Until We Have Faces

The wait is over at last. One of the most anticipated albums I've seen in a while is here. And it's already #1 on the iTunes charts. This obviously means you're looking at a band who's going to be popular for a Christian band, up there with the likes of P.O.D., Switchfoot, and Flyleaf.

So Red has released their third album, and we didn't even have to wait *that* long for it (although I'll bet it felt differently to all the Redheads out there like myself). And this is the question: What do you get when you combine Red's first two albums, but "on steroids," as the band itself put it? Well, the answer is probably not what you think.

If you combine Red's first two albums together, you'd probably think a bunch of crushing hard rock, with a few ballads, although no more than the amount in Innocence & Instinct. You'd be surprised. There's more ballads on here than Innocence & Instinct, which could easily scare one that they're going soft just like other hard rock bands.

But there's an air of heaviness on here as well. The opener, "Feed the Machine," is very aggressive and easily the heaviest thing they've ever done. "Faceless" continues this energy, although it's less heavier. This could certainly be a major hit for some people, even if it's not my favorite.

"Lie to Me (Denial)" continues the energy on (as well as having great lyrics), although it introduces a new feel to the album: it's epic. This remains through much of the rest of this album, and goes right onto into the first ballad (and possibly my favorite track), "Let It Burn." The female voice adds to the power that this song has. "Buried Beneath" and "Not Alone" continue the trend of ballads. The former is the only track that doesn't work very well on this album, and even then it's not a "skip button" track. The latter is another favorite for me, with it being epic, and having more great lyrics.

"Watch You Crawl" returns to the energy of the first three songs with an excellent guitar intro, but other than that guitar, it's surprisingly slow. "The Outside" and "Who We Are" are ones that truly return to the heaviness of the first three tracks. The former is probably the 2nd heaviest song, and while the chorus is slightly mellow, that is made up for by the insane guitar riffs and the excellent growly bridge. The former works as another great anthem akin to that of "Faceless" and "Not Alone," thus making it another likely favorite for many.

The next to last track, "Best Is Yet to Come," certainly has that epic feel to it, and while it remains a minor highlight, it's certainly got some excellent lyrics. "Hymn for the Missing" is an excellent closer, having more power than almost any other track on the album. The female voice heard on "Let It Burn" returns for this close. It's not really a song to return to over and over again like "Feed the Machine," "Let It Burn," or "The Outside," but it works brilliantly as a closer.

Reception to this album could easily get a bit mixed. Fans of End of Silence could feel cheated when they hear "Feed the Machine" and yet only "Faceless," "The Outside," and a couple others really rock like heck. Yet people who listen to pop or basic rock more often may find more stuff to like about this band than they did before. Other people (like myself) who are able to leave room for some change will have this one in their ears for months.

I admit that when I first heard Innocence & Instinct, I was kind of surprised by the amount of ballads, and I didn't think it was good as End of Silence. But eventually it grew on me, and I found it better than EOS. I still hoped they wouldn't go soft, and I still do. But after hearing this album I realize that no matter what Red does, they'll still be awesome. It seems like these guys can do absolutely no wrong. Apart from the acoustic counterpart from "Already Over," I have never heard a song from this band that I disliked. True, some aren't as good as others, but they are still worth listening to.

This album and the band itself is truly one of, if not the best Christian hard rock band currently playing. And they are still a force to be reckoned with in all genres in my opinion. This is the best CD from Red to date, and I doubt that it could not go down in a hopefully long career for them as one of their best CDs.

So, I am very excited to be writing a review for RED's new album as I was just a couple days ago listening to their last album wondering when they would be putting a new album out, and Vua-la! Here it is, so without further-adu, here's my review.

Listening through for the first time, I have disapointments, and excitements. My disapointment comes from my own personal musicianship, meaning nothing seems to stand out as overly talented, or extremely different from their last album. Most of the intros to the songs sound the same as on Innocence and instinct; werbly sound effects, electric drum beats, crashing into heavy guitar driven grooves, (sadly most of the songs start that way).
My excitement comes from hearing how Mr. Micheal Barnes used some unique and interesting vocal melodies on the tracks and coupled them with good harmonies, as well as the variety between the songs, which range from heavy rock, to slow ballad type songs. As always, Barnes conveys much emotion through his voice which helps the listener to connect with the music. I was also happy to hear RED utilizing new elements to their music, from simple "OH oh"s, to overlapping vocal parts, to female vocal improve, they seem to have stepped up the elements within the music.
I have a near bittersweet feeling about the album, in that I was hoping for some faster tunes that can get your heart thumping, and while they did have a couple slightly faster tempo tunes, they were not fast or near fast. They were still rather straight heavy rock. For me it was a disapointement, however for heavy rock-go-ers, it may be just the ticket.

I have not focused very much on the lyrics this time through, but from what I have caught they are rather connective to how I imagine most people feel at times, and may be just what people need to hear to know they aren't alone in feeling that way, I imagine there is more meat to them than that, but that's what I picked up from one run through of the album. :] Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this review and that it helps you decide about whether to purchase this alubm or not.

~Andy M. Out!

Back in 2006, Red released their debut album End of Silence was nominated for a Grammy award. Three years later the band released Innocence and Instinct which sold over 39,000 copies in its first week, and also making history by being the first band in Christian rock history to have a single debut at #1 on radio. Now Red returns in 2011 with one of the most highly anticipated projects of the year, called Until We Have Faces. Inspired by C.S Lewis' work of a similar name, Till We Have Faces, this album is about finding your true identity and an anthem to those who are unsure of theirs.

Until We Have Faces kicks off with the heavy and extremely aggressive opening track “Feed The Machine” is written in the perspective of the world talking to the person, telling them to give up and be what the world wants them to be, instead of being who God has created them to be. This song is sure to please long-time fans of the band with its loud screams, violins, low growling vocals from the lead vocalist Michael Barnes and crunchy guitar distortion.

The first single “Faceless” continues with the story describing a situation where a person feels like they don't know where they fit in the world. The chorus has very passionate vocals and is also extremely catchy, “I'm not, I'm not myself/Feels like I'm someone else/Fallen and faceless/So hollow, hollow inside.” The following song "Lie To Me (Denial)" completes an excellent and engaging beginning, maintaining the hard rock sound.

After the aggressive beginning, the album slows with a few epic and emotional ballads. "Let It Burn" describes times where we as humans question the powerful presence of God during tough circumstances. "How long can you stand the pain/How long will you hide your face/How long will you be afraid/Are you afraid." Michael Barnes' vocals are at their best in "Buried Beneath". This song also has a diverse and interesting range of background noises in the chorus.

"Not Alone" reminds me a little bit of "Never Be The Same" as it is a very slow, emotional and passionate ballad. It reminds us that God will never leave us or forsake us and will always catch us when we fall. The harmonies from the rest of the band with Barnes' vocals during the chorus are absolutely beautiful, easily making it my personal favourite out of all the ballads. This song is different from any others in the set, because it doesn't use a lot of distorted guitar.

The album then grows into the heavier sound that was heard at the beginning with the songs "Watch You Crawl", "The Outside" and "Who We Are". "Watch You Crawl" is my personal favourite off the project because of its rapid guitar riff , passionate and triumphant chorus about conquering the devil and his evil temptations. "I will fight until the end/Get ready to collide/And I will watch you fall again/I'll bury you alive/You tried to bring me to my knees/You tried to take it all/Now I will stand and watch you crawl." The long screams in the bridge are so incredible that they make my spine tingle.

"The Outside" is the most aggressive off the album and was the type of song I'd been waiting for! This song is the one-of-a-kind edgy hard rock tune for the album with some incredible screaming vocals from Michael Barnes in the bridge.

"Who We Are" is an infectious song from start to finish that seems to take influence from Linkin Park's hit "New Divide". It reminds us that we don't have to worry about what the world perceives us to be in their eyes, because we are just who we are. "We can be who we are, now we are alive/We can fight, they cannot contain us/It's who we are, we are undying/We are forever." This song has to be my personal favourite off the entire album.

Until We Have Faces closes with "Best Is Yet To Come" and "Hymn For The Missing". "Best Is Yet To Come" is an upbeat tune giving listeners the hope that even after our world falls in a heap that there is hope of better things through God. "Hymn For The Missing" is a slow emotional piano driven ballad that reminds me of "Pieces" from the End Of Silence album. The song is dedicated to a friend of the band who has strayed from the Lord, as well as being a hope for other people who are lost in this world, that they will find the love of God. This song is very emotional, sometimes bringing tears to my eyes, and a perfect closer for the album.

Overall, Until We Have Faces is a very solid effort from Red, who prove that they are one of the strongest hard rock acts in the industry. It is a very challenging, thought provoking and emotional listen about finding our identity in this world. The only negative I have is that there was a lack of aggressive tracks on the album, with the opening track "Feed The Machine". I think that might be a bit of a blow to the hopes of long time fans of the band. The album definitely does take a while to grow on you, but once it does you're sure to be playing it over and over again. Red is one of those bands who can deliver a great mix of styles in their albums, and this one is no exception. This is a solid album, but not a great one, however it is by far the band's best project to date and definitely one to get your hands on, whether you're a hard rock fan or not.

Grammy-nominated rock sensation Red return with their highly anticipated release, Until We Have Faces. The intriguing title, inspired in part by a C.S. Lewis work, does well to describe the album’s theme of searching for true identity. Sound-wise, their orchestral-infused nu-metal sound reaches new heights- the hard rockers are heavier and the ballads more delicate.

Unlike Red’s previous projects, that opened with beautiful yet haunting piano motifs, Faces rips right into meaty guitar riffs. “Feed The Machine” is without question Red’s heaviest song to date. Towards the end of the track, things calm down with strings and a choir. While the following track is less intense, “Faceless” still has moments of fury, as in the bridge when vocalist Mike Barnes unleashes his chaotic vocals. “Faceless” captures the album’s theme of feeling “hollow,” but offers a resolve for the emptiness- “We are the faceless/We are the nameless/We are the hopeless/Until we have faces.”

A few tracks sound a bit recycled, but on others Red pushes outside their norms. One such song, “Who We Are,” has a pop/punk-influenced rhythm. Another, “The Outside,” has a melody that stylistically differentiates itself from the rest. Yet both tracks still stay true to Red’s sound.

Faces certainly brings the rock, but it also offers contemplative ballads. Radio-ready “Not Alone” offers hope in dark world. The album’s epic closer is a poignant ballad titled “Hymn For The Missing.” The piano-based track begins somberly, laced with strings. Lyrically it’s cryptic and vague, “Where are you now?/Are you lost?/Will I find you again?” Assuming the song follows the album’s theme, it seems Barnes is singing about himself losing his way.

Until We Have Faces is Red’s most mature album to date. Not only will this album be pleasing to longtime fans, but is sure to expand their popularity in the mainstream arena- reaching people who need to hear Red’s message of hope the most.

4 Stars/85%

Red’s been making waves in the Christian and mainstream markets since 2006. End of Silence, of Breathe Into Me, Already Over, and Wasting Time fame, was one of the best selling Christian records of that year (along with Skillet’s Comatose and Flyleaf’s eponymous.) Innocence and Instinct turned everything up a notch in 2009, with better production and more in depth lyrics. The disc contains some of my favorite Red songs, such as Forever and Death of Me. Now, a mere 2 years later, Red’s put out another record and the question on everyone’s mind is whether they will keep the upward trend, and continue to improve upon the sound from Innocence and Instinct, or will they try to appease fans and the mainstream, to disastrous results.

Until We Have Faces kicks off brutally with the most aggressive song on the record, Feed the Machine. Its blend of heaviness and chaos with more calm, passive pieces makes it thrilling to listen to. The bridge features schizophrenic whispering before Michael begins screaming “Wake up!” The song, however, is very similar to something Breaking Benjamin would put out, and the extended outro tends to result in skipping the last minute-and-a-half. Faceless continues the energy output, with a song that has a much more “Red” feel to it. Faceless is the title track, so to speak, as the bridge states “We are the nameless…. we are the faceless…. we are the hopeless…. Until we have faces!” The song speaks of the struggle within all of us to be a nobody – to blend into the world, to take the path of least resistance. But then we realize the desire comes from the whisperings of a monster, the enemy. The chorus is a plea to God, asking for a solution “Can You replace this, so hollow and faceless?”

Lie to Me (Denial) has a creepy sounding string intro, before blistering guitars kick in – with one even sounding like it’s bordering on a melodic metal. The song is from God to the listener, taking the part of an abused partner in a relationship. The chorus proclaims “Lie to me! You can feel that this love was never real. Walk away, but you can learn to love again. Lie to me! You can leave; I’ll still be here when you see you’re not alone. You don’t have to run again and leave me in denial!” Let it Burn is the album’s first ballad, and while it’s not my favorite one, I found myself humming this one’s chorus, regardless. It’s not your typical kind of catchy, but still has a melody that sticks in your head regardless. The song speaks of all the negativity we endure, and asks how long we’ll be willing to endure when there’s a cure within our reach – God.

Buried Beneath sounds very much like a 12 Stones song, even the way Michael sings. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not as creative as Lie to Me or Faceless. The song is a plea to God to save us from being “Buried beneath” our sins and everyday lives. Not Alone is a very slow song, and one of the weakest cuts from Until We Have Faces. It’s not necessarily bad – I can see myself enjoying it every once in awhile, but it’s not a “hit repeat” song either. The song is again from God to the listener, reminding them that He’s always with them, through the good and bad. Watch You Crawl kicks things into high-gear again, though it sounds similar to Kutless circa To Know That You’re Alive – specifically The Disease and the Cure or the title track. The songs is basically a large middle finger to what I refer to as “the thief” in the case of songs like this (It’s Not Me from Skillet, Game On by Disciple, etc), referring to the Bible verse stating “the thief….comes to destroy….”

If Feed the Machine is the most aggressive and chaotic, The Outside is the straight-up heaviest. Featuring heavily aggressive vocals from Michael and constant riffing (rather than the guitar stopping during the verses, which is so prevalent on most other songs of the record), this song is sure to please fans of Let Go, Confession, and Out from Under from previous Red records. The chorus is slightly more melodic, but the song is pretty consistently heavy. Who We Are is my personal favorite. It’s a rock anthem, declaring “We can be who we are, now we are alive. We can fight, they cannot contain us. It’s who we are – we are undying, we are forever. We won’t hide our faces from the light, eliminate the space between us. It’s who we are – we are forever, it’s who we are.” The bridge is Michael screaming “We will not die! We’ll never die! We will not deny! Now we are alive!” It’s an awesome, positive song to just get pumped up, physically and spiritually, to.

The record closes with two slower songs. Best is Yet to Come, my favorite slow song on the record, is a reflective song that also looks toward the future in a positive light, stating “After all that we’ve been through, and after all we’ve left in pieces, I still believe our lives have just begun. Now the past can be outrun, and I know You are the reason, I still believe the best is yet to come.” Hymn of the Missing is extremely slow, piano ballad, beautiful as a record closer. As an individual song, however, it doesn’t have very high replay value.

To answer the question I posed in the intro, the trend is still upward. Until We Have Faces is not only more overtly Christian than Innocence and Instinct, it fixes one of the main complaints I had about the record – the production and songwriting focus seemed centered around the first 2 tracks, and few other songs, but others were left obviously weaker in both departments. On this album, all track gets equal treatment, especially in production – they all sound great. However, a few things do stick out that could have been better – first is the track order. This is supposed to be a hard rock album, and is. However, a few things, such as ending with two ballads in a row (Alien Youth, anybody) and having a ballad-heavy-ballad section throw the momentum slightly. Another rocker or two and a slight rearrangement of the track order might have made this record better. Also, three of the ballads are fairly weak, and 2 of them are really record-only – that is, they fit in the record, complete it, but I wouldn’t listen to them outside of it. Finally, all the songs follow the same verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus format. Variation, anyone? I guess not. Expanding on that, in the bridges, there is not one song that contains a guitar solo. None. That’s slightly deterrent, however Red’s sound manages to make it seem like the songs are complete anyway, so that’s not a huge complaint.

My favorite tracks:
Who We Are
Faceless
Lie to Me (Denial)
Best Is Yet to Come

Red's third studio album has been highly anticpated for quite some time. Do they deliver? We'll find out.

"Feed The Machine" is the first track, and starts out with a suspenseful intro which leads to a heavy guitar. To be honest, Red is a bit harder than what I usually listen to, but I found the lyrics of this song to be amazing! I like the message of rebelling against the way the world tells us to do things. Overall, the music is hard, and there is quite a bit of screamo, but I'm sure Red fans will love this album if "Feed The Machine" is any indicator of cd as a whole.

Second is "Faceless",another rocker. Once again, the lyrics are strong, acknowledging that they cannot live unless God saves them. "Can't find who I am without you near me/I'd give anything to live
Cause without you I don't exist/You're the only one who saves me from myself. I really appreciate the strong Christian content I've been hearing. There is more screamo in this track. Although I am not a screamo fan, I'll try to look at this from a non-biased viewpoint. From start to finish "Faceless" is a strong track which I am sure many will love.

Next up we have, "Lie To Me (Denial)", which starts off suspenseful, with voices and strings, which leads into a guitar riff. I feel a little overwhelmed by the heavy guitars by now, but this song lets up a bit in the verses. The lyrical content could be taken as God speaking to someone, or as a relationship between two people. I find Red has very strong lyrics that are well written. "You’re not alone, you don’t have to run again". The music feels a bit generic, but not to the point of annoyance.

"Let It Burn" slows things down some, which I feel was something needed at this very point. A plea for someone to keep fighting as they go through struggles, but to let their facade burn, and accept God's help. The bridge is absolutely amazing, and I really love this song. The music and the lyrics complement each other perfectly. I like the fact they got a woman to help out with the bgvs, she was a perfect addition to this song.

"Buried Beneath" is another slower song. This song really speaks volumes. The lyrics are a cry to God for help before they are "buried beneath" their sins and darkness. the second verse references a house built on the sand, referring to Matthew 7. I find a lot of Red's slower songs sound alike, but never hinder the song. Overall this is a pretty good track with solid lyrics.

Next is "Not Alone", the slowest so far. I love the lyrical messages we find in this album. Every song has some sort of message of how we can overcome through Christ. This song has such a beautiful message of hope, how god will never leave us and carry us when we feel we can't go on anymore. This is definitely my choice for the best song on "Until We Have Faces".

"Watch You Crawl" comes up next, and brings the rock back. I find this song to be an angry tirade against someone who has tried to destroy him. I initially didn't like this song because of how hateful the lyrics sounded, but I could see this song being a declaration against the Devil.

"The Outside" is the eighth track, and the intro to this song is creative, and a bit freaky. The lyrics tell the story of someone who is daring to go against what he has been taught, and now sees ''that you're dying on the inside" and "I’m not you/I will never be you/I won’t let you pull me through". This song proves to have a strong message and solid music.

"Who We Are" has a very good intro, and I find I really enjoyed this song. The lyrics "We can be who we are now we are alive/We can fight, they cannot contain us/It's who we are, we are not dying/We're us forever/We won't hide our faces from the light/Eliminate the space between us" are sure to become an anthem among Red fans. Definitely one of the best songs on the album, with solid vocals, lyrics and music.

"Best Is Yet To Come" is a song about a relationship, possibly a marriage headed for divorce. The lyrics speak of a desire to do whatever it takes to fix things, because the "best is yet to come". Perhaps I'm wrong and it's a song to God from a heart that desires to get things right with God. Either way, it's a beautiful song that is sure to be a favorite.

Last on the album is "Hymn For The Missing." It's a soft ballad that tells of a heart that wanders lost and wounded.I found this song to be a bit confusing, as to whether it is a romantic relationship gone wrong, or a song for the hurting. Seeing the other lyrical themes in this album, I am guessing it to be the latter. Overall this is a decent ballad, but it almost feels like an odd way to close out the album.

Throughout "Until We Have Faces" we see a desire to change; cries from a heart that's desperate for the hope God gives, with a heavy, hard rock sound. In some songs the music seems a bit generic, and I would have liked to see a bit more diversity. However, "Until We Have Faces" is a solid album that many will enjoy.

This album is the definition of epicness.
I've listened to this so many times. It is LEGIT. I'm at a loss for words. The album overall isn't as heavy as End of Silence or I&I but they recorded these songs so well. The majority of the songs are ballads but they are so mezmerizingly good. But other songs on this album are heavy. The heaviest they have ever done. The vocals are spectacular. Production is top notch. Everything from first chord struck to the awesome intos and to the last key played. I am definitely going to preorder this album.

Feed The Machine: 5/5 This song is great. It's heavy and it has a great message.

Faceless: 5/5 This is one of those songs that is saturated with Red's intensity.

Lie To Me(Denial): 5/5 Another great track. One of my personal favorites. Ever since i heard a small clip of this I was hooked. Amazing song.

Let It Burn: 5/5 Another awesome song. Just awesome.

Buried Beneath: 5/5 Awesome into! Another one of those haunting tracks.

Not Alone: 5/5 A beautiful ballad with a good message.

Watch You Crawl: 5/5 Great son. Sounds much like Breaking Benjamin both musically and lyrically.

The Outside: 4/5 this song is heavy and I like that but the chorus is a bit lacking. Good song overall.

Who We Are: 5/5 Another one of those songs that had me hooked since I heard a clip. Awesome anthem.

Best Is Yet To Come: 5/5 Absolutely beautiful song with amazing lyrics.

Hymn For The Missing: 5/5 A very beautifully haunting song.

LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!!!