When pacing the floors of the Stouffer Hotel in downtown Nashville during the illustrious and fast-paced Gospel Music Association week in April, I was pleased to make the acquaintance of Lars Petersson of Viva Records, who handed me a copy of Jerusalem's latest release. My body was shaking as I anticipated what the disk would sound like. Words could not describe my feelings of anticipation.
Putting the disk into my CD player, I was awe-stricken at the sounds coming from my headphones. I've always been a Jerusalem fan, but this brought my appreciation of the band to new heights. The music was a combination of alternative, art/progressive rock, good old rock & roll, and a heavy edge to bring it all into a quality project that has the hooks and musicianship to please most any rock and roll listener. This album sounds like Jerusalem, not Deep Purple, not Kiss, not anybody in a distinct fashion, but Jerusalem themselves (a hard sound to identify, but let's just say it's hard driving and intense!).
The first cut, "City on Fire," starts with the sounds of arena-filling keyboard and builds into an assault vehicle of sound, threatening to tear your speakers apart. The track speaks of "Holy fire" that "when it passes by, it sets you on fire."
"Umbrella," a song written about the grace of God, has a nice edge to it and makes it clear that, "through religion you'll always fail" and that "all you need is to just accept the fact that it's all done." In other words, the price for our sin has already been paid. Jesus Christ died and rose again that we might have forgiveness, eternal life, and a relationship with Him. The cross was successful. Jesus is alive. All we need to do is accept His sacrifice and the fact that He rose again and we can be with Him forever.
Jerusalem seems to be stepping into new territory, previously uncharted by the band in the past. On the hook laden rocker, "The Waiting Zone," Ulf passionately sings about the warnings of AIDS given to school kids today, while they are never told about changing their sexual behaviors. This information and lack of warning is harmful, "cause what you preach, someone else must reap, this generation next to come." Backed by a throbbing bass, heavy guitar, tasteful keyboards, powerful vocals and an extremely addictive chorus, the message is carried home.
"Berlin 38 (Next Year In Jerusalem)" tells the story of a young Jewish family caught in the awful chains of the holocaust. Clocking in at over nine minutes, this would have to be the longest Jerusalem tune since "Sodom" on 1982's Warrior (which almost reached the 12-minute mark!). Very ethereal sounding, "Berlin" is a very different type of song sung with an interesting falsetto and ends with the lyrics "We must never forget, we can never forget, because of the star/ We must not forget it really did happen." In the liner notes, Jerusalem reinforces the lyric with the statement, "We never had to sing this song, but we have to, 'cause we must never forget." Painful in its lyrical and musical content, "Berlin" is a sobering reminder of a piece of history uncomfortable to hear.
After six long years since a full album of new songs, it's great to have Jerusalem back! Ulf Christiansson's vocals sound better than ever, the band is as tight as it's ever been, the album is by far the band's best - both song and sound wise. Sure, it doesn't have quite the pop/metal slickness of 1988's Dancing On The Head Of The Serpent, with its gang backing vocals and all-radio ready material, but it is the most original sounding project that I've heard by any band in a long time with an incredible wealth of material! The 12-song masterpiece was recorded live in the studio with no overdubs and, Ulf, bassist Peter Carlsohn, drummer Michael Ulvsgard, and keyboardist Reidar I. Paulsen certainly didn't need anything other than the live sound of their music to create this sparkling jewel called Prophet.