80's metal.

10 MP3 Songs in this album (44:47) !
Related styles: METAL/PUNK: 80's Metal, METAL/PUNK: Hair Metal

People who are interested in Dio Judas Priest Barren Cross should consider this download.


Details:
Band: His Witness

Title: Kingdom Come

Release Date: August 5, 2008

Catalog Number: RAR7860

Style: Heavy Metal

Tracks: 10

Lyrics: No

Insert: 8 page panel




ABOUT THE ALBUM

This album sat âin the can" and unreleased since it was recorded in 1988. Only a handful of cassettes were sold to fans at a occasional concerts. Bill Menchen (Titanic, The Seventh Power, Final Axe) and vocalist Ken Redding had been friends since their days in the Omega Band. Bill took it upon himself to remix the album and start the resurrection process. The original 2 inch tapes were discovered years before when the guys had been cleaning out a garage. If it hadn't been for Ken's brother-in-law taking them home, this metal gem would have been thrown away and lost forever!

The album was recorded by the legendary Randy Thomas (Allies, Sweet Comfort Band, etc.), and mixed at John and Dino Elephante's (Kansas, Mastedon) Packaderm Studio by Mike Mierau (X-sinner). From day one, the album was surrounded by greatness, and Retroactive Records is proud to make this heavy metal gem available world-wide for the first time ever! The deep, rich vocals of Ken Redding show an obvious Dio influence, but the music will also appeal to fans of melodic metal in the vein of Barren Cross, Bloodgood, Judas Priest, and Whitecross.



KEY SELLING POINTS

**Recorded by Randy Thomas of Allies & Sweet Comfort Band fame

**Mixed at the same studio as classic releases by Guardian, X-Sinner & The Brave
**For fans of classic Dio, Barren Cross, Stryper, Judas Priest and Bloodgood

**Full Radio and Magazine/Reviews promotional campaign

**Featured on Headbanginâ 101 promo sampler
**Featured on Headbanginâ 201 promo sampler

**Full HM Magazine and Heavenâs Metal Magazine ad campaign

**Featured on Heavenâs Metal subscriber CD



TRACKS

01. Everlasting Life

02. Kingdom Come

03. Last Days

04. Jesus Heals

05. Call On Him

06. Guard Your Heart

07. Pick Up Your Cross

08. Jesus Died For You

09. Love Of God

10. Partyâs In Heaven

WWW.ANGELICWARLORD.COM REVIEW (85)

Kingdom Come, the full length debut of Southern California based His Witness, can best be described as a classic eighties melodic metal album that almost never happened. Originally recorded in 1988 but never previously released, the album âsat in the canâ the past several decades until the original 2-inch tapes were discovered several years ago collecting dust in a garage. The brother-in-law of vocalist Ken Redding, wisely, took the tapes home before they were thrown out, preventing a very nostalgic â and very high quality â piece of metal history from being lost forever. The album, after being remixed by guitarist Bill Menchen (Titanic, The Seventh Power), was officially released for the first time in the summer of 2008 by Retroactive Records under the title Kingdom Come.

Musically, Kingdom Come is like opening a âtime vaultâ from another era. Delivering a blend of melodic metal and hard rock heavily rooted in the decade it came out of, His Witness is certain to appeal to fans of Bloodgood, Whitecross, Barren Cross, Stryper and Holy Soldier. Those whose musical tastes stray towards the classic metal side of things, (think Saint or Judas Priest) should find a lot to like in His Witness as well.

The group is at its best on up-tempo numbers such as âEverlasting Lifeâ (huge hook on this one), melodic hard rock of âCall On Himâ (featuring vocal harmonies in abundance) and boogie flavored âPartyâs In Heavenâ (non-stop energy here). âHis Witnessâ, however, can give us a quality mid-tempo piece as well, reflected in the heavier direction taken on âGuard Your Heartâ and âPick Up Your Crossâ in addition to the blues influenced metal of âJesus Died For Youâ. The mid-tempo leanings are maintained on âKingdom Comeâ, a power metal laced track, and the bottom heavy plodder âJesus Healsâ. Finally, an eighties melodic metal album would not be complete without a customary ballad, and such is what we have in the classy âLove Of Godâ.

To say that vocalist Ken Redding is talented would be an understatement. Blessed with quite the powerful set of pipes, Ken brings a deep and rich mid-ranged vocal style hinting at Jeff Fenholt (Joshua), David Coverdale (Whitesnake) and Tom Collete (ex-Letter 7). Other vocalist worth mentioning include Robert Valdes (Regime), Ken Tamplin (Shout) and Matt Harding (Apostle). Without a doubt very good company indeed.

Guitarist Ronee Pena also proves capable. If you are interested in lightning-like lead work in the vein of Oz Fox (Stryper) or David Zaffiro (Bloodgood), then look no further than âEverlasting Lifeâ, âCall On Himâ and âGuard Your Heartâ.

Kingdom Come, originally recorded by Randy Thomas (Sweet Comfort Band, Allies) and mixed at Pakaderm Studios (of Elefante brothers fame), features a crisp and clean sounding production job. Yes, there are some slight elements of thinness here (please keep in mind this is a self-financed project recorded using late eighties technology) but nothing that will distract from your listening experience.

Lyrically, Kingdom Come â with song titles such as âJesus Died For Youâ and âPick Up Your Crossâ â represents as bold and forthright effort as you will find.

The album opens strongly with the catchy, melodic metal of âEverlasting Lifeâ. The key word is âcatchyâ in that the song features one of those immediately infectious chorus hooks (almost radio friendly in feel)- not to mention abundance of upbeat momentum and lead guitar work on the radiant side of things. âEverlasting Lifeâ finds the band firing on all cylinders both musically and lyrically:

But God so loved the world
That He gave His Son
And whosoever believes
Will not perish
But will have everlasting life

If you believe in Him
You will have everlasting lifeâ¦

âKingdom Comeâ brings a slight touch of power metal (kind of like Sacred Warrior or Apostle). Moving at the slower tempo in comparison to âEverlasting Lifeâ, the song gives prominence to the same kind of gripping chorus hook â you will be challenged to keep this one out of your head - while exuding a heavier if not all around more symphonic feel. âKingdom Comeâ draws its lyrics from Matthew 6:9-13:

Our Father in heaven
Hallowed by thy name
Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done

Give us this day
Our daily bread
Forgive our debt
As we forgive our debtor
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil

âLast Daysâ delivers some guitar riffs that remind me of Whitecross. A three and a half minute mid-tempo romp, the song drives its distance to a hammering guitar riff in amalgamating a decisively delivered chorus with a vocal performance from Redding that finds him adding a touch of grit to his delivery. More blazing lead guitar is added to a composition dealing with end time themes:

In the last days
False Christâs will appear
Wars and rumors of war
Nation shall rise up against nation
Kingdom against kingdom

Itâs just a sign of the times
In the last daysâ¦

âJesus Healsâ slows the pace to a near standstill with its plodding, bass heavy ambience. Almost bluesy in capacity, the song might not be one of the albums heavier pieces but its laid back tempo and sweeping chorus help put it over the top. I can easily see Bloodgood doing something like this. Lyrically, âJesus Healsâ presents a straightforward but direct message:

I hope that you can see
That you can be set free
Righteousness is imparted

When you let Him in
He forgives your sin
Jesus heals the broken hearted

Stryper is the first thing that comes to mind when listening to âCall On Himâ. The song proves a commercial hard rocker, standing out with its front to back spirited impetus and slickly delivered chorus driven by polished vocal harmonies. Put âCall On Himâ on To Hell With The Devil and it would sound right at home. As a matter of fact, the fast fingered lead guitar work here would turn the head of Oz Fox.

âGuard Your Heartâ, with its edgy, metal-laced sound, represents quite the contrast to âCall On Himâ. One of the heavier pieces on Kingdom Come, the song moves in a robust mid-tempo direction allowing for a driving â almost technical â environs that has old school Barren Cross written all over it. âGuard Your Heartâ is aptly named:

Donât be foolish
Donât be deceived
What this world has to offer
Wonât last for eternity
Store your riches in heaven
Where it really counts
Not in this world
Where murderers and thieves run about

âPick Up Your Crossâ maintains the guitar driven heading. The song almost borders on classic metal with its weighty mix of rhythm guitar and hard hitting chorus backed by harshly driven backing vocals. No, this one does not quite rank with the albums catchiest numbers but the end result is a backdrop hinting at early Saint (think Timeâs End era). âPick Up Your Crossâ talks about doing exactly that:

What does it profit a man
If he gains the whole world
And loses his own soul
For the Son of God
He comes in the glory of the Father

Surely I say to you
There are some standing here
Who will not see death until they see Him

Pick up your cross
And follow meâ¦

Slow, stalwart and driving, âJesus Died For Youâ is a no-nonsense piece that joins a pronounced (almost groove flavored) low end with a toiling chorus in which larger than life vocal harmonies make their presence felt. If anything, the laid back atmosphere here â think blues but with a metal edge â reminds me of the old Joshua Perahia track âWalk Into The Lightâ (from Chapter One).

Rarely do I have much patience with long winded ballads in the six or seven minute range (or longer). Occasionally you will find an artist capable of getting it right â think Bloodgood with âTop Of The Mountainâ and âChanging Meâ (both from Out Of The Darkness) or just about any ballad by Shadow Gallery â but more often than not I end up hitting the skip button. His Witness, fortunately, proves the exception to the rule with âLove Of Godâ. Seven minutes of inspiration and creativity, the song brings just the right amount of acoustic based moments, complementary touches of rhythm guitar, emotionally charged soloing and moving lead vocals that would allow it to rank with the finest ballads this reviewer has heard. âLove Of Godâ is a song of victory:

We are more than conquerors
Through Christ Jesus our Lord
We are more than conquerors
Because He loves us
Really loves us
And He for us

I am convinced that nothing
Can separate us from the love of God
Not principalities, not the powers of the air
Not anything to His love can compare
And am convinced that nothing
I separate us from the love of God
Not an angel of light
Not the present or the past

Closing things out is âPartyâs In Heavenâ, a boogie flavored hard rocker in the vein of âGood Enoughâ (Whitecross) or âCanât Stop The Rockâ (Stryper). Energy-laden metal in its purest form, the song races its length in bestowing a catchy chorus (the hook here is prevalent) along with an environs bordering on the boisterous (another stretch of killer lead guitar). Of note, âPartyâs In Heavenâ breaks just past its halfway point for an interlude featuring the sinnerâs prayer.

His Witness would easily rate with contemporaries such as Bloodgood, Whitecross, Barren Cross, Stryper and Guardian if Kingdom Come had been released in the late eighties. Yes, the vocals, musicianship and songwriting are that good. Speaking of the songs, there is not a bad track here â the album smoothly flows its extent while showcasing an ample amount of variety (all the while rooted in the melodic metal and hard rock genres). Give Retroactive Records credit for making available another hard to find and long lost classic of the past.

Track Listing: âEverlasting Lifeâ (4:09), âKingdom Comeâ (4:26), âLast Daysâ (3:37), âJesus Healsâ (5:35), âCall On Himâ (4:14), âGuard Your Heartâ (3:42), âPick Up Your Crossâ (4:22), âJesus Died For Youâ (3:32), âLove Of Godâ (7:13), âPartyâs In Heavenâ (4:18)

Musicians
Ken Redding â Lead Vocals
Ronnee Pena â Guitars
Ray Kilsdonk â Bass
Jimmy Pena â Drums

Additional Musicians
Bill Menchen â Guitars & Drums