BARREN CROSS – Rock For The King (Re-mixed ’90s Enigma Records Edition)

At the late ’80s, BARREN CROSS entered in conflict with Enigma Records, and they had to fulfill an album contract so both parts agreed to re-release the band’s first album, 1986’s ”Rock For The King”.
But it was 1990 and the hard rock / metal sound significantly changed at the time with the original ”Rock For The King” resulting pretty heavy overall.
So Enigma asked renowned Ronnie Montrose to re-mix & re-master the original tapes. The result is quite amazing, as the 1986 songs sound completely different, with a melodic hard rock feel.
The reissue also featured a more ‘friendly’ band logo, and the fun “oh-my-gosh-blue-&-white-mid-Eighties-hair-metal-time-warp-outfits” photo on the cover was replaced by Barren Cross current mainstream-rock look / band photo in jeans n’ boots.
It’s almost a different album, and a great example of how a mixing can completely change an album – for better or worse. I really dig this ‘melodic hard rock’ 90s version of ”Rock For The King”. As extras, there’s some live cuts as bonus.

01 – Dying Day
02 – He Loves You
03 – It’s All Come True
04 – Believe
05 – Going Nowhere
06 – Killer of the Unborn [Live]*
07 – Rock for the King
08 – Give Your Life
09 – Just a Touch
10 – Light the Flame
11 – Dead Lock [Live]*
12 – Cultic Regimes [Live]*
13 – He Loves You [Live]*
14 – Living Dead [Live]*
15 – Heaven or Nothing [Live]*

*[CD Only, not on cassette]

Mike Lee: Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitars
Ray Parris: Guitars, Background Vocals
Jim La Verde: Bass, Taurus Pedals, Vocals
Steve Whitaker: Drums, Vocals
Produced by Dino Elefante

Remixed by Ronnie Montrose

Out of print