{"id":2633,"date":"2019-12-30T17:41:30","date_gmt":"2019-12-30T17:41:30","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-11-21T20:05:52","modified_gmt":"2020-11-21T20:05:52","slug":"betrayal-the-passing-limited-run-vinyllegends-of-rock-cd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/30\/betrayal-the-passing-limited-run-vinyllegends-of-rock-cd\/","title":{"rendered":"BETRAYAL: The Passing (Limited Run Vinyl\/Legends Of Rock CD)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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 Betrayal was one of the more extreme thrash bands from the early \u201890\u2019s scene, not only because of Chris Ackerman\u2019s unorthodox death metal vocal qualities but also because they were willing to deal with topics no one wanted to touch, like Satanism, abortion and child abuse, racial hypocrisy and political corruption \u2013 a stance which might have cost them a shot at \u201csuccess.\u201d Their first two releases are now available on CD as part of <\/strong>Girder\u2019s<\/a> Legends of Rock<\/em> series and on vinyl as part of the <\/strong>Limited Run Vinyl<\/a> series. They never enjoyed the success and impact of Deliverance, Tourniquet or Vengeance \u2013 somewhat due to poor promotion and some of the events outlined below \u2013 but to their credit, they did develop a distinct musical identity and their lyrics were challenging and compelling and very Biblically-centered. Furthermore, as I explore this record afresh, it is much better than I remember. Like seriously, \u201chow did these guys not get bigger?\u201d better.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although they experienced some early momentum with the release of Renaissance By Death<\/span> in 1991, including shows in California and successful gig to Holland, their career was truncated by a few significant and tragic events. First, their major label debut for Interscope Recordings was a flop due to a poor sound system and a somewhat indifferent promoter from Interscope. More significantly though was the tragic accident which occurred while the band was traveling in Arizona on the way to play a few shows in Texas. In a candid interview with David Jenison at Cornerstone Festival \u201993 (Heaven\u2019s Metal <\/span>#43, see below), Marcus Colon discussed in detail the events of that ill-fated trip \u2013 events which ultimately heralded the end of Betrayal as a \u201cband.\u201d And Chris Ackerman, in the retrospective piece he contributed to Girder\u2019s 2019 Legends of Rock<\/span> CD reissue of The Passing<\/span><\/a>, further discusses the events and expands upon the impact that tragedy had on their career and on their personal lives to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe were 5 young men alone in the darkness of the desert night with a dead body and a paraplegic victim. Tears still sting my eyes writing this so many years later. After the ambulances and police reports, we turned around and just went home.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Chris Ackerman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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All of this, or course, did not stop the release, on Wonderland (Word), of The Passing<\/span>, which came out in September of \u201993 if I remember correctly. The competition at that time was fierce but The Passing<\/span> reached #10 in late \u201993 on the Rock\/Metal Sales Chart (as reported in Heaven\u2019s Metal <\/span>#45) behind stalwart releases like Deliverance \u2013 Learn<\/span>, Believer \u2013 Dimensions<\/span>, Mortification \u2013 Post Momentary Affliction<\/span>, Bride \u2013 Snakes In The Playground<\/span>, Guardian \u2013 Miracle Mile<\/span>, Galactic Cowboys \u2013 Space In Your Face<\/span> and the self-titled Saviour Machine! Not bad when you consider many of those titles eventually made the Top 100 Christian metal list of all time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The CD Player Giveaway<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone remember Wonderland\u2019s CD player giveaway contest promoted in the original release? For those who recall, the words to the verse were highlighted in bold<\/span> text and scattered throughout the CD booklet and lyrics. Fans were tasked with deciphering the verse\/words and those with the correct submissions to the label were entered into a drawing to win the CD player. It was a unique way to engage the fans\/listeners, because the deciphered scripture words formed the central theme of the album. (pictured).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cA man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.\u201d<\/span><\/em> \u2013 Proverbs 21:16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Visceral\/Prophetic Words<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is no secret guitarist\/song-writer Marcus Colon had been entwined by Satan\u2019s snares early in his life. The lyrical outpourings in both Renaissance By Death <\/span>and The Passing<\/span> reflect his battles, struggles and victories. \u201cRenouncement\u201d<\/span> is both an outcry against Satan\u2019s wicked schemes and the victory in denying him power through the work of Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cSatan denied\/death is denied\/deny the lie\/all sin must die!\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Similarly, \u201cThe Usurper,\u201d<\/span> using the narrative of real-life human actions and interactions with drugs, graphically details how opening the door for Satanic influence leads a man to steal and murder. And even more disturbing are the depictions of an open surrender to Satan in \u201cAs I Turn Away\u201d along with the ritual abuse and Satanic sacrifice in \u201cForest of Horrors.\u201d<\/span> These are not happy endings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But other difficult topics are confronted as well. Cleverly using metaphorical references to Ray Bradbury\u2019s Something Wicked This Way Comes<\/span>, the words to \u201cCarnival of Madness\u201d<\/span> deal with the need to resist the allure, illusions and seductions the world has to offer. \u201cIchabod\u201d <\/span>chronicles the abuse of power and liberalism and corruption within the government. (Does this song not seem even more relevant today than in 1993 or what?!) \u201cWhispers of Chaos\u201d<\/span> deals with suicide and \u201cStrength of the Innocent\u201d<\/span> with child abuse, child pornography and abortion. And if that\u2019s not enough, we have the social commentary going on in \u201cRace of Hypocrisy\u201d<\/span> \u2013 a song that is totally relevant to what we are seeing in 2019. Check out these prophetic cries echoing forth to us from 1993 \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cLove is close to extinction\/bitterness runs through our veins\/the race of hypocrisy\/all those who offer pain \u2026\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But then this in return \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cChrist the one redeemer\/no color in His sight\/to offer all the peoples\/His harmony instead of spite\u201d<\/span><\/em> \u2013 Race Of Hypocrisy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You see the patterns? These guys were dealing with heavy spiritual warfare presented not from the perspective of an ethereal battle going on between demons and angels in the heavens, but from the down and dirty, visceral human perspective. It wasn\u2019t and isn\u2019t easy stuff to stomach, but there was always hope\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRetaliatory Strike\u201d<\/span> is the anthem of victory, along with \u201cFrantic\u201d<\/span> which outlines the path and struggle to \u201cfinish the race\u201d in victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cRetaliatory Strike\/an assault with authority determined by the work done on the cross\/we invade on warring knees in Christ\u2019s name on high\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Renouncement of Digital<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love the EQ on this vinyl record. The muddy, thrashy live vibe of the original has been preserved which gives the music that live, punch-you-in-the-chest bass. This does sound superior to the original, but its not just in the bass. All of the higher treble articulations are more noticeable and Ackerman\u2019s voice kills it on this release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRenouncement\u201d<\/span> \u2013 with its noisy introduction and blast-beat, machine-gun snares over top of sound-bytes – is a nasty amalgam of industrial\/death\/thrash. I believe this song was somewhat popular and worked its way up the CCM metal \u201csingles\u201d charts to #5 by March of \u201894 . That doomy, heavy vibe on \u201cThe Usurper\u201d<\/span> is killer and sounds even better on vinyl where the plodding bass guitar line is accentuated. This song flows well as it builds up to the fast middle-section where the guitars shred. Those haunting guitar leads slow it down again for the final run \u2013 the perfect musical accompaniment to the narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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