Darkroom Cornerstone Wrapup from Andrew Clark on Vimeo.

God bless all of you this holiday. Stay safe and be careful not to blow your hand off with fireworks

Tracklisting — Look it up — I don’t feel like typing 50+ songs on here

So I’m sitting here just browsing over the cd booklet for The Crucified Box Set, listening to the tunes and I am definitely taken back to a different era. It’s so incredible hearing some of these old songs remastered/remixed like all the tunes from “Pillars of Humanity”, the two final tracks from 93′ as well as the demos songs. The Crucified were true originators in both style and substance. There really hasn’t been another “Christian” band like them to come out and their music has definitely stood the test of time. In today’s scene of crybabies and girl haircuts, it’s refreshing to hear classic music like this rocking my stereo. The Crucified weren’t just a “Punk Band” or a “Metal Band”, they were a rock band with a message, and not just any message. The Crucified carried a message of love in Christ mixed in with socio-political lyrics, waving the banner of Truth clearly along each step of their way. These weren’t wimpy girly men with Vneck shirts and neon accessories, these were men not afraid to rock the stage with aggression and swagger that would put today’s youth to shame.

No, I never got a chance to see this band live, sadly. I had a chance in 1995 to see their farewell show with Mxpx, Focused, and others but I missed out for one reason or another. So in all honesty I can’t really comment on what their live show was like or the intensity of the performance. However, just from glancing at liner notes, reading old reviews on the web and hearing word of mouth back when I was in high school, I got the feeling that they were masters of the genre. What genre were Crucified? Well that’s what made this band so great, they didn’t fit one particular genre or style. Their sound progressed so much from the years of 1984 to 1993 when their last recordings were released. They started out with an old school punk rock sound and slowly evolved into a metal-punk hybrid. I guess you could call it thrash metal but it was closer to punk in the earlier years (KGB Demos, Take Up Your Cross/Nailed).

With “Self Titled” that originally was released in 1989, their sound changed further from Old School Punk to that punk-metal hybrid I mentioned above. The songs were fast and heavy (for the time period) and raging with all kinds of adrenaline. It’s like a straight blast to the skull that leaves you bobbing your head for hours. Stand out tracks from “Self Titled” are “The Pit” “Hellcorn”, “Diehard”, “A Guy in a Suit and the Pope”. This album originally came out in 1989 on Narrowpath Records but I didn’t get into The Crucified until Tooth and Nail re-released in 1994 when I was in high school. I was a late bloomer. Shortly after I discovered The Crucified, I went out and bought “Pillars of Humanity” and jammed that album as well as “Self Titled” non stop for a few years. I actually found a place in Dana Point near where I lived that custom printed Tshirts, so I took down the album cover for The Crucified “Self Titled” and had it blown up and printed on a white tshirt that I wore all over town (I had a pretty killer Unashamed shirt made too). With “Pillars of Humanity” came a more refined sound (and probably a bigger budget than prior releases), this one floats closer to metal than any of their previous albums. Pillars is known for it’s great lyrics and metal mastery. Again, more socio-political lyrics can be found on a Crucified album and this time a bit more daring than in the past. These guys were not afraid of rattling nerves and touching on controversial faith topics that would probably send non-Christians running in the opposite direction.

Here is one lyric from the song “It’s All Bout Fear”..
“From the history books and the twisted schools
We’ve been taught to question you as betrayal
And that you would never think of us as beneath
You, that to challenge you would mean to fail
But hope we’ve received through God and we believe
He remembers the afflicted, His justice will be seen
Thous so many have yet to receive His light
Soon they will know the message of Christ”

I personally love the spoken word intro of the track “Path to Sorrow” . I’m too lazy to type the lyrics so look it up, it’s awesome.

Disc One is basically all Demos, live tracks, their two old school punk albums, and the two best Crucified tracks ever–”Straining Life” and “Power of God”, each recorded in 1993. You could tell by the direction they were taking on those two final tracks that they would have been one of the biggest bands in the music scene had they continued on. Living Sacrifice hit it big in 1997 when they signed to Solid State and released “Reborn” and I feel the same could have been said of this legendary group had they continued to release music. Disc two features the “Self Titled” and “Pillars of Humanity” albums and boy do they sound GOOD with a slight remix/remaster job. The artwork and layout of this box set is top notch with a very informative background on each track/album written by the members of the band. Disc three is the DVD of course and I have not yet taken the time to watch it. From what I’m told, it features nearly two hours of never before seen footage, 20+ songs from various live shows, Plus behind the scenes footage from 1987-1992. I’m a little surprised that no one recorded that final show with Mxpx in 95′, that would have made some good material. Oh well.

Here is the conclusion. I’m left walking away from this album with a reignited soul and more adrenaline than I’m used to. It’s nostalgia looking back at all this old material and hearing these songs again in remastered form. It’s pure joy for me to hear all these classic songs once again and part of it reminds me of a simpler time. I just love this band and I hope they’ll consider recording new songs for this new generation of youth to listen to. The Crucified were true originators in every sense of the word. Live on you legends, and keep rocking for all of us.

Score for this Box Set: 9/10

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THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Thank you, to all the friends we’ve been able to see and re-connect with.

Thank you, to all the fantastic people that have come out and supported the recent shows.

We wanted to bring THE DEAL back out because YOU wanted it and we felt honored and privileged to do it.

The reunion show in CHINO was absolutely incredible because of YOUR energy and response.

We’ve committed to taking the reunion across the States for a short tour that includes CORNERSTONE and some surrounding areas. Those shows will be posted as soon as we hammer out the details.

As we return from the CORNERSTONE tour, we will bring THE DEAL REUNION to a close.

We have just a couple more local shows so….PLEASE… try to make it out to them. We want to make sure we see you ALL.

AND NOW………..FROM THE CREATORS OF, THE DEAL………WE PRESENT, EL DEATH

WHAT IS EL DEATH???

EL DEATH is, quite literally, THE DEAL. Same components, just re-arranged for a different feel.

EL DEATH has welcomed Collin into it’s warm embrace and is excited to see what the future holds. We’re looking forward to debuting the new sound at CORNERSTONE.

SO STOP BY, SEE EL DEATH, AND DIP YOUR CHIP IN SOME ROCK-A-MOLE!!!!

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Indie Vision Music Top 20 Lastfm
1. Anberlin
2. Emery
3. mewithoutYou
4. Relient K
5. August Burns Red
6. Sleeping Giant
7. Mae
8. Switchfoot
9. Demon Hunter
10. House of Heroes
11. Jars of Clay
12. Copeland
13. The Almost
14. Haste the Day
15. Killswitch Engage
16. Coldplay
17. Underoath
18. For Today
19. Showbread
20. As Cities Burn

Here’s the track listing: 1. Hold On 2. Song For The Broken 3. Confession 4. Be Alive In Me 5. Here We Are Now 6. Providence 7. City Lights 8. Safe In Your Arms 9. Atmosphere 10. Here Waiting 11. Your Love Lifts Me Up 12. Hero

Earlier this year, Dignan took some time off from touring and poured their hearts into a DIY effort of great proportion titled ‘Cheaters & Thieves’. Lead singer/guitarist Andy notes that in the process, “Each song just sort of came together on its own. All of the themes in each of these songs are things that really tug at my heart; infidelity, the search for life’s answers, the struggle between right and wrong. We added a lot of group vocals, and a lot of layering of different vocals. I recorded guitars with multi mic setups which I’d never done.” The record was mixed at Premium Recordings in Austin where they also recently returned to play the Pachanga Festival with a memorable performance which left Cindy Casares from Guanabee heralding Dignan saying, “Mark our words, these youngsters are going places.” And the result has already gained the attention of Paste Magazine where the album’s first single “Two Steps”, through popular vote, earned a place on the Paste/Heineken CD Sampler.

‘Cheaters & Thieves’ is available today, June 30, exclusively through http://merchline.com/dignan. Pre-orders will receive a limited edition poster. A tremendous three-month tour kicks off with a hometown record release show at Cine El Rey on the 26th and includes summer festival appearances at Cornerstone and D Fest. An early listen to the single “Two Steps” and all show dates available at http://www.myspace.com/dignan

‘Cheaters & Thieves’
1. A Fool
2. Charlatan
3. What’s Done Is Done
4. Two Steps
5. You’re My Witness
6. Pillars And Pews
7. Whistler

read the blog here

Preorder either a shirt or EP today and help them out if you can

$15 will get you your choice in a shirt (Horse and rider or Hallowed Bree) and the EP
$20 will get you both shirts
Anything between $5 and $14 will get you a copy of the EP

Not long ago, these youthful artists were high school students, negotiating the maze of adolescence and self-discovery. Rather than pursue the typical channels of rebellion, however, original band members Andy and Devin chose to spend late nights in the local church sanctuary with their guitars. Drinking Pepsi and writing songs until 5: 00am, the young duo began to develop a sound that would eventually transcend their age and experience. Credit the holy architecture and acoustics, credit the sleep deprivation, credit their need to deal with their circumstances; it was in the wee hours that Dignan was born.

Like most young bands, member turnover was high towards the beginning. Andy and Devin played with a number of friends from their hometown before finally recruiting Trey, whom they had met while he was drumming for another band, and Davy, who originally sold and managed merchandise for the band. After befriending Heidi, the only non-Texan in the group, the band was complete.

Between the five of them, Dignan brought an extremely eclectic list of musical influence to the table. Ranging from Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire, to grandparents who specialize in lounge music, to their hometown of McAllen with a 95% Hispanic population, the band had a wide variety of experiences and sounds in their repertoire to choose from. Feeling free to explore, the band began to incorporate an array of different instruments into their songs. What emerged was an array of melodies that brood over love, loss, angst, and crime.

Playing primarily in Texas, the band built up a strong local following in the lone star state early on in their career. In 2007, the band recorded their first EP, the guest, releasing it on the indie label Bearded Beauty. They also began touring nationally, and by early 2008, had 3 cross-country runs under their belt. The band is currently working on writing and recording new songs, as well as playing with bands like Ra Ra Riot and Colour Revolt.

In the world of complicated musicians, dynamics, and aspirations, Dignan keeps it simple. They love making music, and they love the music they make. As L.I. Wilder said, it is the sweet, simple things of life that are the real ones after all.

Enter our special Crucified Contest right here