Neon Cross: Hidden Gem of 80's Christian Metal

Arin Hancock: let's move on to write time.

Kris plamondon: See, that is a perfect somebody must have got in there and said, Okay, wait a minute. You know, this is what he can do. This is his strong point.

Arin Hancock: Right. Yeah, this is one that's probably better mixed. I think it starts off with good rhythm. It's it's simple rhythm, but I think it suits the song. Like you don't always have to be super heavy riff wise. Yet I don't want that to be absent all the time either.

Kris plamondon: That's right.

Arin Hancock: You know, we don't you know I like variety. On the Rock and Metal Faith Podcast. Today we're going to dive into the 80s classic band Neon Cross and their debut record.

Kris plamondon: Mm.

Arin Hancock: Welcome to the Rock and Metal Faith Podcast, where it's all about the rock that makes me sing. Christian rock and metal. From today's music to the classics, it's all right here. I'm your host, Aaron Hancock, joined by my co-host, Chris Plonin. How are you doing?

Kris plamondon: Good, how you doing, Eric?

Arin Hancock: I I'm doing good And like I said, today we get to dive into a classic band, Neon Cross. That's a band actually I haven't listened to for for a few years until we decided it was time to to jump into these guys.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, yeah, I've never heard of them, so

Arin Hancock: okay. yeah, we'll get into that. before we do, like always, we got a little bit of news to cover. just this morning, just today, Striper has released the brand new song. Have you heard that one, Chris?

Kris plamondon: I remember that I saw the Facebook that Michael and Oz put out.

Arin Hancock: Right. Yeah, I heard it once. I have shared it on our Facebook group page. maybe it is a good time to mention too. Or you know, be sure to like, share and post. Yes. it's out it's it's out on it's been on Facebook, it's been on YouTube. Actually I think all the Facebook postings are sharing the the YouTube link. it's on the Striper sites, it's on the Christian

Kris plamondon: Is it out in the public?

Arin Hancock: rock metal sides, all this thing. I've heard it. It's not much of a video. the I gotta look it up again, but you know what? Let me do because I was just looking at it this morning. it it's called I'm Alright.

Kris plamondon: What's it called? I'm trying to think if I saw it. I'm all right. I'm okay? Yeah. Okay.

Arin Hancock: Yes, yes. Yeah. That's what that's what not bad. I like it. I like the the sound. I like the guitar sound. I only heard it once, so I haven't really dived into the lyrics. assuming it's probably one of these upbeat pep sounds, you know, everybody you know, stressed out and probably saying, you know, despite all that's going on, all the turmoil in the world, we're gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay, we're all gonna be all right, type of thing. for those who are maybe dealing with issues, mental issues, tr just reminding them that yes, they are okay. That's what I got out of it so far. I haven't dived in the lyrics to know exactly what the message is about. I'm first I'm looking at at the title going, I don't know if I'm gonna like this, lyric-wise. You know, and it's not bad. And and maybe it's the kind of song that today's society needs to hear.

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Musically I think it's gonna be good. Michael has come out saying he's been trying to create a blend between the old and the new. it's definitely I think has some of that classic striper elements that everybody looks for and at the same time has a modern sound to it type of thing.

Kris plamondon: Wow, you just repeated probably word for word what he put in his what was the the po the post yesterday. he talked about that like and you said a word for word. I knew that sounded familiar.

Arin Hancock: In his poster, yes. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. You know, musically that's kinda how I have to describe it. I think I'm gonna like it. And and the funny thing is, he's also said this is gonna the one coming out is gonna be the eighteenth studio record. And he plans on h doing like like twenty or twenty one striper albums. So I'm going, Wow, that's a lot you know, maybe I'll I'll say after I buy this one that I've got lots, I've got enough, I don't need any more. Until Until the next one comes out.

Kris plamondon: So wait a bit, you just said a second, they've done eight, right? Eight Eight eighteen, okay. Yeah, he wants to go to twelve twenty he wants to do thirty of them, right?

Arin Hancock: Eight eighteen. Yes. No no, twenty or twenty one or something like that. So I'm I'm going, you know, if I get eighteen and he only puts out two or three more, yeah, maybe w will I pick him out? Yeah, you know. We'll see.

Kris plamondon: okay. Okay, told it. You need a bigger room if that happens.

Arin Hancock: Actually, well if you look behind me, I've got a brand new C D case. I found that on marketplace. I was thinking, you know, I had things stashed in this little rack that was going up and down, kinda like like you see the side. And I'm going that's nice. the rack I had wasn't really built for C Ds, was built more for D V Ds, but I was using it for C Ds. And I thought, you know, I kinda like this whole idea of a bookshelf that I stick my CDs. Then I found this in marketplace, so I got that.

Kris plamondon: Mm. Wow.

Arin Hancock: what else we got in is I guess that's about one other thing, and this came out a few weeks back, about two or three weeks ago, is there is another striper tribute record that has been released. It's tribute to the fortyth anniversary of To Hell with the Devil, done by various artists, all pretty heavy. I'm not sure if you've heard anything off of that one, Chris. I've heard a few

Kris plamondon: No

Arin Hancock: That album actually is available on the streaming services. It's on Apple and Spotify. And that's where I started listening to it. I may pick up I've heard tracks off it. Some of them aren't bad. We're actually gonna play on a plug it in segment Not a track off that record But one of the bands that is on that album that's gonna come up on our plug it in segment. if you remember the band Reign of Glory, who I really love. I love the first record, I love the second record. They do To Hell W with the Devil, the song. And it's good, like

Kris plamondon: Ooh.

Arin Hancock: You know, we were talking a couple weeks back, you know, who would replace Michael if he ever could not sing? Well, get buddy from get Buddy from Rain and Glory, because I like I like his version of To Hell with the Devil. And so that's about it. yeah. So moving right along, let's get into the plug-it in segment.

Kris plamondon: He's the guy. Not too loud though.

Arin Hancock: I hit the wrong button. That that's our old plug-in theme, but let's run it with that one. Anyways. so yeah, like I was saying, for plugging in, we are going to feature a song from a band who is on the 40th anniversary tribute to Hell with the Devil. This is called the band is called Becoming Sons. Now we're not playing their tracks. From the tribute record. We're playing one of their older tracks. This is a track called Hidden Truth. And just warn you, Chris, this is kinda like a Demon Hunter where they've got the two vocalists, one does the the scream on metal screams, and another guy will sing more melodically.

Kris plamondon: Are there balance?

Arin Hancock: I don't know. I've this this is a heavier one called Hidden Truth. What do you think of that one?

Kris plamondon: Wow. Wow. I like that I like the guitar riffs. That look that sounded pretty cool. The drums. But the the voice reminded me of Wow. Yeah, that was unexpected. I thought I would actually there was a little singing. It was a bad.

Arin Hancock: Yeah, I I saw you start to cringe when those metal chord vocals kicked in.

Kris plamondon: That was a little itching my boundaries there.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. You know, my thoughts on that. I'm not big on that style, but then I started thinking back. It and way back when back in the day when Vengeance Rising first came out, you know, his vocals aren't much different than some of these metalcore vocals, you know. you know, if you remember Vengeance there were Roger Martinez on vocals and his vocals weren't

Kris plamondon: That is just

Arin Hancock: Best vocals, you he hit the metal grill going too and all that. And I love Vengeance, so I guess I can't say I knock all or I hate all metal vocals.

Kris plamondon: No, no, I'm not I'm past that phase. No that that's

Arin Hancock: You know, and and I think I said this before I'm slowly getting into Demon Hunter. the the difference with Demon Hunter is there are some softer sounds where they have just the melodic vocals and then they're faster sounds, they're heavier sounds, they bring in the metal core and and I tend to lean more to the lighter Demon Hunter stuff. Again, just because I'm not into the metal core vocals, but this one, you know, wasn't bad. Hidden Truth. You know, it's it's okay. Yeah, I I could do without the metal chord vocals. But overall I think it was not bad. and I like it. And if you like that, like I said, they do calling on you from Striper. The banner we just heard is on that tribute record and they do calling on you.

Kris plamondon: W they get a version of calling on you? Wow. That I would imagine would be wow.

Arin Hancock: Yes. the other ones on there. Now a lot of these bands on here I don't know that well. do do do. Like I said, Rain of Glory does to Hell the Devil. German Pascal does honestly. Actually, and it's not bad. It's different than the striper version, but still kind of keeps that whole essence behind it. And German, if you remember. He was the replacement vocalist that came in to the band Narnia. Came in for one record and then left again as they bring their main vocalist back. Weapons of God is on here doing Rockin' the World. We know Weapons of God they've been at at Immortal Fest and they're kinda out there. The rest of them I don't know that well. I'd have to listen to them again. we got Later Rain on here. Testimony of Apocalypse, All for the King, Undoubting Thomas, Seth McToyer, Modovic.

Kris plamondon: wow. Those are all groups that are Christian hardcore metal

Arin Hancock: Yeah. Well these are you know what? It's better tribute than the one that came out in the mid nineties. If remember that one. I don't think you do. We I I mentioned that that was like a grunge version of Striper Song's not very well done. Anyways, we're not

Kris plamondon: I know Petra did a version of Calling on You years ago. Yeah, it sounded pretty cool, especially with John Schultz. I mean, he can

Arin Hancock: really? The the same same I'd have to Yeah, definitely he'd be a good vocalist. I'd have to look that up. I don't know if I ever heard of that one. But okay. all right. So on to Neon Cross. let's do a little bit of background here. Neon Cross formed around eighty-three, eighty-four in Hollywood, California, blending the traditional heavy metal and melodic card rock and arena. style hooks and and refs with their Christian lyrics, you know, another Christian metal band playing in on the the Sunset Strip. So you had the lights of Striper and Holy Soldier was playing Clubs on the Strip as well. Neon Crosses and you know not bad. Like after hearing the songs and and listening to this album, I could easily imagine, you know Going in walking into a club and and hearing a banner like Neon Cross playing and going you know, and and being quite impressed. About eighty seven they got noticed enough to appear on a legendary compilation called California Metal. Now, if you remember that was a compilation that featured a bunch of Christian rock bands from the town and featured Baron Cross, Deliverance, Guardian to name a few, as well as neon. Cross

Kris plamondon: I wonder if they were in the same ch like the ch the same wasn't there an organ a pastor who was bringing in all these Christian artists?

Arin Hancock: yes, you're thinking of Pastor Bob with Sanctuary. no, he had a different oops on my my table there. He had a different thing going and kind of a different group and and starting you're right though, he did start up a bunch of bands. I think Holy Soldier was part of his church. I remember we were talking about the history of Holy Soldier talking the history of thrash bands that came out, benchons. Rising came out of his church. Deliverance may have been as well, although I'm not a hundred percent sure on that. And I know when we were talking about the history of vengeance, or and I read Roger Dale Martin, who is the bass player for Vengeance, And he's talking about Holy Soldier was playing in the class. Around the time that they were starting. But yeah, I think that was two separate groups going. you know, th these guys were more like more like a regular club band, except for the fact that they're singing about Jesus a and God. Much the same that Striper was doing.

Kris plamondon: I couldn't believe why I was trying to find these songs. How many people or artists took their name and made it their own? Like

Arin Hancock: Yeah, we'll get in that. You're right, this is a hard album to find. That's why I sent you the the YouTube playlist. I sent it to you twice because you didn't realize I sent it to you the first time.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, thank you and Yeah, the one

Arin Hancock: So yeah, so they appeared on California Metal. They recorded a couple of songs that are not on this first debut record called Need Your Love and Son of God. Apparently those two songs will app have appeared now on the re release of this album. I don't have the re release. I don't haven't heard those songs. We don't have time to I didn't have time to check out, so I haven't heard those those those two songs. We are gonna talk about the debut record as it originally came out. But when they c were out on that California Metal album, Regency Records noticed the band and decided to sign them. They're also a same label that signed another Christian band called Rage of Angels. I think around the same time. And they got signed, this album comes out Eighty seven, eighty eight. Here's a little interesting fact too. Apparently they got the idea for the name of their band after spotting a glowing neon cross on Santa Monica going towards the Sunset Strip. Yeah, I guess you know, saw this Neon Cross lit up and thought, hey, that'd be cool for a band name. we got neon cross. Yeah. We got neon cross, we got white cross, we got barren cross you know, we should do an episode about the three crosses.

Kris plamondon: Okay. catchy, it's yeah.

Arin Hancock: Ha ha ha.

Kris plamondon: And you were by what what was the name of the street? Like yeah.

Arin Hancock: Sun well yeah, on sunset there, you know. Like I said, one of the bands playing one of the many bands playing the strip.

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Okay, so the original lineup featured David Raymond Reeves on vocals, Don Webster on guitar, Ed Ott on bass, Mike Betts on drums. because of the scene that they were in, they these guys are often compared to a slightly rougher version of Dawkins, Stryper, and Priest all mixed together. Their debut record was produced by Ron Capone. It was engineered and mixed by Mike Mero. I'm not sure exactly how you pronounce his last name. And also mixed by Dino Elefante.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, I noticed if you know what to look for, i he that was one of the only things I liked about the band. the engineering. You could tell the like the strength in it, the the mix in

Arin Hancock: Right. kinda thought the overall production though could have done a little more tweaking, you know. and I don't know, there were points there were t some of the mix that I thought, you know, they could have brought the vocals out a little more than what they they did. but over time, you know, and and this album wasn't a huge success. I don't think it sold lots out of the gate. It's kind of become a cult classic now.

Kris plamondon: Yes. Mm-hmm.

Arin Hancock: And a lot of bands l people who look back on this say, well, this wasn't a band that was chasing trends or or whatever. This was a genuine metal band. You just have to be happened to be singing about the Christian message. They only really released the one record, broke up for a few years, in the mid 90s, recorded their second album called Torn. And that because of the the time frame that one comes out. It was a darker, grungeier sound. that could be another one we could look for and cover when we cover the grunge bands, I guess, or the grunge albums. I don't know. I'm not into that. So as far as I know, they've only put out the two records, the debut, that second one in the in the mid-90s. And I don't know if they were broken up after that. I they are kind of back together. I know they're doing the festival circuit. I think they did Immortal Fest last year, doing Immortal Fest and a few festivals again this year. I don't know who's in the current lineup. So if anybody out there knows and wants to get back to us on who is currently in Neon Cross, we'd love to hear from you.

Kris plamondon: Yes, totally let us know. That'd be cool.

Arin Hancock: And you know, as always, and I was gonna mention this when you started talking about the Facebook post page and then I got sidetracked. But as always, you know what, we love to hear from you, so leave comments, reviews, check us out on Facebook. We've got a Facebook page as well as a Facebook group page. Anything new news happenings, new episodes will get released on the Facebook page, and any interesting videos I will post on the group page. And yeah, let everybody know you're listening and let's

Kris plamondon: Yeah, tell your dog, tell your cat, tell everybody.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. So your overall thoughts on the Nehem Cross and their debut el album?

Kris plamondon: They're not bad. They're not bad. I mean back in the day if it if the old days right when we got to go to a store to buy one, I probably would listen to it. Although we're gonna get into it here. Some of the opening tracks I was impressed. Like that alone I might I might have bought it. Just 'cause the opening was like wow. But then it kind of

Arin Hancock: Starts off strong and then kind of d peters out. You know, that that's kind of my thought on a few of the tracks too. yeah, I'll show up here. I have the original cassette. This was bought back in the day. back in the eighties. I was going to the bookstore. I was 87 eight wait, it says here, yeah, 1988. And there isn't too much on the inside as far as I don't know.

Kris plamondon: What year was that w Aaron? Look at Okay.

Arin Hancock: It's got the not that I can read anymore. even with my glass even with my glasses I can't I can't read them. But it it's got the lyrics sheet on the inside and that's all it says. on the inside it says produced by Neon Cross and Pacaderm and Ron Capone, engineered Dino Lafante, mixed by Dino and Mike. And that's all it says really. but yeah, so I have this on cassette.

Kris plamondon: Yeah. I I did not like with those cassettes when you took it out like you just did. I didn't like that you couldn't read the the lyrics properly without getting a flashlight or a magnifying like who thought of this?

Arin Hancock: You know what? Back in the day when I was in my teens, I could read them. Not bad at all. Like I can't even read these with my reading glasses on. So

Kris plamondon: That's true. That's true. That's true. Okay, I was just I I remember that, that those are the days

Arin Hancock: it, yeah. Well, if you listen to our good friends from and they're they're featured in the last episode, listen to our good friends from To Hell with the podcast. He talks but this is why he buys records. He buys vinyl. Because on the inside lyric sheet they're big enough he can actually read.

Kris plamondon: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Shout out to our friends. Hey guys, how are you doing?

Arin Hancock: Thanks for listening. And yeah, that was a good time, a good conversation and with those guys. But anyways, so yeah, like I got this on the original cassette, which means I bought this from probably from the bookstore, probably one known as trips to the bookstore, what's new, what's out there, you know, going through the listening stations and you know, hearing the first track, going, Wow, I'm impressed. I like this. And I remember when it first came out, I did, I loved it. I'm sure I played that on Quite a bit. Mind you, back in those days there wasn't quite so much to listen to either. You know, we had a very limited amount of who we were listening to. It was Striper, White Cross, Res, Holy Soldier and whoever else you could find.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, I I was I was just gonna say I don't remember you playing them in your car back in the day. That does not ring a bell.

Arin Hancock: No, you know, I'm sure I played them quite a bit, but again, we had the top five, like I said, Striper and Petra and White Cross, Res. Holy Soldier.

Kris plamondon: Probably tourniquet in there. Yeah.

Arin Hancock: I never did get into Tourniquin back in the day, no. the only one I think you know what? I was listening to because on that Hot Metal Four videotape I have, they had Ark of Suffering. I think I watched Ark of Suffering and go, Yeah, I'm not into this

Kris plamondon: No? okay. Yeah, stop everybody.

Arin Hancock: the other thing actually you know what I like about this this album is it's got no ballads on it.

Kris plamondon: Yes, I know. I know.

Arin Hancock: It's got a c it's got a couple of songs that start slow and I'm thinking, this must be the the obligatory ballad and then it picks up and and takes off.

Kris plamondon: I'm tempted to send an email to Deon Cross's management and find out why they never put a ballot on this. But

Arin Hancock: Well, you know, you know what, I maybe that's part of them not chasing trends. Remember, that was the trend. Was the hair metal bands had to have a ballad. These guys aren't really a hair metal. Like I said, they're a little heavier than the hair metal. some people compare them to Judas Priest, and while they're not stylistically the same as Judas Priest, I could see they're in that vein. They're more traditional heavy metal than glam metal.

Kris plamondon: That's right. you can't have a bell bum album anymore where the artists just go for thirty forty minutes, like that just doesn't happen anymore, you know?

Arin Hancock: you might wanna listen to the new you might wanna listen to the the last Judas Priest record. You might wanna listen to the last Iron Maiden record. the Megadeth record, Metellica. Metallica don't write ballads too much anymore.

Kris plamondon: I don't That they're different. They like that heavy stuff. They and if you watch their YouTube videos, you get to see how they stay hyped up for the whole ninety minutes.

Arin Hancock: Right. Yeah, So I sent you the picture of the cover. What are your thoughts on the cover of this record?

Kris plamondon: Yeah, the cover. The cover was really good. I like the picture. I do.

Arin Hancock: I like the picture. Okay. Yeah, you know, actually I kinda like the picture. It's nice, it's colorful, it's you know, it's got that well the the logo is in the neon outline. Got sword in in the earth. I'm not sure what that's supposed to represent too much. you know what I was looking at it going, so this came out in the mid eighties. This would have been hand drawn, hand painted, or or whatever. You know, computers were very limited in what they could do back then. There was no AI. This looks like an AI pick. If this was done today, I would have thought this was done by AI.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, that's right. Back then, if I saw that in the Bible Book Center, I would have thought it maybe like a Dance Force Five band. Do you remember them? The Yeah, the cre their Christian kids dance stuff. So that when you sent me that, that's what I I thought, Aaron's made a miscue. We're gonna talk about dance now. And then when I heard their fur their first single here we're gonna talk about

Arin Hancock: Right. I heard of them, I don't know too much about them. No, we're not.

Kris plamondon: okay. I I see what you're doing. Like like yeah, they're I don't know.

Arin Hancock: Yeah, I don't know if it it's an impressive cover, but you know, not bad. I s I suppose it works for the band.

Kris plamondon: They're not yeah, they're not bad. They're they're in the they're not a band on follow or buy shirt.

Arin Hancock: Right. All right, well let's get into it. the first I want to say something about the audio quality because some people may be picking up on this. Right before a song kind of kicks in, you'll hear this little sound like a worrying or I'm not sure humming or not really sure how to describe the sound. That is coming from my cassette. a few years back, I took all my cassettes and digitized them. And I did that by playing them in a special Walkman type cassette player that would plug into the computer had had a output so y you could plug a USB cable into it, plug it into your computer, and then record it using Audacity or any other DAW type system. As I was doing that, especially with this one, for some reason it was coming up with this bad maybe it's because it's coming off the tape. Maybe the tape wasn't that great quality, but I was hearing that. Try to cut it off and get a rate in the song. It does come through a little bit. So those are wondering where the bad audio is coming from, that's where it's coming from. first song, Heartbreaker.

Kris plamondon: Right.

Arin Hancock: So your thoughts on that, Heartbreaker?

Kris plamondon: I like that song a lot. That really piqued my my ears up when I heard it the first time, hey.

Arin Hancock: Yeah, it definitely grabs your attention, I think, gets you into it and go, you know, do you want to hear more? Keep keep listening, you know. You know, back in the day I I think every album had to have a good strong opener. There was usually a couple of ways I would judge, like, you know especially the the the the Christian bands, Christian elms didn't get much radio play, didn't really get any radio play up here unless it was on don't know.

Kris plamondon: Yeah. Yeah, that's just I don't understand that well.

Arin Hancock: Well, there was no Christian radio station unless it was we're listening to our buddies program. But so they have to grab your attention right away. This one definitely does. This is it's you know, not a bad sound to start. I don't think it's the best sound on the record to start the record off, but it's not a bad sound to to do so. It's not like let's throw throw the worst on.

Kris plamondon: Yeah. No. I I'm s did

Arin Hancock: what do I have for this? As far as my notes. Yeah, it's a good opener. Has starts off with good heavy riff. so that yeah, that's what that's what I gotta say.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Arin Hancock: we're going to frontline life.

Kris plamondon: Right mine. Ow.

Arin Hancock: Mm-hmm. Your thoughts on that?

Kris plamondon: Well, I I I think the vocalist is in my range 'cause I could sing with him in that part. I've done that did that for the last little while singing with him. Like so what they're singing is pretty good, you know. I I think those Heartbreaker and the Frontline, those are the two favorite songs of the album. The rest I could have a nap, you know?

Arin Hancock: Okay, alright. So you've already you've already gone it, already done spoiler alert. We usually talk about our favorite songs at the end of the

Kris plamondon: well sorry, I was stepping ahead of you 'cause r recently we've picked bands that are just not at my standards here.

Arin Hancock: So does this this one meet your standards or or no? Or just the first two sounds. So does this meet band meet your standards or not really? okay.

Kris plamondon: Not really. That's that's a good song though. What do you think?

Arin Hancock: I this song I like. this is I think better than Heartbreaker. It might even be a better opener. I like that scream that he does at the start of the song. You know, it's

Kris plamondon: I don't understand why they had the yellow at the beginning. In the middle, okay, but that was just my thing. I'm like, Why at the beginning? Do it in the middle.

Arin Hancock: You know what, Michael Sweet does it lots of times at the start of a song too. So So I don't know, maybe that's where he got from. Maybe he was kinda pulling inspiration from Michael Sweet, I don't know. But y you know

Kris plamondon: I guess. What I li I like the the verse she sings we're we're out there on the front line for our God and for the king. And I I like the way that they put it in there with the d the drums right at the proper time. I'm like, that was cool.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. And well, you know, and the other thing throughout this record there they're doing a lot of I think cliched stuff, y you know, the rifts aren't know the riff riffs are kinda cliched, but this is what was going on at the time. And nothing gets cliched unless bands are doing them, right? So obviously, you know, if they're good riffs, pe bands are gonna do them. If it's a good style, bands are gonna do it. And then after a number of bands do well then you say, well now it's cliched. But bands have to do before they can get into that cliched status. So this is one of those those bands that are kind of doing that stuff that will get into that that status. But I liked this the solo. I thought the solo was good. This is one of the songs where I think the game vocals worked well, w were doing good. They're not the game vocals don't work all the time on all the songs. I think they worked on this song though.

Kris plamondon: Mm-hmm.

Arin Hancock: All right, so we are on to we are the children. Children of the cross. No, children of the light. Children of our Lord, sorry. Alright, your thoughts on that one? We are children of our Lord. I kept saying then.

Kris plamondon: I I was confused I'm confused about the song 'cause I think there's musically to me there's so many things going on in the song. And and it to me it says, Well what the heck or where do you want me to go? Is it the the the screaming guitar solo or the vocalist? Or is it the bass that all of a sudden comes from quiet or of a sudden like what the heck are you doing? I d I don't like I didn't like it.

Arin Hancock: Well, that's a problem in in the production in in the the the mixing end. But you know, it it's funny so so my thoughts on this is kinda mixed. When you hear it at the start, you're going, This has all the elements I should love. This is a super fast paced tempo, fast guitars, you know, great beat. The problem is I don't think his vocals work on this song. I think he was straining his voice, he was at the top of his range, trying to go all out and I I think he was kind of straining his voice. His voice doesn't really work on this song.

Kris plamondon: No.

Arin Hancock: but you know, I did like the guitars. I think I like the solo, so musically I thought it was not bad sound. But, you know, to me this is reminiscent of if you look back at the striper records, they always had that last sound which was almost double tempo than what the anything on the record was doing. This is like that's this might almost work better at the end of the song at at the end of the record type of thing. But To me, yeah, it was okay. it had some good stuff to it, but it also had some stuff that that didn't work for me.

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: All right, on to

Kris plamondon: Probably the other best good song on here.

Arin Hancock: Well, on the rock. All right, your thoughts on this one?

Kris plamondon: This one I like too because I could see me liking this song live. I you know.

Arin Hancock: Right. Yeah, I thought this one was kinda average. It was okay. There is nothing wrong with the song. Again, it's got all the elements I would like in a good song. To me it just doesn't seem to stand out, especially when you listen to the whole album. This one just kinda gets lost in the mix for me. Alright. s want you not alone. Not Alone. Your thoughts on that?

Kris plamondon: It's okay. I I almost got the impression from a singing standpoint when he sings and all of a sudden he's in a lower register and it's almost sounds like he's like realized, I could hit a couple notes here. And then he he like in the middle of singing his lower register, he realizes, I can go up two notes. So he does that and it sounds not very good. Like it or it could have been in the mixing.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. I don't know. There are times I think he doesn't have the the best voice and he's trying to, you know, he's he's not a Rob Halford. Like I said, stylistically he's doing that hardest sound like an Arya Maiden like a Judas Priest. He's not they're not doing glam rock. Now in Glamrock you have to have a great voice as well. But yet he's doing one of the the harder styles where you still gotta have a a great voice. You know, this isn't

Kris plamondon: No,

Arin Hancock: Megadeth this isn't motorhead where you can have, you know, a very rough voice and get away with it because you've got that style of music behind you. You still kinda have to, you know, if you listen to Judas Priest, yes it's heavy, but it's polished heavy and you need a voice like Rob Halford's who has good technique. His voice, I don't know, for some reason seems to be missing the mark a lot a lot of times.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, it sounded sounded like they I don't know if he if they thought he could do it and then in the process at the studio doing it he realizes he can't. So we so they said, that's okay. Well I mean he still has a nice voice, but I mean that reminds me of the early days with Brian Elliott from Def Leopard, right? He he was at his early register and then he they brought in someone new and he could hit the high mil too all of a sudden. Right when they

Arin Hancock: Yeah, that would have been that would have been Munt Lane d who produced Hysteria and he kept pushing and kept pushing to get th the the best vocals. maybe the

Kris plamondon: That that that's right. And it it sounds like that's what they were doing with me, trying to get me across

Arin Hancock: Actually Actually it sounds like they weren't doing that. That maybe they needed that kind of producer.

Kris plamondon: Yes, yes they did they did and nobody and maybe they didn't want to have the high n but I think for these if they we did it with someone like Brian Aller, that would rock. I mean, you know.

Arin Hancock: the other thing on this especially with not alone, like it says so this is one of those songs that start slow, it built I don't they do it twice. I almost wish they would drop that that's I I get the idea they're trying to do one of those songs that builds into the fast part. I don't know if it's done well, you know. And the other time that they do it, they seem to drag out that intro too long. It's like cut that intro down. The other thing I don't like on this is there's a section where it's just the vocals. all all the the music drops out and he carries on like two or three lines just voc. He doesn't have a great voice for a cappella.

Kris plamondon: Mm-hmm. And and it's hard from a vocal standpoint when you have a and they say, Well, we want you to w to jump in on the fourth note during the the drumming. that that is so hard to visually do. Like and to get yourself there because you need more than that. You need more substance you and you need to build yourself up to be ready. That I mean, perfect example, and we love talking about him on here, but Michael Sweet, he does that with

Arin Hancock: Right. Right.

Kris plamondon: calling on you a perfect example. He obviously he doesn't need that warm up to hit two or three notes, but this guy on Leon Cross, he obviously needs the momentum from his b from the band. He can't do it on his own. And I think they were hoping he could, but you know, it's it's like I mean, me or you wouldn't be able to hit those notes. You know, like it's

Arin Hancock: Again, that whole solo vocal bridge, you know, they I think the song would have been better with that cutout.

Kris plamondon: Mm-hmm.

Arin Hancock: Anyways, okay, let's move on to right time.

Kris plamondon: hey.

Arin Hancock: Thoughts on this one?

Kris plamondon: See, that is a perfect somebody must have got in there and said, Okay, wait a minute. You know, this is what he can do. This is his strong point. Make it easy for him to do that. And that's what this song is is about. He gets right, he doesn't need to jump into it right away, right? He j he can stay within his range. He's not panicking like, my god, I have to take two quick breaths here to get up. And the drums aren't so overpowering, right? They're momentum building for

Arin Hancock: Right. Yeah, this is one that's probably better mixed. I think it starts off with good rhythm. It's it's simple rhythm, but I think it suits the song. you know, there are times where they come off with a great riff and then work into you know standard rhythm. Here they kind of forgo that. I think it works. Like you don't always have to be super heavy riff wise. Yet I don't want that to be absent all the time either.

Kris plamondon: That's right.

Arin Hancock: You know, we don't you know I like variety. I don't want I don't you know, I don't want it to be just a standard rhythm all the time. I want, you know, s some riffs, I want something to catch my eye. But if you have the odds on that doesn't, that's fine too.

Kris plamondon: But but the thing I find with this album with Neil and Cross, they have way too many like musical patterns that we just heard. You know, like

Arin Hancock: Well, I I think what it was, remember this was the eighties. I think these guys were setting the template of the musical patterns that you know everybody hears, except for the fact that this came out in eighty seven, so it was later in the eighties. So either they were following the pattern everybody has set or or they're setting the the pattern themselves. you know, but but it's the same thing. Like if you listen to Saint and I love Saint, yet they're following the same pattern that Jewish priest does. And and then they make no bones about that.

Kris plamondon: Yeah. That's true. That's true.

Arin Hancock: They love Judas Priest. They want to sound like Judas Priest, and they do. And I got no problem with that, you know. if you want a band it you know, if you want a band that sounds like another band, you want a band that sounds like Judas Priest, go listen to Saint. And there's nothing wrong with that. Like, you know, whether you want to get out of Judas Priest because you're a Christian, you think you shouldn't listen to them, whether you just want another band that sounds like another one of your favorite bands, you know. I think this is the same thing. These guys were just kind of i it's definitely eighties, it is definitely eighties traditional metal. You know, this is not eighties hair metal, not eighties glam metal.

Kris plamondon: Who do you think if somebody was out there asking, Well, who do you think you guys who do you think these guys sound like in the mainstream?

Arin Hancock: I don't know. There are elements of Drew is Priest, yet I would not say they sound just like Priest. there probably some band I don't listen to. That these guys are copying I I don't know.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, yeah. They they're definitely different. You know, I'm surprised I didn't find them, but

Arin Hancock: Yeah, and all I can say is like I said, back in the day I did find them and obviously I thought there was something worthwhile. You know something about them made

Kris plamondon: And the internet lied to me. They said they were Canadians.

Arin Hancock: yeah, yeah, yeah. These guys I don't think are Canadian. Well, you can't believe everything the internet says to you, r now remember that.

Kris plamondon: I know. That's what I mean. I don't believe everything you see. I know.

Arin Hancock: All right, we're on to if I can find it here, run into the light.

Kris plamondon: Again right into the light.

Arin Hancock: There you go. So your thoughts on that?

Kris plamondon: That's a little better. That that sounds like they finally figured out that if they could write songs that help him to sing and function, then everything also come into place.

Arin Hancock: Right. They're again, you know and again it starts off with kind of a typical rhythm, but it it works. Like it said you don't get the typical rhythms unless someone starts doing them in the first place. You know.

Kris plamondon: You know Yeah. And they don't need to I mean, maybe that's why they only have one album. Yeah. I mean if anyone from Neon Cross is listening to us, we'd love you guys but come on

Arin Hancock: Ha ha. What's the matter, you don't like him?

Kris plamondon: They're okay, they're okay. Well well d w I know that you liked right?

Arin Hancock: Like you don't like them. Yeah, although and it's especially with nowadays with more and more music coming out, it's been a long time since I actually heard this record. It was when I decided what to do for a program and I'm you know, I'm going down my catalogue there, my library, going, Well, who haven't we talked about yet? hey, I haven't talked about these guys and I go, Well, I've got them in my library, so I must have liked them at one point. You know. And it's just that

Kris plamondon: Yes. I know. Yes. I know.

Arin Hancock: And it's just that I haven't heard for a long time, mainly because for the longest time they only been on cassette and how often do you pull out your cassettes and and listen to anymore? That's which is part of the reason I decided to digitize my cassette library so everything could be on my iPod,

Kris plamondon: that's funny you say that because I've been going through my musical library and now that I have singing experience and musical knowledge, there is so many bands and and s like songs I've deleted that I'm like, Why did I like them again? You know, like listening to them a third time with knowledge, I'll be like, He can't even sing. This is production.

Arin Hancock: Right.

Kris plamondon: Bailey you know, like it's like I can do it better.

Arin Hancock: Well there are bands out there that that yes do not have a great vocalist that we still love. You know, if you know it and if there you go. You know, that's not a bad idea actually. you know, and I think on on the second scene, Motorhead, like people love Motorhead. Now, was Lenny a great vocalist? No. By far he was not a great vocalist, but he had this energy, this vibe that people love.

Kris plamondon: Yes, exactly. Maybe we should do that for an episode. No. But That's right. He had a great backup to back him up and and the the songwriting was always great with him, so

Arin Hancock: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. You know, and I'm not knocking Motorhead. I love Motorhead too. But I'll be the fr actually it's funny 'cause I saw a reaction video there's this YouTube lady who is a vocal teacher She did a reaction video to Motorhead. So she plays a few lines of of Motorhead and she goes, Well This is Motorhead. I know he's a popular artist, a popular band, but

Kris plamondon: my god. Stop.

Arin Hancock: Nobody first wait, nobody has ever nominated Lemmy as best vocalist of the year, I don't think. it was was the band great? Yes. again, it was it's due to the energy, the sounds, and stuff like that. the other thing I want to say too, as we run into the light, as we get into the solo, he does a few of these trademark flashiness, like like he'll take the whammy bar on his guitar and do this dive bomb right before the solo starts. And the solo wasn't so

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Super flashy. It had you know, just it was simple, But it's that ear candy that we as listeners love. And then right after that, you know, they're they're the the bridge after solo, you know, everything's buddies pounding on the same beat. You know, you got the guitars, the drums, everybody's boom, dun dun dun, boom, you know. And it's great, you know, it works. It it it brings great emphasis to the beat. It

Kris plamondon: Yeah, I think th that I think that they did too much of that. They too much copying what they just did. A and maybe they don't maybe they didn't know any better riffs or nobody told but to me I just I would I got bored, like, I've heard it before. It might be a different title, but you know, like and there were some songs like Heartbreak,

Arin Hancock: Yeah.

Kris plamondon: was a great opening. Right? And the song after that. Frontline was really good, a good opening. Like that got me entertained. But the rest of it was just

Arin Hancock: Yeah, so you you're saying essentially the the sound sound is stale after after a while.

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Okay. Okay. well, we're going to Far Cry from Eden. All right, so your thoughts on Far Cry from Eden?

Kris plamondon: That's all right. That that's not too bad. But again, they repeated their opening again. You know, we heard it before and I mean the one cool thing, their songwriting is pretty good. Like they they didn't copy any words or anything in i in in the in all the lyrics I read, so just their Yeah. You know, like so I'll give them credit for that.

Arin Hancock: No. No peace and click here,

Kris plamondon: And and it flowed. but the I mean they convinced him on this song to scream at most of it, like, poor guy. Like but I guess it's I don't know, like they didn't sell very many units, so

Arin Hancock: my god

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Think for that it was just due to the fact low promotion. I mean, what sells records, it's usually promotion. You could be a great band, but if nobody knows you're out there. And you know, this is I think where you and I are gonna differ in and disagree. To me, I thought this was a great song. I loved this song. if I put this on, especially on a cassette where it's hard to fast forward through, I can't wait to get to this song. I love the opening riff. I think this is the first time they had a Great riff to start this off, probably the best riff on the record. You know, and again it's fast tempo. But what I did like was the the change in the vocals going from the verse to the chorus. You know, the the verse was more low down, more in his normal range, and then he has to belt it out when he gets the c the chorus. And if he stays there for the entire song.

Kris plamondon: That was probably the greatest thing.

Arin Hancock: in in the high end, yes, it doesn't work. We we already talked about that on I think the third song or or whatever that was. but here going you know, kicking up that notch for the chorus, I think it works. I think it emphasizes the chorus. It brings it I like it when he goes high like that. The problem is he can't stay there the whole time. And so he doesn't on this song. I think it's great. And

Kris plamondon: Yeah. Front line.

Arin Hancock: Yeah, I think I like everything about this song.

Kris plamondon: No, no, no, no, no, no. It's not no no no. It's not bad. I mean it's just I think it could have done better. That's all. So people should try to find the album, they should think about buying it. Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Ha ha ha Right. Now we're into Check it out on YouTube. If you can find it, you might be able to find apparently there is a CD version out somewhere. It's it's the remastered. We'll come with two bonus songs on there, like we said at start. The two songs that were on that California metal album will appear on the reissue of this. we don't have those two songs, but we've got two more to go. We've got out of the way. All right, your thoughts on this one?

Kris plamondon: Not bad, not bad. But again, the same old opening. Yep. The only difference was they had they had their their keyboard and their bass player jump in and sing. And that

Arin Hancock: Well there's no keyboard there's no keyboard in the on this band.

Kris plamondon: You don't think there's keyboards? Okay. So they had their bass player and their lead guitar come in and and sing with him. And that was so it sounded pretty good for a while, but you could just tell that they were trying to help him, you know, like a little come on, come on. And and he did it. He did. He but he couldn't sustain it for the And then the c I think he was happy to get back to the chorus he could just jump, you know, back to all right.

Arin Hancock: Yeah, y you know, and and here's the thing, I listened to this quite a bit over the last couple of weeks, like every other day And the trouble is I'm usually doing other stuff when I'm listening. So it's kinda in the background, I'm listening to kinda going what's my thoughts. The last couple of times I listened to it, I tried to pick out okay, what do I like about the sound, what do I not like about the sound. There were moments though that there were things I missed. So even just listening to this last little clip. I noticed there were times where his vocal was kind of dropped and he wasn't hitting the notes. this song, you know, and and you s he said this was the same as every other song. Well it wasn't. They tried to do that slow intro and build it into the song again, and it just dragged. It was too l like in the clip, I cut probably half that intro off just to get into the just to get into the song. the intro was was too long, it was too slow. I did like it.

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Better when it's got going and g and got heavy again. The game vocals and and you're right, when everybody's v singing on this with the game vocals, it's better. and I think you're right. I think the game vocals had to help the main vocalist.

Kris plamondon: And too bad they couldn't find a vocalist like Sebastian Bach. Because that would have been really cool, you know, for Christian music or White Cross is vocalist now. He would have kicked those notes right out of the park.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. There Yeah. It's just that if you're looking for Sabashmark, you gotta find someone without his attitude.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, yeah. I mean it takes a special kind of person to be able to go up there and stay there and know how to come back down.

Arin Hancock: Right. The only thing I have to say about this song on a positive note was the the guitar solo was great. I love the guitar solo on this. It was probably it was pr it was it was probably the best part of the the song, maybe the only good part of the song.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, I do too. I liked it too. I again I thought that drums were just too They were like too inventing. I mean when we talked to Joel or And he did the he had a guy program the drums and they weren't so intrusive. That's how I felt listening to that song.

Arin Hancock: Is it

Kris plamondon: Those drums just seemed like they were all involved, right? This is the only thing you should listen to. And that that annoyed me. That just no.

Arin Hancock: here's the thing and I don't know if it was a time constraint because they've got Dino Elefante in the doing but he's only doing the the mixing. So does that mean he wasn't there for the recording and and the production? And maybe he was busy with some other project but he was able to come in after it was done and mix the record? Cause I'd like to hear what would have happened if he was involved in the production. Most of most of Elefante's production sound

Kris plamondon: That's true. Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Great. And this doesn't sound great, but remember he's not involved in the production. He's only doing the mixing. So after it's all said and done, he comes in and says, Well, okay, here's where the levels go. You know, bring the vocals to this level, bring the guitars to this level, bring this to here and and and that's his job. But the recording of it's always already done.

Kris plamondon: I think I Yeah. I don't think he I think when he came in he did the final mix. I don't I d yeah.

Arin Hancock: Yeah, no, that that's what I'm saying. Is what would this have sounded like had he been there at the start and done the whole production? I think it w might have been a much much better record.

Kris plamondon: That's right. That's right. totally. Cause w we know that is there one more? One more, yeah. Wow.

Arin Hancock: All right. So now we're One more, yeah. victory. Did you listen to Victory?

Kris plamondon: I'm missing two songs. That's weird. Okay.

Arin Hancock: No vic well victory. And normally like so we play this and then we talk about it. I'm gonna save the clip to the end. I think I'm gonna go out with with with victory. Yeah, it's the last song on the record. It's not bad. It it's again, it's a super fast paced song. You're gonna say the same thing. It sounds like every other song.

Kris plamondon: We're going on with that? Okay. It better not be the same drums that I no.

Arin Hancock: yes. had some great vocal if you listen to this, he does some really good screams at the end of the song and he's just going it super high, but he's hitting the notes. It sounds good. I kinda like this just because of the the message behind the song And before we get to the the clip here, we'll get into my favorite sounds from this. You were said I your f your two favorite were the first two tracks. After that you kinda got bored.

Kris plamondon: what's that?

Arin Hancock: So you said your f your two favorite tracks on this album were the first two songs? And then you said after that you just got bored?

Kris plamondon: Yeah, the first two songs. And the rest were average.

Arin Hancock: What would you say were the worst songs on this record?

Kris plamondon: Say that again.

Arin Hancock: What would you say are the worst songs on the record? The two.

Kris plamondon: the word song? Run into the lights. Right time.

Arin Hancock: Okay, you only need two. Those your two okay. My two best. I would say Frontline Life and Far Cry from Eden. I love Far Cry. To me that is the best song on the record. Maybe they should have started with that. But then if you start with Far Cry from Eden, it just goes downhill after that. I do like victory, that's kind of honorable mention or or close third.

Kris plamondon: That yeah, that would be mine. Yeah. Ha ha.

Arin Hancock: I I do like victory and we'll play that at the end. My least favorite I would say is On the Rock and I'm Not Alone. Those ones just Yeah. We're just

Kris plamondon: I'm not alone. Yeah, we yeah, that that I just didn't know. No.

Arin Hancock: Definitely the worst. And out of ten, what would you rate this?

Kris plamondon: The album four.

Arin Hancock: Four. Okay. Wow. You were definitely not impressed at all. wow. Well, this is one where we disagree. I would rate this a seven. And what I kinda did was I went through and mentally going, Okay, this song I give a seven, this song a six, this one an eight, blah blah. Added them all up. And I came up with I think a total of

Kris plamondon: I'd be generous here. Well if we ever get these guys on the show, I'll be I'll have a sick day.

Arin Hancock: great, you can have have me do the whole thing. Well, I could do the whole thing myself. I if I had to, I could. All right. well, I guess that's it for Neon Cross. Now we know your thoughts on them. let us know your thoughts on Neon Cross if you're listening to this. And if you're still here at the end of the program, we thank you for joining us all the way to the end. Again, we encourage you, you know, give feedback. Let us know your thoughts. Have you heard this band before? Did you like

Kris plamondon: Yeah. Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Do you like And yeah, l what are your favorite songs from this record? And get other people listening to the Rock and Metal Faith Podcast. Tell others about this and let others know you're listening. We are going to go out on a h well, I think it's a high note. We're gonna go out with Victory by Neon Crown.

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: All right. God bless and keep on rocking.