Alter Cry

I met David at Y! rock chatroom. As I wrote earlier, there are actually music sharing and swapping done at Y! rock, under music. Yup, there are a lot of freeloading hangers (duh, there for free cam viewing) and boots (they call them boot, IDs that lead to porn sites). To this date, I've listened to a lot of garage heavy pieces shared in the chatroom or passed on to me. Actually, I met one who played country, and another who played everything but country, and I kinda swap their IDs and have not heard from them since. Well, I can't recall, maybe, I had them spammed, or whatever.

Anyway, I have planned to revive my music review hobby way back (a few decades back, and it was not a career actually because whatever I earned from it never got to pay my rent, just collect albums to swap or share with friends, although it occupied most of my youth years). I don't know if I still qualify... first off, my memory of band/musician names and albums, as well as musical history sucks like vacuum (nothing in), 'coz I only get to remember names & titles of those that carried me through hell. And I got stuck in the last century's hits, its like a time machine ride now.

Well, am giving it a try, though. And this one is tough 'coz they are a Christian band. I had reviewed Christian bands before doing easy alternative, and I can no longer recall even the bands' names.

So, what's with Christian bands?

I have never distinguished Christian bands from any other genre, although spiritual pieces always blew me away just like most any other listener. Lecturer Dennis O'Brien acknowledged that rock'n roll and God have always been considered anthemic. But if there is one thing spiritual and so damning good about this music hits, it is their subtlety on spiritualism.

So, there is a strong polarity between "religion" (which has taken a very ugly, brutal and actually disgusting face in contemporary psyche) and "spiritualism" which is much the more acceptable and in trend now.

For the spiritual pieces, we'd take on REM, U2, even Nirvana, and a lot of other major names (Losing My Religion, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Smells Like Teen Spirit) as anthemic and spiritual.

And, as much as I would like to believe Christian music is not religious, I can only hope that the musician per se would agree. But then again, as it had always been with me, it is the music which is the soul. So there is not much to argue in here. Here's our initial chat with Alter Cry:

David Hanson: sup
M: ello! what's new w/ ur music?
Dh: we changed name to Alter Cry ... www.myspace.com/alterycry we found a drummer and 2nd guitarist and will be checking out a keyboardist
Dh: not sure if u knew the name change
M: cool. where r u based? i'd check ur site
Dh: our page is www.myspace.com/altercry
M: K. thanks!
Dh: just posted new lyrics on there and the newest one is Come Home
M: i'd make some reviews bout u in my blog...
M: i'd send u link if done
Dh: cool, some one asked about what our name meant like Alter what did we mean by it alter and in change or altar as in worship... i can send u some info on what our band name means
M: ok, i appreciate whatever info u cd send.
Dh: the {e} in alter means that each and everyone has an error, not one of is perfect. we all fall short of the glory of God. No matter how rough life may get, God still loves us, he will never leave nor forsake us, and he tells us come as we are, and to love one another. to pray for one another/ to lift up one another. Alter Cry means, in the moment when they feel God's love rushing in, and running to God with a humble heart, letting go of everything of their self and laying it down before him. crying out to him to save them. to be renewed in a new creation in Jesus.... when we wrote the name we wrote alter cry. thinking it was right. about a month ago someone mentioned is alter meaning altar.... and that sparked a theme with what the name stood for.... that we all sin, and fall short,
Dh: and needing a fix from the Most High
Dh: not one of us*
M: band member bkgrounds?
Dh: we will have that later on in time i do believe
Dh: K. how about u? bakground pls?
Dh: My name is Dave Hanson, I'm 23 years old I am married to Hannah Hanson, it would be cool to do a full background with the whole group... background about us... We are a Christian Hard/Heavy Melodic Rock group and we do some slower stuff. our mission is to let people know that they are loved by God and that he will will never leave
M: nor forsake them
M: no matter how rough life may get, God is there
M: Dan does bass, Auggie does guitars, Joe on drums, and my wife on back-up vocals, and I do Guitars/vocals and were looking to add a keyboard player
M: u there
M: yup
M: just say what u hev. ds message is saved
Dh: k
Dh: could i see what ya got so far
M: the review?
M: I'l do it later. I'd send u link in case u get offline
Dh: k, sounds good thx




Alter Cry / A Review

The first sampler of Alter Cry is "Love Them". It has some strong riffs, with vox that reminds me of Seattle. The words could carry on this one, "No matter what (they/you) do..." just as long as they add more passion on the guitars (lead, bass, rhythm).

"Truth" is an experimental mix, got some hooks, too, and a mellowing that suddenly leads to a halt, it left me wanting for more. Haha!

"Amazing Grace" reminds me of Eddie Vedder but this one is really raw and needs dressing up.

"Jesus is Your Strength" is an acoustic piece that has an appeal, and has a potential if only the vox and the guitar could work it up a little bit more in sync with what they'd really want to express...

Each of the four samplers had its own identity and if the band could work up on tightening their music, build up on passion (a whole lot more so that hell would spew them out) --- okay, angst, and delete raw on their identity, we're get a real sampling of what's supposed to be in for us.