Bio: Barren Cross came out of the burgeoning early eighties Southern California Christian metal scene, forming when drummer Steve Whitaker and guitarist Ray Parris met through an ad placed in a Los Angeles area music paper seeking musicians.  Vocalist Mike Lee (from an ad in the same paper) and bassist Jim LaVerde (at a church youth group) were later recruited. 

Officially commencing on November 13, 1983, Barren Cross proceeded to record a three song demo and a six song EP, Believe, before signing with Star Song Records and releasing its debut Rock For The King in 1986.  The group went on to sign with Enigma Records and put out Atomic Arena (1988) and State Of Control (1989) only to disband in the early nineties.  Barren Cross later regrouped and recorded its final studio project in 1994, Rattle Your Cage.

Of Interest: Mike Lee has recorded side projects with Barebones (self titled from 1995) and Sanxtion (Think About It from 1996).

Current Status: Barren Cross reunited to perform several festival dates in recent years.  The departure of Mike Lee, however, placed the plans of a new recording project on hold.  A replacement in Dean Kohn, however, was recruited the latter half of 2009.

Official:
MySpace: www.myspace.com/barrencross
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Barren-Cross

 

Year: 1985
Label: MPPA
Category: EP
Style: Heavy Metal

Year: 1985
Label: Erika
Category: EP
Style: Heavy Metal

Track Listing: "Believe" (2:16), "He Loves You"(4:37), "Just A Touch" (3:26) , "Give Your Life" (2:53), "Light The Flame" (5:33), "Going Nowhere" (3:45)

Musicians
Mike Lee – Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Ray Parris – Guitars
Jim LaVerde – Bass
Steve Whitaker - Drums

Note: Initial version of Believe came out on the MPPA label with a blue cover and white text/logo.  The Erika Records re-issue featured a white cover with blue text/logo.  Both include the same six tracks.

 

Year: 1986
Label: Star Song
Category: Full Length
Style: Heavy Metal

Track Listing: "Dying Day" (3:25), "He Loves You" (4:34), "It’s All Come True" (4:02), "Believe" (2:12), "Going Nowhere" (4:36), "Rock For The King" (5:00), "Give Your Life" (2:47), "Just A Touch" (3:26), "Light The Flame" (5:31)

Musicians
Mike Lee – Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Ray Parris – Guitars
Jim LaVerde – Bass
Steve Whitaker - Drums

Note: Rock For The King includes the six tracks original tracks from the Believe EP.  “It’s All Come True” also appeared on Heaven’s Metal Collection: Volume 1 (1992).

Review: HERE

 

Year: 1988
Label: Enigma
Category: Full Length
Style: Heavy Metal

Track Listing: “Imaginary Music” (4:26), “Killers Of The Unborn” (3:28), “In The Eye Of The Fire” (4:27), “Terrorist Child” (3:30), “Close To The Edge” (4:55), “Dead Lock” (4:18), “Cultic Regimes” (2:48), “Heaven Or Nothing” (4:10), “King Of Kings” (3:30), “Living Dead” (6:50)

Musicians
Mike Lee – Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Ray Parris – Guitars
Jim LaVerde – Bass & Synthesizers
Steve Whitaker – Drums

Note: An alternate version of “Dead Lock” can be found on the California Metal compilation (1987) while “King Of King” appeared on Ultimate Metal 2 (1990).  Also, a video of “Imaginary Music” received rotation on MTV’s Headbangers Ball. Atomic Arena was later re-issued on Restless Records in 2004.

Review: HERE

 

Year: 1989
Label: Enigma
Category: Full Length
Style: Heavy Metal

Track Listing: “State of Control” (3:52),“Out of Time” (4:09), “Cryin' Over You” (4:53), “A Face In the Dark” (3:55), “The Stage of Intensity” (6:36), “Hard Lies” (4:18), “Inner War” (4:09), “Love at Full Volume” (2:28), “Bigotry Man (Who Are You) (4:42), “Two Thousand Year” (7:09), “Escape the Night” (3:54)  

Musicians
Mike Lee – Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Ray Parris – Guitars
Jim LaVerde – Bass & Synthesizers
Steve Whitaker – Drums

Note: The Enigma version of State Of Control features “Escape In The Night” as a bonus track.  The ballad “Your Love Gives” is the bonus track on the Benson version distributed to Christian stores.  State Of Control was also re-issued in 2004 on Restless Records.   

 

Year: 1990
Label: Medusa
Category: Live Album
Style: Heavy Metal

Track Listing: "Imaginary Music" (5:30), "Dying Day" (4:01), "Killers of the Unborn" (3:22), "Close to the Edge" (4:56), "Going Nowhere" (4:53), "Dead Lock" (4:11), "Opus to the Third Heaven" (4:21), "King of Kings" (6:45), "In the Eye of the Fire" (6:52), "Rock for the King" (5:25), "Light the Flame" (7:40), "Terrorist Child" (6:13), "King Jesus and Blues Jam" (4:24), "Give Your Life" (5:06)

Musicians
Mike Lee – Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Ray Parris – Guitars
Jim LaVerde – Bass
Steve Whitaker – Drums

Guest Musicians
Christine Whitaker - Keyboards

Note: Underappreciated live album recorded at end of Atomic Arena tour.

 

Year: 1990
Label: Medusa
Category: Full Length
Style: Heavy Metal

Track Listing: "Dying Day" (3:29), "He Loves You" (4:38), "It's All Come True" (4:02), "Believe" (2:17), "Going Nowhere" (3:47), "Killer of the Unborn" (Live) (3:57), "Rock for the King" (5:05), "Give Your Life" (2:54), "Just a Touch" (3:27), "Light the Flame" (5:25), "Dead Lock" (Live) (4:20), "Cultic Regimes" (Live) (2:47), "He Loves You" (Live) (4:14), "Living Dead" (Live) (7:11), "Heaven or Nothing" (Live) (4:59)

Musicians
Mike Lee – Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Ray Parris – Guitars
Jim LaVerde – Bass
Steve Whitaker - Drums

Note: Medusa re-issue of Rock For The King with new album artwork.  Re-mixed by Ronnie Montrose.  Includes six bonus live tracks of which four do not appear on Hotter Than Hell! Live.

 

Year: 1990
Label: Rugged
Category: Full Length
Style: Heavy Metal

Track Listing: "Rattle Your Cage" (4:19), "Here I Am" (3:29), "Unsuspecting" (3:57), "No Time to Run" (3:35), "Sick" (3:27), "Somewhere Far Away" (2:52), "Feed the Fire" (3:37), "Let It Go Let It Die" (4:49), "Time For Love" (3:10), "J.R.M." (3:52), "Your Will" (3:47), "Midnight Son" (5:19)

Musicians
Mike Lee – Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Ray Parris – Guitars
Jim LaVerde – Bass & Acoustic Guitar
Steve Whitaker - Drums

Note: “Here I Am”, “Time For Love” and “Midnight Son” also appeared on the Patriot/Rugged compilation Premium Cuts.