I cannot say with certainty how many Rock albums are currently available worldwide. I can only speculate that the number is probably in the hundreds of millions. The number would be hard to calculate between mainstream Rock albums, indie Rock albums, and homebrew Rock albums.
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
There are various genres of Rock out there, and one genre I’ve loved since I was young is Christian Rock. But this isn’t your garden variety Christian music. Forget the Amy Grant, Mercy Me, Hillsong, Michael W. Smith, and Elevation Worship style of music. We’re talking actual Rock albums here that feature brilliant music and fantastic musicians.
Even if you’re not down with the Christian message, it’s hard not to appreciate these ten Rock albums from Christian-based Rock bands. The following list of Rock albums is in no particular order, and some of these bands are still making music today.
I’ve included Wikipedia links and links to the artist’s websites where available.
Ten Rock albums you need to check out
1. The Violet Burning: Demonstrates Plastic and Elastic
The Violet Burning has been around since the late ’80s and was founded by Michael J. Pritzl. The band has several full-length albums, live albums, and miscellaneous appearances that listeners can find on streaming services and its website.
The band’s sound is a mix of Hard Rock and Alternative Rock; their sounds ebb and flow and can change from one album to another. The music is haunting and uplifting all at once, and the lyrics tackle life issues, love, and faith.
The pinnacle song on this album is “Gorgeous,” which showcases Pritzl’s vocals and his lyrical capabilities. “Gorgeous” is one of the band’s more “mainstream” sounding songs, but it’s a great selection to at least get a feel for the band and its music.
Demonstrates Plastic and Elastic is available to stream on most platforms. Be sure to check out their website as well.
2. David and the Giants: David and The Giants
David and the Giants have a fascinating history that goes all the way back to 1964. The band was started by David Huff and was initially just your average 1960’s Rock and roll band. In 1969, the band picked up drummer Keith Thibodeaux (Thibodeaux played Little Ricky on the I Love Lucy Show), and at that time, the band was experiencing some success.
David and the Giants toured with some of the biggest names in Rock and roll, such as Styx, Chuck Berry, Cheech and Chong, and Black Oak Arkansas. David Huff also spent studio time with Stevie Wonder and Rod Stewert and was in the studio when The Rolling Stones recorded “Brown Sugar.”
The band’s early albums were all ’60s and ’70s rock and roll, while their later ’80s and ’90s albums modernized the sound a bit but still tried to be true to the band’s roots. David and the Giants was released in 1982, and I think it is one of the band’s best albums. “The Well” is a great starting point for this album, showcasing Huff’s excellent guitar work, Thibodeaux’s percussion, and the band’s incredible use of brass and horns.
David and the Giants is not widely available, but you can listen to it on YouTube. Be sure to check out their website as well.
3. Darrell Mansfield: Revelation
Darrell Mansfield is another fantastic musician with a rich history in Rock and roll. Mansfield is easily one of the greatest harmonica (harp) players to ever live and has contributed to acts such as Eddie Van Halen, Jon Bon Jovi, Loverboy, and Raphael Saadiq.
Mansfield has also played and performed with Billy Idol, Billy Sheehan, Earl Slick, Glenn Kaiser, Jimmy Hall, Joe Turner, Richie Sambora, Rick Derringer, Ted Nugent, and The Blind.
Mansfield has been rocking since the early ’70s, and Revelation is easily the best album to cut your teeth on his sound. Mansfield is also a skilled Bluesman, and some of his albums branch out to more gritty Blues rather than Rock.
“Thunder N Lightning” is an excellent example of what you’ll find on this album, lots of heavy guitar, screaming vocals, BIG drums, that Mansfield harp playing, and just straight Rock and roll.
Revelation is available to stream on most platforms.
4. Daniel Amos: Horrendous Disc
Daniel Amos has been kicking the Rock and roll tires since 1974. Like Pink Floyd, the band doesn’t have anyone named Daniel Amos. The band’s founding member is Terry Scott Taylor, and the lineup has changed from time to time over the years.
Taylor and his bandmates have also had several side projects like The Swirling Eddies, The Lost Dogs, and several other productions with various artists. Taylor has even made music for video games.
The Daniel Amos sound has morphed and changed over the years, and it’s tough to nail them down to one style of Rock. They even had a few albums of Country Rock and suddenly morphed into New Wave and then Alternative Rock.
Horrendous Disc marks when the band transitioned from its Country Rock sound into a Rock and later Progressive Rock sound. “Hound of Heaven is an excellent example of what you’ll find on this album.
Horrendous Disc is available to stream on most platforms. Be sure to check out their website as well.
5. Rez Band: Live Bootleg
Resurrection Band was formed in 1972 and part of the Jesus People USA community in Chicago, Illinois. The band has been known by its full name but has also used the names Rez Band and REZ. Glenn and Wendy Kaiser are the front persons for the band sharing lead vocal roles and writing roles.
Rez Band is often credited as the first Christian Heavy Metal band, although their sound is far from what we usually think of as Heavy Metal. The band’s sound is more akin to AC/DC and has a more Hard Rock quality. One thing is sure with REZ though, whatever genre of Rock you want to put them in, they have an underlying Chicago Blues vibe too.
The band has many albums to listen to, but Live Bootleg is probably the one I tell people to listen to first. Live performance is where this band shines. The best example of this band’s sound can be found on the track called “Medley.”
Live Bootleg is available to stream on most platforms. Be sure to check out their website as well.
6. The 77s: Eighty Eight
The 77s, also known as The Seventy Sevens, and 77s were originally called Scratch Band and started in Sacramento, California. The band formed in the early ’70s in church, and it wasn’t until the early ’80s that they had their first album released, under the name The Seventy Sevens.
Like many on our list, the band changed their sound several times but have always remained in the Rock category. The 77s were also one of the first bands to get their videos on a very young and brand new MTV.
Eighty Eight is another Live album on this list, and I think it is a shining example of what to expect from some of the band’s music. “Perfect Blues” is the song I chose to showcase this band, and it’s an excellent track to hear what to expect.
Eighty Eight is not widely available, but it is on YouTube, and you can listen to it there. Be sure to check out their website as well.
7. Sweet Comfort Band: Hearts of Fire!
Sweet Comfort Band was formed in the early ’70s, and honestly, I don’t know a whole lot about them. My older brothers enjoyed listening to this band, and some of their music rubbed off on me. Bryan Duncan is one of the band’s founding members, and he later went on to a very successful solo career after the band went inactive in 1984.
The band has attempted a few comebacks, but none of them stuck. This band is straight Rock but with incredible melodies and vocals. Like other bands from the ’70s, the band struggled to find a new voice in the ’80s when synthesizers and digital music started coming into being.
“Isabel” is my favorite track on this album released in 1981, and I think it encapsulates the essence of this band’s sound.
Hearts of Fire! is available on some streaming services, as are other albums. Be sure to check out their website as well.
8. Adam Again: Dig
Adam Again was formed in 1982 by Gene Eugene, who also helped create The Lost Dogs and was a producer on many Christain Rock albums. Gene’s real name is Gene Andrusco, and he was initially a child actor who appeared on programs such as Bewitched and Gidget.
The band’s eclectic sound is what has always drawn me to them. A mix of alternative Rock, and funk they’re a fun band to listen to. Sadly, Gene passed away in 2000 but left behind a lot of art in his music.
Dig has always been my favorite Adam Again album, and “Deep” is the track I chose to showcase here.
Dig is available to stream on some platforms, as are some of the band’s other albums.
9. Petra: Never Say Die
I could not in good conscience make this list without including Petra. Out of all the bands on this list, Petra is the richest in its history, which is well documented. The band was formed in 1972 and is regarded as one of Christian Rock and roll pioneers.
When they first started, I think they were finding their style and groove but eventually hit on to something great with 1977’s Come and Join Us. That was around the time the band found Greg X. Volz and featured him on a few tracks. Volz’s powerful vocals married well with Bob Hartman’s guitar and the keyboard sounds that came to be familiar on most Petra albums.
There is a lot to cover about Petra, and this isn’t the place for it. My selection here is “Angel of Light,” and this song shows what this band’s sound was for a span of 3 or 4 albums.
Never Say Die and nearly all Petra’s albums are available to stream. Be sure to check out their website as well.
10. Vector: Mannequin Virtue
Vector was formed in the early ’80s by Jimmy Abegg, Steve Griffith, and Charlie Peacock. The band also features drummers that have both been with The 77s. I don’t know a lot about Vector, but I do know that they disbanded many years ago, and in 2021, they came back with a new album called Vital, which you can find on MezzoMusic.
Vector was cutting edge back in the day when CCM was churning out cookie-cutter pop music. Since this is an ’80s album, you can expect a fair amount of synths and keyboards.
The title track, “Mannequin Virtue,” is the best track to showcase this album. You can’t find any of Vectors music on streaming, but you can find it on YouTube.
Well, that is the end of the line. These ten Rock albums had a great influence on me growing up. There are many more so it was hard to just pick ten but I encourage you to explore all of these bands albums. There are some real gems hidden inside. Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year!
What are ten Rock albums you like that most people have never heard of? Please share your thoughts on any of the social media pages listed below. You can also comment on our MeWe page by joining the MeWe social network.
Last Updated on December 26, 2021.
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