ENCORE! ENCORE! Everyone remembers moments in their life when they have heard this word screamed with passion and excitement while standing in a crowded concert hall witnessing a stellar performance. Audiences use this word to demand an additional performance from an artist, usually expressed with applause and cheers. Holy Soldier's new release is an "encore" of sorts, as this release brings their audience a few additional special performances...
When Holy Soldier first formed, they quickly gained considerable notoriety in Los Angeles and the Hollywood club scene as a top drawing act. As their local following grew, this success branched the band throughout the California club circuit and won them great favor with the international rock press. It wasn't long after, they started to tour and also received attention from record companies and major booking agencies.
In 1990, the band signed a recording contract with Word/A&M records and the ICM booking agency to take their act to a national and international level. Not long after, they completed an album that would become a landmark release in Christian Music worldwide. "Holy Soldier," their self-titled debut release, immediately went up sales charts and radio charts and stirred up a media craze that landed the group features and rave reviews in magazines all over the world. The album charted five top ten hits on Christian rock radio including the song "Stranger," which held the #1 position for 12 weeks. The band also released their first video for the song "See No Evil," which became a favorite nationwide on many video programs. Soon after, the group launched a tour that reached over 60 cities across the US, Japan and Canada.
In the Spring of 1991, the band collected two Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association for Metal/Hard Rock Album of the Year and Metal/Hard Rock Recorded Song of the Year for the song Stranger. The group soon retreated to Seattle, Washington to begin work with producer David Zaffiro (who also produced their debut release) on their sophomore effort Last Train. After production was complete in August 1991, Holy Soldier commenced touring and traveled to Central America for performances in Guatemala & El Salvador.
In January of 1992, "Last Train" was released. The album immediately went up Billboards CCM sales chart to #10. The title track "Last Train," went up the CCM rock charts to #2 and received an award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International for "Superior Creativity in Words and Music." Once again, the group hit the road embarking on a 50 city nationwide tour. At the close of the tour, original vocalist Steven Patrick departed in pursuit of a solo career. The band soon recruited vocalist Eric Wayne from Seattle 's Red Reign to complete their line-up. The next year found the group doing select performances in the US, Europe, and Mexico. The group also spent time writing and reinventing themselves.
In 1994, Holy Soldier was approached by ForeFront/EMI Records who signed the group and quickly sent them into the studio to start production of their Promise Man release. This album was a new direction for the band, introducing a new sound and style. Since it's release, Promise Man has received Dove Awards for Hard Rock Album of the Year (1996) and Hard Rock Recorded Song of the Year (1996) for the title track. The singles Promise Man & My World both charted #1 and with Rust following close behind at #3. The band released a video for the single "Why Don't You Look into Jesus" ( a remake of the Larry Norman classic) which received rotation on video programs nationwide.
The group's next project was a release of special album to commemorate these years of the group's success. The band wanted something that would be a few steps further than a standard greatest hits release. Collectively, the group conceived an album that would feature their greatest hits performed live by both of their vocalists together. The band invited original vocalist Steven Patrick to come and perform with them in concert one more time, thus birthing the album title "Encore." The group recorded all of their hits and classic songs that their fans have come to love over the years. This concert took place in February of 1997, at Rocketown in Nashville, TN. Encore also includes new studio tracks; "Whisper," "In The End" and a studio remake of the group's classic song "Eyes of Innocence" with special guest vocals by a recent convert to rock and roll, Pat Boone.
In coordination with Spaceport Records, Bulletboy Music is releasing this album through Diamante Distribution December, 1997.
Since their debut release in 1990, Holy Soldier has toured extensively ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ to audiences all over the world. God has blessed this group with success that doesn't come easy. "Encore" celebrates the songs, music, and musicianship that the group has built their career on. "'Encore' is truly an album for the fans," states guitarist Michael Cutting, "It has every element of our first three releases and much, much more."
