Messiah Prophet Band 1984 full length debut Rock The Flock might have been one of the first ‘white metal’ albums - alongside Stryper’s The Yellow And Black Attack and Saint’s Warriors Of The Son in this regard - but still falls short of the execution. Not to be unduly harsh, but in certain instances the first album from a band can be found wanting, and such is the case with Rock The Flock, which suffers from a few too many skip worthy tracks, lack of musical depth and production on the thin side.
The group traces to Pennsylvania and the late seventies when bassist Dean Pellman and vocalist Gil Tabor founded it as an acoustic trio. It was not until 1983 that Messiah Prophet Band solidified its lineup with the recruitment of vocalist Charlie Clark (supplanting the departed Tabor), guitarists Andy Strauss and Rob Clark and drummer Dave Daubert. Messiah Prophet Band proceeded to sign with fledgling Nashville, Tennessee label Morada Records in 1984, with Rock The Flock recorded spring of the same year.
Temptation is to label Messiah Prophet Band ‘eighties melodic metal and hard rock’, and while such designation does not miss the mark, there is somewhat more to the group musically. No doubt Messiah Prophet Band draws upon much of the ‘hair metal’ popular at the time, but you will also find aspects of traditional, power, blues based and progressive metal to its sound. With such musical variety, it would not be out of line to lump Messiah Prophet Band - soon to truncate its name to Messiah Prophet on 1986 sophomore release Master Of The Metal - in similar category as Barren Cross, Bloodgood and Bride.
Album opens to its anthem like title track. “Rock The Flock” delivers a halfway decent hook and solid riff, but similar to much of the material here, it reaches for greatness but settles for being average to good instead. Problem revolves around a cheese factor in the clichéd lyrics:
Jesus power is here to stay
Rock you into the light of day
Don’t stop… rock the flock
I understand Rock The Flock might be somewhat dated from being recorded over 40 years ago, but I also cannot help feel the group could have gotten its point across in a more meaningful and better thought out manner.
“Labor Of Love” is first of several cuts in which I skip. I find it middling with its restrained pop metal essence, lacking the applicable energy and guitar hooks to garner my return for repeat listen attention. That said, Charlie Clark proves himself a strong vocalist with an at times gritty middle register and others soaring classic tenor style. Lyric snippet:
I’ve been runnin’ around Lord, but I’ve been losing ground
I’ve been calling the shots
Lord, for way too long
I’ve been runnin’ in circles, I can’t stand to fight
I’ve been wounded by a broken heart
The pain is there, but I ain’t down yet
Labor of love, labor of love
“Try To Understand” is much better than the two preceding. It takes a full on metal bearing, hitting hard from the get go only to accelerate over its first thirty seconds as the groups full on vibrancy takes control. A melodic bass line proceeds to impel the subsequent terse verse sections and equally expressive refrain sustained by Daubert’s concentrated timekeeping. A full measure of execution reveals on this one.
Not so “Travel The Rough Road”, which is fittingly ‘rough’ around the edges found in its indecisive guitar mix - is the song pop metal, AOR, hard rock or something else? - and lack of focused hooks. Refrain continuously repeats songs title to the point of repetition. One good aspect is the skillfully done duel guitar leads of Strauss and Clark. Lyric snippet:
There is a peace in knowing that you are His
There is something there you can’t resist
He gives you power to understand
He gives you light and a helping hand
I can tell you, can tell, but I can you where to start
Then you’ll travel the road of the Lord
You’ve got to travel the rough road
High-energy metal cut “Why Must You Run” ups intensity levels. It opens to a minute of choice guitar harmonies ahead of Clark taking over with the emotional edge to his high-end voice - foreshadowing in process his standout performance on Master Of The Metal - and upping force exponentially. Pulsating refrain reeks of the dramatic. Overall, nice job.
A return to anthem metal with “To The Rock”. I am on the fence with this one. Whereas I find the opening audience track with chanted vocals over pounding drums overdone, the abundant horsepower when rhythm guitar kicks in compels at once. The ‘we’ll lead you to the Rock of Ages’ refrain is quite catchy, but manner in which it incessantly repeats (again) borders on the repetitive. Vocally, an emotional edge once more demonstrates. Lyric snippet:
I see you standing on the edge of darkness
Tell me have you been lonely for too long
Standing on the edge against the flames
Some will be saved, but it’s a dangerous game
I see four dark angels and one third’s through
With so many dying
Hey, were are you
A rider in white with a blazing sword
He’s the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
Rock The Flock reaches its high water mark on subsequent two cuts beginning with “Answer Our Call”. What we have is five and half minutes of decelerated bluesy metal fundamental to honed rhythm guitar (noting the slogging verse sections) and impassioned projections (referencing the auspicious refrain). This one is up there with the best from Master Of The Metal.
Likewise with “Riding Out The Storm”, a power metal style galloper with a Maiden-esque touch - imperious, lofty but masterful all the same - found in a surging refrain soaring with the groups gladsome vocal melodies and far-reaching low end elevating the surmounting feel. Yet, a progressive side reveals in the multiple duel lead guitar driven instrumental runs. Lyric snippet:
Remember this, the meek are blessed
So we don’t have to suffer like the rest
So don’t’ be down, you’ve got a friend
And don’t forget who’s winning in the end
The spirit speaks, He holds us back
Other times He tells us to attack
The power comes, as Father wills
Sometimes in waiting we become fulfilled
Album closes to its final cheese fest, “Sing”. Fundamentally, song is not bad with an upbeat worship metal feel - refrain exults with its continual ‘sing, sing to the Lord’ phrasing - but overstays its welcome at just over seven minutes. Problem revolves around the extended instrumental passage covering better part of the final five minutes- a bass solo gets things going ahead of several minutes of soloing ensued by a final verse and then a minute and half of open-air guitar.
Yes, I appreciate it when a band showcases its musicianship via lengthy instrumental runs, while many of my favorite guitarist (Grimmark, Belew and Impellitteri) are known for cutting loose with extended soloing stretches. That said, everything has its limits and five minutes of monotonous instrumental jamming can potentially lose a listeners interest, not to mention come across pretentious and more than a little bit overdone. Restructure “Sing” to a standard four minutes with a guitar solo of sensible length and we would be fine.
Messiah Prophet Band exhibits high levels of potential on Rock The Flock but ultimately falls short. Yes, the album is not without its share of choice material - “Why Must You Run”, “Answer Our Call” and “Riding Out The Storm” are fantastic - but suffers form a lack of consistency and musical maturity. Good news is that despite the group going through significant lineup changes, it went on to much better things musically on Master Of The Metal. As for Rock The Flock, if a ‘white metal’ devotee and insist on having everything as part of your collection, make it a priority purchase (it was reissued on CD in 1999). Otherwise, focus your attentions on tracking down Master Of The Metal.
Review by: Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: "Rock The Flock" (3:36), "Labor Of Love" (3:46), "Try To Understand" (4:44), "Travel The Rough Road" (4:08), "Why Must You Run" (5:34), "To The Rock" (3:55), "Answer Our Call" (5:21), "Riding Out The Storm" (4:50), "Sing" (7:09)
Musicians
Charlie Clark – Lead Vocals
Andy Strauss – Guitars
Rob Clark – Guitars
Dean Pellman – Bass
Dave Daubert - Drums
