Thousand Foot Krutch Countdown

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

RED- End of Silence

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

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

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

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 :(

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

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.