The Lunchbox Block - Nov 2025

Join us as we listen to some of the best Christian Music From the 70s 80s and 90s. Be a part of our show by requesting your favorites from that time period. Our Lunchbox block is a great place to spend your lunch break as we enjoy some casual banter, interesting articles, intriguing recipes, and encouragement with our daily Powerverse! All that and much more awaits you when you tune in to the KMTM Lunchbox Block With Brando and Joel! Can't wait to see you there!

“Awaiting Your Reply” is the debut album of Resurrection Band (REZ). Released in 1978, this classic was made in a two week marathon of all NIghters after receiving a $8000 Dollar gift from “a friend”. This album also had trouble hitting the market at first because it was too experimental and heavy sounding for Christian media at the time but was eventually published by Star Song Records. Even after that bookstores would sell this album from under the counter because the cover was "considered too controversial to display openly” However once the album made it to the public it made history being Considered the Precursor to Christian Metal.

Going through the album, we start off with “Waves” which calls to the “people in the Street” asking them to join and accept Jesus in their heart. It is a solid lead off track. The title track, “Awaiting Your Reply” is about receiving a letter from Christ. “It was signed in blood, it was nailed into my heart ,Though the channel was clear, I didn't want to hear”

Then the song leads into the chorus “Awaiting your reply” “Why did he have to word it like that? Why can't he let me be? It was bad enough that he offered his love. But why did he fry my head with that last line?”

The song asks a question that clearly visualizes a view of new believers in a provocative way that makes the listener think. Other than the meaning, this song is where we see more of that metal of the time sticking in with the constant guitar riffs in the background.

“Broken Promises” Probably my favorite track in the whole album discussing how we have turned away from God. “Broken Promises, Broken by me and not by you.” Rez bands theological questions shine once again (also showing their blues influences) in this track.

 “Golden Road” Paints a visual of the “Golden Road” to gain the treasures of the world that crumbled with the world. Then hitting us with a brutally honest statement “But all along I realized, That if I had to, If I had to choose Between love an' my own sweet lies, Love was bound to lose” with then comparing the walk with God as “broken road paved with death and shame” which is How the world views Christ as nonsense but the song ends with character realizing “He paid for changes I've gone though” He referring to Christ.

“Lightshine” heads back into the rock side of the album. It is about a character asking God to “Prove your worth to me” but then decides to say “Oh, well anyway open up your door” giving all his troubles to Jesus and highlighting how unfair the world is.

Probably the heaviest track of the album (but only a little more than the title track), “Ananias And Sapphira”, referring to their story in Acts Chapter 5, gives warning against being hypocritical against the Holy Spirit and giving your all for God versus giving some.

Slowing the beat down again for the folk and bluesy feels also taking a more comical approach with the lyrics “Ananais, they’ll carry you away, Oh, Sapphira - she went that same day” making light of what probably was a somewhat horrific scene.

”Death Of The Dying” provides some of that experimental kick with the first minute being a mash medley of sped up voices, different beats and sound effects like you were listening to multiple tv shows at once before going back to the Rez band riffs. This song is about the maniac hypocrites who don’t act on their relationship with Christ similar to “Ananias And Sapphira”.

“Irish Garden” tells the story of a bride ignoring the call of their groom while sitting in an “Irish Garden”. It refers to us as the bride of Christ.The song ends with the repentance of the bride seeking God but the choice of an Irish Garden is interesting because they are known as some of the worlds most beautiful. As beautiful as it seems, it cannot compare to God.

“The Return” the last track on this album is a Blues medley akin to “Broken Promises”. This song is about the eventual return of Christ, but offers encouragement to the believer to “keep on praying” when times get hard, one day it will all be worth it.

“Awaiting your reply” is an album definitely worth a listen, not just to see the origin of Christian metal, but also how its themes hold up so well 45 years later. That's because we still deal with these issues mentioned, not to mention the combination of multiple genres of music, all in a way that worships Christ.