Jesus Freak wasn’t just a success for its time, but rather a revolutionary reshaping of how Christian music was written, produced, performed and perceived.
ROP Throwback: DC Talk’s “Jesus Freak”
Author: Jessi Zilka
Jessi Zilka is a native of Florida, a small business owner of a record store in her home town, and an avid writer of music.
ROP Throwback: Demon Hunter’s ‘The Triptych’
The Triptych is a pounding, seamless display of the band’s ability to masterfully craft an unforgettable metal experience. While their debut Demon Hunter and sophomore record Summer of Darkness were well done, there’s an urgency buried within The Triptych that makes it exhilarating and one of the band’s best pieces of work. 15 years later, it holds the same energy and power that it did at its release.
ROP Throwback: Chasing Furies “With Abandon”
For the short lived family band Chasing Furies, their 1999 album With Abandon—the only piece of work they’d release as a group—fused the angelic vocal qualities of dream pop with instrumentation laced with both shoegaze and jangle rock fundamentals. They created a distinctive sound that most artists in similar industry circles avoided.
MxPx Drops New Single “Salt Lake City”
When pop punk veterans MxPx announce the drop of a new single, there's no option: you listen. Not just because Mike Herrara, Tom Wisniewski, and Yuri Ruley are widely respected within the genre, but also because they always deliver with a track that’s bound to stay in your head for weeks on end.
ROP Throwback: Blindside’s ‘Silence’
18 years after its release, Silence still holds as much tangible emotion and spirit within its 13 tracks as it did in 2002.
ROP Throwback: Guardian’s “Buzz”
For the band Guardian, their album Buzz is excellent evidence of their ability to adapt to the musical transitions that were happening around them.
ROP Throwback: Five Songs That Every Tool Fan Should Hear
Though you’re likely listening to Tool’s albums on repeat in preparation for the upcoming release, I thought I’d compile a short list of songs by other artists—many of which were recording music at the same time as Tool—that may have taken some flair and influence from the incomparable prog group.
The Screamo Signature: Beloved’s “Failure On” (ROP Throwback)
Solid State Records alumni Beloved only spent a few years in the spotlight, but during that short period, they created a single full-length album that has withstood the test of time (as well as the disbandment of its creators).
Timeless Music: Introducing Jessi Zilka
Hey there. My name is Jessi Zilka. I’ve recently been brought into the Rock on Purpose family as a contributing writer with a focus on what people have lovingly labeled “throwback” music. In my eyes, however, I’m simply writing about amazing, relevant rock and roll that likely hit your ears decades ago.
Rock On Purpose 