Believer (band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Believer
Origin Colebrook, PA, U.S.
Genre(s) Thrash metal
Progressive metal
Christian metal
Years active 1986 - 1994, 2006 - present
Label(s) R.E.X. Records
Roadrunner Records
Website joeydaub.com/believer
Members
Kurt Bachman
Joey Daub
Former members
Dave Baddorf
Howe Kraft
Scott Laird
Wyatt Robertson
Jim Winters

Believer is a Christian heavy metal band from the late 1980s and early 1990s, that played a hybrid mixture of thrash and progressive metal.[1] Believer was known for its innovation, as they incorporated symphonic elements to thrash metal.[2] The two primary members of the band were vocalist/guitarist Kurt Bachman and drummer Joey Daub, who were joined by several others after their 1989 debut album, Extraction from Mortality. The band was jointly signed to Roadrunner Records, and the Christian label R.E.X. Music. Believer disbanded in 1994; however, in March 2005, Daub announced that he and Bachman were in the process of reforming the band, and they are currently working on writing new music. There is currently no set date for an album release at this time.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Beginning

Believer was formed in Colebrook, Pennsylvania in 1986 by drummer Joey Daub and guitarist-vocalist Kurt Bachman. The band was joined by Howe Kraft (bass) and David Baddorf (guitar). They began playing melodic metal and released the cassette The Return in 1987. Later, Believer changed its style to thrash metal, as the band said: ”We realized that we could write thrash better than we could write anything else”.[2]

In high school, the band leader Kurt Bachman met Scott Laird, who was studying his first year as a music instructor. When Believer was recording the title track for its first studio album, the band asked Laird to compose an orchestral intro for the song.[2]. In 1989, Believer was signed to R.E.X. Records which published Believer's first album, Extraction from Mortality. The album was mostly distributed to Christian bookstores but quickly gained popularity for Believer who soon became recognized as one of Christian metal's leading groups.[3] The album was noted for its technicality and aggression, and especially the song ”Shadow of Death” is one of the all-time favorites among Believer fans.[4] Extraction from Mortality gained notice among non-Christian metal fans, and Believer was signed to Roadrunner Records in 1990. R.E.X. Records would release Believer's later records to the Christian market while Roadrunner's distribution was strictly aimed at a secular audience.

[edit] Upswing

In 1990, Howe Kraft was replaced by Wyatt Robertson, and Believer recorded its second album titled Sanity Obscure, which is more technical than its predecessor. Believer continued its co-working with Scott Laird, and incorporated more symphonic elements on the song ”Dies Irae (Day of Wrath).” Scott Laird's sister Julianne Laird Hoge was featured as a soprano on the song. Sanity Obscure also features an anti-pollution song titled ”Nonpoint” and an anti-drug song called ”Stop the Madness”, which was released as a single with the U2 cover ”Like a Song.” Sanity Obscure was first released by R.E.X. Records to Christian market and a year later by Roadrunner Records to wider audience. The album became more popular than Believer's first album, and after the release Believer toured with the English deathgrind band Bolt Thrower and the Canadian death metal band Sacrifice.

Wyatt Robertson and David Baddorf left Believer before the band began recording its third album. Jim Winters joined as bassist and also played some guitar parts during the recording sessions. In 1993, Believer released its most technical, progressive, and ambitious album titled Dimensions. Kurt Bachman had been a guitar player in an industrial metal group called Under Midnight, which possibly influenced some industrial sound effects on Dimensions. The lyrics on the album are intelligent[4] and deal with the philosophical paradoxes and the ponderings of Sigmund Freud, Thomas J. J. Altizer, Ludwig Feuerbach and Jean-Paul Sartre about the existence of God. The symphonic metal suite, ”Trilogy of Knowledge”, divided into three chapters and an intro, is a 20 minute+ epic written around the biblical story of the life of Christ and the knowledge of good and evil. ”Trilogy of Knowledge” once again featured the orchestral compositions of Scott Laird and soprano vocals by Julianne Laird Hoge. Dimensions received a GMA Dove Award nomination in the category ”hard music album of the year.”[5] While some fans preferred Sanity Obscure over Dimensions, the critics considered Dimensions as the album that separated Believer from average thrash metal groups.[4] During the Dimensions tour, Scott laird played violin and viola.

After Dimensions the band went on a hiatus. In 1994, Believer agreed to mutually disband. Kurt Bachman stated in a press release in 2007 about the disbandment:

“ To make a long story short, following the release of Dimensions we decided to take an indefinite break and this had nothing to do with Roadrunner's support. They were very generous to us and we have nothing but fond memories of the work we did together. I decided to pursue another interest in biomedical research, particularly cancer genetics and therapy while Joey pursued other musical interests that resulted in Fountain of Tears (www.fountainoftears.com).[6] ”

[edit] Later years

During the following years both Bachman and Daub worked in sound production at their Trauma Studios in Pennsylvania for groups such as Turmoil and Living Sacrifice. Later, Bachman continued in his medical studies, while Daub kept working in the music industry. Later in the 1990s, Daub began playing drums in a gothic metal band called Fountain of Tears.

In 2005, Joey Daub informed on his website joeydaub.com that he had begun writing new Believer material with Bachman. This announcement was reported widely, most notably through Blabbermouth.net,[7] which called Believer a ”much missed late 80s and early 90s technical thrash metal band.” [8]

On October 21, 2007 Believer launched an official MySpace page. The band's cataloque was also set to be rereleased by a Polish label called Metal Mind Productions, and Bachman gave an announcement about the album in works:

“ We have completed most of the pre-production on the new tunes and are planning to start recording in November. We are very excited and interested to see how you enjoy the new stuff. We are also developing a web site (www.believerband.net) and are designing some new merchandise to coincide with the re-release of our past records on Metal Mind Productions, due November 5th.[6] ”

The album's recording process reportedly progressed in this order: The recording began on November 24,[9] drum tracking was completed on December 30,[10] bass was layed down on January 28, 2008,[11] rhythm guitar tracks were completed on February 18,[12] and on April 7 the band announced that the album would feature "some very talented guests."[13] Ten days later on On April 17, Deron Miller of CKY announced that he will be "laying down some guest solos and/or vocals" for the forthcoming Believer album. He commented that "Believer have been one of my favorite bands for 20 years so this is really exciting for me. Check out the three records they did in the '90s... All three are works of genius."[14]

[edit] Legacy

Believer's music has been influential especially for the Christian metal scene as they were one of the biggest Christian thrash metal bands, along with Deliverance, Vengeance Rising and Tourniquet. Believer has been regarded as a better than average thrash metal band[4] and band leader Kurt Bachman has been called a ”legend in his own time”.[4] The Norwegian group Extol cites Believer as an influence, for example.

[edit] Music

The characteristical elements of Believer's music include the distinctive raw, brutal guitar distortion, numerous tempo changes, virtuoisic riffs and Bachman's raspy, anguished and screeched voice. The atmosphere of their music is typically dark and dismal, heightened by the nightmarish industrial samples, occasional, declamatory classical music string instruments, and eerie, chilly clean guitar interludes. The songstructures are complicated, highly technical and at times progressive, such as on "Shadow of Death" which progresses from lone, gloomy clean guitar melody to a chaotic piece. The drummer Joey Daub typically emphasizes on the d-beat style typical for thrash metal, and he shifts between techniques and tempos, usually many times during a song.

[edit] Discography

[edit] References

  1. ^ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music, First printing, Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 76. ISBN 1-56563-679-1. 
  2. ^ a b c Believer bio. Crucifyd.com. Open Publishing (2000). Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  3. ^ MacMillan, Tom (2005-03-04). Believer - Dimensions. The Phantom Tollbooth. Open Publishing. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  4. ^ a b c d e Majalahti, Michael (2004-03-02). The Best Kept Secrets in Rock. Imperiumi. Open Publishing. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  5. ^ Believer . Retrieved 2007-09-19.
  6. ^ a b Myspace.com/believerband, retrieved 2007-10-27
  7. ^ New BELIEVER Album In The Works? - Apr. 15, 2005, Blabbermouth. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  8. ^ BELIEVER Frontman Slams Label For Reissuing Band's Catalog With 'Bonus' Tracks - May 6, 2005, Blabbermouth. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  9. ^ Reactivated Believer begins recording new album. Blabbermouth.net. Open Publishing (2007-11-24). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  10. ^ Believer completes tracking drums for new album. Blabbermouth.net. Open Publishing (2007-12-30). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  11. ^ Believer completes laying down bass for new album. Blabbermouth.net. Open Publishing (2008-01-28). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  12. ^ Believer: Rhythm guitar tracks for new album complete. Blabbermouth.net. Open Publishing (2008-02-18). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  13. ^ Believer: New album to feature 'some very talented guests'. Blabbermouth.net. Open Publishing (2008-04-17). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  14. ^ CKY's Deron Miller to tour with Malevolent Creation, record with Believer. Blabbermouth.net. Open Publishing (2008-04-17). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.

[edit] External links