The Best of Angelica

Arin Hancock: my introduction to Angelica would have been, I think, on the Hot Metal 4 video cassette. This was yeah, back when we had videotapes. And they play there was one song on there off Rockstock and Barrow Cover Me. That was the first time I think I heard Angelica. And then I had a buddy who had that album it's from, Rockstock and Barrow. I think he bought that and didn't like it and gave it to me.

Kris plamondon: I should become friends with him.

Arin Hancock: Welcome to the Rock and Metal Faith Podcast, where it's all about the rock that makes me sane. Christian Rock and Metal. From the classics to the new bands. I'm your host, Aaron Hancock, joined as always with my co-host. Chris? Chris Pomonan. Going good. Alright, yeah, we'll get in this real quick here. We'll get into I guess we should get into our comments as we normally do. I did check

Kris plamondon: How's it going, man?

Arin Hancock: Comments of what we had. just let people know too that the comments may be a little bit late in coming because this summer in August I'm gonna get really busy and I'm trying to record a bunch of stuff ahead of time. So our workflow is kind of compressed and then stretched out. I'm recording stuff faster than I'm putting it out, put it that way. Anyways, we've got some comments on the Episode we did with Daniel Band. This is great episode, guys. When I really got into Christian Rock, Hard Rock, Metal in '85, it was Petra, Daniel Band, Jerusalem, Res, Striper. They were the first wave of bands I got into. I got all the Daniel Band CDs and the live at Cornerstone in 2001. Also got the Dan McCabe album, Dreamer. And the two Tony Rossi albums. Okay, so that's where Dreamer comes from. I I know I had passed that on to you, yeah, to have a listen to that. you weren't too impressed with Dreamer. I actually liked Dreamer myself. and you know what? Here's the funny thing was I thought Dreamer was started by the band we're talking about today. I thought it was Dennis Cameron's band until I started looking at the lineup for Dreamer and go, wait, this isn't Dennis Cameron. This isn't his project. So then I realized, okay, so it's not so Dreamer did not come out of Angelica. Actually, I think Dreamer was before or the same time as Angelica. We'll cover Dreamer sometime down the road because they're a Canadian band. We're Angelica's a Canadian band. That's kind of where we're doing that. anyways, he goes on to say he's got all the Daniel band LPs except for Rise Up, which are they are one of my favorite bands. The album Run from the Darkness is a near perfect album and his favorite from them. Last we bought a sealed vinyl copy of running out of time. Only 15 bucks. Wow. That's cheap, I tell you. I played it, it has a nice warm sound and is different from the CD. And it's cool that I picked up the new Petra and Michael Suite CDs. Because these are good elms. Yeah. I think you and I can both agree on that. The latest from Petra, the latest from Michael Suite. both those are good albums.

Kris plamondon: Ha ha ha. Did you see the video I sent you of of the lyric video of Michael Sweet's Throne song? Wow.

Arin Hancock: Yes, we'll get into that with news. Yeah, we'll get into that with with with news. that's actually was part of my news segment. And what else he's just in the boat. yeah, he doesn't have run no, he doesn't have Rise Up. And Rise Up I think is probably my favorite album from Daniel Band. but anyways. We got comments here now from Guardian in the nineties. So yeah, we we covered was it Swing Swine Swan Buzz and Bottorocket. And I'll just cut it down a little bit, but he says he talks about some of the albums that he had and letting them go, letting go with ones from the 90s. So he bought, I guess, you know, the Guardian ones from the 90s, decided he didn't like them, and gave them away, sold them or whatever. Then he goes on to say Buzz has some good sounds, and if he finds it again for a buck or two, he may pick it up again. The song lead the way.

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Could have been on Miracle Mound. That was off of Swin Swine Swan. Or Fire It in Love. The straight up hard rock song doesn't seem to resemble the rest of the album. And was first single if he was correct. Yeah, I agree. I love the song Lead the Way. Probably well, it was definitely the best song off of that album. might be the only good one off that album, actually. and Buzz, yeah.

Kris plamondon: yeah. Wow.

Arin Hancock: anyways he goes on to say Buzz is the only decent album from that era. And then he had Guardian with Buzz, Bride with Drop. He says, I don't know what it was back then. They were doing all these one-word albums and they changed their sound. He agrees with us. He says, Stay with your same sound. If you're going off on something that sounds so different, change your band name or something. Let us know that it's different because after we buy the album and then we're afraid to buy anything else after that if we did not like it. Buzz was the last Guardian he ever bought and took him a few albums before he started to buy more bride. I think Swin Swine Swan is the one he plays most. He became a fan after the video was was on Herod Banus Ball for the power of love. But he's already getting other Christian bands at the time and stuff like that. Yeah. So yeah, these bands have put out. These grunge records after being, you know, these 80 hair metal bands. I know I was kind of walking away from them as as a fan. first of all, like when Buzz came out, I didn't even know it came out, and then Bottom Rocket comes out, and I'm going, I'm not really a fan of this, I didn't pick it up. I bought Drop from Bride. I actually like that one. We'll have to cover that sometime as we go through our 80s and the 90s series. but then they come out with the Jesus experience and oddities, which are very much scrunched alternative sound. And I was af I was done with Bride for a while after that. I thought, well if this is what they're gonna put out, I'm out.

Kris plamondon: Yeah. And for me, I got when Guardian came in the Aminton and I was working, I liked what they were doing. But the problem was when I listened to the rest of the CD, the only song I liked was Bottle Rocket. and Are You Comfortable Yet?

Arin Hancock: Okay. Yeah, see and I didn't like I didn't mind Bottle Rocket and I think Coffee Can was on that and that was okay. And I think they played those you know, looking back, I don't know what they played, but all I'm all I remember is they didn't play anything I knew. So, you know, maybe they played those two songs and that was it. But it was all probably material from Buzz and Bottle Rocket, 'cause they played nothing from from Miracle Mile, which was the record I knew the best. I was pretty disappointed with that performance. And I think it was pretty much the same band. You know, they just changed the sound. I think they still had the same guitarist, Tony Placios, and you know, they still had Jamie Rose. So it's not like they had a new member they were breaking in who hadn't learnt all this stuff yet. I don't know. I think they figured it was just the middle of the nineties and they're playing that nineties sound is is what it was.

Kris plamondon: That's right. I think for me, I think what really got me w when Guardian did the which album has when I Fell in Love on it?

Arin Hancock: That was miracle mile.

Kris plamondon: Mira okay, it's Miracle Mile, okay. When I hear that is like that would be w one of my favorite Christian songs ever.

Arin Hancock: Okay. you know, that's not bad. As as far as balance go, I I can tolerate that one.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, like it's I think really he could they could redo it and if if he really could get his range up a little bit, it would rock. I mean wow. I and the writing is just incredible.

Arin Hancock: Right. yeah. You know, it's not bad as far as power battle goes, so

Kris plamondon: Now d is there a link with Angelica and Guardian?

Arin Hancock: No, I don't think so. No, I I just brought that up because those were comments made from our past episodes that that have appeared

Kris plamondon: Okay. Right. Okay, I thought you were good in link, you know.

Arin Hancock: Yeah, no. No. so yeah, you know, we love hearing from you guys. We love hearing comments. don't forget to, you know, leave comments, reviews, email.

Kris plamondon: Yes, totally. Yeah, comment. Tell your mom and dad. Tell your cats and dogs. It would be awesome.

Arin Hancock: Yeah, specifically, you know, let all your friends know about this. If this is your first time listening, we thank you for listening and

Kris plamondon: At church you should slip in one of our episodes into your your service. That would be awesome. No, I no don't I don't recommend that. No, no.

Arin Hancock: Ha ha ha I don't know if there's any church quality here. It's good entertainment value. I don't know if there's any theological value. That may be part of our bonus things. So I'm gonna bring that up too.

Kris plamondon: Yeah. Yeah, this is probably just for teenagers, you know.

Arin Hancock: Well well I'm gonna I'm gonna bring that up. That's actually part of our our news. so part of our news I wanna bring up is the fact that we are now set up on Patreon. We've we had a couple people who had reached out to us and wanted to donate to the podcast mo momentarily. And s so you know they they send us money, which we thank you very much for for doing so. If others wanna do that, and I didn't have anything in place for doing so.

Kris plamondon: A couple?

Arin Hancock: Now I do. There's a couple of ways if you want to support the show. A couple of ways you can do that. We are on Patreon. We have a couple of paid tiers. The first level up is only two bucks and has no benefits attached to it. It's just for those who decide they want to send us money. And you know, send us money because Chris needs new equipment.

Kris plamondon: thank you. Contribute contribute.

Arin Hancock: Yes, yes. And there is a higher level paint here where we're gonna start throwing some bonus stuff out there. Haven't quite decided what it will be yet. And we're kicking around the idea of, you know, behind the scenes, all the little stuff that we talk about before we hit record.

Kris plamondon: Hey, out of curiosity, is there a meet and greet?

Arin Hancock: Not yet, but you know that could be something we something we we could think about. And the other thing is too, if you want to do like a one-time donation, I don't know how Patreon sets that up. There is a thing called Buy Me a Coffee, which is a donation type of site. So I've signed up for that. If you just want to do that, hey, I like coffee, so that would that would be much appreciated.

Kris plamondon: Okay, okay. I've heard of that, yes. Can we set something up from to buy me a case of Coke? That would be awesome. I'm just kidding out there. I don't need you guys to do that. Thank you.

Arin Hancock: But these are set up for those who there is no pressure. You don't not need to do so. But for those who've who would like to, this is set up so that you can support the show. And for those who do, we would we would thank you. There you go.

Kris plamondon: That's right. If you feel led and hey, if you got money to spare, thank you. We we're we're not gonna spoil it, so you know, or abuse it.

Arin Hancock: Right. but you know, the show itself is gonna continue as it is. We haven't decided what we're gonna do for the bonus stuff for the higher level. I'm looking at you know like I said, some behind the scenes the stuff we talked about before. I hit record. And maybe it'll be a completely raw, unedited episode. And there's a couple ideas I'm kicking around for actual bonus content. so Chris and I will talk about that.

Kris plamondon: Are you telling us we're gonna have to do bonus content? my goodness.

Arin Hancock: I I got some ideas for that. would but anyways.

Kris plamondon: My mind is racing as well. Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Well if you got ideas, let me know, Chris. I'm always up for other ideas and I don't have to be the only one coming up with ideas for this. And I know you weren't a fan of Angelica. If there's bands that we don't haven't covered yet you want to cover.

Kris plamondon: Can I just sit here and be quiet and let you listen the or I'll listen?

Arin Hancock: I do want to know what you think is the worst. And there's gotta be songs that are worse than other songs. But yeah. well before we do that, let's talk something positive. You were you were bringing up the new striper song, Throne of Thorns. And actually I saw that video before you sent me the link. And yeah, I'm liking it. What do you think?

Kris plamondon: Well, when you're ready to get into it, let's go. How? I mean anything Michael puts out is I'm a fan. I mean I listened to it maybe four or five times. It is awesome. It's it's to me it's definitely Sriper. The sound is really good, the writing and Michael could still I could I noticed he's they've labeled off on his vocals just a little bit to give him time to recover.

Arin Hancock: Yeah.

Kris plamondon: Like he's not going high like he used to. his keyboarders is doing that for him. But that's okay. I don't mind that.

Arin Hancock: Right. Well they don't have keyboards. Yeah, they don't have keyboards. You what you're right. His voice still sounds great. It's not like it was back in nineteen eighty six. But nobody's voice is like it was back in nineteen eighty six. Although we're talking about Guardian earlier. If you follow Jamie Roe on Facebook, he does these little clips every now and then of him in the car singing alone to old Guardian songs. And we're talking stuff off of Mark Miracle Model like Shushine Johnny. And he's still got a great voice too, so

Kris plamondon: Michael Sweet would kick, but if he if he got the rights to I Found Love, my gosh, Aaron, I'd lose my mind. He would he would rock it, you know.

Arin Hancock: Ha ha ha. How bo how about a how about a what if? What if the two of them go teamed up for a duet on that song?

Kris plamondon: Which one? Sorry.

Arin Hancock: I fell in love with both Michael and Jamie Roe.

Kris plamondon: We should send that out. That would be awesome. I mean, wow. Did we did we do an episode on that album? Okay.

Arin Hancock: All right. Yes. Yes, we w we we covered Miracle Mile. Don't worry, that was I think the first time we talked.

Kris plamondon: I if you don't know what we're talking about, go back in our archives, take take a listen and wow, you'll be Yeah. So now we get to where I don't say a thing.

Arin Hancock: Alright, something a little Hey no hang on No no no no no 'cause now we gotta plug it in to do first. Alright, before I plug it in, actually I'm gonna switch gears. This is a last minute edition to plug it in. Not the segment, but I switched gears on what song I was gonna use today. And sometimes I get I get emails from bands out there saying, Hey, we think the song would be great. We'd love you if you played on the podcast. I s and a lot of those bands I think don't listen to our podcast because it's the sounds they send us are definitely not appropriate. material for the kinds of things we talk about on here. However, I got one email from a band that is a Christian band out there. We've played them before, I believe, on the plug it in, but I'm happy to play them again. The band is called The Word 66. And I'm yes. I'm gonna read the email they sent us because they talked all about their background, their sound, and so it's

Kris plamondon: The worst sixty six?

Arin Hancock: Just easier for me to read right off the email what it sounds like. says, Las Vegas Rockers, the Word 66 are back with their latest release. Sky is Falling. Once again, it features Danny Miranda who has been with Queen and Blue Voice Occult on Bass. It's got Screaming Vocals from Carlos Zemma. And mixed by Grammy. winning producer Malcolm Sprinner. This is a rocker about a person dreaming that the end of the world is coming, trying to warn everyone and no one believes him until it is real. Everyone's running for their lives, hope to be saved. So that's the song I'm gonna play. It's called Sky is Falling. And here we go.

Kris plamondon: Wow.

Arin Hancock: There.

Kris plamondon: Wow, I'm impressed. that's pretty cool. What do you think?

Arin Hancock: Yeah, I like it. I've heard stuff from them before. yeah. Definitely well, hey, if I didn't like it I wouldn't play it when they plug it in. this song I think's been out a little while now. I just had a few other songs I wanted to play on the plug it in segment first. And I think it's because I reached out to them the first time asking to play their song previously and that that was like a year ago. So they they know we're out here or and it might be just one of those mass email things too. It just so happens it just so happens that it it hit us

Kris plamondon: okay.

Arin Hancock: And I've heard them before, I'm going, Yeah, I like them and let's play the song. Alright, so now we're moving on to Angelica. this is a well, we're doing this because we're working our way through all the Canadian bands, not right after each other, but we are going through all the Canadian bands. Angelica is a Canadian band, so we're covering them. And We're actually gonna be covering one of their records next year in greater detail. I was talking to Chris about that before I think last time we were talking. Anyways, some background. Angelica was formed in Ottawa, Ontario, by guitarist Dennis Cameron around 1988. This Angelica was essentially Cameron's personal project. He wrote the songs, he hired the musicians, and viewed the project primarily as a vehicle for Christian ministry. Instead of trying to be a touring band. So his whole idea is just trying to get the music out there, and he wasn't worried about going on on tour. Angelica, you know, feature musically features big Kiachi choruses, technical guitars solos, the blend shred and melodic riffs, a harmonized lead. I would say their sound is a blend of White Lion, Bon Jovi, Extreme, some Blood Good, and Striper.

Kris plamondon: no no don't put Burn Ruby in there that no way no way

Arin Hancock: I'd say definitely because you listen to the the courses. They got, you know, big courses, gained vocals. You know, definitely the kind of thing that the Bon Jovi was doing. There and and there was definitely some riffs, guitar riffs that are stylistic of of Bon Jovi, stylistically inspired by Richie Sambar.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, yeah, I could see that.

Arin Hancock: As I'm listening, I can't remember specifically what song it was, but there's a I I know there were moments when I was listening to them going, That's a Sambora type rip riff. I'm not saying he's copying anybody. I you know, I never say anybody's trying to copy anyone, but I think he was kinda inspired a little bit by what Bon Jovi was doing. The other thing is he's a a very fast paced guitar. He's one of these shredders. He does lots of shredding throughout out angelica's music and that's why I I kinda rate them with White Lion. White Lion had Vito Brada on guitars, great guitarist, but White Lion never really took off, never got the recognition they they deserved. And in some respects that's what happened with Angelica too. And we can kind of go through that, what held them back, you know, was it the songwriting, was it the production of it? And all that. but Angelica has released four records, four albums. Their subtitle came out in 1989. Walking in Faith came out in 1990. Rockstock and Barrel 91. And Time Is All It Takes in 92. So yeah, one record per year. And if they're not going on tour, you know, Dennis has time to sit down and start writing songs after he's finished one record, he probably sat down and started working on the next record. All the records featured Dennis Cameron on guitars and Robert Palant on bass. And then the lineup changes throughout the records. The debut had Rob Rock on vocals and Scott Ernst on drums. So I'm not sure if you if you knew that, but if you listen to the first Angelica record, that's Rob Rock doing the vocals.

Kris plamondon: I know that that's the only good thing I like about it. That's the only thing. I mean

Arin Hancock: Ha ha ha.

Kris plamondon: Over the years I've bought stuff from Rob Rock. He can really rock I mean the the more mo modern stuff, it's more you know, he's kinda swayed away from the faith a little bit and

Arin Hancock: yes. He he Okay. the second record, Walking in Faith, had the same lineup that had one change to it. Jerome Maas came in on vocals. Rob Rock only came in for for that first record. And there's this actually story behind how he got to be on the record. we'll get to that in a sec. Rockstar Barrow then had Drew Bacca on vocals and Bobby Lawrence on drums. Scott Ernston's back on drums for Time Is All It Takes, The Last Record. And Drew Backer on vocals for The Last Record, too. All albums were produced with by Dennis Cameron. With the first album, they had Ken Tamplin helping out on production.

Kris plamondon: But it still sounded bad.

Arin Hancock: And stuff. And Ken all and well and Ken Tamlin also did vocals for the one song on that record, the song being Face to Face. Now the story goes, the original vocalist before Rob Rock steps in was a guy named Andy Lyons. And he recorded the demo tapes and during the making of the record, I I guess Ken was pushing him in the studio, you know, to be better and better as a vocalist before pushing him hard. He ends up burning out and walking out before the record's finished. Now the record's uncomplete and they need a vocalist. it was Ken Taplin suggesting that they bring in Rob Rock. So that's one of the what ifs. what if Rob Rock didn't come in? What if Andy did finish the record? You know, how would it have sounded then? And the other thing is before he formed Angelica, there was a story out there that Dennis Cameron, the guitarist, had opportunities to join either Hony Soldier or Bloodgood. He was in talks with Michael Bloodgood about joining that band. and then decided against it and formed his own band. So could you imagine if Dennis Cameron signed up with Blood Good? That could have been good actually.

Kris plamondon: I good. Hey, do we know out of cu just out of curiosity, was that Ken Tamplin's start of his career.

Arin Hancock: I don't think s no, I'm pretty sure there's

Kris plamondon: Okay. So he had already done a couple albums by himself?

Arin Hancock: yeah, I'm I'm pretty sure the shout records were beforehand.

Kris plamondon: Okay, so he was just helping him a friend out okay.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. Somehow yeah, somehow I'm not sure how that that connection happened that that Dennis Cameron got connected with Ken. He was actually I think the story goes that he was working with a band his own band at the time called Driver. was it Ken Templin Doom Driver or was it Rob Rock Doom Driver? I remember now. Anyways One of them was in another band, came in to do the sessions and got the record done and then that was it.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, the rest is history. Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Alright, I looked on Spotify just to see w what according to Spotify what the the most popular Angelica songs are. And number one song according to Spotify is time and time again off the walking in faith record. And then comes the title track, Walking in Faith. And then where we go? There's only one hero at three. Cover Me comes in at four. And are you satisfied at but there was time and time again, has 140,495 streams, downloads, whatever it is that Spotify is counting. Yeah.

Kris plamondon: What?

Arin Hancock: I did a quick survey on on Facebook asking people what their just their favorite song was. And I'll list the top three because it was all kind of all over the place. The people that answered on Facebook were picking different songs, so most of them came in pretty much at the same spot with one or two votes. but number tied for number two, so the number two and number three were the songs. Walking in faith and hold on. And then by a large margarine, number one was cover me. And I could kind of agree with that as as we get through. Before we get to the best songs, or my best, why don't we have a rundown of Of well, your worst songs I guess.

Kris plamondon: Well I I mean I only I like the first song, but the rest of it maybe it's me but well okay it is me but the production of it I just got turned off of it right away. Like the second song I just was it to me it sounded like they produced it in a really, really small garage. You know, it was all condensed. And I didn't it just didn't compare it to what at in that time, I mean, we had Ken Tamplin, we had it their music was more open.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. Right. Right, yeah, it was compr Yeah. Go and listen to it, okay.

Kris plamondon: So I I just didn't I just couldn't I and I tried I tried for like almost two weeks listening to it. Tried listening one way, try listening to other way. I looked at some I will one good thing I'll say I did look at the lyrics of their songs and they're awesome. They're really, really good.

Arin Hancock: Well, apparently the story goes too that Dennis Cameron became a Christian one day in in a bar or or a club and I'm not sure what happened, but he started kind of questioning his life where it was going and after that kind of was led to Christ and found Jesus. A lot of these songs on the first record or personal stories about his conversion, about where he was and where he is and Although personally you know what? And I don't have the first record. I almost should should get that if I see it somewhere. Because I that's probably my favorite one out of the four records. And yeah. so that's what I say about that. I think the songs on there are are good. I th I think the songs were well written. you know, maybe not maybe not the best. I don't know if they're in my they're my one of my top favorite bands. But I did find the sounds enjoyable. So did you make a list of of the worst songs or you you're just gonna say they're all bad?

Kris plamondon: Well, I really like the first song. I forget what that was called. I on the Angelica album.

Arin Hancock: What okay. On which record were you listening to now? the first one. Okay. There's only one hero. Okay.

Kris plamondon: Yeah. I like the opening. I mean the rip, the guitar rip was awesome. And then the rest of them I just I just couldn't get into it.

Arin Hancock: Okay. Well, that's alright. We still got tw Hey, we still got the best up to run down and we As I was making my list, I tried to pick songs off of each of the albums.

Kris plamondon: I tried. Dreamer look was a really good album. I liked that. That was good. It's one song though. I liked one song on Dreamer. That was it. The first one. I forget what the first one was.

Arin Hancock: you like that one. Well What was that one? What was that? Okay. That was actually gonna be my plug it in song.

Kris plamondon: okay yeah, that's why I liked that's why I was rocking. 'Cause

Arin Hancock: Well, mainly because I I thought there was a connection between Dreamer and Angelica until I looked at the until until I looked at the the lineup and going, there is no connection here. And there's a connection between Dreamer and Daniel Band. That's what it is. Well, that's okay. We will down the road we will get through the entire Dreamer album because another Canadian band will have to get to them

Kris plamondon: okay. Yeah.

Arin Hancock: to eventually I think. And I know you didn't like the production that when you said that sounded like that was recorded in the garage. No, no, the the dreamer album. We

Kris plamondon: Of the of the Daniel band? Yeah. Well the production was d getting better. It was it's getting better for sure. They had more

Arin Hancock: Okay.

Kris plamondon: What's a girl? They they s they didn't sound like they were in the garage. I'll put it that way.

Arin Hancock: okay. Well that's not what you said the last time we talked, but okay. If you're new to the program you'll f quickly find out Chris doesn't always know what he's he's talking about from episode to episode and he will contradict himself quite a bit. You do Okay.

Kris plamondon: That that's true. Hey, come on now. Let's talk about this. Come on. I mean for for a Canadian Christian band, I would have thought it would have been better, but I understand that at that time the budget restraints, the what they could have done, you know.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. so b prior to me telling you we're gonna do this episode, had you heard Angelica previously? No, okay. So this was your introduction.

Kris plamondon: No. But I remember listening to the first song on that Angelica album And I listened to it and said, This sucks. I'm not buying it. lady was like, But that's Canadian. And I'm like, that's horrible.

Arin Hancock: All right. about. Alright. what is next is So my introduction to

Kris plamondon: yeah. let's hear your your top angelica song.

Arin Hancock: Yes, we'll get to that. So my well, first my introduction to Angelica would have been, I think, on the Hot Metal 4 video cassette. This was yeah, back when we had videotapes. And they play there was one song on there off Rockstock and Barrow Cover Me. That was the first time I think I heard Angelica. And then I had a buddy who had that album that it's from, Rockstock and Barrow. I think he bought that and didn't like it and gave it to me.

Kris plamondon: I should become friends with him. That's great.

Arin Hancock: And and you know k so I liked the album when when I got it. I've played it a few times. I haven't played it much since the that came out in ninety one. I haven't played much since then. And to tell you the truth, you know there that doesn't mean I don't like it because there's like a lot so many albums in my collection I can't get to your thing all the time. But yeah, it's another one I miss, put it that way. it's not a great record. It's not one of my top favorite records. It's not a desert album or anything like that. There is some good stuff off of there. So when I made my top list, basically what I did was I kinda looked at each record, go what are the f good songs off of each record? And I came up I think with twelve, eliminated a couple of them and then said, Okay now what are my top ten and What order d do I want to order them in? So coming in at number 10 was a song off of Rock Stalk and Barrel. And it's that is Someone to Believe in Me. Yeah. Okay, I hope that wasn't too painful for you.

Kris plamondon: Yes, well I will think of the positive hero, okay? So I wanna be a guy like that. He could sing. He could sing.

Arin Hancock: All right. I was gonna s I was gonna say, you gotta like his vocals or at least the vocal styling.

Kris plamondon: Yes. yeah. yeah. He could sing. Just the the production in some moments are like, What?

Arin Hancock: I I I think then the name may the main problem you have, and and even this is the one downside for me with with Angelica that probably what kee keeps him out of being a big favorite of mine is the first again, the production, it's too much on the high end. You can hear the bass. The bass sounds like it's too trebly. You know, the bass doesn't have bass in it. You know, all the frequencies are on on the high end. This is sounds like

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Metallica's done Justice for All where they they drop the bass out of it. Now you can hear the bass in this in these sounds, but the bass don't have that that bass end to it, you know? And it's all in the high end.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, that's right. It it doesn't to I think the main thing is they didn't have any support for him vocally with the bass and I mean, to me it almost sounded like I'm one second, where did the drums go? You know? What are you doing? Are you

Arin Hancock: Well, and and the other part I think is Dennis Cameron's probably trying to show off too much. now I don't mind the the shredding licks, you know, throw this quick little shred riff in between voc in between the lines or or whatever. But even the rhythm guitars seem too busy. You know, you need moments to hold the cord and let the vocals carry the song. And it's almost like everybody's trying to compete with everybody and It's like I was at this one conference for for how to be in a worship band. And you can't have the the rhythm guitar going all the time, you can't have the lead guitar going all the time, and you can't have the bass doing dun dun you know all the time. You can't have everybody playing everything all the time. You have to have some of the instruments kinda sit back and and allow the other stuff the other ones to play. You know, as as a rhythm guitarist, as an electric guitarist in a worship band, there's times when you just strum the corn and and hold it for a couple of measures. Let everybody else have their moment. And I think at times they were doing the Angelica does the opposite. Everybody's trying to fill up space at the same time.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, that that's right. that is a perfect read on that.

Arin Hancock: All right. Well, but what I did like about someone to believe in me is I like the lyrics, I like the message in that song. It's a good positive song. you know, for someone who struggles with esteem or or whatever, this is a good song to listen to. Cause you know, we all feel like that and we all need someone to believe in us.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, like I mean there are some of the the songs I really like the opening I just thought the guitar riffs were like Whoa you know Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Number Yeah, we'll get in and we'll get into that as we get close to my my top one. I know as we get up the list. The songs I make, I think my top five or top four or whatever, are because the guitars are just incredible. And it's not just the fact that Dennis is shredding all the time on it's the fact that he comes up with some great riffs. even ways of starting the song off, he comes up some great riffs. Alright. So we're on the number nine. And I got open your mind from Time Is All It Takes. my tracks are kind of scattered throughout this. I'm not playing tracks for every song off this list. Number eight is the title track for Walking in Faith. So a lot apparently a lot of people like this. It was I think really high on the Spotify. Let's see here. If I look at Spotify downloads, yeah, that was like second for downloads on Spotify. Walking in Faith. Yes. you know, not bad. I got it at eighth. I th what I like about that. I think there's some good guitar riffs in that one.

Kris plamondon: Walk by ferries? Walking away, okay. the riff was awesome.

Arin Hancock: yeah. All right. Number seven is off the the first album, the self-titled debut. Are you satisfied?

Kris plamondon: I mm

Arin Hancock: Yeah, no, I like this one. I like the chorus in this one. I like the the gang vocals. you know, the way it builds up and then drops off is just the vocals. I you know, Rob Rock did a great job doing doing the vocals on this.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, he did for sure. I mean the only disappointing is the production. I mean you hear it perfectly and all of a sudden he's like he drops, you're like, What are you doing? Like no, no.

Arin Hancock: Well Well it's funny 'cause I thought the production on this one's probably better than than the other ones. you know on on on on this one you can actually hear the bass. Although maybe maybe your problem or maybe my problem is how we are listening to these.

Kris plamondon: Yeah. I ho I hope I hope Rob and and and Ken don't hear this episode.

Arin Hancock: No, I like I like their involvement on I don't know what you're talking about. I like their involvement on this record actually, you know. like I said, I probab should pick this up. as we go through this podcast and different episodes, I'm finding there's albums out there that that I missed that were under my radar that I need to go back and and get a hold of.

Kris plamondon: And I'll give them credit, maybe that this is what they wanted to sound like.

Arin Hancock: probably. all right. So for number six, that's where I had time and time again off the album Walking in Faith. Like I said, a lot of people seem to like that one. that was like Spotify's old time listened to download the song or whatever. There you know, that's some man blitzering guitars in that song. I think that's why I brought that one in. And well

Kris plamondon: Yeah, you know.

Arin Hancock: Moving on to number five. if you want to talk about blitzering guitars, this is bring into being. And this is off of Walking in Faith album as well. I think this was one of the ones I thought was Sambora inspired, Bon Job inspired. He's using the the whammy bar the the tremble the same as Richie does in like like Bad Name or or whatever. There's a few other songs too where the the in the solos it's almost he's pulling out ideas that Sambora would have had in his solos. So that's where the I think the my the Bon Jovi influences, at least what my feeling is. But I like this just for the guitars. You know, there's some blazing guitars on this one. that guitar's really caught my attention. So this was being bringing to being at number five. Your thoughts on that clip?

Kris plamondon: Yeah, I g I can see what you would say Bon Jovi, but he I don't know. I mean he can I mean John would hold that note longer than he could. Like I know, I know, but still what I'm saying. I mean yeah, the song's good, the guitarist solo I like a lot too, but still to me it just no

Arin Hancock: Well, they weren't copying, you know. All right, well here we go number four off the self titled debut Danger Zone this another one I think was great with the guitars and there's a few off there. Took actually took me a little while to think about whittle down what I liked off of the self title. But Danger Zone. you know what I'm gonna play it and then fix it later.

Kris plamondon: I th I like that that they did try something different with with the opening.

Arin Hancock: no, this is dangerous on took me a second to to recognize what this was. All right, yeah, so danger zone coming in at number four.

Kris plamondon: I hope they weren't trying to copy Kenny Loggett's version of the Danger Zone. That's like one of my favorite old time songs. Favorite songs.

Arin Hancock: Did that sound like Kenny Loggan's version?

Kris plamondon: The words do I'll have to look at the words, but

Arin Hancock: No, not not even close. I thought you said that was your all-time favorite classic song. The words weren't even close to the Angelica song.

Kris plamondon: That was a g that yeah. You're okay, I'll give you that.

Arin Hancock: Chris, Chris, and I'll tell you time and time again. no pun intended. But I'll tell you every time. Just because the song has the same title doesn't mean it's the same song. Actually, I think we should talk about the different versions of the same title.

Kris plamondon: Ha ha I know, I know that. I know that. Yeah. We we have we should do an episode of ba of Christian Bads trying to jump on world or the mainstream music bands and their songs.

Arin Hancock: What what do you mean? Like play the mainstream le You mean you mean like like Christian bands covering regular band?

Kris plamondon: I'm trying to think of we could I'll we'll talk about that some other time. That's right, covering hoping that that would blast them off.

Arin Hancock: Well, we did that last episode with Strapers of the Coverine.

Kris plamondon: Current was I

Arin Hancock: You would see that's what I mean. You don't remember what we do week to week.

Kris plamondon: Well he's done so many episodes.

Arin Hancock: We did the Stripers, the covering, which was an entire cover record, and it was all secular bands. It was all bands that inspired Striper to become a band in the first place.

Kris plamondon: Okay, yes, I remember. Okay, move on.

Arin Hancock: Remember? They did J they did Judas Priest See, this is what I'm talking about. Chris doesn't remember what we do week to week. Alright, well, coming in at mind number three

Kris plamondon: Yeah, don't do that.

Arin Hancock: was the one song you liked. There's only one hero. And that's what was the worst song that you or or was there any that you thought was like the worst worst?

Kris plamondon: Hey, I had something. The third song on that album. I forget I'll have to look in the list, but

Arin Hancock: And they're right. D did you look at any other albums? I believe.

Kris plamondon: well no, because I thought that that if that one was bad, the rest had to be in the same order.

Arin Hancock: Well wait till we get wait till we get to my number one then.

Kris plamondon: Okay, I'll look at I'll look at the other two and we could do a r a rebuttal episode or something.

Arin Hancock: Alright, yeah, sure that that could be good. we're gonna talk about that next episode. there's four records out there. Actually. Well, you said the other two. That only makes three. The other two that only makes three. There's four. Yes.

Kris plamondon: I know, I know that, yeah. I I I listened to some of the other songs. There's four. Okay, well so I listened to two. Didn't like the two. Maybe I'll like the other two. I don't know.

Arin Hancock: Did you? okay. Okay. I dunno. You need to sit down and actually listen even if it's painful, you gotta

Kris plamondon: All all I found them on Apple, so

Arin Hancock: Yeah, th yeah, they're there. Alright. Well, number two off of Time Is All I Need is called Running Wild. Again, I think this starts off with a great guitar riff. as I was where'd there go. As I was going through checking out Angelica, 'cause like I said, all I knew was the one album at at the time. I was going through checking out the rest of the records. Also and this one comes across. Anyway. Wow, this just blew my mind right off the start. I'm going, this is definitely making my list. I'm putting it in at number two because I thought it was that great of a song. You just can't beat number one. But number two, running wild. So yeah, running a wild, like I said, as soon as I heard those opening guitars, I'm like, wow, this is incredible, I love it.

Kris plamondon: I mean the opening guitars are good, but they they

Arin Hancock: I think as we get into the solo on this song, I think there was a great solo too. I've been listening.

Kris plamondon: I can see it. I I heard it coming, but I'm like No.

Arin Hancock: I've been listening to so much Jugo, it's starting to to get hard to keep all the songs separate, going, this was it. So I kinda kept track of the ones that were making my list, going, okay. And beyond that it was yeah, it was hard to keep track of what's what, just because I'm hearing so much. And most of the stuff unfortunately does sound the same. I think that was a problem I had with the third album, I guess. rock stock and barrel is too many of the songs just sound too much alike and too much the same. But there's one song on there that is just incredible. I love it. It blows my mind. It's a song I heard off of that video tape. But the song itself is so different than any other song on there. It's got this acoustic intro. It's kind of a bluesy song and then picks up and gets real heavy. For the chorus and and for the the main part of the song. It's got a simple riff that kind of carries the melody for the solo. Instead of just coming up with this wild solo, he just uses this the solo to play the melody. similar to what Twisted Sister do in We're Not Gonna Take It. The solo is really just the chorus melody. And that's what they do here. But yeah, I think most Fans of the band will agree this is their best song. I agree it's their best song. Give it a listen. If you don't know this song, cover me by Angelica. Have you heard that one before? check out that.

Kris plamondon: No. It's a little bit be it's a better a better song, totally.

Arin Hancock: Yes, yes, definitely check out the full song of that. Maybe I'll send you the link to that. Cover Me. Yeah, that's off of Rockstock and Barrel. My number one song. I think anybody out there listening to this would probably agree that's their number one song. If it's not, you know, let us know. if you've got other songs that you think should have made the list, according to you, let us know. Like I said, we love hearing back from you guys. Anybody else?

Kris plamondon: What was it called? Sorry. Cover me? Okay.

Arin Hancock: you know what check out our Patreon page if you want. Check out our buy me a coffee link. I'm gonna leave both those links in our show notes so they're gonna be easy to get to. the other thing I wanted to say too, that I forgot to say in part of the news is we now have a permanent home or web page. Rock and metal faith, all one word, no spaces, rock and metal faith.com.

Kris plamondon: Oh.com.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. was there anything else I was Yeah, Rock and Metal Faith. Basically just like our name is, no spaces whatsoever. Rock and Metal Faith. It's out there. the other thing I wanted to say too, there actually is a fifth record of Angelica. I kinda looked up, you know, where are the band now, what are they doing now? They after the last record,

Kris plamondon: Rock and metal.

Arin Hancock: Time is all it takes. The band kinda broke up, dispersed. We're now getting into the nineties anyways. The style of music is not popular in the nineties. We talk all about that all all the time now when we do our eighties in and nineties. There's no way people are gonna buy an Angelica record in the in the nineties, I think. Anyways. Few years back, Dennis Cameron came out with a new Angelica record. It was, as far as I can tell, just him. Came out in 2019. And it's called Without Words. And what it was was essentially an instrumental album. It's just a bunch of music tracks that Dennis Cameron put together, recorded probably in his home studio. We're gonna close with one of those tracks. And so that's about it. So as we sign off or just before we sign off, don't forget to like and share this episode out. Tell all your friends about it, and God bless and keep on rocking.

Kris plamondon: God bless. Yeah, I keep rocking. If any other bands are out there, feel free to get a hold of Aaron or myself. We'd love to talk to you.

Arin Hancock: Yeah, I'm always looking for bands. Yeah, and I'm always looking for bands that we can play and promote on the plug it in segment. And s so if you think that's a good or that too, yeah. So reach out to us. We'd love to hear from you. Once again, like I said, God bless, keep on rocking.

Kris plamondon: Or an interview.

Arin Hancock: should you know what I'm gonna do?

Kris plamondon: Don't forget to press play.

Arin Hancock: Yeah. no, I was just gonna play a regular one, but and then I'm gonna over I'm gonna overdub the Angelica song with this one.