Sweet Crystal

From Detroit, Michigan, we find classic melodic/progressive rock band SWEET CRYSTAL, who have a superb new eight track CD out now called ‘5 Carat Rock’ that runs in at just over thirty minutes long and is quite a diverse record that mixes up classic 70’s style rock along with prog, lots of melodies and synths.
The band have released two full albums, three EP’s and several vinyl singles. The band is: Marq AndrewSpeck - lead vocals, anything with keys, Bill Blatter- backup vocals, anything with strings, Steve Wieser -anything hit with sticks.The guys all met right out of high school and became fast friends for life. To this day they get together every week to rehearse record and just enjoy each other’s company. Does it get old after four decades together? “Absolutely not! We just get better with age,” smiles singer Marq Andrew Speck.
Sweet Crystal started out totally influenced bythe prog rock English music scene of the 60’s and70’s with bands like Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Atomic Rooster, Uriah Heep all left their musical marks on thebands writing and playing. They also listened to a lot of American bands like Kansas, Journey, Rush and Spock’s Beard to keep their creative juices flowing.
This album continues where last year’s ‘QUAD’ record left off, songs of hope and inspiration featuring our signature guitar sounds, synth melodies, straight ahead drumming with just a few chanting monks thrown in for good measure.
Outside of music, Marq is big time into acting with four feature film roles and various television appearances under his belt. Guitarist Bill is into competitive marksmanship and was recently endorsed for ISP Technologies, a high-end music merchandiser in Michigan. Drummer Steve takes tothe golf course to release the extra energy and he hasand has gotten good enough to start competing on the professional circuit.
Sweet Crystal are a fifteen time Detroit MusicAward winning band, two of the more interesting aspects of Sweet Crystal is their longevity and staying true to their musical styling. “The three of us have been playing together for over 40 years and to this day, we don’t “chase” current trends inmainstream music but stay true to our progressive arena rock beginnings. The songs are new and fresh but the sound remains classic Crystal, which our fans appreciate,” says Marq.
The new CD ‘5 Carat Rock’’ is the bands fifth release and is their most powerful and poignant to date. ‘5 Carat Rock’ starts bold out of the gate, not only five new songs from the band but they also cover a Bob Dylan gospel tune and even reach back to their early rock roots by Crystalizing a classic Motley Crue tune, showing vast diversity and skilful playing. The track ‘Sgt Penney 1945’ is something of a personal nature for Marq. “It is an amazing interview from one of Sweet Crystal’s biggest supporters, broadcast live back in 1945 from the Pacific front to a Detroit radio station, highlighting and archiving one soldier’s story, amazing and humbling,” he says with passion.
This is the band's first CD since the 80s that they have tracked with live drums at Pearl Sound Studios in Canton,MI which is renowned for its massive drum sound. “We decided to get that sonic firepower on our tracks. Also producer Chuck Alkazian played bass guitar on some of the songs adding his own spin to our tunes,” says Marq. Recorded and mixed by uber-producer/engineer Chuck Alkazian (Christina Aguilera, Asking Alexandria, Mitch Ryder and Pop Evil) and mastered by renowned mastering engineer Scott Hull of Masterdisk (New York). All the drums, guitars and vocals were tracked at Pearl with the keyboards and arrangements put together at the band's personal studio Nightcrier Music (also in Canton, MI). Tracking was done over the space of four weeks with mixing and mastering taking only about another four. “This release came out just over one year since our 2015 “QUAD” EP, which is the fastest we’ve ever produced a new CD. Producer credits are equal between Alkazian and the band,” he explains.
Just this month the guys added two great female backup singers to their live show and their first concert with the band was outdoors. “Just as we welcomed them both onstage and launched into their first song, the skies opened up in a veritable monsoon of wind and rain, wiping out all the players on stage and stopping the event. We had talked about ‘getting their feet wet’ with us, but this was way more than anyone bargained for. Thankfully our next show is indoors,” he smiles.
More new songs are already being recordedfor next year’s release, plus a new national radio campaign for ‘5 Carat Rock’, new shows and benefit concerts to play. “We basically plan to remain exactly who we are for as long as can. As our trademarked slogan puts it, we will continue to keep Reaching The World, One Song at a Time,” he concludes. - FIREWORKS "Rock & Metal" Magazine

For four decades, Christian rock band Sweet Crystal has been spreading its music and message across the globe. Formed in the winter of 1971-1972, the group made up of Marq Speck (lead vocals, keys) and Bill Blatter (guitar, vocals) of Local 784 (Pontiac, MI) and Steve Wieser (drums) of Local 625 (Ann Arbor, MI) has stood the test of time.
“We clicked musically and had the same influences,” Speck says of the trio’s meeting. “It was divine intervention. It’s the way God works, pointing us in the right direction. It took us six or seven years to know what we were supposed to be doing, but God had a point for us then and does now. We’re doing exactly what we need to be doing.”
Forming the band just after high school, the three went to different colleges throughout Michigan. They kept up with weekend gigs and eventually music took a bigger and bigger role in their lives. They opened for acts including Bob Seger of Local 784, Nazareth, Steppenwolf, Foghat, Rare Earth, and Stryper throughout the 1980s. They released their debut EP Power-N-Glory in 1985.
But as the music industry changed, the band adapted, moving towards more studio work in the 1990s. Wieser focused on a career in the automotive industry, Blatter finished school, and Speck kept focused on independent studio work, creating music for commercials.
In 2000, they had a new opportunity for Sweet Crystal. A group putting together a show for veterans, many of whom were fans in the ’80s, contacted the band. “We never thought of performing live again,” Speck says. “But because of his call, we put the show back together.”
They played their own material and sparked fresh interest in the band. They started performing more benefits, brushing up their live chops. Today they’re playing more live shows than ever before. They even remastered and rereleased Power-N-Glory with the subtitle Resurrected Masters.
“Music keeps you young,” Speck says. “Whether you’re playing for a huge audience or a few followers, it’s just about playing and the camaraderie. We still love and adore each other and have something to do musically.”
The band released Still Standing in 2003 and 3 in 2010. They hope to release their next album, QUAD, later this year. And all along, they’ve stayed true to their message.
“We’re a Christian progressive rock band,” Speck explains. “But we’re not a praise and worship band. There is a difference. What we try to do is relate the stories of our lives and how we come out on the other side—better and with more hope. It’s the promise that God has for all of us. We don’t preach at people. We come out and let people know there is help and hope. Whatever you’re going through— we’ve dealt with and there is another side. Hopefully something in our songs will help them.”
Sweet Crystal has also benefited greatly from its union membership and Speck notes that he’s been a member since he started in music in the 1970s.
“Everything adds up,” Speck says of member benefits, noting website hosting, International Musician stories and classified ads, and medical benefits as a few of the perks. “You want to be a musician, that’s great. You want to be a grown-up musician, that’s really great. For the time and money, the benefits far outweigh the costs.”
After 40 years, Sweet Crystal shows no signs of slowing. They reach more people (thanks to the power of the Internet, especially, Speck notes). They’ve found a home with Tate Music Group (TMG), a Christian music label out of Oklahoma.
The members of Sweet Crystal are proud of the band’s success in recent years. In the last four, years the band has taken home 11 Detroit Music Awards.
“When you’re younger, it builds into your ego,” Speck says. “Nowadays, we’re just blessed. We sit back and go, ‘wow.’ We’re much more appreciative.” - International Musicians Magazine

In unprecedented style, Christian rock band SWEET CRYSTAL made it a “clean sweep” at the 22nd Annual Detroit Music Awards Show (DMA) on Friday, April 19, 2013, winning all five awards in the “Outstanding Gospel/Christian” category.
For the third year in a row, the band took home the “Outstanding Gospel/Christian Act” award, solidifying their hold on that prestigious category. This turned out to be just the first of five awards they were about to garner.
Keyboardist and lead singer Marq Andrew Speck was then awarded “Outstanding Gospel/Christian Vocalist”, “Outstanding Gospel/Christian Songwriter” and shared the award for “Outstanding Gospel/Christian Musician”, to make it four for four at the DMA pre-show. What came next at the live concert awards ceremony turned out to be even sweeter for these musicians.
SWEET CRYSTAL opened the DMA show with a live performance in front of the nearly one thousand attendees packing the Fillmore Theater in downtown Detroit. The band (Marq Andrew Speck-keyboards/vocals; Bill Blatter–guitar; Steve Wieser-drums; Marty Zarski-bass) picked up their 5th award for “Outstanding Gospel/Christian Recording”. Their song “Nothing Here (For You To Fear)” from the feature film “War Flowers” made it five for five wins, creating the first awards “sweep” in SWEET CRYSTAL’s career.
“Absolutely surreal and humbling” says Speck about the night’s outcome. “To be nominated and in the company of some of Detroit’s best musicians is one thing; to walk away with all these awards…knowing that we won because others support us, believe in what we are doing and then vote for us…what a blessing.”
Sweep – it’s not just for sports anymore. Just ask SWEET CRYSTAL. - Nightcrier Music, Inc.

SWEET CRYSTAL - "III"
Sweet Crystal is a Christian Rock Power-Trio hailing from Michigan, U.S.A. that has remained intact for 39 years. Marq Speck (lead vocals, keyboards), Bill Blatter (guitars, vocals) and Steve Wieser (drums) have been standing on the front lines of the Michigan Christian Rock scene even before that particular branch of music had a name. Sweet Crystal was formed in the winter of ‘71/‘72, and spent the ‘80s opening for bands such as “Bob Seger”, “Nazareth”, “Steppenwolf”, “Foghat”, “Rare Earth”, and “Stryper”. In 1985 gold-record-awarded “Blackfoot” producer Henry Weck sat behind the desk for Sweet Crystal’s debut EP - “Power-N-Glory” (1985, Nightcrier Music). Later, the band spent the ‘90s in the studio, writing and recording songs for independent films, corporate client events and personal music projects, until the release of their first full-length album “Still Standing” (2003). The new millennium saw the band reaching fans across the globe, thanks to the Internet, taking to the release in 2003 of a re-mastered version of “Power-N-Glory” (subtitled “Resurrected Masters”). In 2010 Sweet Crystal signed with Tate Music Group(TMG), a high-profile Christian music label out of Oklahoma, granting the release of their third record and second full-length album, “III” (November 2010, TMG). “III” (or “3”) has received positive reviews and song rotation on radio stations and Internet music sites across the globe, conquering new fans from England and Japan, to Brazil and Russia, and all across the United States – and helping Sweet Crystal to go farther with their message of inspiring people to feel better with themselves and take a better direction in their lives. The music of Sweet Crystal is a lively and easy-listening blend of Arena Rock, AOR, Hard, & Classic Rock with a Progressive orientation on keyboards, nice melodic vocals, and catchy hooks. The influences for a band that is almost 40 years on the road are ample, and range from “Led Zeppelin”, “Deep Purple”, “Boston”, “Meatloaf”, and “Peter Frampton”, to the most commercial side of “Asia”, “Rush”, “Whitesnake”, “Queen”, “Styx”, “Journey”, “Kansas”, “Yes”, “Stan Bush”, “Status Quo”, “Van Halen”, “Saga”, “Toto”, “Pink Floyd”, “Genesis”, “Marillion”, “Twelfth Night”, “Dire Straits”, “Stryper”, and “Queensrÿche”. “III” has 12 tracks, including a cover of “The Beatles”. The album opens with the lively “Holding Our Own” (3:53) and “By The Book” (4:40) – both driven by vibrant synths and fast rocky rhythms that recall the 80’s Progressive Rock and Classic Rock of bands like “Asia”, “Saga”, “Journey”, “Rush”, and “Boston”. “Holding…” places more emphasis on the keyboards and chorus, while “By The Book” is a guitar-oriented Hard-Rock that ends in the folky chords of “Book Return” (0:49). They are followed by “Did You Come Here To Save Me?” (1:50), which is a rainy intro for the very best track “Prisoner, Unbound” (6:22) – an impressive and memorable Prog-Rock song featuring different parts, driven by powerful guitar riffs, dramatic vocals, soaring symphonic keyboards, pianos, and inspired guitar solo, all bringing to mind the style of British band “Twelfth Night”. Also counting among the best tracks are: “Lion Of Judah” (4:12) – which is tense and somber, propelled by heavy guitars, an adventurous and strong chorus, and Hammond-sounding keyboards, recalling a bit “Kansas” and “Journey”; “Warriors” (4:51) – a really beautiful piano & acoustic guitar ballad, led by both male and female vocals, and crowned with a celestial guitar solo that approaches the style of some Neo-Prog bands such as “Strangers On A Train” and “Landmarq”; and finally “The Road Less Traveled” (2:59), which is a modern Neo-Prog in the format of “Marillion” (with “Hogarth”). Also a highlight is the cover of “Got To Get You Into My Life” (3:13), by “The Beatles”, which by combining World Music drumming with Classic Rock became totally different, sounding rather like a blend of “Genesis” with “Status Quo” and “Dire Straits”. Amidst those aforementioned songs, Sweet Crystal still offered us two easy-listening, fast-paced ballads, formatted for radio airplay: the soft “Another Time, Another Place” (4:16), and the romantic “Us, Eternally” (4:25). The short closing track “Numbers” (1:46) gives the listener his last blessing. Sweet Crystal has just added a fourth member to its line-up: bassist Marty Zarski has joined in, bringing 30 years of his own experience to this nice band that has no plans to stop at all. Still holding high the message of the Cross and “Reaching The World, One Song At A Time™”, Sweet Crystal is specially recommended for both Christian and Pagan fans that love the most accessible sound of bands like “Boston”, “Meatloaf”, “Peter Frampton”, “Asia”, “Rush”, “Yes”, “Styx”, “Queen”, “Journey”, “Kansas”, “Status Quo”, “Whitesnake”, “Saga”, “Toto”, “Genesis”, “Marillion”, “Twelfth Night”, “Van Halen”, “Dire Straits”, “Stan Bush”, “Stryper”, and so on. Band members and collaborators involved in Sweet Crystal are: Marq “Q” Speck - Lead Vocals, Keyboards; Bill Blatter - Guitar, Bass, Vocals; Steve Wieser – Drums. New member: Marty Zarski – Bass. Guest musicians: Kathy Oyster – Vocals on “Warriors”; Keri Kimmel, Sherrie Northway, Cara Gross – Choir on “Prisoner, Unbound”; Ron Ellman – Violins on “Numbers”. Album Recorded at Nightcrier Music Studios (Canton, MI), Engineered & Produced by Sweet Crystal... (Comments by Marcelo Trotta) - Progressive Rock & Metal

Well, well, well, that is a long time ago… the Christian AOR band SWEET CRYSTAL makes a return with a new CD titled ‘3’. In the past we reviewed them a few times and if I remember it well, we even interviewed them. That was about 10+ years ago and now from out of nowhere the band returns with a full-length new CD and gladly musically nothing has changed. The band is still playing pure 1980s AOR with some Pomprock touches, reminding a lot of the last couple of SWEET COMFORT BAND, SERVANT and early ALLIES records, while also JOURNEY/SURVIVOR are clear similarities, but even FAITH NATION, WHITE HEART and early 80s PETRA come to mind when listening to their new album. That means this is pretty much a dream for the AOR fans out there and I can honestly inform you this album is filled with high class AOR music from start to finish. It contains everything we want to hear in this genre, such as picture perfect clean vocalwork, catchy hooks, memorable melodies, smooth pompous keyboards, melodic guitarwork and a very strong rhythm section. The first 2 songs (“Holding our own” and “By the book”) are 2 great uptempo AOR rockers with a SURVIVOR meets JOURNEY kinda approach. “Prisoner unbound” takes the band into an epic symphonic Pomprock direction that reminds me a bit of MAGNUM in their finest years. This is a haunting song with some superb arrangements and lovely vocalwork, actually really quite amazing tune we have here! Some URIAH HEEP (JOHN LAWTON era) can be heard during the semi-rocker “Got to get you into my life”, which is a very 1970s type of Classic Rocker, although the song itself is actually a THE BEATLES original! Up next is the beautiful WHITE HEARTish AOR ballad “Warriors” that has some very strong harmonyvocals, partly thanks to guest female singer KATHY OYSTER. Mid 1980s Pomprock meets Symphonic AOR can be heard in the excellent epic midtempo “Lion of Juddah” that sounds like the perfect cross between the later 1980s MAGNUM, GTR and PETRA circa 1984. Both “Another time, another place” and “US, Eternally” take the mid 80s JOURNEY/FORTUNE/SURVIVOR/ASIA highway all the way, so this is pure uptempo AOR, while closing track “The road less travelled” is a nice semi-ballad that sounds a bit like JOHN WETTON and JOHN PAYNE’s ASIA. The other 3 tracks are short instrumentals…

When listening to all these songs it is very clear that SWEET CRYSTAL is an incredible gifted band with a sound that should be heard by any fan of AOR, Pomp or even Symphonic Rock, because the high quality of their songs is remarkable and sometimes sounding as if they were classics made in the golden years of this genre (the 1980s). Mix up all the mentioned bands and you have SWEET CRYSTAL, must-have for any AOR fan out there. Togther with an excellent production, this CD should be checked out asap at: www.sweetcrystal.com

(Points: 8.7 out of 10) - Strutter'Zine (The Netherlands)

Well, well, well, that is a long time ago… the Christian AOR band SWEET CRYSTAL makes a return with a new CD titled ‘3’. In the past we reviewed them a few times and if I remember it well, we even interviewed them. That was about 10+ years ago and now from out of nowhere the band returns with a full-length new CD and gladly musically nothing has changed. The band is still playing pure 1980s AOR with some Pomprock touches, reminding a lot of the last couple of SWEET COMFORT BAND, SERVANT and early ALLIES records, while also JOURNEY/SURVIVOR are clear similarities, but even FAITH NATION, WHITE HEART and early 80s PETRA come to mind when listening to their new album. That means this is pretty much a dream for the AOR fans out there and I can honestly inform you this album is filled with high class AOR music from start to finish. It contains everything we want to hear in this genre, such as picture perfect clean vocalwork, catchy hooks, memorable melodies, smooth pompous keyboards, melodic guitarwork and a very strong rhythm section. The first 2 songs (“Holding our own” and “By the book”) are 2 great uptempo AOR rockers with a SURVIVOR meets JOURNEY kinda approach. “Prisoner unbound” takes the band into an epic symphonic Pomprock direction that reminds me a bit of MAGNUM in their finest years. This is a haunting song with some superb arrangements and lovely vocalwork, actually really quite amazing tune we have here! Some URIAH HEEP (JOHN LAWTON era) can be heard during the semi-rocker “Got to get you into my life”, which is a very 1970s type of Classic Rocker, although the song itself is actually a THE BEATLES original! Up next is the beautiful WHITE HEARTish AOR ballad “Warriors” that has some very strong harmonyvocals, partly thanks to guest female singer KATHY OYSTER. Mid 1980s Pomprock meets Symphonic AOR can be heard in the excellent epic midtempo “Lion of Juddah” that sounds like the perfect cross between the later 1980s MAGNUM, GTR and PETRA circa 1984. Both “Another time, another place” and “US, Eternally” take the mid 80s JOURNEY/FORTUNE/SURVIVOR/ASIA highway all the way, so this is pure uptempo AOR, while closing track “The road less travelled” is a nice semi-ballad that sounds a bit like JOHN WETTON and JOHN PAYNE’s ASIA. The other 3 tracks are short instrumentals…

When listening to all these songs it is very clear that SWEET CRYSTAL is an incredible gifted band with a sound that should be heard by any fan of AOR, Pomp or even Symphonic Rock, because the high quality of their songs is remarkable and sometimes sounding as if they were classics made in the golden years of this genre (the 1980s). Mix up all the mentioned bands and you have SWEET CRYSTAL, must-have for any AOR fan out there. Togther with an excellent production, this CD should be checked out asap at: www.sweetcrystal.com

(Points: 8.7 out of 10) - Strutter'Zine (The Netherlands)

This American Christian band comes out of the State Michigan and I can easily inform you they are the latest new AOR sensation in the underground scene. Their debut CD 'Still standing' is filled with high quality 80s typed hook laden AOR with superb vocals, catchy choruses, and loads of pure 80s AOR keys and in general the band has a big sound, comparable to JOURNEY and SURVIVOR. If you think that SWEET CRYSTAL is a new band, then you're wrong, because they have been around for over 25 years now, so I guess you can say that they have gained some experience through the years. It's amazing that they haven't been discovered sooner, because their AOR is from a very high level and could have placed them next to the big guys back in the 80s. The whole CD is sensational, as I couldn't find any weak song. The vocals of lead singer/keyboard player/bassist Marq Andrew Speck are definitely giving the AOR of SWEET CRYSTAL the finishing touch, because his voice is quite superb and comes dangerously close to JIMI JAMISON from SURVIVOR. A lot of the songs are up tempo 80s typed AOR rockers that remind me of WHITE SISTER, early FM, CRY HOLY, SIGNAL, AVIATOR, early ALLIES and most of all SURVIVOR and JOURNEY. My favorite tracks are "When I think of you" (straight-ahead 80s AOR a la WHITE SISTER), "In God we trust" (superb 80s AOR keys and harmony vocals), "No two masters" (AOR ballad duet with a great female singer) and "In your name" (hello JIMI JAMISON's SURVIVOR Power AOR ballads!). On the other hand, why pick favorites, because the rest is also fantastic, like "Do you believe in love" (semi AOR rocker, very much like SURVIVOR) and "Soldiers of the crown" (up tempo 80s AOR with cool keyboard lines and a sound like CRY HOLY and the very first ALLIES classic). The keyboard work on all the songs is very impressive and reminds me of the 80s AOR, but also Pomp freaks will go nuts, especially on the live track "Stand up and shout". There's even some Prog./Sympho on this record, in the song "This way forever" where we get an impression of how ASIA sounded with good old JOHN WETTON on vocals. All in all, this band is a must to check out if you want to hear that perfect 80s AOR all over again.
(Points: 8.5 out of 10)

Gabor Kleinbloesem, Editor
Strutter'zine
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/strutteraor

- Strutter'zine Music Magazine

SWEDEN: Listen up folks, here we have a new AOR sensation in Sweet Crystal. Sweet Crystal is a 3-piece Christian act from US and they plays AOR with POMP influences in same style and quality as 80's Asia, Cannatta, John Wetton and Tradia. They open up with a track written by Chris Eaton called "Do You Believe In Love". This is a superb AOR song with lots of keyboards and great arrangements in a very 80's Asia style. The singer Marq Andrew Speck sounds a lot like John Wetton. Next song "Soldiers Of The Crown" is little like Saga meets Cannatta. This song has very pompish keyboards that are all over it. "Where I Think Of You" is a POMP/AOR song with great harmonies and a good mix of both guitars and keyboards. This song reminds of Tradia at there best. The ballad "This Way Forever" is a nice piece of work and has a Cannatta feel over it with nice female vocals in the background. "In God We Trust" is the best song of the album. This is a catchy POMP/AOR song with some dut-dut keys in the start and impressive harmony vocals in the chorus. Tradia is written all over this song and the keyboard sound are just amazing. The album ends up with two instrumental songs. One of them "Looking Back" is a beautiful song that makes you wanna dream away. This is a song with wonderful and amazing piano work from the singer and it sounds like it could have been played by J. Cain of Journey. Man, I can just imagine how good this song would be with words. Well this is a album for all your AOR maniacs that miss the good old days with Asia, Cannatta and Tradia. I hope that these guys will be discovered over here in Europe by some of the leading AOR-labels. This will be one of this years biggest surprises.
Juha Harjula
www.melodic.net

- Melodic.net

SWEDEN: Listen up folks, here we have a new AOR sensation in Sweet Crystal. Sweet Crystal is a 3-piece Christian act from US and they plays AOR with POMP influences in same style and quality as 80's Asia, Cannatta, John Wetton and Tradia. They open up with a track written by Chris Eaton called "Do You Believe In Love". This is a superb AOR song with lots of keyboards and great arrangements in a very 80's Asia style. The singer Marq Andrew Speck sounds a lot like John Wetton. Next song "Soldiers Of The Crown" is little like Saga meets Cannatta. This song has very pompish keyboards that are all over it. "Where I Think Of You" is a POMP/AOR song with great harmonies and a good mix of both guitars and keyboards. This song reminds of Tradia at there best. The ballad "This Way Forever" is a nice piece of work and has a Cannatta feel over it with nice female vocals in the background. "In God We Trust" is the best song of the album. This is a catchy POMP/AOR song with some dut-dut keys in the start and impressive harmony vocals in the chorus. Tradia is written all over this song and the keyboard sound are just amazing. The album ends up with two instrumental songs. One of them "Looking Back" is a beautiful song that makes you wanna dream away. This is a song with wonderful and amazing piano work from the singer and it sounds like it could have been played by J. Cain of Journey. Man, I can just imagine how good this song would be with words. Well this is a album for all your AOR maniacs that miss the good old days with Asia, Cannatta and Tradia. I hope that these guys will be discovered over here in Europe by some of the leading AOR-labels. This will be one of this years biggest surprises.
Juha Harjula
www.melodic.net

- Melodic.net

NEW ZEALAND: I first picked this trio up on MP3.COM, and was quite taken aback at the extremely high quality of their music, both in terms of the arrangements and the production. You could tell this effort was not put together in the back bedroom or in the downstairs
basement on a dodgy 4-track Tascam! We get the full monty on this album of tracks by this Detroit based outfit. Not only do they crank out good music, but it seems they run a production and recording facility. So I suppose it's a case of practice what you preach. Talking of preach, these guys are Christian, so the music inevitably compares to others of the genre, but added in there is a commercial but progressive element. On the rockier tracks, Idle Cure and Kerry Livgren's A.D easily comes to mind, while on the quieter ones, Illustrator permeates out of the history books like a long lost cloud from the eighties.
The songs I'd originally heard on MP3.COM sound heaps better on CD, and that says something as I thought they were great. The quality really comes to life. Their opening number 'Do You Still Believe In Love' is a mid-paced effort written by Chris Eaton (featured elsewhere on this site). Their excellent 'Soldiers Of The Crown' is featured here again, like a hi-tech cross between Illustrator and Fighter. 'When I Think Of You' opens slowly before breaking out onto the AOR highway in top gear, complete with pulsing bass lines and swinging guitars. We get some pomp bombast through the middle of 'This Way
Forever', which has a very big and spacious production. 'Messiah Song' is an interesting track, initially a complex intro before settling into a melodic rock track that Kerry Livgren would feel at home with. 'No Two Masters' also features the female vocal talent of D.J Stevenson, who sounds like Debbie Davis (Witness)! No kidding!! 'In Your Name'
continues the melodic presence, building to some big chorus climaxes. 'On Stand Up And Shout' you can hear Sweet Crystal in a live context, and believe me they sound rather awesome. Also heard are some big sound effects coming through. While their coup de
grace is the fantastic hi-tech Tangerine Dream flavored instrumental 'Ominicity'. This is one for the Air Keyboardists among you. Superb stuff. For those with a liking for Christian melodic rock, without going through the normal CCM channels, then go seek Sweet Crystal like I did.
For fans of keyboard based arrangements with quality production then join the queue. To find out what all the fuss is about, there will be an interview to follow with Marq very shortly..
- George Thatcher, Editor
HEART of the ROCK website
URL: www.heartoftherock.com

- HeartOfThe Rock.com

NEW ZEALAND: I first picked this trio up on MP3.COM, and was quite taken aback at the extremely high quality of their music, both in terms of the arrangements and the production. You could tell this effort was not put together in the back bedroom or in the downstairs
basement on a dodgy 4-track Tascam! We get the full monty on this album of tracks by this Detroit based outfit. Not only do they crank out good music, but it seems they run a production and recording facility. So I suppose it's a case of practice what you preach. Talking of preach, these guys are Christian, so the music inevitably compares to others of the genre, but added in there is a commercial but progressive element. On the rockier tracks, Idle Cure and Kerry Livgren's A.D easily comes to mind, while on the quieter ones, Illustrator permeates out of the history books like a long lost cloud from the eighties.
The songs I'd originally heard on MP3.COM sound heaps better on CD, and that says something as I thought they were great. The quality really comes to life. Their opening number 'Do You Still Believe In Love' is a mid-paced effort written by Chris Eaton (featured elsewhere on this site). Their excellent 'Soldiers Of The Crown' is featured here again, like a hi-tech cross between Illustrator and Fighter. 'When I Think Of You' opens slowly before breaking out onto the AOR highway in top gear, complete with pulsing bass lines and swinging guitars. We get some pomp bombast through the middle of 'This Way
Forever', which has a very big and spacious production. 'Messiah Song' is an interesting track, initially a complex intro before settling into a melodic rock track that Kerry Livgren would feel at home with. 'No Two Masters' also features the female vocal talent of D.J Stevenson, who sounds like Debbie Davis (Witness)! No kidding!! 'In Your Name'
continues the melodic presence, building to some big chorus climaxes. 'On Stand Up And Shout' you can hear Sweet Crystal in a live context, and believe me they sound rather awesome. Also heard are some big sound effects coming through. While their coup de
grace is the fantastic hi-tech Tangerine Dream flavored instrumental 'Ominicity'. This is one for the Air Keyboardists among you. Superb stuff. For those with a liking for Christian melodic rock, without going through the normal CCM channels, then go seek Sweet Crystal like I did.
For fans of keyboard based arrangements with quality production then join the queue. To find out what all the fuss is about, there will be an interview to follow with Marq very shortly..
- George Thatcher, Editor
HEART of the ROCK website
URL: www.heartoftherock.com

- HeartOfThe Rock.com

Sweet Crystal, a Christian rock band hailing from Michigan, is connected to ISP Technologies in more ways than one. While Bill Blatter, lead guitarist and one of the original members of the band, uses ISP guitar gear, he also has been with ISP Technologies from the beginning, and has helped design what he plays!

The band, including Marq Speck and Steve Wieser, have been together for 40 plus years and were a Christian rock band before it was even a well known genre. With years of honing their skills and producing quality hard, progressive rock music with a message of ministry that is contemporary and not preachy, Sweet Crystal has won 15 Detroit Music Awards, including the coveted 2015 Global Music Award. Other major awards were Best Performance, Best Artist and Best Recording in the Gospel and Recording Category.

In Bill's Sweet Crystal arsenal, he has both the ISP Totally Blues and Fetish, which he designed, and now also uses the spectacular Theta Pro DSP, a Floor controlled guitar system with a fully programmable digital Theta preamp, Vintage preamp, plus Studio quality effects processing. Bill not only helped in the design but ISP also included some "Wild Bill" presets.

While Sweet Crystal promotes their newest CD, 5 Carat Rock, produced by Chuck Alkazian (Christina Aguilera, Mitch Ryder, Pop Evil) they had the chance to also promote the Theta Pro DSP on-air at The Summit.FM radio station. When asked about the pedal, Bill said, "The Theta Pro DSP will be my go to preamp for both stage and studio performance. The versatility of the tone shaping and intelligent speaker sims allows me to voice the guitar exactly where I want it to sit in the music, from clean to crunch to over the top gain." Besides the amazing tone shaping of the Theta Pro, that fact that it is also “Made In The USA” was of much interest.

For more information on the ISP Technologies Theta Pro DSP floor pedal, or any ISP product, visit www.isptechnologies.com. For more information on Sweet Crystal, visit www.sweetcrystal.com - ISP Technologies