Album review:
Gentlemen Christ may have the guise of being one band, but don’t be fooled by appearances. There are two bands trapped in that one entity. One band has an affinity for early metal and 90s grunge rock, while the other prefers the epic ballads and shimmering harmonies of Roger Waters era Pink Floyd. Typically, one style will overpower the other, but not on Gentlemen Christ’s latest release PVC Cross. They have found a way to balance the album out almost equally between the two. Lyrically, PVC Cross is heavily laden with occult-like religious rhetoric, but in more poetic way than your dime a dozen metal bands tend to portray it. The duality of the record has appeal for both genres stated before, without going overboard on one to alienate the other. It's heavy enough for the metal-heads, and spacey enough for the epic balladeers (minus the fifteen minute solos). PVC Cross opens with “Denial”, thrust with thick, distorted guitars. Vocals come forth with what I would imagine an Ozzy Osbourne/ Kevin Barnes (Of Montreal) duet would sound like. Just as think you are amidst a metal odyssey, they break it down in the bridge with a gentle acoustic guitar strum. Ultimately this is a set-up for a high- energy guitar solo in the climactic end of the song. “The Lord” showcases Gentlemen Christ’s “other side”. Crisp acoustic guitar dominates the song; with mystical harmonies reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s Animals breaking this song wide open. Although it is not nearly as long as most Pink Floyd songs, it has a similar effect. “I Am the Sum Of” reverts back to the heavy guitars, although this song claims a pop edge to it. Now, not like bubble gum pop, but a catchy melody. The phrase “innocence and sacraments” is a rhyme scheme that stands out to me; such a phonetically sound passage. Albeit only three words, little bits like that can make a world of difference in a song. “Tunes” has a grunge-like feeling to it much akin to Nirvana’s first record, Bleach. The distorted guitar on this song would make the walls shake in a live performance, ever so thick. The one consistent theme throughout their songs is the vocal harmonies. No matter which genre they are tapping into, they sing almost exclusively harmoniously. This becomes the defining characteristic of their sound, and ties all of their genre-hopping together. Overall, PVC Cross lives up to the ideals of the burgeoning local Philadelphia music scene. They put their strongest songs early in the record, leaving the second half without the machismo it had in the beginning. But, the strength of their songwriting keeps the record above the curve. They have no scheduled dates as of right now, but stay tuned to the Deli Philadelphia for any updates. – A. Zielinski
Our music is largely Metal. An amalgam. People think were cool. We read their minds. We've had jams from hell - Like 75' - 86' doom - But we started in North Wales, Pa. in 2006.
We do have an album called PVC Cross. Its available.
A new record is dis......... A 12". We will try to skip computers. Igod we can thinks.
Thanks for the fun,
Gentlemenchrist@gmail.com
ABSOLUTELY....MY PLEASURE... YOU GUYS ARE WELCOME TO ANY OF MY ART,JUST GIVE ME THE HEADS UP AND I'M COOL WITH IT, I DIG YOUR MUSIC YA KNOW,! GNARLY STARS,MATTHEW
I wanted to let you know that we're running a 15% off promotion this week on ALL services! :) This INCLUDES MySpace design, Twitter design, album design, and promotional services! Message us now!
Hi there, Gentlemen Christ! We'd love to design a custom MySpace profile for you! We also offer full website design, flyer/poster design, and more. Check out our portfolio on our MySpace page.
You can also visit a few of our most recent MySpace Designs:
A SPIRITUAL CONSPIRACY On the surface of the world right now there is war and violence and things seem dark. But calmly and quietly, at the same time, something else is happening underground An inner revolution is taking place and certain individuals are being called to a higher light. It is a silent revolution. From the inside out. From the ground up. This is a Global operation. A Spiritual Conspiracy. There are sleeper cells in every nation on the planet. You won’t see us on the T.V. You won’t read about us in the newspaper You won’t hear about us on the radio We don’t seek any glory We don’t wear any uniform We come in all shapes and sizes, colors and styles Most of us work anonymously We are quietly working behind the scenes in every country and culture of the world Cities big and small, mountains and valleys, in farms and villages, tribes and remote islands You could pass by one of us on the street
and not even notice We go undercover We remain behind the scenes It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit But simply that the work gets done Occasionally we spot each other in the street We give a quiet nod and continue on our way During the day many of us pretend we have normal jobs But behind the false storefront at night is where the real work takes a place Some call us the Conscious Army We are slowly creating a new world with the power of our minds and hearts We follow, with passion and joy Our orders come from the Central Spiritual Intelligence We are dropping soft, secret love bombs when no one is looking Poems ~ Hugs ~ Music ~ Photography ~ Movies ~ Kind words ~ Smiles ~ Meditation and prayer ~ Dance ~ Social activism ~ Websites Blogs ~ Random acts of kindness… We each express ourselves in our own unique ways with our own unique gifts and talents Be the change you want to see in the world That is the motto that fills our hearts We know it is the only way real transformation takes place We know tha
