Christian Rock OBSESSION

WE'VE MOVED!

2009-11-26T15:34:00.001-08:00

To all of my dear followers (all six of you): I've decided to start over Christian Rock OBSESSION on a blogging site called Tumblr. It looks better, is easier to post things, and seems to be where blogging is going nowadays. Feel free to follow me over there, because I'm trying lots of new things. You can link up here.

Also, if anyone is familiar with JesusFreakHideout.com, my review for Seabird's Christmas EP was featured recently as a "Reader Review." Please check it out at JFH and my Tumblr site and let me know what you think.

Love you guys!

-FISHER

Switchfoot- Hello Hurricane

2009-11-09T15:57:00.000-08:00

Ever since Switchfoot announced late last year that they would be working on their seventh full-length album, the hype has been slowly building. More recently they've been featured on YouTube's homepage and even a Blackberry commercial. But the road to where they are today wasn't easy. With nearly a hundred songs to choose from for an album that would join a catalogue of a few highly impressive past albums, the pressure was on. That's just one of the hurricanes that hit them during the making of the album. But Switchfoot survived to tell the world that love is a fortress that can survive any hurricane, which is the theme of the newest effort from the band, aptly titled Hello Hurricane.

Before I get started with this review, there's something that Jon Foreman--the lead vocalist of Switchfoot, also known for his solo project and work in Fiction Family--said about Hello Hurricane that I really agree with. This album is not one that you can listen to and enjoy and not know a single thing about the story behind the music. Each individual song has a unique message about love and hope that has really touched me. That's one great thing about this album. Rarely do you find music with this much meaning put into it. Looking through the tracklist, I can't think of a single song that--while reading Foreman's commentary on--I didn't have a "wow" moment during, whether I said it in my head or out loud. This album has made an impact on me like none this year. And so that you can experience this album the same way that I did, you can link up to Jesus Freak Hideout's song lyrics/commentaries provided by Jon Foreman by clicking here. Sure it's a lot of reading material, but it is well worth your time.

Having nearly a hundred songs to work with for Hello Hurricane might have seemed a bit overwhelming for the band, but you can bet they had plenty of good ones to choose from. Some bands go into the studio and do all of their writing at that time--Switchfoot is obviously not one of those bands. So to be able to work with and experiment to see which of these tracks would be the absolute best for the album, the guys in Switchfoot built their own studio so that they could take their time picking through each song. I can tell you now that all of their work payed off. With the exception of the final track, "Red Eyes," which didn't really catch on for me, there is not a single track that I would be able to overlook when listening to the entire album.

The song-writing, as usual, is strong. Without a doubt strong enough to withstand a hurricane. Jon Foreman is a master of song-writing, made evident most recently by the work put into his solo projects. Switchfoot's lyrics separate them from the mediocre song-writing that is found so often in our day and age. Songs like "Your Love Is A Song," "Enough to Let Me Go," "Always," and "Sing it Out," are some of the best. For those looking for the fun rock style of Switchfoot's biggest hits, I think the phenomenal lyrical content of this album might make up for what it lack in heaviness. Of course, you do have tracks like "Mess of Me," "The Sound (John M. Perkin's Blues)," "Hello Hurricane," and "Bullet Soul," that you can still have a great time listening to. And that isn't to say that all of the slower-paced tracks don't sound any good. Quite the opposite--they sound fantastic. Switchfoot is not your average group of guys--to go with the great song-writing, their musical genius is without a doubt some of the best in the industry. Switchfoot could take on any genre, and I'm positive it would sound great. The perfect combination of exceptional lyricism and music makes Switchfoot such an exceptional band.

From the chorus of "Needle and Haystack Life," you know you're in for something good. Foreman sings, "In this needle and haystack life/I've found miracles there in your eyes/It's no accident we're here tonight/We are once in a lifetime." The lead single off the album "Mess of Me" has really distorted electric guitars that create a unique sound. The same sound is used again in a few latter tracks, giving them a fun style that isn't like every other rock song on the radio. "Your Love is a Song" is a beautiful song, one of the strongest on the album. It's a great metaphor of God's love and a fantastic worship song. Foreman's vocals sound almost perfect on this track, and the instrumentals are moving. "The Sound" breaks the calm that was set by the previous track. From the start, you know it's destined to gain popularity. Already, millions of people have heard it through the newest Blackberry Storm 2 commercial. It's great that a Christian band can display their music to such a wide audience. And Hello Hurricane is not overly oblique about God being a huge part of these guys' lives, so I'm sure they're planting a seed in plenty of people's hearts. "Enough to Let Me Go" is a song that, again, talks about love, but this time talks about how it is not selfish. The acoustic sound that the song carries is great. "Free" is a darker song that asks God to free us from ourselves, kind of like the same idea as "Mess of Me."

There are a lot of recurring themes throughout Hello Hurricane. Sometimes that could be a bad thing. For example, there are albums that have songs again and again that talk about some breakup or bad relationship. But the topic of God's love and asking to be saved from the hurricanes that plague our lives can never get old. And, frankly, I don't think it's a topic that's talked about enough. We hear about worldly love all the time, but God's love is just so much more powerful.

The title track is another fun one, singing "Hello hurricane, you're not enough/Hello hurricane, you can't silence my love/I've got doors and windows boarded up/All your dead end fury is not enough/You can't silence my love." "Always" is another beautiful song, following in the steps of "Your Love is a Song." Another highlight that uses great metaphors to describe God's love for his children. It compares a father's love for his newborn son to God's love for us: "I am always yours." "Bullet Soul" is an instant classic, using the same distorted guitars in "Mess of Me." It's one that you'll find yourself singing along to involuntarily. It would definitely be something to look forward to at a Switchfoot concert. "Yet" is another awesome ballad, about looking for hope. "Sing It Out" is one of the best on the album--one more worship track. The bridge sings, "I'm holding on/I'm holding on to you/My world is wrong/My world is a lie that's come true/And I fall in love with those that run me through/When all I need is You." The music that accompanies the already amazing lyrics has some deep meaning behind it. According to Foreman, "The song is singing about itself--struggling for melody, for life, for meaning. Singing about rebirth, the song spends most of its time in the grave and comes to a bright, glorious finish, held out until the very end. To match the lyric we saved almost every instrument for the end of the song." I think that's pretty cool. The only song on the album that I couldn't really connect with was the finale, "Red Eyes." It ends with a reprise of "Needle and Haystack Life" which is kind of interesting to hear at the beginning and end of the album. But still there wasn't much for me to like about it. But that doesn't in any way change the album as a whole.

Hello Hurricane is one of the most brilliant, well-written albums to come along this year. Foreman and crew have managed another beautiful effort to add to their other successful albums. It's great that people will be hearing about God through their music. There's so much to learn from Hello Hurricane about how God's love can defeat any hurricane that comes against us. Expert song-writing and unbelievable instrumentals make this seventh album an epic one, ready to be loved by all who enjoy Christian rock.

The Almost- Monster Monster

2009-11-04T14:17:00.000-08:00

The name Underoath has become a common one among... well, anyone who knows what Christian rock or metal is, and even those only familiar with the secular version of these genres. It's not difficult to see how such a talented band has gained the best of both worlds in today's music industry. And as most successful vocalists do, Underoath drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie created a side-project. But The Almost wasn't just any side-project. 2007's Southern Weather was one of the most successful side-projects Christian music had ever seen. And, just like Underoath, The Almost caught the eyes of those categorized by secular music, partly because of their Tooth & Nail/Virgin Records partnership. This year brings us another healthy dose of Almost, titled Monster Monster.

The opening title track has the fun guitars and vocals found the last time around. Except this time there's something different--it all feels like more of a band effort. Not only are the vocals and lyrics extraordinary (something typical for a vocalist's side-project), but the music is as well! "Monster Monster" exhibits these elements perfectly. Repeating everything in the chorus twice gets monotonous, but it doesn't take away from the song in any way.

One other thing that this first song demonstrates is the beginning of a concept album. The theme running through Monster Monster has to do with the dark side of our human nature. We all have a monster living in us that defies God's will for our lives and does what it wants for itself. But we can't let that monster win. Every day we have a choice to make: do we fight the monster or give in to its wicked desires? This is what Gillespie and crew structured Monster Monster around. In what may be the highlight of the album, he sings, "When I am a monster, You never wince when You look at me. When I am a freak, You never stare. When I am a leper, You never say 'unclean.' And when I am lost... You come and get me free." God loves us even when we do give in to the monster, and is waiting to welcome us back into His arms when we realize our mistake.

Other highlights of the album include the singles "Lonely Wheel," a punk-rock track that sounds born to be played on the radio, and "Hands," a song that not only has the catchiness and amazing lyrics to go with it, but the melodic piano fused throughout that gives The Almost a better chance to shine their musical talent. Without the piano in "Hands," I'm not sure it would even be the same song.

The diversity of Monster Monster is one of the things that makes it so enjoyable. From the punky, fun-loving mood of the opening four tracks, to the rougher and darker "Young Again," to the ballad "Summer Summer," all the way to the country tinge in "Hand Grenade," we can see that the monster that The Almost has created is definitely a diverse one. The closing track, plainly titled "Monster"--set up to inevitably be confused with "Monster Monster," the opening track--perhaps demonstrates the range and utter talent that this band is capable of the most. Starting off with just the acoustic guitar and Gillespie's voice sets the stage for something epic to unfold. Halfway through the song, it explodes with the rest of the band, with the main highlight being a guitar solo with a real blues feel. I wouldn't have been surprised if a harmonica had suddenly joined in. The band claims that the piece was recorded live, making an already epic track seem completely unbelievable.

The amount of effort and genius put into this sophomore album is above and beyond what I had expected. It's rare to find a band with the incredible gift to make such great music and still choose to label themselves as "Christian." Although the band isn't overly blunt about any of the Christian messages found throughout, their fame might cause some people to look into their background more, and hopefully through Tooth & Nail, discover God's love for them. I look forward to seeing what will happen with The Almost in the future with such a fantastic album. Best Christian rock album of 2009? We'll see...

Dear fans and followers...

2009-10-30T16:09:00.000-07:00

...However many of you there might be (we're up to six now, woo-hoo!). I'm sure you've noticed it's been FOREVER since I've updated the blog. Life has been really busy with me, and I haven't really had a lot of time for stuff like this, which I find really disappointing. I really enjoy exploring music by writing about it, but I have priorities, and--I know, this is going to shock you--I'm not really obsessed. I have a normal life with normal things that need to be taken care of, but one of the things I love most is music and writing. So just so you guys don't decide to forget about me, I'm going to try to make up for my absence by blogging a whole bunch come mid-November. So try not to hate me for leaving you guys for a bit, but I didn't like it either.

Now, what I said before about "exploring music by writing about it" may turn out to be another blog that I want to start. Basically, I find that God teaches me so much through music, and I'd just really like to share that and write it out for whoever might need it. I have lots of good ideas, and I really hope I can get that started soon.

So, again, Christian Rock OBSESSION is far from finished, and look for some crazy stuff to come mid-November. Thanks!

-FISHER

Pillar- Confessions

2009-09-21T16:02:00.001-07:00

I'm sure by now you've heard me say once or twice that settling for the ordinary these days is just not enough. Newer bands such as Since October or Decyfer Down have a style that just screams bland. They stick to the formula of rock and they don't do much to switch things up or add their own flair. Unfortunately, long time Chrisitian rock band, Pillar, has fallen into that category one too many times. Yes, they're very well known in Christian music, but they've never really done anything that lasts for long. The eleven years they've been around has increased veneration among Christian music fans, but nothing they've done has drastically changed the genre. Lyrically they're decent, and musically just they're your typical rock. There isn't anything too unique about it. Their newest album, Confessions, has a few exceptions, but not enough to make a very big difference for the band's reputation.

"Fire on the Inside" kicks off the album after a short intro, bringing your average Pillar rock to the table. No surprise. The follwoing two songs, however, caught me a little off guard. They both seem a lot bigger and better. It feels like Pillar suddenly gained a ton of confidence in themselves and realized they can make great music! "Whatever It Takes" and "Secrets and Regrets" are remeniscent of RED, or another band that has been singled out because of their talent. But sadly, the mood doesn't continue for long.

The record has the normal ballads that you would expect from Pillar. Out of the three, I don't find any of them particularly attractive. All other songs are heavy and aren't bad, just not anything people should be raving about. I really wish Pillar could maybe pull off something fantastic, because they have the potential--they just don't really know how to put that to use. "Not Without a Fight" is the best of the heavier tracks (besides the earlier mentioned two), full of screams courtesy of Rob Beckley. Longtime fans are sure to find that track to their liking, especially those who were into "Bring Me Down" from their Where Do We Go From Here? album. The rest of the songs seem to run together a bit too much.

I was hoping Pillar could pull off something good. The album is decent--don't get me wrong--but it's nothing that'll drastically change the way Pillar is viewed. Maybe if they keep up the style of a few songs with a tad more tweaking, they can achieve something a bit more impacting. Until then, we'll just have to wait and see what the future holds for this long-time rock band, and hope they can change into something great... which we all know they're perfectly capable of.

Switchfoot :: Hello Hurricane Collector's Deluxe Edition-Pre-Sale

2009-09-20T17:21:00.001-07:00

OK... this is sweeeeeeet!
Switchfoot :: Hello Hurricane Collector's Deluxe Edition-Pre-Sale

Thousand Foot Krutch- Welcome to the Masquerade

2009-09-15T16:15:00.002-07:00

For years, formerly Canadian-based rawk band Thousand Foot Krutch has been delivering their crunchy adrenaline-powered music to the Christian music scene. Their energy has earned their music spots in a ton of sports montages on ESPN, including various other televised sporting events, the 2009 summer movie trailer for GI Joe, and even made them champions in Taco Bell's "Feed the Beat" contest earlier this year. Their single, "Fire It Up," helped to increase the hype for fans, as well as land TFK in the track listing for EA's NHL '10. So if not for the earnest lyrics, driving music, and impressive trakc record, Welcome to the Masquerade is at least worth checking out because of the raving reviews that have been floating around this week... not to mention that it's quite possibly their best yet.

"The Invitation" opens the album with an instrumental track that slowly builds the hype even more for fans, leading up to the title track. Crunchy guitars fill the song while mixing more melodic components into the chorus. Trevor McNevan (a very common name in Christian music) sings about the masks we all hide behind the cover our insecurities at times in our lives. That theme vaguely carries on through the album (kind of like Emery's ...In Shallow Seas We Sail), giving it something of a concept. Songs like "Bring Me to Life," "Scream," and "Look Away" showcase the theme of having hearts and feelings that need God's fixing.

Continuing the album are the previously mentioned tracks, "Fire It Up" and "Bring Me to Life." The former is one of the most amped-up, energetic songs ever to come from TFK. Trevor yells the chorus: "I've got a bad case of turning it up, it's getting cold in here, so fire it up..." It's definitely one of those songs you'd want to be listening to before a game or something to get you pumped. The following song pales in comparison, but is overall not a bad song, besides a slightly weak piano piece that opens before jumping into the action. There is a small difference between the "Bring Me to Life" free single that was released when TFK won "Feed the Beat" this year, but only a scream at the end of the chorus that wasn't as deep as the original and seems to blend with the rest of the album a little better.

Thousand Foot Krutch reunited with producer Aaron Sprinkle for Welcome to the Masquerade, who also produced Phenomenon back in 2003, which is one of the reasons why everything might be so much bigger and better, considering that he's worked with bands such as Demon Hunter and Emery. Also, Project 86 guitarist Randy Torres made a few heavy contributions. So overall, the sound is solid and has a much bigger and more professional sound than any other TFK album to date.

The song "E for Extinction" is another powerful one, and although I wouldn't say it's fantastic, it has that "always stuck in your head" factor and is very likable. The song after, "Watching Over Me," allows the listener to take a short breather with a signature TFK ballad. It's a good song by all means, but suffers because of its mediocre and rather cliche chorus, which says, "I know You're out there, and I know You care, 'cause I feel You like an angel watching over me." It's honest and has a good message, but I feel that there are just too many others songs with similar meanings, which gives it a little bit less of the impact it would have initially had. The verses are much more original, and the orchestration sounds great with the guitars. Two other ballads make up the tracklist, both of which are very strong, lyrically and musically. They're very emotional songs, and are without a doubt two of the most heartfelt.

Things pick back up with one of TFK's best songs ever to be released, "The Part That Hurts the Most (Is Me)." The hard-rocking guitars and piercing vocals are accompanied by intense lyrics that sing, "The part that hurts the most (is me), the most (is you), it's everything I do without you." It's the most outstanding song on the record, and definitely a Thousand Foot Krutch favorite for me. The final rocker on the album is a song that is very similar to Queen's "We Will Rock You," and is very enjoyable.

To say that Thousand Foot Krutch improved this time around would be an understatement. To say that they've crafted the perfect record would be an overstatement. But overall, Welcome to the Masquerade is a very well done effort from the rawk trio. I'm sure we'll be seeing (and mostly hearing) a bit of them in the near future, especially with football season started. Just know that the adrenaline from this album won't be wearing off anytime soon.

Update 9/5 and Poll Updates

2009-09-05T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I hope everything's been going well with you. Life's been really busy with me, but I just wanted to take a few minutes and let you in on what's been going on with a few bands...

To start off, everyone that's been enjoying the new Skillet album and contributing to it's success (being the #1 album on iTunes for a day) should be happy to know that they've released the video for "Monster," which you can watch here. Jon Cooper, strangely, reminds me of Superman. Haha.

Showbread, Project 86, The Wedding, and Children 18:3 have announced plans to tour in October, which sounds like a pretty unbelievable lineup. But it's true. No dates have been announced yet, so stay posted and I'll get you those when they pop up somewhere...

Anybody hear Anberlin's new single? It's a cover of a song called "True Faith" and I think it's pretty good!

Project 86 is going to be shooting their video for "Dark Angel Dragnet" this month, as well as a short film. Sounds interesting. They'll be releasing info on how you can be an extra in the coming days.

Relient K's new album "Forget and Not Slow Down" will be hitting stores on October 6th, but you can choose from three pre-order options TODAY! Click here to prepare yourselves. Also, you can hear the title track on their Myspace. Enjoy!

Earlier I told you that Secret & Whisper's new album would be coming this October. But now I'm hearing that it'll drop in February? But if that gets you down, I hope you'll be please to at least know that it's titled Teenage Fantasy. Excited? Me too.

So for the most recent poll, I asked what everyone's favorite Children 18:3 song was. The results:

LCM 33%
Even Sleeping 33%
Homemade Valentine 33%

So that was kind of a tie, but I'll agree that those are some of their best. Look for a new poll soon, and PLEASE VOTE!!!!!

Look for an overall review of Purple Door 09 coming soon--I know it's been a while, but I promise it soon. See you soon!

-FISHER

Philmont- Attention

2009-08-30T15:00:00.001-07:00

Last year, a little-known band called Philmont introduced us to a fun EP called Oh Snap. But the year before that was what earned Philmont the attention they felt deserving of. After getting a spot at Cornerstone festival (which, by the way, doesn't sound too easy), they worked non-stop to attract people's attention and draw in as many fans as possible. Their commitment and killer performance was recognized by EMI/Forefront Records, and they signed shortly after. Now if that kind of hard work doesn't deserve just one or two listens, I'm not sure what does. And with a rather obnoxious album cover assaulting people's "attention" with that exact same word, Philmont pleads you to give them one shot with this debut.

Now, if you aren't familiar with last year's EP, let me fill you in. To start off, Oh Snap--the rather punny title, taking into consideration the rhinoceros crushing the title on the cover--pretty much sets the tone for the EP. Their pop/punk style mixed with a few electro elements and crunchy guitars suits their quirky--and sometimes slightly cheesy--lyrics. Of course, it's evident that they do love God, and however odd their method of displaying that might be, they've done a good job of creating some honest music. They're without a doubt aiming at a younger audience, but that only makes their meaningful lyrics more impacting. For example, the line from their single: "Tear down these walls; I'd climb, but I can't stand to fall without You." It's a good, heartfelt lyric, and at the same time holds a quality that's just kind of childish. But that's not always a bad thing, right? Just look up Matthew 18:3. The simpleness of it might not satisfy those looking for deeper, more intriguing lyricism. But, songwriting aside, Philmont managed a fairly respectable pop/punk first effort. Songs like "The Difference" and "My Hippocratic Oath" hold Philmont's heavier guitars. "Photosynthetic" and "I Can't Stand to Fall" are the more punk sounding tracks, while a rather boring and anti-climactic ballad, "Another Name," parted the EP in two.

Those songs from the EP take up a good portion of the newer album, which fans of Oh Snap might be slightly disappointed about. But if they're fans of the EP, they'll find the full-length much to their liking, so that's not a huge issue. The first track, "Hello, Jack," is one of the heaviest songs on the album. Some fans will recognize it from before they were signed. It sounds identical, except for the screaming in the bridge which is a little bit quieter and harder to hear over vocalist Scott Taube's singing. The song talks about a plane crash and questions who's really in control of the flight. We know that nothing is out of God's control, and the song points that out very well. "To Say They Hit It Off Would Be An Understatement" gets a little boring, and uses a lot of synths, which kind of makes things sound even more juvenile. In fact, a good majority of the songs have a point or two where a dance beat or synths are introduced. It sounds good in spots, but I don't think it complements the punk style or should be a prominent factor in a lot of songs.

The song "Back Down," has something of a pre-chorus that says over and over, "Back down, get your back down, baby, tonight," and almost wrecks a very good song with the cheesiness of it. Other than that piece, it's one of the most fun songs on the album, whith a chorus which sings, "I'm growing tired of climbing higher. Your love is all I have to keep me strong. As I'm ascending, I feel You with me. You wait with outstretched arms in case I fall back down." "Setting Off" is one song that is a little bit more different from the rest, and stands out considerably among the newer set of songs ("The Difference" standing out the most, for me, on the EP). The lyrics are still not enough, but the song loses all electronic influences for the entire song, something that is very rare. The song is also very catchy and very hard to get out of your head once it's in there. "Letter to the Editor," the next song, works a lot better for Philmont than "Another Name" did on the EP. This is one point where the lyrics are a bit more grown-up, and you can tell they're sung passionately, just like the final song, "The Terminal."

So if there was one thing that would make Philmont a better band, it would be maturity. It's great that they're reaching out to younger kids, but what kids listen to nowadays could be anything. It's hard to deny that these guys do have great hearts for God, and I give them lots of credit for that. Maybe as they grow up as a band, their music will follow...

Oh, Sleeper- Son of the Morning

2009-08-29T10:47:00.001-07:00

Controversy isn't always a bad thing. Enough of it can draw in those brave and curious enough to find out what it's about, hence bringing more exposure and maybe even a few fans. Like when Oh, Sleeper released their debut in 2007, titled When I Am God. At a first look, that might seem very prideful and completely out of place. Some people might have found themselves checking the label. "That does say 'Solid State,' right?" So then what was this Christian metal band doing with a title like that?

"Vices Like Vipers"--the track from which the album title was taken from--talks about how "When I am God, the church is unsound," letting God be God, and allowing Him to rule your life. See? So this time, when their sophomore album cover was released to the public, revealing part of a pentagram, people might have taken a second look to see what this one was really about. And by not jumping to conclusions, they discovered that, again, things are not what they seem at first look. The upside-down star normally has the bottom two points at the top (those being the devil's horns) and the single point at the bottom (that being the head). However, the horns are missing, relating the the final song, "The Finisher," in which God tells Satan, "My angels will sing to a world reborn as I cut off your horns. I'll cut off your horns." Makes sense now, right?

So to start off the album, the title track speaks from Satan's point of view. A bunch of things against God and His children are said. The only part seen from God's point of view is the chorus, where He says, "If you could see like Me you'd see you haven't won anything, If you could see like Me you'd see it's by My grace you're breathing." It's a really powerful son, and can easily make us angry at Satan's mindset, all building up to the satisfying finale where God promises his demise. But between the beginning and the end is where God goes about bringing people to Him and preparing an army to defeat Satan. That's what takes up the eight tracks between.

As far as the music goes, it's your typical metal. There isn't a whole lot that sets it apart. Micah Kinard's screams are intense--as usual--but aren't as deep as a lot of metal vocalists'. They're more like the higher screams of TDWP's Mike Hranica. In most songs there are spots where things slow down temporarily, but nothing is too shockingly drastic. Kinard's singing voice is crystal-clear in places, and in others sounds like a combination of the growling and singing. The usual doubl bass becomes highly impressive in the songs "World Without a Sun" and "Commissioned by Kings." Some might even find themselves wondering how it's even possible that someone could move their feet that quickly. It's unbelievable.

Other than the fact that there's only one song over four minutes and only ten tracks, I'd say Son of the Morning is a great sophomore album for Oh, Sleeper. Any fans of Solid State should be prompted to give this album a listen with no hesitation. A great album that fantastically displays spiritual warfare, any fan of Christian metal should check this out--and always remember to look past the surface of things. They aren't always what they seem.

Demon Hunter's 5th Album

2009-08-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, I told you about Don Clark leaving Demon Hunter. Well guess who's replacing him? Randy Torres of Project 86!!! Also, Ethan Luck's tour fill in, Patrick Judge, will be permanently replacing him. In Ryan Clark's announcement, he also released some rather exciting news:

"...We have been busy working on material for our 5th album, which we will be entering the studio to record in October. At this point, I would say about 90% of the music has been written, and probably about 40% of the lyrics/melodies. As cliche as it can be to say, the album is shaping up to be heavier, faster, and more aggressive than previous Demon Hunter material (and there might be a ballad or two in there for good measure). As always, we're doing our best to maintain the classic DH sound, all the while introducing some new and exciting ideas to keep things exciting. I'm extremely proud of what we have so far, and I can't wait to enter the studio and hear it come to life!
Stay tuned in the coming months for additional news regarding the new album!
Thank you, everyone, for your continued support.
-Ryan Clark & Demon Hunter

Skillet- Awake

2009-08-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

The now three-year-old Comatose was the album that put Skillet where they are now. Where exactly are they? Stuck somewhere between tons of Christian fans and tons of mainstream fans. Their fantastic live show and hard-rock/cello style combination have been pulling in more and more loving fans from both sides over the past few years. But it seems that this time, Skillet aimed more at mainstream fans with their newest, dozen-track effort, Awake, than Comatose originally was.

Being a predominantly mainstream artist with Christian faith isn't exactly a bad thing. By sticking subtle messages into the lyrics, the band can reach out to non-believers without overwhelming them. And, as we all know, any clean music nowadays is greatly appreciated among Christian fans, and is a great witness to unbelievers. Something is different about Skillet, and one of these days those mainstream fans will figure it out. It seems abundantly clear in the track, "Lucy," which talks about the loss of someone who was loved. Lead vocalist John Cooper sings, "I'll see you in another life, In heaven where we never say goodbye." All songs can be traced back to God in some way, but you'd have to know Skillet was a Christian band to realize the connection, as there can be many interpretations to more than a few songs.

Another thing the band seemed to aim for this time was to bring back fans of Comatose's musical style. While it seems that in 13 years, an ever-changing band would find some other direction to go with, musically, Skillet seemed content to stick very closely to the style heard three years ago--almost to the point where things are scarily similar. The song "One Day Too Late" sounds way too much like "The Older I Get" in certain places (it even sounds similar lyrically). And while Ben Kasica's guitar solos are pretty unbelievable, the one in "Awake and Alive" almost sounds recycled from "Rebirthing" and would even work as a better sounding continuation of it.

A few differences on the album come from the new drummer fro the UK, Jen Ledger. She does vocals on a few songs (yet she doesn't have any solo songs, which seemed like an obvious thing to do), and is a great addition to the Skillet team. Her vocals are most prevalent in the songs "Hero" and "Awake and Alive," providing a better change from Korey Cooper's more solemn voice. Also, the album is a bit heavier. Granted, there is no screaming (sans a distorted growl during "Monster" just for effect), which I suspected might have been present because of their live CD/DVD. Half of the songs are power ballads, all of which makes it a bit more radio-friendly. That's just one other way they'll be able to reach out to the mainstream. Although half of the time Cooper's growly voice is just enough, I think it would've been cool for him to do a little "Savior" type screams.

There are a few other spots here and there where Skillet went out on a limb to try something new. Besides the mainstream focus and the new BGV, a lot of Kasica's guitar solos are even more impressive than previously thought. Also, a lot of the violins and cellos are a lot more intense in places--and others rather calm and peaceful. They're something that makes the album a lot more enjoyable, added in places where things would've been too dry without.

So, given three years, I think Skillet should've been able to come up with something a little newer for them. That's what an artist is--not making the same album a bunch of different ways to please people. Just ask Emery. But given that the gap between albums was three years, it's good to hear anything new from Skillet. A lot of the songs are very enjoyable, but I think most fans will consider Comatose to be their favorite, something which is always a little hard to duplicate. But Skillet will definitely be picking up a lot of mainstream fans, and I give them a lot of respect for reaching out to those kids who need something good to listen to. The band members all have great hearts for Christ, and this album is going to help stretch out their ministry on a huge scale.

OFFICIAL Capital Lights Breakup Statement

2009-08-23T07:51:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, I know a while ago I posted that Capital Lights had broken up, but the only information that proved that was from Bryson Phillips' Facebook page, which isn't too official. But this Friday, they made the announcement on their Myspace:

Hello everyone,
I just signed on the myspace for the first time in forever and I realized that it's been a long time since we have given our friends and fans an update on whats going on with Capital Lights. I know there are rumors, and a lot of people have come to us asking whether or not it's true that the band has broken up. The truth is that yes, with a whole lot of prayer, we have decided to call it quits. All of us in Capital Lights discussed and prayed about this for a few months before we mutually agreed on the decision. Although it's sad to see something that meant so much to us come to an end, it's with complete confidence when I say it's for the better. We all felt God had different plans for our lives, and it would have been impossible to pursue those plans while continuing with the band. I know that's the same thing you have heard time and time again with so many bands. I've always hated when bands break up because members feel themselves being pulled different directions... but the truth is, you never really understand it until your at that point yourself. Words can not stress how thankful we are for everyone who supported us over the past couple years. We loved playing music for all of you and thank God for providing us with the opportunity. Without our fans, we wouldn't have ever done anything more than just jammed in a garage somewhere. We had a blast touring the country for the past year and a half and feel lucky that we were able to meet so many new people. To everyone who ever bought a cd, shirt, sticker, or even dropped change into the tip box at our merch table, thank you so much... without realizing it, you were a blessing that helped us get from one town to the next. Maybe somehow we will see you all again one day. We also want to thank the Hill family, and everyone who ever gave us a home to sleep in. You all made us feel very welcome and ANYTHING beat the van!
It's crazy to reflect on the last year and a half and realize how much has happened. We signed with Tooth & Nail, recorded an album in Seattle, then toured the country. It was something we all wanted to do and once again, we appreciate you all for helping us live our dream. All of us in Capital Lights are back in school and as of last night, Brett is now engaged. So message him and tell him his life is over.
Just kidding.
God Bless you all and thanks again!
-Bryson, Brett, Michael, Jonny, Jon, and Justin.
ps- As of right now our cd's are still being sold in Best Buy, Fye, Indies, Hastings, etc... so go and buy a copy if you haven't already!!!

Thousand Foot Krutch Countdown

2009-08-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

If anyone would like to let me know how to fit this on the sidebar, I'd greatly appreciate it. :)

RED- End of Silence

2009-08-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

Back in 2006, I wasn't too familiar with a whole lot of Christian rock bands. Even then, I wasn't familiar with any form of rock that fused their heavy guitars with such melodic orchestration. And then there was the fact that Mike Barnes's fantastic voice and violent screams came with heartfelt and passionate lyrics. To say the least, RED won me over in very little time. And since then, RED's debut, End of Silence, has had a ton of singles that have made it really far on CHR and Rock Radio, quickly building on their success. It also proved to be just one more album to forever change the way we look at Christian rock.

The eerie piano/violin orchestration in the beginning demonstrates the mix of soft and hard, light and heavy. The soft music doesn't last long, however, as the first single to come from the band hits hard, asking God to "Breath Your life into me, I can feel You. I'm falling, falling faster. Breathe Your life into me, I still need You. I'm falling, falling. Breathe into me. Breathe into me."

Lyrics are nothing to question when coming from RED. All songs are, without a doubt, expertly written--penned by none other than guitarist Jason Rauch. Every song has lyrics that will haunt you or lift you up. Some are for worship, and some will give you something to think about. For example, we have track two, "Let Go," and track six, "Pieces." "Let Go" is about defeating the sin in our lives, and repeats that "You can't have me anymore" before launching into the longest and most brutal scream I've ever heard-- "LET GO!" And then in "Pieces" we find a beautiful worship song that asks God to put us back together again. There's quite a difference between the two, lyrically and musically. RED does a great job of executing both without leaving any doubts about talent.

The singles take up half of the album, and all are songs that must be heard at one point or another. Because if not, let me tell you, you're missing out. But other than the singles, tracks like "Wasting Time" and "Already Over, Pt. 2" stand out. While both are drastically different, they are both worthy of quite a few listens.

The End of Silence Deluxe Edition DVD is definitely a big addition to an already amazing CD. It features a live portion that displays the intense live show they deliver. If you've never seen RED live, this DVD will make you wish you had.

So 2006 proved to be a year that challenged us to forget what we knew about Christian rock. It taught us that talent can come from the oddest of places, and to listen to things a little more closely. Without RED and this release, I don't think Christian music would be the way it is today. So if you're at all into Christian music, this album is a definite must-own. And if you're into really good live shows, invest a little more to get the Deluxe Edition.

Relient K New Album Update

2009-08-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

Above is the album cover of Relient K's next album, Forget and Not Slow Down. Not the best or most creative album cover they've ever had, but that doesn't really matter does it? What matters is what lies behind that album cover. And for that, you can listen to Radio U tonight at 6:00 Eastern to hear the title track on the Battle of the Buzz. Let me know what you think of it, because I wasn't too crazy about it. But nobody cares about my opinion, right? That's why I only have five followers...

Matt Thiessen (the lead singer) says, "It's a bit weird because there are some untitled outros and intros throughout the album. Basically, if the track list skips a number, something is up. There are eleven songs, but whole thing runs about 43 minutes." So the numbered track listing is as follows:

1. Forget and Not Slow Down
2. I Don't Need A Soul
3. Candlelight
4.
5. Part of It
6.
7. Therepy
8. Over It
9. Sahara
10.
11. Savannah
12.
13. If You Believe Me
14. This is the End
15. (If You Want It)

See what he means? You can look for the album to hit stores October 6th.

-FISHER

Poll Results & Update 8/17

2009-08-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

So the question was "What festivals/tours are you attending this summer?" The results:

Warped Tour 28% (2)
Sonshine 14% (1)
Purple Door 14% (1)
Creation 09 42% (3)
Other 28% (2)

The only comment I have is on Purple Door--WOW. That was seriously amazing. Look for an overall review to come in the days to follow... I also posted my review for The Fear of God below, so I'd really appreciate if you read it and let me know what you think. I've also got a Classic Review for RED's debut and a review of Philmont's debut coming, which I managed to get my hands on before its release. I put a new poll up, so please VOTE! I'll try to get the CROBSESSION Flickr site done so I can put lots of pictures up. So keep checking back, because there's gonna be a lot of new stuff!

Here's the most recent news:

Ethan Luck and Don Clark have recently stepped down from Demon Hunter. Ethan is now full-time Relient K, and Don will continue working at Invisible Creature. You can read Ethan's blog here. Also, check out Relient K's tour dates for this fall. The tour kicks off on October 1st in New Haven, CT (WOOO-HOOOO!!!!!) so you can link up to check out those dates here.

Austrian Death Machine announced that they will be releasing a new album titled Double Brutal. It's actually two discs, which ought to be interesting. One disc is full of covers, while the other is full of some broooootal new tracks. If you actually intend to take it seriously, look for it to drop this fall.

And Then There Were None and Jonezetta both released new videos not too long ago. ATTWN's "Reinventing Robert Cohn" can be seen here, and Jonezetta's "Busy Body" can be viewed here. Being a huge ATTWN fan, I'm slightly disappointed with the video. It's not that it's a bad video, just slightly odd. Jonezetta, on the other hand, is a little comical. Both are worth checking out, though, so get over there already!

And last, but certainly not least, Flyleaf's sophomore album will be dropping October 27th. It's called Memento Mori. You can look for the first single, "Again," to hit iTunes August 25th (which, BTW, is when Skillet's new album comes out). Be excited. Be VERY excited.

So that's it. Check back for all the sweet stuff to come. I really appreciate you reading this!

-FISHER

Showbread- The Fear of God

2009-08-11T15:45:00.001-07:00

After putting out Anorexia and Nevosa last year, Showbread decided to make the purest form of raw rock imaginable by mixing the styles from each of their previous albums. The Fear of God has the chaotic screaming found on their Solid State debut, the more electrified and organized effort that was Age of Reptiles, and the dark hardcore style of last year's dual release. Keeping the witty, scarcastic lyricism found throughout, The Fear of God is a release that no Showbread fan should overlook.

The album opens with an odd and funny intro at the beginning of the track "I'm Lost," similar to the one found on No Sir, Nihilism Is Not Practical. The rest of the track continues creepily, but nonetheless has some very honest lyrics. The album picks up with "Nothing Matters Anymore," a track that holds the same hardcore screaming from the band's most recent releases and the singing more prevelent in earlier albums. Lead singer/screamer Josh Dies' lyrics shine masterfully as he sings, "No fear, no doubt, I've bottomed out, I've lost myself I'm letting go. No pride, no me, I've set them free, I've lost my mind and now I know no pain, no death, they're put to rest, we leave them here, we close the door. No earth, no man, now take my hand, 'cause nothing matters anymore."

The theme of this album sticks closely with "the fear of God." Mainly what Dies wrote about was how those who are not believers view Christians. It must look crazy, right? Believing that nothing on earth matters--only what comes after. Serving others instead of yourself. Believing in something you can't see. So when Showbread wrote The Fear of God, they wrote about "losing your mind" for God--the truest form of fearing Him.

One of the album's catchiest songs follows, building on the theme set in the first two tracks, again using sometimes comical lyrics to get the point across. Musically, this track uses synths more heavily, reminiscent of Age of Reptiles' more pronounced electronic sound. It's still heavy in a lot of places, something only Showbread could pull off--having an electronic hardcore flavor: "Regret Consumes Me" opens with a fun dance beat and contains other electronic noises throughout; "The Great Emasculation" opens with a synth piece similar to Showbread's sophomore "Pachycephalosaurus" and progresses into the newer hardcore style; "Let There Be Raw"--a tribute to Showbread's style of raw rock--uses a lot of synths while screaming "RAW ROCK!" again and again. So overall, The Fear of God has quite a range of different styles mixed together, which will probably make it appealing to a larger audience.

The album's light dims for a moment in "Out of My Mind," a song written for Dies' wife. It suffers musically with a short and bland chorus, and not much to make it memorable. A guitar solo close to the end makes it a little more enjoyable, but not much otherwise does. Things get better with "Vehement," which talks about overcoming pride so that we can be able to tell someone they're doing something they shouldn't be. Dies says over and over that "I've got to get myself to forget myself" and afterwards asks "Lord, I hate the sin so much, and I love the sinner, I certainly do. But how will they know how to purge the evil if I don't tell them what to do?"

"Shepherd, No Sheep" is one of the most musically and lyrically interesting songs on the album. Dies speaks to those who dislike Showbread because of a certain way things were put or what style was used. He sarcastically asks for forgiveness for not finding out what they wanted before putting out the music. In the end he says, "At Your feet I admit defeat, my work is now in your hands. If they want to hear stupid music, then so very bad, they can start themselves a band." For Showbread--and most other Christian bands--writing music is not just something they do to please people. It's to do what God wants, and anyone who questions that is just dead wrong.

"I Think I'm Going To See You" is one of the most fun songs on the album, again going back to the theme of losing your mind, saying, "The more the world puts in my mouth, the less I feel like chewing it. I found the way to madness and I'm opening the door. The more I say what's on my mind, the more I feel I'm losing it. They tell me what to care about and I don't care anymore." The following song, "Precursor," is another heavy track, slowing down enough at the end to say that, "Believing in nothing is scary. Believing in something is scarier still." From there the album slows down for good, with the title track and a song written to a deceased friend wrapping things up. They're both very melodic songs that might not entirely appeal to Showbread fans, but are actually some of the best songs on the album. The latter might be a bit emotional for some people, "Once sick and frail, once weak and pale, now made perfect and new. No more aching and crying, no more breaking and dying, finally home in the arms of Who loves you."

The Fear of God manages to satisfy those of us who may have been looking for some more fun music this year. It's also very deep and well written--something that is always a plus. Showbread's mish-mash of previous styles was a genius move that I very much appreciate. But of course, you just know something crazy is coming next, as Showbread never likes to stay in the same place, musically, for very long. And hopefully the time between albums doesn't differ much, so that we can have something to look forward to next year. Have fun losing your mind while waiting!

Recent Breakups :(

2009-08-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

A lot of you are familiar with the electro-/power-pop act Capital Lights. Well, I'm sorry to say they've split. Lead vocalist Bryson Phillips announced recently that the band's last show was at Cornerstone. Now he hasn't gone into much detail, but they have recently backed out of a number of shows and festivals, including Sonshine Festival and Purple Door. Hopefully everything is well, but keep them in their prayers as the guys begin a new chapter in they're lives. I'm sure their album (which will, sadly, remain singular) This is an Outrage! will be remembered for quite some time.

Also, it has been known that Hell or High Water would be As Cities Burn's final album. The band recently announced that they have called it quits after six years. RIP :(

Let's hope all of our other favorite bands don't get any ideas...

-FISHER

Anchor & Braille- Felt

2009-08-02T14:18:00.001-07:00

Stephen Christian is, among most, considered to be a lyrical mastermind. His main project, Anberlin, is his most well-known. But not too many people have heard of his new side-project, Anchor & Braille... which was exactly his plan. Many of the songs Christian wrote were not in the same style as Anberlin, and he felt that some of the lyrics were a bit too personal to be sharing with such a large audience. So he devised Anchor & Braille with the help of Copeland's lead singer, Aaron Marsh, who produced, engineered, and mixed the debut, which Christian titled Felt.

Those who are familiar with Christian's genius know that any new material by him is to be highly anticipated. And the fact that this debut has been worked on for almost four years now is
just one more reason why it should be considered a big deal. But anyone looking for the fun, pop-rock style of Anberlin will probably be disappointed, and maybe a bit surprised at the genre. It's mainly acoustic and very laid back. Such is evident with the first track, "Rust (The Short Story of Mary Agnosia)." Stephen uses his falsetto vocals in places, oftentimes reflecting Marsh's singing style. But his voice perfectly displays the ever-so-sad lyrics to follow along. The acoustic guitar, electric keyboard, some violin, and drums all come together to form a style drastically different from what Anberlin fans are used to. Although I must say that while some of the drums in the song seem out of place with the slower style, they help to keep things a little bit more upbeat than they could have been without. It seems somewhat awkward at first, but after a while it shouldn't be difficult to get used to.

The following track and first iTunes single, "Like Steps in a Dance," is a very beautiful song, with lyrics to match. The drums here are, partially, what give the song its character, and fit just fine. Christian uses his fantastic voice to go with his lyrical talent in an expert manner, again using his falsetto in a lot of the chorus. The song is one of the most outstanding tracks on the album. An electric guitar solo in "Blur" is executed perfectly, keeping the tone set by the first two songs. There is not a moment where the music does not strike as beautiful, except maybe shortly at the end of "Introspect," where the guitar just seems a bit haphazard--but entirely acceptable for a song ending and nowhere in between. Also, at the beginning of "Wedding/Funeral" the music seems to stutter for a bit before taking off. I find this slightly irritating, but nevertheless it assures that things never become too dry.

Christian and Marsh manage to keep things diverse, but not so much that there is any unexpected turn. Things stay true to the style throughout, but they mix up things enough to where there aren't any sound-alikes. A crunchy, static-filled guitar solo in track nine (which has a rather lengthy title) goes against the traditional sound found in the majority of the album, which I would say is the only point where they stray from the original concept.

Something that gives a lot of the songs their calm feel is the violin. I found myself drawn to that more than anything else. In places it's eerie--others it could almost put you to sleep with its peacefulness. It's at its most beautiful in "Summer Tongues." The piano throughout is, also, flawless.

"Sleep. When We Die." is another outstanding song, featuring vocals by Marsh in the bridge, accompanied by a sax or trumpet or some other wind instrument, and an electronic drum beat. Those who've heard Punk the Clock, Vol. 3 will recognize the song as formerly labeled, "Still Sleeping," with a few different sounds in places. Marsh also does some vocals on the following song, "Forget Love, I Just Want You To Make Sense To Me Tonight," the lengthy title I spoke of earlier.

Anberlin fans might be attracted to the song, "Sing Out." I found it slightly reminiscent of Anberlin's sound, while keeping it acoustic. It's a bit more upbeat and catchy than the rest of the music, and it's a rather nice addition. Fans of the "Feel Good Drag" acoustic version should give it a listen. And the final track is yet on more beautiful reminder of why Stephen Christian is so lyrically and musically talented.

From originality to the diversity to the unbelievable mind behind it, Anchor & Braille has managed a debut that will most certainly be remembered among Anberlin fans. While it may not satisfy those looking for another fun album this summer, it's certainly something you could find yourself chilling to. Felt is highly recommended to anyone who's into good music in general. I'll definitely be listening to it for a while.

Hawk Nelson- Letters to the President (Classic Review)

2009-07-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 2004, Ontario-based pop-punk group Hawk Nelson made their debut on Tooth & Nail. The year after, they expanded on it by releasing a Deluxe Edition of Letters to the President, reaching out to more and more fans with the help of their peppy live show. While it wasn't their most successful, Letters to the President was the album that gained them such promotions as being featured in Nickelodeon's Yours, Mine, and Ours, and even an NBC show. And with long-time friend Trevor McNevan to help with the writing, it seemed only inevitable that this band would go somewhere big with their music.

The youthful "California" opens up, perfectly describing how everyone who doesn't live there feels year-round. Things become a little more mature as the album progresses, starting with "Things We Go Through." While the song does keep the fun, "Wake up everyone around you, Let's rock until the clock strikes two," there are a few serious parts about the difficulties in life, asking God to help to see them through.

One of the reasons Letters to the President was so successful was because of the unashamed spiritual content. A lot of it is very bold, and Hawk manages to mix it with the fun content perfectly.

The title track is probably the most standout song on the album. The song deals with some serious issues, addressing, "Same sex marriage in a state where they don't care, murder is wrong, but the jail time's not fair, not to mention date rape, felony, and car theft." Lead vocalist Jason Dunn sings about wanting to do something to change the way our world is today. It's a very powerful and energy-packed song. The next two songs, "Right Here" and "Take Me" are both excellent tracks, separated by an instrumental song, and, for however short it may be, is verly lively, filled with the usual punk "Hey"s. The ever quirky and fun natured, "Someone Else Before" and "First Time" follow, leading into the album's heaviest track featuring McNevan on guest vocals. The album slows down at "36 Days," a track that is stays the same throughout, killing the mood presented by the previous tracks. It's a very heartfelt song, but just doesn't seem to fit with the rest.

Hawk's cover of "My Generation" by The Who is a great addition to the Deluxe Edition. They manage to still give it that old feel, and actually cover it very well, filled with those familiar stuttering vocals. On the other hand, the final three acoustic songs ("Every Little Thing," "Take Me," and "Letters to the President") only serve as nice additions to any Hawk fan's library. The best of the three would have to be, again, "Letters to the President," because of the sincerity felt through it.

So really, what made this '04 debut so successful was the spiritual depth. Yes, the punk rock was fun and exciting to listen to, but I think what really drew people in was the honesty and love for God that came with their lyrics. It's something that they've been incorporating lately in their music, and you can expect to find the same depth in their upcoming release, Live Life Loud.

Neon Horse- Haunted Horse: Songs of Love, Defiance, and Delusion

2009-07-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Nobody is exactly sure who they are. They come from Los Angeles and are one of the many bands on Tooth & Nail, but other than that is unclear. Up to this point, they've managed to keep their names and faces a mystery, but voices and something of a talent are what makes Neon Horse something identifiable.

Their odd and somewhat creepy style is something that would repulse most listeners. But those brave enough to listen all the way through a full album found the style growing on them. Rock, fueled by dancy synths and catchy beats sounds great right? Something like old-school Jonezetta or maybe even some newer Falling Up? Not even close. The vocals used by Neon Horse are what sets them apart. They are not in any way normal. It's difficult to describe... very nasally and very eerie. There is not much that is melodic about it, either. And the background singer is even stranger. I don't think words can do them justice--you'd have to check them out for yourself. Nevertheless, they have released a sophomore album that very well lives up to its name.

The grand opening, "When Daddy Gets Home," is somewhat catchy, but still very creepy. Trying to keep it out of your head is more like trying not to scratch a bug bite. And you most likely won't find yourself tapping your feet (although I was tempted to during the final two songs). Haunted Horse was a good name choice for this album. Most of these tracks will have listeners cringing--unless, of course, they're fans--at the spookiness and strangeness. "Strange Town"--track two--has very good synths, but the title describes the song well. It's not anything that you will immediately want to like. Something like this would have to grow on you... and even then it would probably take a long time. I can't say I even like it now, listening to the album through and through. For the third track, "Yer Busy Little Beehive," the even creepier background vocalist takes over. With the addition of some piano, the only word I can use is haunting. And the line, "Dancing with the devil on the edge of the abyss--don't look down" just somehow does not seem right. I question this band's sanity.

Songs such as "When Daddy Gets Home," "Follow the Man," "Some Folks," and "Comin Up Theventh," start with instrumentals that sound somewhat like Starflyer 59--which would make sense if the specualtion about SF59's Jason Martin being in this group is true. I find this odd because of SF59's laid back, slow, normal style--completely contrasting Neon Horse. But then again, Martin is very multi-talented. And I would think that releasing the new SF59 album, Ghosts of the Past, on the same date might be a ploy to throw people off of their suspicion of his involvement with Neon Horse. Very clever.

I would say that the music in "Some Folks" outweighs the vocals, so that I would actually enjoy listening to it again, just for the music. And the following song, "Haven't Sinned In Years" sounds like there's actually some real singing in places, and it doesn't sound half bad! That's a definite highlight for me. The ending synths sound really cool as well.

Altogether, I would recommend this to fans of Starflyer 59, just for kicks. I don't think too many people could take it as serious music, but I suppose it's possible that it could grow on you if you let it. As for me, I'm going to try my hardest not to let that happen. But I'll let you decide that for yourself.

Update 7/28 PART 2

2009-07-28T15:01:00.001-07:00

So maybe that was worth an extra update? Yeah. This is a big deal. It will most likely be epic. They said that not too long ago, they'd had a band meeting. They said they would either
a) Quit
or
b) Make the best album of their career

Oh boy. If I were you, I'd give this post a thumbs up. Just kidding--you don't have to. But I would. Expectations are unbelievably high.

-FISHER

Update 7/28

2009-07-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

I'm baaaaack!!! A few new things were announced/released today, so here we go...

Thousand Foot Krutch released another single from their new album. It's called "Fire It Up," and if you had any doubts about the new record, this should clear things up for you. It's sweet. You can link up to the iTunes page here, and look for their album, Welcome to the Masquerade, to drop September 8th.

August Burns Red released their video for "Meddler" today, which you can check out by clicking here. I like it because, unlike most metal vids, this one isn't too dark or creepy. It's actually really good, and definitely worth checking out.

Family Force 5 announced the new dates for their Dance Rawr Dance III tour, so to see if they're gonna be near you (cause I know they'll be near me!) link up here.

Today there were two new releases... one from Starflyer 59 and one from Neon Horse. Both are being streamed on AOL, so you can listen here for Neon Horse and here for Starflyer 59. The SF59 album is a two-disc thing, but only one of the discs is being streamed. I'm not very familiar with Starflyer, but I'm liking what I'm hearing. But Neon Horse is being streamed in it's entirety, so I'll do a review for that. Even though I'm not entirely fond of them.

And one other thing! When you enter the site, the pop-up is for your Twitter account. I made mine private because of all the odd and inappropriate followers I was getting, so this way I can approve you all and not look bad. So if you want to be able to view my Twitter updates from this page, follow me, and when you sign in you'll be golden!

Okay.... make this two other things. Do you see the two little boxes below this post? Feel free to select one when you read. I'd love to hear your feedback, even if it is a simple "Thumbs Up" or "Thumbs Down."

So that's really it. Thanks guys!

-FISHER

Update 7/27

2009-07-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I got some news from Falling Up, Hawk Nelson, and Family Force 5. If you're into that kind of stuff, stay tuned. Otherwise, check out my review of Fireflight's album, stuck somewhere between Project 86 and August Burns Red.

To start off with some rather exciting news, Falling Up announced that they are recording a new album. It's due out in 2010, and it'll be a continuation of this year's Fangs! Yes, it's kind of soon, but they (supposedly) left us hanging with the ending of the last album, so it's only fair that they'd continue without hesitation, right? Also, they have a website in the works that will (supposedly) help us to understand the Falling Up mystery. It will be called "Neptuenn's Cavern," and I'll let you know when it's up, because it might be something you want to check out. It sure might help with understanding what we've been listening to all this time.

Hawk Nelson's new album, Live Life Loud, will be hitting the street on September 22, but it's available for pre-order NOW. You can get it from MusiChristian and receive a t-shirt/autographed photo combo package. Also, you can check out the album artwork, which is pretty cool. If you like dogs and 3D glasses, that is.

And, last but not least, Family Force 5 release the full-length version of their anticipated "Dance or Die" video. It might help to have a little background on it, but you can click here to view it. I liked the beginning, but after that it was a little weird. And Soul Glow needs a haircut.

Thanks for reading, guys! Purple Door is gonna happen soon, so I'll try to write an overall review. I'm pretty sure it's gonna rock.

-FISHER

Update 7/20

2009-07-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I know, it's been a while, but it's the summer and I've been busy, so I apologize. There's a lot of news that needs to be caught up on, so here we go...

Most recently, Showbread has posted a song from their upcoming album, The Fear of God, on their Myspace. It's called "Lost Connection With The Head," and I like it a lot. And while you're there, check out the album artwork and pre-order the album. And if you wish to hear another new song unveiled from the new album, check out "Nothing Matters Anymore" from the Fuel Magazine Sampler 2009, which is free, so do hesitate to download it.

In other new release news, Abandon, Philmont, and Skillet are releasing new albums on August 25th.
You can pre-order Searchlights, by Abandon, here.
Philmont's new album, Attention, is available for pre-order here and get an autographed booklet.
Skillet's new album has a few different options. The first features the CD, an Official Fan Club membership, and the immediate download of their single "Hero." The second has all that and an autographed VIP pass. The biggest and best has all that plus a t-shirt. Click here to pick which one you want. And if you don't want to go with those, there's a fourth on MusiChristian.com, which comes with a free t-shirt. All of these options are pretty great, so choose wisely! Also, be sure to check if they'll be near you on their upcoming "Awake and Alive Tour" featuring Hawk Nelson, Decyfer Down, and The Letter Black.

Thousand Foot Krutch will be releasing their fifth studio album, Welcome To The Masquerade, September 8. You can take a look at the pre-order options here. They include the CD, a t-shirt, autographs, and a belt buckle. You can also get their 3-disc anthology, Deja Vu, on the same page.

September 22nd is the date when Pillar's new album, Confessions, releases. More details on pre-orders to come.

Also, pre-orders for Switchfoot's newest album, Hello Hurricane, begin this August. There will be five options: a digital download, standard CD, vinyl w/ digital download, deluxe CD/DVD, and the collectors deluxe edition, which will have the CD/DVD and b-sides, a hardbound 84 page photo book, and an exclusive poster. Stay tuned for more to come...

That's all I've got for now, be sure to check out my latest reviews, look for classic reviews to come, and vote on the poll! Thanks for checking out the blog!

-FISHER

Project 86- Picket Fence Cartel

2009-07-14T10:26:00.001-07:00

Thirteen years and seven albums later, you could say Project 86 has gained some experience doing what they're doing. And with that experience most often comes maturity. Project's latest, Picket Fence Cartel, goes to show how far they've come, and how much respect they really are deserving of. But they've made it very clear with the theme of this album. With fame comes power. And with power comes corruption. And they are in no way ready to give in to this corruption. The eighth track on the album, "Two Glass Eyes," puts it best--"Fame is infamy."

While not all songs carry this theme, an idea spawned off of this one does carry on throughout the album. As Project 86 explains it, our society is so driven to get fame in one way or another. But once someone gets what they've wanted (power), they end up being controlled by it, to where it is their sole obsession. The question that Project explores in this album is "Who do I belong to?"

Front-man Andrew Shwab's oftentimes genius lyrics help us discover the answer to this topic. Songs like "The Butcher" use powerful lyrics, declaring that "There is no weapon, there is no blade, you'll never kill Him that lives inside of me." The track obviously points out that if we belong to God, "Who can be against us?"

Picket Fence Cartel has some of the most spiritual lyrics to date. Project 86 is, of course, a Christian band, but sometimes oblique lyricism takes away from any meaning to the listener. Most, if not all of the songs on this album can be easily interpreted to have some sort of spiritual meaning. The opener, "Destroyer," tells of the end times, and the demise of Satan--"The lives that you thought that were your to devour, Destroyer, the tables have turned in this hour." "Cement Shoes" is a song that comes across as downright worshipful, screaming "And so we bow it to, bow it to, kneel before You, just like a child here, I'm not ashamed." "Two Glass Eyes" cries out to God to "Rescue me!" "Cyclonus," the following track, opens with a Bible verse, and afterwards commands that "Devastator, Complicator, Bringer of Pain, why won't you fly away." The track following that, "The Black Brigade," reinforces its predecessor, asking God for deliverance from the evil that chases us. But the finale is the strongest, lyrically, and the most worshipful track on the album--maybe even the most worshipful ever to come from Project 86. The track says that "We've lost all our control, our faces fall to the ground, we're powerless to Your voice, surrender to the sound," and after answers the question we've been pondering the entire album. "Who do I belong to? Not earth, not world, not evil, not mortals, not wretches, not horrors. Who do I belong to? Unchanging, Unbreaking, Unfailing, Creator, Immortal, Eternal." It's an extremely powerful song, and even if you're not a fan of Project, it's worth giving a listen to.

I'm vaguely familiar with Project's older work--mainly their singles such as "Spy Hunter" or "Evil (A Chorus of Resistance)." But I have heard the majority of 2007's Rival Factions, and I must say this album is much heavier than the synth-laced style of their last album. While the synths are present in a few songs, such as a little in the background of the chorus of "Dark Angel Dragnet," and predominantly in "A John Hancock With The Safety Off," most of the songs are more metal than their last attempt. With only three members, I'm not sure who they have on the drums, but some of those beats are pretty amazing. The start of "Dark Angel Dragnet" has a very interesting drum piece, and songs like "Cold and Calculated" and "Two Glass Eyes" have intense rhythm that almost come across as catchy. The most interesting part of the album, musically, is halfway though "To Sand We Return," where there is a short acoustic break, accompanied by vocals that will give you goosebumps at one point or another.

So overall, Picket Fence Cartel is a great improvement--musically, lyrically, and spiritually. The theme is fantastic, and the songs help to very well portray it. And it can only be uphill from here, as we watch and see where this band will take us next.

Fireflight- Unbreakable (Classic Review)

2009-07-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

"It almost felt like things were out of control. We'd gone through a difficult year as a band with a lot of emotional ups and downs. We basically lived together in a van while writing the new album, and that put us in a pressure cooker. All the stresses were magnified because you're completely out of your comfort zone, and it really does crank up the intensity of the writing. We poured all of our hope, sorrow, anger, dreams, and fears into the music." These words, said by Dawn Richardson, lead singer of the Christian rock act, Fireflight, seem entirely out of place in relation to this album. Sure, there are struggles mentioned, but there's something different about hearing these compared to those of secular acts.

Through all of their hardships, Fireflight has managed to put out one of the most encouraging and inspirational albums in the hard rock industry than I have heard in a very long time. Two years after the release of their debut album, The Healing of Harms--an extremely successful debut, featuring two #1 singles "Waiting" and "You Decide"--2008's Unbreakable is quickly becoming more and more successful. Recently featured during Taco Bell's "Feed the Beat" contest, they've gained a few promotions and a chance to perform at this past Winter X-Games. And while they may not be as popular as Flyleaf or Paramore--two more female-fronted artists--with a new album in the works, Fireflight is about to gain more success than previously thought possible from this small, Orlando based rock band.

The title track, "Unbreakable,"--featured on promos for NBC's late "Bionic Woman," adding even more to their success--is a solid rock track with lyrics inspired from the story in John 8 about the woman accused of adultery. Jesus forgave her, and, like he's forgiven us, "Now I am unbreakable."

Almost every song on this album has a highlight of its own--without them all being too much alike. Each song has very encouraging lyrics, which is why they're popular among some contemporary markets as well. Songs like "You Gave Me a Promise," "Brand New Day," "Forever," and "Stand Up" are among the most encouraging on the album. Other songs aren't so much encouraging as they have a good message for the listener. "The Hunger" talks about someone who needs God but refuses to accept him. "Go Ahead" is about asking God to work in our lives to make us more like Him. "So Help Me God" is about a relationship that pulls us away from God. And for the ultra-powerful finale, "Wrapped In Your Arms," Fireflight gives us a beautiful worship song. It ends the album perfectly, and all hopes of this sophomore album are very well satisfied.

A lot of the album is appreciated by contemporary listeners and hard rock listeners alike. Fireflight balances the hard and contemporary styles perfectly. One minute they're rocking out with "The Hunger" and two songs later worshipping with another powerful track, "Forever." Dawn Richardson's amazing voice matches the intensity of the music as she belts out the chorus: "Oh, tell me You're here, that You will watch over me, oh, take hold of my heart, show me You love me, forever." Guitarist Justin Cox shortly takes over vocals in parts of "The Love We Had Before," adding a little bit of diversity to a very catchy song.

All in all, Fireflight has created an excellent second album. Their popularity is sure to increase with their next album, and who knows where they'll go next? But judging by where Fireflight went this time... it's got to be all uphill from here.

August Burns Red- Constellations

2009-07-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

Known for their aggressive style, honest lyrics, and highly energetic live show, August Burns Red has made a name for themselves in the Christian metal genre. This being their third album on Solid State Records, ABR's highly anticipated Constellations is sure to be another favorite among fans of this genre.

The album's first single and first track, "Thirty and Seven," is your typical ABR song. Lots of double bass and guitar riffs with nothing but screaming thrown in between. Due to lead vocalist Jake Luhrs's screaming style of half-screaming/part-yelling, a lot of the words are a little easier to discern than those of other metal bands. One line that is easily recognizable in this song is "Your mind is the mountain before you," telling of a person who is holding on to their guilt and shame and not realizing that they've been forgiven by God. "Existence" and "Ocean of Apathy," the next two songs, have great guitar parts, the first containing a mind-bending guitar solo, ABR style. They're a little more melodic in places, making them some of the more memorable songs on this album. They both also have excellent lyrics, which is a big highlight in this album.

Lyrically, this album is very sound. All of the songs have deep and thoughtful lyrics. That is one of the things that separates ABR from the normal--they are entirely open about their faith, and are not afraid to let it show in their music. That is a huge part of why they are so successful in the Christian metal market. The song, "Paradox," is a perfect example, telling of a foolish person who can't control their words. And "Meridian" is one of the simplest, yet most meaningful tracks on the album--"I will build you up again, you will be rebuilt. I am the painter making this mess a masterpiece. I will rebuild you up again."

Songs like "White Washed" and "Marianas Trench" have long intros without vocals until about a minute into the song, giving a temporary break from the brutal screaming. The song, "Meridian" holds the record on this album for the longest time without any screaming. Putting the vocals to rest is a great way to make the album more diverse. While Luhrs is belting out screams, some things tend to sound the same after a while and get boring. The solos and instrumental bridges really help to change things up a little. Of course, if you're looking for a song that's brutal all the way through till the end, "The Escape Artist" will be to your liking, although there is a very nice sounding piano piece for a few seconds at the end.

This being my first August Burns Red album, I am very impressed. Their lyrics are fantastic, and while things do become slightly redundant after a bit, their talent is well worth it. Melodic in places and brutal throughout, this album is a must-buy for fans of Christian metal (other bands like Demon Hunter, Underoath, The Devil Wears Prada) and August Burns Red. I will definitely be checking out their older work, based on this.

Update 6/30

2009-06-30T13:02:00.001-07:00

Tooth & Nail is my favorite record label. Solid State has some of the most amazing Christian metal bands out there. They are both affiliated, and they have released a free sampler that you can download here. I'm REALLY EXCITED about this, because it has some seriously amazing music that I don't own yet. (And I know some of you don't own the never-before-released Showbread song that's from their new album, The Fear of God, and "Anchors [Acoustic]" by Secret & Whisper featured only on their Japanese release. Yeah. They're both on this sampler.) But other than those, there is:

"'84 Sheepdog" by As Cities Burn, "All My Balloons" by Children 18:3, FM Static "Boy Moves to a New Town With Optimistic Outlook," Emery "Cutthroat Collapse," Ivoryline "Days End," August Burns Red "Thirty and Seven," Copeland "The Grey Man." There is a song by Hawk Nelson, The Showdown, And Then There Were None, Family Force 5, Jonezetta, and Underoath. There are a few that I was too lazy to name, but they're good.

If I were you I'd get over there and download that sampler.

In other news, Mutemath has this amazing new song you can listen to on their Purevolume called "The Nerve." Also, they're going to be having a mobile listening party that could come to your city. For details on that and a very cool preorder, click here.

Also, (and I don't know why I haven't posted this earlier) Project 86 has made their next album, Picket Fence Cartel, available for preorder. Check it out on their Myspace.

So that's it for now, check back soon. Tell your friends!

-FISHER

Search the City BREAKS UP!?!?!

2009-06-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, I'm not sure if you all know this already--considering it's relatively old news--but in May, Search the City announced in a post on their Myspace that they basically have called it quits. To make a long post shorter, they've had a really tough time on the road and things weren't going well with their next record and people in the band got married and got lives. In the post they said, "We're not really sure what we'll do with STC in the future, time will tell." But for now, Search the City is 100% inactive. Now, a few of the band members have side-projects, which you can read about in the post as well.

Sorry to break this news, I know it's going to be hard on a lot of you if you haven't found out yet already. They were a great band, very musically talented. Their first (and, sadly, only) album will always be remembered. RIP. :(

-FISHER

Skillet- Comatose Comes Alive (Classic Review)

2009-06-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

This year, Skillet once again blew everyone away with the Comatose Tour 09, featuring Disciple and Decyfer Down. Last year, Skillet's Comatose Tour was an even bigger sucess, selling out at nearly every venue and even making the list of Top 50 Tours of Spring 08. During that tour, they recorded a live CD/DVD at their stop in Chattanooga, TN.

Known for their fantastic live performance, Skillet was very wise in putting out this album. On one hand, you have those who have never seen Skillet live. This album will motivate them to try harder to make it to the next show in their area. On the other hand you have fans who have seen Skillet live, or maybe even this exact tour. For them, this album will be a perfect reminder of that amazing show they went to. So either way, they'll have most real fans buying this album.

And for those fans who think that they don't need this album because they already have all of Skillet's older albums, you're wrong. There isn't a song that doesn't sound different in some way or another. Songs like "Comatose," "Better Than Drugs," and "Those Nights" have different intros written specially for their live show. A good majority of the songs also contain screams by lead vocalist, John Cooper, which helps make the show even heavier and more exciting than thier album. He also inserts fun Skillet facts and jokes with the audience, and it makes the album a lot more personal from Skillet to the fans. But no need to worry, all of the talking is at the end of the tracks, so you don't have to skip through it to get to the music part. A big highlight of the album is during "Yours To Hold" in which Skillet's new drummer, Jen Ledger, does vocals for a verse. She has a great voice, and I'm sure we'll be hearing it a lot more on the new album, Awake.

As far as the video goes, the quality is phenomenal. At times the video is distorted for effect, and can get a little annoying, but otherwise it's very well done. It makes the audio portion twice as good. You get to see how the band uses their energy to perform--mainly headbanging. Lots of headbanging. But they also do some cool stuff with their guitars, and the pyrotechnics are amazing.

The whole thing makes you feel like you're at an actual Skillet show. They put on just as good live show for this album as they did when I saw them on the same tour. The only exception here is the volume and the people stepping on your feet. So, in a way, it's nice to experience a Skillet show from the comforts of your home, even though it's not even close to the real deal. So if you like this album, go to a Skillet show the next time their near you. It's a lot of fun!

Ryan Clark's birthday, New ABR

2009-06-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, you know what today is? Today is Ryan Clark's birthday. Lead singer of Demon Hunter, co-founder of Invisible Creature Inc. Still don't know him? Look in your Tooth & Nail CD booklets, he or his brother has probably designed the artwork. So today is a good day.

Other than that little bit of trivial news, I might have something that will make you even more excited about your day. August Burns Red uploaded yet another new song on their Myspace. Look for another to come next week, leading up to their album release July 14th.

Thanks for checking out the blog! Tell your friends, I'd greatly appreciate it.

-FISHER

Poll Results

2009-06-21T14:10:00.001-07:00

OK, so the question was, "What movie are you most psyched about this summer?" I posted the question a little late into summer movie season, so I said it was okay if it was a movie you had already seen. Here are the results:

Wolverine- 10%
This was a movie I had on my list to see, but never got around to. I heard it was good.

Terminator: Salvation- 10%
Despite not seeing the past three movies, my friends said I had to see this one, and it blew me away. It had great action, and a great story. Although I did kind of feel that the plot leaned too much on the past movies for it's development. Still, great movie, not what I expected.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian- 20%
This one I didn't see either, but I definitely will when it comes to DVD. I heard it was hilarious.

UP- 10%
I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!!! I'm a gigantic Pixar fan, so I naturally HAD to see this movie. It was fantastic. Great plot, characters, and scenery. I laughed and cried. I wasn't expecting the latter. As far as kid movies go, it was fantastic. There was one scene where I was like, "This is definitely a kid movie" but it kept me entertained and I enjoyed it. Even though I hate sharing the theater with five year olds.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen- 50%
This movie is going to OWN! I've been excited to see this movie ever since the trailer came out a year ago. This is one I will definitely see, no matter what happens. Can't wait!

Update 6/21

2009-06-21T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Summer's here, and that means festivals! Anyone going to any? This is will be my first time ever going to a Christian music festival. I hear they're fun. I'll be at Purple Door Arts and Music Festival in PA this August. Anyone else going? It's two days, but I'll only be able to make it Saturday. So the bands that day worth mentioning will be Deas Vail, Seabird, Spoken, I am Terrified, The Showdown, Project 86, Esterlyn, Capital Lights, Children 18:3, Run Kid Run, Fireflight, Disciple, Mewithoutyou, and Anberlin. I'm really excited. It's a while off, but I really can't wait.

So in other news, House of Heroes sold 2000 copies of The End is Not the End on Amazon last Wednesday after put a one-day price tag of $1.99 on it, sticking them at number one on the Amazon music charts for two days. I've never even imagined having my favorite band beat the Jonas Brothers. It feels good.

August Burns Red has a new single on iTunes called, "Thirty and Seven." Their album Constellations comes out July 14th.

Another band with a release on July 14th is Project 86. They've posted a song on their Myspace called, "The Butcher." Look for it to be on their album Picket Fence Cartel.

***NEW UPDATE: Hawk Nelson's new single "Live Life Loud" is available on iTunes now. I'm curious to see if HN's new album will continue on the path of their last album or if they'll go back to making good music like Smile, It's the End of the World. It's hard to tell with this song. Not bad. We'll have to wait and see.

Thanks for checking out the blog! I'll keep on posting Classic Album Reviews, so stick around for that if you're interested. Right now I'm listening to Spoken's newest, and I'm liking it. See you guys later

-FISHER

Pre-order Skilet's new album, AWAKE

2009-06-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Skilet's new album, Awake, is coming out August 25th, but you can preorder it now by clicking here. You get the CD and a pretty sick t-shirt for the low price of $9.97, which is a great deal. If you want the CD only, you're robbing yourself, but I'll post the link anyway. Who's ever heard of a t-shirt and a CD that's pretty much guaranteed to be amazing for ten bucks? It's insane!

***EDIT: Okay, today Skillet gave us three more preorder options, and I have to say these ones may be a little more expensive, but it's worth it. Each option comes with the CD, a download of "Hero," and a Skillet Official Fan Club Membership. The next step up comes with an autographed VIP pass. And then the best you can get is all that and a sick t-shirt. You can link up here, and while you're there check out the album artwork, which looks AMAZING.

Thanks for checking out the blog, let all your friends know I'm here, I love blessing you guys with this kind of info. Leave any questions or comments below, I'd be happy to talk to you!

-FISHER

Emery- While Broken Hearts Prevail... EP (Classic Review)

2009-06-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

Emery is on fire. After releasing ...In Shallow Seas We Sail, a lot of people's summers were made, and now Emery is preparing to set out on Thee Summer Bailout Tour. But back in October, a not-so-little EP was released that set off this band. While Broken Hearts Prevail... EP successfully got fans hyped and very ready for what may already be the best album of the summer.

The EP kicks off with two songs featured on ...In Shallow Seas We Sail, "The Smile, The Face" and "Edge Of The World." Both songs are packed with energy and speak of broken hearts, which prevails as the theme of this EP, as it is with a lot of Emery's songs. But Emery always puts a new spin on things, mixing it up and keeping it original. "Ten Talents" changes the pace of the EP by opening with a piano intro and moving into a chorus with a little bit of a slower tempo. The lyrics are very heartfelt, as would be expected from an Emery song, asking "Is it too late? Am I too gone? Is there something I should know?Are we working for nothing? Is there anything to show for the service?Is it worthless?" It's overall a great song, possibly my favorite to ever come from Emery. "Always Depends" picks up the tempo again, with a punk-sounding intro and chorus, only to slow down again with "Thoughtlife." Fans who own or have heard The Question, Deluxe Edition will recognize it as a demo at the end of the album. It sounds a little different there than here, since the acoustic guitar has been replaced by a piano. It's not your typical Emery song, but it doesn't sound half bad coming from them. The closer on the EP, "Do The Things (You Want)" musically is "Say The Things (You Want)" in a different key and different instrumentals. Again, it's a very heartfelt song written to the fans.

The album booklet (if you bought the EP in physical form) is a very big plus for any Emery fan. Notes from the band members are under every song, telling of how the song came to be and its meaning. It's a very personal touch that would be great if every band included something similar to it.

While Broken Hearts Prevail... EP is one of the better EPs I've heard. It's definitely a hefty EP (compared to... oh, I don't know... *cough*House of Heroes*cough*) with a good amount of songs. It's also great for summer listening, since a good majority of the songs talk about events that take place in the summer. It's also great for honest and heartfelt lyrics, which has become signature of Emery. If you enjoyed ...In Shallow Seas We Sail, do not hesitate to check out this EP.

Update 6/10 (SCROLL DOWN FOR THE HOUSE OF HEROES REVIEW!!!!!)

2009-06-10T15:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Christian rock fans! If you want to read my review for the AMAZING House of Heroes EP, you can just scroll down a little and it'll be there. You can get it now at iTunes for $1.99, which is pretty good for three songs.

To start off this update, Mutemath announced today on their Twitter that they will be releasing their sophomore album, Armistice, coming August 18th. They have also posted the cover artwork there, which is pretty sweet.

Also, Skillet's newest single, "Hero," has been uploaded to their Myspace. Look for their new album to drop late this summer.

That's it for now, be back later for some classic reviews.

-FISHER

House of Heroes- Meets the Beatles

2009-06-09T15:15:00.001-07:00

If you've ever seen House of Heroes live, you've probably heard them sing at least one Beatles cover. If you've never seen House of Heroes live, you're welcome for that information. The band is often compared to the Beatles, musically, and they are obviously big influences on HOH. So it was no surprise when, a few months ago, HOH announced that they would be releasing a Beatles EP summer '09.

The very, VERY short EP kicks off with "Can't Buy Me Love." The song is catchy, and is a lot of fun. House of Heroes manages to make it a very convincing cover--not cheesy and they don't wreck the song. Plus, lead vocalist Tim Skipper just sounds great with these songs. "It Won't Be Long" is another fun song, but it's a little annoying to listen to more than once at a time. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" ends the EP with a bang, as that is HOH's style and sound perfectly portrayed.

Now, I'm sure the songs are a lot more fun if you're a Beatles fan (which I'm kind of young to be, but I've been thinking about becoming one based on this EP), but if you're not this is still an extremely fun EP. Even though it's unbelievably short, I'm just glad they care enough about the fans to put out this extra material. For those who aren't familiar with House of Heroes, this should be pretty impressive, as they are great covers.

Update 5/30 (SCROLL DOWN FOR THE EMERY REVIEW!!!!)

2009-05-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, if you want to read the Emery review, just scroll down and it'll be under this post. I just took a few of the recent updates and condensed it into one post, added a little bit more news (look for the ***), and this is it. Hope you like the blog! Have fun listening to Emery's new album!

Emery's new album is being streamed on their Myspace! Get over there and give it a listen, and then buy it Tuesday. You can preorder it on iTunes for $9.99 if you click here. It comes with a b-sides track called "Closed Eyes, Open Hands." (SCROLL DOWN FOR THE REVIEW)

Thousand Foot Krutch put their album artwork for Welcome To The Masquerade on their Twitter. You can see it by clicking here. Not really what I expected, but it's not bad. You can follow them on Twitter @OfficialTFK

Skillet's new single off their album Awake (coming late this summer) is being featured on
The Battle of the Buzz on Radio U. You can hear it again at 6 EST, Monday through Friday if it keeps on winning. So vote for it to make sure you can hear it again!

Hawk Nelson announced that their fourth album will be called Live Life Loud, and will be released October 6th. Like past Hawk songs, some have been co-penned by Trevor McNevan, but they have also teamed up with a few other artists including tobyMac and Bart Millard of MercyMe. Hopefully this album will be a little better than Hawk Nelson Is My Friend, because that was a little bit of a letdown for me.

Project 86 posted two songs from their upcoming album, Picket Fence Cartel, entitled "Destroyer" and "Dark Angel Dragnet" on their Myspace.

***Switchfoot announced today that they are finished with their new album, Hello Hurricane. It'll be out sometime at the end of the summer, probably October. Be very excited.

***Also, Fireflight announced on their Twitter today that they are writing new music.

***HOUSE OF HEROES MEETS THE BEATLES IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER ON ITUNES!!! You can get it for $1.99 by clicking here. It comes with the songs "Can't Buy Me Love," "It Won't Be Long," and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da."

Thanks again guys! Right now I'm working on a Christian Rock OBSESSION Flickr site where you can check out my concert pics. I'll have the link up soon. You can also follow me on Twitter @fisher_is. See you guys later!

-FISHER

Emery- ...In Shallow Seas We Sail

2009-05-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

Last October, Emery fans were blown away by yet another great effort in EP form entitled While Broken Hearts Prevail.... Every song was a great addition to an Emery fan's collection, but only seven songs was not enough. Emery's fifth studio album, ...In Shallow Seas We Sail will certainly crave our appetites and live up to the expectations delivered to us by the EP.

Emery's style is something that draws in so many fans. They're not your typical Christian rock band. Mixing heavy screamo with melodic harmonies and having such interesting lyrics sets them apart from those who prefer to do the same thing over and over. In fact, Emery addressed their fans about their style in the booklet of their EP, saying that "We do appreciate you guys SO FREAKING MUCH, but we can't accept being labeled and kept in a box. That's selling out: writing "Walls" fifty different ways so we can pick up a paycheck." And Emery does a great job at keeping things diverse. The opening track and the first single off the album, "Cutthroat Collapse" demonstrates this perfectly. The screamo opening with heavy guitars and insane drums quickly moves to a slower verse that still keeps it hard, and then moves into the chaotic chorus that actually sounds very well put together. The next verse slows it down again, and after the chorus, moves back to more screamo, giving fans a taste of everything that Emery is--all in one song.

"Curbside Goodbye" has a very beautiful chorus and exhibits Toby's vocals in very good light. "Inside Our Skin" gives us quick glimpses at Emery with acoustic guitars. It's very catchy, and it would've been nice if they'd kept it throughout the whole song, as it is much harder in a few places. The lyrics of the song are very meaningful, and definitely add to what the heaviness takes away. It just would've made sense and matched the idea of the song so much more if the whole thing had that acoustic feel. "Churches and Serial Killers" is an interesting song to say the least, opening with violins, and having little bit of a creepy feeling throughout. The words are, again, very well written, and display Emery's talent perfectly. "The Butcher's Mouth" is sure to be a fan favorite with everything that Emery is combined. The title track for the album is a bit more laid back and melodic with deep lyrics that set the concept that vaguely runs through the entire album. "The Poor and the Prevalent" is a lot like "Cutthroat Collapse" in that its chorus has multiple parts being sung at the same time, but run together beautifully. Some fans may be a little annoyed that two songs from the EP, "The Smile, The Face" and "Edge of the World" are on this album, because, after all they are not new songs. They're great songs, but was it really necessary to include them a second time? "A Sin To Hold On To" has very honest lyrics that talk about sexual temptation. The next song, "Piggy Bank Lies" is an okay song, but it's certainly not the best. "Dear Death Part 1" is a really short song that never really takes off into anything really good. Toby ends the song singing in what sounds like Italian, and sounds very interesting coming from Emery. The album closer, "Dear Death Part 2" is a great way to end things. It sounds very punk-ish, and is extremely fun. It would be a great song to dance to, live.

...In Shallow Seas We Sail will please anyone that likes Emery. For fans of the EP this is a must-buy. For those new to Emery, this is a great representation of who they are--an extremely talented rock band that you can trust to make sure things won't ever be too cliche, and have great lyrics and a sound that will make them very popular among Christian and mainstream listeners.

Family Force 5- Dance Or Die With A Vengeance

2009-05-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

Last summer, we were introduced to a side of Family Force 5 that a lot of us were slightly uncomfortable with. A few "fans" were lost, but the real ones stuck with them. New fans were made recently on the AP Tour with well-known names such as The Maine, Hit The Lights, and 3OH!3. And now Family Force 5 gives us fans a little something in the form of a remix album.

This album has a lot more dance than even Dance or Die, and should probably be marked TRUE FANS ONLY. Not to say a few people new to Family Force 5 won't like it, but for some people I know, this could be a bigger turn off than DOD. Barely any rock elements remain, but was Family Force 5 ever really a rock band? Crunk rock, yes, but can that be considered rock? Probably, but I believe that Business Up Front... was dancy, only that the rock guitars softened it a bit for those not used to that. DOD was a bit more stripped down. Less guitars, more synthesizers. Nobody seemed to notice, but the synths were there all along!

But back to the remix album. Family Force 5 had different bands make their own versions of DOD songs for them. The songs are arranged exactly as they were on the un-remixed version. So "Dance or Die (The Secret Handshake Han Valen Remix)" opens the album, featuring vocals by Luis Dubuc of The Secret Handshake, and a few new lyrics to go with it. Without the guest vocals, the song doesn't sound too different from it's original. The following song is "Get Your Back Off The Wall (3OH!3 Remix)". But don't be worried, the lyrics are exactly the same as it was last time, with no additions by 3OH!3.

I was slightly worried, with bands known for having vulgar lyrics remixing FF5 songs, but, of course, FF5 had to approve it, and so there is no swearing or inappropriateness to be worried about. This remix's intro and closing are kind of annoying, as are a few other tracks on the album. It seems that songs like this were not made to sound better or cool, but elements were added that made it sound like they are there just because they can be, and doesn't help the song at all. Others songs such as "Fever (The Toxic Avenger Remix)" fools the listener with its opening into thinking that it'll be something great, but then ends with the most annoying I've ever heard come from a band.

"Rip It Up (The Pragmatic Remix)" is the first remix of this song on the album. The first time I heard it, I couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably at the drama two minutes into the song between a group of doctors, one of them named "Dr. Disco." Their conversation is utterly hilarious, and makes the song better, as the music isn't all that great. "How In The World (Suave Suarez Remix)," another song that has a double at the end of the album, sounds like a disco song, and will probably take a few listens to get used to. "Party Foul (Smi D's UVS Remix)" is the most dancy song, and definitely my personal favorite. It is completely impossible to not tap your feet when listening to it. It's a lot more fun than FF5's first try, and the addition of the catchy lyrics, "Time to sweat, Time to move, Time to get, In the groove" gives it a humorous side as well. Another song better than its original is "Share it With Me (Smile Future Remix)." On DOD it was by far the worst song to come from this band. Now it's another one of my favorites. The next three songs are kind of dry, and aren't too different than the un-remixed versions, with the exception of "The First Time (Matt Thiessen Remix)", which is a little slower and features vocals by Relient K's lead singer.

Family Force 5's only new song on the album, "Ghostride the Whip" sounds a lot like Kanye West at some points, as it is a break from the dance style of the rest of the album for a little bit of hip-hop. It's got some really great beats that make you want to turn it up loud and roll down your windows. The song after that is an alternate remix of "Rip It Up," but this time only Crouton does vocals, with a little bit of rapping at the end courtesy of Soul Glow. Crouton has a great voice, and this song sounds like something you'd hear on the radio when you're in the mall. His voice is altered a lot, though. The song that closes the album is another "How In The World," this time mixed by David Crowder* Band. It's definitely more dancy, but it is not at all a highlight on the album.

Dance or Die With a Vengeance is definitely fun to listen to, but most if it cannot be taken seriously. Most fans will enjoy it and realize that this is not who Family Force 5 is, but it was still a fun addition to their library that will hopefully hold us over until the fall when we hear the FF5 Christmas album.

The Wedding- The Sound The Steel EP (Classic Review)

2009-05-15T17:08:00.001-07:00

After the success of The Wedding's sophomore album, fans were surprised to find lead singer Landon Ginnings replaced by Matthew Shelton. So to introduce this rookie vocalist, the band put out their highly anticipated The Sound The Steel EP last summer.

The EP consists of five tracks, six if you include the bonus acoustic/live track found on iTunes when you buy the full album. So it's not long, but not too short. But, still, with only five, the titles of these songs are often difficult remember, considering that they all start with re. "Receive," "Return," "Renew," "Reveal," and "Redeem" are all very close names, and in conversation, things could very easily become very confusing.

"Receive," the first song on this EP, is a decent song that kicks off the new chapter of The Wedding very well, and is a great intro for Shelton's vocals. "Return" is a song packed with energy, and seems to be a call to worship with everything you have--to "Sing of Me, Sing of My love, Like a bullet from a gun." The piano in "Renew" is a great sound for The Wedding. The song does speed up shortly after its soft opening, reverting to The Wedding's southern punk rock sound. But there's more to The Wedding than just a normal punk band. Their music never becomes monotonous, they have great lyrics that have an awesome message, and Shelton's vocals give it a near-perfect touch. His joy seems to overflow out of his mouth when singing, with laughing and screaming, and it's very unique.

"Reveal" is the most energetic song on the EP, and the guitar breakdown about two minutes into the song is genius. I have never seen The Wedding live, but this song would definitely be a great one to have the crowd sing along to. "Redeem" is a beautiful way to end the EP.

This EP is sure to not disappoint fans of The Wedding's previous attempts, and will definitely pick up a few new fans like myself. Hopefully The Wedding will put out a new album someday, cause if they keep going in this direction, it'll be fantastic!

Family Force 5- Business Up Front/Party In The Back (Classic Review)

2009-05-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

Formerly known as The Phamily, brothers Solomon, Josh, and Jacob Olds formed what is now Family Force 5, accompanied by friends Derek Mount and Nathan Currin. In 2006, they debuted with Business Up Front/Party In The Back, having one foot in Maverick Records--a secular record label--and one foot in Gotee Records--a Christian label. With a new remix album drawing near*, it is only appropriate that I would review an FF5 album.

Business Up Front... starts with "Cadillac Phunque," a rock/rap/funk song that is pure fun and introduces the band well to those who aren't familiar with their past. "Kountry Gentlemen," the first single off the album and maybe one of their most recognizable songs, continues with the introducing of this Atlanta based crunk band by telling listeners, "My mama raised me in the durty south, A Kountry Gentleman, So you best watch ur mouth, My mama raised me in the durty south, A Kountry Gentleman, That's what it's all about." "Drama Queen" is a song that is extremely fun to watch live, and with hilarious lyrics that often get stuck in my head, this song is amazing. "Put Ur Hands Up" commands that "Ugly people put ur hands down!" The album suddenly hits a running streak of epic songs as "Love Addict," "Earthquake", "Replace Me", and "Lose Urself" all follow each other in rapid fire, and are possibly their best and most popular songs to date. "Supersonic" allows Josh Olds (aka "Crouton") to use his vocals more than he does in most songs on this album.

The infectious "Numb" closes the album, but only leaves you with wanting to dance more, which may be one of the reasons Family Force 5 re-released this album with three different songs to end it. The album only came with three extra songs, but in my opinion, those three songs were definitely worth buying it a second time. "I Love You To Death" is almost entirely screamo in the chorus, and is one of Family Force 5's hardest songs. "Face Down" and "Never Let Me Go" are two of Family Force 5's most spiritual songs. "Face Down" is a bit slower than fans of the original album might be comfortable with, but otherwise is a great track. "Never Let Me Go" is another really fun song that has a fantastic breakdown at the end.

Family Force 5 has made a tremendous impact on what Christian music can be. Even though God is not mentioned a whole lot, the lyrics are clean and having the album distributed by both Christian and secular markets, it's a great thing to have good clean music for kids to listen to, even if they aren't listening to "Christian" music. Business Up Front/Party In The Back is a sure sign that we'll have some more epic music to come from this band in the near future.
*Look for Dance Or Die With A Vengeance coming May 19th.

Emery Update

2009-05-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

A new song was posted on Emery's Purevolume page called "Piggy Bank Lies."

Another new preorder option for ...In Shallow Seas We Sail has been put on both Smartpunk and Interpunk. You can get the CD with a 7" vinyl picture disc with "Cutthroat Collapse" and a b-side called "Open Hands, Closed Eyes" from Interpunk. You can get the an autographed booklet with your preorder if you get it from SmartPunk.

So you have a lot of preorder options, make sure you pick a good one!

PRE-ORDER EMERY'S NEW CD!

2009-05-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

Emery posted a more official-er preorder site on their Twitter (wow, I never thought Twitter would actually come in handy) and you can link up to it here. It come with a nasty t-shirt that I want really bad. Their single "Cutthroat Collapse" is available on iTunes, and the full album will be out June 2nd.

Update 5/4 (MY BIRTHDAY!!!!)

2009-05-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Today's my birthday! (No need to get me anything) There are a few updates I wish to share:

Skillet has announced that their new album will be titled Awake and will be released this August. It was produced by Howard Benson, who's also worked with Three Days Grace, Flyleaf, Daughtry, and POD. Kind of funny, since their last album was called Comatose. Comatose? Awake? They are currently on the Comatose Tour with Disciple and Decyfer Down, which, much like last year, is doing very well and selling out a lot.

Ivoryline announced today on their Twitter that they are writing. Keep looking for new stuff from them coming next year.

The Classic Crime has also been updating their Twitter a lot, and lead vocalist Matt McDonald says that they are also writing new music.

Switchfoot. Their new album is coming out in September. And according to RadioU, they are releasing four albums over the course of the next year (?). I'll check back to give you the facts later, but I wouldn't get too excited.

Hawk Nelson is writing new material.

Project 86 has decided on a title and release date for their new album. It's going to be called Picket Fence Cartel and will be released on July 14th. The track listing is as follows:
1. Destroyer
2. The Butcher
3. The Spectacle of Fearsome Acts
4. Dark Angel Dragnet
5. Cold and Calculated
6. Picket Fence Cartel
7. A John Hancock With The Safety Off
8. Two Glass Eyes
9. Cyclonus
10. The Black Brigade
11. To Sand We Return

August Burns Red will be releasing Constellations on the same day as Project 86's new album, so look out for that, cause it'll hit you hard if you don't.

Emery's new album is up for preorder, and you can get it here. It releases June 2nd.

Tomorrow, Decyfer Down releases their sophmore album, Crash, which, if it's anything like their debut, is no big deal. But, also, The Devil Wears Prada releases With Roots Above And Branches Below, which is completely amazing if you haven't heard it yet.

So, all in all, the following are the bands that are working on albums or have albums coming out in the future:

Decyfer Down, The Devil Wears Prada, The Drawing Room (Joel from TFK's side project), Family Force 5, Emery, Hawk Nelson, Everyday Sunday, Project 86, Stryper, Flyleaf, Skillet, Switchfoot, Pillar, House of Heroes, Relient K, Showbread, Thousand Foot Krutch, Spoken, Secret & Whisper, Breaking The Silence, The Almost, and The River Empires (Falling Up's side project).

That's a lot to look forward to! Don't forget to follow me on Twitter, and check back a lot so you can be up to date on what's going on!

-FISHER

The AP Tour 2009 (Concert Review)

2009-05-02T11:57:00.000-07:00

For years, people have been raving about Family Force 5's live show. Jesus Freak Hideout and CCM have both at least once voted Family Force 5 as having the best live show out there. And, finally, Family Force 5 decided to show their faces in Connecticut this year on the AP Tour, featuring A Rocket To The Moon, Hit The Lights, 3OH!3, and The Maine.

After finally finding somewhere to park for $20, I reached the venue at 4:30. There was already a line wrapped around the building, but not too bad. The show was sold out, so the line grew quickly, until I could not see the end. But before the doors opened at six, I spotted Xanadu walking past me. I yelled, "Hey Xanadu!" He spun around like he was making sure I wasn't talking to somebody else and said, "Me?" I laughed and we got into a conversation about the band, when they were going on, Chapstique's broken knee, how Xanadu likes not being in the band because he can sleep. He's a pretty funny guy.

After he left, my friend called and informed me that Chapstique would have the VIP passes tonight (In case you didn't know, for this tour, Family Force 5 has been posting clues on their Twitter about where they keep the passes each night, and if you get them you can stand along the side of the stage and after hang with them in their bus--pretty sick). I don't have internet on my phone, so he was a big help. After that, the line started moving and I got a nice picture of a bus with the AP Tour banner on the side (which I will post later with the rest of my pics). When I got in, my friend called and told me that in order to get the passes I would need to do ten pushups, ten lunges, and draw a picture of a draygon. I immediately saw ChapStique and ran over to him, only to find that a girl was finishing up the last of her ten pushups. So after realizing I wasn't going to get the passes, I got back to my spot in the crowd.

The club filled up quickly, and not long after A Rocket To The Moon opened up with the song "Dakota" from their Greetings From... EP. They were pretty good, and they got the crowd hyped up quickly.

The crowd was unbelievable. Almost everyone was moshing, and people were body slamming and pushing right in the center where I was, so I slowly kind of drifted to the right of the stage so I didn't get killed.

After A Rocket To The Moon, Hit The Lights took the stage. I wasn't too impressed with them, especially not after all those "f*** yeah"s the lead singer dished out. I was beginning to wonder if this was all worth it, being pushed around and hearing all this crap.

But after Hit The Lights moved off the stage and Family Force 5 came out, I realized I would not miss this show for the world. They opened with the song "Kountry Gentleman" and I soon understood why Family Force 5's live show is so hyped up. It's because the entire show is an adrenaline rush. Family Force 5 brings twice the energy felt through their music, and it is unbelievable. After that, they went straight into "Fever", which was followed by "Drama Queen," which had a very different opening that was very fun. For this song, Nadaddy got to bang on the Family Force 5000 a bit, which is the band's gigantic drum machine with a bunch of cool buttons that light up when hit. "Get Your Back Off The Wall" was the next song, and then came "Radiator." For "Radiator" green lasers shot across the ceiling of the club, and the whole thing kind of reminded me of their music video, which is pretty sick. Halfway through the song, Soul Glow randomly began to sing a line from "I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry. It was kind of funny, and I didn't catch it at first, so while I was watching it on my camera I was kind of surprised. After they sang "Party Foul" and then "Numb", in which they encouraged people to make a circle and breakdance if you could. If you couldn't Soul Glow warned you should "run away like you got the swine flu." For this song they all danced like wild with the help of Xanadu. After this song Soul Glow introduced everyone in the band and talked about the remix album coming out soon. They didn't slow down for long though, because shortly after was "Supersonic." Crouton got off of the drums and helped with lead vocals, which was pretty amazing. After, Soul Glow put on his hulk gloves and ended with "Love Addict" and "Earthquake", both of which were epic. For Earthquake Soul Glow made a rap about New Haven and The AP Tour, all which was a little hard to make out what he was saying, but I got the idea.

I left after Family Force 5 was done, since I was packed with energy and wasn't ready for 3OH!3 to kill it with their vulgar lyrics. I got myself a pretty sick shirt featuring Soul Glow's hulk glove. And when I stepped out of the venue, the only thing going through my head was "WOW!" Family Force 5 put on the most energetic and fun live show I have ever attended. The next chance I get to see them (which might be in November) there is no possible way I am missing out.

The Devil Wears Prada- With Roots Above And Branches Below

2009-04-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

Last year on the Warped Tour, the Dayton, OH, Underoath/Still Remains influenced metal band, The Devil Wears Prada, caught many eyes and ears. This year they'll do it again, only this time with songs from their newest album, With Roots Above And Branches Below. They are sure to catch even more eyes and ears (as they did mine with their song "Hey John, What's Your Name Again?" from their last album) with this heavy new material.

The album explodes into existence through the song, "Sassafras", staying true to TDWP form. The keyboard in this song give it a more melodic feel than an average metal song, and Jeremy DePoyster's crystal-clear vocals near the end add to that feel. "I Hate Buffering", the album's next track, has a great lead guitar that keeps it heavy throughout the song's three minutes, and as with any song with Jeremy's vocals, it has that extra touch that gives it near perfection. Songs like "Dez Moines", "Danger: Wildman", and "Ben Has A Kid" display Jeremy's vocals more, while keeping the song hard. "Danger: Wildman" has a really sick guitar part in the song, but before the end the song it slows down shortly and there is a completely amazing violin piece, shortly followed by DePoyster declaring "All of love can be traced to a Maker". It's very refreshing to know a band can be unbelievably heavy and be rising in popularity and still acknowledge God in their music. The next song, "Ben Has A Kid", has the same kind of lyrics when they say "Beyond this world is worth dying for." "Louder Than Thunder" proved me wrong when I thought TDWP could never be soft. I was very wrong. "Louder Than Thunder" is not only the album's softest song, but there is zero screaming, and there is nothing hard about the song. The piano is very eerily beautiful and matches the lyrics very well. It's definitely a big difference for TDWP, let alone this album.

So, The Devil Wears Prada has done it again. It would be nice if they could maybe balance out the screaming and the singing a little bit more. Mike Hranica's powerful screaming and the addition of "Louder Than Thunder" proves that TDWP has matured a lot since their sophomore album. This will be a very successful year for them as they set out on the Warped Tour once again.

THIS WEEKEND ONLY!!!!!

2009-04-25T13:28:00.001-07:00

The Devil Wears Prada's new album, With Roots Above And Branches Below, is available for streaming on ShockHound this weekend only! I just wish it came with the lyrics. Look for it in stores and online May 5th.

Also, another thing I forgot to mention in the last post was to follow me on Twitter! Sometimes I'll post bits of music news before I put it on here. But most of the time it's just random stuff that I'm sure no one really cares about. If you follow me, I'll be sure to follow back.

-FISHER

Update 4/24

2009-04-24T18:11:00.000-07:00

What's up guys, I have some exciting news today!

Recently, Family Force 5 posted a track from their upcoming remix album (Dance Or Die With A Vengeance, May 19th) on Alternative Press's site. The song is called, "Get Your Back Off The Wall (3OH!3 Remix)" and it is pretty good. You can link up to the site here.

In more new music news, Thousand Foot Krutch announced the first single for their Welcome To The Masquerade album due this Fall. The song is called, "Bring Me To Life", and they are offering it for free through Feed The Beat, the Taco Bell contest they won late last year. It comes with some pretty sick artwork, and you can get it here.

UnderOATH posted a new music video on their MySpace. It's pretty strange.

Tooth and Nail recently signed a band called Breaking the Silence. Their new album is being produced by a guy named Toby Wright, who also produced albums for Korn and 3 Doors Down. Also, Chad Szeliga of Breaking Benjamin will be recording the drums for their debut. It's probably going to be epic. They have one demo on their MySpace, where you can also learn more about the band.

Last but not least, the Dove Awards were yesterday, and RED won Rock Recorded Song of the Year for "Lost", and The Afters won Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year for Never Going Back to OK. There were a lot of other awards, but this is a rock blog, so none of us really care about those, right?

Thanks for reading! If you've been wondering how Family Force 5's been doing on the AP Tour, I'll be posting a concert review in the weeks to follow. See ya!

-FISHER

Relient K- Five Score And Seven Years Ago (Classic Review)

2009-04-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

Relient K is a name recognized by both Christian and secular markets. Their success was doubled by their 07 release Five Score And Seven Years Ago. This is their fifth album, marking their seven year anniversary, hence the album title. And it is quite a ride.

The opening A Capella song, "Plead The Fifth" is very well executed and would easily convince someone who was not familiar with RK to think this was a professional A Capella group. And a very good one at that. The next track, "Come Right Out And Say It" is a fun song about honesty and integrity. One of the album's harder songs, "I Need You" is about our dependency on God. Unlike many bands that double as Christian/secular artists, the majority of the songs on this album mention God in a more open way than other such artists. Songs such as "Forgiven" and "Give Until There's Nothing Left" demonstrate this. "Devastation And Reform" is another hard track, and like typical RK songs, it has clever and witty lyrics that, a lot of the time, come across as genius. Lines like, "Fear can drive stick and its taking me down this road, A road down which I swore I'd never go" might account for a few chuckles throughout the album. "Crayons Can Melt On Us For All I Care" is the album's most funny track that proudly proclaims "I just wasted ten seconds of your life." The album closer (that is if you bought the standard edition--I'm not going to get into the special edition), "Deathbed" is an eleven minute song that is about someone's life from beginning to end, and at times is pretty sad. But, in the end, there is a positive message, which is sung by Jon Foreman, and very nicely closes out the album.

Five Score And Seven Years Ago is a very strong effort from Relient K, and they are sure to pick up more than a few fans as their popularity inevitably increases. Their fun and energy is completely contagious, without being corny or overly positive, and they acknowedge God in their music, which is a huge plus.

Update 4/11 HAPPY EASTER! (SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FM STATIC REVIEW)

2009-04-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone!

Family Force 5 put their remix for "The First Time" on their myspace. Also, you can now preorder Dance or Die with a Vengeance here. You will receive a free download of the new song, an autographed booklet, and a sick t-shirt.

FM Static has their entire album up at imeem. So get over there and try not to get it too stuck in your head.

That's it for now, see you later. Happy Easter!

FM Static- Dear Diary

2009-04-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

FM Static (aka Trevor McNevan and Steve Augustine of Thousand Foot Krutch) released their sophmore effort three years ago. Having taken a break for TFK, they are back with their next album, Dear Diary.

Dear Diary is a concept album, that tells the story of a high school kid that moves to a new town, hence the lengthy title of the first track, "Boy Moves To A New Town With An Optimistic Outlook." He keeps a diary, and the rest of the album is about what he writes. "The Unavoidable Battle Of Feeling On The Outside", another lengthy title, is exactly what it sounds like it would be about. There really isn't anything that isn't clear in this concept album.

The entire album is really catchy--exactly what you would expect from this pop/punk group. There isn't a song that won't get stuck in your head at one point or another. The track, "The Voyage Of Beliefs", featuring Tricia Brock of Superchic[k], I find is extremely hard to get out of your head. Another thing that makes it even better is that the lyrics aren't overly positive like most pop/punk bands. The music gets a bit more serious in "Her Father's Song" and the mood continues through the next couple of songs, but picks up again at "The Shindig (Off To College)". The seriousness and fun is perfectly balanced.

Overall Dear Diary is a great album for anyone who's looking for something fun. McNevan and Augustine really surprised me with this one. Just don't listen to it too much, because you're going to find it hard to get it out of your head!

Update 4/8 (SCROLL DOWN FOR THE HOUSE OF HEROES REVIEW)

2009-04-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Just have a quick update this time.

FM Static's new album was released yesterday. Instead of a classic album review, I'll be posting the Dear Diary review Friday. (And by classic review, I mean it's not going to be a new album. It's not going to be extremely old, just not released within the past month.)

House of Heroes released their EP yesterday as well. You can scroll down this page to read the review for that and The End Is Not The End.

EMERY PUT OUT THEIR FIRST SINGLE YESTERDAY!!!!!!!! If you can't tell, I'm excited. You can get to their myspace through here. The song is called "Cutthroat Collapse" and I can tell you it is sick!

That's all for now, see you Friday! Don't forget what Jesus did for you by dying on the cross. It's more amazing than anything anyone's ever done, and He did it for you!

-FISHER

House of Heroes- The End Is Not The End (Classic Review) + The Acoustic End EP (NEW)

2009-04-05T16:29:00.001-07:00

House of heroes was not a band that I was familiar with prior to their sophomore release. All of the hype about them finally making a new album prompted me to check them out. And I am very glad I did. House of Heroes left their fans hanging for a whopping four years after their first release (with only two new songs on their re-release to fill the gap) and now, finally, they return with The End Is Not The End.

The End Is Not The End is an album with a little bit of a concept to it, since many of the songs have something to do with World War II. The opening instrumental track leads into the catchy love song "If." The song makes for a great opening track, and is immediately followed by the album's hardest rocking track, "Lose Control." "In The Valley Of The Dying Sun" is a pretty different song dealing with a man who thinks God is his enemy and ends up fighting him and realizing that God was not his enemy. Musically it is a very diverse song, skipping to various tempos, and allowing lead vocalist Tim Skipper to use his falsetto voice more. "Code Name: Raven" is another really catchy song, declaring, "I'd rather die than live without mercy and love." "By Your Side", the song that the album title is derived from, slows the album down for a bit, and actually sounds very nice, telling the story of a man going to war. The second half of the album shows HOH's punk side a little bit more than the first. "Journey Into Space, Pt. 1" and "Drown" have very similar sounding openings, but are still very good songs.

If you bought The End Is Not The End in CD form at one of HOH's shows before March 09, the album closes at "Field of Daggers," a very good closing song.

If you bought The End Is Not The End on iTunes, the last song is "The Young And The Brutal," a hidden track on the previous to March copy. It's a very fun and fast paced song, which fans of "Friday Night" from Say No More will appreciate.

The Acoustic End EP has the two acoustic tracks that took the place of "The Young And The Brutal" for the in-stores release in March. They are both very good songs, although some may find "Ghost" to be a sad and somewhat negative song, as it deals with the life of a man who "fell in with the wrong crowd." Not found on the CD release is the acoustic reworking of "If," which has a little bit of a quicker tempo.

So, in the end (which we know is not really the end), The End Is Not The End blew me away. It is an almost entirely flawless work, sure to make you tap your feet at one point or another, and slowing it down just at the right points. It's an almost perfect blend of songs, and there is not one that I would skip while listening to the album. This is why The End Is Not The End, is--in my opinion--one of the best albums to hit the Christian music market in a very long time.

Update 4/3

2009-03-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

Hey Christian rock fans! I just have a few updates I wanted to share.

First off, Flyleaf is working on their next record! More news to come...

Secondly, Relient K announced today that they are recording. New album coming later this year.

Thirdly, Emery will be releasing their fourth studio album ...In Shallow Seas We Sail, June 2nd. The full track listing is as follows:
Cutthroat Collapse
Curbside Goodbye
Inside Our Skin
Churches and Serial Killers
Butcher's Mouth
In Shallow Seas We Sail
The Poor and the Prevalent
The Smile, The Face*
A Sin To Hold On To
Piggy Bank Lies
Edge of the World*
Dear Death Part 1
Dear Death Part 2
*(also on While Broken Hearts Prevail...)

Lastly, House of Heroes' new Acoustic End EP this Tuesday. It is available for preorder on iTunes, and you can click here to get it. Stick around for a review, as well as a classic review of The End is Not the End.

So that's it for now. Come back Tuesday for the new review. Also, I'll try to post a classic album review every other Friday, starting next Friday. So be back for that, spread the word about the blog, and you'll be golden! Thanks for taking the time to read this!

-FISHER

Falling Up- Fangs!

2009-03-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

Falling Up never ceases to stop moving forward. Each record has been its own style, almost entirely different from the last. Their diversity may upset some fans of their older sound displayed in Crashings. But inevitably, half a decade later, Falling Up presents us with their next effort, Fangs!.

Fangs! tells a unique story of a planet much like ours where it is discovered that the children slept in blankets weaved from poisonous golden thread. The thread was shot into space, to the nearest planet, Neptuenn, by their strongest archers. A thousand years later, the arrows return, plunging into the children, who have fallen into a deep sleep. A traveler is sent to Neptuenn to investigate what has happened. Fangs! describes his journey, what happens there, and what he observes.

Musically, the album is much like Captiva, still holding some rock quality, but with a lot of electric sound effects and synths thrown in. Songs such as "Lotus and the Langourous", and "The Moonn and the Sixpence" may please fans of the old Dawn Escapes sound, but anyone interested in solely that style will be disappointed. Other songs such as "The King's Garden" show a much softer side of Falling Up that is, sadly, barely ever heard. The track is the album's most beautiful and relaxed. Fans of the remix album will like most of the songs as many of them sound kind of space-y and electric. So there's pretty much something for everyone, musically, in this album. (As a side note, some of the songs have irratatingly long closings. Some sound really cool, but just seem a bit overdone.)

Lyrically, the album is more like Dawn Escapes, the lyrics more cryptic than, say, "Hotel Aquarium." Under every song in the CD booklet is a small note, telling where the character is going or what he's thinking. Some songs have a small notation such as "Acheron- in Greek Mythology, one of the rivers of Hades," which may help some when trying to understand the story Ribordy is trying to portray. Much of it is unclear, and sadly, does not seem to hold any spiritual meaning at all. Fans familiar with Captiva are sure to notice that the line in the song "Panic and Geo-Primaries", "Breathing in the dark, they're finding where you are" is recycled from "Arch to Achtilles" off of Captiva--even accompanied by the same tune as the older song. Whatever the significance, it was interesting that they used it again.

So, in the end, Fangs! may confuse most lyrically, but is enjoyable to listen to. If you're looking for an album with any spiritual meaning, you probably won't find Fangs! to your liking. If you're looking for some good, entertaining music, this will be good for you. In the end there's really only one word to sum up this album: unique. Very well done, but so different--very refreshing. It may require a few listens to get used to the style, but one listen is enough to know that this band is good--the future holds a lot for them.

Update 3-14 (Pi Day, for all you math nerds)

2009-03-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hey! Hope you're eating lots of pie today, 'cause it's Pi Day! Anyway, lots of recording's been going on recently, so I just thought I'd fill you all in.

As I've already told you, Family Force 5 is recording a remix album. They've decided to call it Dance Or Die With A Vengeance. Also, they're working on a Christmas album. According to their last audio blog, they're also recording a cover of "These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things." Gonna be nice! I'm excited.

Pillar is in the studio working with producer Rob Graves (RED) on songs that are "arguably the best yet" according to frontman Rob Beckley. They have two new replacements for former members Michael Wittig and Lester Estelle. Their names are Rich Gilliland, who will be playing bass, and Taylor Carroll, playing the drums.

Switchfoot is in the studio. More news to come about that...

Showbread will be working on a new album in April tentatively titled The Fear of God. You can link up to their blog here.

And last but not least, The Almost is writing new music for their sophomore album. No news yet on when they're recording, so I'll be on the lookout for that.

And don't forget to pre-order Falling Up's new album Fangs by clicking here for the CD/T-Shirt/Glow-In-The-Dark Fangs! What's up with all the glow in the dark stuff? First ATTWN, now Falling Up... I think every band should offer something glow-in-the-dark with preorders. You can get just the CD for just $10 here. Check back soon for a review.

Also, FM Static has a new album coming out called Dear Diary, and you can get it here. Comes with an FM Static Dear Diary notebook.

So that's it for now, be back soon for the Falling Up review. Make sure you tell your friends to check out the blog!

-FISHER

And Then There Were None- Who Speaks For Planet Earth?

2009-02-27T16:40:00.000-08:00

To start off this review, the first thing I have to say is that I am not a techno/dance/electric fan at all. Joy Electric, Depeche Mode--not my thing. But, And Then There Were None (ew, double conjunction), being one of the newest band to sign with the amazingness that is Tooth & Nail Records, caught my attention with their song "Action is the Antedote" when it was previewed on the T&N podcast back in November. At first I listened to it, liked it, but then I started listening to it more, and then more, and then just listened to it over and over for a while; and that's when I realized I liked this band.

Now what, may you ask, is a dance act doing in a Christian rock blog? Well, ATTWN does have a few rock qualities mixed with their beats, and if I stepped out of my comfort zone to go buy a dance album, so can you. Plus, I really think this band deserves the attention.

Their debut, Who Speaks For Planet Earth opens with a forty-second static-filled intro, leading into "John Orr the Arsonist." Like many of the tracks on the album, some of the words become a bit difficult to understand when lead singer Matt Rhoades's voice is distorted for effect, but when his vocals are untampered, they reveal a very nice, high-pitched, punky voice. The next song on the album, "The Hospital," was a big disappointment to me, not even comparing to "Reinventing Robert Cohn" and "Action..." after I had heard those songs debuted on ATTWN's Purevolume page. With ATTWN, it seems, their music is either hit or miss, great or just strange. Since then, "Hospital" has grown on me, but it is still a strange kind of liking (kind of like how I like Capital Lights--I hate that I love them). "The Atmosphere" is a phenomenal song, but it seems like it would fit better with the band's previous style of metal-core. The cover of "Right Here Waiting" is slightly cheesy and non-fitting with the rest of the album. Now... "Thank the Watchmaker." "...Watchmaker" is another fantastic song from ATTWN, its name relating to the statement that without a watchmaker, there is no possible way there could be a watch. God is the Watchmaker, creating us to have a purpose in life--demonstrating that things do not happen by chance. The lyrics are great, and the opening and the verses sound perfect, it's just that the chorus does not fit the rest of the song in tempo or emotion. But besides that, "Watchmaker" is one of the best tracks on the album. "The Alamo" opening shows a bit of ATTWN's rock side. The background vocals that are shown in this song more than the others are a little weak and boring, but, oddly, sound well with Matt's voice.

The debut ends with the strangely titled "Insozzz...", bringing a very different--yet extremely fun album unlike anything I've ever heard to a close.

Update 2/15

2009-02-15T12:21:00.000-08:00

Hey, whatsup whoever's reading! Just wanted to tell you guys about what's been going on recently in the world of rock!

RED's new CD, Innocence & Instinct made it to #2 on the iTunes Rock Album Chart and #5 on the Overall Album Chart! You can stream the album for FREE on the band's Imeem page. Congradulations, RED!

If you haven't heard yet, Family Force 5 is releasing a remix album May 19th! I know, it's old news, but this blog was created after that was announced, so just letting you know.

New stuff from House of Heroes coming March 3rd! Their album, The End is Not the End has been on iTunes since September, but they will be releasing it in stores on that date. It will have all the songs from the iTunes release, and will have two NEW acoustic songs called "Ghost" and "New Moon." Already have the iTunes version and don't want to buy it all over again? Well, they'll be releasing an EP titled The Acoustic End EP on iTunes April 7th, which will have the acoustic tracks, plus "a reworked, Violent Femmes-esque "If." I'm beyond excited, with House of Heroes being my favorite band and all, and The End is Not the End being the best album of all time in my opinion. Can't wait!

And finally, And Then There Were None releases their debut album Who Speaks For Planet Earth next week on the 24th. You might want to check that out. You can preorder it here and get just the CD or a bundle that includes the CD, a t-shirt and GLOW STICKS!!!! SWEET!!!! Or you could preorder it at Smartpunk and receive an autographed CD booklet!

-FISHER

RED- Innocence & Instinct

2009-02-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

RED's debut album, End of Silence, took the Christian rock industry by surprise in 2006. Since then they've been touring constantly with such bands as Seether, Breaking Benjamin, Flyleaf, and a slew of other big names. Over the last year they have been recording on the road, a new record called Innocence & Instinct. Now, RED fans, that long awaited album is here.

The Deluxe Edition CD starts off with a track called "Canto III," and like their debut, it is a slightly eerie instrumental track (very much like the opening of End of Silence). Following the opening comes RED's very impressive number one single, "Fight Inside," which deals with our evil nature battling with the part of us that knows what is right. Most of the songs on this album deal with the same concept. The explosive "Death of Me" is destined to be and instant favorite to all fans of RED, and it is most likely that almost anyone who likes Christian rock is going to like this song. Other songs, such as "Start Again," "Confession (What's Inside My Head)," and "Shadows" have great choruses that very well display Mike Barnes's fantastic vocals ("Out From Under" having the best ending to a rock song I have heard in a long time). The Standard Edition's album closer, "Take it All Away" is a slightly darker version of "Pieces," but it is still very much like the song. The three bonus songs on the Deluxe Edition (the intro being the fourth featured on this version), are my favorites on the album, and a must have for any RED fan. "Overtake You" is very much like "Wasting Time" lyrically, and "Forever" very well might be my favorite RED song as of yet. "Nothing and Everything" is the same idea as "Already Over Pt. 2" at the finish of Silence, because it is a piano/violin version of Fight Inside.

Now, enough comparing Innocence and Silence--here's where it's different. On Silence, there were five songs that were over five minutes long. On Innocence... Deluxe Edition, there are only two, with one a little under the five minute mark. I thought that was something special about RED--they alway rocked long and hard and then wound down at the end of the track with an orchestra or something (the orchestra still being present), but these are just average length rock songs you'll find on the radio. Not really a big deal, just you might find the album a little short if you don't get the Deluxe Edition.

Overall it is a GREAT album, HIGHLY recommended to anyone who is a RED fan, or has heard and liked "Breathe into Me." Innocence & Instinct has obliterated any chance of a slump for this band, and I can't wait to see what this band is going to do in the future.

Three days!!!!

2009-02-07T10:41:00.000-08:00

Hey, just want to make sure everyone is ready for RED's new album, Innocence & Instinct, coming out this Tuesday! I've heard it, and it is sick. Be sure to check back February 10th for a review!

If you want to pre-order the album, click here. It comes in Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, and you can also get the Inferno Package, which comes with a t-shirt and the Deluxe Edition CD/DVD.

And don't forget to check out the amazing new video for "Death of Me" by clicking here. It will be featured on the Deluxe Edition DVD.

Intro

2009-02-05T14:50:00.000-08:00

Christian Rock OBSESSION is a blog featuring Christian rock album reviews, news updates and anything involving Christian rock. Yes, to me it is an obsession, because I spend almost all of my time listening to it. I'll post a review each time I hear a new album. Everytime I find out something about a release coming up, a music video being made--anything along those lines, I'll alert you. I hope you enjoy the blog! I look forward to seeing where this is going to go.
-FISHER