Rock veterans Kutless are back—and louder than ever. With The Seventh Seal, the band revisits their hard rock roots while diving headlong into emotionally raw, spiritually intense territory. The six-song EP carries the weight of 24 years of experience, channeled through lyrics that read like journal entries and songs that feel like end-time anthems. Here's a look at each track and how it weaves into the band’s apocalyptic vision.
“End of the World”
This song is meant to be theatrical and dramatic, starting with an apocalyptic-sounding intro before launching full-bore into, perhaps, the heaviest Kutless song to date. In the beginning, there is a recording of Earth from outer space, the electromagnetic pulse of our planet recorded by NASA. Each of the planets emits a unique “tone,” like a musical note. The song builds by adding sonic elements of the chaos and fear we are experiencing within our world right now, and then the listener will hear seven huge trumpet blasts, from Revelation 8:2, right before the full band kicks in.
“End of the World” deals with the pain and suffering we are seeing around the world, an indictment against apathy and the “refusal to help” when we witness the destruction of innocent lives. While an air-raid siren wails in the background, verse 2 says, “This is where streets run with the blood, of the beaten, the broken…but we refuse to help them, our doors left unopened.”
The song turns into a plea, asking listeners, “Do you need a miracle?” The bridge features lead singer Kevin Young of the rock band Disciple as a guest vocalist. The listener will hear thick tones played on seven-string guitars and an unrelenting rhythm section blasting drums and bass. “End of the World” also includes eerie synth layers and melodies that help set the stage for this cinematic hard rock song.
“Midnight”
This song is about feeling like there’s a “monster” inside of us and dealing with the heartbreak of feeling like you don’t belong—or feeling like people don’t see the “real you.” Sometimes the answer comes along right when it feels like it’s the end, right at the very last moment, at midnight.
“Words of Fire”
This song was written out of a response to the deadly violence, hatred, and bloodshed we’ve seen both at home in Portland and around the world. When I was writing the lyrics, I was imagining the Two Witnesses from the biblical text in Revelation 11 and writing about it as if I were watching it happen right now—like a scene from a movie.
“Breakthrough”
This song is about feeling like you need a Breakthrough in your journey with God. Living a life of faith is challenging, especially when one is dealing with doubt or feeling outcast from a former church community. To a certain extent, this song is written from the perspective of a person struggling to be honest with God about anxiety and the chaos of depression. Choosing to tackle these seasons with an attitude of, “I’m not giving up [on God]” - I’m still searching for a deeper way to know Him and trust Him - is essential for rebuilding one’s faith.
“Lies of My Brothers”
Have you ever lost a close personal friendship? Broken trust, betrayal, and lies; these are things that we have all experienced. We've all broken trust and lied. This song is about feeling anger towards people you used to trust, knowing that they have spoken lies about you behind your back. This song is about learning that people aren’t always who they say they are.
“Hold On”
This song is sort of a back and forth between two characters; one who feels like all the hopes, dreams, and promises in their lives were just lies and is convinced that nobody truly cares about them, and the other who is pleading with the first to “hold on” and accept the change that is happening in their lives. This song is meant to be a song of hope for those who are struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, a song of encouragement to those close friends and family around them who feel worried, or feel like they don’t know what to say.
Kevin McNeese started NRT in 2002 and has worked in the industry since 1999 in one form or another. He has been a fan of Christian music since 1991.
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