I was a bit heartbroken when Mortal called it quits. Not only had their Lusis and Fathom albums opened my eyes to the world of alternative Christian music, but they had been something of a lifeline during high school’s tumultuous years, and even helped my own Christian faith to grow. But when I heard rumors that Jyro and Jerome had created a new band with the strange name of Fold Zandura, I was immediately intrigued.

For the record, I can’t recall whether I heard this album first, or if I saw them live at Cornerstone 1996 first. The latter was an incredible experience, not only because of the group’s intense performance, but also because it evolved into a praise-and-worship session that lasted until 2:30 in the morning. As for the album, it was both a marked departure from Mortal’s sound while still delivering much of what I loved about Mortal in the first place.

Whereas Mortal played in the realms of electronic and industrial music, Fold Zandura leaned into shoegaze, employing guitar squalls of a distinctly My Bloody Valentine-esque tenor (“WenCarla,” “Dark Divine,” “Never”) and organic ambience. Unlike shoegaze, though, Fold Zandura was never afraid to get in your face, thanks to Jyro’s poetic lyrics and impassioned vocals (which are never buried in the mix) and Frank Lenz’s ferocious drumming.

Note: In 2023, this album was remastered and reissued under the title Dark Divine along with 1999’s King Planet album. However, it’s still the same album that I fell in love with, and rocked out to, back in the mid ‘90s.