Reviewed by Alan Smith

As ever, I always have this dilemma with hi-jacked music, which this heavy Christian metal unashamedly is. It's the same for me and my Christian friends who occasionally get together and successfully hi-jack, to murder, the uncoverable hits of Cochran, Holly and Perkins. And when we let our hair down, we're not even singing about Jesus. Is it perhaps that heavy metal is so overtly occult that we question the style of music more? Jean, one of the Ichthus' Church's wonderful office staff, was quite upset when I played just a few bars of straightforward rockablues on Graham Ken­drick's economy upright piano.  If that was the devil's music, I wouldn't sent her 'Master's Command', by this highly accomplished Californian outfit. She'd not be blessed. Does it or does it not bring glory to the Father God? It will only be when Jesus returns that this will truly be revealed.  If the Lord Jesus is the band's Executive Producer, as the boys claim He is, everyone can sleep easy. For the uninitiated, Sacred Warrior is the Kingdom's answer to Marhlliasnake-DC.  A rather exotic blend, harking back to some of the experiments of vintage Be Bop Deluxe. Musicianship and production are both excellent. Well, if Jesus is Exec. Producer, it could hardly be anything else.  It was especially good to hear a standard of percussion exceed­ing the best we have over here - with the odd notable excep­tion.  I've not heard paradiddles and flambs executed as well as Tony Velasquez manages them for many a long year. And he does them at three times the speed. All tracks standard H.M. sound and voice. The Kendrick "Holy, Holy, Holy", last track on the album, was the best for my money. The chords, phrasing and harmonies being superbly compatible with this band's style, even if Jean would throw a wobbly.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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