Barren Cross - "State of Control"

Barren Cross - State of Control

1989, Enigma

1. State of Control

2. Out of Time

3. Cryin' Over You

4. A Face in the Dark

5. The Stage of Intensity

6. Hard Lies

7. Inner War

8. Love at Full Volume

9. Bigotry Man (Who Are You?)

10. Two Thousand Years

11. Your Love Gives

I got this not too long after I got Atomic Arena. I remember because I was in 7th grade and it was during Christmas. I got this along with Seventh Angel's Lament For the Weary and I also remember I had gotten real sick. I think I spent a whole day in my room sleeping and I wasn't prone to getting that sick. Whether or not that had anything to do with me not like this disc for a long time I don't know. For some reason this just didn't do anything for me except for "Out of Time" and I think I liked that song because the feux newscast in the beginning is funny. I finally checked this out again after years and years and you know what? I don't know what the heck was wrong with me. This is every bit as good as Atomic Arena if not better. Certainly the lyrics are better that's for sure.

Useless Fact: Someone told me once that the beginning of "Out of Time" was taken from some movie. Probably one of those 70's Christian end times movies. You want to have some fun? Get some friends together, get pizza, and find a copy of "Thief in the Night." It's hilarious!

Barren Cross - "Atomic Arena"

Barren Cross - Atomic Arena
1987, Enigma

1. Imaginary Music
2. Killers of the Unborn
3. In the Eye of the Fire
4. Terroist Child
5. Close to the Edge
6. Dead Lock
7. Cultic Regimes
8. Heaven or Nothing
9. King of Kings
10. Living Dead

Despite the fact that Barren Cross was essentially the Christian version of Iron Maiden, and Mike Lee's voice was a dead ringer for Bruce Dickenson, this is still an awesome metal album. The lyrics are a little cheesy in spots (like in "Cultic Regimes" where Mike Lee sings "...so millions of lives would LIVE!"), but you've got some full throttle NWOBHM tunes like "Killers of the Unborn" and "Dead Lock" so it evens out. Let's not forget "Close to the Edge" which is another of my favorite tunes.

And just because it seems like forever since I've let you inside my strange and wonderful world I should tell you that whenever I listen to this album I think of my birthday when I was in 6th grade or so. I played a LOT of Gremlins 2 on the original Nintendo. Y'know that wasn't a half bad game if I remember....

Useless Fact: This album was rereleased on a little label called "Restless" in 2003. There weren't any bonus tracks or anything - it was almost an exact copy of the original.