Sanctuary Praise

Description

The self-titled debut album by the American contemporary praise & worship combo Sanctuary Praise (Sanctuary – The Rock and Roll Refuge) was released on Intense Records in 1991, a division of Frontline Music Group, distributed by FMG Distribution. The album was recorded by Doug Beiden and Wally Grant at the Mixing Lab in Garden Grove, California; with Jim LaVerde producing and arranging. Mixed by Wally Grant and Jim LaVerde.

Featuring lead vocals by Dave Chumchal of Battlecry fame, Robin Kyle Basauri of Die Happy and Red Sea fame, Donna Rood, and Russell Painter with background vocals provided by Jenny Koehler, Cherie Mancaruso, Donna Rood, Mike Fry, Steven Meigs, Rod Van Beek, and Bob Beeman. The backing band features Dave Chumchal on keyboards, Bob Beeman on piano (track 4), Jim LaVerde of Barren Cross fame and Rod Van Beek of Jordan fame on acoustic guitar, Joshua Perahia of Joshua fame on electric guitar, Steven Meigs of scaterd-few fame on bass, and Glen Mancoruso and Doug Matthews (track 10) on drums

Sanctuary Praise was a project which emerged out of the American Christian Metal scene as it transitioned from the late 80s to the early 90s. Many rock and metal fans that became Christians through the ministry of Christian metal bands were rejected from churches in the 1980s. In 1984, California pastor Bob Beeman saw this problem and soon started the ministry called Sanctuary – The Rock and Roll Refuge. This fellowship brought many musicians together and formed groups such as Tourniquet, Deliverance, Vengeance Rising, Die Happy, and Mortal that would soon become ground breaking acts in Christian music culture. Sanctuary’s first worship leader was Stryper‘s vocalist Michael Sweet and later Barren Cross‘ bass player Jim LaVerde. Under LaVerde and Beeman’s leadership, two albums were recorded in 1991 and 1992.

Good, rootsy, atmospheric rock-orientated praise though I was expecting something more. We Brits, having long been intrigued by the near-legendary status of California’s Sanctuary Fellowship, “the heavy metal church” featured extensively in that Stryper TV documentary, might be forgiven for expecting heavy metal praise. In fact the music here, though with a powerful rock music tinge is no more heavy metal than the music on some of Kingsway’s “Worshipping Churches” series and the expectation that there was going to be doom metal and thrash sounds as God was praised and the demons rebuked were soon dashed. Several of the songs were written by the album’s leader Jim Laverde while Donna Road is the most distinctive of the lead singers. To my ears, the best worship song here is the Mylon LeFevre oldie «Behold The Lamb». [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, February 1992]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/sanctuary-praise/389711047)

CD tracklist:

01. Hold On (vocals by Dave Chumchal and Robin Kyle Basauri)
02. The Blood of Jesus (vocals by Donna Rood)
03. Your Presence (vocals by Donna Rood)
04. Behold The Lamb (vocals by Robin Kyle Basauri)
05. Exalt Him
06. Lift Him Up (vocals by Russell Painter)
07. Light Of The World (vocals by Dave Chumchal)
08. Celebrate New Life
09. Psalm 40
10. You Alone
11. Jude Doxology
12. Hold Me Lord
13. I Bow Down