- CDs & Vinyl
- ›
- Rock
- ›
- Hard Rock
Image Unavailable
Color:
-
-
-
- Sorry, this item is not available in
- Image not available
- To view this video download Flash Player
Jesus Christ The Exorcist
Listen Now with Amazon Music |
Jesus Christ the Exorcist
"Please retry" | Amazon Music Unlimited |
Price | New from | Used from |
MP3 Music, June 14, 2019
"Please retry" | $13.98 | — |
Vinyl, June 14, 2019
"Please retry" |
—
| $49.55 | $42.70 |
Frequently bought together
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
From the brand
Track Listings
1 | Introduction |
2 | Overture |
3 | Getaway |
4 | Gather the People |
5 | Jesus' Baptism |
6 | Jesus' Temptation |
7 | There's a Highway |
8 | The Woman of Seven Devils |
9 | Free at Last |
10 | The Madman of the Gadarenes |
11 | Love Has Called My Name |
12 | Better Weather |
13 | The Keys to the Kingdom |
14 | Get Behind Me Satan |
15 | He Must Go to the Cross |
16 | Jerusalem |
17 | Hearts Full of Holes |
18 | The Last Supper |
19 | Gethsemane |
20 | Jesus Before the Council and Peter's Denial |
21 | Judas' Death |
22 | Jesus Before Pilate and the Crucifixion |
23 | Mary at the Tomb |
24 | The Greatest Love of All |
25 | Love Has Called My Name (Reprise) |
Editorial Reviews
Jesus Christ the Exorcist is a monumental project in Neal Morse's already daunting discography. A progressive rock opera ten years in the making, it was written and produced by Morse and features performances by Neal and an all-star cast of vocalists and musicians including Ted Leonard, Eric Gillette, Nick D'Virgilio, Randy George, Bill Hubauer, and Matt Smith among others. Jesus Christ the Exorcist boasts about two hours of music that encompass all the spectrums and genres Neal Morse is known for and, of course, tells the Story of Stories.
Product details
- Language : English
- Product Dimensions : 4.95 x 5.64 x 0.39 inches; 3.84 ounces
- Manufacturer : FRONTIERS MUSIC SRL
- Original Release Date : 2019
- Date First Available : March 18, 2019
- Label : FRONTIERS MUSIC SRL
- ASIN : B07PRZKX55
- Number of discs : 2
- Best Sellers Rank: #89,695 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #2,641 in Hard Rock (CDs & Vinyl)
- #37,571 in Pop (CDs & Vinyl)
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonTop reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2019Jesus Christ The Exorcist – just the title alone heralds something different, something extraordinary. Neal Morse doesn’t need an introduction, and most who are going to be interested in this work of musical art are already keenly aware of what Neal has accomplished during his progressive rock career with Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic, Flying Colors and his own solo band. So, the natural question (for me at least) is what can he still bring to the table that we haven’t heard already? I confess that his latest work The Great Adventure fell just a bit flat on my ears. Naturally, I was skeptical if something released so quick on the heels of that release would shine. Furthermore, The Exorcist was something Neal has been working on for many years but never completed. That always makes me wonder, “Oh, maybe the creative engine has given out, so its time to pull out the ‘demo’ material.”
I can confidently say, after multiple listens, that nothing could be farther from the truth. Not only does this release cover new ground, it does so in a manner that is both refreshingly “different” compared to most of the past two decades of Neal Morse music, and satisfyingly “old-school” big stage musical production (as in Broadway) in character. Rather than lament yet another 2CD/3LP epic concept album, fans can rejoice that Neal has released something very special – a Biblically accurate, Broadway-style, contemporary rock opera portraying Jesus Christ and His work on earth during the time from His birth, through His baptism, His betrayal and trial, and finally His redeeming sacrifice on the cross and triumphant resurrection.
The Music
Musically, this is prog rock (lite) mixed with theatrical/musical pomp and elements of both contemporary praise and traditional hymn/choral worship music. There is a much greater emphasis on the vocal contributions (a great diversity of vocalists this time), and never before with Neal has the text/lyrical content eclipsed the instrumental complexity to this degree. Fortunately, as with any successful “show,” there are still a great number of instrumental passages and performances along the way. Neal takes a back seat vocally (appearing only a few times) and Eric Gillette plays the drums in place of Portnoy. Bill Hubauer (keys) and Randy George (bass) play their usual parts but are joined by Paul Bielatowicz (Carl Palmer Band) on guitars. The band provides a familiar sound yet one with enough variation to keep things interesting and engaging.
In Ayreon/Avantasia fashion, Neal employed the help a quite a few talented vocalists. For me this vocal diversity is one of the aspects that makes The Exorcist exciting and more compelling in some ways than anything he has ever attempted previously. Ted Leonard (Spock’s Beard) is absolutely brilliant as Jesus – his voice quality the perfect balance of authority and compassion. Talon David (who I have never heard sing previously) is also spectacular as Mary Magdalene – her performance stunning, especially on “The Woman Of Seven Devils” and during the final sequence of “The Greatest Love of All.” Nick D’Virgilio perfectly portrays Judas, and Rick Florian (White Heart) nails Satan. Of course, my two favorite vocalists on this project are Matt Smith (Theocracy) and Jake Livgren (Proto-kaw). Smith’s John the Baptist is so powerful on “Gather the People” – definitely one of the most upbeat and hardest rocking tunes on the entire set. Likewise, Livgren breathes life into the character of Peter (“Better Weather”) but is even more impressive as Caiaphas on Act Two tracks like “He Must Go To The Cross” and “Jesus Before The Council.” The rest of “The Cast” does a great job as well and I just can’t say enough about the excellent quality of the vocals (clearly the highlight) on this release.
The Lyrics
Lyrically, unlike Neal’s other works, which have often either been inspired by his own personal spiritual journey or by the revelation and inspiration of fellow believers, The Exorcist dialog/content is directly pulled from the Bible and is undeniably Christian. All of the highlight events are covered in detail, and then there are a few surprises, like the highly theatrical showstopper “The Madman of Gadarenes” where Neal and fellow “demons” appeal to Jesus as the “holy one of God” in Queen-like fashion! This kind of artistic interpretation of Legion and the confrontation with Jesus is handled in a clever, yet truthful manner and is a testament to Neal’s commitment to excellence and creativity as a Christian musician/artist. Similarly, the expanded description of Mary Magdalene in “The Woman of Seven Devils” is typically not emphasized by most Christians, but the reality of her beginnings is essential to showcasing the power of Jesus to redeem, and Talon David perfectly depicts Mary’s pre-salvation mindset with sultry smoothness. And then there is the development and fleshing out of the character of Judas. In Neal’s interpretation we are treated to a much broader picture of his story. “Hearts Full Of Holes” goes straight to the mind of Judas where we are treated to insights that might have led to his deception. We then see his betrayal of Jesus in “Gethsemane” and then his ultimate demise at the hands of Caiaphas on “Judas’ Death.”
Act One
The musical is split in two acts (Disc 1 and 2 – CD version). Thankfully, even though there is the typical instrumental “Overture,” it is preceded by the wonderful acoustic “Introduction” where the foreshadowing of events on the cross by Christ sets the stage for what is to follow. I love how nicely all the tracks blend together (even on the vinyl version where there are no track breaks!). It isn’t hard to imagine experiencing this on the big stage in the theater venue. The flow of songs is exceptionally good, with a nice diversity of style and pace from one to the next. “Getaway,” which follows ‘Overture” has that typical “include the entire cast” expansiveness as the Israelites look to the coming of the Messiah, their short-sighted hope in freedom from Roman rule the subject matter. Act One works its way through John the Baptist, Jesus’s Baptism and the introduction to all the main players in this story. Among the many highlights, “Jesus’ Temptation” – the epic 10 minute prog tune from Act One – stands out. Not only is this one of the most densely instrumental songs here, the fleshed-out encounter between Satan and Jesus is probably the best musical and lyrical interpretation of this event I’ve ever heard. The piano near the middle section, just before the symphonic break, reminds me a bit of the debut Saviour Machine – its dark and gothic. In addition to the other songs about the Madman of Gadarenes and Mary Magdalene (see the lyrical section above), the first Act closes out with the tandem of “The Keys To The Kingdom” where the entire cast once again joins forces and we are treated to God’s voice (which is a multi-voice ensemble that sounds like a traditional church choir!) which is followed directly by “Get Behind Me Satan” – a reminder that amidst the rejoicing, the Devil is always right there waiting to strike back with conviction. While it would have been “tempting” to end the first Act curtain fall on the positive, I love that Neal (as a foreshadowing of the darkness that would fall) chose to close it out with the words of Jesus – “Get Behind Me Satan!”
Act Two
I applaud that the Act Two opener is not yet another overture instrumental. Instead, we get slammed in the face with the priests and scribes belting out this Kiss-like anthemic chorus against Jake Livgren’s Caiaphas ranting that “He Must Go To The Cross.” This is followed by “Jerusalem” – has that definite Broadway vibe – where the multi-layered vocals once again capture the spotlight. The remainder of Act Two follows through the events of the final week. As mentioned previously, there is quite extensive contribution from Nick D’Virgilio as Judas – the balladic “Hearts Full of Holes” probably his best performance here. “The Last Supper” begins with a classical run, once again steering in the theatrical direction. The Upper Room discourse runs true to Scripture, yet I’ve never heard a better musical rendition of these events. Likewise, “Gethsemane” which follows is equally excellent – musically has a definite Kansas vibe, especially that outrageous keyboard sound. “Jesus Before Pilate…” represents the culmination, epic track on Act Two, and it doesn’t disappoint, Neal’s Pilate dialogue with Leonard’s Jesus the highlight. My only complaint about this track is that the crucifixion seems a bit down-played in comparison to everything which has preceded – musically not quite as intense as I would have expected. Still the singing guitar wailing solo is a nice touch. I do appreciate how the acoustic tune from the introduction reappears during Christ’s final words. “Mary At The Tomb” follows – Talon David once again showcasing her amazing vocal power. Where “Free At Last” from Act One was just a bit too Disney-sounding, this song is dark, passionate, powerful and perfectly segues into “The Greatest Love of All” – the finale – which is essentially a soft duet between Jesus and Mary. The reprise of “Love Has Called My Name” closes out the set with a full cast participation. My only complaint is that the ending is very short and lacks a bit of the power and punch I might have liked to hear, especially after the very light quality of the two preceding tracks. Overall, The Exorcist feels like an “old-school” musical and plays out that way all the way to the end.
The Sound
This recording clearly emphasized the vocal contributions. The voices of every participant are clearly discernable in every song and the voices therefore appropriately sit out nicely in front of the musical mix. The bass punch is just a bit lacking from the drums and bass guitar, but for this style of release, it works well. The loudness factor is low and so you can really play with the volume knob, which is a nice contrast to most contemporary digital recordings. I don’t think this is once of Neal’s best albums in terms of dynamic range, but it sounds very good overall.
The Vinyl
Jesus Christ The Exorcist is my first vinyl experience with Frontiers Records. The gatefold jacket is medium weight, but easily houses the 3 180gm LPs and the lyrics/credits are printed on the inside of the jacket. The paper sleeves are a negative, but easily replaceable. As mentioned previously, I really like that the tracks flow seamlessly on these discs. The sound quality of the music is very good on the vinyl, but I am hearing quite a bit of surface noise (despite repeated listens and cleanings). Again, I don’t have a baseline from Frontiers in order to compare, but it does detract from the listening experience in a few areas. It is unusual for me to prefer the CD version to the vinyl on many releases these days, but I think the CD wins out this time. Plus, for this kind of concept album, CD format is so nice because you don’t have to keep interrupting playback to change record sides.
In the end, I love this music and this recording. What was a long time in coming to the surface, and many years in the making, turns out to be one of my favorite works of Neal’s proliferative and storied career.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2019What more can be said about Neal Morse's stellar track record? he is truly a genius! If ever the term 'God-given talent' applied,it surely does with Mr. Morse! Every time this guy releases another new album,it is filled with exemplary melodic progressive rock. And with his telling of the story of Jesus here in this latest work,he hits it out of the park yet again. I could go on and on,but simply visit youtube and sample the full album for yourself. I'm sure you will be ordering a copy pronto! Two full cds of utterly fantastic songsmanship- this outing finds Morse handing off most of the vocal duties to friends/musical cohorts from Spock's Beard and others in his musical community. The entire set is handled sublimely from start to finish! But..I digress -- you must have a copy of this work in your collection. If you are already a fan of Neal's work,then you likely already own it. If not..get on board. You won't be sorry... T
- Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2019Music is great. I love the lyrics.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2019About twelve years ago I picked my son up from collage for the holidays and he had a CD called Testimony by Neal Morse. It was about a twelve hour drive back home and I listened to it over and over and over etc.. I was amazed! And Neal has done several other albums with Biblical themes since. He is a extremely talented musician. And he manages to mix orchestra parts in with his rock songs. Ways wonderful. Get this album and take the time to listen. It's about the Passion of Christ.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2019Wow, what a delight! Nothing else quite like it. If you enjoyed Neal Morse's The Great Adventure and The Similitude of a Dream albums, then you'll love this one. Morse has, once again, assembled a top notch group of wonderfully talented musicians. The album has a little bit of something for everyone. . . . Time to push PLAY, again.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2019What an amazing presentation of Jesus in the form of music. If you love prog rock, you will love this double cd. It is filled with talented musicians. I love it. Best of all, this is the story of Jesus. The most important feature. Well done, Neal Morse.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2020As a rabid Neal Morse fan, I initially hated this album. I skipped through sections, wondering what had happened to his great composing talents.
I then listened to the 2nd half, and enjoyed it slightly more. I finally realized what my problem was.
This is a pop broadway-style musical! Nothing prog about it. More like Styx (Mr. Robato) or even like Tommy.
Once I understood this, I have learned to like it.
That being said, the 2nd half is much more palatable and creative. Still, the album itself is just too generic rock/pop for me. I much prefer something more creative (and also a little heavier).
I look forward to future Neal Morse projects and expect his music -- and message -- to continue.
God bless Neal!!
- Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2020The soundtrack was just what you expect from Neal Morse band and price was a bargain
Top reviews from other countries
-
VanessaReviewed in France on January 21, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Très bien
Très bien
-
Alberto S.M.8428Reviewed in Spain on November 12, 2022
4.0 out of 5 stars El único musical de rock progresivo no decepciona. Altamente recomendable.
Neal Morse (ex- Spock's Beard, y ahora de Transatlantic, Fliying Colors y NMB) tiene la gran virtud de no publicar ningún mal trabajo, pese a la profusión de canciones y temas que es capaz de componer en un corto espacio de tiempo, sólo comparable en el mundo del rock a Steve Howe en sus trabajos en solitario para guitarra, y en el mundo de la música clásica a Shostakóvich. Y ya sea para esas bandas mencionadas entre paréntesis, como las personales de tono moralista englobadas en el llamado rock cristiano del que a buen seguro es a día de hoy su mejor representante, la labor creativa de Morse no para. Trabajador compulsivo, no da tregua al descanso, y ya sea componiendo, arreglando, ensayando en todo tipo de instrumentos como multiinstrumentista que es, o haciendo giras, no deja de prestar atención a su arte musical.
Y hablando de musical, si antes me referí al rock cristiano, a nadie se nos escapa que las dos obras más emblemáticas y populares de esta rama del rock son dos musicales: Godspell y Jesucristo Superstar, que pasaron por los teatros primero y después por las pantallas cinematográficas.
'Jesucristo, El Exorcista' ('JCE') sale perdiendo si comparamos sus temas con los más populares de sus antecesores musicales, pero claro, el subtítulo de musical de rock progresivo que se anuncia en la carátula ya da una pista del estilo de su música, para intentar que esas comparaciones no se produzcan.
En 'JCE', lo que se observa es el estilo compositivo épico típico de Morse, reconocible por su forma de hacer. Lo que diferencia esta obra de otras suyas, es que él no es el único que aporta su voz al proyecto, sino que son varios los cantantes quienes ocupan los personajes que giran en torno a este episodio histórico y religioso referido a la vida de este galileo que transcendió el mundo y que dijo ser el Hijo de Dios. Aunque sólo aparecen tres temas en cuya letra aparece el Mesías como 'Exorcista', esto es, con el don de expulsar demonios de personas poseídas, como otra forma de hacer milagros. Porque en realidad 'JCE' trata, como muchos largometrajes de cine, de la vida pública de Jesucristo, omitiendo su nacimiento, su infancia y su vida privada, que debió de estar plagada de acontecimientos con su madre, con María Magdalena y con el joven apóstol Juan, los más allegados.
'JCE', además de instrumentación típica del rock aporta una orquesta convencional y coros. Decir que aunque hay unidad de estilo, digamos que los temas donde aparece el mal o el conflicto moral suena a rock, incluso a heavy metal, y que las partes donde se apela a la fe y a otras virtudes humanas tienen un estilo más acústico o pop. Todo en una escenografía sonora que no se puede desvincular de lo progresivo.
El álbum se divide en dos CDs, cada uno de los cuales contiene un acto. El acto 1 (CD 1), va desde el bautismo de Jesús por su primo el anacoreta Juan, hasta el episodio donde Pedro exhorta a Cristo a renegar de su apostolado entre prostitutas y ladrones, por el que Cristo llama Satanás a Pedro, con el tema 'Get behind Me Satan'. Es en este CD 1 donde aparecen los temas más hard y progresivos de esta obra y donde aparecen los tres milagros exorcistas de Jesús.
El acto 2 (CD 2) va desde la entrada de Cristo en Jerusalén hasta la resurrección, dando por concluido el musical con el maravilloso tema épico y romántico de tono pop con orquesta 'The Gretest Love of All' y el tema que se repite del acto 1, 'Love His Called My Name', como colofón de la obra.
En resumen, una magnífica obra, pero que salvo media docena de temas que suenan a originales, desde el punto de vista estrictamente musical parece el resto que se han desprendido de bosquejos de otras composiciones precedentes de Morse, sobre todo del álbum 'The Great Adventure', o que se han inspirado en otras obras y artistas. Como por ejemplo en el modo de utilizar el teclado con sonido "Moog" y en la épica de los coros, parecidos a 'Viaje al centro de la Tierra' de Rick Wakeman; o en el modo de concluir los temas corales como en los musicales de Broadway. Incluso en utilizar un tema recurrente y repetitivo como 'leit motiv', al igual que ocurre en las óperas y en las partituras cinematográficas de corte clásico.; así se aprecia claramente en los temas 5 y 6 del CD 1 y algo más difuso en otros cortes del CD 2. Ese tema no sé si consciente o inconscientemente es idéntico al que compuso Bernard Herrmann sesenta años antes para la escena de la huida en globo en un día tormentoso de 'La Isla misteriosa' al comienzo de la película de Cy Endfield, unas cuantas notas que no creo que cumplan los requisitos para ser considerado plagio. Con todo, o a pesar de ello, 'Jesucristo, el Exorcista' está muy bien armonizado en todas sus partes que tienen una pátina de arreglos de enorme calidad.
P.D.: No perderse la contribución a este proyecto del guitarrista Eric Gillette, habitual en la formación de NMB en sustitución de Mike Portnoy, como gran baterista a lo largo de este trabajo. Se conoce que no se requería de las baquetas ni del virtuosismo cercano al heavy metal de Portnoy, ni tampoco parecía oportuno el virtuosismo a la guitarra de Grillete en una partitura con pocos solos. En realidad este proyecto recoge la colaboración de amigos y familiares, todos de algún modo vinculados a la música. Y todos cumplen de manera muy profesional y entregada.
-
KarenReviewed in Mexico on November 13, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente de principio a fin
Lo mejor de Neal Morse hasta el momento
-
Client d'AmazonReviewed in Canada on August 13, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Parfait
Toujours aussi bon
-
luca battistelliReviewed in Italy on October 7, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Capolavoro
Finalmente morse ė riuscito a racchiudere in una sola opera le tante sfumature e concetti musicali presenti nelle altre produzioni.
Bellissimo disco canzoni e temi musicali mai noiosi, ė riuscito in questo concept ad essere meno prolisso e ripetitivo rispetto a qualche altro titolo, suonando alla perfezione, creando all’ascoltatore pathos e voglia di ascoltare senza interruzioni l’intera opera.
Aspettiamo la resa del live perché questa da studio ė perfetta.
Da avere assolutamente il vinile suona molto bene con dinamiche corrette, per assaporare la continuità delle canzoni forse ė da preferire il CD.