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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOpening Friday\u2019s event, SAINT brought down fire and brimstone with their fiery brand of apocalyptic metal. The band opened with \u201cThe Blade\u201d and weaved their way through songs from throughout their almost 40 year history. Utilizing the venue\u2019s screens surrounded the stage to set the tone with images that looked like raining fire, the band didn\u2019t slow down for a moment, tearing through brand new songs like \u201cHeaven Fell\u201d and \u201cVengeance,\u201d as well as classics like \u201cAbyss,\u201d \u201cPhantom of the Galaxy,\u201d \u201cToo Late for Living,\u201d \u201cThe Path,\u201d and \u201cWarriors of the Son.\u201d Though often plagued with a revolving lineup, Saint mastermind Richard Lynch has always kept that signature Saint sound, and with the same lineup for the last 2 albums The Calf and Heaven Fell, the result was a powerful and confident band showcasing some of the very best power metal out there. While singer David Nelson has a lower, raspier register than Josh Kramer, he was able to hit the King Diamond falsettos on some of the older material, and then playfully threw himself down on the stage like he was spent. Jerry Johnson\u2019s broken leg didn\u2019t hold him back on guitar, and he traded licks with Matt Smith with his red leather pants and shoes and Graham Bonnet hairdo, while Rich Lynch displayed his metal menace on his red BC Rich Beast bass, and Jared Knowland tore into his drum kit, not stopping, even as snares and cymbals started falling off. Saint closed their spectacular set with \u201cIn the Night,\u201d and then \u201cHell Bent\u201d for an encore. The band would prove to be a hard act to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Act 2 was the relatively new super group HUMAN CODE, led by Michael (Lee) Drive. Essentially the most recent lineup of Worldview, with Michael Drive (Barren Cross, Galeforce) on vocals, George Ochoa (Deliverance, Recon, Worldview) on guitar, Toddy Libby (Worldview) on bass, and Terry \u201cThe Animal\u201d Russell (Holy Soldier) on drums, dressed up like it was prom night, expectations of similar output were broken when the band started playing original 80\u2019s style rock and covers of songs like \u201cDon\u2019t You (Forget About Me).\u201d Clearly the audience showed interest in the band and anticipate some recorded music, but not knowing any of their original music ahead of time, and following Saint\u2019s burn it down and salt the earth performance clearly put them at a disadvantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Friday night closed with the reunion of SACRED WARRIOR. The band was made up of founding members Rey Parra, Bruce Swift, Steve Watkins, and Tony Velasquez, as well as longtime member Jon Johnson and Tom Sanderson on the keys. The band tore through numbers from all 4 albums from the late 80\u2019s and early 90\u2019s, playing title tracks from Rebellion, Obsessions, and Wicked Generation, as well as the opener \u201cMad Man,\u201d the reflective \u201cRemember Me,\u201d and the worshipful \u201cHe Lives,\u201d audience singing along the whole time, even when Rey\u2019s voice started blowing out. Bruce gave a word from the stage and the band closed the night in worship with their new rocking rendition of the hymn \u201cSolid Rock\u201d and Les Carlsen joining them for an encore of the band singing their concert staple \u201cHoly, Holy, Holy.\u201d One day down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saturday started with wrestler Chris Jericho seeking interview questions from the audience and then doing a Q&A style podcast with the members of Barren Cross. Other than this, and Chris Jericho coming back to introduce Barren Cross later on in the night, Pastor Bob Beeman of Sanctuary emceed the event all weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DENY THE FALLEN was the first act of Saturday. For the uninitiated who might see Rey Parra and Jon Johnson and anticipate the soaring melodic metal of Sacred Warrior, Deny the Fallen is a gritty modern metal act through and through. Rey clearly was struggling from the effects of pulling double duty on the mic, but the band was super tight, pounding out hits from their debut, like the excellent \u201cHands for War\u201d (an invitation to prayer) or their new singles \u201cEye of the Hurricane\u201d and \u201cIf It Costs Me My Life.\u201d Clearly a case of musicians reinventing themselves and coming up with something new and equally powerfully, Deny the Fallen will be a band to follow in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next up was CHAOTIC RESEMBLANCE, a more recent, but seasoned modern hard rock band with several albums under their belts. Their set was shorter than some, but they didn\u2019t neglect giving the Word from the stage nonetheless. They opened with \u201cQuick and the Dead,\u201d and closed with the catchy, but risque song \u201cGet the Hell Out.\u201d Someone mentioned that Les Carlsen has taken these young musicians under wing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before the next band, Pastor Billy Crone came on and gave a teaser of his message for the next day. The promoter mentioned that Billy specializes in the prophetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WHITECROSS continued the night of headbanging with songs old and new. Guitar axeman Rex Carroll and longtime members Michael Feighan (drums) and Benny Ramos (bass) joined newcomer David Roberts as he tackled early Whitecross classics like \u201cWho Will You Follow,\u201d and \u201cEnough is Enough\u201d with his raspy vocals, hitting all of the high points of Rex Carroll-era Whitecross, like \u201cTake it to the Limit,\u201d \u201cTop of the World,\u201d \u201cDown,\u201d \u201cGood Enough,\u201d even covering Led Zeppelin\u2019s \u201cMoby Dick.\u201d The band proved to be more than a nostalgia act when it played 3 blistering new songs \u201cMan in the Mirror,\u201d \u201cFear No Evil,\u201d and \u201cLion of Judah,\u201d showing that Whitecross is still a band to be reckoned with. Every band member gave the Word, and that coupled with technical problems during Rex\u2019s guitar solo put the band way overtime, which jeopardized the last performance of the night. \u201cWe Know What\u2019s Right,\u201d and \u201cNo Second Chances\u201d were the last songs played.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saturday night\u2019s main act was BARREN CROSS, with all original members, a rare treat indeed. The band had not played together in the 10 years since their Elements of Rock show was recorded as the live album Birth Pangs, and although many of the same songs were played, bassist Jim LaVerde and guitarist Ray Paris visibly loosened up as they began to play and really starting enjoying themselves, as much as the audience, screaming along to \u201cThe Stage of Intensity,\u201d \u201cDeadlock,\u201d \u201cClose to the Edge,\u201d \u201cLet It Go Let it Die,\u201d \u201cRock for the King,\u201d and \u201cInner War.\u201d Michael (Lee) Drive played his guitar instrumental song \u201cA Walk with God,\u201d the band accompanied him on \u201cRattle Your Cage,\u201d pulled off \u201cState of Control,\u201d even though they had only dusted it off earlier that day, \u201cLight the Flame\u201d devolved into a blues jam, before going into the worshipful \u201cKing of Kings.\u201d \u201cDying Day\u201d closed the killer set, followed by the perfect encore in \u201cImaginary Music.\u201d Day two, out with a bang, amid smiles all around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sunday began with the preaching of Pastor Billy Crone. His end times message about A.I. was particularly poignant and to the point that times are short and how we need to turn to the Lord before it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s ironic, but pretty cool that in spite of Petra officially retiring back in 2005, that 2 Petras still frequently tour, reliving their music from different eras. This being CLASSIC PETRA RESURRECTION, with Greg X. Volz on vocals, you knew to expect a lot of the Petra classics up to 1985 that this touring band has rerecorded on their Back to the Rock albums I and II. CPR opened with \u201cBema Seat,\u201d and hit classics like \u201cClean,\u201d \u201cAngel of Light,\u201d \u201cGodpleaser,\u201d \u201cMore Power to Ya,\u201d and a reworking of Aerosmith\u2019s \u201cDream On,\u201d slowing down only for \u201cFor Annie.\u201d Highlight of the set was the song \u201cIt is Finished,\u201d which I\u2019ve always thought needs to be covered by a metal band. As the Rolling Stones continue to prove, age is just a number and rock and roll will never die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next band\u2019s arrival from Canada was an answer to prayer, as there was some question whether DANIEL BAND would make it through US customs. Though the band made albums only in the 80\u2019s, singer\/ bassist Dan McCabe and guitarist Tony Rossi sounded amazingly tight and after opening with \u201cRun From the Darkness,\u201d Dan nailed the high vocals that start the song \u201cBethel.\u201d They played songs from most of their albums- \u201cRise Up,\u201d \u201cHe\u2019s the Creator,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m Sorry,\u201d \u201cNever Again,\u201d \u201cLong Time Ago,\u201d \u201cTwo Roads,\u201d \u201cWalk on Water\u201d (remember that video?), before having some- ahem- unruly audience members join them on gang vocals for \u201cSomebody Loves You,\u201d and closing with \u201cParty in Heaven,\u201d and the encore \u201cDon\u2019t Give Up.\u201d Here\u2019s one band I\u2019d love to see record new material. Clearly they still have it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FEAR NOT is that band from the early 90\u2019s that you had all but forgotten, but they’ve made a name for themselves all over again, releasing Fields of Sorrow this summer. All the original members are still there, with the addition of Eddie Green on vocals, who brings a southern edge to the band\u2019s output. The band opened with their new smash hit \u201cBlack Soul Sunshine,\u201d before reaching back to the 90\u2019s for \u201cGive It Up\u201d and \u201cThere is Love.\u201d Many of Fear Not\u2019s more recent songs such as \u201cStruggle,\u201d \u201cCarry Me,\u201d and \u201cBeautifully Broken\u201d show the ups and downs of imperfect people striving to serve a perfect God. The band\u2019s biker persona came back on display for \u201cDon\u2019t Want None (Come Get Some),\u201d before closing in \u201cFields of Sorrow,\u201d and \u201cLay It All Down,\u201d and then returning to their debut for encore song \u201cWe Have A God.\u201d An impressive set from a band that continues to evolve and put out great music. Love those BGV\u2019s! Closing the festival was Les Carlsen. With the recent loss of Michael Bloodgood, Les has laid the band Bloodgood to rest, but has been working on new material of his own. Paul Jackson (Bloodgood) and Craig Church joined him on guitar and wife Joyce joined him on much of his performance, taking the lead on \u201cReturn Me to the Fire.\u201d Les opened with new song \u201cJesus Freak Show.\u201d Other newbies were \u201cScars,\u201d \u201cI Wanna Know You,\u201d \u201cFaith is Tested,\u201d \u201cHow Long,\u201d \u201cJudas is Dead,\u201d and the closer \u201cHe\u2019s Coming.\u201d Bloodgood songs played were mostly from Dangerously Close, including the encore \u201cLamb of God,\u201d with the obligatory \u201cCrucify\u201d and \u201cThe Messiah\u201d from their live theater days and \u201cSeven\u201d from Rock and a Hard Place. There was a poignant moment when Les paid tribute to his friend Michael Bloodgood with a picture of him on the screen laughing and playing bass. When all is said and done, life is short. Live for God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The inaugural edition of Immortal festival was everything I\u2019d hoped it to be and more. Fans and bands alike packed out all the local hotels, made new friends, prayed for each other, and sang along with their favorite bands. Many musicians from other bands, notably Crimson Thorn, Biogenesis, Motivik, Ritual Servant, Weapons of God, and Martin Simson\u2019s Destroyer of Death, made appearances as well. Pastor Bob Beeman likened this to the early festival Metal Mardi Gras \u201887, and though I\u2019ve only seen the video, I\u2019ve never felt this close to my metal brethren. Make it happen again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Ed.- Promoter Steve Barhorst is already planning Immortal II, so save your $ and vacation days for next Labor Day, boys and girls.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Immortal Christian Rock Festival- Sept. 2-4, 2022- Versailles, OH Written by Chris Gatto, Photography by…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8376,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1025,1020],"tags":[445,305,263,414,1539,1776,262,1777,630,457,1596,1772,1844,1843,460,1097,1082,1083,1085,255,302,160,1842,443],"class_list":["post-8374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-live-report","category-review","tag-barren-cross","tag-biogenesis-d73","tag-bloodgood-d96","tag-chaotic-resemblance","tag-chris-jericho","tag-classic-petra-resurrection","tag-crimson-thorn","tag-daniel-band","tag-deny-the-fallen","tag-fear-not","tag-greg-x-volz","tag-human-code","tag-immortal-christian-rock-festival","tag-immortal-festival","tag-les-carlsen","tag-martin-simson","tag-michael-drive","tag-mike-lee","tag-motivik","tag-ritual-servant","tag-sacred-warrior","tag-saint-d96","tag-steve-barstow","tag-whitecross-d95"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/ImmortalFest-8-of-127.jpg\")
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