Armada
Frontline
Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt
This band from Holt, Michigan (not to be confused with Tim Morrow's band with the same name out of Louisville, Kentucky) has just released this 10-song tape. (Apparently, the Armada from Kentucky has changed their name). This is a good tape. The production and performance are above-average. The songwriting is really good, which is one of the most important factors in music. No songs stand out as great pieces, but the band shows a high level of confidence and potential. The future should be bright for these guys. The artwork on this custom tape is fantastic. It's a full color depiction of an iron fist bursting through a wooden floor and clenching Lucifer (red horns and all) by the collar of his military uniform. The thing that stands out the most in this band is that they sound like they know what they're doing. The semi-ballad "No Alibi" has fluid bass and guitar riffs and rolling, heavy keyboards that spell out experience. Most of the songs churn out a heavy metal crunch that bites and chews up and spits out silence. Each of the 10 songs shows versatility. Armada would be classified as straight-ahead metal. Nothing fancy, nothing slick, just real metal produced very well. The lyrics in "Communication" spell out their faith clearly: "If He isn't Lord of all, then He isn't Lord at all." "Frontline" proclaims, "Through Jesus we have power to command/ crushing Satan with an iron hand - on the frontline/ Though evil tries to sing the world away/ We make our stand and here we'll stay - on the frontline." This song starts off with a nice acoustic, chopping rhythm. The vocals are nice and tough, not too distant from Jacob's Well or David Meniketti from Y&T. "The Calling" has some piercing lyrics that convict the church: "People crying out to a God that makes them mad/ blaming Him for all the trials that they've had/ don't they know He came so they could be set free/ or is their ignorance because of you and me?...Jesus said to go make disciples of the world/ to stand for what the church once gave its life...The harvest is ready but the laborers are few/ who will plant the seeds of life - I say God's calling you." But "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll" has a neat exhortation to "Pray for the guitarist before the axes fall/ pray for the singer who will not heed the call/ pray for the writer drawing ink from a bitter well/ for there is no rainbow in the dark/ without Christ there is only hell." "Loud and Bold" has the most memorable chorus (ie=hook). I would pick this one for airplay if I ran a radio station. If you'd like a copy of this full-length tape, send $8 to Armada c/o New Directions, 2495 Cedar St, Ste. 21C, Holt MI 48842.