Blaze

Description

Blaze is the fifth album by the American synth-pop band Code of Ethics, released on Word Entertainment in 1999. The album was recorded at 4-4-1 Studios in Nashville, Tennessee; and was produced by Sal Salvador for Fresh Produce with Michael Linney co-producing tracks 4 and 9. Mixed by Sal Salvador and Tim Mays at aMAYSing Music in Nashville.

Code of Ethics’ Barry Blaze and his rotating band of sidemen have been practitioners of a chameleon-like style change since the early 90s, albeit without the dexterity – or success of, say, dc Talk. Over the years Blaze has programmed his synths and sequencers in homage to Human League (1991’s Visual Paradox), Duran Duran (1993’s Code of Ethics), Depeche Mode (1995’s Arms Around the World) and Garbage (1996’s Soulbait).

With Blaze, however, the sound shifts into the Euro-pop/techno arena, and it’s not quite as easy to call this a direct tribute to a single artist or group. This time around Blaze and company are focused less on style and more on substance. You see, Blaze is a worship record.

Here’s where all the nay-sayers moan. Yes, contemporary worship records are the in thing now. And yes, some are done well (Delirious), and some are not. With Blaze, Code of Ethics’ intent seems to be to introduce new worship music for the growing masses of Christians more comfortable listening to a drum machine than a pipe organ. And the potential for success is better than one might think.

Produced by West Coast hipster Sal Salvador, some of the songs on Blaze wouldn’t be out of place at a forward-thinking denomination’s Saturday night service. The cover of Terry Butler’s Vineyard chorus «Psalm 19» and «Move Me» – a song Blaze wrote with Salvador, former Petra guitarist Dave Lichens and All Star United leader Ian Eskelin – are both a little on the mild side. «Pure and Holy», in spite of considerable electronic bluster, is also pretty tame.

Which brings up the fact that synth programming isn’t the only ingredient in credible techno songwriting. A lot relies on the phrasing of the melody and the intensity of the delivery of the lyric. For instance, «My Everything» combines all of these elements in a declaration of the all-sufficiency of Jesus.

Also notable are «Father» and «Exalted» with their crowd-friendly choruses and only slightly distracting rap breaks in the middle of each. And the real-world sentiment offered in «Still You Love» will likely resonate with a younger crowd that doesn’t easily relate to some of the more ethereal lyrics of parents’ worship music. [Derek Wesley Selby, CCM, April 1999]

> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/blaze/1165947431)

CD tracklist:

01. Hallelujah 2000
02. Father
03. Exalted
04. Psalm 19
05. Move Me
06. Better
07. I Love You, Lord / Here Is My Heart (Medley)
08. Still You Love
09. Pure And Holy
10. My Everything

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Word Entertainment.

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