Apostle: White Metal | Discovering More ’80s Heavy Metal
(2026 – Retroactive Records)
As part of the “Metal Icon Series,” we have a new reissue of an old ’80s Heavy Metal album. In this case, what we have is what we might call the first official release by the legendary band Apostle, which was originally released as an EP in 1985 and has now been given a meticulous reissue with some bonus material that we’ll discuss throughout this review.
The folks at Retroactive Records have taken this task of historical revisionism very seriously, unearthing forgotten material and bands that have released various works but, for one reason or another, have not stood the test of time.
We’ve already discussed the reissue of Apostle’s “Chariots Of Iron,” and now it’s time for “White Metal,” an EP originally released in 1985 that consisted of eight songs. At the time, this work marked Apostle’s recording debut, and it had only ever been released on cassette—never on vinyl, let alone on CD.
This new release revives that old cassette, restoring its value with editions on both CD and vinyl that do justice—at least in part—to an excellent album that might otherwise have been lost in the mists of time; and as if that weren’t enough, the four tracks originally released on the 1984 demo have been added as bonus tracks to the original edition of “White Metal”.
Apostle always championed traditional, hard-hitting Heavy Metal—so characteristic of the ’80s—with certain touches of Californian Hard Rock, and that’s clear right from the first track on “White Metal,” which is titled after the band itself; Apostle is a short, full-throttle instrumental driven by pure riffs that sets the tone for the rest of the album.
“Bread Of Life” is essentially the album’s opening track, with a sound reminiscent of the glam scene of those years, but which ultimately possesses that indelible ’80s drive and certain compositional elements much closer to the hard-hitting Metal of that era—a trait that’s even more pronounced in the heavy and driving “Come To The Truth,” which leans more toward the Judas Priest/Accept style with a strong emphasis on riffs.
With a vibe much more influenced by Dio, Apostle takes us on a journey through “The Witness,” featuring a much more complex, intricate compositional structure and a guitar solo that truly stirs the heart without a doubt.
Originally, on what was the original cassette, “Armageddon” kicked off what would be the “B-side”; it’s a tremendous, brief display of strident guitars in a new instrumental that somehow leads us into “King Of Kings,” a mid-tempo track with a fiery riff firmly rooted in traditional Heavy Metal and with a strong vibe of a metal anthem. Possibly one of the best tracks on “White Metal.”
With “Born Again,” Apostle continues in the vein of traditional, hard-hitting Heavy Metal, with that Dio- and Maiden-influenced vibe, and the original album concludes with the fast-paced “Parting The Red Sea,” a new instrumental that showcases Apostle at their most furious, full throttle, delivering a track that truly takes us to the deepest, purest essence of true Heavy Metal.
And that’s where what would originally have been Apostle’s “White Metal” EP ends, but this reissue comes with an extra bonus; in this case, the four tracks from the 1984 demo—also released on cassette—have been included. So the first track is the intense, rock-driven “Overcomer,” followed by “The Teacher,” a highly melodic track with an unusual, quirky structure that straddles the line between hard rock and a more rock-oriented sound, without losing the band’s essence.
A true metal anthem is “The Light,” a track that showcases Apostle at their best and highlights their side closest to classic, traditional Heavy Metal, while finally we have “He’s The Power,” a track that, while essentially a ballad, is infused with the intensity and power of Metal, and features a guitar solo that will definitely blow your mind. With that, the album comes to a close.
“White Metal” shows us where things were headed in Christian-lyric heavy metal back in the ’80s. Not everything revolved around Stryper, of course, and there was a lot happening in the underground scene. One of those acts was Apostle—and while they may not have received the recognition and attention they deserved, now is the time for a comeback and to revisit material that was once only available to collectors.
Apostle used to be strong, heavy, fast, and fierce, and “White Metal” proves just that, but beyond that, their compositional variety and complex structures are elements that cannot be overlooked. That said, it’s worth mentioning that Apostle was just a trio: vocals, guitar, bass, and drums—and with just that, they were able to build a fierce foundation anchored by the heavy riffs of guitarist and vocalist Matt Harding, the varied drumming of Bill Box, and the combative bass of Mark Borrero. A true legend brought back to life and available for you to rediscover.
This edition has clearly been remastered from the original tapes, both for “White Metal” and the 1984 demo—perhaps not in the best condition, but thanks to the work of the well-known Rob Colwell, the sound quality has been greatly improved despite the inevitable, irreparable flaws inherent in the source material. It’s clear that the original masters must have been lost. Even so, it’s worth the effort to rescue material like this.
For this new edition, they’ve managed to create a proper cover for “White Metal”, since the original cassette release was simply a black cover with white lettering and no artwork. The new cover is truly striking and very Heavy Metal, capturing the spirit of the album. Excellent—and even more excellent is the fact that, in addition to the CD we have in hand, they’ve also chosen to release a vinyl version of this material. Worth applauding.
This reissue also includes a booklet that tells the story of Apostle, featuring some vintage photographs and high-quality design.
Apostle is a true explosion of Heavy Metal that shouldn’t be overlooked—at least not by those who love ’80s Metal and miss those powerful riffs, the intensity, and the energy produced by that sound that left such a mark on Metal during those years. “White Metal” takes us on a trip down memory lane, highlighting once again that you don’t need a lot of technology or big recording budgets to achieve a crushing sound and great songs. Just true Metal spirit.
“White Metal” is available on both CD and vinyl, so below we’ve included their social media links so you can find out how to get your hands on this historic album—and, of course, we’ve included the incredible “Come To The Truth” to give you a taste of what Apostle and the album “White Metal” are all about…
https://boonesoverstock.com/collections/retroactive-records
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063643719581
