Stryper – To Hell With The Devil – 1986

To Hell with the Devil was the 3rd studio album from Stryper.

It was the first Christian metal album to achieve platinum status, which means sales of one million copies. 3 Videos were produced for the album and they played heavily on MTV.

The highest ranking single was “Honestly” and it peaked at #23 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles Chart.

A piece of trivia, the album went through 2 bass players before a session musician (Brad Cobb) finished doing the album. He however he did not join the band.

Tracklist
1 – Abyss (To Hell With The Devil) – 1:21
2 – To Hell With The Devil – 4:08
3 – Calling On You – 3:59
4 – Free – 3:44
5 – Honestly – 4:10
6 – The Way – 3:37
7 – Sing-Along Song – 4:21
8 – Holding On – 4:16
9 – Rockin’ The World – 3:30
10 – All Of Me – 3:11
11 – More Than A Man – 4:35

Credits
Arranged By – Michael Sweet, Stephan Galfas
Art Direction – Brian Ayuso
Bass – Brad Cobb
Co-producer – Michael Sweet, Oz Fox, Robert Sweet, Stephan Galfas
Concept By [Cover] – Robert Sweet
Design – Brian Ayuso
Engineer – Dan Nebenzal, Stephan Galfas
Keyboards – John Van Tongeren
Mastered By – Eddy Schreyer
Photography By – Anna Maria Di Santo*, Anne Revenge, Neil Zlozower
Written-By – Michael Sweet (tracks: A1 to A5, B1 to B5), Robert Sweet (tracks: A2, A4)

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Enigma Records (3)
Recorded At – Master Control, Burbank
Pressed By – Monarch Record Mfg. Co.
Distributed By – Capitol Records, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – The Enigma Entertainment Corporation
Copyright (c) – The Enigma Entertainment Corporation

Randy Stonehill – Paradise Sky – 2008

During filming of David Di Sabatino’s Larry Norman documentary, “Fallen Angel” the producers wanted to use various Randy Stonehill songs. This was a problem however, as the rights to those recordings were still owned by Larry Norman’s record labels who needless to say weren’t interested in working with the producers.

Randy however owned the rights to the songs so it was decided to send him back into the studio to rerecord the songs they wanted to use. The result is this album which includes songs from Randy’s first few albums.

The songs are very well produced and this album is an enjoyable visit back to the early days of Randy Stonehill.

Tracklist
1 – Keep Me Runnin’ – 4:57
2 – One True Love – 4:27
3 – King Of Hearts – 4:34
4 – Norman’s Kitchen – 4:11
5 – I’ve Got News For You – 4:30
6 – Even The Best Of Friends – 4:23
7 – The Winner – 3:38
8 – Counterfeit King – 5:34
9 – Trouble Coming – 4:34
10 – First Prayer – 3:20
11 – Good News – 4:10

Credits:
Design [Art Design] – Joe Redmond, Lara Kulczycki
Engineer [Engineered By] – Mike Pachelli
Executive-Producer – Ray Ware
Liner Notes – David Di Sabatino, Randy Stonehill
Photography By [Back Cover Photo] – Susan Uston
Photography By [Cover & Digipak Inset Photo] – Wayne Armstrong
Photography By [Insert Photos] – CCM Magazine*, Duane Pederson, Jerry Hauser, Leonard Stonehill, Pamela Newman, Pauline Stonehill, Hollywood Free Paper*, Randy Stonehill
Producer [Produced By], Arranged By – Mike Pachelli, Randy Stonehill

MxPx – Punk Rawk Christmas – 2009

MxPx released this album in 2009. Apparently the single had been previously released and fans requested a Christmas album.

Track Listing:
1 – Punk Rawk Christmas
2 – Christmas Day
3 – Christmas Only Comes Once a Year
4 – Coming Home For Christmas
5 – You’re the Only One I Miss (This Christmas)
6 – Christmas Party
7 – Christmas Night of the Living Dead
8 – So This Is Christmas
9 – It’s Christmas and I’m Sick
10 – 2005
11 – Late Great Snowball Fight of 2006
12 – Gimme Christmas
13 – Another Song About Christmas
14 – Auld Lang Syne

Personnel:
Mike Herrera – bass guitar, lead vocals
Tom Wisniewski – guitar, backing vocals
Yuri Ruley – drums, percussion

Daniel Amos – Horrendous Disc – 1980

The album Horrendous Disc by Daniel Amos was a very popular early 80’s CCM album.

While it was released in 1981 it has a strong mid 70’s sound. The reason for this is that it was actually recorded in 1978. It was rejected by Maranatha Music and ended up in the hands of Solid Rock Records.

For reasons only known to Larry Norman (owner of Solid Rock at the time) it was not released until 1981. It played a part in a messy situation that ended up with Daniel Amos at Newpax Records.

All that said it was a well received album with the single “I Love You #19” still very popular.

Track Listing:
1 – I Love You #19 – 3:33
2 – Hound Of Heaven – 4:06
3 – (Near-Sighted Girl With Approaching) Tidal Wave – 3:05
4 – Sky King (Out Across The Sky) – 4:05
5 – On The Line – 5:20
6 – I Believe In You – 3:45
7 – Man In The Moon – 4:00
8 – Never Leave You – 3:08
9 – Horrendous Disc – 5:20

Credits:
Bass [Uncredited], Backing Vocals [Uncredited] – Marty Dieckmeyer
Drums [Uncredited], Percussion [Uncredited], Backing Vocals [Uncredited] – Ed McTaggart
Guitar [Uncredited], Lead Vocals [Uncredited], Backing Vocals [Uncredited] – Jerry Chamberlain, Terry Taylor
Keyboards [Uncredited], Backing Vocals [Uncredited] – Mark Cook (2)
Percussion [Uncredited] – Alex MacDougal*
Producer [Uncredited] – Daniel Amos, Mike D. Stone

MRC Sampler – What’s Shakin – 1984

This album was a sampler from the record label “Ministry Resource Center”.

It features some known bands but there are a few bands on the album which never released an album. There are also some songs that were previously unreleased. All in all a must have album.

Track Listing:
1 – Undercover – One Of These Days – 2:24
2 – The Proclaimers – Rejoice – 2:10
3 – Stephen Crumbächer – It Don’t Matter – 4:00
4 – Youth Choir – It’s So Wonderful – 1:56
5 – Altar Boys – Go For It – 2:14
6 – The Lifters – Listen Children – 2:15
7 – The Omega Band – Idols – 2:43
8 – Sharon McCall – From The Grave – 3:50
9 – Malcolm And The Mirrors – Apathy – 4:00
10 – CIA – Your Choice – 2:30
11 – Stephen Crumbächer – It Don’t Matter (Reprise) – 1:02

The Imitators – (self titled) EP – 1984

This 4 song EP 12 inch release was the first release from The Imitators.

They were a short lived New Wave band that had a full length album after this but that was it. It is very well produced and sounds like the typical sound at the time.

I would compare it to Psychedelic Furs with slightly stronger vocals.

Track Listing:
1 – When The Deal Goes Down – 3:30
2 – I Want To Walk In The Light – 5:04
3 – Paradoxical Faith – 5:37
4 – Human Sacrifice – 5:19

Credits:
Bass – Robert Villegas
Drums – Richard Cabrera (2)
Engineer – Gordon Driver
Guitar – Barry Edge, David Price (12)
Keyboards – Philip Mason (2)
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Mixed By – Gordon Driver
Producer – Gordon Driver, The Imitators
Vocals – Barry Edge, David Price (12), Philip Mason (2)

Rosanna’s Raiders – Calling Down Fire – 1988

Rosanna’s Raiders were/are an Australian hard rock band.

Lead by the vocals of Rosanna Palmer this album has a Lita Ford sound on some tracks and Patty Smyth on others. I think the best comparison of this album is to Barnabas, though much more highly produced.

It is a well produced hard rock album that fit in nicely with it’s release period.

Track Listing:
1 – We Are Raiders – 3:48
2 – Just Like A River – 3:52
3 – Serve Someone – 3:24
4 – Good News – 4:02
5 – So Far Away – 3:38
6 – Breakaway – 2:45
7 – No Reason – 3:32
8 – Run The Race – 3:21
9 – Inside Is Living Hell – 3:42
10 – Not Gonna Let You Go Again – 3:58

Credits:
Backing Vocals – Dave Palmer, Phil Butson
Bass – Dave Palmer
Cover – Boris Vallejo
Drums – Johno Zaffarese
Engineer – Phil Butson
Graphics – Jeff Spencer (2)
Guitar – Rosanna Palmer
Keyboards – Dave Palmer, Phil Butson
Layout – Jeff Spencer (2)
Producer – Phil Butson
Vocals – Rosanna Palmer

Resurrection Band – Rainbow’s End – 1979

Rainbow’s End is the second album by Resurrection Band that was released in 1979.

It continued the hard rock sound from their previous release. It includes “Afrikaans” which was one of the first anti-apartheid song of its time. This album was the end of Resurrection Band’s relationship with Star Song records.

Rumour has it that the record company found the bands hard rock sound too much for their label. Personally I doubt this as the album sold great and Star Song knew exactly who the were contracting with.

Track Listing:
1 – Midnight Son – 3:18
2 – Strongman – 3:14
3 – Afrikaans – 3:32
4 – Skyline – 3:06
5 – Paint A Picture – 4:48
6 – Rainbow’s End – 2:04
7 – Concert For A Queen – 3:02
8 – Sacrifice Of Love – 3:14
9 – The Wolfsong – 3:10
10 – Everytime It Rains – 4:46

Credits:
Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Jim Denton
Drums – John Herrin
Electric Guitar, Piano, Organ, Synthesizer, Acoustic Guitar – Stu Heiss
Electric Guitar, Vocals – Glenn Kaiser
Engineer – Gary Loizzo, Roger Heiss, Stu Heiss
Harmonica – Tom Cameron
Mixed By – Resurrection Band, Stu Heiss
Percussion – Roger Heiss
Producer – Resurrection Band
Vocals – Wendi Kaiser

20 Twenty – Altered – 1987

20 Twenty (or Twenty Twenty) were an 80’s CCM rock band that apparently gained some popularity in secular radio.

I have been unable to find out anything about them other than what I have documented here. They had 2 albums, this being the second.

They changed their name from Twenty Twenty to 20 Twenty this album. The album was produced by Billy Smiley from White Heart. Strangely the album contains a cover of Hold Your Head Up by Argent.

Track Listing:
1 – Fine Line – 3:31
2 – Get Altered – 3:30
3 – Can’t Run From You – 4:06
4 – For Heavens Sake – 4:43
5 – Eternity In Every Heart – 3:44
6 – Hold Your Head Up – 3:48
7 – Caught Up In Heaven – 3:49
8 – Find Your Way Back – 4:47
9 – Material Things – 3:52
10 – The Tears You’ve Cried – 3:19

Credits:
Ron Collins – lead vocals
Roscoe Meek – guitars
Earnie Chaney – keyboards
Gary McAnelly, Tommy Sims – bass
Greg Herrington – drums
Billy Smiley – synths
Rick Florian – backing vocals
Executive Producer – Bob MacKenzie
Producer – Billy Smiley

The Richie Furay Band – I’ve Got A Reason – 1976

Richie Furay Was one of the founding members of Buffalo Springfield and Poco. He struck out on a solo career (as The Richie Furay Band) as a Christian performer with this album. This album has a rather usual 70’s sound, though considerably more easy listening than his secular works. All in all it’s a good album if you like the 70’s sound. Point of trivia about the album is that it was produced by Michael Omartian.

Track List:
1 – Look At The Sun – 5:07
2 – We’ll See – 3:02
3 – Starlight – 3:39
4 – Gettin’ Through – 2:59
5 – I’ve Got A Reason – 4:07
6 – Mighty Maker – 3:54
7 – You’re The One I Love – 3:40
8 – Still Rolling Stones – 3:54
9 – Over And Over Again – 7:09

Credits:
Bass, Backing Vocals – Jay Truax
Drums – John Mehler
Guitar, Vocals [Lead] – Richie Furay
Keyboards – Tom Stipe
Producer – Bill Schnee, Michael Omartian