Extol
Hello Extol, my old friends.
Arguably the defining band of my youth. Not only in the ways normal to a teenager; introducing me to genres that massively expanded my musical taste, and providing a stylistic north star to follow in the way I dressed for years to come. But in issues much deeper to my identity. Their example, in lyrics and in person, showed me a beautiful contradiction (at least in the eyes of others). They had a raw ferocity, executed in creativity, technicality, and passion, not just expressed through musicality but in wearing the love of Christ on their sleeves.
They introduced me to a world where I truly met God. I had grown up in a Christian household, but struggled with my faith. In listening to this band, I found an expression of hope in the world, that did not deny the pain and suffering, but knew the light of Christ was greater than the darkness.
To this day I hold to this tension. I can see the complexity and shades of grey, but my faith was solidified, through tests and trials, to trust in God. And Extol continued to encourage me along the way.
After 17 long years since I last had the pleasure of seeing them (playing in London), it was announced they would play Furnace Fest in Birmingham, AL. I had long since moved away from London and now lived in Nashville, TN. Had I still been in the UK, I might have still been tempted to make the trip.
Despite the drama of visas that delayed their coming by a year, I can say it was worth the wait. Four fifths of the nearly-original line-up made it, with vocals taken on by Bruce Fitzhugh of Living Sacrifice.
I didn’t bring my camera to the Fest, going just to enjoy the music and leaving my gear behind packed for a busy work trip to film a documentary I left for early, the morning after. However when I managed to score a front row position in the crowd to see Extol play, I knew that as much as I was going to enjoy the music, I needed to capture the experience in some way. So with my 3 year old cellphone, I did my best, and the inversion of the famous quote by Robert Capa proved true:
"If your photos aren't good enough, you're not close enough."
My proximity overcame my lack of equipment, and I’m pleased with what I managed to capture. A dream to see my favourite band again, maybe just one more time.
