Bride
Kinetic Faith
1991 Pure Metal
Produced By: Steve Griffith
cover
lyrics
Track Listing
Musicians
Dale Thompson: vocals
Troy Thompson: guitar, mandolin, acoustic guitar
Rick Foley: bass
Jerry McBroom: drums
additional musicians:
Rob Johnson: acoustic guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, lead/rhythm guitars
Steve Griffith: background vocals
The early to mid-90's produced several great Christian metal albums and though Bride had formed and released albums prior to their 1991 effort, this was the album that introduced me to the band. I believe I saw them in concert in the early 90's at AtlantaFest, but my memory can't exactly pinpoint the year as I attended the music festival for many consecutive years in my high school days.
A larger audience was exposed to Kinetic Faith and the album would sell fairly well, leading to a larger budget for their follow up album, Snakes in the Playground. Bride's first 3 albums were more in the heavy metal vein and with Kinetic Faith they would change their sound to match that of a more hard rock sound. I have some of Bride's earlier albums and while they are good, I love the overall sound of this album as well as the direction the band was going at time.
Dale Thompson, lead singer of Bride has a very unique voice and one of the best in the rock 'n roll business in my humble opinion. His sound is raw, bluesy and has a wide range. He's been associated with several side projects/bands over the years, playing different styles of rock and it always sounds so good. I won't try to compare him to anyone, you just have to listen to him yourself.
Musically this album is excellent and I would imagine would appeal to fans of Arrowsmith, Guns 'n Roses and the like. Dale's brother, Troy, lays down some great guitar work alongside guest musician Rob Johnson. Jerry McBroom's drums are hard and heavy and sound great.
The band tackles several social issues with this album, such as bigotry and racism in "Troubled Times". the foreword on the lyrics says: This song addresses our nation and how we pull together in times of crisis. As with the Iraq war, people who never pray feel the need to pray whenever trouble approaches. There is a sense of unity and brotherhood. However, in spite of the patriotism, there are still problems at home that need to address such as the starving and homeless. The song stars with the renowned words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "I have a dream." 31 years later and this song is sadly still relevant to the word in that which we all live in.
We don't need no burning crosses
Put out the fire of bigotry
We don't need to count our loses
When they bury you, they'll bury me
I have a dream that we can be united
It will only work when fears are subsided
By the sweat of my brow, I won't let it die
Freedom for our hears is my battle cry
(chorus)
We're living in troubled times
We're living in troubled times
How could we be so blind
We're living in troubled times
Poor man begging at the rich man's feet
He eats the crumbs off of the floor
We are starving for something to eat
We are whales upon thet shore
(chorus)
There was a time we tore our country down
For the same reasons we fight for now
And if pride comes before a fall
Why tell me why they tore down the wall
One of my favorite songs from this album and from their catalog as a whole is "Everybody Knows my Name". Dale sums up this song: This song tells a story of a man who was born into the world with nothing, but managed to become wealthy and popular through music. In the end, however, he realized that all he had in his life was worthless without God. You could easily replace music with just about anything else...a life without a personal relationship w/ Jesus is meaningless...no matter how much fame, wealthy or popularity one might have.
Everybody knows my name, everybody want the fame
Everybody wants to see, everybody wants a piece of me
Everybody wants the fun, everybody sees the gun
Everybody be so kind, still got my piece of mind
Everybody knows my name
Everybody can you feel my pain
I was born a poor boy, left home when I was four
Momma ever amed me so I never was for sure
I learned to read enough to know life was not so kind
All I own is my guitar as my piece of mind
I went out into the world to find my place in life
I'm learning more every day surviving really bites
They ask me for a line of coke, needles, knives and guns
I said to myself I've found home cause this place sounds like fun
(chorus)
Everybody knows my name, everybody play the game
Everybody wants the fame, everybody knows my name
I've seen holy rollers, midnight strollers, cops shake with fear
I've seen high heels clicking, red lipstick, blood, sweat and tears
I've red about a man who died on a cross for everybody's sins
If you want to make a change you've got to put your faith in Him
I've seen the limelight in New York City
I've seen the rainbow in Hollywood
Walked the streets of London, England
The streets of gold look so good
(chorus)
I voted for their politicians
I've seen all the dirty religions
I wore their three piece suits
But I did not wear their army boots
I didn't fire the guns of war
Never knew what they were fighting for
Everybody wants the fame
Everybody knows my name
Another stand out track on the album is "Hired Gun". Dale describes the song in the liner notes: This song is about an assassin who paints a picture with a realistic theme. The assassin always poses the question to his victims -- "Hope you and Jesus have it all worked out." This is the same question that God will ask you when you stand before Him to give an account of your life. Romans 14:11-12 states: It is written: "As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God." So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
They pay me lots of money for what I do
I'm a dance, midnight romancer under the moon
I'm on the clock, I like to rock, I don't work the streets
You'll be amazed, your eyes a glazed
When I do my high wire feats
Exterminator, rawhide gangster, I can equal the odds
I pay for your sins with my boyish grin, I create the facade
Steady hand, I'm a gentleman, I've got deadly aim
Womanizer, lone survivor, I like to play the game
(chorus)
Hope you and Jesus have it all worked out
I'm a hired gun
There is no heaven here on earth, love must rule us all
Black days are coming, every prideful man will fall
Have no fear or shed a tear, but there will come a day
When I'm looked in the eye, asked to die, I'll hear someone say
(chorus)
Kinetic Faith is a really good album and still sounds great 30 years after it was released. It would be the first on many consecutive albums that I listened to repeatedly through out my high school years. The original Pure Metal release isn't too hard to find today on the secondary market due to it selling fairly well, however Girder Music is about to release a re-mastered version of the album (as well as their follow up, Snakes in the Playground on both CD and vinyl. I've purchased a few of Girder's remastered albums for other bands such as Angelica, Shout and Love War and they are top notch releases. If you like what you have heard and missed out on this album 31 years ago, here's your chance to grab it for just $15 bucks. Oh, did I mention the album also comes with a limited trading card too?
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