In 1987 a small and fairly unknown band would release a four song cassette demo that they would sell and distribute completely independent, and it would garnish great reviews in the underground white metal scene, which would start to pave the way for this band to make its mark on the metal world. Up next for this band in 1988 the band would get asked to contribute not one, but two tracks on a very high profile Christian Metal compilation on Regency Records entitled “East Coast Metal” and the band had now become a household name in the world of Christian Metal.
That band was called Taker and they were now poised to take the world by storm, between the success of their four song demo [which would get dubbed the “Matthew 11:12” EP] and the “East Coast Metal” compilation, it was the start of what promised to be a very fruitful career for this young and energetic metal band from Northern Virginia.
The band would play many high profile shows throughout their career with some of the biggest white metal bands of the time like Whitecross, Believer, Second Chance, and even Haven. By the summer of 1989 they would complete one more five song EP entitled “Blood” before the members would begin to move on to other musical projects and Taker would officially call it a day. The “Blood” EP would be their last official release and the world would never get to see another official release or any other additional material from Taker, until now!
On April 1, 2014, Twenty Seven years after this bands humble beginnings Roxx Records is very proud to say that we will be releasing a long overdue full length release from Taker entitled “It Is Finished – The Complete Anthology”. Roxx worked very close with Robert Bussey, one of the bands founding members, to come up with anything and everything we could find in the band’s recording history and personal archive. Once fully compiled with the best possible recordings we could find it was sent off to Sid ‘Ysidro’ Garcia [Deliverance, Ultimatum, Crossforce] to be completely remastered so that these long lost and nearly forgotten gems could be shared with the world one more time and for the first time EVER digitally and on CD!
Check out exactly what we came up with for you here in this amazing compilation which encompasses all of the studio tracks the band ever recorded all remastered and all into one special CD release limited to only 300 copies worldwide.
Tracklist:
Four song demo [Matthew 11:12] [May/June 1987]
Recorded at Glass Hand Studio. Falls Church, VA, engineered by Mark Miley
1 – Open Your Heart
2 – He Is The Light
3 – Yesterday Today and Forever
4 – 11 O’ Clock News
Rehearsal Song [Recorded Live] in between the release of the “Matthew 11:12” EP and before the Image Records Recording Sessions in preparation for the opening slot on the very first Whitecross East Coast tour.
Note: Mark Miley filled in on drums for Charlie Osterhoudt [Fall 1987]
5 – Living by Faith
Image records recording sessions [November 1987]
Recorded at Alive Studios, Harrisonburg, VA, Produced by Dorn Repport.
6 – Look Into His Eyes [Released on ‘White Metal Invasion’ compilation]
7 – He is the Light [Re-Recorded]
8 – Open Your Heart [Re-Recorded]
“East Coast Metal” [1989]
Recorded at Morningstar Studio, Produced by Doug Mann
9 – Living by Faith
10 – Yesterday, Today and Forever
“Blood” EP [five song ep-featuring Rob Kreiner on vocals] [Summer 1989]
Recorded at Bias Studios, Springfield, VA
11 – The Measure
12 – Blood
13 – Overcomer’s Anthem
14 – Into The Throneroom / A New Song
Bonus Disc [First 100 Only)]
Live East Coast Metal concert [w / Believer, Second Chance, Taker]
[Halloween 1988 at Street Cry in Fredericksburg, VA.]
1 – Look Into His Eyes / Overcomer’s Anthem
2 – Open Your Heart
3 – 11 O Clock News
4 – Yesterday Today and Forever
5 – He Is The Light
6 – The Measure
7 – Battle Hymn Of Republic
Additional Bonus Tracks
8 – Into the Throneroom – Attic Symphony [Robert and Dan]
9 – Yesterday Today and Forever [Instrumental] – Attic Symphony [Robert and Dan]
10 – Polar Expressions – Robert Bussey
Video below ‘Living by Faith’ [from the album “East Coast Metal”]