A dark garage-guitar project of 1987, Shaded Pain was the very first post-punk/grunge music recorded by Christian artists.  Californian Mike Knott, his sister, and two dude-friends from L.A. put together ten songs that truly pioneered a whole genre and generation.  The band was an off-shoot of The Lifesavers of Calvary Chapel origins, a teen, new wave group that had a lot of energy and a few recordings under their belt in Southern Cally.

The music is generally fast, haunting, and surprisingly understandable because of Knott's clear and insane vocalizations.  There are plenty of Biblical images and wordings, but the instrumentations will scare off even the most rocking Christians. The album was certainly was way ahead of its time, very disturbing, and controversial in sound and lyric. Shocking. Hard to listen to, at times.

Disturbing, yet very alive, abrasive, exciting, and "cool to the max", exhibiting loudness, guitars, biting vocals, and general insanity... expressing vibes that kids on the edge totally loved.  Knott's paintings and artwork for the album and CD were reflective of the caustic and rapid sounds...far out, and absorbing. Great art.

The album introduced a growing number of listeners (including the CCM industry) to a side of American Christianity that had never been recorded on audio before...or maybe since.  Knott eventually became a "musical cult leader" after the release of this Frontline-backed project...and the many superb albums that followed this one.  During the late 80s, though, if you liked these particular songs, you were among the hippest of hippest Christian music fans.

One of the most astounding elements of this album is the intelligible screaming-singing that Mike Knott performs throughout many of the songs.  As the album title foreshadows, pain is prevalent...and the guitars yell at full volume. 

 

Ironically, the pain, intensity, volume, rawness, and the fun, psycho-angst of this pioneering grunge album has a catchy-pop undertone that keeps these songs in your head for a long time.

In the past 20 years since the release of Shaded Pain, I'll bet that there are several thousand L.S.U. fans out there in America who appreciate this particular project big-time.

 

Classic songs include "Jordan River" and the mellow "Shaded Pain", but there are several other killer tunes that stick with you...especially over time. Reading the lyrics are key to understanding what Knott and Company were talking about.
Still, the cool guitar licks, special effects, language, and screaming totally rock above the depressing elements that Knott seems to convey on multiple levels.

9 of 10 clicks
Reviewed by Dr. J

July 2007