A slate of thought-provoking lyrics and hearty neo-grunge riffs powered Kutless' fourth studio album to stand out above a host of other melodic rock/metal offerings in the contemporary Christian world. It is a balanced and complete record, one that doesn't sound too familiar, worship too directly, or rock too hard. The quintet still spends plenty of time thumping on monolithic guitars, but there is also a well-developed balance point where mid-tempo numbers like "Changing World" take their turn in the limelight. As on previous efforts, the lyrics put social consequences, relationships, and world situations under a microscope and reveal new, intriguing insights. Jon Micah Sumrall has one of the most soothing rock voices out there, as evidenced in the reflective power ballads "Smile" and "Promise of a Lifetime." Unlike too many of its contemporaries, Hearts of the Innocent proved what you don't need for a killer modern rock record " no need for over-the-top political statements or pounding walls of sound that are unfitting for the subject matter. All you need is a knack for looking at the world in a challenging new way and a keen sense of musicianship.
-AMG
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Not my favorite, but still good| Posted January 22, 2008
This is not their best album, but it is still okay. It is not as rocking as their other albums. I like "Shut Me Out", "Mistakes", and "Winds of Change". This cd just feels like it is missing something for some reason.
Hearts of the Innocent| Posted November 14, 2007
Not my favourite Kutless album. A couple of songs stuck out for me, like the title track, Beyond the Surface, and Promise of a Lifetime, but other than that they all sounded vaguely similar. I can't say they brought anything new this time, it was all just very basic rock. So it was really just okay for me.
amazing| Posted August 27, 2007
The sound of this CD I guess, may b appeal by many youths today because of the hardrock, a bit of screamo included. I love this CD. The songs that start of slow and build up is great. The singer sings with such emotion to get the message across.
The lyrics of this CD has great meaning to it. The song Promise Of A Lifetime shows that nothing's ever lost for good and God's there for you. The song Smile tells people how a smile can greatly impact a person's life. The singer can pull it up pretty good. The slow and downcasting lyrics are matchin with the music then it goes happy and joyful with the build up of the beat and music. No one can compare to Kutless, they're voice is orginal and very distince from other bands. They're riffs are great too. I'm not a great fan of screamo and the harder side of the Christian spectrum, but this CD definately kills the "anti-fan". There's not much you can hate about it according to me. And if it were stolen or lost, I would seriously buy it again because it just conveys such a great message. Love that CD!
Kutless| Posted August 22, 2007
Not only is this Kutless' best CD, but I think it might be the best CD ever! It's an amazing CD and everyone should buy it!
Hearts of the Innocent| Posted August 21, 2007
I bought this album at one of their concerts. My favorite songs on this album is "Promise of a Lifetime" and "Mistakes". Awesome songs.
Kutless Continues to Improve| Posted August 16, 2007
Finally, an album that sounds like Kutless. Before, the only way to tell Kutless was singing a song was by the guy's voice. Each of their albums was totally different. I'm happy to say they've seemed to settle on style that suits them perfectly.
The intro riff marks a turning for Kutless. They are actually creating a riff that doesn't consist mainly of power chords! That's a pleasant touch. It also marks Kutless' first solo, which has a tacky 80's feel, but is still very welcome, as it shows Kutless does have more skill than just playing power chords.
Not that they aren't bad when it comes to power chords; the hard rockin', very catchy, 'Shut Me Out', which challenges us to declare our faith in Christ, though the enemy may try to 'shut us out', is very power-chordy, as is the notably darker 'Beyond the Surface,' which deals with self-image and cutting. 'Winds of Change' is a great, rocker, as is the fast paced, 'Somewhere in the Sky.' Even though this album has some of Kutless' hardest songs, it has the most ballads for any of their albums (save the Strong Tower album). The catchy, poppy, and unique 'Smile' is very un-Kutless, but, like the rest of this album, is a breath of fresh air; Kutless isn't afraid to mix things up, which is great. The brit-pop sound of 'Changing World' is fine, but the melancholy, though touching 'Mistakes' handles the softer sound excellently, as Jon tells his son, 'There's so much I could say/ There's so much that I've learned/ Don't make my mistakes/There's no time to delay/Take my hand and learn from my heartache.' But, most certainly, the best of the softer set is 'Promise of a Lifetime,' a powerful Kutless ballad that equals all its former rock ballads with its powerful lyrics and soaring, catchy choruses.
But Kutless hasn't gone soft in case you were wondering. 'Push Me Away', a song about drowning our pride, is a nice rocker that has some keyboard laced through the verses, but Kutless' best rockers come flying in hard at the end. The simple, yet delectably hard 'Million Dollar Man', with its sweet intro, catchy chorus, and intense scream (something I'd prefer Kutless go without) makes this song one of Kutless' best heavier feats. But this might even be outdone by the following song and the album closer, 'Legacy', with its insanely fast intro riff, hyper catchy chorus, and hard rockin' closing riff. Kutless ends with a bang on this album.
Although this is not my favorite Kutless album (Sea of Faces remains my personal favorite; mostly because of 'Treason'), it is clear that Kutless is taking promising new steps; they're not staying put, which is a relief. Their lyrics remain spot on, their skills are growing, and the future looks bright. Anticipating their next album greatly.
.....| Posted July 26, 2007
This was their best album so far!!!! they've improved so much since their first album. Their lyrics are so powerful and their music is still the same, a solid, heavy sound, true Kutless Style. these guys deserve a major award for this awesome album. i recommend this for any person into music.
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