Red "Until We Have Faces"-Review

RED has been a favorite rock band of mine since their first album

"End of Silence" and their second album "Innocence & instinct" was

another step in the right direction, they simply put just got better and

more polished. Their latest called "Until we have Faces" is plain and simple

not a step forward, but at the same time not really a step backwards either.

"Until we have Faces" gives me the exact same feeling Skillets latest

album "Awake" gave me. It's really nothing new, it's not a sound

you couldn't find on the last album "innocence & Instinct". Really i'm

conflicted in my thoughts about it, because on the one hand

"innocence & Instinct" was and is AWESOME so is there really a need

to change? if it's not broke why fix it right? but lets get down to the

songs and my overall rating of the album..

"Until We have Faces" opens up with a song called "Feed the Machine"

really probably the best on the album and a great way to kick off the album.

honestly the first couple of songs are Red at their best "Faceless" being the

next on the track list has that typical Red sound with a catchy chorus

I'm not, I'm not myself

Feel like I'm someone else

Fallen and faceless

So hollow, hollow inside

A part of me is dead

Need you to live again

Can you replace this

I'm hollow, hollow and faceless

I dig it, good song, cool lyrics. Another good song, lyrically my favorite and

a softer song in some aspects just happens to be the next song called

"Lie to me(Denial)" Now when I listen to this song, I get the feeling that RED

is putting themselves in Gods shoes and writing/singing out to His children.

that's how I take it anyways…

Can you just turn away and let me go

Lie to me

You can feel

That this love was never real

Walk away

You can learn to love again

Lie to me

Watch me bleed

Cause I'll still be here when you see

Your not alone

You don't have to run again

Leave me in denial

All the pain you fed

Starts to grow inside

It lives again and you can't let it die

So believe you'll never find

A reason to love again

I get that same feeling when I listen to the next song "Let it burn"

which is even softer still. specially when he says "How long will you hide your face?

are you afraid?" kind of makes me think of how we try to hide our true

selves from God as If He doesn't already know. Like how God came to

Adam and Eve in the garden but they were so ashamed that they

covered their self with fig leaves and hid from God(as if you could hide from Him)

"Buried Beneath" goes with the same softer tempo as "Let it burn"

and "Lie to me" it's kind of a song that grows on me the more I listen.

"Not alone" is really your standard "Air 1" "Christian top 40 song"

and nothing wrong with that if thats what your into, but yes indeed

they stay with the softer sound with "Not Alone"….it's not a bad song,

not untruthful..it's just nothing you haven't heard 1,000 times.

thankfully for my sanity sake(im just kidding) the next song "Watch you Crawl"

picks up the pace a bit, not much but it does. decent song somewhat catchy

but nothing to really write home about. "The Outside" is more on par with

the first couple of songs and is a favorite, great song, and if I had to choose

one song off the whole album that I think RED took any steps forward in

I would say "The Outside" would be it.

"Who We Are" has a cool beat and some moments of screaming(which you wont

find a whole lot of on the album) it's an "ok song". "best is Yet to Come" is

pretty much everything "Not alone" is. The final song "Hymn for the missing"

can also be thrown into that "not alone" mix. I do like the piano though in

"Hymn for the missing" and the overall sound, and don't get it twisted I

don't have a problem with "Softer songs" it's just not really something

I think most people listen to RED for.

In the end I give "until we have faces"

3 1/2 out of 5

Nothing really new, but there are some good songs to be found non the less.

APFP "The Marriage between Heaven and Hell"-Review

A Plea for Purging's latest album "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" is a mixed bag for me, I totally dig some songs but other songs are just "meh" more of the same. You can pretty much tell where the album is going to go

with listening to the first song which is "The Eternal Female"

I am the reaper.

I will be the demise of your reign.

I am the dark shadow where you hide.

Self-righteous fascist, you chase the sun.

Glory belongs to no man. Crooked church, you sell the Son.

Thieves deserve to have no hands.

Our Prisons were built with the stones of law.

Whore houses are built with the bricks of religion.

Oh man of God from which was your stone.

I've stayed quiet for far too long.

Cause I've typecast myself to censor what I can say.

I'm so sick of this, sick of what's going on.

Now I'm putting to an end of my silence.

Your god's not real. This is the end of my silence.

The wolf provides for his own but God provides for the lion.

I am the lion, you are the wolf. You can run but I will find you. I am the reaper.

The album can be summed up as an attack on wolves in sheep's clothing, an attack on the lukewarm and false prophets. Some of the songs lyrically speaking are well constructed while others are pretty much more of the same as I said that's pretty much the whole album in a nut shell.

A plea for purging besides a few songs really don't stray away from their meshuggah roots(A band they freely admit they sound like)

The first single from the album is called "shiver" and it was my reason for buying the record, the music video and just the song in general are great. "

Shiver" is the third track on the album and it will surely stand out from the first two tracks. I think the next stand out track and a song that is different for A plea for Purging because it adds "Clean Vocals" much like a typical Devil Wears Prada song, the song is the 5th on the album and it is called "The Fall"

"The Fall" is catchy with the clean vocals and is a favorite of mine on the album.

right after "The Fall" comes "and Weep" which ramps up the attack on the false prophets/wolves in Sheep's clothing, another track that stands out for me.

"Finite" stands out for the same reason "The Fall" does I'm not your priest. I'm not your prophet. Open your eyes and see. I'm not a saint. I'm not a god. Don't put your faith in me. awesome lyrics and meaning behind the song as well.

"The Jealous Wings" is very different as it is a ballad(Think Demon Hunter) and to my knowledge not something A Plea of Purging is use to doing. For the record it works, and it is a well constructed song.

The last song on the record is called "The New Born Wonder" and is a decent send off. As with most reviews I've read this is A plea of Purging at their best, it's not drastically different, But I do indeed enjoy a fair amount of the album I wouldn't call it a "Must have album" but it has it's moments.

3 out of 5

For Today "Breaker"-Review

For Today's latest is called "Breaker" and for anyone who loves Metalcore, frankly anyone who loves hard Christian music then this is a must have.

It's not every day you run into a band that is on Fire completely and utterly on fire for God, but For Today is…their latest album with one listen through you can feel that it was wholly inspired by God.

I am a new fan of For Today, I recently read an interview they did with HM Magazine and was floored with how open and honest and ready and willing for God to move through their music they were. While most "Christian bands" go back and forth with wondering "Do we call ourselves a Christian band?" or are we just "Christians in a band" For Today makes no bones about it, and their music whole heartedly reflects their beliefs.

"Breaker" is an interesting album as there is hard hitting songs through out the album for sure, but there is a story being told in-between the songs. For example the start of the album begins with the opening intro(44 seconds) called "The Breaker's Origin" not only is it a killer intro for the first "real" song on the album "Devastator" but it's where the story begins continued with "The Breaker's Valley"

and then "The Breaker's Encounter" and ending with "The Breaker's Commission"

In-between this story is the actual music and it is good, it is refreshing it is powerful and it will for sure feed the spirit. A couple of the songs are so/so but you can't go wrong with songs like "Phoenix" "Devastator" "Seraphim" "The Advocate" "Arm the masses" this record is simply amazing.

5 out of 5

Showbread "Who Can Know it?"

Showbread's new album "Who Can Know it" in every aspect is typical

"Showbread", and what I mean by that is, ask any Showbread fan

what kind of sound is Showbread?

what "scene" would you throw them in?

It's hard to define Showbread

because frankly every album is different,

they don't stick to a certain "shtick"

they bring a new flavor and variety

through their work.

Now I realize to some this can be annoying,

specially if you were digging what they were doing on a certain album and expect more of the same.

I absolutely loved "The Fear of God" screams and all,

however when I heard Josh Dies say..

"there would be no screaming on the new album." I was a little taken back,

as every album so far has had some variant form of "screaming".

Rest asure though the new album,

which by the way is ABSOLUTELY FREE,

yes free! as in you don't have to pay anything for it,

it's a free download!

it's a great album! there...i'm done...thats the review..it's great!

go buy it..erm

I mean go download it for free! yes...right now...go...seriously go!

ok fine, I'll give you a little more info.

It's kind of strange reviewing a FREE album,

and the "Cliche" you get what you pay for,

well can't really be used because you

are not paying a thing.

I thought maybe with a free album it might be 4 songs?

maybe 6? and I figured it would be lack luster,

and even the quality of the songs would be horrible,

thankfully I was wrong on all aspects! first of all

"Who can know it" which is taken from..

The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Jeremiah 17:9

Has ten tracks which are as follows..

1. A Man With A Hammer

2. I Never Liked Anyone And I'm Afraid Of People

3. Dear Music

4. Deliverance

5. The Prison Comes Undone

6. Hydra

7. Myth Of A Christian Nation

8. You're Like A Taxi

9. Time To Go

10. The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things

The sound quality is not lacking whatsoever, and the lack of screams?

who freakin cares? the album is still SHOWBREAD, and still

very much ROCKS. Just as with "The Fear of God", Showbreads

"Who can know it" brings quality sound, and quality meaningful

rock that is very lacking in the Christian music industry, specially

the Christian mainstream. The songs and lyrics, as with most Showbread songs, make you think, it challenges your relationship

with Christ(in a good way), some might say the album questions

the existence of God, but to me that would be somebody who is

not understanding the lyrics or what Josh(And showbread) are questioning, which isn't God, but questioning the theology

of most Americans, it's questioning American Christianity,

which truthfully is more about prosperity and Blessings and

a belief in a God who only blesses America, which would be

NOT God at all.(Which to that point I can agree with)

Showbread always seems to challenge their listeners to actually "Think", yeah imagine that, and they seem to bring controversy, or maybe I should say people who just don't get it, bring the controversy. The most "Controversial" songs

would probably be "A Man with a Hammer" and

"Myth of a Christian Nation" the latter being probably my favorite

on the album. "Myth of a Christian Nation" has a great tempo and really is a stand out track not only for the lyrics but because of

the "raw rock" it creates. "Myth of a Christian Nation" (which is taken from a book written by Greg Boyd with the same name) will rub

a lot of people the wrong way as "un patriotic" but really

if you listen to the song, and actually "think about it" where

should your loyalties as a "Christian" be? to country? or to God?

what KINGDOM are you to be "Patriotic"/"Loyal" to? the worldly

kingdom of a country? or the Kingdom of God? Does God put America above all other countries? These are

the questions that Showbread brings and others through-out the album. While I don't

agree "Theologically" with everything Showbread says and does, and specially with Greg Boyd

and his theological conclusions, I don't believe there

is anything wrong with healthy debates and questions that Showbread tends

to bring up through-out their albums. (that is of course if you take the time

to really listen and research what they are saying, which I tend to do with everything

I listen to, when the artists challenge me to)

If I were to describe the sound of this new album to Showbread fans,

or name older Showbread songs that this album sounds like,

I would say the title track from last album "The Fear of God"

and their extremely popular song from

"No Sir, Nihilism is Not Practical" called "Matthias Replaces Judas" would be a good start,

I suggest to everyone interested in this new effort from Showbread

to check this song out, and if you like this song(as most do) you will love the new album.

"Who Can Know it" is full of songs with desperation, desperation

to live in the image of Christ. It's a wonderful thought provoking album that you shouldn't miss, some of the stand out tracks

include "A Man with a Hammer" "The Prison Comes Undone" "Hydra"

"Myth of a Christian Nation" and a song that seems to have some

NIN influence "The Heart is Deceitful above all things". I give the album a

4 out of 5

Children 18:3 "Rain's 'A Comin' "-Review

Children 18:3's new album " Rain's a Comin' " brings the popish punk rock,

and a decent amount of diversity through-out the whole album.

The album starts with "Ran's a Comin' " as the intro which is short at 1:40

but is a great kick-off and a good intro into a stand out song called

"Cover your eyes".

"Cover your eyes" is the first song I heard, and needless to say was my

main reason for purchasing the album. The song is catchy and I can't

stop listening to it.

"The Cruel One" follows and continues with the same pace as the first couple

of songs. In fact the first three songs off this album melt together perfectly,

and would be songs I would definitely have in rotation no matter where they

were placed on the album.

skipping "whispering" (which is just an interlude)

The next song is "Hey Driftwood"

which takes a different pace then the first three songs,

"Hey Driftwood" has it's moments

but just like the next song "Oh, Bravo" the song just doesn't stand out to

me as anything special. Both of the songs in my opinion are just fillers..

and I don't like either of them any more or less then the other.

"Oh, Honestly" stands out to me because it is a totally different vibe then

anything else you will find on the album. the acoustic and melody are

inviting and gives the album a different feeling.

"Wonder I" is well orchestrated and although softer then what I loved about

songs like "Cover your eyes" or "The Cruel one" overall the song has a good

flow to it and the vocals are more dominated by Lee Marie then the lead singer

David.

"Stronger" picks it back up and I can't help getting like an "80's" vibe with Lee

Marie's vocals in this song (I'm not sure why). "Stronger" is a solid song

"Jack 'O' Latern Dreams" follows as the tenth song which is on the shorter

side but I can't really complain about it being short as it's another song

that doesn't draw me in.

HOWEVER "Lost So Long" which is the final song, (unless you want to count

"The Last Laugh" which is just some Piano playing)

"Lost So Long" is my favorite song on the whole album... it's not short and sweet

either, like the other favorites of mine.

"Lost So Long" is exactly what I want to

hear from Children 18:3, a great vibe...catchy chorus/lyrics and an addicting beat.

I just feel Davd and Lee Marie and Seth all really shined through this

song, and wish the album would have been full of moments like this song.

In the end..the latest from Children 18:3 I feel somewhat conflicted about,

the and has a lot of talent that is a no brainer, my problem is with how

very short the album feels. While I want to lean to calling the album

just average, I really can't do that because I like a majority of the songs,

and I like the range of the songs. I figured I'd just get a standard punkish

album where there wouldn't be a lot of difference in the style of the songs,

but like I said there is diversity in this album.

I'm going to give this album 3 1/2 out of 5...It's leaning towards great

but I wouldn't call it a must buy.

Project 86 "Picket Fence Cartel"-Review

Project 86's Picket Fence Cartel is their latest album, and

what an amazing album it is.

The album opens up with the song "Destroyer" which is a top

favorite of mine from the album. A very Manson like song that

rocks on every level. lyrics are

fantastic through the whole song. Nothing else really

sounds like it off the album

The next song is called "The Butcher" and I must say

between the first two songs alone, this album has one of the best opening tracks to start an album off with that i've heard. "The Butcher" has a killer riff

and beat that if you don't fall in love with it after the first listen

something is wrong with you. A song that will so pump me up while

Snowboarding.

"The Spectacle of Fearsome Acts" follows and keeps the album

going strong, not much to say... but it's on the same level as the first two without

slow down..very cool.

"Dark Angel Dragnet" has a different feel then the first couple of songs,

but by no means is a bad song, it does have it's moments where it shines.

"Cold and Calculated" leans more on the hard punk style then the other songs

in my opinion but that isn't a bad thing at all, very cool guitar parts and

it really brings diversity into the album.

"Cement Shoes"

Is another favorite of mine has a cool opening to the song, a catchy melody

through the whole song, and the lyrics are great! really is a stand out

song at number six that livens up the a little more then half way through.

"A John Hancock With the Safety Off"

Kind of like what I said with "Cold and Calculated". As far as my opinion on it

goes.... It's not bad but it isn't great either, I dig the chorus though.

"Two Glass Eyes"

for me is probably the worst song off the album, I can see a-lot of people digging

it, I'm just really not feeling it.

"Cyclonus"

Thankfully brings the album back up after "two Glass Eyes" and this is actually a song where the rest of the song stands out more to me then the "chorus".

Through-out this album guitars are vibrant and catchy and this song

obviously isn't any different.

"The Black Brigade"

Love this song...vocals probably the major reason for that. Again just as the guitars

are vibrant and catchy through-out the album..I think Schwab has some

excellent moments in the album where he just shines.

"To Sand We Return"

It may be my favorite..but I can't decide, favorite off this album changes the

more I listen to the album. Half way through this song there Is a sweet

acoustic guitar solo and then when Schwab screams in with "Who do I belong to?"

just awesome...awesome song.

In the end this album has a good variety through-out and really shines

on many different levels. You'll hear some influence from bands like

Manson/Tool ect...

This is just a stand-out album that any fan of Project 86 should already have,

and if you haven't heard of Project 86... just go pick this up it's their best album. This album is in heavy rotation on my Ipod..

As I Lay Dying- The Powerless Rise Review

This was my first As I Lay Dying record, So I personally can't compare it

to any of their previous records. I have heard quite a few

songs from AILD though and it doesn't seem

like they made any drastic changes to their sound.

The Powerless Rise starts right off with

"Beyond Our Suffering" a song that says

"Hi we are AILD, and we are going to rock your face off"

they don't pull any punches and just do what they do best.

"Beyond Our Suffering" isn't the best song on the album,

(in fact, it's just "OK"..in my opinion)

but it does grab you by the collar and let you know

you are in for a ride.

"Anodyne Sea" follows and is easily a favorite of mine

from the album. To be honest I've been listening to this album

for a couple weeks now,and the first couple of times I listened

all the way through it "Anodyne Sea" along with a few other

songs were the only songs that really jumped out at me as great.

However I must say that the album has really started to grow on me..

Anyways as for the song "Anodyne Sea" what can I say? I love

the clean vocal mix in heavy metal, which is probably why Demon Hunter

is my favorite band as they have clean vocals in almost every song.

"Anodyne Sea" has great lyrics and amazing guitar work

that sticks in your head. A must hear song...

Let me also say that through-out this whole album there is some

stellar guitar work and heavy drumming that will keep you coming

back for sure.

"Without Conclusion" is the next song which to me stands out more

for the Drumming then anything else. I also dig the lines

"In looking to the end, we have lost sight of where to begin"

but again really this song is being held up by the drumming.

"Parallels" is the fourth song on the album and like "Anodyne Sea"

it mixes the clean vocals, a very catchy chorus I might add as well.

This is easily another stand-out on the album and everything

to me from the Vocals,Drums and Guitars come together

perfectly.

"The Plague" follows and again feels they are hitting on all

cylinders. This song is fast and hard, and at first it was a song

that had it's moments, but now has really grown on me. Lyrics

really stood out to me before I even read them.

"Anger and Apathy" is the sixth song and didn't have to grow on me at all.

It was one of the first songs I heard and fell in love with right off the bat.

This song falls right in line with "Anodyne Sea" as far as all that I liked

about that song, this song has it. This is probably actually my favorite

song off the album.

"Condemned" comes screaming through as the seventh song,

it has some cool spots specially at around 2:25 with the guitar..

(sadly song is pretty much over at that point)

but isn't really a stand-out song to me at all.

"Upside Down Kingdom" was the final song that stuck out to me

on this album the first couple of times I listened through it.

Thats mainly because of the freakin awesome opening to the song...

the beating of the drums as the guitars slowly wail in is epic

to say the least. Love the whole song and the lyrics really stand-out

as well.

"Vacancy" is the next song and is a weaker song on the album

when you compare it with the rest. Actually I can safely say

"Vacancy" is the worst song on the album..

the next song "The only Constant is Change" is better

then "Vacancy" but that isn't saying very much.

Nothing really I can say about either of those songs...

positive that is.

The final song is "The Blinding of False Light"

so the question becomes does AILD end the album

off with a bang? well maybe not a huge bang...but

"The Blinding of False Light" does stand on it's own

and really shines through-out with it's guitar riffs.

In closing..I enjoyed this album...a lot actually.

It makes me wonder why I waited so long to actually

purchase a A.I.L.D album.