''First Watch'' is the first official album of

Christian metal Christian metal, also known as white metal, Jesus metal, or heavenly metal, is heavy metal music distinguished by its Christian-themed song lyrics and the dedication of the band-members to Christianity. Christian metal is typically performed by ...

band

Guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unit ...

. It was released in 1989 by

Enigma Records Enigma Records (also known as Enigma Entertainment Corporation) was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. History Enigma Records launched as a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/d ...

and produced by

Stryper Stryper is an American Christian metal and heavy metal music, heavy metal band from La Mirada, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet (lead vocals, guitar), Oz Fox (guitar), Perry Richardson (bass), and Robert Sweet (musician), ...

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselve ...

Oz Fox Richard Alfonso Martinez (born June 18, 1961), better known by the stage name Oz Fox, is the lead guitarist of the Christian glam metal band Stryper. Martinez' high school friends called him ''Oz'' in honor of Ozzy Osbourne due to his ability to ...

. This is the only album of the band (not including independent releases) to feature former members Paul Cawley (vocals) and Rikk Hart (drums). Both left the band after the tour supporting this album.

Track listing

All songs written by Guardian, except where noted. # "I'll Never Leave You" - 4:31 # "Mystery Man" - 4:07 # "Livin' for the Promise" - 4:09 # "Miracle" - 4:55 # "Saints Battalion" - 3:46 # "Kingdom of Rock" - 3:25 # "The Good Life" - 4:41 # "One of a Kind" (Guardian and Gene Thurston) - 3:32 # "World Without Love" - 3:56 # "Rock in Victory" - 3:49 # "Hyperdrive" (Guardian and Mike Abbott) - 4:17 # "Marching On" - 3:54 ''Tracks 11 and 12 were not featured in the original album or cassette.''

Personnel

Guardian * Paul Cawley – lead vocals, guitars * Tony Palacios – lead guitars, vocals * David Bach – bass, vocals * Rikk Hart – drums Guest musicians * Brent Jeffers – keyboards *

– backing vocals, guitar solo (11) * Leslie Fox – backing vocals (7) * Robert Sweet – backing vocals (11)

Production

* Oz Fox – producer, mixing * Dan Nebenzal – engineer, mixing * Mike Mierau – mixing, assistant engineer * Dino Elefante – assistant engineer, studio coordinator * Gene Eugene – assistant engineer * Dave Hackbarth – assistant engineer, studio coordinator * Allen Isaacs – assistant engineer * Jeff Simmons – assistant engineer * Eddy Schreyer – mastering * Paula Salvatore – studio coordinator * Dean Van Eimeren – art direction, design * Steve Cooper – photography * Maria Armoudian – management * Jeff Gordon – management Studios * Recorded at

Sound City Studios Sound City Studios is a recording studio in Los Angeles, California, United States, known as one of the most successful in popular music. The complex opened in 1969 in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles. The facility had previously been a p ...

(Van Nuys, California); Pakaderm Studios (Los Alamitos, California); Nevermore; Foxhole. * Mixed at Pakaderm Studios * Mastered at Capitol Mastering (Hollywood, California).

References

* Guardian (band) albums 1989 debut albums {{Christian-album-stub