I get a LOT of band and album recommendations and whatnot from my pal Martyn 'Doomlord' Paterson - one of my oldest friends and DEFINITELY the most METAL person I have ever met - and I have one here that I want to share with you, because I think many of you will dig it.
Xinr were a metal band from Portland, Oregon that formed in early 1983 and managed to record one full-length album before their career was cut tragically short. On November 30th 1984, vocalist Tony Saiz and guitarist Shaun Tramel were killed in a motorcycle accident, effectively ending the band. The remaining band members went on to other bands - notably Cruella - but the album was not released until late 2008.
They played a lot of basement shows before playing out live and apparently managed to gather a substantial local following, despite never having released anything during their lifetime.
In many ways, Xinr would have been just another one of those hundreds of bands that slipped through the cracks if Stormspell Records hadn't made a CD of their recordings, entitled 'Beyond Woodward', available, and I'm guessing that even then they remain pretty darned obscure. Hell, if it wasn't for Mart's mania for obscure metal, I sure as shit wouldn't have heard of 'em THAT'S for damn sure!
Now, you may have noticed from reading my last post and the attendant comments that I have no love for cheesy Heavy Metal - no spandex, feet on monitors and 'here-come-the-horses-over-the-hill' gallops for ME - and I guess, to a certain extent, Xinr fir into that category...
BUT...
...there is something idefinably askew about their tunes. I can't put my finger on it, but they just seem to be slightly left-of-centre to me, and THAT is something I cannot resist. They have definite touches of Weird, Prog AND Fancy Metal in their twisty, turny tunes.
NOW, the potential cheese factor isn't the biggest obstacle that needs to be hurdled with regard to Xinr, oh no. The thing is that they are also *deep breath* christians. Hell, the name Xinr means Ex-Sinner, and the oddball lyrics ain't exactly shy about damning the devil and talking about the awesomeosity of that Jesus guy.
Now, I don't know about YOU, but I personally consider christian 'rock' and 'metal' to be both an oxymoron AND an abomination. I will have no truck with it ordinarily... but with Xinr, there is something so quirky and individualistic about the music and vocals, even I am willing to overlook the fact that they are a bunch of Gawd lovin' pussies.
I find their non-lack of faith disturbing, but, hey, judge for yourself here if you can live with their Jebus diggin' ways.
I'm off to listen to Teitanblood and Profanatica to try and get the christ-stink offa me.
Hail Satan.
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10 comments:
rad man, thanks for this. always down to check out an obscure stormspell release. the only label wise enough to sign Dark Black.
Dark Black fuckin' RULE. I think you'll dig Xinr, they're kinda...unique. Not too shabby for the God Squad.
A respectable entry indeed, although my favorite Christian metal album will always be BARREN CROSS Rock for The King.
"Better than pot/
Try Jesus!/
Smoke on His love."
@Shelby that Barren Cross would have to be THE best album cover EVER. Of ANY band. if only Black Sabbath would have gone down that path for Technical Ecstasy instead of that rubbishy Hipgnosis "robot fuck" sleeve job, i'm sure the world would have turned out to be a much better place... damn it...
I think that the only possible word I could use to describe that Barren Cross cover is...MAJESTIC.
About five minutes after I posted this, i got sent a copy of a demo from 1986 by an Ohio christian metal band called Tempest that is just...weeeeird. Crazy-ass bass and odd lyrics. I have some strange friends.
Here's the 1986 demo by Ohio band Tempest - more weird-ass Khristian metal. CRAZY bass stuff on this 'un.
My head's nodding & my fist's in the air. I've wanted to hear more of this band after listening to their track on the 'Pacific Metal Project' copulation. Thanks to you, THEE DOOMLORD & Stormspell!
Just to clarify some historical facts on XINR:
They were not a "Christian Band" although I understand where that comes from. Tony Saiz was Catholic and he named the band. But even then, his religiousness was more of an experiment with the concept of the band and not a "metal for Jesus" venture. I was around the band from the beginning, having met Shaun and Tony long before XINR formed, in 1980. I was Shaun's girlfriend for three years during the formation of the band, 1980-1983. We never once went to church or even spoke about religion. But Tony was indeed spiritual and did have strong feelings about God. Around 1982 he began to become more so....which was cool. He was a super, fantastic guy with an infectious personality and a smile that was mega-watt :) Tony's smile. It was amazing.
Just want to clarify those few points...and since I wrote lyrics to a few of their songs I can assure you religion was not my motivation, and from what I remember it wasn't anyone else's.
-Catherine
P.S.
I wrote the lyrics to:
Don't Tell Me No Lies
Ghostly Galleon
Hills Have Eyes
(I still have the original chapbook I wrote them in as well as my diaries I kept as a teenager from those days)
-Catherine
Im the bassist for XINR and we were NOT a christian band!A little spiritual maybe, We partied like the rest but took our music seriously.The recording dont do us justice. WE tore it live
kenny stocks
fourdaycreep@live.com
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