Disgruntled

Released in 1996 on Alarma Records, this is the band's debut album.
Early on the band signed to R.E.X. Records and laid down some material for an album. However, the label went defunct before releasing any EDL material. After finally being released from that contract, they signed with Alarma Records and produced their debut album, Disgruntled. For the band, the delays were intolerable. Frontman Cookerly reported that "when I got into the studio, I got upset and angry and yelled my way through it ... My goal was to write the most upset record the Christian market had ever seen, to completely alienate everybody." Production was managed by Lanny Cordola. In addition to sporting an American Flag with the band's name cut out, the cover image of Disgruntled shows a scene from the Reginald Denny incident, part of the Los Angeles riots of 1992. The flag was intended to represent the broken ideal of American life, and the photo to be a graphic portrayal of the extremes of life and society.
One British reviewer found that the album's blend of musical styles "Can seriously affect your blinkered ideas on what Christian music should sound like," and packs "more punches than Lennox Lewis."
From the start their lyrics were controversial. Their debut album contained a cover of the Gil Scott Heron song "Whitey on the Moon" (with guests Gospel Gangstaz) that used the word "nigga". Lyrically, the artist described most of their debut as being "super-personal." On one song, the lyricist dealt with his own childhood. His mother, addicted to prescription drugs and alcohol, and depressed, had told him several times to commit suicide.
"When you grow up in a community like Long Beach that has such a wealth of culture, and you mix that with drive by shootings that happen within a few blocks of your house, It opens up a whole range of things to talk about." ~Tedd Cookerly

Lineup

Tedd Cookerly - Vocals
Carl Weaver - Guitars
Jason Bowen (Overcome) - Bass
Eric Wilkins (Jordan) - Drums