Review: Damascus – The Road to Damascus

From Haze to Damascus

Damascus was a Christ-centric progressive rock band from the ‘80’s, contemporaries with AD, Kerry Livgren, Arkangel and largely the brainchild of the multi-instrumentalist/singer Tom McKeown (Shadowfields). The band’s inception (early ‘80’s) was inspired by a car accident involving McKeown and his then band Haze, an incident McKeown later acknowledged changed the course of his life forever. With the change to a life in Christ, McKeown formed a new band with a new vision – from (the) Haze was born Damascus.

Damascus Prog

Consequently, influenced by his childhood musical heroes (Kansas, Genesis, Yes, ELP and later Saga), Damascus would move in a musical direction which was not popular amidst the budding Christian rock/AOR scene – progressive rock. Along with his previous band’s bass player Cliff Zweibruck, McKeown would later be rejoined by Marc Reich (guitars/vocals) after he returned from college and even later by drummer David Coy.

Musically, where Trytan was the ‘80’s Christian Rush-infused prog juggernaut, Damascus was the scene’s Kansas/Yes (heavy keyboard emphasis) infused prog rock dynamo. Hence, the music was much more instrumentally focused than most “Gospel” rock acts at the time were either recording or for which they were awarded airplay. Therefore, neither their 1983 self-titled EP nor any of their 3 full-length albums were previously released in formats other than self-financed cassette.

The Tide Turned

Unfortunately, their final release, due to the collapse of the band in the early ‘90’s, was never released. Fast forward to 2024 and the folks at Roxx Records (Bill Bafford) have lovingly – with the help of McKeown – put together this excellent anthology of the entire Damascus works, including the 9 tracks which comprised the never-before released album The Turning Tide.

Damascus Unchained

This 2 CD set is chock full of surprisingly well-recorded progressive “light” rock. A mix of early Kansas and early Yes is a good place to start, although as Damascus moved into the early 90’s their sound did change somewhat along with the shifting musical trends of the time. One thing which was consistent throughout, though, was the uplifting lyrical praise and adoration for the redeemed life in Christ.

The Complete Anthology

The Road to Damascus includes a 24-page booklet with historical perspective, Roxx interview with Tom McKeown and the complete lyrics. The complete track listing with durations (below) reveals a plethora of music to be discovered (or re-discovered) for the fan of 70/80’s progressive rock.

Damascus EP (1983)

Granted, some of this material sounds “dated” by today’s standards of progressive musical expression, but from the perspective of those who were raised on this kind of rock – ‘70’s keyboard rich experimentation – a song like “Slipping Away” is incredibly refreshing in an era of overly compressed digital “perfection.” The analog sound is robust, the lyrics are truthful – think Kansas.

On the other hand, “Nothing Left to Fear” is reminiscent of those early Yes years, especially that Steve Howe guitar sound accompanied by Jon Anderson-like vocals. More surprising than the likeness to the greats of the ‘70’s is how well these songs (lifted from analog source) sound in digital.

Will I Find You There? (1984)

Surprisingly, the opening drum and keyboard salvo to the title track could easily be mistaken for Kansas, but when the vocals and harpsichord-ish keys follow, you know you are listening to Damascus. The sweeping keyboard passages combine with a compelling melody and the push and pull of the rhythms are a primo display of the band’s songwriting ability.

Furthermore, “Truth” displays yet another side of the band’s character – their ability to write a song which is both technically adept yet filled with tons of melodic appeal. The message of “He alone is truth” is similarly timeless.

Subsequently, think Kerry Livgren instrumentation on “A Father’s Only Son” where the message stands at the forefront of the song, yet the supporting music is deeply creative; that Howe guitar tone once again permeates the middle section along with the almost circus-y keys. The multi-layered vocal outro harmonizing once again reflects the Yes influence.

The upbeat and melodic exhortation “His Love Today” is followed by the similarly encouraging “Circle of God’s Love” with its definitively Kansas vibe.

Unsurprisingly, the culmination of Damascus’s debut full-length release is a full-on epic 9-minute track which builds from humble beginnings (lyrically and musically) to majestic proclamation.

“Lord, you have my life; Your Spirit moves through me/Faith in only you; I feel your peace/The righteousness I seek could not be found in me/A gift of God if only you’ll receive”

Hence, the glory of “The Lost Prayer” is in the juxtaposition of the simple message with the complexity of the composition, much akin to Barnabas’ “Breathless Wonderment.”

Influences

One could argue fairly that Damascus wore their influences a bit too heavily on this release, but that would be the only criticism as the execution and credibility factor remains, even to this day. Hard indeed to imagine how Damascus remained unsigned in 1984 after such a strong, independent effort.

Timeless (1987)

As the sound of “prog” continued to morph during the decade of decadence, Damascus made some changes of their own but did so without altering the endearing qualities which their new-found fan base had come to appreciate.

Damascus Saga

Therefore, on the opening track, “Time for a Season,” more contemporary keyboard and drumming styles are readily apparent – hence the Saga influence. However, “What Four?” – with those patented guitar and keyboard sounds – goes a long way to reassure fans that the Damascus sound is intact.

The songs on Timeless also feature just a bit more pace and aggression along with a punchier (Chris Squire-like) bass presence. “A Knight to Remember” even presents a more urgent McKeown vocal push.

Similarly, in lockstep with the late ‘80’s musical direction, the songs are not only a bit more dramatic, but also shorter in duration – instamatic ‘80’s flash vs. wuthering ‘70’s complexity. I think the title track here exemplifies a band not only anchored by their roots but also furrowing effectively into contemporary soil.

Paradoxically, “Lord of the Mountain” (written by Marc Reich) follows with this beautiful ballad-praise number with musical roots in the folksy country soil of a rocky mountain high. Humble and deeply inspiring, the song showcases the diversity of Damascus, a band capable and willing to step out of their musical comfort zone.

In finale, the short album closes with another upbeat song, “The Keeper,” which blends all the aforementioned influences seamlessly – the sincere lyrical declaration, the melodic catchiness, the drum and rhythmic expression and the perfect execution – into the amalgamation of the Damascus sound.

Timeless Impact

Timeless didn’t have the same impact from an instrumental standpoint as its predecessor, but the sound which the band created was less derivative of the influences and more uniquely Damascus.

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[For those still intrigued at this point, McKeown, vocally speaking, shared more in common with Steve Walsh than Jon Anderson.]

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Soon … the Doors Will Open (1990)

Maturity

As we hope is the case with all our favorite artists, they get better with time and age. The 1990 release showcased a maturity of both production/mix quality and songwriting which surpassed what Damascus had previously achieved. By combining their older styles with some of the sheen of Timeless they succeeded in crafting songs with complexity, melody, more universal lyrics and yet the more accessible 3 to 5-minute durations.

Consequently, the opening dual salvo of “Decisions” and “Psalm AD” perfectly showcase this propensity for putting all the elements together in a concise fashion. Then “An Angel” (one of the best songs on this release) features these huge organ sounds which are reminiscent of Yes’s grandiosity with 1977’s Going for the One.

In contrast, “Reckless” lashes out with a quick tempo-ed almost punkish attitude. Not only are McKeown’s vocals more aggressive here, the drumming, guitar and bass shred with conviction and energy as well.

With “Lead Me On,” Damascus once again tackles a more melodic, radio-friendly approach. Undoubtedly, this is one of the more “dated” tracks on Soon due to the keyboard tones, but what can’t be denied, even today, is the band’s penchant for good melody and the humble plea for guidance within the words here.

Similarly, “Blind Peace” has that AOR meets Radiohalo ethereal quality and pace – the emphasis on the vocals/words. This song of praise carries a message of vitality and permanence in faith.

“Lord, highest love of God/Crystal depth by outer wall/Wed light, love, and joint courage/Sustenance of my soul”

“Something to Live For” returns to that nice blend of Kansas and AOR rock – almost Asia-like – where the melody and accessibility is perfectly blended with progressive indulgence. Yeah, think Asia. The similarly glorious “Still Waters” features massive keyboard orchestrations in praise of the mystery and blessing of the Trinity.

In coda, “Waves” steps out of the prog rock mold presenting Kathy Coy’s poem, so beautifully vocalized by the same, lightly orchestrated by McKeown’s keys.

Damascus Vision

As with each release, the band succeeded in not only moving farther away from their musical influences into a sound of their own, but they continued to improve their production sound to stay relevant to the musical world of the times.

Unfortunately, the Christian music industry of the day never aligned with the Damascus vision and sound. Fortunately, the band – despite the loss of Marc Reich, and eventually Dave – recorded just one more collection of songs…

The Turning Tide (2024)

These 9 tracks, never previously released, follow naturally in the style of the music from the previous release. Where the complexity of instrumentation is dialed back a notch, the vocal prowess of McKeown flows to the forefront with commanding passion.

Furthermore, the selection of guitar tones, keyboard styles and drumming, while retaining some of the ‘80’s shine, assumed a more distinctly contemporary (for the time) contour. Once again, the sound of prog meets commercial melodic rock of Asia comes to mind.

New Songs

Both the title track and “On a Wire” soar with a conviction and maturity the band didn’t even attain on the triumphant Soon… And the lyrically witty “So the Story Goes” features the marching snare of Coy along with gritty bass and dynamic keys.

However, the percussive creativity on drums and driving bass guitar on “Screwtape” showcase a never previously realized “sound” for Damascus. One of the best songs on the anthology, the lyrics feature C.S. Lewis’ mythical demon who terrorizes the souls of men in attempt to achieve the “separation of God and man.”

Similarly, the sarcastic “Ice of my Desire” once again features bombastic bass guitar and percussion, the calliope-like keyboards alongside lyrical wizardry. The infectious chorus echoes in your head long after the song fades to end…

“Slipping on the ice/slipping on the ice of my desire/I’m just slipping on the ice of my desire”

In that regard, The Turning Tide features the most inventive, impactful and deeply constructed lyrics Damascus have crafted to date. This richness of wordsmithery is further explored on the power ballad “A Passing of Moments.” Visiting the theme of soldiering (spiritual), this track slows things down in reflection and recognition of the importance of embracing every moment or our life, our walk, our service.

Musically, “Time is a Tool” pushes the boundary of rock acceptance with the quirky “Broadway” fanfare replete with tick-tock and cuckcoo clock sound effects, but the lyrics are endearing. Meanwhile, the aptly titled “Unfinished Business” – reflecting upon both the band’s plight when this was written and the urgency in the message of the lyrics – rounds out the original tracks.

“Unfinished business of your past/Has taken you down the wrong path/You have to leave it at the cross”

Finally, the acoustic reprise of “A Passing of Moments” is the appropriate conclusion to this anthological tribute to a band which mistakenly passed under the radar of the genre’s top labels/producers back in the day. Thanks to Roxx for helping this music see the digital light of day.

Roxx Records

Track Listing:

CD1

Damascus EP (1983)

1. Slipping Away (5:31)

2. Nothing Left to Fear (4:19)

Will I Find You There? (1984)

3. Will I Find You There? (4:34)

4. Truth (4:38)

5. A Father’s Only Son (5:29)

6. His Love Today (3:28)

7. Circle of God’s Love (4:33)

8. The Lost Prayer (9:14)

Timeless (1987)

9. Time for a Season (3:07)

10. What Four? (4:40)

11. A Knight to Remember (3:38)

12. Timeless (4:56)

13. Lord of the Mountain (4:03)

14. The Keeper (3:44)

CD2

Soon … The Doors Will Open (1990)

1. Decisions (3:50)

2. Psalm AD (3:39)

3. An Angel (5:26)

4. Reckless (4:06)

5. Lead Me On (4:15)

6. Blind Peace (2:49)

7. Something to Live For (2:58)

8. Still Waters (3:05)

9. Waves (2:35)

The Turning Tide (2024)

10. On a Wire (4:34)

11. The Turning Tide (3:10)

12. So the Story Goes (3:48)

13. Screwtape (4:01)

14. Ice of my Desire (4:30)

15. A Passing of Moments (5:10)

16. Time is a Tool (5:55)

17. Unfinished Business (3:47)

18. A Passing of Moments (revisited) (5:13)

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