With upgrades in key areas of songwriting, production and musicianship, August of 2025 Girder Records fifth Ordained album Thunder Roar is an improvement over its predecessors. Getting its start under the Swingle & Thompson Ordained moniker for its first four albums, referencing founding members and rhythm guitarist Randy Swingle and vocalist Dale Thompson (Bride), group failed to do anything for me in its initial incarnation. Debut album The Thunder That Rocks The World from 2020, for instance ‘features a few too many skip buttons for my taste’ (quoting the 70% Angelic Warlord review), while on 2021 follow up effort Firestorm the group did not ‘(make) the musical improvements most make between their first and second albums’ (60% review). I do not think much higher of 2023 third album When 2 Worlds Collide (65% review), describing it as ‘underwhelming due to repetitious and analogous songwriting, undefined hooks and melodies and bloated track listing’. At that point, I gave up on Swingle & Ordained and passed on 2024 fourth release Wonderous Miraculous.
If practice makes perfect, such is the case with Ordained! Thunder Roar finds the group refining its songwriting with meticulous focus on not just stronger hooks and melodies, but also variance in that added aspects of musical diversity yields the more accessible listen. Whereas Ordained always features sound production, Thunder Roar elevates refinement allowing fine details such as concentrated low end and distinctive rhythm guitar to further standout. Coming into his own is lead guitar Erik Nelson who provides some of his finest soloing to date, while additional value realizes in talented guest lead guitarists Troy Thompson (Bride) and Tiago James De Souza (Perpetual Paranoia). Rounding out the Thunder Roar roster is a guest appearance from vocalist John Schlitt (Petra)!
I always identified with Ordained as straightforward metal and hard rock influenced by the eighties, with opener “When The Thunder Roars!” following suite. It mirrors the group’s newfound deft songwriting touch, charging out of the gate with rhythm guitar front and center in heightening the prevailing intensity as Dale Thompson imparts his passionate mid-ranged vocal style. The soulful vocal melodies adorning the refrain allow a softer touch. Lyric snippet:
It’s not too late to change your course
We all have a mission to perform
Now don’t you weep & mourn
They will come against you like a swarm
We are washed in the Blood that is poured
We will push back the devils’ horde
We’re gonna rock when the thunder roars!
Are you gonna roar with me?
“Total Fire” imparts high-strung AC/DC style verve. Song begins slowly ahead of launching at full throttle, empowered with its venturesome riffing and able-bodies rhythms but also firsthand in terms of the indelible at moments notice hooks. De Souza puts on a clinic with his molten lead guitar, while multi instrumentalist Nelson proves equally proficient with his bass and timekeeping abilities.
“You Are All I Need” carries over the excitable affections but in a more mirthful package. Rhythm guitar resonates a punk like feel (in a flattering sense), while the bounding feel almost mirrors a pop basis, noting the non-stop liveliness to the refrain. Lyric snippet:
So she starts to pray every night & day
For the answers that she seeks
When words won’t speak
Now she will never be the same!
She’s got Jesus in her heart. He reigns!
My love will carry you through
My love will never leave you!
“Thundering Heavens” takes a stripped down and bare bones hard rock approach. It fades in to searing feedback prior to plowing forward to catchy guitar riffs, emulating full on intent as Dale sings with guts and power, and hooks compel with no-nonsense authority. I appreciate how a good measure of guitar playing is rooted in the blues based not unlike Bride.
Asserting the energy is “High Voltage Current”. Crashing thunder propels the opening seconds ahead of an uneasy if not apprehensive allure funneling the song its span, the disquiet form endorsed from the unnerved manner in which refrain repeats and the gang shouted ‘break the chains’ vocals closing the final seconds. Troy Thompson’s bluesy lead guitar perfectly complements. Lyric snippet:
Shake it up. Get your head up
Thunder struck. Holy Ghost abrupt
Sin corrupts. His Blood cleanses all our sin
Breaking the power of death
Destroying the strongholds of darkness
Break the chains
High voltage current, blowing up the circuits
The enemies deterrent, high voltage current
“Shout It!” represents three and half minutes of acoustic laced brilliance. A borderline mesmerizing allure manifests as song races to bounding guitar, the classy boogie tinged grooving firmament emanating irrefutable hooks that speak of Guardian. Schlitt’s provides a fitting smooth vocal touch accenting a classic tenor form. “Shout It!” might not rate with albums heaviest but is one of its most compelling and creative.
Also outside the box is “Time Is Running Out” with its laid back and reserved groove giving rise to a melodic blues foundation akin to Great White. Guitar is more ‘rock’ as opposed to hard rock - by no means a detraction - in yielding overriding hooks of an immediate nature. The ‘aah, aah, aah’ backing vocals not to mention piano and Hammond B3 speak of a commercial facet not always found in the Ordained songwriting. Lyric snippet:
If you’re washed by the Blood, you have no fear
The day of favor is at hand, eternity is set
Eternity is set in the heart of man
Salvation is here, have no fear, be wise
Time is running out sooner than you think
A time to be born, a time to die & in between we live
The last days! Time is running out!
The time w ill come & is here
“Deep Rivers Of The Heart” also mirrors a commercial side to Ordained. Song impresses with a pop basis revealed in constant hooks - I challenge you to keep the indelible refrain out of your head - and eighties shred formula, Nelson is in top form accordingly. Lower register vocals top off a cut I find nothing less than fun in which to listen.
Back to heavier territory with “Risen From The Dead”, a mid-tempo buffeter with equal parts bluesy, the Bride comparison again rises to the surface, and anthem like, the jolting Bloodgood inspired ‘risen from the dead… by the power of God’ refrain is one for the ages. Troy’s jaw dropping guitar leads top things off. Lyric snippet:
In a borrowed tomb, in the heart of the earth
A seed was planted that gave new birth
It grew, the lines seem blurred
It matured to save all the world
Risen from the dead by the power of God
Jesus woke up, rise from the dead!
Risen from the dead
“Wickedness Destroyed” impresses as two songs glued back to back. The first somberly covers the opening forty seconds in darkly tinctured Gothic fashion in which vocals take a bleak Alice Cooper tinctured approach. Second makes an about face to an upbeat boogie flavored hard rock direction, as non-stop rollicking timekeeping and refuse to go away hooks hold sway. Again, another example of the newfound Ordained songwriting approach.
Only two tracks touch upon the repetitive songwriting of past efforts in “Flaming Fires ‘N’ Shooting Starz” and “Tornado Of Fire” each of which I skip. Not to be harsh, but the two impress as outtakes to the first several albums and probably should not have made the final cut.
Credit Ordained for the significant steps and strides made on fifth album Thunder Roar. Songwriting elevates to the next level in giving prominence to more memorable hooks and melodies but also variances in that gone is much of the predictability characterizing the group’s earlier material. You can tell Ordained had a great deal of fun putting together “Shout It!”, “Time Is Running Out”, “Deep Rivers Of The Heart” and “Total Fire”, which in my opinion rate with albums top tracks. Guitarists Troy Thompson and Tiago James De Souza and vocalist John Schlitt provide further value. Yes, I skip a couple songs but when factoring quality to the remaining ten, the future looks exceedingly bright for Ordained. If turned off by the groups previous efforts give Thunder Roar the chance is deserves- you will not be disappointed.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “When The Thunder Roars!” (4:54), “Total Fire” (4:13), “You Are All I Need” (3:45), “Flaming Fires ‘N’ Shooting Starz” (3:10), “Thundering Heavens” (4:32), “High Voltage Current” (4:12), “Time Is Running Out” (5:02), “Deep Rivers Of The Heart” (3:43), “Risen From The Dead” (3:46), “Tornado Of Fire” (3:32), “Wickedness Destroyed” (3:43)
Musicians
Dale Thompson - Lead Vocals
Randy Swingle - Rhythm Guitar
Erik Nelson - Lead Guitar, Bass & Drums
Guest Musicians
John Schlitt - Lead Vocals
Troy Thompson - Lead & Rhythm Guitar
Tiago James De Souza - Lead Guitar
Graham Carruthers - Keyboards, Organ & Piano
