Whitecross (band)

Last updated

Whitecross
Whitecross-EoR2013-02.jpg
Whitecross in 2013
Background information
Origin Waukegan, Illinois, US
Genres Heavy metal, Christian metal, hard rock
Years active1985–present
LabelsPure Metal, Star Song, Dark Star
Members
Website darkstarrecords.net/artists/whitecross

Whitecross is an American Christian metal band from Illinois, formed in 1985 by singer Scott Wenzel and guitarist Rex Carroll, and re-formed in 2000. The band won three Dove Awards in the 1990s.

Contents

History

Whitecross formed in 1985 in Waukegan, Illinois, releasing their first recording in 1987. Their early albums, which often invite comparisons to Ratt, are laced with fast, technical guitar work. In 1994, Rex Carroll split with lead vocalist Scott Wenzel. Wenzel retained the use of the name "Whitecross" while Carroll went on to form King James with Jimi Bennett (see below). At this point the band's sound underwent a drastic change.

Whitecross has won three Dove Awards with Triumphant Return (in 1990) and In the Kingdom (in 1992) winning "Metal Album of the Year" [1] and Come unto the Light from the Unveiled album winning "Hard Music Recorded Song of the Year" at the 25th GMA Dove Awards in 1994. [2]

In 1994 prior to work starting on the Unveiled album, guitarist Rex Carroll left to form the band King James and pursue other musical ventures. In 1998, singer Scott Wenzel took a two-year break to do mission work in Paraguay, South America. During this time, Whitecross went on hiatus before re-emerging at Cornerstone Festival in 2000 when Carroll and Wenzel re-formed the band with Carroll, Wenzel, Michael Feighan and newcomer Benny Ramos providing bass, keyboards and vocals. Finally having achieved a long-sought lineup stability, the band started performing on a regular basis.

In 2005, the band went back into the studio to record Nineteen Eighty Seven, which featured re-recordings of nine of the ten songs from the band's self-titled debut album (You're Mine being the exclusion), as well as a re-recording of the song Love on the Line (previously unavailable on CD) and a new guitar instrumental by Rex Carroll.

On April 5, 2008, they played at the Legends of Rock festival in Ennepetal, Germany. Beginning in July 2008, they played the first of several short tours in Guatemala featuring shows in Guatemala City, Panajachel, Huehuetenango and other cities.[ citation needed ]

In 2017, Carroll and Feighan joined with David Bach and Jamie Rowe of Guardian to record Revival, a new compilation of Whitecross and Guardian tracks and went on a short tour to promote the project. [3]

Members

Scott Wenzel on stage in 2013 Whitecross-EoR2013-01.jpg
Scott Wenzel on stage in 2013

Current

Former

Timeline

Whitecross (band)

Albums

With Rex Carroll

AlbumYear
Whitecross 1987
Love on the Line (EP) 1988
Hammer & Nail 1988
Triumphant Return 1989
In the Kingdom 1991
High Gear1992
Nineteen Eighty Seven2005
Fear No Evil2024

Without Rex Carroll

AlbumYear
Unveiled 1994
Equilibrium1995
Flytrap1996
Unveiled (re-issue)2005

Compilations

AlbumYear
At Their Best1991
To the Limit1993
By Demand1995
One More Encore1998
Mega 3 Collection2005
The Very Best of Whitecross2006
Their Classic Hits2009

Videos

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Obsessed</span> American doom metal band

The Obsessed is an American doom metal band from Potomac, Maryland, led by Scott "Wino" Weinrich. Formed in 1979, they recorded a few demos and played a handful of live shows until they first split up in 1986 when Weinrich joined as lead vocalist for Saint Vitus. About two years before his departure from Saint Vitus, Weinrich reformed The Obsessed in 1989, and three studio albums − The Obsessed (1990), Lunar Womb (1991) and The Church Within (1994) − were released before disbanding for the second time in 1995. After reuniting for occasional live shows between 2011 and 2013, the band announced a permanent reunion in March 2016, and has since released two more studio albums: Sacred (2017) and Gilded Sorrow (2024).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belly (band)</span> American alternative rock band

Belly is an alternative rock band formed in Rhode Island in 1991 by Tanya Donelly. The original lineup consisted of Donelly on vocals and guitar, Fred Abong on bass, and brothers Tom and Chris Gorman on guitar and drums respectively. The band released two albums during the early 1990s alternative rock boom before breaking up in 1995. They reunited in 2016 and mounted limited tours in the United States and United Kingdom that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danger Danger</span> American glam metal band

Danger Danger is an American glam metal band formed in Queens, New York, in 1986.

White Heart, also listed as Whiteheart, was an American contemporary Christian music and pop-rock band which formed in 1982. White Heart's discography includes thirteen albums, the most recent of which was released in 1997. Original members Billy Smiley and Mark Gersmehl worked with a continually changing cast of bandmates. In 1985, former roadie Rick Florian became the lead singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thunderstick</span> English drummer

Barry Graham Purkis, more commonly known as Thunderstick, is an English drummer who wore various masks and used to perform on-stage closed in a cage. He was in the cult-band Samson, with whom his name is most associated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guardian (band)</span> American Christian hard rock/metal band

Guardian is an American Christian hard rock and metal band. The band has released seven studio albums, three additional albums in Spanish, and toured extensively worldwide. There are also numerous compilations, independent releases, live records and bootlegs available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King James (band)</span> Heavy metal band

King James is a heavy metal supergroup formed in 1993 with guitarist Rex Carroll (Whitecross) and frontman Jimi Bennett. Some time later, they recruited Tim Gaines and Robert Sweet of Stryper, and released their first album in 1994. The band supported the album with a tour without Gaines, who declined to join after the recording. Sweet toured with the band into 1996, but did not participate in their second release. Carroll and Bennett remained together and released a second album, The Fall, in 1997.

Bride is an American Christian metal band formed in the 1980s, by brothers Dale and Troy Thompson. During the band's peak years it was known for covering a wide range of musical styles and remains popular in places like Brazil. Their song "Same 'Ol Sinner" is on the Digital Praise PC game Guitar Praise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Soldier</span> American glam metal band

Holy Soldier was a Christian glam metal band from Los Angeles formed in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloodgood</span> American Christian metal band

Bloodgood was an American Christian metal band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1983. By 1988, Bloodgood represented one of the four largest Christian metal bands alongside Barren Cross, Leviticus, and Whitecross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Rowe</span> American singer

Jamie Rowe is a musician best known as the lead vocalist of the Christian hard rock band, Guardian. He has also been vocalist for New York-based AdrianGale, power pop band London Calling, and most recently collaborating with Jamey Perrenot in The Lost Days of Summer. He has also released several solo works including the single "I Do" written for his wife, Amber Rowe, for their wedding. In 2019, a solo album, This Is Home, was recorded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rex Carroll</span> American guitarist

Rex Carroll is an American guitarist known for his work in the Christian metal band Whitecross. He is also the leader and guitarist of other bands including Fierce Heart, King James and the Rex Carroll Band. He also filled in and did all the guitar work on Eden's 1994 album Fan The Flame.

<i>Whitecross</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Whitecross

Whitecross is the eponymous debut album from the Christian metal band Whitecross, released on September 5, 1987. It reached No. 17 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Christian Albums chart. In 2010, HM Magazine listed Whitecross No. 29 on its Top 100 Christian Rock Albums of All Time list stating that "listen to this album. It'll blow your mind. It's simplistic '80s metal to a fault, but the shredding lead guitar by Rex Carroll in every fill, nook and cranny is primo." Heaven's Metal fanzine ranked it No. 4 on its Top 100 Christian metal albums of all-time list.

<i>Love on the Line</i> (EP) 1988 EP by Whitecross

Love on the Line: The 6.98 EP was a $6.98 EP recording from the Christian metal band Whitecross. It was never released on CD; it was only released on cassette tape & 12" vinyl record formats. Tracks 3 and 4 are taken from the Whitecross debut album, while track 1 would later appear on the remake of their debut album Nineteen Eighty Seven. Track 1 can also be found on a few compilations which are available on CD. Track 2 is available on CD as a bonus track on the Japanese version of In the Kingdom. The B-side repeats the four songs from the A-side.

<i>Hammer & Nail</i> 1988 studio album by Whitecross

Hammer & Nail is the second album by Christian metal band Whitecross, released on May 23, 1988. It reached No. 15 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Christian Albums chart. A review in CCM magazine stated that the album "wages war against mediocrity" so often found in Christian metal.

<i>Triumphant Return</i> 1989 studio album by Whitecross

Triumphant Return is the third album from the Christian metal band Whitecross, released on January 31, 1989. It reached No. 13 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Christian Albums chart. The album won the 1990 Dove Award for Hard Music Album of the Year.

<i>In the Kingdom</i> 1991 studio album by Whitecross

In the Kingdom was the fourth album by Christian metal band Whitecross. It reached No. 12 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Christian Albums chart. The album won a Dove Award for Hard Music Album of the Year for 1991.

<i>Unveiled</i> (Whitecross album) 1994 studio album by Whitecross

Unveiled is the sixth album by Christian metal band Whitecross, released in 1994. It reached No. 18 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Christian Albums chart. The album was produced by Jimmie Lee Sloas.

Ultimatum is an American thrash metal band from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warfaze</span> Bangladeshi heavy metal band.

Warfaze is a Bangladeshi heavy metal band formed on 6 June 1984 in Dhaka by Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal, Meer, Helal, Naimul, and Bapi. They are one of the earliest heavy metal bands in Bangladesh. The band had numerous line-up changes since 1984 and since its inception, the band has released seven studio albums, one compilation album, and several singles. They have experimented with numerous sub-genres of rock and heavy metal over the years.

References

  1. "Dove Award Recipients for Hard Music Album". Gospel Music Association. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
  2. "Dove Award Recipients for 1995". Gospel Music Association. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
  3. "Guardian + Whitecross - About". Guardianwhitecross.com. Retrieved January 10, 2018.