Feature: A Decade of Christian Rock and Metal on Tour (1995–2005)

A Look Back at the Genre-Spanning Tours That Defined an Era

Introduction

The period from 1995 to 2005 was a transformative era for Christian rock and metal music. It was during this time that I became deeply immersed in the scene. My first concert was Ray Boltz, followed by Carman, which opened the door to bands like Audio Adrenaline, The O.C. Supertones, DC Talk, and many more. I discovered bands such as Living Sacrifice, P.O.D., Project 86, Gospel Gangstaz, and MxPx on VHS tapes (who remembers those?) at my youth group.

One of my all-time favorite memories is the 2001 “Your New Empire Tour” featuring Project 86, Stavesacre, and Living Sacrifice. Three of my favorite bands were in the same place, and the crowd was so into it and energetic.

Fueled by groundbreaking record labels such as Tooth & Nail Records and its heavier imprint Solid State Records, alongside stalwarts like Facedown, Fireproof, Intense, R.E.X., Metro One, Takehold, Strike First, Rescue, Ulterium, Blood and Ink, Bombworks, Soundmass, Endtime Productions, and Nordic Mission, this period witnessed an explosion of diverse subgenres: from thrash and doom to metalcore, hardcore, power metal, and alternative rock.

Chronological Tour Timeline with Record Labels and Supporting Acts (1995–2005)

1995

Cranial Captivity Tour
Living Sacrifice (Solid State Records) / Lament (Independent) / Sacred Warrior (Intense Records)
Supporting Acts: Deliverance, Vengeance Rising, Tourniquet, Believer, Holy Soldier, Crimson Thorn

1996

Regional Tour
Focal Point (Independent) / Zao (Solid State Records) / Pensive (Independent) / Seasons in the Field (Independent)

The Black Sheep Tour
Saviour Machine (Independent) / Sixpence None the Richer (R.E.X. Records) / The Prayer Chain (Independent) / Mortal (Intense Records) / Michael Knott (Independent)

1997

Tour with Malevolent Creation
Living Sacrifice (Solid State Records)

Joint Tour
Sacred Warrior (Intense Records) / Bride (Independent)

DIY Tour
Zao (Solid State Records) / Underoath (Solid State Records) / Unearth (Independent) / Dead Poetic (Independent)

1998

Underdog Tour
Audio Adrenaline (ForeFront Records)

Independent Tour
P.O.D. (Rescue Records)

Regional Tour
Living Sacrifice (Solid State Records) / Soul Embraced (Independent)

West Coast Tour
Sacred Warrior (Intense Records) / Holy Soldier (Intense Records)

1999

Satellite Pre-Tour
P.O.D. (Atlantic Records) / Korn (Mainstream) / Linkin Park (Mainstream) / Disturbed (Mainstream)

Joint Tour
Zao (Solid State Records) / Shai Hulud (Mainstream) / Evergreen Terrace (Mainstream)

National Tour
Crimson Thorn (Independent)

Solid State Mini-Tour
Norma Jean (Solid State Records) / Living Sacrifice (Solid State Records)

Church Circuit Tour
Spoken (Metro 1 Records)

2000

The Hammering Process Tour
Living Sacrifice (Solid State Records)

Drawing Black Lines Tour
Project 86 (Tooth & Nail Records)

Joint Tour
Zao (Solid State Records) / Training for Utopia (Tooth & Nail Records)

Co-Headline Tour
The Blamed (Tooth & Nail Records) / Left Out (Independent)

40 Days of Disaster Tour
Underoath (Takehold Records) / Few Left Standing (Takehold Records) / Narcissus (Takehold Records) / Tantrum of the Muse (Takehold Records)

2001

Your New Empire Tour
Project 86 (Tooth & Nail Records) / Stavesacre (Tooth & Nail Records) / Living Sacrifice (Solid State Records)

Co-Headline Tour
Project 86 (Tooth & Nail Records) / Blindside (Tooth & Nail Records)

Bless the Martyr Tour
Norma Jean (Solid State Records)

Again, For the First Time Tour
Bleach (ForeFront Records)

Joint Tour
Underoath (Solid State Records) / Tantrum of the Muse (Independent)

Hardcore Tour
No Innocent Victim (Facedown Records) / xDISCIPLEx A.D. (Facedown Records)

2002

Conceived in Fire Tour
Living Sacrifice (Solid State Records) / Extol (Solid State Records) / Becoming the Archetype (Solid State Records)
Supporting Acts: Hatebreed, Throwdown

Warped Tour Dates
Underoath (Solid State Records)

Split Tour
Few Left Standing (Facedown Records) / xDISCIPLEx A.D. (Facedown Records)

Scandinavian Dates
Crimson Moonlight (Endtime Productions)

Youth Group Tour
Luti-Kriss (Solid State Records)

Tour Circuit
Rock & Roll Worship Circus (Vertical Records / INO Records)

2003

Early National Tour
Demon Hunter (Solid State Records)
Supporting: As I Lay Dying (Solid State Records)

Collide Tour
Skillet (ForeFront Records)

Reunion Tour
Mortal (Metro One Records) / Fold Zandura (Metro One Records)

Early Tours
Anberlin (Tooth & Nail Records)

International Tour
Extol (Solid State Records) / Antestor (Endtime Productions) / Mortification (Soundmass Records)

European Tour
Seventh Avenue (Ulterium Records) / Narnia (Ulterium Records)

National Tour
Disciple (Slain Records / INO Records)

2004

Extended Tour
Living Sacrifice (Solid State Records)
Supporting: Throwdown, Extol, The Showdown

Early Tour
As I Lay Dying (Solid State Records)

They’re Only Chasing Safety Tour
Underoath (Solid State Records)
Supporting: Saosin

The Beautiful Letdown Tour
Switchfoot (Sparrow Records)

Co-Headline Tour
Project 86 (Tooth & Nail Records) / Disciple (Epic Records)

Brutality Mini-Tours
Clear Convictions (Strike First Records) / War of Ages (Strike First Records)

Joint Tour
Soul Embraced (Blood and Ink Records) / Bloodlined Calligraphy (Blood and Ink Records) / Nodes of Ranvier (Facedown Records)

Tour with Dead Poetic and Haste the Day
Dead Poetic (Tooth & Nail Records) / Haste the Day (Solid State Records)

Tour with The Agony Scene
Extol (Solid State Records) / The Agony Scene (Solid State Records)

2005

The Triptych Tour
Demon Hunter (Solid State Records)

Scream the Prayer Tour
Various Acts (Solid State Records / Facedown Records / Blood and Ink Records)

Early Tour
The Devil Wears Prada (Solid State Records)

First National Tour
Flyleaf (Octone Records)

Co-Headline Tour
The Showdown (Solid State Records) / Demon Hunter (Solid State Records) / Living Sacrifice (Solid State Records)

Phenomenon Tour
Thousand Foot Krutch (Tooth & Nail Records)

U.S. Tour
Crimson Moonlight (Endtime Productions)

Waves Are Dancing Tour
Holy Blood (Bombworks Records)

European Tour Dates
Morgarten (Nordic Mission Records)

Anniversary Tour
Bloodgood (Intense Records) / Whitecross (Intense Records)

Joint Tour
Extol (Solid State Records) / Becoming the Archetype (Solid State Records) / Crimson Moonlight (Endtime Productions)

The Forsaken Tour
Antestor (Endtime Productions)

First Tour
Children 18:3 (Tooth & Nail Records)

Conclusion

This unforgettable decade left a permanent mark on Christian music history, spanning underground DIY shows to national record deals. During this time, I had the privilege of running the SC Rock for Life chapter, booking bands like Rock and Roll Worship Circus, Spoken, Disciple, Pillar, The Benjamin Gate, East West, Joy Electric, Luti-Kriss, Mars ILL, LA Symphony, and Eleventyseven. I also attended countless concerts and festivals, where I represented Rock for Life and deepened my love for the scene.

After booking shows, I started collecting physical media. I was thrilled to see so many cassette and CD albums finally released on vinyl. I am getting every one of them that I can. My passion continues through involvement with Christian Metal Group, Heaven’s Metal Magazine, and organizing networking events in entertainment.

What tours did I miss?

Let’s continue preserving the memory of this powerful season of Christian music together.

I can still hear the Echoes of the Spirit Still Dwell.

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