A naturally charismatic entertainer with a bent toward theater and an ear for heavily synthesized pop, Carman produced one of his most enduring albums with The Champion. Though his affinity for dramatization may strike some listeners as cheesy, those who love what Carman does will find plenty of treasures here, especially on the album’s bookends: “Prepare to Die” sets the tale of David and Goliath to a cinematic, Styx-like groove, while the title cut pits God against Satan in an epic, nearly nine-minute showdown.