Showing posts with label bill blatter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bill blatter. Show all posts

5.17.2015

SWEET CRYSTAL "QUAD" REVIEWS AND NEWS


Pretty sweet to see how Sweet Crystal's latest EP "QUAD" is making it's way across the planet...and making reviewers sit up and take notice. Check out some of these quotes:

G. Kleinbloesem, Strutter'Zine (Netherlands):

"...the legendary Christian Classic Rock/AOR band Sweet Crystal returns with a new album titled Quad. The band still sounds fresh and clean in 2015 with a melodic rock/aor sound in the classic Petra/Sweet Comfort Band/Allies/White Heart style and surprisingly they have some great guest singers this time, namely Amy Susan Heard and David Perez. Amy is a wonderful female singer and let's hope on a future release she will sing more, because the track on which she sings, Some People May Ask, is a lovely uptempo classic 80s AOR tune with catchy melodies. Another highlight is the Kayak/Magnum ish epic semi prog/pomp piece Anthem, which instrumental sounds like a classic."

T. Rogen, Equal Ground "Indie Album Reviews":
"QUAD is a five-song EP that demands your attention…it’s intense...”Foot of The Cross” is an interesting mix of ballad and arena rock. I appreciated the guitar solo and some of the classic moves like the pick scratch against the strings. “Some People May Ask” was tailor made to be in a play. I’m talking about a huge Broadway play where people are doing somersaults and fifty people are singing...This song should be played in an arena, one of those mega churches or Carnegie Hall...I don’t go to church regularly (if ever) but if I did I would hope that Sweet Crystal was there to rock my socks off first thing in the morning."

D.C. Hathaway, "D.C. Coast To Coast" (San Diego, CA, USA):
"Nobody spreads the gospel musically quite like Sweet Crystal whose rocking melodies compliment the message that ALWAYS grabs me and lifts MY soul. Their EP QUAD is NO exception to their past releases, but even BETTER! It’s so refreshing to hear loud rock music that REALLY means something. I’m a fan forever and SO blessed Sweet Crystal is part of the family on the D.C. Coast To Coast playlist.”

A. Rockwell, Angelic Warlord (Phoenix, AZ, USA):
"All of the Detroit, Michigan based Sweet Crystal’s chief qualities - AOR and commercial hard rock leanings, soaring lead vocals, tightly woven guitar harmonies and radio friendly catchy hooks - are present on its independently released spring of 2015 five song EP Quad. Quad from featuring near perfect production that aligns a presence fill low-end with guitars, keyboards and vocals in just the right amounts.

Polish is of the type connoisseurs expect form and AOR meets melodic hard rock album. Credit the group in this capacity for recruiting mixing technician Chuck Alkazian (Pearl Sound Studios) and mastering engineer Scott Hull (Masterdisc)- the results speak for themselves!

First full length track “Foot Of The Cross” proves an excited groove laden hard rocker, as an arresting bass line and added traces of organ collide to establish nothing less a climactic scene. Instrumental moments find searing guitar feedback and razor edged soloing holding sway. As always, frontman Marq Speck proves a natural fit for the genre at hand with his signature raspy to melodic middle register vocal qualities.

Sweet Crystal goes full-bore symphonic progressive rock on “Anthem”, a direction in which we have never previously heard from the group. Classical instrumentation and guitar harmonies open the first two instrumental moments, with the lone verse that ensues giving way to a final instrumental interlude that closes things in magnanimous fashion (and suggests of prime Kansas in the process). All the while angelic choir vocals lend to the glorious feel at hand. ...if a long term fan or into any type of AOR, melodic rock or commercial hard rock then Quad comes strongly recommended."

Anyway, you get the picture...QUAD appears to be doing just fine...and of course it's because of you and your support that we keep on with the music and the message. Got QUAD? Here are some links to use to grab one for yourself...and your parents...and your kids...and that guy next door who could really use some Sonshine in his life! 

SWEET CRYSTAL

13 Time Detroit Music Award Winners



4.12.2015

AND THE WINNER OF THE 2015 DETROIT MUSIC AWARD GOES TO...

© 2015 Marty Rickard

…SWEET CRYSTAL !

What has become a very sweet trend at the prestigious Detroit Music Awards continued again this year as veteran Christian rockers SWEET CRYSTAL grabbed two more awards at the 24th annual gala.

"No, this really doesn't get old…or even expected" says founding member Marq Andrew Speck(keyboards/lead vocals).

"The voting for these awards come from all walks of the music scene in Michigan and what it says is that our associates, our compatriots, our peers in the business recognize both the sincerity of what we do and what we represent in our music and message…and that recognition is a blessing to the three of us that have been in the band since its inception."


Taking home the 2015 awards for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Act ( a 4th time in 5 years for the band; SWEET CRYSTAL was ineligible per DMA rules in 2014 because they had won it 3 years in a row) as well as Outstanding Gospel/Christian Recording for their song "Foot Of The Cross" (this song from the recently released EP "QUAD" also just won a 2015 Global Music Award in the Rock category). 

"This makes lucky number 12 and 13 for the band" cites guitarist Bill Blatter, also nominated this year for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Musician. "We just might have to add a second shelf to hold them - high class problem we're thinking."

Along with drummer Steve Wieser, the band is taking none of this for granted.; they even took the time to thank their engineer/editor Chuck Alkazian (Pearl Sound Studios, Canton, MI) for making their sound "even sweeter" with his work on 'Foot Of The Cross' (Click Song Link To View Speech).

"This is who we are, this is what we do" concludes Speck. "We've got a message, a ministry that we've been given and as long as we can put this into music, then that's what we will continue to do."

And with the 25th anniversary of the Detroit Music Awards just one year away, here's betting the SWEET CRYSTAL train will make plans to be there as well. Sweet, very sweet indeed.


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