Trouble.

Trouble is a very strange band in the Christian music.
Let me tell you why Trouble is such a strange band.

Lead vocalist Eric Wagner and the guitarists Bruce Franklin and Rick Wartell started Trouble.
Trouble is playing heavy doom metal influenced by Black Sabbath.
Remarkable is that even though these gentlemen aren't Christian Eric Wagner is selecting Christian lyrics for Trouble.
This to show that Trouble doesn't belong to the many evil band in that time.
That's why you can find songs on their albums with lyrics about Psalm 9,
"Fear No Evil", "The Skull' , a song about the crucifing, the death, resurrection and return of Jesus.
Jim Olsen joined the band as drummer.
Meanwhile there was a lot of confusion about Trouble.
Many place Trouble in the rise of the white metal rock while this band doesn't belong in the white metal rock.
In 1984 Jeff Olsen has given his life to Jesus.
Jeff doesn't felt at home in the atmosphere of Trouble (they other band members blowed and were depressed).
In 1988 Trouble band member Bruce Franklin visited a Biblestudy from the ex drummer Jeff Olsen.
Jeff Olsen took Bruce Franklin with him to a Sacred Warrior concert.
And finally Bruce Franklin gave his life to Jesus too.
Bruce choise was to play in Trouble.
In the same time was Ted Kirckpatrick, yes the drummer of Tourniquet for a short time a guest member of Trouble.
Now I can tell you more about what happened with the several members of Trouble.
But I don't think this is very interesting to know.

Trouble releaded their first album in 19984 and the last in 1995.

Trouble (1984), The Skull (1985, Run To The Light (19870, Trouble (1990),
Manic Frustration (1992), One For The Road (1994), Plastic Green Head (1995)

Jeff Olsen joined Trouble again to make "Metal Massacre"
Flower metal with Christian parts.
Trouble is a very strange band in the Christian music.
Not Christians who write songs about Christian things.
I wonder with what intention they have written Christian lyrics, only to show the world they are not evil or because they were thinking about Jesus?

Have you ever listened to one or more Trouble stuff?
And knows with what intension the Christian lyrics are written?
What are your thoughts about this strange band?

To make clear I didn't post this thread to get discussions if this band is Christian or a secular band, but only to show there really are strange bands.
Sometimes it's interesting to read more about bands no one ever heard of.

I've always liked Trouble even before I knew they had some Christian lyrics.

You listening to heavy doom metal?

I love doom. Trouble and Candlemass (not Christian) were about it for a while.

I love doom too.
I was reading in a book about Christian music and found Trouble.
When you have the T- Band show, can you play a song of Trouble?

I liked the early Trouble stuff I heard as well. I have always been a fan of Black Sabbath style doom.

Very hard to find good doom Christian mucisians/bands.

At least there's a band in the vein of black Sabbath with Christian lyrics.

Maybe there's not much christian doom metal.
There are some good bands who play doom metal I like.

I like Trouble. Not necessarily christian but certainly not...umm worldy.?.

Musically very good for sure.

As far as any christian doom. Hmmm I think you should check out David Benson, dbeality, or a host of others at the christian doom alliance page here http://www.myspace.com/christiandoomalliance

Been checking out the Christian doom alliance for a while. The chap who runs that site has a solid Christian doom project of his own called Troglodyte Dawn.

Place of Skulls would be my top pick for Christian Doom.

Trogdolyte Dawn is cool doom.
My alltime favorite doom is Rose.

Now I wonder if there are newer Christian doom bands too?

It seems like Trouble is searching but still hasn t found what they were looking for...

Trouble were never a Christian band. Like a lot of secular musicians (including Black Sabbath), some members had a background in Christianity and they used those themes in their music simply to stand out from the pack. Later on, many members either became Christians of got serious about their faith. Personally, I never felt the need to get rid of my Trouble cds, even when I was eliminating secular music from my collection.

Really, when you look at a lot of Black Sabbath's lyrics, they can be seen as either warning against evil and the occult, or even actively promoting faith in God in a few songs. It's all up to the listener, of course, and this is not necessarily the forum to have this debate, so I don't want to start one, but I appreciate what Trouble were doing.

Paul said that some people preach Christ out of a false motive, but he just rejoiced that Christ was being preached. IMO, Trouble, while not necessarily preaching Christ, were injecting Biblical themes into their music in a positive manner. I cannot help but feel that that has born some fruit over the years. No matter why they were doing it, I'm glad for it.

Great point TT, and I would optimistically agree with you.

I might be a little worried that many seekers could be a bit mis-lead by some of these lyrics, as they often are not theologically sound. And songs from nonchristian musicians can often have mixed messages (well sometimes Christian musicians too)

But I agree that it is a good thing, I have noticed it in other secular bands as well (like Fifth Angel for instance).

Tall Tyrion it's very interesting to know this.
I wondered what the motive of Trouble was to write christian lyrics
Was it with false motives or just with a good intention.
That's why Trouble is and stays a strange band.

Fifth Angel is another excellent example of that, and I never got rid of that tape, either.

avdb11 wrote:

I wondered what the motive of Trouble was to write christian lyrics
Was it with false motives or just with a good intention.

I don't really know, and I think it's kind of dangerous to speculate on a person's intentions. They did it for whatever reason, and I enjoy the music. Rage of Angels were (apparently) shamming the whole time they were singing about Christ, but I am edified by their songs whether or not they really meant it.

A lot of Trouble's songs, like "Pray For The Dead", are written from a distinctly Catholic perspective, so for a lot of people (including me) that would be abberant theology. Regardless, I think it is better to have lyrics that encourage someone to pray rather than blaspheme.

The lord shall endure forever
for he hath prepared his throne for judgment
and they that know thy name
will put their trust in thee
for thou Lord hast not forsaken those that seek thee

I will praise thee o Lord
I will sing praise to thy name
Don`t forget the cry of the humble
have mercy on me.

(Chorus) Put them in fear o Lord
that the nations may know
let them realise they are just men, just men

Thou hast rebuked the heathen
thou hast destroyed the wicked
won`t forget the cry of the humble
have mercy on me

(Chorus)

The lord shall endure forever
for he hath prepared his throne for judgment
and they that know thy name
will put their trust in thee
for thou lord hast not forsaken those that seek thee

(Chorus)

The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed
a refuge in times of trouble
we are not holy men
but at least we try try to serve as best as we can sometimes I`d like to die
why must you be so angry
treat each other wrong
the poor will not be forgotten
God loves us all.

Here the lyrics of Psalm 9 of Trouble.