Brian "Head" Welch "Save Me From Myself"-Review

I remember waiting for this album

to drop, when Head first said he was actually working on it, I waited, and I waited some more...

before I knew it I was starting to think he had given up on the project.

Needless to say It was well worth the wait,

It's actually better then

I thought it was going to be.

Myself being an old school Korn fan, and being let down by Korns recent albums, after listening through this album it brought back memories from the old Korn flavor. Head weaves his story behind wailing Guitars

and a love for Jesus Christ...

"Save me from Myself" is everything that Korn has been missing,

you come to realize just how much of a role "Head" played

in the overall sound of Korn.

Only a few songs are a little lack luster in my opinion

and everything else is pretty polished..

"Die Religion Die" Is probably my second favorite song on the album... it's hard, it's in your face and it's an anthem for those who are truly standing for Christ.

"Washed by Blood" would be my favorite song on the album..
lyrically it's simple but as simple as it is it's beautiful.

In closing if this is what Head can do with his first "solo" album, I can't wait for his second.

This is a must buy specially for Korn fans

War of Ages "Eternal"-Review

War of Ages have just released

their new album called

"Eternal".

I'm a recently new War of Ages fan,

as I've just jumped on the band-wagon after hearing

their last album "Arise and Conquer".

"Arise and Conquer"

was a great album in my opinion,

in fact I loved it.

There are a lot of Christian Metal bands

out there,the problem is finding

GOOD Christian metal.

War of Ages appeals to me not only for their ability to shred,

but there lyrics are amazing, there not cheesy or too simplistic..

they're God affirming powerful hard hitting lyrics.

At least that was how I looked at "Arise and Conquer"

So the question is how does "Eternal" stack up?

this I hope to answer, but first things first..

War of Ages doesn't drastically change the metal/hardcore

scene with their music, it's hardcore...it's in your face

it's chugging guitars and screams, but again where

War of Ages really perks my ears up is in the lyrics.

Don't get it twisted either there are some killer

guitars and drums through out the album as well,

but I find I really get into the music when i'm reading

the lyrics along with the song(sorry I usually have to do that first,

as I don't always understand what is being "Screamed")

Some say War of Ages sounds like As I Lay Dying(another Christian

hardcore band) and that's probably because they have Tim Lambesis

(lead singer of AILD) producing them and he has since their last album.

Fair comparison I suppose, but if I was going to choose one band,

and one secular band at that, that they sound like...I would say

Hatebreed.

I tend to find that this album from War of Ages(Eternal)

is better then "Arise and Conquer", and while there isn't

a huge diversity between the sound or overall feel,

I think they have stepped it up lyrically and music wise.

I think I'm going to have to call 2010 the year of Hardcore..

because there is just stellar work and effort being put

out from every new metal album I've come across.

Starting off Eternal opens up with a song called

"Collapse" which is a song mixed with Clean vocals and

Leroy Hamps guttural and powerful screams.

Perfect opening song and the production is great...

We're filled with emptiness

Re-living our mistakes

Why are you so afraid

We never were alone

THROUGH THE BLOOD OF A SAVIOR

OUR DEATH SHALL SET US FREE!

Next is a song called "Desire" which also surprise surprise features

Tim from As I lay Dying as guest vocalist, need I say more?

I thought not..great song

AS YOU BOW IN HONOR

AND CHOKE ON YOUR WORDS!

The third song on the album is called "Failure"

again that style of mixing clean vocals and Hardcore

another quality song specially in the lyrics..

I HEAR YOUR CALLING

REVEAL YOUR HEART

WHEN PRIDE FADES

YOU NEED NO EXPLANATION

HERE'S MY HEART

AND I AM YOURS!

My Resting place Is the next song, the lyrics

are praise worthy by far. It's worship music

for the head-banger at heart...love it

I WILL LAY DOWN MY SOUL AT YOUR FEET

GOD I FEEL YOUR CALLING

HEALER YOU ARE MY HEALER

Next comes "Eternal" with none other then Sonny

from P.O.D doing guest vocals. This is one of the favorites

for me on the album, I love the whole raprock vocals

combined with Leroy and his guttural screams the

song is epic.

For what fills like a life time I stood my ground

I felt nothing could touch me until now

FALL, and then you watch me, FALL

The warrior inside me is crying out

Set your face like a flint and stand your ground

FALL, and then you watch me, FALL

This song is followed by maybe, just maybe my favorite

on the whole album(cant decide yet) the song is called

"Indecision" I love the opening to this song and the guitars

through-out it. For sure Branon and Steve shine in this song..

Lack of Clarity follows and brings a different tone guitar wise

to the album more flashy/guitar solo-y (yes I said Solo-y)

Josh Gilbert(also from As I lay Dying) appears in this

song throwing out the clean vocals. Another

favorite song on the album for me as-well.

Next Comes "The Fallen" Which has it's moments

but is the weakest song on the album, nothing

else really needs to be said.

The final song is called "Your Betrayal"

a pretty sort album with nine songs and one instrumental,

which by the way the instrumental isn't bad if your into that.

Anyways "Your Betrayal" is a great send off to the album,

I think War of Ages really found something with "Arise and Conquer"

and with "Eternal" they hung on that same concept to a point,

but I feel they really have only gotten better with this release.

Great album, and a must BUY if you are into Hardcore/Metal

Flame "Our World:Fallen"-Review

I'm not a huge fan of Rap

but I stumbled across Flame
and his music about a year and a half ago,

and ended up picking up his album

"Our World:Fallen" which was released
back in 07. I have to say that I love this album..

Lyrically Flame is amazing it's all about God/Struggle
and This World being Fallen. The album
opens up with "Our World Fallen" which speaks nothing
but truth, and gives you a little peak for what you're in for
with this album.

Next comes "Where God Placed you" and
is a pretty good song, and actually reminds
me of Nelly(yes I know who Nelly is)

Next comes "Shinin" featuring Tedashii
and I absolutely love this song from the beat
to the rhyme. You can't go wrong with putting out
a song with Flame and Tedashii and I love this
hook

"Okay... you want to know the whole way?
Let me tell you what His word say
Lived the perfect life
Paid the purchase price
Gave up His life
Then he rose on the third day... okay
We born in this world into sin and
As soon as we step in it's really a problem
And what are we goin' do about this issue
And who is the one that can solve it
If sin is the cancer
And we need to answer
And we need to know what the cure is
The cure is the blood of Jesus
He's the one that can free us
He sure is
Yes... now that's the reason we gleam
The reason we rap, we sing, because Jesus is King
Yes... from internal to external like a hard drive
Cause I was saved like data the day the Lord died"

Next song is called "Myspace" which is a softer song,
and features "Diamone". Which is about the darker
side to things like myspace and it's ok for what it is,
but not a song that's played much on my ipod.

Next comes "Goodness to Repentance"
and this is actually the first song I heard from the album,
the flow to this song is awesome, and this is Flame at
his best. It's obviously about God's goodness
and how through Gods grace and love we should
be led to repentance, for me a must have song PERIOD.

"Call Him" is another stand-out song on this album,
it picks up the beat and simply runs with it through
the whole song, great song.

"When you Step" features Da Truth and while
there is really nothing to the chorus, I still like this song
and don't think it's worth skipping.

"World View" has a great flow, and I love how it
jumps into different musical styles as he raps through
different parts of the world. Indeed another stand-out

"Bad Ain't Good" features Trubble
and slows it down but not as much as "Myspace"
yet another great song on many different levels.

The next two songs "We appologize" and
"Desires in Conflict" are for me the weaker songs
on the album. Don't get me wrong, lyrically they
both have something to offer and are not cheesy at all,
i'm just not feeling them.

"Heart Stops" picks it up once again and is yet another
song that I love. The chorus is cool, and the beat rocks,
I also love this hook

"It’s mankind steady dying walking apart from grace


The unseen is sin its circulating like cancer cells


You selling work Christ the Savior
Come through and cancel your sale


He’s calling men to repent just dirty answer your cell


And He can cancel convicted felon from satan’s jail


Since Adam sinned this fallen world
We’ve entered and fell


And broken God’s laws now all sentenced to Hell


But you want them spinning rims


Spinning on them big wheels big thrills


Plus you want you five chicks like 5th wheel


I be on the Christian life


You be on that Kryptonite


Where you gonna be if you and your peeps happen to slip tonight


That’s why you see Christians right


Gospel raps and Gospel hymns


You can learn a lesson paying attention to them revolving rims"

The final song is called "Goodbye" featuring J.R
I kinda dig the classical guitar rif beat, the song
is on the softer side but tells one hell of a story.

In closing Our World Fallen has an interesting story through
the songs that is being told which continues with
Flame's latest album which is called Our World Redeemed.
For me not being much of a fan of rap and giving this
a 4 out of 5 says a lot...(at least I think so)

Decyfer Down Crash-Review

Decyfer Down's Crash is their second album and first album with

new Lead singer Tj Harris. Released May of last year, some

may have been a little worried with a new lead singer. I think

Tj obviously brings a different style to the bands sound,

and it is welcomed. Not that there was a problem with

the former Lead singer (Caleb), just that if you

have to replace Caleb, picking TJ Harris

was a good choice.

Compared to their first album I would say Crash

is by far better in all areas.

Crash has more of a diverse

flow, and more stand-out songs then End of Grey did.

Crash is worth checking out for the first four

songs.

I say it time after time but I find it very important

that a band opens up with a stellar song to hook you in,

and Decyfer Down does just that. The Opening song

for the album(Fitting enough) is Crash and it

is that Decyfer Down sound that has made them popular,

much like "Fight Like this" from their first album, not much

to say except Awesome.

The next song on the album is Desperate,

and it is my favorite song on the whole album.

Lyrically and musically has a very

addicting beat "I desperately want you,

I desperately need you, I need a love that stands true

I desperately want you"

Next comes another stand-out song in "Fading"

a song that screams out in needing a savior,

and struggling in our failures. this song rocks

on many different levels, and it does seem to

borrow a lot from the band RED

"Best I can" Is the fourth song and here Decyfer Down

shows that they still can Rock even when they slow it down.

The song is about living the best you can, realizing that

we all struggle/fail and none of us are perfect...

that it's not about how many times we fall

but how many times we get back up that

defines us.

The fifth song is called "Ride with me"

and Decyfer turns it back up a notch

with a kind of "Saliva" like southern rock

sound. it's pretty catchy for what it is

and brings diversity to the album.

The sixth song is called "Wasting Away"

and at times has this 80's rock sound with the guitars,

but other then that there is not a lot of difference

in this song with other Decyfer Down songs.

Next comes "Over My Head" which kind of opens up

like "Fight like this" from last album, and overall

lyrically has the same theme of not backing down

and keep fighting. Again not a lot of difference in

this song to other Decyfer Down songs or just

other artists in general.

"Moving on" is the eighth song and it has it's moments.

The chorus is nothing that hasn't been heard before,

(probably hear several songs like this on Air 1 in an hour)

but I would consider this song better then the

last three songs at least.

The next couple of songs follow the same kind of tempo,

as in they are not really stand-out songs(to me).

When I first listened to this album (and I got it around release

of last year) I really only enjoyed the first four songs,

Ride with me and over my head kind of grew on me

but again they are nothing really that spectacular.

In the end I very much enjoyed Crash more so then

their first album, and it seems that they have grown

quite a bit with this release. Overall though I'd have to

give the album a 3 1/2 out of 5