When the Altar Boys turned off their amps in the late 80's, it seemed that the Christian post-punk scene was finally dead. But that was before Nirvana led the flannel rebellion, returning high-energy, three-chord rock back to the national scene, and before Tooth & Nail Records met their challenge by signing a zillion Christian artists in the same vein. Meanwhile, head Altar Boy Mike Stand must have been scratching his head, wondering why he had no record contract when his style of music was burning up the charts. Well, Stand is back with his new band, Clash of Symbols, ready to remind all the new kids of how it's supposed to be done.
Clash of Symbols' basic sound is pretty much an extension of the Altar Boys' early vibes. There's a bit more bass in the mix, giving the rhythm section of Matthew Chapman and Steve Latanation more thump. Fans of the first few Altar Boys albums will find that the driving, fun spirit which powered that band lives on here. This album stands up well to the many Green Days of the world and should appeal to much the same audience, with its emphasis on catchy melodies and heavy guitar rhythms. Rob Goreib collaborates with Stand on writing, guitar, and vocals, but the feel of the music remains instantly recognizable from ten years ago. Only the last two songs take on the more contemplative feel of the Boys' Forever Mercy album.
Lyrically, the band is a little different from its predecessor. The blatantly evangelistic, excited spirit from songs like "I'm Into God" and "Life Begins At The Cross" lives on in new tracks like "Portrait Of A King," one of the album's best songs, even though its intro starts off suspiciously like "Hearts Lost In Nowhere" from Against The Grain. Stand and Goreib also reach for more abstract imagery in songs like "Armistice Day," but the more direct songs seem to make a little more sense in general.
Overall, Clash of Symbols brings nothing really novel to the table, but it's hard to imagine exactly what a band like this could or should do differently. They know their strengths-raucous, feedbacky songs-and stick to them. Though Clash of Symbols doesn't have much of the humorous turn that characterizes their younger counterparts, they make up for it in memorable melodies and interesting arrangements. This is not a shocking album, but it's certainly one that can stand on its own, unembarrassed, at the gates of modern musicdom.
Other coverage for this album
Salt #26Reviewed by RoadrunnerThis follow-up to Sunday Is An Altogether Different Proposition is quite enjoyable. Through the 80's, Mike Stand led the punkish Altar Boys. After a solo diversion, Simple Expression, he haphazardly compiled a new band and after such good response decided to keep it up & go at it full-on, kinda picking up where A.B. left off. The big difference is maturity. Where A.B. songs got to the point…
