BRIDE — Scarecrow Messiah (review)

BRIDE — Scarecrow Messiah album cover Album · 1994 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
2/5 ·
topofsm
Christian metal doesn't set itself up well for good reception within the metal community. For one thing, it tends to take the form of the most accessible and most hated subgenres in metal (Glam metal and Metalcore are two obvious ones that come to mind). For another thing, the focus is almost always on the lyrics, and while that's not necessarily at all a bad thing, it has an overwhelming tendency to detract from the music. Bride is an excellent example of this tendency, and Scarecrow Messiah shows this triumphantly.

For one thing, Scarecrow Messiah is only somewhat metal. It seems to walk that line between hard rock and metal, and a lot of the time it prefers the former. The guitar tone isn't even heavier than plenty of hard rock artists like AC/DC and Zeppelin, so they're off to a fairly poor start. For another, they are incredibly repetitive, to the point where the riffs lose their luster within the first minute or two. Torman Maxt is one of the best parallels, since they are incredibly repetitive, Christian, and questionably metal.

For another thing, for a band that has the excuse to focus on the lyrics so much, the lyrics aren't all that thought provoking. Some, like in "Crazy" are somewhat silly, like "Got a raindrop of the tip of my tongue/If I get all I want I'll have to give you some". Others, like the title track, don't really seem to explore any Christian belief, and rather go the standard 'Jesus is good' route.

Another thing, most of the songs are incredibly midtempo. Halfway through the album it's easy to tire, since there simply aren't any fast paced grooves on it. The sole exception is the last track, which is quite a fun little bonus track sounding ditty which isn't even metal, but a fast unusual little rap styled track.

In any event, most metalheads will find this album lacking. It really is better for the rock fan than the metalhead, especially among Christians who are looking for more simple music and can look past the basic songwriting and music to look for the lyrics. Not really recommended, but try it out and maybe there's something there for you.
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