{"id":11752,"date":"2024-07-18T23:15:07","date_gmt":"2024-07-19T03:15:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/?p=11752"},"modified":"2024-07-19T20:15:16","modified_gmt":"2024-07-20T00:15:16","slug":"human-code-break-the-silence-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/18\/human-code-break-the-silence-2\/","title":{"rendered":"HUMAN CODE: Break the Silence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Nature Abhors a Vacuum\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

And what is universally true in the universe is industriously true in the music industry. At some point, when no one is paying attention, while accolades and addictions are being lauded over one style or artist or band\u2019s music, someone or some \u201cgroup of ones\u201d steps in to fill that \u201cvoid\u201d with something else, something missing and often something with value \u2026 something long forgotten. (Break the Silence)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melodic Rock?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What happened to melodic rock? Back when radio was all the rage, when cassettes spooled through car decks and boom boxes in the predigital era, when portable analog was a novelty and the medium of choice for upcoming bands to get their \u201cdemos\u201d into the hands of potential labels, music journalists and, most importantly, fans hands and ears. Back then, melody \u2013 as well as accessibility to the masses \u2013 mattered big time \u2013 big hooks, grooves and distinctive, identifiable vocals with clear and easily discernable lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 80\u2019s exemplified the era of melodic rock and metal \u2013 every artist\/band striving for their own distinctive style and sound \u2013 a way to distinguish themselves from the masses of competition. To this day, that era of music remains unrivalled in the sheer volume of artists\/bands that were able to push their music to the forefront of the commercial radio world of accessibility and popularity. What can be said about this \u2013 our brains crave melody over rhythm? Or perhaps the perfect balance between the two\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Christian Heavy Music Explosion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Significantly, it was during this golden era of AOR, hard rock and melodic\/power metal in which the fledgling Christian hard music scene exploded. REZ, Petra and Stryper led the way, but there were many underground\/lesser known bands which helped fuel the fire for the likes of Barren Cross, Bloodgood, Whitecross, Leviticus, Holy Soldier later followed by Guardian, Bride, Sacred Warrior, Recon, Tamplin\/Magdallan, The Brave, X-Sinner, Fear Not and Mastedon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What qualities did all these bands share? Aside from their faith, they shared a distinctive, easily discernable style of hard melodic rock\/melodic metal and most importantly, a unique vocal presence \u2013 qualities which were largely abandoned (secular and Christian) by labels and the mainstream rock\/metal scene during the decade of the mid to late \u201890\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hence, the void, the vacuum\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Break the Silence \u2013 Fill the Void<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The last 20 years have enjoyed a return\/proliferation of the progressive rock of the \u201870\u2019s, the progressive metal of the 90\u2019s, even the classic\/power metal (which has always remained in the underground) which blossomed in the late \u201880\u2019s (Helloween\/Iron Maiden\/Accept). Even extreme metal\/death metal has kept a constant pressure on the scene to endure, and while some of the nu metal\/alt metal vibes of the early 2000\u2019s has managed to survive, original music is harder to find, let alone quality melodic hard rock \u2026 let alone quality melodic hard rock with a Christian worldview and a progressive, contemporary edge to boot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter Human Code. What happens when you put a melodic rock\/AOR producer of music with some of the most talented rock\/metal musicians from the late \u201880\u2019s\/early \u201890\u2019s? And when the message is distinctly in line with a Christian worldview? Void filled indeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter Michael Drive (Barren Cross\/Gale Force), George Ochoa (Deliverance\/Recon\/Worldview), Todd Libby (Recon\/Worldview) and Terry Russell (Holy Soldier\/Neon Cross\/D.O.G.\/Worldview).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Born of Worldview<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For those attentive and curious, the next question might be: why not just another Worldview album? I would encourage you to watch the Brad Bowman interview with George Ochoa and Dino Elefante HERE<\/a><\/strong> for some insight into how Human Code was birthed and what\u2019s next for Worldview. Long story short, Ochoa and his Worldview bandmates hooked up with Michael Drive and just when it all seemed right, along came Dino Elefante \u2013 literally from just down the street – to take it all to the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cJust What I Needed\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Michael Drive literally drove this project to the next level with his dynamic vocal and lyrical contributions. For those familiar with the Gale Force<\/a> record \u2013 which was a good comeback for him but it still had something lacking \u2013 this album showcases his true talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For clarity, Worldview is power\/progressive metal \u2013 Human Code is much harder to categorize \u2026 and that\u2019s a great thing. Break the Silence<\/em> is, quite frankly, one of those albums you listen to and say, \u201cThis is just what I needed!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who were enthralled with releases like Guardian\u2019s Fire and Love<\/em> or Fear Not\u2019s debut or The Brave\u2019s debut or the first Mastedon album and yet also love more contemporary or progressive styles with a metal edge like Queensr\u00ffche or Sacred Warrior, that dynamic Lovewar debut with its prog rock flavorings, and of course, Barren Cross \u2013 State of Control<\/em> album, Break the Silence<\/em> is an album you are going to listen to and say, \u201cwow, why has no one made a record like this one in like, a long, long time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Balance of Power – Perfect Balance<\/em> (2001) is the last melodic rock record I can remember which sounded this good]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Sonics<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I think most familiar with the Elefante brothers have come to expect a certain level of polish and sheen to the albums they produce. All those iconic albums from the late \u201880\u2019s and early \u201890\u2019s they produced had a trademark punch and kick with perfect mix of treble\/middle\/bass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there were some aspects of the Elefante sound which folks who loved the more raw, more spontaneous aspect of live and studio produced music found \u201cover-produced.\u201d Fair enough. Reassuringly, to those folks I would say, regarding Break the Silence<\/em>, fear not. Yes, these songs are polished \u2013 and maybe just mastered a bit on the \u201cloud\u201d side \u2013 but there is enough contemporary edge in the mix to give this record both a distinctive and original, yet timeless, quality. It\u2019s not perfect, but darn if it isn\u2019t close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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