{"id":3551,"date":"2016-12-07T05:31:10","date_gmt":"2016-12-07T05:31:10","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2021-10-11T20:06:09","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T00:06:09","slug":"on-a-e2-80-9crainy-night-in-georgia-e2-80-9d-e2-80-a6-and-the-e2-80-9creign-e2-80-9d-kept-coming-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/index.php\/2016\/12\/07\/on-a-e2-80-9crainy-night-in-georgia-e2-80-9d-e2-80-a6-and-the-e2-80-9creign-e2-80-9d-kept-coming-down\/","title":{"rendered":"THEOCRACY: On a \u201cRainy Night in Georgia\u201d \u2026 and the \u201cReign\u201d Kept Coming Down"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Doc\u2019s 688 mile \u201chouse call\u201d road trip for a \u201ccheck-up\u201d on Theocracy \u2013 Prognosis = Vibrant, healthy and filled with shred.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Need<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a physician, I am wholly committed to my community to be competent, conscientious and available to those I serve in illness and in health. As a result of the \u201cgrounded\u201d nature of my calling, it is rare indeed when I can take to the road \u2013 in search and support of great music \u2013 to ply my analytical skills to the art of head banging. I reside in the mountains of Southwest Virginia and the only metal we have here has to do with guns, knives and moonshine \u2026 ah, but the metal calls \u2026 Needless to say, it is no small thing when the pieces of a complicated life come together to allow the good doctor to indulge in metal consumption. Saturday December 3rd seemed an unlikely day for a road trip, but when I heard that Theocracy would be delivering their North American debut show in support of Ghost Ship <\/span>\u2013 their 4th studio release \u2013 in Marietta, Georgia on said day, something inside prodded me to make this happen, no matter what. Although I had interviewed Matt Smith in 2008 for the fanzine, I had never previously met him or any of the other band members. Sometimes things won\u2019t happen, unless you make them happen, right? So I called my older son Matt, who is a senior graphic design student at Anderson University in Anderson, SC and asked him if he wanted to go with me, realizing that this time of the semester is \u201ccrunch time\u201d for him. Somewhat to my surprise (although not totally because he loves Theocracy\u2019s music), he was 100% on board. I purchased the tickets, cleared it with my wife \u2013 responsibilities to grandchildren steered her on a different course for that weekend \u2013 and made sure I was free of medical call. For me, though, for an event like this to happen, lots of things have to fall into place, not the least of them being that I am actually not afflicted with any of my patients\u2019 afflictions prior to travel.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Journey<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All things seemingly in good order, my youngest son Andrew and I set course for Atlanta (via Anderson, SC) midday of December 3rd. As with most voyages, there are those unforeseen elements that seek to postpone or derail the mission. It hadn\u2019t rained substantially in our region for almost 5 months, but not 2 hours into our trip the rain descended. We arrived in Anderson shortly before 1600 \u2013 completing the first 216 miles of the journey \u2013 to meet up with Matt, who would then pilot the final 128 mile push to Atlanta. We departed Anderson around 1645 hours, intent on a 1 hour 55min trip to Marietta, GA. All was well until we were about 70 miles east of Atlanta when darkness descended and traffic halted almost to a standstill. Where everyone was going at 6PM on a Saturday night I had no idea, but the rain, the darkness and the \u201cbeep and creep\u201d travel made the next 2 hours a tedious drive, much of it filled with tense frustration and plenty of opportunities for car carnage. Finally, though, after a few close calls and a few missed turns we arrived at The Georgia 120 Tavern and Music Hall around 1920 hours, approximately 35 minutes later than expected.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The House Call<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Georgia 120 is a relatively small venue, the music hall attached to a sports bar and grill that was really cool but seemingly under-staffed for a Saturday night in North Atlanta. We managed to wrangle up some food (after about an hour) which was quite tasty while Brazen Angel (the opening band) ripped through their first, but brief (30 minute) set. Satiated we moved from the bar area into the music hall to catch the last few songs from the youthful Paladin, a really solid thrash act. I was sorry I didn\u2019t get to see their entire set as they laid it down fast and furious, but the boys had to eat, after all.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The music hall doesn\u2019t look like it can handle more than 500 souls, and it is standing room mostly with a small seating area in the back and an elevated bar on the side. But nobody was back there anyway because as the anticipation for Theocracy grew palpable, everyone pressed up toward the stage. After 7 shows in Europe in November, this would be the North American debut for the band \u2013 a band most of us in the audience had never had the opportunity to see live. During the sound check, we got our first glimpse of new drummer Ernie Topran (Halcyon Way) as he thudded his way along, dialing in his cool blue kit \u2013 beautiful in tone and appearance. When Jonathan Hinds and Val Wood gave us a few licks it became apparent that despite the small and intimate venue, the sound was going to be huge. This was confirmed when bassist Jared Oldham chimed in and also did the mic check.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day prior to the show, the band had posted on Facebook that there would be a few surprises during their 75 minute set. None of them were bigger than the opening song \u2013 the 23 minute epic title track from the band\u2019s sophomore release Mirror of Souls<\/span>! I think at first I thought they would only play a few fragments from this and then move on to the new material. Nope. Instead they flawlessly pulled off their most musically complex and lyrically deep song ever (one Matt Smith referred to in the past as the best song he ever wrote). It was so profound and unprecedented that when the song concluded Smith cried out, \u201cThank you, goodnight!\u201d I think some people missed the point because there wasn\u2019t much laughter. After a few awkward seconds of silence Smith confessed that it was a bit crazy to open up their Ghost Ship <\/span>debut show with a 23 minute song from their second album \u2026 then clarified that \u201cwe did that song for you guys\/the fans\u201d \u2026 and then, without further hesitation, they ripped into the tandem of the Iron Maiden-like \u201cPaper Tiger\u201d and catchy title track from the new album. It was like a switch was thrown going from the proggy \u201cMirror of Souls\u201d into the heavy melodic metal and this had the effect to loosen the crowd up a bit. And if that was not enough, the speed onslaught of \u201cAbsolution Day\u201d got everyone limber and moving around, especially during the middle galloping section. And while all of these songs sound polished on the recordings, they really come to life in the live setting, unleashing a fury of metallic output that is crushing. It is apparent the chemistry with Wood and Hinds has matured – they have developed a great dual-axe presence on stage as they trade off solos and riff in unison.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Things then slowed down a bit with \u201cThe Gift of Music\u201d from As The World Bleeds <\/span>\u2013 this song really featuring Matt\u2019s vocals. This one had the crowd\u2019s hands swaying in unison as Smith soared above the audience with power, passion and conviction. The driving instrumental \u201cride out\u201d on this song really allowed Ernie Topran to give the crowd a taste of his speed, power and talent. Brilliant. In tribute to the Christmas season, the comical \u201cRudolph vs. Frosty\u201d was up next. As most fans know, Theocracy has released a number of highly unorthodox (some reverent and some just for fun) Christmas tunes over the past decade \u2013 this one definitely in the latter category. Hilarious song \u2013 check out the lyrics. They returned to Ghost Ship <\/span>on the final push with the tandem of \u201cAround the World and Back\u201d \u2013 a song which really came to life for me in the live setting, especially with the creative light show \u2013 and the fast and heavy \u201cCastaway,\u201d a song that really gets the blood flowing, the head bobbing with speedy double bass, shredding guitar solos and that absolutely killer hook in the chorus.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not surprisingly, the band played their most iconic song \u201cI Am\u201d as an encore. As with the epic \u201cMirror of Souls,\u201d this song goes through tons of rhythm and tempo changes but they pulled it off without a glitch.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Assessment<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Theocracy is the alive and well, vibrant and filled with shred. At the end of the night I was most impressed with just how \u201cmetal\u201d this band really is. I think prog bands get labeled as finesse\/technical freaks sometimes. While this band lacks nothing in technical skill, their emphasis is on the rhythms and melodies and power \u2013 many of these riffs absolutely crushing in the live setting. Wood is the quiet shredder, but Hinds and bassist Oldham move around on stage, creating a lot of energy with their presence. And while Matt Smith is a melodic singer, he belted out some impressive and deafening notes at times. I compare him more to Michael Sweet than a Dickenson or Halford in that regard. Finally, when I first heard Ghost Ship <\/span>I knew it was a heavy metal record, but live \u2013 partly due to the sonics and largely due to the drum rhythms \u2013 there is a load of thrash cutting through.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Set List (Atlanta December 3, 2016)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mirror of Souls<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paper Tiger<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ghost Ship<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolution Day<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gift of Music<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rudolph vs. Frosty<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around the World and Back<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Castaway<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I Am<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This is a great set list. Sure, it would have been nice to hear \u201cThe Wonder of It All\u201d (my favorite song from the new release) or the metal anthem \u201cA Call to Arms.\u201d I\u2019m sure these songs had to be set aside to accommodate \u201cMirror of Souls,\u201d but I think fans will agree it was well worth it to hear that magnum opus live.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were a few negative findings. The instruments were killer on sound check but as a unit the volume was almost too loud \u2013 making it difficult at times to hear the individual voices, sometimes most noteworthy during guitar solos. Matt Smith\u2019s vocals crackled in distortion on a few songs as if the mic volume was up way too high, and it was hard to hear Oldham and Hinds when they chimed in with their vocal harmonies. Finally, Topran sounded a bit out of sync with the rest of the band on a few short instances but this wouldn\u2019t be unexpected given the short seat time he\u2019s had with this band. Probably few would have even noticed though as it was subtle. Overall, considering how little time he had to prepare, his performance was outstanding. He is solid as a rock, has some great facial gestures and is a beast back there driving the rhythm. Most importantly, his thrash\/power metal style fits Theocracy perfectly, especially with the Ghost Ship <\/span>material.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Meet and Greet<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not surprisingly, these guys are pretty humble and accommodating. Matt Smith was surrounded by young people who came (with mostly dads) from near and far. I enjoyed watching the kids\/teenagers during the show really digging this music and it was great to see them afterwards getting pictures with Smith and Hinds. My older son Matt took some pictures for a dad and his kids (with Smith) who\u00a0had traveled all the way from Canada to see this show! And I found out later some folks from New Jersey did the same, so we were not the only ones who traveled from afar to witness this event. I found it really refreshing to see the mix of ages at a more traditional metal show, not unlike what I saw at the Iron Maiden \u2013 Maiden England tour a few years back.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 Matt and Matt<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My son Matt and I also had the pleasure to meet and talk with most of the band (while Andrew enjoyed watching the Penn State vs. Wisconsin game at the bar). The highlight for me was presenting Matt Smith with a mint copy of the last issue of Heaven\u2019s Metal <\/span>(#78) to feature Theocracy on the cover before we went out of print. I had brought these copies along thinking it would be cool to have a copy signed by the band (which I did \u2013 see below). What I didn\u2019t know when we left home was that Theocracy would be playing \u201cMirror of Souls\u201d at this this show. Heaven\u2019s Metal <\/span>#78 was published at the time of the release of that great album \u2013 an album that would later make the Top 100 Christian Metal List of All Time<\/span>. So that was pretty special.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally, I got to meet Ernie, the new drummer, and ask him how in the world he figured out all of these complex songs so quickly. Lots of repetition was his answer, but when he subbed in a few years ago for Theocracy he only had 10 days to learn the set list at that time, so he\u2019s obviously a quick learner. He also said the set \u201cbookends\u201d of \u201cMirror of Souls\u201d and \u201cI AM\u201d are pretty challenging, but that \u201cI Am\u201d while difficult is really a fun song to play.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Cool stuff at the merch table too.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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They had a few of the ultra cool white LPs left.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Return Trip<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ears ringing and souls satiated we departed the Georgia 120 at 2310 hours \u2026 in the pouring rain. I kept thinking how appropriate the rain was in light of the lyrics to the song \u201cMirror of Souls\u201d \u2013 \u201cand the rain keeps coming down\u2026\u201d Our trip back to Anderson was closer to the 2 hour mark and was highlighted by the Penn State comeback win over Wisconsin (I\u2019m a PSU alum and my sons love them as well) which we were able to enjoy on the ESPN\u2019s Gamecast app on my phone. We arrived in Anderson (still raining) at 0120 hours, Matt\u2019s roommates still awake, and crashed in their apartment. (Thanks to Matt for getting us there and back safely.) Listening to the rain, as sleep descended upon me early that morning, I couldn\u2019t help but reflect on Theocracy\u2019s \u201crain\u201d of inspiring and truthful lyrics and on the \u201creign\u201d of God\u2019s grace as it covers over us. My first thought upon awakening later in the morning \u2026 I need to look up the lyrics to \u201cRudolph vs. Frosty\u201d \u2013 Do it \u2026 do it now!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After attending Matt\u2019s church service in Anderson on Sunday morning and enjoying a wonderful lunch there with his fellow college students and girlfriend (thanks Capstone Church!), Andrew and I departed (around 1200 hours) for the final leg of the journey home \u2026 in the rain. It was an uneventful trip \u2013 with a short diversion to meet up with my wife \u2013 and we made it home in record time! Not surprisingly, the rain stopped not long after pulling in the driveway!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Post Mortem<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, the trip was more than worth any troubles we encountered along the way. If you get the chance to see Theocracy live, don\u2019t hesitate, you won\u2019t regret it. I asked the guys about adding some more shows to support Ghost Ship<\/span> here in the States and they are definitely looking into it, so stay posted. Thanks to Theocracy for a great evening (it was great bonding time with my sons as well) and thanks to God for getting us there and back \u2026 and for the replenishing, much needed rain. Selah.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Doc\u2019s 688 mile \u201chouse call\u201d road trip for a \u201ccheck-up\u201d on Theocracy \u2013 Prognosis =…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2176,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1025],"tags":[409],"class_list":["post-3551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-live-report","tag-theocracy-d17"],"yoast_head":"\nTHEOCRACY: On a \u201cRainy Night in Georgia\u201d \u2026 and the \u201cReign\u201d Kept Coming Down - Heaven's Metal Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/index.php\/2016\/12\/07\/on-a-e2-80-9crainy-night-in-georgia-e2-80-9d-e2-80-a6-and-the-e2-80-9creign-e2-80-9d-kept-coming-down\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" 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