Tag: Barnabas

Here’s the second album from Barnabas. It follows in the path of their first release but the production is much better. There was also considerable changes in the band lineup so that may have contributed to the improved sound. The album was initially released by Tunesmith Records in 1982 but Light Records worked out some kind of deal to re-release it in 1984. Barnabas had signed with Light in 1983 and released “Approaching Light Speed” so for some Barnabas fans they were getting the albums out of order. The album has been re-released twice since then. In 2000 it was packaged with “Hear The Light” and the 2 album on one CD was released by Millenium Eight Records. It was again re-released by Retroactive Records in 2017. It is a testament of this bands popularity that their albums keep getting re-released.

Tracklist
1 – Find Your Heart A Home – 4:44
2 – The Conflict Of Desire – 4:49
3 – Way To Destruction – 4:38
4 – Boogie Tyme – 4:26
5 – Swordsman – 3:47
6 – Southern Woman – 5:28
7 – Star – 7:50

Credits
Bass – Gary Mann
Cover Layout – Tim Varro
Drums – Kris Klingensmith
Engineer – Rick Hope
Lead Guitar – Kris Brauminger, Mick Donner
Organ – Kris Brauminger
Piano – Kris Brauminger
Producer – Barnabas
Rhythm Guitar – Kris Brauminger, Mick Donner
Synthesizer – Nancy Jo Mann
Vocals – Nancy Jo Mann

After two releases on Canada’s Tunesmith label that featured a very eclectic combination of punk, funk, metal and blues, Barnabas signed to Light Records (home of Sweet Comfort and Resurrection Band) and unleashed a fury of heavy metal onto the CCM world that was light years ahead of the industry. Young guitar virtuoso Brian Belew plays with a Van Halen flair and the music is pure heavy metal for fans of Triumph and Van Halen. Production was also superior for the time with real guitar mixes and a wall of sound type vocal production. This was very big sounding, especially for the day. Nancy Jo Mann’s vocal can be an acquired taste for some with a little Grace Slick with more passion and power, but on this album it works quite well. There are some very interesting musical interludes such in the case of “If Love Brings Love” that starts with just an acoustic piano and slowly builds into a huge wall of guitars and becomes a rock anthem in the truest sense of the term. The call of the Gosepl is proclaimed with brilliant clarity. Waiting for the Aliens is a 6-plus minute epic that, like many artists lyrics during the time, deals with a particular view of end times replete with Marks, Antichrists and a deception of the world that will cause everyone to believe aliens have taken over the world. This is borrowed from many popular prophecy prognosticators and was not a rare hypothesis. the song rocks though! The album ends with another epic that is more progressive rock in nature than the rest of the album with several musical and time signature changes. “Crucifixion” also features a bass solo, which is so “old school” that it’s almost shocking to hear now even though it was not the peculiar for the time. The songs is a wonderful, well arranged and powerful depiction of the passion in a borderline rock opera type setting. By the way…the album cover rocked!

Contributor David Lowman – https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – No Freedom – 4:30
2 – Stormclouds – 4:39
3 – If Love Brings Love – 4:03
4 – Waiting For The Aliens – 6:10
5 – Warrior – 3:55
6 – Never Felt Better – 3:20
7 – Subterfuge – 5:47
8 – Crucifixion – 5:59

Credits
Bass, Keyboards – Gary Mann
Cover [Cover Art] – Kernie Erickson
Drums, Percussion – Kris Klingensmith
Engineer – Tom Tucker
Engineer [Additional Technical Assistance] – John Hurst
Guitar – Brian Belew
Photography By – Dennis Mabie
Producer – Barnabas, Tom Tucker
Vocals – Nancy Jo Mann

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Pressed By – Electrosound Group Midwest, Inc.
Published By – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Recorded At – Triad Studios, Des Moines
Mastered At – Future Disc

The metal decade gave us a lot of gems and Barnabas is one of them. This is the band’s second album, much more refined than their first. From day one the band showed potential, and with this release the production quality shot up dramatically. Nancy Jo Mann’s solid vocals shout out over some hard marching guitar riffs and a tight band. Even on “If Love Brings Love” with a piano part that would be Layla’s little cousin, the driving guitars won’t let you forget where you are and what decade this is.

This is the 2000 remaster by Rev Hillstrom at Creation Station Studios, Robinsdale, Minnesota. It includes a bonus track “All Alone” which was originally recorded for this album but record company politics kept it off the album at the time.

Tracklist
1 – No Freedom – 4:37
2 – Stormclouds – 4:43
3 – If Love Brings Love – 4:12
4 – Waiting For The Aliens – 6:21
5 – Warrior – 4:01
6 – Never Felt Better – 3:26
7 – Subterfuge – 5:59
8 – Crucifixion – 5:52
9 – All Alone – 5:45

Credits
Bass, Keyboards – Gary Mann
Cover [Cover Art] – Kernie Erickson
Drums, Percussion – Kris Klingensmith
Engineer – Tom Tucker
Engineer [Additional Technical Assistance] – John Hurst
Guitar – Brian Belew
Photography By – Dennis Mabie
Producer – Barnabas, Tom Tucker
Vocals – Nancy Jo Mann
Remaster- Rev Hillstrom

Companies, etc.
Millenium Eight Records

This was the final studio album from Barnabas. While I liked their sound I think perhaps for some people it had become somewhat monotonous and this album doesn’t really offer much new in musical styling. I guess that’s one of the problems of having a distinct style. While your hardcore fans stand by you, casual fans think to themselves that they’ve heard this before. This album however should be listened to if not for the music then for the lyrics. This album may have been one of their best lyrically. As the story goes the band broke up after playing Greenfest in 1985 but had a contract to release one more album. I presume they returned to the studio to record this album. This might also explain why it’s only 8 tracks. While I like this album my sixth sense does indicate something not quite right about this album and perhaps it is that it was recorded after the breakup of the band. Or I could be completely wring about the sound and the story.

Tracklist
1 – Gospel Maniac – 5:04
2 – Little Foxes – 4:05
3 – Destroy After Use – 4:56
4 – Auschwitz ’87 – 4:42
5 – China White – 3:20
6 – Sins Of The Fathers – 5:21
7 – All Alone – 5:13
8 – Suite For The Souls Of Our Enemies (Part Two – Lover) – 3:27

Credits
Artwork [Cover Art] – Paradise Graphics, Paul Gross
Bass, Keyboards – Gary Mann
Drums, Percussion – Kris Klingensmith
Engineer – Barry Stramp
Guitar – Brian Belew
Producer, Arranged By – Barnabas
Saxophone – Chris Hicks (tracks: B4)
Vocals – Chris Hall (tracks: B1), Jeff McGuinness (tracks: B1), Nancy Jo Mann

Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Published By – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Manufactured By – Word Records Limited
Recorded At – Studio 7, Oklahoma City, OK

This 2000 release of Barnabas artifacts and relics is just fantastic. It has 5 unreleased tracks and a 24 minute recording of a rehearsal. The lead track (Batter Up) really should have been on an album, it’s actually one of my favourite Barnabas tracks now. The other new tracks are good though I have to say that Shauna Marie may actually be a lullaby. The 24 minute rehearsal track is an absolute gem. It gives us a bit of a candid view (listen) of the band. Much discussion of coffee just made me feel like I was there. Just an excellent release here.

Tracklist
1 – Batter Up
2 – Can’t Get There From Here
3 – Shauna Marie
4 – Goodbye
5 – All Alone
6 – Rehearsal – Intro/Conflict Of Desire/Directory Assistance/Southern Woman

This was the 4th release from Barnabas and the lineup remained the same as their previous release (Approaching Light Speed). This is also the line up that would be together until the end in 1986. This album continues their Heavy Metal / Hard Rock / Pop sound. If Barnabas wasn’t known for this sound combo I would probably be annoyed with it but by this album I was used to it. I read a few reviews of this album and was struck by how many said this was their favourite album. Personally after thinking about it I don’t even know which I would pick as my favourite. Anyway it’s another great album from Barnabas.

Tracklist
1 – Prelude – 2:20
2 – The Dream – 2:32
3 – Breathless Wonderment (The Dream Becomes Reality) – 6:48
4 – Hearts – 7:02
5 – Feel The Fire – 5:22
6 – Northern Lights – 3:45
7 – Follow You Up – 5:09
8 – Suite For The Souls Of Our Enemies (Part I – Hammer & Sickle) – 5:03

Credits
Art Direction [Art Director] – Dan Lienart
Artwork [Cover Art] – Kernie Erickson
Bass Guitar, Keyboards – Gary Mann
Drums, Percussion – Kris Klingensmith
Guitar – Brian Belew
Photography By – Randy Taylor
Producer – Tom Tucker
Producer, Arranged By – Barnabas
Vocals – Nancy Jo Mann

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Pressed By – Electrosound Group Midwest, Inc.
Published By – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Recorded At – Triad Studios, Des Moines
Mastered At – Future Disc