Description
Warrior is the sole album by the American art rock band ArkAngel, originally independently released on Joyeuse Garde Recordings in 1980. Re-issued by StarSong Records later the same year, distributed by Word. Also released in the UK by Kingsway Music in 1981. The album was recorded by Paul Mills and Jimmy Hotz at Rivendell Sound Recorders in Pasadena, Texas; with band member Kemper Crabb, David Marshall, and Hotz co-producing. The title track would later be covered by Caedmon’s Call on their first worship album, entitled In the Company of Angels: A Call to Worship .
There was never a follow up to this ArkAngel album though founding member Kemper Crabb has released several solo albums, as well as an album under the moniker RadioHalo. Later on Kemper joined hard rock outfit Atomic Opera and performed on their fourth album, entitled Gospel Cola.
ArkAngel founder Kemper Crabb and his wife Bekah both can be heard in the folksy ‘A Mighty Wind’ styled outfit Redemption. The poorly dressed band released one private pressed LP and appeared on two totally obscure compilations (one being ‘Hill Country Faith Festival 74‘ featuring a pre-ArkAngel version of «To A Sleeping Infidel» with spacey flute and heavy electric guitar; the other being ‘Gospel Ship 2‘), but nothing on these platters hinted at the middle-earth magic to come. The ArkAngel album was produced by fellow Texan Jimmy Hotz whose 1980 album ‘Beyond the Crystal Sea‘ is a Christian prog monster in its own right.
Warrior, housed in a gorgeous sleeve, incorporates an arsenal of medieval instrumentation but this is not a traditional album by any means. The sound is spacey and otherworldly and with stunning vocal counterpoint between Kemper and Bekah, the record is never overbearing musically or lyrically. It’s a velvet and gold beauty from start to joyous finish and from the light-touch folk passages of «Dwelling Place» and the languid Renaissance styled «Realization» to the darker and far too short instrumental «The Nephilim Disembodied» as well as the Hawkwind-ish «Ark»; the band’s emotional range and adventurousness is breathtaking.
This album is the first for Arkangel and Joyous Garde Recordings, but it’s an example of how hard work and talent can pay off. Musically, the LP is excellent, innovative and varied. Arkangel has mixed electric rock and traditional forms of early western music (including Celtic sounds) into an unusual soft rock blend which they call “apocalyptic rock”. Lyrically, the songs are good although the album’s theme (demonstrated graphically on the cover) tends toward fantasy, confusing medieval with renaissance history, and fiction with fact. An electric arrangement of «Caedmon’s Hymn» in 8th-11th century Anglo-Saxon (Old English) contrasts significantly with the pseudo-language decorating the liner notes. Recommended for J.R.R. Tolkien freaks and medieval history buffs. (Best cut: «Warrior») [CCM, September 1980]
Spectacular art rock from Houston, Texas band featuring Kemper and Bekah Crabb. Last we had heard from them they were known as ‘Redemption’ having recorded some fine folk-rock music (which appeared on Hill Country Faith Festival 74, Gospel Ship 2, and their ultra-rare custom LP Look Up). By 1980, though their artistic vision had grown a hundred-fold with this album of what they termed ‘apocalyptic rock’. The striking cover art as well as the music is full of imagery of Tolkien, wizards, dragons, castles and winged ships. An incredible variety of instruments were employed including numerous synthesizers and guitars, dulcimer, psaltery, bagpipes, recorder and many others (37 in all!), all described on the elaborate fold-out insert that’s bordered with runic letters. Titles like «March Of The Ents», «Elohim Considers Antedeluvia» (which is Bach’s «Toccata & Frugue in D Minor» played on electric guitar!), «The Nephilim Disembodied», and «Beastis Ex Machina» are anything but trite. Heavy at times («Morning’s Anthem») but mostly moody and melodic, often with a renaissance or medieval quality to it (such as «Praises In The Old Tongue» where Bekah sings «Caedmon’s Hymn» in old Anglo-Saxon backed by recorder and lute). Album sides are subtitled “Wind Face” and “Fire Face”. Produced by Jimmy Hotz who has his own equally killer prog album Beyond The Crystal Sea. Creativity par excellence. Small-press CD re-issue around 1992, then again by Millennium 8 in 2000 with live versions of «Realization» and «Warrior» as bonus tracks. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th Edition]
This 1980 release, originally on StarSong, was on my list of vinyl albums that I longed to see make it onto CD and it still sounds fresh 20 years after its original release. Mixing folk, Celtic and rock styles before Iona made it trendy, the band, led by the talented Kemper Crabb, described themselves as “the spirit of apocalyptic rock” and there is something epic captured in these songs. The title track has always been one of my all time favourite songs with its psalm-like lyrics and powerful music – hey, even the bagpipes sound cool. Got to say a decade before lona started doing it, ArkAngel were creating huge sounds and pieces of music written in different sections with instrumental passages conveying the power of the lyrical ideas. Thus a track with the dubious title «Elohim Considers Antedeluvia» turns out to be a bit of an epic. At the other end of the musical scale, there are rootsy Celtic arrangements, the highlight being the Gaelic prayer «Praises In The Old Tongue». The mellow «Dwelling Place» has also been a song which has inspired me over the years with its call to intimacy with God. There are some amazing musical moments captured here, like the haunting violin, which forms the intro of the brilliant «Morning Anthem» and the simple arrangements and pure vocals of «Greater Love» which captures the pain of the fall of Adam and Eve and the eternal consequences for mankind. Basically, this is a classic Christian music album, musically adventurous and lyrically moving. If you’re into prog music or you’re an lona fan you should consider checking it out or if you simply want something a little different. Full marks to M8 for the re-release! They don’t make ’em like this anymore, more’s the pity! [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, December 2000]
LP tracklist:
Side One – Wind Face
A1. I. “Pange Lingua Certaminis” – 0:41
A2. II./III. “Warrior / March Of The Ents” – 4:15
A3. “Dwelling Place” – 4:29
A4. “Paradox (Disciples Song)” – 3:23
A5. “Realization” – 1:19
A6. “Greater Love” – 3:18
A7. “Praises In The Old Toungue (Caedmon’s Hymn)” – 1:19
Side Two – Fire Face
B1. “Ex Nihilo” – 1:57
B2. “Morning’s Anthem” – 5:50
B3. I. “Elohim Considers Antedeluvia” – 1:42
B4. II. “The Nephilim Disembodied” – 0:41
B5. III. “Ark” – 4:28
B6. I. “Bestia Ex Machina” – 0:41
B7. II. “To A Sleeping Infidel” – 3:20
B8. “Morning’s Anthem Reprise” – 0:24
Note: Simultaneously released on 8-track tape, cassette, and 12-inch vinyl LP. Originally released on the Joyeuse Garde Recordings imprint in 1980, manufactured by StarSong Records. Re-issued on CD by Joyeuse Garde Recordings in 1992, and as well by M8 Distribution in 2000 featuring live versions of “Realization” and “Warrior” as bonus tracks (Limited Edition pressing of 1000 copies).
A full-page advertisement for the ArkAngel album Warrior was featured in the September 1980 issue of CCM Magazine.
CREDITS. Co-produced by Kemper Crabb, David Marshall, and Jimmy Hotz. Recorded by Jimmy Hotz and Paul Mills at Rivendell Sound Recorders. Design: Front Artwork by George Werth. Back and Insert Artwork by Mundina Halbert. Calligraphy by Dianne Reding
Musicians: Kemper Crabb (Lead Vocals, Classic Guitar, High Strung Guitar, Full Frontal Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Lute, Autoharp, Dulcimer, Recorder, Drums, Tambourine, Finger Cymbals, Kalimba, Bell Tree, Tubular Bells, Board Slaps, Psaltery, Accordion, Fender Rhodes Electric Piano), Bekah Crabb (Vocals, Autoharp), Richard Conine (Synthesizers, Organ, Saxophone, Flute), David Marshall (Rickenbacker Bass, Electric Rhythm Guitar, Full Frontal Guitar, Vocals), Randy Sanchez (Drums & Mall Toms). Additional musicians: Andy Whiete (Bagpipes), Brian Tankersley (Bass), Steve Young (Violin, Synthesizer).
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