The Bigger Picture
by
Jerry Jerry Fee is a Boise, Idaho transplant who has recently plugged his electronic sensibilities into the Nashville music community. His sound is a unique marriage between a throwback-to-the-80s-sound and...
Christian hardcore band For Today is releasing their fourth studio effort just in time for it to fuel their momentum as they head out on the intensely popular summer Warped Tour circuit. Immortal is a worthy addition to the band's heavy, intensely theological discography.
From the first crunchy barrage of the first full track "Fearless," the strength of this album lies in its unashamed, upfront statements--both in the music and the lyrics. Frontman Mattie Montgomery belts out statements about the character and kingdom of God framed with his rich, growled vocals. Ryan Leitru's guitar work is equally searing, providing a fitting backdrop for the rock solid lyrics.
The chorus of the title track roots the album firmly in one of its primary themes: "Everyone dies, but not everyone truly lives." This track also brings one of For Today's primary musical devices to the front line, employing some spoken word vocals layered over the guitar foundation. Although most of the drumming and guitar tone stays true to basic hardcore conventions, there are some beautiful and perhaps more widely accessible guitar hooks on songs such as closing track "My Confession"--which is, like much of the album, a confession in the more traditional sense of a statement of belief.
Thematically, the lyrics throughout the album deal with themes of who God is and what it looks like to be a part of His kingdom. Songs like "Set Apart" and "Stand Defiant" emphasize the necessity for followers of Christ to stand strong and accept their identity from God, not from the world. "I was made for this battle. The only threat is my apathy," Montgomery declares in "Stand Defiant."
These complementary themes are expressed beautifully in the two most unique musical moments on the album, "The Call" and "The King." Both tracks are beautifully crafted, the usual guitars and drums overlaid with haunting strings. The vocals are replaced with slightly distorted sound bites of a variety of voices. The sound clips in "The Call" focuses on our reactions to Christ and what it looks like to follow Him. Opening track "The King" leans more towards exploring who God is. These two brief interludes provide some of the most unique and beautiful musicianship on the album.
Closing Thoughts:
For Today is gaining more and more momentum in the hardcore world, and Immortal uses that platform beautifully to pummel the airwaves with truth delivered by hard edged guitar riffs and in-your-face vocals. This album encourages listeners to drink deep from the only source of hope while challenging them to move beyond apathy and embrace a deeper form of service. This is definitely an album that will serve to put For Today on the map of any hardcore fan, with a message that begs to be heard and the raw musical power to back it up.
After making a name for themselves with 2009's worship project God of this City (best known for the hit song by the same name), Bluetree is back with another album of electronic-infused worship anthems on their third studio release, Kingdom.
Bluetree is led by Aaron Boyd and completed with other gifted musicians from Exchange Church in Northern Ireland. The success of God of this City has allowed them to take their tunes away from their island and across the globe.
This latest project deeply emphasizes the coming of the Kingdom of God and the freedom that comes through the cross of Christ, drawing on energetic, full-bodied percussion and electronic fills that frame and encourage a deep encounter with God. These themes are introduced with the first beats of the opening track "Glorious Victorious." The following track, "You Were You Are," introduces more of Bluetree's signature synthesized flavor, filling out the powerful anthem with strong corporate backing vocals. Throughout the album, layering the vocals in this way provides for a strong sense of the experience expanding beyond the structure of the songs themselves, inviting a much bigger community into the music.
Their ability to introduce enough synth to keep any electro-rock fan happy without it overwhelming the song is expressed beautifully in "It Is Finished," a track focusing on the victory that comes through Christ's cross. The album also evokes a sense of expectation in the hope of Christ's return with songs such as "Exalt Him." There are also moments when the bright synth melodies filling in the tracks are reminiscent of Celtic tunes, betraying the Irish background. This is particularly evident in "Destined to Reign."
The album, extremely energetic to this point, begins to change pace with "Jesus Healer." Although the steady strong influence of percussion is maintained, a more gentle tone is introduced. This theme is continued with the beautiful, restrained track "Shine," featuring gentle piano breaking into the throbbing percussion, a musical picture of the visual of Christ's light in dark as Boyd sings, "shine, shine, shine, in the darkest place."
Bluetree continues to show how they can employ musical restraint in the following selection, "You Are My Rock." Here the victorious theme present throughout the album is expanded into more of a theme of comfort: "what heights of love what depths of peace--You are my Rock."
"Rest" begins with the same themes of a strong God souls can cling to, steadily building the quiet introduction into a much more energetic climax. This sets the stage perfectly for the techno rock offering "Lightens Up," a song massive enough to fill an arena with its heavy synth edge, waves of guitars, and soaring vocals declaring God's light. "Under My Feet" wraps the album up with an even stronger techno vibe, drawing on distorted vocal and synth loops in a moment almost reminiscent of Daft Punk. This final moment of the album portrays the completion of the Kingdom: "the old is gone and the new is here for us. Saints rise and sing, rise up and sing, join the creation and every living thing."
Closing Thoughts:
Bluetree does a very solid job following up their successful God of this City, establishing themselves even more firmly in the worldwide community of worship artists. Their voice is developed beautifully by their victorious lyrics and the energetic techno charge surging throughout each track. Every song is strongly vertical, addressing a powerful and glorious God, inviting listeners to experience Him. This album vividly captures a freeing encounter with a conquering, healing Savior and a present and coming kingdom of God.
Songs from the Edge, and All Over | Posted April-16-2012 Over the past decade, the growth of Christian rock, hard rock and hip-hop has become significant enough to demand attention. There are a lot of strong artists in these fields who are considered too edgy for the major Christian compilations, although they still have an increasing following. Hence the birth of the X compilation album in 2003, a yearly collection of some of the strongest tracks from the harder fringes of Christian music.
The compilation can feel a little like a collection of misfits at times, pulling from every part of the rock landscape, as well as hip-hop and rap recordings, but that is a part of the album’s draw-- there is a variety represented here, and it’s much more than just a hard rock compilation.
The album starts strong with Switchfoot’s "Dark Horses." The anthem was the lead single from last year’s Vice Verses, and it has steadily continued to gain momentum. As one of the best-known alternative rock tracks of 2011, its inclusion here as the first track is appropriate and gets the album off to a strong start.
The next track is also incredibly strong, although perhaps a little more surprising. TobyMac’s "Tonight" was released on his 2010 album by that same name, so it would have seemed better placed last year. Nevertheless, it’s a powerful and well-known song, and Skillet fans will be glad to hear that the version here is the original including John Cooper’s powerhouse vocals rather than the radio edit.
"Need"by Kutless is one of the most recently released offerings on this compilation. Kutless’s latest studio album Believer is several weeks old now, but it has yet to fully take its place in Kutless’s discography. Given Kutless’s recent worship focus, it’s almost surprising to find them included here, but the track definitely includes a driving rhythm and a raw guitar solo fit for any rock track.
"Awake and Alive"by Skillet has become one of the best-known and most widely accepted rock anthems of the past three years, so in that sense its presence is fitting. I do find it odd that a song initially released in 2009 would only now be finding its way into this collection. Even just going off its release as a single, the song has been making the radio rounds since early 2010. Regardless, the track’s strength and success are undeniable, and the only real question here is why it wasn’t on an X album sooner.
Our first hip hop sampling is Lecrae’s "Children of the Light" from 2010’s Rehab, featuring P.O.D. rocker Sonny Sandoval. Although it surprised me to see this included rather than one of his more popular tracks (such as “Background”), this is definitely a solid hip hop track that nicely holds its own amidst the rock.
"Not Alone" by Family Force 5 follows, the lead Christian radio single from last year’s III. Although this was definitely their most successful song in that market, its inclusion on this album doesn’t seem entirely fair to Family Force 5, as it is not the best representation of their overall style. However, the album needs some quieter moments to keep the mix strong, and Family Force 5’s heartfelt ballad fills that role nicely.
"Your Love is a Mystery"by Hawk Nelson brings both a punk flavor and a worship vibe to the table, pulling from Hawk Nelson’s worship-centered Crazy Love. The song’s inclusion is a fitting final recognition of the era of Hawk Nelson as fronted by Jason Dunn. The song selection continues to diversify with the title track of Manafest’s very recent release, Fighter. Manafest continues to ride the line between hip hop and rock with in-your-face but tasteful anthems, and "Fighter"fits that description well.
The next offering proves again that this collection has a few twists. Drawing on the deluxe re-release of Welcome to the Masquerade, Thousand Foot Krutch’s song "Shook"takes its place as one of the darker, harder-edged moments on the compilation. Although it’s unusual to adopt a song only present on a re-released extended addition, the icy, cathartic track is more than welcome.
"Ignite"by Fireflight is another one of the more recent songs included. The strong guitar line and dramatic feel make this a good choice. Surprisingly, one of the quieter moments on the album comes from Demon Hunter with their song"Dead Flowers." Lead singer Ryan Clark’s vocals are rich and haunting, proving yet again that sometimes the hardest bands have the most impact on stripped down tracks.
Christian music fans from the 90s will be glad to see "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night"by reborn ska outfit Five Iron Frenzy. This again broadens the scope of the compilation; Five Iron Frenzy may have updated their sound a little, but they are still unapologetically ska, brass section included. This track from a Christian rock legend is followed by one of the newest faces on the scene, female-fronted Tooth & Nail group Icon for Hire. "Make a Move"made waves last year along with the rest of Icon for Hire’s Scripted, so it’s fitting to see it included. This is one of the tracks that gives listeners a glimpse into the modern face of rock and roll, with urgent, driving guitars smoothed over by a dance-styled electronic element.
One of the strongest rock releases of last year, Red’s Until We Have Faces, is represented by "Faceless."It’s a good selection for this album as it is well-known and also a solid representation of the album as a whole. "Anthem of the Lonely" by another new Tooth & Nail band follows. Nine Lashes just released their label debut in February, though this single has been getting attention since last year. This track is another well-deserved inclusion.
The final stretch of the collection takes on a few surprising twists. "Feel it In Your Heart" by Abandon draws on some pop conventions, although the electronic vibe more reminiscent of the 80s than the contemporary dance floor definitely makes this track stand out."Last Train Home" by FM Static shows us the other side of a voice we heard earlier on the album from Thousand Foot Krutch. Trevor McNevan’s more pop focused side project offered up this song last year, and though it’s from a side project, the song holds its own.
"Make Me New" by Rhett Walker Band presents a Southern rock flair not present on any of the other tracks. This is also one of the more worship-oriented songs present. "Full Court Mess"by Pro brings back a final hip-hop moment. The track is strong, although it seems almost like an afterthought; it might be better for hip-hop to be separated into its own compilation to give it more room, particularly since the Christian hip-hop genre continues to expand. The compilation wraps up with a very solid rock track "We’re All Liars" from the Sent By Ravens’ recent Mean What You Say. The song is the perfect closing for this collection.
Closing Thoughts:
Overall, this is one of the strongest showings yet on an X album. Although inclusion of truly hard tracks is still kept at a minimum, there is a refreshing degree of diversity here. The compilation showcases a solid sampling of some of the best Christian rock has had to offer over the past year. Although hip-hop is included almost more as an afterthought, the songs there are well-chosen also, making this a fairly well rounded mix for anyone wanting to catch up on the latest harder Christian artists.
Sixteen Cities Is Making A Way | Posted March-27-2012
Sixteen Cities is the latest band to continue to establish Centricity Music's artist base as a powerful force in the pop format. The band is back this Spring with their sophomore follow-up to 2010's self-titled debut. The new album Love is Making a Way establishes their voice as one we could be hearing a lot of. Although still a fairly new presence, Sixteen Cities presents an impressively mature style on a solid pop-worship album.
The album begins on a very energetic note with "The Sound of Love" and title track "Love is Making a Way." There's a solid groove beneath the upbeat pacing and the hopeful lyrics that speak of God's love like light breaking through the dark: "it's falling down to all of us beneath, we're lost in the glory of this beautiful refrain." The first several songs on the album are variations on the same theme, showcasing some incredibly smooth production and soaring pop vocals, particularly on tracks like "Still Here With Me" and "All Around the World."
The album really comes into its own about halfway through. Sixteen Cities beautifully takes hold of their style, infusing the upbeat alternative soundscape with a refreshing mellow undercurrent that nicely rounds out the songs. This is evident in the contemplative "What Must it Be Like," a song that seeks to grasp what it would be like to see the world through God's eyes. Another song in a similar musical vein is "Walk On Water," featuring a chilling but gentle acoustic guitar bed that supports the pleading lyrics "I'll walk on water to You if that's the only way to get to where You are and fall into Your arms."
The note of wide-eyed wonder at who God is does not fade out though. There is a quality of almost innocent awe evident from the first track through the last, the incredibly soft but earnest worship song "Consume Me" that cries "Pull me under now. Lord, I want to drown in Your river."
Closing Thoughts:
Sixteen Cities' sophomore effort isn't too far from the expected, but it establishes their identity and proves their ability to craft strong songs that shine for both their beautiful sonic balance and their awe-struck, worshipful lyrics. The production work is flawless, but at the same time they don't lean on it too heavily-- the songwriting, vocals, and instrumental work are equally strong. Overall, this is a well-rounded album with a nice balance of upbeat and mellow moments.
Occasionally an album quietly appears on the scene with such surprising intensity and raw defiance of convention that it seems amazing that the artist could get away with it. Keep Quiet by SONS is one of those albums.
The band takes on the incredibly challenging task of telling a story--a story of a journey with two sides. On the one side is faith, and on the other the endless questions of doubt and brokenness. SONS boldly sets out to tackle a narrative of a desert soul armed with a beautifully raw guitar tone, gritty piano, and the flawless, poignant falsetto of frontman Aaron Newberry.
"Masters of Flattery" begins the album with a rich, dark vibe, exploring the shadowed side of who we choose to follow and the consequences. The guitars are cutting and raw but not overwhelming. The band crafts a stark sonic landscape, a perfect framework for the lyrics. "Believe in Something" strips away some of the musical layers to leave the skeleton of words holding the song together.
The title track continues with a distorted, almost discordant intro leading into some of the bleakest moments on the album. "I am a dead man walking," Aaron Newberry laments, "treading above on the ground where I lay, silently prisoned by the breath that won't fill up my lungs." This song, like many on the album, delves deep into the brokenness of the human condition.
"Caution" begins with an empty moment, painstaking piano backed by an understated electronic swell. The song explores what happens when we twist grace and the reality of humanity’s deep need, building in intensity towards the end. "Sea of Glass" comes as an answer, an almost blurry instrumental backdrop tearing just enough to let in a quick ray of light with the words "Whom do I have in Heaven but you?" Darker moments return with the scalding "Doubt" and "Under the Sun." The vocals here are raw but controlled, seemingly limitless as they climb through the lyrics over a deep, driving guitar foundation.
"Ghosts" brings the first true call to grace, a breath of air: "Come ye weary; breathe in the aroma. Forgiveness is here. You've been given life now and forever. Stop living within all your fears. Better breathe in deep, you'll finally find the answers." Even here there is a deep, wounded, cathartic honesty. The song is painfully earnest about the human condition while also acknowledging the reality of redemption.This thread of grace runs into "Son on the Run," a song that explores the narrative of the prodigal in a new light.
SONS continues to display a refreshing versatility to the end, bringing an urgent momentum to "The Devil and I" that blends into the piercing "Is This a Dry Season or Agnosticism." The final track here cries the question that has echoed over and over throughout the album: "how can the heart of Jesus and the prideful coexist?" The six-minute song wraps the album up nicely, ending it even stronger than it began with waves of blistering, aggressive guitar tone and stark spiritual questioning.
Closing Thoughts:
I love this album partly because it is incredibly hard to swallow. SONS seems to have effortlessly shattered every convention when it comes to saying the right things; they say the real things instead, letting the questions and the ache for grace pour out as unrestrained as the passionate vocals and richly layered instrumentation. Here is something special, painted dark but cracked throughout with threads of light. The songs range from achingly, intentionally bleak to sharp and dynamic. It is not an easy listen. You might need to make an effort to catch the details and to think through the questions, and reaching answers will take more effort still, but this is one musical journey that is very worth taking.
Kiros: Laying it Down | Posted February-13-2012 Last Fall you may have caught a solid set from an opening band titled Kiros on the Music With a Mission Tour. Maybe you found yourself singing along with their single “Hurricane.” Either way, if you haven’t heard much about them yet, chances are you’re about to hear a lot more.
Kiros released Lay Your Weapons Down on Feb. 7, their first release signed to Ain’t No Grave Records. The ambitious album tackles some unique structures and sounds in the format of a rock record. The album begins with “Broken State,” setting the stage with a bed of heavy guitars and Barry MacKichan’s unashamed vocals. “It’s so inviting, pursuing empty dreams with hearts left behind” MacKichan laments.
The band displays their unique vibe often throughout the album, employing sharp dual guitars on the intro of “One Thing” and building a distinct and appropriate western flavor for “Outlaws and Prodigals.” This track carries a lot of thematic weight, declaring “aren’t we all just outlaws, aren’t we all just prodigals with glimmers of a greater love?”
Throughout the album, strong, vivid songwriting surfaces again and again, painting images and emotions with a refreshing raw quality in phrases such as “exhale my heart onto my sleeve” (found in the driving piece “Unshaken”). Some of the songs swing high into ground that could be considered worship (such as “What Can Stop Me Now”) while others swing into a darker vibe (found in the atmospheric “Found Me”).
Much of the album deals with our relationship to a broken world. Although this is definitely a rock album, the tracks are balanced by acoustic guitar in all the right places, and the clever “Passing Through” even takes on a slight indie vibe. The album wraps up with a solid affirmation of hope found in a love greater than the broken state we live in: “Well there You are against the grain, a living truth forever untamed. And here I am, a picture of regret, anything but innocent. Help me see there is beautiful in broken things.”
Closing Thoughts:
Kiros has constructed a very solid album with just the right blend of well-grounded instrumentation and engaging lyrics that form their own unique voice. They hit all the right highs and lows with seemingly effortless precision. Be looking for this band out on the road and on more and more store shelves—they are well worth a listen.
Tidewater, the brainchild of Baylor college student Brett Allen, has already made waves with the release of debut album The Seas We Sail in April 2011. Self-described as “folky-pop indie rock,” Allen boasts comparisons to acts as diverse as Owl City and Switchfoot with a healthy dose of folk influenced instrumentation reminiscent of Nickel Creek and Mumford & Sons. On January 24, 2012, Tidewater brought a fresh EP born from his work with producer Kevin Gales.
The three-song collection begins with “Not Just Any Love,” a smooth fusion of acoustic and electronic elements in a song about unconditional love. The soft beat and combination of guitar, banjo, mandolin, and keys are all perfectly blended to create a backdrop for the lyrics: “you can stay, you can be still, you are wanted right here.” The song is heartfelt and encouraging, complex without feeling contrived.
The EP continues with title track “The Beautiful Life.” Here Tidewater’s rich songwriting is showcased brilliantly in an infectiously hopeful song about seeing beauty in life: “I saw the best of the blues in town in St. Louis. I saw the best of the blues in the skies of central Texas. Then I saw the blues in my nephew’s brand new eyes. This is the life.” Here the comparison to the songwriting of Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman is justified, with lyrics that are accessible while still holding a fixed and steady hope forefront.
“Desire” wraps up the collection on a slightly darker thematic note, exploring the endlessly needy nature of the human heart. This track explores a broader, more symphonic sound, based on a strong backbone of creative, layered beats. The instrumentation is beautifully crafted throughout, and here Brett Allen’s vocals also come into their own.
Closing Thoughts:
Throughout the collection, Tidewater draws on and combines countless elements in unique ways. Despite the diversity of the instruments and stylistic elements, the EP doesn’t feel forced. This is a rare ambitious project that actually lives up to its potential. Relatively early in his work, Brett Allen of Tidewater has already found his voice, and he embraces it. Whether playing mandolin, banjo, guitar, or programming synth beats, Allen achieves a beautifully crafted sound encasing an unwavering spark of hope.
Duo Definitely Gives Us A 'Reason To Sing' | Posted January-22-2012
The creation of All Sons & Daughters is a story of a worship project that grew organically--almost unintentionally--as a natural offshoot of what members David Leonard and Leslie Jordan were doing in their home church. David (formerly of Jackson Waters) and Leslie contributed to Know Hope Collective before moving on and releasing their first EP, Brokenness Aside, during the summer of 2011. Just five months later, they’re back with a new project, Reason to Sing, continuing towards their goal of transparent worship.
This EP begins with the title track, “Reason to Sing,” featuring Leslie Jordan’s fragile vocals climbing over a gentle piano foundation. The song sets a tone of honesty for the project with the words: “When the pieces seem too shattered to gather off the floor, and all that seems to matter is that I don't feel You anymore... I need a reason to sing.” The song asks for assurance in a broken world.
“Oh Our Lord” could almost be heard as a response, a joyful cry of worship that could easily be sung with a corporate voice. Here the focus is the faithful character of God, picking up the tempo a bit to fit the tone of the lyrics. “Spirit Speaks” continues in a similar vein, calling out in surrender. The lyrics are beautifully written, worshipful without resorting to many overused phrases and cliches.
“Buried in the Grave” is a track that could have been written from the perspective of the disciples in the dark hours following Christ’s death, moving to the intense joy at His resurrection. The quiet acoustic beginning builds and grows as the story is told. The songwriting here is at the forefront in one of the strongest moments of the EP. The song is both a story of Christ’s death and resurrection as well as the Church’s hope now in looking towards His return.
“All Praise to You” is another song that seems to invite a congregational voice to sing along as it declares the faithful, holy nature of God. The following song, “Wake Up,” captures and solidifies the message of this EP as a whole, calling to the listener to come alive: “Wake up all you sleepers, stand up all you dreamers, hands up all believers, carry your cross.”
“Reason to Sing Outro” wraps up the project, as the title would suggest. Where the first track begs for a reason to sing, this one cries out “I will sing.” These words beautifully tie the EP together. If the first track is a question, the middle tracks are the answer, and this final piece is the conclusion.
Closing Thoughts:
Reason to Sing is comprised of songs of healing, songs of hope, and ultimately songs of response to the God who has brought His light into the darkness. The raw tone of unaltered guitar and piano paired with the interplay of David and Leslie’s flawless vocals is reminiscent of The Civil Wars, but with a focus on declaring the character of God. Although the tracks are longer than usual (all but one clock in at over 4 minutes in length), there is not a wasted moment on this EP. This set of songs is a beautifully heartfelt cry of response to our Healer.
Nine Lashes Standing Tall | Posted January-16-2012
In 2009, independent hard rock band Nine Lashes released a solid 12-track project titled Escape. For two years after that, the band went quiet while fans breathlessly waited to see if they would catch the attention they deserved. In early 2011, Tooth & Nail finally announced them as newly signed to their roster.
Things are seriously picking up for Nine Lashes now as they kick off 2012 opening for genre heavyweights RED and Thousand Foot Krutch, following the release of their label debut World We View. This ambitious album already promises to be one of the most solid rock debuts of the year.
The album drops with the lead single, “Anthem of the Lonely.” The song provides a solid introduction to the band’s style, employing dark, cutting riffs and challenging lyrics that call for standing firm in truth even when it’s the loneliest place to be: “right now, even if you take me on, I’ll stand the lonely.”
“The Intervention” follows with a blistering battle cry for endurance. “Get Back” builds on a very solid bass line while addressing someone who has turned their back on their beliefs.
Nine Lashes draws on their independent release for one track, the haunting “Afterglow,” which deals with themes of loss. This updated version fills out the chorus and backs the muted guitars with strings and keys. The result is chilling as the song mourns, “right in front of me you disappear, you’re still vanishing, you left me here.”
“Adrenaline” brings the energy levels back up. This is arena rock at its finest, and Nine Lashes wisely draws on the vocal talents of Thousand Foot Krutch frontman Trevor McNevan. This track seems made for wide arenas with fans screaming the words back. Another collaboration brings a distinct flavor to the track “Our Darkest Day,” featuring backing vocals by Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter. The sliding, distorted riffs of “Our Darkest Day” back lyrics about holding on in hard places. Ryan Clark’s vocals are a tasteful addition, bringing a tension to the heavy track.
A few of the songs take a slightly lighter approach musically, such as “Believe Your Eyes” (the track from which the album title is taken) and “Memo.” These tracks have a more widely accessible sound while maintaining rock solid songwriting grounded in truth. The musical diversity carries into “Write it Down,” which has a bright electronic thread shimmering beneath layers of rich, driving guitar.
The album takes a darker turn again with the piercing, edgy track “The Void.” Soaring, almost choral voices back Jeremy Dunn’s constantly building momentum as the song searches for hope. The vivid imagery in the lyrics has by this point been established as a strong point for the band: “I’m finding the road, and tonight the sky is burning bright for me.” The album wraps up with the primarily acoustic track “My Friend,” featuring an unusually gritty acoustic guitar tone and conversational lyrics.
Closing Thoughts:
In a world shifting in the direction of pop and dance, Nine Lashes has crafted an incredibly strong, unapologetic rock album that brings back a raw power that has often been lacking in the genre’s recent years. World We View is aggressive, both in its massive guitar riffs and its solid stand for truth in a crumbling world. This album is an achievement that promises great things from the future for Nine Lashes, and could easily hold its own amidst rock heavy weights in both Christian and mainstream rock formats.
His Legacy: Foundations in Truth | Posted November-20-2011
The Portland-based hard rock band His Legacy is working their way onto the scene with their blend of driven guitar, earnest lyrics, and seemingly effortless vocals. Their upcoming project, the Not Ours EP (which really earns its acronym of “extended play,” weighing in at 8 tracks), serves as a solid introduction to their sound.
The opening track sets the stage with icy guitar tones drifting over waves of whispers, which eventually becomes spoken word and then melody. “Are we not but hollow shells of what we were made to be?” the song asks. “Slaves to selfish ambition, we wanted in discontentment.” The song paints a picture of a world full of hollow people searching for truth.
His Legacy is completely open about where truth comes from, their unashamed proclamations of the glory of God ringing through every track on this EP. As the cry for a deeper knowledge of grace in “Unworthy” states, “I won't be deceived with your empty words. These words are not counterfeit, so let us be confident and unashamed!” Songs like “Follow” could be considered straight-up hardcore worship.
Musically, the album is a combination of beautifully clean but fragile, urgent vocals, paired with the perfect blend of grit and a drifting ambiance in the guitar work. The steady drum rhythms form a foundation without overwhelming the soaring melodies. Mellow moments come at the perfect place in the tracks, such as in the chilling and vulnerable “Surrender,” which pairs more acoustic elements with the searching words.
Throughout the EP, the lyrics have an unusual poetic quality extremely reminiscent of Scripture (and indeed at times pulling directly from the Bible, such as in “Warrior,” a song that draws on Romans 6). “Mountains” proclaims the power and majesty of God, again drawing on the tone of Scripture to create a song that plays like a poem: “You wrap up the waters in your clouds, in Your clouds You created, yet they do not burst under its own weight... by Your breathe, the skies became fair!”
Closing Thoughts:
It can be a temptation for hard rock bands releasing their first albums to try too hard, trying to follow a formula to the point that the life of the songs gets lost. His Legacy manages to completely avoid this, creating an album that is heavy without trying too hard. Their sound is reminiscent of bands like Underoath, with lyrics undeniably grounded in truth. The result is an incredibly solid early release that promises great things to come.
MaryNikkel_NRT's Music and Book Reviews 
