Jerusalem

Item: Prophet
Author: Roger Appelinski

Prophet

(1994)

Reviewed by Roger Appelinski

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Label R.E.X. MusicThe LighthouseOctober 1994

alternative rock arena rock hard rock melodic rock

When I first caught a listen of the European import of Prophet this summer, my ears quickly perked up. I had no idea what it was I was hearing. I quickly found out that it was Jerusalem, a band I know nearly nothing about. The only things that I've learned about them is that they were the first Christian group to have a video aired on M-TV and that I love this album.

I was impressed by the liner note that states that the album was "recorded live in the studio with no overdubs." Without stating that in the jacket, I would never have known. The album is full, robust, and masterfully produced and engineered.

Much of the music centers around alternative-rock, with some excursions into arena rock and hard rock. It makes for an exciting musical experience that should appeal to most rock fans-especially those drawn to groups ranging from The Choir to Petra to Guardian.

Even with a highly impressive musical effort, the strength of the album is undoubtedly in the lyrics. Several tracks encourage rekindling of the Spirit in our lives and taking a strong stance against worldly compromise, while most of the balance deals directly with the Gospel and nature of Jesus Christ. The songs are straight-ahead and simply understood but not boring or elementary.

After my first listen to Prophet I knew why so many people were buying the European release of the album and not waiting for a release here in the states. I think one listen would work for any avid rock fan.