How Deliverance's What a Joke should be rereleased

“Rescue” also has that weird early power metal singing. What A Joke was a deliberate move to a more aggressive thrash shouting style mixed with the melodic singing. That song definitely doesn’t belong on What A Joke.

“Can’t beat Jimmy’s guitar sound and rhythm playing. He’s in the same league as Hetfield, Scott Ian and Dimebag.”

Couldn’t agree more. Few can touch Jimmy’s rhythm playing, especially in the Christian realm. Speed/tone/tempo/technical prowess...it’s all there. So much untapped/unutilized talent left on the sideline. He could have a Metallica speed/thrash sized library. At least he put 2-1/2 albums worth of magic on record before abandoning the immense speed/thrash rhythm skillet he was blessed with. I couldn’t imagine being able to play like that and choosing not to, especially in lieu of vanilla/artsy rock. It just goes to show how talented he truly is to be able to to pick up something so well without even really being into it! To even be in the discussion with Hatfield and Darrell is amazing if you think about it!

I wonder if WAJ was a attempt to make them the Christian version of Stormtroopers of Death.

WildWorld wrote:I wonder if WAJ was a attempt to make them the Christian version of Stormtroopers of Death.

I thought I remember reading somewhere that they had to contractually put out an album, but they were either burnt out, or didn't have enough material, so they threw the joke songs on there.

WildWorld wrote:I wonder if WAJ was a attempt to make them the Christian version of Stormtroopers of Death.

Yep. Jimmy has even been quoted as saying SOD’s guitar tone was motivation.

average joe wrote:“Can’t beat Jimmy’s guitar sound and rhythm playing. He’s in the same league as Hetfield, Scott Ian and Dimebag.”

Couldn’t agree more. Few can touch Jimmy’s rhythm playing, especially in the Christian realm. Speed/tone/tempo/technical prowess...it’s all there. So much untapped/unutilized talent left on the sideline. He could have a Metallica speed/thrash sized library. At least he put 2-1/2 albums worth of magic on record before abandoning the immense speed/thrash rhythm skillet he was blessed with. I couldn’t imagine being able to play like that and choosing not to, especially in lieu of vanilla/artsy rock. It just goes to show how talented he truly is to be able to to pick up something so well without even really being into it! To even be in the discussion with Hatfield and Darrell is amazing if you think about it!

Have to disagree.  He has been interviewed many, many times that he'd grown weary of the Metallica comparisons and thereafter desired to chart untapped territory.

BaleMaster wrote:

average joe wrote:“Can’t beat Jimmy’s guitar sound and rhythm playing. He’s in the same league as Hetfield, Scott Ian and Dimebag.”

Couldn’t agree more. Few can touch Jimmy’s rhythm playing, especially in the Christian realm. Speed/tone/tempo/technical prowess...it’s all there. So much untapped/unutilized talent left on the sideline. He could have a Metallica speed/thrash sized library. At least he put 2-1/2 albums worth of magic on record before abandoning the immense speed/thrash rhythm skillet he was blessed with. I couldn’t imagine being able to play like that and choosing not to, especially in lieu of vanilla/artsy rock. It just goes to show how talented he truly is to be able to to pick up something so well without even really being into it! To even be in the discussion with Hatfield and Darrell is amazing if you think about it!

Have to disagree.  He has been interviewed many, many times that he'd grown weary of the Metallica comparisons and thereafter desired to chart untapped territory.

Ah yes, the untapped territory of David Bowie and/or Queensryche comparisons.   

Seriously though, Jimmy is great at whatever style he chooses to play and I've enjoyed all of his work to varying degrees. He's never made a bad album IMHO.

BaleMaster wrote:

average joe wrote:“Can’t beat Jimmy’s guitar sound and rhythm playing. He’s in the same league as Hetfield, Scott Ian and Dimebag.”

Couldn’t agree more. Few can touch Jimmy’s rhythm playing, especially in the Christian realm. Speed/tone/tempo/technical prowess...it’s all there. So much untapped/unutilized talent left on the sideline. He could have a Metallica speed/thrash sized library. At least he put 2-1/2 albums worth of magic on record before abandoning the immense speed/thrash rhythm skillet he was blessed with. I couldn’t imagine being able to play like that and choosing not to, especially in lieu of vanilla/artsy rock. It just goes to show how talented he truly is to be able to to pick up something so well without even really being into it! To even be in the discussion with Hatfield and Darrell is amazing if you think about it!

Have to disagree.  He has been interviewed many, many times that he'd grown weary of the Metallica comparisons and thereafter desired to chart untapped territory.

AKA distorted rationale for being okay with sounding more like Bowie clone than D ever sounded like Metallica. That my friend is rationalization for not really being into your talent. They never sounded much like Metallica to me. To say they sounded like Metallica would be like saying they sounded like Metallica simply because both played uptempo speed/thrash. That where the comparisons end IMO (vocals, music, lyrics, and songwriting are all pretty distinctly different as to never cause any confusion whatsoever).

WildWorld wrote:I wonder if WAJ was a attempt to make them the Christian version of Stormtroopers of Death.

 
It definitely was. It’s obvious. No other band did songs like that before SOD. They influenced a ton of bands in thrash and crossover punk. And we all know the Christian metal market always had to have a Christian spinoff of secular bands.

To my ears, Deliverance had some very obvious influences that were on full display. The first two albums were Metallica, Slayer and Queensryche. What A Joke was SOD and late 80s Sepultura. Everything since then: David Bowie and Metallica’s Black album (minus the last one and Assimilation).

I love WAJ just as it was released. I wouldn’t change a thing.