America Gomorrah - Exchanging Truth For A Lie

Year of Release: 2000
Label: Righteous Sinner Records
Catalog Number: 00582
Format: CD
Total Time: 57:21:00

I might not be best person to be reviewing this album, mainly because I don't share the band's religious views. I do agree with them that some of our values are being corrupted and the things that we should be valuing are being set aside for our more esoteric needs. I too think that a fundamental shift in priorities is needed if we are to survive, I just don't agree that a stronger belief in God is the answer?far too many disputes are based upon differences in religious ideology. While I won't use this review as a platform for an essay on the state of mankind, all this is far from being off topic, this is the underlying theme of the whole album, hence the title Exchanging Truth For A Lie.

The lyrics are heavily influenced by passages in the Bible, and the exact references (book, chapter and verse) are included on each page, some including more than one reference. And that's about as much as I'll say about them. I'm not necessarily against religious themes in music, though there are some artists that do so with much more?subtlety?U2 for example. But then, it also depends on your target audience. As I suspect America Gomorrah identify themselves as Christian Progressive Rock, it stands to reason their intended audience is predominantly Christian - they do name check in the liner notes (among others, including Jesus) the Christian Prog Rock List, which lends credence to my theory.

At any rate, subject matter aside, I can say that these are three very talented musicians and I really enjoyed listening to this album. There are some really pleasant vocal melodies and vocalist/guitarist Gene Crout has a very listenable voice. I know you're expecting a "but" here and there isn't really one. This is a really great sounding disk, and aside from one quibble, the production on it is great.

America Gomorrah's sound is closer to metal than to progressive rock, though there really isn't that "metal crunch" here. The basswork of Bob Waldman on the title tune made me think of Mötley Crüe's "Dr. Feelgood" (sing the chorus and you've got it nailed), yet on "Prelude" and "This Present Plague" it's quite funky. Though Crout doesn't sound a lick like either John West or D C Cooper, the band will appeal to fans of Royal Hunt. The keyboard flourishes on "Truth For A Lie" seem a little out of place, in that they are situated strangely in the mix?in the back, almost as an after thought (my one "quibble"). No, the main instrument here, after Crout's vocals, is guitar, which, like the keys, is also Crout (production, too). Rounding out the trio is drummer Carl Busser, who keeps his kit quite busy. This band can rawk! If the music on Exchanging weren't so infectious?well, I probably wouldn't have much to say about it, at least not without it becoming speechifying versus a review.

There are more than a few tracks that I liked on this disk, but to give you an idea of what you'll find here, here's a sampling. "More Than A Carpenter," where they sound a bit like Big Country has on their past few releases?well, Big Country with a slightly harder guitar edge. "Yamiso," is another, one that has a very classic 80's arena-rock sound, Whitesnake comes to mind?or Def Leppard?oh, others that I can't quite name which would be more helpful. "Good And Faithful Servant," an epic 70's-sound country-rock-like tune, one that could be played along side .38 Special, the Doobie Brothers (most likely being "Jesus Is Just Alright" though its sound is closer to "South City Midnight Lady"), and other southern rock bands. And the rockin' instrumental "Seven Trumpets."

The instrumental trio of "Prelude" and "This Present Plague" and "Through The Glass Darkly" are the most proggy that AG get, the sound of the first two pieces edging closer to prog metal a la Dream Theater and Queensryche and is the most "proggy" of the album's 10 tracks...this leads into the the albums 12 minute closer "Through A Glass Darkly." Crout's guitar shimmers here with a understated intro...I thought a little bit of David Gilmour - tight, crisp, high notes. The middle section shifts gears, becoming a little more muscular...I like the vocal melodies here as well.

Tracklisting:
Truth For A Lie (4:39) / Seven Trumpets (6:04) / More Than A Carpenter (5:09) / Yamiso (5:32) / Good And Faithfull Servant (6:49) / Revelation 101 (5:00) / Better Man (7:13) / Prelude (1:06) / This Present Plague (4:17) / Through A Glass Darkly (12:53)

Musicians:
Gene Crout - guitars, vocals, and programming
Carl Busser - drums
Bob Waldman - basses

Discography:
Exchanging Truth For A Lie (2000)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: August 1st 2000
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.americagomorrah.com
Hits: 5007
Language: english