THUMPER PUNK: Valley Churches United Benefit Compilation

Various Artists
Valley Churches United Benefit Comp: Neighbors Helping Neighbors Through Music

Thumper Punk Records have released this rousing 21-track compilation, not only for listener enjoyment, but also for the benefit of a local food pantry, helping support people in the Santa Cruz, CA area who are struggling to put food on the table. 21 bands here from a wide range of punk styles: folk-punk to pop-punk to hardcore and even one black metal tune! Offerings are from a mixture of unsigned/unknown bands to the incredibly prolific, and several international contributions as well.

Overall this a great compilation for someone wanting to dip their toes into the Christian punk scene, especially if wanting to sample a wide variety of bands and subgenres. Because the release is so lengthy, we’re not going to go deep into a critical review, but rather just describe each artist and song briefly to give you an idea of the talent amassed here.

1. Minor Rockstar kicks things off with “Alive,” a song not available on their recent EP
   which I reviewed for Heaven’s Metal a few weeks ago. More of their alternative rock
   meets pop-punk sound.
2. Shawn Browning, best known for his work in Grave Robber and the Migraines goes solo here, with “Burning Bridges,” which has a cool punk/indie rock vibe, similar to late Husker Du, especially in the vocals which remind me a lot of Bob Mould from the Sugar era.
3. Sore Bones play snotty Brit-style punk, mixed with a little early Social Distortion on
   “Private Affair.”
4. Breakaway (from Latin America) offer up “Refuge” with some hardcore punk with oi
   tendencies.
5. Ritchie Nails supplies an acoustic punk track, “That’s Okay with Me,” with lyrics about
   not fitting anywhere or being “good enough” due to being both a Christian and a
   punk.
6. The Jericho Harlot is a very talented hardcore punk from Indiana/Kentucky, furnishing “Liar Liar.” Great to see them included here.
7. Peter118, from the United Kingdom, offer up punk rock with a slight oi feel.
   “Conviction” is not as poppy as some of their earlier material.
8. Chainstay play “Deciduous,” pop-punk tune with some slight easy-core tendencies (i.e. a mixture of pop-punk and hardcore, or ‘major key hardcore’).
9. Light the Way are not new to the scene, offering some pop-punk/easy-core here on “My Cat Can Eat a Whole Watermelon.”
10. Names Without Numbers, another veteran act, crank out more of their signature pop-punk/emo sounds on “Winter Wars.”
11. Over Mortal offer some straight up alternative rock with “World Needs Jesus, one of the more raw, underproduced/unseasoned efforts here.
12. A.G. McIntosh crank out some very satisfying old school hardcore punk in the span of just 34 seconds! The tune is “Only in My Dreams.”
13. Eduardo Thimoteos, another Latin American artist, supplies some alternative rock with “The Varoagem Song (Musica Para Varoar).”
14. LA39 play an interesting sort of worshipful punk rock on “Be Thankful.” The
    raw/underproduced feel here works in their favor.
15. 2Minute Minor, the incredibly prolific band from Chicago offer some more of the
    positive, intense, old school hardcore they are known for. Their contribution is “My
    Depression,” and the song is about their own struggles with the illness.
16. CxMxF play “Brothers in Christ,” a throwback-to-the-90s chugga chugga style hardcore. I know nothing about this band, but I’d like to know more. The song is a callout for Christian unity regardless of nationality or ethnicity.
17. Activistas furnish some scripture-based folk-punk in a cool, worshipful track called “Be Transformed.”
18. Spergies dispense some fast-paced hardcore punk on “Public Safety Stomp.”
19. xDoulosx (not the black metal band) play high-quality hardcore on “24 Thesis.”
20. Praiser, a German band, have dabbled in hardcore and punk, but here offer “Burning
    Churches” a chilling song with a cool mix of mostly black metal with underlying punk
    rhythms.
21. Aaron V Brown is a solo artist playing a punk/metal hybried on “Don’t Bow Down.”
    Overall this is a great compilation and well worth the $10, which also supports needy families. Head on over to https://thumperpunkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/valley-churches-united-food-pantry-benefit-compilation for ordering.
    4/5

About Author

Loyd Harp

I’ve been listening to Christian metal since about 1988. Early favorites were Jerusalem, Sacred Warrior, Vengeance Rising, and Believer. I still tend to love classic heavy metal and extreme forms of metal. I’m not much of a fan of prog. Don’t @ me.

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