Are you accused or beaten down? Want to dream again? Reach your destiny? DO NOT BE AFRAID. Faith is moving without knowing. No one can touch you, nothing can stop you. You are UNBREAKABLE. All you need to do -- is trust.
Strong words, yet these are the very thoughts behind the title track of Fireflight's latest offering Unbreakable. And they just might be on to something. Who among us hasn't felt the need to dream again? To move past the things that beat us down, to feel (dare we say it?) unstoppable? It's these daring sentiments that urged music execs at the NBC network to license "Unbreakable" for its fall promos of primetime TV show "Bionic Woman," making the inspiring soundtrack into one of the definitive rock anthems of the popular hit series. "Unbreakable," based on the classic gospel story of the adulteress set to be stoned, examines the woman's empowered mindset after the tables are turned on her accusers.
"The people in charge were ready to kill her, and Jesus speaks up for her, changes their minds and makes them feel ashamed for accusing her," explains Dawn Richardson, the group's fiery lead singer. "How would you feel if you were the woman? She knows she's guilty, and yet she's suddenly free and given a second chance." True to Richardson's resoluteness, lyrics from the band's sophomore project capture that same spirit of renewed strength.
Like the title track, Unbreakable addresses the many trying circumstances that can strike one's soul. "The Love We Had Before" examines the disagreements that can swallow a relationship whole, while "Brand New Day" addresses the traps of depression and the power to move past them. "Forever" takes a more somber tone with admissions of loneliness and isolation, yet "You Gave Me a Promise" exudes defiant hope against a backdrop of Siamese Dream-like guitar layers. "Wrapped In Your Arms," the album's acoustic closer, ties all the themes together with one final statement of faith and triumph.
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Fireflight [Unbreakable]| Posted September 24, 2008
[Main Review]
Energy packed encouragement with hardcore bass layers make “Unbreakable” the perfect title for this work. The music makes a strong first impression with the title song “Unbreakable,” and continues into the slower melodies of the following songs. Perhaps a softer-vocal Flyleaf or a female led Skillet sound; but don’t be fooled. This is no chick band. Fireflight offers a great range of emotion and experience in their lyrics, expressed through music that could take your breath away.
The first track, “Unbreakable,” leads off with an attention grabbing tale of accusers, a savior, and one that has been beaten and bruised. Inspired by the gospel’s account of Jesus saving and forgiving the adulteress that was about to be stoned, it gives listeners permission to dream without fear, and to follow faith running.
The whole album has a focus of deep love and empowerment possible only through our Savior. When life drags us away from God, we need to refocus, and come back to where we need to be: walking with Jesus. Each song on this album has a purpose and a background. There is not guessing about vague lyrics or melodramatic poetry. In a call to hold God to his word, “You gave me a promise” says that in the midst of any difficulty that life is sure to bring, there is a rock, a safe refuge to cling to, and someone to trust in. “The waves are crashing down on me/ But I know that this cannot be the end…/ I will hold on to this hope that I have/ You gave me a promise…”
“The Love we had before,” is certainly a highlight, leading off with a surprise as male vocals suddenly interrupt lead vocalist Dawn Richardson to start out the song. It continues with an Evanescence-like duet about love and hurt and a desire to reconcile. “We don’t have to fight anymore/ Where is the love we had before? / Wouldn’t the world be better off if we decide? / We don’t need our pride anymore…” Although perhaps about a relationship, this song sounds very much like some of the turmoil that plagues the church today. There are so many divisions and denominations, which only becomes negative when we fight with our brothers and sisters, and let our differences affect the deep love we should have for each other. “Sorry I was such a fool/ Never saw your point of view/ Can we start over somehow? / You know we only hurt ourselves/ When we don’t communicate/ Why can’t we stop and make a change? / Where is the love?”
“So Help Me God” continues the theme of wanting to change and make peace, and desire to repent and move on. “It’s not too late/ to leave it all behind/ So help me God / to let this go…” There are times when we all want to change and are ready to scream out for help, but we seem to keep falling back into old patterns. Yet, only in God’s help is change possible.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
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Like that loveable green ogre, Shrek, this band has layers. The music echoes life experience, and pain overcome. On their MySpace page the band said that this is an intensely personal album for them, having all gone through a difficult year - both personally and professionally - while the album was being written. “Unbreakable” is a bit edgier than their first album, “The healing of harms,” but still speaks to fans of both styles. When the last song played, it definitely left me wanting more, and especially wishing someone would create Guitar Hero: Fireflight edition. We are looking forward to more projects from Fireflight.
Rating: 8.8 out of 10 (88%, B+)
Review written by: Liz Zelinski
(liz.zelinski@christianmusicreview.org)
Review can also be found at:
http://www.christianmusicreview.org/fireflight_unbreakable.html
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from ChristianMusicReview.org. Click here to visit ChristianMusicReview.org today!
Unbreakable| Posted September 29, 2008
”Unbreakable” is not only the title track—aptly chosen by the producers of “Bionic Woman” to air on NBC—it is the ideal word to describe the latest effort from Fireflight. The album delivers a seamless mix of hard-hitting, rock rhythms, riffs and hooks, balanced with the pure vocals of front woman Dawn Richardson. The result is a driving collection of songs that unquestionably rings true to Fireflight’s alt-rock style, but doesn’t sacrifice powerful lyrics, strong messages and memorable delivery.
Picking up where the title track ends, “You Gave Me a Promise” immediately catches listeners’ attention with a catchy percussion scheme, which leads directly into lyrics that will most likely resonate with any audience. Moving on, the album is full of musical surprises—check out the string intro on track 3—and poignant lyrics. The one thing this album lacks is enough variation to make each track stand out on its own. The same heavy production and intense orchestration song after song tends to meld the tracks together into an almost indistinguishable whole. While this is great for a cohesive album, it might cause the listener to either lose interest or zone out along the way. This band is clearly blessed with incredible vocals, strong musicianship and intense production. It might do well to rely a little less on the latter to make the former shine. - Caroline Lusk
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from CCMMagazine.com. Click here to visit CCMMagazine.com today!
Unbreakable is not perfectly built| Posted February 26, 2008
After an excellent debut album, the Healing of Harms, the female fronted rock band Firflight is back with their highly anticipate sophomore release Unbreakable. The extremely talented Dawn Richards has an excellent voice which is really shown throughout the album especially on the title track "unbreakable".
There is good news and bad news about the first single and first track on the album, "unbreakable". The good news: the song rocks, in every area with a great beat and a terrific chorus. The bad news is it's the best song on the album. "You gave me a promise" is a rock song, but it does not have the smooth flow that the first song does. The light "brand new day" really expresses Richards's voice at her high, and "the hunger" is a heavier rock song but it sounds a little off in some places.
For fans of Dawn Richards's voice who don't like rock this is not the album for them. The album keeps on rocking with "stand up" which has an almost unsettling rock sound, however "forever" starts slow, but as usual it speeds up, it also has a good beat. A guy actually starts one of Fireflights songs in "where is the love" a rock song that gets a little repetitive. The album ends with "wrapped in your arms" which starts soft but before the end it really fires up.
Unlike most of the song on The Healing of Harms, the female fronted bands/singers usually focus on the prospective of one person and where God is the one being spoken too. But Fireflight lyrics fall into the same gap, as shown on so many songs: "go ahead", "brand new day", and "you gave me a promise". But they still have good things to say, clearly shown on "the hunger" which accurately portrays the atheist worldview.
There are a couple of songs that sound nice but really don't mean whole lot ("Wrapped in your arms" and "Brand new day"). The title track is about a person coming back more prepared for the problems of life. "So help me God" is a little weird because she is pleading with God to let her go of... what? It's never made clear, but the lyrics are solid for the most part.
Still very strong musically, but it seems like some of the spark is gone that was in most of Fireflights first album. The vocals are terrific, the messages, aside from being mostly okay, are fine and the music is cool. However Unbreakable is not perfectly built.
AWESOME !| Posted September 09, 2008
This is an awesome cd! I love the song "Unbreakable" it is sooo catchy and it has a great message! Teh chicks in that abnd rock! GO FIREFLIGHT! Keep it up!!!!
Amazing| Posted September 06, 2008
Fireflight has done it again, they have literally broken the sound barrier with this sophmore release. The guitars and bass are tighter, the vocals are amazing, and the words cut right into your heart. I highly recommend that anyone should buy this cd because words don't do this album any justice.
Awesome!!| Posted September 06, 2008
This band is great! My favorite song on this albumn is "Unbreakable"! Its a really great song and it has a really great meaning. The video is really good too!
The best album i bought this year.| Posted August 29, 2008
By far. Past the fact that the music is technically amazing, the lyrics are extremely powerful, and definitly what I needed in this season of my life. I'm not even going to choose my favorite songs, because i'd be naming off the whole album...its awesome
rock on!| Posted April 23, 2008
I bought this album yesterday and I am so very happy that I did! I love every song on the album!
Unbreakable is going to put Fireflight on the map more then ever and this is an album worth buying and listening to over and over.
thumbs up!| Posted April 12, 2008
this is an awsome album! you can rock on your sterio system
with this hard RocK album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've listened to a lot of rock , and this one takes the cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unbreakable Underated?| Posted March 25, 2008
"You Decide" is an amazing song, but it's not on this album. However "Unbreakable" is, and it's equally as good, if not better. It seems the strongest song on the album, and the one to listen to a hundred times over.
While it's easy to criticize an entire album, especially if you just didn't enjoy it that much, it did appear at first to seem somewhat repetitious and lacking. But now I find I can't get the songs out of my head, and that's a good thing. I'm really enjoying the album as a whole, it's great rock fun-ness. Ya, fun.
Sometimes it's easier for me to be critical than just enjoying the music from these talented artists...so I'm enjoying it with a four star smile.