Check out all the metal titles by going to: www.cdbaby.com/all/brutalplanet The original 1994 release in its entirety, completely remastered with all new artwork. Features four high quality bonus tracks (1 rare and 3 previously unreleased). Melodic, dar, and absolutely brilliant progressive metal. Fans of HIM and Savior Machine, as well as Queensyche will rejoice for an enhanced version of the original masterpiece! The last track is a 12 minute word from Jimmy, reflecting on his all-time favorite Deliverance album!!!! This is must-have metal! HARDROCK HAVEN REVIEW Comments: The latest CD from the Christian Progressive Metal outfit, Deliverance, is actually a re-release and re-mastered River Disturbance. Originally released in '94, the album has received an update of album artwork from Caleb Olsen whose work can be seen on album covers of X-Sinner, Final Axe and Seventh Power. Also River Disturbance features additional bonus tracks pushing the original track listing from nine songs to 13. With their music described as progressive, melodic and dark, the band comprises of Jimmy Brown who handles all vocals, guitars and keyboards, drummer Jeff Mason and bassist Manny Morales. The band formed in the mid '80s delivering their most significant album in '90 Weapons of Warfare. Releasing What a Joke in '91, Stay of Execution in '92, Learn in '93, River Disturbance in '94 and Camelot in Smithereens in '95, in that same year the band broke up. Reemerging in '01 Deliverance they released Assimilation only to break up again in '02. By '07 the band yet again united performing a few shows and releasing As Above So Below on Retroactive Records. So the question can be asked why re-release River Disturbance instead of '90s Weapons of Warfare which is the band's most notable release? River Disturbance opens with "Belltown" an aggressive number that showcases Brown's vocal moving through a diverse combination of timbres. Beginning by singing in lower range he tips his hat to the Axl Rose, Alice in Chains vocal methodology only to shift towards the soaring style vocals of the power metal pioneer Bruce Dickenson of Iron Maiden. On "After I Fell" Brown sounds more like himself moving into a midrange, clean style vocal delivery that also reaches for higher notes. The title track "River Disturbance" shines with the opening musical interplay of an electric clean toned guitar melody, percussion and melodic bass lines. The song quickly moves into metal rhythm progression that bounces back to the intro and from there rides off into progressive bliss. "Now and Then" has a haunting melody and overall feel that portrays a bit of sadness. The vocals here have a David Bowie like presentation. "Speed of Light" leans on heavy progressive rhythms but also pushes off into melodic territories. "A Little Sleep" is a bit out of place within the context of the rest of the CD. Stepping out with a fast tempo, again heavy guitars make there appearance, the verses feature a vocal rap, which is more in line with Anthrax. Other than that this song would fit into the total vibe of the CD. "Map" continues the albums heaviness. "You Still Smile" takes a turn away from the hard edged metallic side of the band. The song opens with a piano melody and slowly builds as a vocal choir and lead guitar leads the listener into the verse. Again Brown vocals here are haunting and sound sad and Bowie-esque. "Breathing" a song that originally closed out the album, returns to progressive, always heavy rhythms; that is Deliverance's calling card. The four bonus songs include: "I Thought..." is previously unreleased and recorded during the River Disturbance sessions is experimental when compared to the original tracks; "On the Fritz" originally appeared on the R.E.X. compilation I Predict A Clone (a Steve Taylor tribute) this song has the Bowie vocal sound; the previously unreleased "Belltown" (Hyper Industrial Mix); "About River Disturbance by Jimmy Brown" a is a 12-minute discussion by Brown about the making of the River Disturbance album. Band Lineup: Jimmy Brown (v)(g)(k) Jeff Mason (d) Manny Morales (b) Track listing: 1. Belltown 2. After I Fell 3. River Disturbance 4. Now & Then 5. Speed of Light 6. A Little Sleep 7. Map 8. You Still Smile 9. Breathing Bonus Tracks: 10. I Thought (prev. unreleased) 11. Fritz (from the I Predict A Clone compilation) 12. Belltown (Hyper Remix) 13. A Word from Jimmy P. Brown II (prev. unreleased 12 minutes long). HRH rating: 8.5/10 2008 Hardrock Haven . NET aka John Kindred | All Rights Reserved Webmaster WWW.ANGELICWARLORD.COM REVIEW Deliverance was quite the veteran unit at the time of its 1994 release River Disturbance, having released two demo tapes, five full length albums and an EP. Initially combining elements of speed metal and thrash on its first three albums, the promising self-titled debut (1989), a groundbreaking work in Weapons Of Our Warfare (1990) and the aptly titled What A Joke (1991), Deliverance went through a near complete makeover in its sound with the straightforward metal of the follow up efforts Stay Of Execution (1992) and Learn (1993). While not quite speed metal or thrash, both albums, nevertheless, were still HEAVY and showcased the bands trademark crunch. River Disturbance, on the other hand, finds Jimmy P. Brown and company heading in polished and subdued hard rock territory but still delivering an ample amount of guitar driven momentum in the process. This is best exhibited on classy mid-tempo hard rockers “Belltown”, “Breathing Still” and the albums reflective title track. Deliverance proves it can still flex its muscles, however, on the classic metal influenced “Speed Of Light” and the up-tempo “After I Fell” while reflecting the more somber feel on the ballads “Now And Then” and “You Still Smile”. The only drawback to River Disturbance comes in the form of the rap based hard rock number “A Little Sleep” and the lackluster feel the quirky “Map” brings to the table. Originally released on Brainstorm Records, River Disturbance was digitally re-mastered and re-issued by Retroactive Records in late 2007 with new (impressive) artwork and four bonus tracks: “I Thought” (previously unreleased song from the RD sessions), “On The Fritz” (making its initial appearance on the R.E.X. Steve Taylor tribute album I Predict A Clone), “Belltown” (previously unreleased hyper industrial mix) and “A Word From Jimmy P. Brown II” (a 12 minute monologue from vocalist/guitarist Jimmy Brown). Jimmy Brown puts forth quite the doom-laden and melancholic vocal performance here, his low key but smooth sounding sensibilities bringing to mind a combination of David Bowie and Eric Clayton (Saviour Machine). Brown continues to fill in on rhythm guitar and combines with Jonathan Maddux, who also performed on the bands previous effort Learn, for an abundance of very well done work on lead guitar. Manny Morales returns on 5-string bass and anchors the rhythm section with newcomer Jeff Mason on drums. Please note that Terry Taylor of Daniel Amos fame, who produced Stay Of Execution and Learn, also handles production duties here and has put together one of the more polished efforts in Deliverance’s repertoire. A crisp sounding rhythm guitar is cleanly blended with a fluid mix of lead guitar and full and pronounced bass lines. The drums rise above the instrumentation as they should. It is also worth pointing out that the albums title comes from the British author C.S. Lewis, who once wrote about how the believer is literally able to find peace within the “river disturbance”. After opening to a clashing of symbols, “Belltown” immediately launches into its first verse. The song proceeds to forge ahead to a choppy mix of rhythm guitar, not gaining initiative until it attains a smoothly flowing chorus delivered in near laid back fashion. A guitar solo with a distorted edge helps carry a minute long instrumental section. All in all, a strong and steady album opener. “After I Fell” begins to a bass guitar solo that segues to an up-tempo collaboration of rhythm guitar and drums. Stopping dead in its tracks, an ethereal setting is established as an acoustic guitar gently compels the song ahead until the rhythm guitar returns to fortify a background driven chorus with an overriding mood-laden vibe. Quite the creative and listenable composition. The lyrics to “After I Fell” focus on God’s forgiveness: The time between the wait and sleep A pathway for my open mind to play Immutable acts forever engrafted into memories eye Take me as far as east is from the west Plunge me into your sea of forgetfulness See of forgetfulness… A near perfect amalgamation of quietly played guitar and bass gently shores up the albums title track during its first and second verse. Picking up in pace as an edgy rhythm guitar steps forward, “River Disturbance” moves on to a catchy chorus highlighted by the emotional feel to Brown’s vocal delivery. Deliverance displays the strength of its musicianship throughout another sweeping instrumental section. “River Disturbance” talks about peace amidst times of trial: There is a shore by the river disturbance There is a place called peace on earth Make it to the shoreline of the river disturbance Yeah, you got to go on under for a second birth The haunting ballad “Now & Then” flows through its first and second verse in an acoustic laded manner, upholding the sublime atmosphere throughout the graceful but melancholic chorus that follows. As its title implies, “Now & Then” reflects upon dealing with the past and the present: I hear myself say the words of how life’s unfair It’s come to points where I don’t care Mine eye’s have seen failure with no wins Like a story told by a child who does not know Close your eyes and listen to the words of Wisdom from those Who’s innocence has been torn “Speed Of Light” is by far the albums best track. Getting underway to a drum solo, the song is pushed through its first and second verse by a punchy bass line as the rhythm guitar cascades in and out of the mix. As “Speed Of Light” subtly diminishes to a quietly played guitar, it transitions to an ethereal flavored chorus that twice asks an engaging question: How can I travel the speed of light? A searing guitar solo helps lead the way through an extensive instrumental section. River Disturbance hits a bit of a speed bump on its next two tracks, “A Little Sleep” and “Map”. Rap music is annoying. And when you combine elements of rap with metal you end up with, well, an annoying metal song. And such is the case with “A Little Sleep”, a gimmicky collaboration with the Christian rap group 12th Tribe. All criticism aside, I would hate to discourage an artist from branching out and experimenting with different forms of music; that being said, “A Little Sleep” is difficult to accept as a Deliverance song: to understand my point try to imagine Rob Rock or Theocracy attempting something like this. My overall feeling is that “A Little Sleep” would probably have been better off if included on a 12th Tribe album instead. Nevertheless, it must be pointed out that Whitecross pulled the same trick on the song “Holy War” (off In The Kingdom from 1991), in which Christian rappers D.O.C. make a guest appearance. The offbeat “Map” also fails to make the grade. Fading into a few brief seconds of guitar feedback, the song moves forward in rollicking fashion until tapering off for its first verse. “Map” regains its momentum as it obtains a quickly moving chorus on the quirky side of things. This one sounds like an old Daniel Amos outtake. Again, I hate to be critical because I can see others might get into “Map”: it does move at an upbeat tempo and features a fairly solid hook. Just not my cup of tea, I guess. Deliverance redeems itself by saving some of its best for last in “U Still Smile” and “Breathing Still”. “You Still Smile”, the albums second ballad, opens quietly to an orchestral blend of piano and rhythm guitar. Slowing as the rhythm guitar drops from the mix, the song delicately moves forward as the piano remains to stand in support of the moody scene during its first verse and a chorus of the to the point variety. The rhythm guitar returns satisfyingly strong to buttress “You Still Smile” at the end of the instrumental section following its second chorus. On “You Still Smile” Brown reveals the enduring love of his wife: I would leave in the name of love Let the road become my only one You would let me live, while you would die You took my abuse when I should’ve been left You became my sanity when my mind had spent If there had been any with a Christ like spirit I was you for me The progressive rock influenced “Breathing Still…” commences to a minute long instrumental section carried by a mid-tempo joining of rhythm guitar and bass that gradually picks up in pace. Quickly moving through its verse portions to a hard hitting rhythm guitar, “Breathing Still” makes a time change to a more reduced pace as it gains a hold of a sweeping chorus highlighted by a trace of vocal harmonies in the background. A slowly played – almost bluesy – guitar solo carries another extensive instrumental section. “I Thought”, the first of the four bonus tracks, proves a piece of contrasts as a melancholic joining of bass and drums upholds its verse portions and rhythm guitar a chorus advancing at the more upbeat tempo. Short but concise, this one perfectly aligns itself with the mood and feeling established throughout the album. The big D brings a “low key and somber” interpretation to the Steve Taylor classic “On The Fritz”. The song, to be honest, proves quite listenable as Brown contributes his doom-like vocal stylings while a forward mix of rhythm guitar pushes things well into hard rock territory. By far my favorite of the bonus material. I tend to pass on the “hyper remix” of “Belltown”. Now, don’t get me wrong, I fully understand how others might easily embrace this but “hyper remixes” and “dance remixes” – which more often than not end up being drenched in keyboards - have never done it for me. The song, if anything, proves a foreshadowing to the ”electronica” musical direction Jimmy would begin to take on Fearful Symmetry’s debut “This Sad Veil Of Tears”. Finally, closing things out is “A Word From Jimmy P. Brown II”, a piece including in depth and insightful commentary from the artist as he goes into detail concerning the background and ultimate production of RD. River Disturbance has a lot of endearing qualities to it. The production is top notch (some of the best of the bands career) while the same can be said for the performance of Jimmy Brown and company. From a songwriting standpoint, Deliverance again shines in that the better material here more than holds its own when compared to that on Stay Of Execution and Learn. Replace “A Little Sleep” and “Map” with two the same quality as the remaining seven and River Disturbance would receive a grade in the 85% to 90% range. In the end, if you are a fan of Deliverance’s previous efforts (again, Stay Of Execution and Learn come to mind) then by all means give River Disturbance the chance. You will not be disappointed. Review by: Andrew Rockwell Track Listing: “Belltown” (4:39), “After I Fell” (4:21), “River Disturbance” (6:35), “Now & Then” (4:33), “Speed Of Light” (4:53), “A Little Sleep” (3:44), “Map” (4:52), “You Still Smile” (7:06), “Breathing Still” (8:01) Musicians Jimmy P. Brown II – Lead Vocals, Rhythm & Lead Guitar, 12 String Guitars & Keyboards Manny Morales – 5 String & Fretless Bass Jeff Mason – Drums & Percussion Guest Musicians Jonathan Maddux – Rhythm & Lead Guitar Jon Knox – Drums & Percussion Gene Eugene – Piano 12th Tribe – Whatever METROPOLIS REVIEW Although it is musically even further from the first 3 records, this is still a great offering. It is definitely the most underrated Deliverance album, as it certainly holds some of the bands finest moments. The sound is darker, yet melodic and heavy at the same time. Melancholic, is a word that comes to mind. The Christian rap band 12th Tribe makes an appearance in the track "A Little Sleep". But why did the band change their logo? My guess is that Intense Records owned the rights to it. After buying the Collector's Edition, remastered and reissued by Retroactive Records in 2007, I've listened to this album with "fresh" ears. And I must say that I've fallen in love with it all over again. Now I can really hear the masterpiece Jimmy set out to create, and I love most of the tracks on this CD. The music is actually heavier than I remembered them, and every tune is heartfelt and sincere. It's the production, and all the different layers and effects that sets this disc apart from most other Deliverance albums. Jimmy was really like a kid alone in the candy store, co-producing this. More on that can be learned by listening to the last track on the CD, where Jimmy himself speaks about his thought on the album, and the recording of it. 3 other bonus tracks have also found their way to this reissue. The first is a previously unreleased track from the recording session (where are the other 2 Jimmy speaks of in the last track?), albeit not a very noticeable one. The second one is from the Steve Taylor tribute album, and the third is a very noisy industrial remix of "Belltown". Killer tracks: Belltown, After I Fell, River Disturbance, Now & Then, Speed Of Light WWW.PHANTOMTOLLBOOTH.ORG At first River Disturbance seems like a strange choice for a Deliverance reissue. It was initially released in 1994, during a time when the band's popularity was waning, and in general fans hated the record and thought Jimmy P. Brown II had sold out his speed metal roots. Most longtime fans would prefer to see records like the self-titled debut or Weapons of Our Warfare reissued instead of this one. That being said, in recent years River Disturbance has become a bit of a cult classic, with some pretty strong accolades from fan reviews online. That combined with the fact that there were only 14,000 copies of the initial issue pressed, and that this is Jimmy Brown's favorite Deliverance album, make it a prime candidate for reissue. River Disturbance had the largest budget of any Deliverance record, and it shows. The original release already had a beefy guitar crunch, and I wasn't sure how much the remaster could improve on the sound of the original. Well, it does! The album sounds heavier and more full than the original, making the disc sound like it could have been recorded a month ago, not over ten years ago. This really benefits the songs, which are often some of Jimmy's best. Although many fans do hate this, it is very underrated. All the songs have tremendous hooks and thought-provoking lyrics. The album opens with three of its best cuts. "Belltown" is one of Jimmy's heaviest songs and stands up to any of his thrash numbers in terms of heaviness. "After I Fell" experiments with Indian percussion and shows that the band was not afraid to tinker with its sound. The title-track is a monster ballad, slow and also heavy. The album has a bit of a dip in quality near the middle. "Now & Then" is a rather pedestrian ballad, and "A Little Sleep" features the hip-hop group 12th Tribe on guest vocals. Rap-metal collaborations were pretty popular at the time when this was released, but unfortunately, with the exception of Anthrax and Public Enemy's "Bring The Noise," they all tend to sound dated and awful now. The album picks up again at the end: "You Still Smile" is a beautiful ballad for Jimmy's wife, focusing on the importance of a Christ-like character, and conversely "Breathing Still..." closes the album with a look at the temptress of Proverbs. These two epic songs close the album with a perfect contrast that shows how much Jimmy had grown as a composer. On top of the remastering and far superior new cover art, the reissue also includes four bonus tracks, unfortunately they are nothing special. "I Thought" was recorded during the sessions, and is clear b-side material. "On the Fritz" is a decent Steve Taylor cover but is not particularly exciting, and the terrible industrial remix of "Belltown" robs the original of all its power. The final bonus track is a twelve-minute monologue in which Jimmy Brown gives his thoughts on the record. While interesting and poignant, it is the type of thing that should be left as liner notes. Most fans will only listen once or twice at most. Apparently there were supposed to be twelve songs on the original release of the record but the band was behind schedule and had to scrap three of them. It would have been nice to have these songs instead of the monologue. However even though the bonus tracks are not ideal, this reissue is worth owning, for the beefy production value and new cover art alone. But here's hoping for proper reissues of Weapons of Our Warfare and Stay of Execution. I'll be first in line. Noah Salo