Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Jerusalem were Sweden's first Christian rock/metal band. And what a band! 'Warrior', released in 1982, was their third album and the moment that the band truly came of age. Radical in message and pushing back the boundaries of Christian rock musically, this passion fuelled outing put the band on the map. This English language version of the album saw band leader Ulf Christiansson and his bandmates break out of Scandinavia and begin making an impact across Europe and into America where they found fellowship with fellow rockers like Resurrection Band and Petra who had a similar desire to create hard rock with a radical message. Appearances at Greenbelt made this album a popular choice for British Christian rockers and there is plenty to love here. The riffy "Constantly Changing" gets the whole thing underway and introduces us to two things - Christiansson's gruff vocal style and crisp lead guitar work, all built on a solid rhythm section with some added keyboard flourishes to add plenty of atmosphere. Highlights include the hard rocking "Man Of The World" and the brilliant title cut which highlights some of the band's musicality, mixing power and melody. "It's Mad" is another change of style and almost has a new wave feel and a very catchy chorus. The highlight of the second side of the album has to be the 12 minute prog rock "Sodom". With many musical changes, this track simply stuns the listener with its sheer rock versatility and spiritual passion. A lot of this album really stands the test of time now that over thirty years have passed since its release. It's a Christian rock classic and I am left wondering where the spiritually passionate Christian rockers of today are hiding?

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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