Prodigal Sons – Texno Theology

Description

Texno Theology is the sophomore album by the American techno group Prodigal Sons, released on Mixing Factory in 1993, a short-lived division of Metro One, distributed by Spectra Distribution. The album was produced by Prodigal Sons and Scott Blackwell for N’ Soul Productions. Mixed by Scott Blackwell at N’ Soul Studios in Canoga Park, California.

Prodigal Songs are J.R. Barbee (M.C.), Chris White (D.J.), and Greg Hobgood (keyboards).

While a few CCM albums in the past had featured techno songs, Texno Theology is considered Christian dance music’s first full length techno release. (The techno music on the album was so hard that a few magazines actually called it industrial when they reviewed it.)

A truly techno album from a band who have somehow missed out on Nelson Word’s discovery of American rave acts. It’s fast and furious stuff, unflinching in witness and uncompromising in style. The band (Greg, Chris and, believe it or not, JR) have been together for eight years and have long existed in the rave scene to the point where they’ve supported top act 808 State. They’ve made an album that rarely slips below 150 BPM and which manages to rash gritty rhythm tracks into harsh keyboard sounds and still leave room for some loud vocal samples to inject Christian truths. «Hunger» and «Psalm 150» pack particularly heavy punches and more than compensate for the theologically questionable «Satan Is Dead» (he’s doomed, chaps, but not yet dead). The quality of production is provided by the happily ubiquitous Scott Blackwell and the equally impressive Bernard Wright. Satan may not be dead, but he must hate hearing the gospel proclaimed quite this loudly. [Karl Allison, Cross Rhythms, October 1993]

[Bruce A. Brown, CCM Magazine, August 1993]

CD tracklist:

01. Power Of God
02. Hunger
03. Hallal
04. Satan Is Dead
05. ?
06. Armageddon
07. Allocate
08. Psalm 150 (BPM)
09. Madolyn vs. The Sons
10. Believe
11. How Crazy

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Mixing Factory.

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[youtube_sc url=”vSW9sdkJfk4″ title=”Prodigal Sons: Ravival” autohide=”1″ rel=”0″]Prodigal Sons were the first of it’s kind in the Christian EDM movement. Started in 1991, Greg and J.R. did not understand the doors that God was about to open up for them. Chris White became to DJ for the band in early 1992 and began doing shows at The PowerHouse, Cornerstone Festival, and Opening up for 808 State. This video is the story of The Prodigal Sons. Directed and produced by Academy Award Winner Brandon Oldenburg.