Whitecross it's Whitecross 2.0 now

Soldier777 wrote:I think the reason why bands like Classic Patra/CPR and Whitecross 2.0 change their name is a marketing thing and to separate a revamped band form the original band. I can see why bands do this.

Whitecross went down hill after Unveiled. The last Equilibrium was a horrible album and Flytrap was some what better. Whitecross 2.0 I'm thinking is a revamped version of the 1987-1993 era of Whitecross before Rex left. I'm curious in hearing the new Whitecross material with the new lead singer as long as it is similar to the classic Rex Carroll era of Whitecross.

The Guardian/Whitecross Revival EP is good. I have the vinyl and CD. I just wish it was a full album instead of 2 or 3 songs form each band. I hope they release a similar album in the future with a couple or a few original classic rock songs with Whitecross and Guardian covers of the 1987 to 1993 period.

I also quite enjoy the 2 Classic Petra albums Back to the Rock 1 and 2. I hope they continue this with Greg Volz on lead vocals with maybe John Schlitt  doing a song or 2 or a duet with Greg.

Dude, Guardian/Whitecross revival was a trial in order to make concerts out there. That's why they redid some songs, and my guess is that they were going to do some covers, that would explain the jimi hendrix cover.

At that point, they didn't intended to make new music, just to play out there.

Sadly, it didn't work as good as they planned. Maybe because they didn't get the attention they wanted to, or either the guys didn't get along well in the studio. (someone could ask them in social medias about it, maybe).

That said, I wouldn't expect to hear anything about the revival ever again. To my mind, It would be like waiting for Santa to come for christimas.

Thiago-Brazil wrote:This is sad and that's why Christian Metal is dying.

It's pretty off-base to say that, as the fans of metal have proven year after year after year that they will put a lot of their money into buying releases, merch, etc. So many bands have pulled weird stunts like this one that turned out bad (at least in the opinions of many). Ever thought about how it might be stuff like this that drives fans away? It's not up to us fans to buy whatever any band puts out just because They still need to turn out quality material. Just dismissing it all as "criticism" won't help the bands know what their fans want at all.

grandeped wrote:

Thiago-Brazil wrote:This is sad and that's why Christian Metal is dying.

It's pretty off-base to say that, as the fans of metal have proven year after year after year that they will put a lot of their money into buying releases, merch, etc. So many bands have pulled weird stunts like this one that turned out bad (at least in the opinions of many). Ever thought about how it might be stuff like this that drives fans away? It's not up to us fans to buy whatever any band puts out just because They still need to turn out quality material. Just dismissing it all as "criticism" won't help the bands know what their fans want at all.

Just look at the facts. How many classic christian bands are still active right now???

Stryper
Narnia
.
.
.
.
.
.

I guess that's all.

There are a lot of reasons music in general is in trouble, not just one.

I'm not sure if I agree with you Thiago that Christian Metal is dying. Back in the 80's, bands were younger and released albums every 1-3 years and toured and went back to writing and recording the next album.
As they got older they got married, had kids, grunge happened in North America (the classic AOR, hard rock  and metal remained popular in Japan, South East Asia, Europe and Latin America), the internet (which was both a blessing and a curse (illegal downloads and bands can create and distribute their own products instead of relying on record companies which often rip off the artists) all happened at the same time.

Around 2000-2003 with the increased popularity of classic rock radio stations bands who were dormant or stopped all together in the early 90s for 5-10 years or so who had an online presence, had existing websites since the 90s, or created websites since the 2000s regained some of the popularity.

Bands like Stryper, Saint, Deliverance, Bloodgood and others regrouped in the 2000s. Band will never regain the full fan base that had in the 89's an 90s or have that gold or platinum album. However they seem to be gaining attention. When you consider the podcasts like Talk is Jericho and others that talk about their favorite Christian bands and memories or other mainstream artists who reference a Christian band who is an influence.

Another thing is this band may not be the best example where they aren't a Christian band, but I have heard that Chris Impellitteri was advised to get a record distribution contract for other markets like Asia, specifically Japan. When bands like Impellitteri lost popularity in North America from the popularity of alternative and grunge din the early 90s, Chris was able to record, sell records and go on short 3-4 week tours in places like South Korea and Japan, come home for a few weeks and go tour again.  

Places like Japan love the AOR and Hard Rock and since companies like Girder Music have been reissuing classic albums, especially the past year or 2, vendors like Japan has been buying these releases in bulk as well.

Christina Metal my be stagnat in certain areas but in other areas it seems to be not the case.

Soldier777 wrote:I'm not sure if I agree with you Thiago that Christian Metal is dying. Back in the 80's, bands were younger and released albums every 1-3 years and toured and went back to writing and recording the next album.
As they got older they got married, had kids, grunge happened in North America (the classic AOR, hard rock  and metal remained popular in Japan, South East Asia, Europe and Latin America), the internet (which was both a blessing and a curse (illegal downloads and bands can create and distribute their own products instead of relying on record companies which often rip off the artists) all happened at the same time.

Around 2000-2003 with the increased popularity of classic rock radio stations bands who were dormant or stopped all together in the early 90s for 5-10 years or so who had an online presence, had existing websites since the 90s, or created websites since the 2000s regained some of the popularity.

Bands like Stryper, Saint, Deliverance, Bloodgood and others regrouped in the 2000s. Band will never regain the full fan base that had in the 89's an 90s or have that gold or platinum album. However they seem to be gaining attention. When you consider the podcasts like Talk is Jericho and others that talk about their favorite Christian bands and memories or other mainstream artists who reference a Christian band who is an influence.

Another thing is this band may not be the best example where they aren't a Christian band, but I have heard that Chris Impellitteri was advised to get a record distribution contract for other markets like Asia, specifically Japan. When bands like Impellitteri lost popularity in North America from the popularity of alternative and grunge din the early 90s, Chris was able to record, sell records and go on short 3-4 week tours in places like South Korea and Japan, come home for a few weeks and go tour again.  

Places like Japan love the AOR and Hard Rock and since companies like Girder Music have been reissuing classic albums, especially the past year or 2, vendors like Japan has been buying these releases in bulk as well.

Christina Metal my be stagnat in certain areas but in other areas it seems to be not the case.

For the same reasons you wrote above, I believe Chritian metal is dying.

These rereleases are all limited prints of 300, 500 albums, no more than this. This is not bulk, there is no market for it. We have some guys who can make some money out of it, and that's it.

Every year we can see less and less new albums being released. 
Many regroup tentatives, no one lasting long...

Do you want another proof? Where are the newcomers? We have no more than a handful of christian bands, and the fact is that no one knows them.

Christian metal was always a niche market and as we age out, it's going to get much harder to make it. It's not popular like it was.

Black Rider wrote:Christian metal was always a niche market and as we age out, it's going to get much harder to make it. It's not popular like it was.

Being a Christian isn't as popular as it once was, either.  Of course, a niche market for Christians will dry up especially as we reach less and less of each new generation.  Even if we bring younger people to the fold, our brand of metal isn't what their metalheads like.  Face it folks--we are getting old and our music as a whole is beginning to die off.

Also, I might add, music as a whole is not as popular as it once was. It's all about gaming and technology; who cares about C.D. collections anymore? It's a shame. So really christian metal has been dead for years.

I have good memories from those old metal and rock albums, they take me back in time when I couldn't wait for the next Vengeance, Bride, Seventh angel, white heart or white cross or Petra or whatever album to be released. Sad those days are long gone, along with most retailers.  Nice to see some dinosaurs still exist here though

Call me Rex. 

Black Rider wrote:Call me Rex. 

Points at you, and says: Rex.

Look, as Temple of Blood and others have said, there are many problems with the entire music industry and it is never going to be the same as it used to be.

We will never be able to relive the early 80's when metal was new and fresh and eventually it crawled out of the underground and exploded in popularity in the general culture for a while there, before flaming out.   Just like disco will never be the cultural force that it was in the mid 70's.  Or synth-pop in the 80's.

Technology has been both a blessing and a curse to bands, artists, listeners, buyers, and sellers alike.  Back in the day, we had no way to preview albums except through tape trading or friends who already made the purchase.  Today we have many ways to hear music before or even without purchasing it - a blessing and a curse.  Due to the ease of self-publishing and DIY recording and the diminishing role of record labels, we have many more bands than ever before - a blessing and a curse.  I could go on and on.  

Yes, we are getting older and "metal" to most younger people now means something completely different.   But there will always be younger people who discover older music and like it.  Look at the NWOTHM movement - it is an attempt to capture the sound and feel of the 80's bands.  I also see varying degrees of metal and even Christian metal scenes in Brazil, Finland, Sweden...

Look at how the Classical music industry survives...or blues...jazz...soul...pop...etc.  They may not be as big as they once were but there will always be a market for it somewhere.  It is the difference between a slow simmer versus a full boil.  

Personally, I am just grateful that heavy metal and heavy metal fans are still around at all.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that so many of the most obscure titles from the heyday of Christian and secular heavy metal would be not only reissued, but remastered.  That means someone painstakingly spent time and money to go through each track, each note, to make it sound better.  Never would I have imagined seeing very successful "heavy metal cruises" like 70,000 Tons Of Metal or Monsters Of Rock (we need a Christian metal cruise, but that's another topic).  Never would I have imagined that many of my favorite obscure bands - whom I had thought were forgotten by time - would reform after 30-40 years and play metal festivals around the world, mostly in Europe.  Where 50-60 year-olds and 20-30 year-olds alike sing along to every lyric.

The point is, it may look like Christian metal - or even metal in general - is dying.  And perhaps in some ways it has, if we compare it to it's heyday.  But maybe it is also finding a new equilibrium now, a new normal.  A place to survive and proceed and perhaps eventually grow again, but at a more slow and sustainable pace.  The 80's were not sustainable - they were like a bull market in stocks and those don't last forever.   Now we are in a bear market.  But either way, there is still a market, however small it may seem at present.

Constantine wrote:Look, as Temple of Blood and others have said, there are many problems with the entire music industry and it is never going to be the same as it used to be.

We will never be able to relive the early 80's when metal was new and fresh and eventually it crawled out of the underground and exploded in popularity in the general culture for a while there, before flaming out.   Just like disco will never be the cultural force that it was in the mid 70's.  Or synth-pop in the 80's.

Technology has been both a blessing and a curse to bands, artists, listeners, buyers, and sellers alike.  Back in the day, we had no way to preview albums except through tape trading or friends who already made the purchase.  Today we have many ways to hear music before or even without purchasing it - a blessing and a curse.  Due to the ease of self-publishing and DIY recording and the diminishing role of record labels, we have many more bands than ever before - a blessing and a curse.  I could go on and on.  

Yes, we are getting older and "metal" to most younger people now means something completely different.   But there will always be younger people who discover older music and like it.  Look at the NWOTHM movement - it is an attempt to capture the sound and feel of the 80's bands.  I also see varying degrees of metal and even Christian metal scenes in Brazil, Finland, Sweden...

Look at how the Classical music industry survives...or blues...jazz...soul...pop...etc.  They may not be as big as they once were but there will always be a market for it somewhere.  It is the difference between a slow simmer versus a full boil.  

Personally, I am just grateful that heavy metal and heavy metal fans are still around at all.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that so many of the most obscure titles from the heyday of Christian and secular heavy metal would be not only reissued, but remastered.  That means someone painstakingly spent time and money to go through each track, each note, to make it sound better.  Never would I have imagined seeing very successful "heavy metal cruises" like 70,000 Tons Of Metal or Monsters Of Rock (we need a Christian metal cruise, but that's another topic).  Never would I have imagined that many of my favorite obscure bands - whom I had thought were forgotten by time - would reform after 30-40 years and play metal festivals around the world, mostly in Europe.  Where 50-60 year-olds and 20-30 year-olds alike sing along to every lyric.

The point is, it may look like Christian metal - or even metal in general - is dying.  And perhaps in some ways it has, if we compare it to it's heyday.  But maybe it is also finding a new equilibrium now, a new normal.  A place to survive and proceed and perhaps eventually grow again, but at a more slow and sustainable pace.  The 80's were not sustainable - they were like the bull market that couldn't last forever.   Now we are in a bear market.  But either way, there is still a market, however small it may seem at present.

Good points you made.  In this world money is what pretty much everything comes down to, even relationships. In the 80's and 90's, there was money to made in the christian market. No so much today, Just ask Steve Rowe.

Using “2.0” sounds very unauthentic and corporate. A lot of secular bands with legal red tape also just slap “A.D.” on the name.

TZ75 wrote:Using “2.0” sounds very unauthentic and corporate. A lot of secular bands with legal red tape also just slap “A.D.” on the name.

 
Should have gone with Silvercross (or Silver Crucifix).

Just glad y'all ain't referring to it as "Petecross" like the way folks like to call early Tourniquet "Tourniquitter".  Always mildly annoyed by that. 

On the other hand, as much as I loved (early) Whitecross, I always thought it was just a tad lame (although not as bad as Barren Cross or, worse yet, Neon Cross).

bodachi wrote:Just glad y'all ain't referring to it as "Petecross" like the way folks like to call early Tourniquet "Tourniquitter".  Always mildly annoyed by that. 

Although not a Christian project, don't forget the constant "Van Hagar" when referring to the Sammy era of VH.  He did some great work with them.  Sorry, all you DLR purists!

if Rex is making music in the same vein as Whitecross, honestly, i don't care who is singing or what you name the band, i'm in!

name it Whyt-Kross maybe? ha 

Constantine, you mentioned some of the things I mentioned in my post. The classic bands from the 70s, 80s and early 90s we all love are getting older and aren't putting out music or putting out as much. Even though there are newer bands will the same classic melodic sound that started in the 2000s or after like  Narnia and Theocracy, some like my self (I have all of Theocracy's CDs) don't have the same vibe as the older bands like Saint and Stryper.

Then again, I sometimes see a teen with a classic metal shirt like Megadeth or Iron Maiden, even though these bands aren't Christian. Besides the internet, it's up to us older fans spread the word to the youth of the church how great these older bands are.

Being form Eastern Canada, I can only relate form my experiences regarding the North American market. How do bands like Narnia and US bands do in places like Europe? Do they sell well and tour often? Do most Christian European bands need regular jobs to support themselves like most US bands do?

Oh, how I wish I saw them back in the day during their prime (1987-91)

Seems they mostly play in Europe in the past several years.

No one except Stephen Pearcy (RATT) will have that signature Scott Wenzel sound.

Curious if the below vid is the new singer???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ownZITcQPs

Wow whoever is in that video can't sing. OMG it is awful!

A new video... but, with other vocal

If all the songs are like this, I can dig this. Excellent!

Sounds good. Anyone else think he sounds like Herbie Langhans here?