Aslan
Untitled release
Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt
It was an eerie night in Austin when I first experienced Aslan. I was driving home late from work after working nearly four hours of overtime. (I was working this so I could buy new speakers for my car) The air was so dense with fog that visibility was limited to 300 feet. I should've known something extraordinary was gonna happen. I got home and started opening the mail. I saw a small package from Canada, which I thought was another tape sent that I would record Sword's demo on. Instead of a blank tape, I pulled out a first-class cassette. The packaging is all black with thin pink lettering. Emblazoned on the front is the outline of a lion standing on its hind legs, similar to the Ferrari logo - only this lion has a crown on its head. It looks first class all the way. It was 1:00 AM by this time, but I had to hear what Aslan sounded like. That was a mistake. I got so excited after hearing this tape that my energy level shot up 310% - a sorry state for someone wanting to sleep. Things haven't been the same the last two days. I find myself foaming at the mouth, jumping around the apartment and playing drums on the steering wheel when I drive - all to the tunes of Aslan. This group is hot! Yes, I'm freaking out again. I can't stop raving about this band out of Toronto. Do you want some intelligible critique of this music? I'll try to calm down enough to think clearly. First of all, Aslan's music is melodic. They list their influences as: "Rush; Genesis; Saga; Dire Straits; Yes; and various other mainstream and progressive acts." I'd have to throw in early Triumph on that list. Their production on their three-song demo tape is top-notch. It's polished, but it's not wimpy, because the guitars are up-front. It has a confidence that shows Aslan is musically right where they want to be. They're young - their collected age is 80, but you don't listen to 'em and say, "These guys have potential." You say things like, "These guys have arrived!" Their excellent arrangements are complimented by intelligent lyrics. "Take Me," the first song on the tape, moves along at a pace that makes every word intelligible: "Every plastic laugh/ Shields a desperate cry/ Every smiling mask/ Hides crying eyes/ Lord I know that You/ You can see right through/ Every smile I fake/ Everything I do./ Take me! and hold me/ Take me! and mold me./ All I wanna be is what you have for me/ All I wanna see is your face in front of me/ Take me!" Dan McCabe, fellow Toronto resident and member of The Daniel Band, adds backup vocals to this chorus. "Digital Dream" is another brilliant song that shines lyrically. "In this age of silicon dreams/ The hearts of men are cold/ They have no time for peace of mind/ And the story is so seldom told/ Of One who came so long ago/ And taught us all how to be free/ Without the aid of microchips/ And computer circuitry. And I will seek a higher goal/ One that few may understand/ And with purest heart I will follow/ I will follow His command." "Silent Scream" is the showstopper of the tape. It starts off with some meaty guitar riffs that are very reminiscent of early, early Rush (like, their first album). It is another of the now many anthems taking a stand against abortion. "Twisted morality/ The racist lives on/ The minority here/ Is the helpless unborn/ Unable to vote/ They voice no unrest/ No union support/ For some unfinished flesh." The music moves at a brisk and urgent pace until a concluding break near the end of the song. Everything seems to stop as the music slows to a mesmerizing pace. The guitar reverberates a vibrato-squeezing chord, while the synthesizer makes a run above it that adds depth and texture. The effect seems to still the heart of the listener - the same way a beautiful sunset does. The smooth vocals of Jeff Bersche come in and warn: "If we could realize the errors of our ways/ Then we could rise above to a better way." The whole effect makes an impact, for sure. This is music that forces you to listen, yet definitely gives you enough guts to headbang and air-guitar to as well. This wonderful tape is available through the mail for $4 postpaid. Do I hear an amen? Send orders directly to the band by writing Karl Nielson, 10 Howard Dr. Willowdale, Ontario, Canada, M2K-1K5. Vocalist Jeff Bersche and bassist Karl Nielson founded Aslan in September, 1984. The other members are: Jeff Johnson (not the one featured in this issue) on drums and percussion; and Jeff Miller on guitars and vocals. The band takes its name from the classic C.S. Lewis children's novel, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. All the members of Aslan share a deep and vital faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as well as a commitment to originality and professionalism in their music. Their major goals include recording and touring, preferably in a full-time capacity. They are working on this now, as they are shopping for a label in order to complete their demo into a full, nine-song album. They are also playing in and around Metro Toronto. They even played at Greenfest '85 (Greenfest is the mega-festival held every year in England, which has showcased such groups as Jerusalem, U2, Steve Taylor and Rez). Their fact sheet proclaims that, "Aslan is four young men willing to devote their lives to playing music with a meaning." Because their sound is so excellent, I think the only things that could get in their way are pride and ego. Let's lift them up and pray that God would bless all of their efforts and open every door for their message to be heard.