Apart from documenting the origin and antics of the foremost evangelical techno/rave band in the United States, Prodigal Sons' Ravival Video goes a long way in demystifying and humanizing the oftentimes anonymous form in which they work.
Producers/directors Chad Fisher and Brad Oldenburg capture P-Sons Greg Hobgood, J.R. Barbee and Chris White: on the road; on the streets of their hometown, Dallas; at a church sponsored rave; but, primarily, in the studio. In stark black & white, they fidget with the analog and digital equipment that conveys their sonic assault and tell of testimonials of ravers brought to conversion through their live gigging.
Techniques used in filming focus on lots of close-ups and toying with television malfunctions, all apropos to the modern/primitive mindset of the subculture in which Prodigal Sons' art ministers best. Modern is the futuristic aggression of their music. Primitive is that their van went out en route to a show. Eternal is the message carried between the extremes.
Your neighborhood rave promoters and mix show DJ's might not care a flip for a band's "ministerial value," but the music they can't deny. Clips for "Pastiche" and "Ravival" from the Sons' current Return collection feature pop culture montage animation with images zooming by faster than the group's 150+ beats-per-minute tunage. The added scene of Barbee washing himself in blood in the latter vid especially drives home an obvious metaphor of their faith.
Could have stood for more words from Hobgood and some comment on their staunch Republicanism (the only clue given is the solitary shots of Snapple, one of Rush Limbaugh's favorite beverages, in "Pastiche"). Those and the inaudible sound in some of the road scenes are tiny gripes for a video the likes of which the local Parable affiliate has never seen before.
3/5
