XALT: Dark War CD

Dark War is an unabashedly "old school" metal record, and for as much as collectors have sought out this near impossible find, this 1988 cassette only album was an independent release put out by a band that was leading a Christian metal movement in Michigan, Ohio and the surrounding areas! The band would not have the support of a label (Pure Metal) until their sophomore release, Under the Ruins. Dark War has consistently been on the the most requested (and bootlegged) Christian Metal reissues list because the songs are nothing less than lumbering beasts with monolithic slabs of rhythm guitar, and hooks that bring to mind 1980’s Dio - especially his work with Black Sabbath during their Heaven & Hell era. It’s literally impossible to listen to such epic tracks as “The Cross,” “God In A Box,” and “Dark War” and and not imagine how easily Xalt could have become the next MTV sensations right alongside Stryper, Judas Priest, and Dokken. Yes, Dark War is THAT good! And, for almost 30 years it’s never been officially available in any format but cassette...until now! The official 2017 Retroactive Records, Dark War (Retroarchives Edition) features a complete remaster at the hands of Rob Colwell (Bombworks Sound), as well as 6 previously unreleased bonus demo tracks the band recorded in preparation for their Under the Ruins (1990) release on Pure Metal Records.