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AMPS FOR CHRIST

Indo-Prog/Raga Rock • United States


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Amps For Christ biography
Celtic, folk rock project including Eastern raga influences

AMPS FOR CHRIST can be considered as a combination of many musical styles from noise, experimental to popular, traditional folk music. The concept is all about anti-capitalism purposes, in hippy eccentricity and pseudo-mysticism. Born during the late 90's and mainly focused around the guitarist Henry Barnes (founder of the hardcore/noise band MAN IS THE BASTARD). The experimental nature of the project is clearly mentioned in the intricate uses of amplifiers, electronic gadgets."World" (from Chinese to India), "Celtic", "blue-grass" ingredients come into the mix to procure a more spiritual, soft approach to this rather "anarchic" trip. An eclectic musical exploration which covers a large bunch of styles, but always played with a popular, folk American sensibility. Albums as "The people at Large" and "The Oak in the Ashes" contain exotic instruments and electric raga folk effects. It definitely explores the mystical world of "sacred" Eastern meditative music.

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AMPS FOR CHRIST discography


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AMPS FOR CHRIST top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

2.87 | 4 ratings
The Plains Of Alluvial
1995
3.00 | 1 ratings
Thorny Path
1997
3.00 | 1 ratings
Amps For Christ and Two Ambiguous Figures: The Beggars Garden
1997
4.00 | 2 ratings
Circuits
1999
4.00 | 1 ratings
Electrosphere
1999
2.33 | 3 ratings
The Oak In The Ashes
2001
3.28 | 4 ratings
The People At Large
2004
2.33 | 3 ratings
Every Eleven Seconds
2006
3.00 | 1 ratings
Canyons Cars And Crows
2014
0.00 | 0 ratings
Amps For Christ, The ..., and rehgrafsivart: Season Of The Dog
2015
2.00 | 1 ratings
Evil Normal
2015

AMPS FOR CHRIST Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

0.00 | 0 ratings
Songs From Mt. Ion
1998

AMPS FOR CHRIST Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

AMPS FOR CHRIST Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

AMPS FOR CHRIST Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

3.00 | 1 ratings
The Secret Of The Almost Straight Line
1997
0.00 | 0 ratings
Amps For Christ and Jalopaz : Collaboration
1998
0.00 | 0 ratings
Amps For Christ / One Eyed Cyclops
2001
0.00 | 0 ratings
Amps For Christ / Bastard Noise
2003
0.00 | 0 ratings
Fear Konstruktor / Amps For Christ
2012
0.00 | 0 ratings
Woods / Amps For Christ
2012
0.00 | 0 ratings
Amps For Christ, Winters In Osaka, and Eric Wood: Plurality Of Worlds / Vorkuta
2013
0.00 | 0 ratings
Amps For Christ / Failings
2014
0.00 | 0 ratings
Amps For Christ and Witches Of Malibu: Indian Hill
2015
0.00 | 0 ratings
Amps for Christ and Bastard Noise: The Crossroads of Agony / Cliff Parade
2021
2.00 | 1 ratings
Eugene Chadbourne / Amps for Christ
2022

AMPS FOR CHRIST Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 The Plains Of Alluvial by AMPS FOR CHRIST album cover Studio Album, 1995
2.87 | 4 ratings

BUY
The Plains Of Alluvial
Amps For Christ Indo-Prog/Raga Rock

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

3 stars AMPS FOR CHRIST began in 1995 basically as the one-man project of Henry Barnes who stemmed from both the hardcore punk band Man Is The Bastard and its uglier harsh noise offspring Bastard Noise. The eclectic mix of sounds that made up this project was created to explore the disparate sounds of Barnes' noise and metal passions with his additional appreciation of various forms of ethnic folk, classical and jazz laid out in a rather Indo-raga compositional context.

Over the years AMPS FOR CHRIST has put out quite a few releases with THE PLAINS OF ALLUVIAL being their debut. It was only released on cassette in 1995 which is somewhat rare to track down and finally repressed onto vinyl in 2016. While clearly falling to the realms of the underground, AMPS FOR CHRIST scored in 2006 when Animal Collective invited the band to open for them on a West Coast tour which ushered in a newer generation of followers.

Musically THE PLAINS OF ALLUVIAL is a treasure trove of sounds that has found many labels to describe it with genres ranging from drone and electroacoustic to avant-folk, experimental rock, noise rock, art punk and even no wave. While all these sorta give a hint as what to expect, none really convey the fusion of the elements involved. The musical compositions range from traditional Celtic songs to Segovia type classical guitar tracks with some exhibiting highly applied feedback and fuzz much like a band like Boris and some truly fitting into a more Pagan based avant-folk like Natural Snow Buildings.

This debut is a strange beast as it contains 22 short tracks with most only lasting a minute or two. While some tracks like "Sitron" are straight out of the no wave playbook with angular rhythmic guitars jostling around like loose electrically wires and "Oscilin" sounding like some strange alien noise rock, most of the tracks are firmly based in some sort of Celtic folk setting to some degree with the occasional acoustic classical guitar appearances.

One thing that unique is that Barnes experiments with waveform manipulations and messes with instruments until he gets the desired sounds out of them which give the music a strange alien type of feel. Through the clever mixing of stringed instruments, pre-ampls and amplifiers he creates some strange and unnerving sounds that are utterly indescribable and some soft sensual traditional that sound fairly standard. Basically this debut will be only of interest to lovers of harsh noise rock as the meditative Indo-raga aspects don't really shine through on this one. Some cool stuff on here but sorta inconsistent as well.

 The People At Large by AMPS FOR CHRIST album cover Studio Album, 2004
3.28 | 4 ratings

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The People At Large
Amps For Christ Indo-Prog/Raga Rock

Review by fungusucantkill

4 stars This genre is rather unknown and untouched. That being said, this doesnt mean that the genre itself is a good one. Amps for Christ was the first Indo-prog band ive ever heard and it reminded me a lot of Prog Folk. This album consists of 23 songs, all of which are no more than 3:30. The tracks consist of drone tones, folk melodies, and lovely higher melodies. This album is one not to dissapoint. If you are a fan of Prog Folk, Art Rock, and some Avant Garde, you can find your place with this album.
 The People At Large by AMPS FOR CHRIST album cover Studio Album, 2004
3.28 | 4 ratings

BUY
The People At Large
Amps For Christ Indo-Prog/Raga Rock

Review by philippe
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars This album covers a large range of "droning" vibrations, "sweet" acoustic folk compositions and a "buddy" aggressive garage rock...everything played in a rather "neo hippie / semi punk" mood. The album starts with a gorgeous "mystical", repetitive sitar pattern. "Use use use" is a "grotesque", "drunken" rock 'n roll piece. Some songs have a nice, funny "country" folk flavour ("Banjo hymn", "Old Palm Tree"...). A complex band with a lot of capacities, expressing with no restriction pure nervous, noisy rock attacks and sudden "rural" folk ballads. On this last, new effort my favourite tunes are the floating and meditative "Claremont raga" and the "disarticulated", plaintive "noisy" folk rock «Memorial Immemorial". Time to time the advantage of the diversity can be translated to an inconvenient. In fact it's difficult to be attracted by all the musical segments offered by the band...sometimes it's impossible to see the relationship between the different musical sources of inspiration. It creates something strangely controversial.
Thanks to Philippe Blache for the artist addition. and to NotAProghead for the last updates

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