Messenger
Messenger formed in 2011 and hails from Alunda, Uppsala län, Sweden delivering 80's inspired Hard Rock/Metal in the veins of bands like Dokken and Van Halen who were "Big Hair" "Glamour Bands" back in the 80's. Were talking full on Arena Rock back when bands were cool! Before there was Messenger, the band was performing under a different alias called 'Eternal Life' which by the way, happens to be a song on their demo album 'Heart and Mind.'
Messenger is not the first band to take us back to the glory days of the 80's as the band "Desyre" has also released some very cool 80's inspired christian metal. Then there's Harmony, from Sweden with their "Dreaming Awake" album that delivers 80's infused Metal as well.
At this point we must note that there are other bands with the same name as Messenger. One is another christian Metal band from the USA called Messenger who has three albums.There's also a christian Hard Core band with the same name but with an "S" at the end, and there are various other secular bands with the same name. One just has to pay attention to the font and style of how the name is written in order to discern.
Messenger is not the first band to take us back to the glory days of the 80's as the band "Desyre" has also released some very cool 80's inspired christian metal. Then there's Harmony, from Sweden with their "Dreaming Awake" album that delivers 80's infused Metal as well.
At this point we must note that there are other bands with the same name as Messenger. One is another christian Metal band from the USA called Messenger who has three albums.There's also a christian Hard Core band with the same name but with an "S" at the end, and there are various other secular bands with the same name. One just has to pay attention to the font and style of how the name is written in order to discern.
Messenger has two EP releases to date with 2012-'Heart and Mind' being their debut release and 2014-'Perfect Storm' being their sophomore release. Both albums each have six Rock'n tunes on them which is a little more than most EPs have on them. When you see EP you know it's not a full length album. EP is short for 'Extended Play' and is a recording that has more than just a single on it but is too short to pass as a full length album.
The way I came across Messenger's 2014-'Perfect Storm' release was that I was looking up, in iTunes, another band by the same name and that's when my eye caught glimps of there cover art for "Perfect Storm."Once I listened to just a few songs on the album, I couldn't hit the buy button quick enough as the album is melodic in nature and laced with the same kind of hooks that made the 80's Rock era so great. All the hard work has paid off for Messenger as the package has come together nicely on this album as it seems the band has found its stride. What's special about this album is that Messenger has captured the Magic of the 80's put to christian lyrics making this album an instant classic!
Lead vocalist Josef Mineur really sounds comfortable behind the mic on their 2014 release "Perfect Storm." On some songs he sounds a lot like Sammy Hagar of 'Van Halen' on other tunes I hear a bit of Don Dokken vocalist for the band Dokken but then there's some moments that remind me of Stephen Crumbacher vocalist for the christian band Crumbacher.
Guitarists Frederik Elm and Eddie Widell really know their 80's music Guitar styles as they knock it out of the park with their battle 'Axes'. We also find them shred'n out some fast Power Metal riffs on the tune "Perfect Storm" showing the depth and capability of the two.
Speaking of the album "Perfect Storm," the band seems to have gotten the Idea, for the song and the cover art, from Revelations 7:1-3.
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, a restraining the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel, who had the seal of the living God rise up from the east. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were empowered to harm the earth and the sea: 3 “Don’t harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the slaves of our God on their foreheads.”
Then there's the Lightening that you see on the album's cover art that gives us a small glimps of what the end times could look like with ligntening from one end of the world to the other which is spoken of in Mathew 24:23-27.
The way I came across Messenger's 2014-'Perfect Storm' release was that I was looking up, in iTunes, another band by the same name and that's when my eye caught glimps of there cover art for "Perfect Storm."Once I listened to just a few songs on the album, I couldn't hit the buy button quick enough as the album is melodic in nature and laced with the same kind of hooks that made the 80's Rock era so great. All the hard work has paid off for Messenger as the package has come together nicely on this album as it seems the band has found its stride. What's special about this album is that Messenger has captured the Magic of the 80's put to christian lyrics making this album an instant classic!
Lead vocalist Josef Mineur really sounds comfortable behind the mic on their 2014 release "Perfect Storm." On some songs he sounds a lot like Sammy Hagar of 'Van Halen' on other tunes I hear a bit of Don Dokken vocalist for the band Dokken but then there's some moments that remind me of Stephen Crumbacher vocalist for the christian band Crumbacher.
Guitarists Frederik Elm and Eddie Widell really know their 80's music Guitar styles as they knock it out of the park with their battle 'Axes'. We also find them shred'n out some fast Power Metal riffs on the tune "Perfect Storm" showing the depth and capability of the two.
Speaking of the album "Perfect Storm," the band seems to have gotten the Idea, for the song and the cover art, from Revelations 7:1-3.
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, a restraining the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel, who had the seal of the living God rise up from the east. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were empowered to harm the earth and the sea: 3 “Don’t harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the slaves of our God on their foreheads.”
Then there's the Lightening that you see on the album's cover art that gives us a small glimps of what the end times could look like with ligntening from one end of the world to the other which is spoken of in Mathew 24:23-27.
23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘Look, here is the Messiah! or, ‘Over here! ’ do not believe it! 24 False messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘Look, He’s in the wilderness! ’ don’t go out; ‘Look, He’s in the inner rooms! ’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Lyrics are openly christian meaning that they are Christ centered.I hope these lyrics are all correct as I couldn't find them in the internet and had to write what I hear:
Lyrics are openly christian meaning that they are Christ centered.I hope these lyrics are all correct as I couldn't find them in the internet and had to write what I hear:
"I Need You Now"
I'm Just a simple man
But I do what I can
To Make the best out of my life
It's said the tough gets going where the
going gets tough but I wonder
is it ever enough
Sometimes it's hard to see
How everything went rye
I want to walk Your way
And do Your will
But it seems like I can't pay the bill
So it's hard to see what
I am fighting for
I need You now
More than ever before
Can You hear me now?
As I fall into my knees and close my eyes
God I need You now
Still I keep pressing on
Better do what I can
Sing out, serve You while I wait
When lights go down
At the end of the day
Gonna burn my knees
And I start to pray
That Your Light will lead my feet
To Heaven's gate
I'm gonna walk Your way
And do Your will
Cause I heard that You
Have paid the bill
Upon that cross
It was me He died for
I'm Just a simple man
But I do what I can
To Make the best out of my life
It's said the tough gets going where the
going gets tough but I wonder
is it ever enough
Sometimes it's hard to see
How everything went rye
I want to walk Your way
And do Your will
But it seems like I can't pay the bill
So it's hard to see what
I am fighting for
I need You now
More than ever before
Can You hear me now?
As I fall into my knees and close my eyes
God I need You now
Still I keep pressing on
Better do what I can
Sing out, serve You while I wait
When lights go down
At the end of the day
Gonna burn my knees
And I start to pray
That Your Light will lead my feet
To Heaven's gate
I'm gonna walk Your way
And do Your will
Cause I heard that You
Have paid the bill
Upon that cross
It was me He died for
The last song on the album, "O Store Gud," is a rendition of the classic Hymnal song "How Great Thou Art" which I believe the band is singing in their heart language, Swedish.
I hope that on a future album, the band can release an English version of "Be för Sverige" off their 'Heart and Mind' album because that tune really deserves more attention as it's definitely a killer track!
If you love 80's Hard Rock/Metal then do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Messengers sophomore release 'Perfect Storm' and began your journey bank down the 1980's memory lane. Also check out their Debut EP release 2012-'Heart and Mind' as it is just as good as their 2014 release!
If you love 80's Hard Rock/Metal then do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Messengers sophomore release 'Perfect Storm' and began your journey bank down the 1980's memory lane. Also check out their Debut EP release 2012-'Heart and Mind' as it is just as good as their 2014 release!
Musicians:
Josef Mineur - Vocals
Frederik Elm - Guitars
Eddie Widell - Guitars
Johnny Sandberg - Bass
Simon Levén - Drums
Josef Mineur - Vocals
Frederik Elm - Guitars
Eddie Widell - Guitars
Johnny Sandberg - Bass
Simon Levén - Drums