Roxx Records has secured the rights to bring you another classic Christian rock release that should have been released years ago to the masses, but alas never got the push out of the heavenly metal gates it needed.
Brothers Jeff and Rusty Ellison grew up playing the hard rock and metal brand of music they loved so much all the way back in their teens. Heavily influenced by their musical taste of artists like, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Aerosmith, Rush, Van Halen, Montrose, Kansas, Styx and Journey. Theywould start off in those early days writing music and playing bars as early as 15 years old.
They were really good and began winning local music talent contests and even got radio airplay with some of their early music locally even before they became Christians. Thankfully their mother, who loved them very much, became a Christian when the boys we’re in their late teens at that early stage in their musical career. Their mom would begin to pray for the boys and by the time they were in their early 20’s God would hear her prayers and both brothers would accept Christ.
Almost overnight they went from playing in bars and clubs to recording their own music and using their talents to begin their hard rock music ministry, and so Chosen Stranger was born. They would open for many of the greats including Barren Cross, Bloodgood, and Whitecross. Ultimately from that early Whitecross connection the brothers would become good friends with legendary Whitecross artist Rex Carrol.
Rex really liked the brothers and enjoyed the music they were playing and wanted to help them. He would ultimately put them up in the studio with a small budget and get the Chosen Stranger music rolling. Unfortunately, like with many talented bands from that era, the band ended up splitting up before they even got their start leaving contracts on the table and recordings that would never fully see the light of day.
Ultimately the band would release two 7” records early on in 1986, followed up with the inclusion of a track on the now legendary compilation ‘Underground Metal’ in 1988. After that they would record their debut 4 track self-titled cassette only demo. Lastly trying to give it one more go, the band would come back to record one last 4 track demo entitled ‘Death Walker’ in 1992 that was released as a demo cassette very briefly. Ultimately that would be the end of the line for Chosen Stranger, or would it? The brothers have decided here in 2023, to give it a go again and are currently working on new music, which is amazing!
Until then Roxx Records has compiled all of the bands previous recordings into an amazing remastered, self-titled package simply entitled ‘Chosen Stranger’ with the help of Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound and Scott Waters of NoLifeTilMetal Graphics Chosen Stranger will rise again with this limited edition CD package.
Check out the first remastered track ‘So Glad’ and get ready as pre orders will launch very soon with a release date set for April 14, 2023.
Video for ‘So Glad’