Once Dead
Artist: Vengeance Rising
Label: Intense Records/Intense Millennium Records
Released: 1990/2010
Type: Full-Length
Version: Remastered/Reissue
Rating: 5/5 Skulls (1)
Once Dead is the second studio album by Christian death and thrash metal band Vengeance Rising, released in 1990 on Intense Records and re-released in November 2010 on Intense Millennium Records.
According to Allmusic, both the debut and Once Dead "were huge successes in the world of Christian music, making Vengeance Rising one of the few bands in the genre to cross over into the secular music scene". In 2010 HM Magazine ranked Once Dead #45 on Top 100 Christian metal albums of all-time list.
Musically, the album showed an influence of speed metal, with thrash arrangements on some songs, like the cover of Deep Purples' Space Truckin', and "Out Of The Will", which reminded one reviewer of One Bad Pig. In a Cross Rhythms review, the lyrics were called "very Bible based," containing quotes and references accompanied within the lyrics "giving enough material for weeks of Bible studies". The reviewer went to state that the album "leaves most other Christian metal albums well behind in terms of imagination and sheer execution." Doc Godin of Metal Storm said that while most Christian metal is rather safe and predictable, "here's something that actually kinda kicks ass, all ideologies aside." They described the album's style as mostly straightforward thrash similar to that of Slayer and Sodom and compared Roger Martinez's vocals to those of Martin van Drunen.
Lineup
Roger Martinez – Vocals
Doug Thieme – Guitar
Larry Farkas – Guitar
Roger Dale Martin – Bass
Glenn Mancaruso – Drums
Songs
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Reviews For "Once Dead"
by metalbasscop on 10/17/2012
My personal favorite of the Vengeance Rising offerings, this recording has the attitude and musical delivery to bash your head in! One look at that jaw dropping cover alone will let the listener know what he's in for and bring a tear to your mother’s eye. These guys did it right on every level. This is a no holds barred relentless thrash masterpiece. The blood pumping gritty tracks contained therein are top grade. Larry Farkas just rips on lead guitar with great Wah effects, and the driving Ampeg bass tone by Roger Dale Martin and thundering drumming by Glenn Mancaruso keeps things rolling like a freight train out of control. Thought provoking lyrics and a sand paper vocal delivery from Roger Martinez round out this vintage Thrash Metal "GOLD" album. Get ready to wind your head up in a flurry of helicopter hair spins and head banging. What a tour to see that would have been....