and Billy Greer on bass. Maybe Kerry is trying to outdo any of their efforts. I can't imagine the new Kansas sounding better than this album, especially without Kerry Livgren's creativity. This album rocks. It's not really metal, but listen to the first song on side two: "We Draw the Line." The intro features what sounds like blaring guitar licks played backwards. Once the song gets started, you know it's AD. The most prominent change on this album compared to Timeline and Art of the State is the guitar sound on most of the bridges in each song. Warren Ham did not contribute his sax, flute, keyboards and harmonica to this project, so it seems those spaces are filled with guitar and more aggressive keyboards. Dennis Holt does another terrific job on the drums. This must be a big change for him to play in AD. He has played with The Archers, Silverwind and Farrell & Farrell. He must feel exhilarated to be able to cut loose with AD's tight and complicated sound. I can't really explain why my perceptions of this album changed from a sticky mass of pop to a hot rocker. All I can really say is, "it might happen to you too." Check it out, but don't expect metal.
Other coverage for this album
Heaven's Metal #29Reviewed by Doug Van PeltSparrow has done a great service to the public by releasing some of these classics on CD and then selling them for the budget price of $9.98. I can't imagine any fan of Kerry Livgren/AD not getting this release. These 1986 songs shine with extra brilliance on this digital format and a keyboard intro never-before-heard to "All Fall Down" is included here! I don't know what happened, if there was…