Between Heaven ‘n Hell

Description

Between Heaven ‘n Hell is the seventh studio album by the American hard rock outfit Resurrection Band (though at this point the band had shortened their name to REZ), released on Sparrow Records in 1985. Also distribution by Capitol Records. The album was recorded by Roger Heiss assisted by Larry Bishop and Roy Montroy at the band’s own Tone Zone Studios in Chicago, Illinois; June – July 1985, with Dawn Herrin, Tom Cameron, and the band producing.

The first single, “Love Comes Down,” was shopped to mainstream rock stations, and the band’s most sophisticated music video was filmed for that song, which achieved regular rotation on MTV for a brief period of time. All royalties for the album track “Walk On” were donated to Compassion International. By 1985, the issue of apartheid in South Africa had come to national prominence in pop music with the release of Artists United Against Apartheid’s “Sun City”, and although REZ had already addressed the subject several years prior on 1979’s Rainbow’s End, the new track “Zuid Afrikan” reminded listeners that the issue was still of importance to the band.

Back from the new wave backwaters of the previous album, Rez returns with an album that rocks hard. The single from the album, «Love Comes Down», blows away pretty much everything the band had been putting forth for several years. Other songs – «I Think You Know», «The Main Event» – demonstrate their return. The hauntingly beautiful «Shadows», which narrates the aftermath of a teenage boy’s suicide, is another high point of the record and a concert fave during the years that followed. It was relief to hear them back again. This release is the beginning of the band’s return to its roots – which progressed through the next several albums. [Mark Allender, AMG]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/between-heaven-n-hell/715607418)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “The Main Event” – 3:03
A2. “Love Comes Down” – 3:08
A3. “Zuid Afrikan” – 5:20
A4. “Walk On” – 3:42
A5. “Talk To Me” – 4:25

Side Two
B1. “I Think You Know” – 3:13
B2. “Shadows” – 5:00
B3. “Save Me From Myself” – 3:30
B4. “Nervous World” – 4:22
B5. “2,000” – 4:56

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Sparrow Records. The album track “Love Comes Down” was released as a 12-inch vinyl single. Later re-issued on CD by Sparrow Records. Remastered by Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound and re-issued on both CD (including a multi-page CD booklet with lyrics and liner notes) and vinyl in 2022 by Girder Music.

Between Heaven ‘n Hell, Remastered and pressed on Random Color Vinyl, Girder Music 2022

The April 1986 issue of CCM Magazine featured a cover story on REZ Band.

A full-page advertisement for Compassion International, supported by REZ Band, was featured in the May 1986 issue of CCM Magazine. All royalties for “Walk On”, a track included on the REZ album Between Heaven ‘N Hell, goes to Compassion International.

“Love Comes Down” by REZ band is among the new videos on MTV as of February 12, 1986, according to the MTV Programming list featured in Billboard Magazine, February 22, 1986.