Reviews

"State of Mind" by Those Who Fear will be the soundtrack to my Hulk-like transformation of 2017.

The Danger of Falling channels European melodic hardcore influences on this succinct-yet-power EP.

How common is metal in Asia? Does anyone know? The genre of metal is a rare one to say the least, especially over in Asia. Final Surrender is one of the pioneers of the genre there. The Progressive metalcore act has been working hard on this album. Their debut album, Empty Graves, was released 4 years ago. The album begins with the single “Nothing But Void”. The track brings elements of techno music, Progressive metalcore, and thrash metal. There is plenty of work going on with the drums and percussion.… Continued →

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. -Psalm 91:11 Following the success of their first full length, Volontà Legata, Tuscany based S91 have returned with their first all English language release, Behold The Mankind. Deriving their name from “Salmo”, the Italian word for psalm, S91 formed in 2006 to realize their dream of creating progressive metal with Christian lyric content. Each release by S91 has been an extensive process. In 2012, S91 began writing Behold The Mankind in collaboration with producer Cristiano Bertocchi (Labyrinth, Vision Divine, Wind Rose) before finally entering the studio in 2015 to record.… Continued →

Just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, neither should you be expecting cowboy music from Easter Teeth on Shake Hands With Danger. You can expect something oddly brilliant and challenging. Since 2009, the Eymann brothers, Josh and Tim, have been messing with peoples ears as they mix soul into hardcore. Think what would happen if Death From Above 1979 were liberally coated with the soulfulness of James Brown, with a wild assortment of sounds thrown in from a box of unusual gadgets, and you get a hint of where Easter Teeth is heading.… Continued →

Grand Rapids' Anita Ranae has unleashed a lyrical powerhouse in the form of Watercolor Sidewalks.

Airy guitars, soothing piano, and a strong knack for minimalist composition make for a great listening experience on Jon Carolino's On New Horizons EP.

K. Gautier's first album shows promise and skill but falls victim to feeling dichotomous and simply too long.

Anyone who’s close to me knows that I’m the unofficial president of the Andrew Peterson fan club (or a prominent cabinet member at least). In recent years, I’ve fallen in love with his extensive discography. He released his first full-length Carried Along back in 2000 and has consistently released music ever since. And yet, he’s somehow stayed under the radar for most people. His songs carry a subtle beauty that’s easy to miss on only one or two listens, but with each new listen there’s a new treasure to dig up.… Continued →

Devin Shelton returns with a new eclectic album, but will he be able to detach himself from the expectations set forth from him time with Emery?

Let’s talk about perfection executed through a concept album that never loses its flavor or mysteriousness. After announcing their break up years ago, Falling Up thankfully returned though transitioning into a studio band for the most part – rarely playing shows. From Fangs! back in 2009, Falling Up has made a consistent and indisputable case that they are the kings of experimental rock among the Christian music scene. Their final album, rightfully self titled because it encompasses the greatest of all their albums, is one to behold as a masterpiece.… Continued →

“The Waiting Room” is Trip Lee’s sixth project. As mentioned in this article from Fuse, this is not a proper album per se, hence it being deemed a ‘mixtape.’ Such a term is one of ambiguity, as it can refer to an album with blending and scratching, where the songs flow together, while it can also refer to an album with non-cleared samples and stolen beats from bourgeois producers or beat makers. Trip offers something that differs from both definitions, and I think he does so successfully.… Continued →

The first release from this midwest slowcore project has much to offer for fans of Julien Baker and Sun Kil Moon.

Solid State Records has enjoyed quite the stellar year with releases from Silent Planet, Forevermore, Norma Jean, and Fit For A King. Now Wolves At The Gate are closing out the year with Types & Shadows, and it’s a fitting record to finish such a monumental year for the the label. They’re back with their third record on Solid State, and they mean business. Types & Shadows summed up in a word would be “dense”. Its thirteen tracks have a runtime over fifty-four minutes, the barrage of high-gain rock’n’roll rarely lets up, and Stephen Cobucci’s weighty lyrics occupy the majority of the songs.… Continued →

Read this split review of Death Requisite's Revisitation with Matthew Michel

“Incredible, unstoppable, He is our God” – “Incredible” by A Festal Shout I’ve often heard that a listener will determine within a span of 7 seconds, whether they enjoy a song or not. Fortunately I hung around longer than that with my first listen to the opening track, “Power In The Blood” from A Festal Shout. The song intro brings in a traditional gospel tune “Down to the River to Pray”. Dull and boring before the sound builds, the drums come in, and the band explodes into life with Justin Palenscar picking up the chorus.… Continued →

Read this review of Zao's The Well-Intentioned Virus

Read this review of Destroy the Runner's Void

Ospreyshire, the moniker of Illinoisan artist Curtis M., is a project that involves spoken word vocals, abstract soundscapes, and postminimalist aesthetics. His debut EP Verses Vs. Anhedonia is a brief seven poem journey. The urgency and brevity in these tracks lend itself to our attention deficit and sound byte culture. Verses Vs. Anhedonia is a mini-concept EP that revolves around the brief psychological journey of someone who is losing interest in the meaning of life before slowly becoming aware that there’s some semblance of hope in this otherwise dark world.… Continued →

As I begin this review, I should probably note that I’ve been a Switchfoot fan since I first heard “Meant to Live” on the radio all the way back in 2003. I was 11 years old and just beginning to get into music at the time. Switchfoot quickly became one of my favorite bands – a place that they still hold 13 years later. I remember often lying in my bed late at night and waiting for one of their songs like “Stars” or “Dare You To Move” to come on the radio.… Continued →

In writing reviews, occasionally you come across an artist or band you’re entirely unfamiliar with. There can be a number of reasons for that, but nevertheless, when I come across them, I look forward to writing the review. It’s often a great way to find and share new artists/bands to listen to and you know you’re sure to present a fresh take on the album you’re reviewing. Such is the case with JJ Heller’s newest offering, a Christmas album, called “Unto Us”. Before even kicking off the first song, my expectation was a very folky album, with perhaps a hint of country thrown in.… Continued →

I’ll admit I’m far from a fan of Christmas. Radios begin playing these tunes right after Halloween, depicting a winter so far from the reality of the slushy midwest Decembers and the hysteria of holiday shoppers. Thankfully, Vocal Few’s Snowdrift EP is a refreshingly honest take on the season. As a follow up to 2015’s The Dream Alive EP, the husband-and-wife duo have returned to deliver more of that stripped down goodness. Albeit five songs in length, there’s still plenty of territory covered here. From enjoying a day off from work (Ice Storm 2008), to battling through loneliness and literal darkness of winter (Not Giving Up), to songs of adoration, the EP finds the balance between honesty and commercialism.… Continued →

A testament to hard work paying off, Comrades release some of their best work to date backed by Facedown Records.

Read this review for Fit For A King's new album "Deathgrip"

In case you missed it last year, don't let another moment go by without checking out Spoken's powerful follow up to 2013's "Illusion" as they get even better with "Breathe Again."

The North Carolina rockers known as Decyfer Down came back from oblivion with “Scarecrow” in 2013. It was a surprise of an album venturing into riffs and southern hooks that took heavy influences from vocalist TJ Harris and his previous band Fighting Instinct. The album was a sweet breath from what one might expect from the radio-ready rock group. Unfortunately, “Scarecrow” received mix reception and fell under too many radars. The good news is that they’re back with a heavier effort and look to be sticking around.… Continued →

Worship music has always held a troubled place in my heart and my music collection. Looking at the genre from a spiritual level, I know that I, as a believer, should have an affinity to music created to glorify God. The reality is that I find the majority worship music to be contrived, repetitive, and failing to deliver any degree of originality. Now that my wrath has been vented I can carry on to admit that there are a limited number of artists who seek to break the stifled norms and produce quality worship songs.… Continued →

Alex Sugg's latest release as Glowhouse is an interesting mix of R&B vocals, synth lines, and vulnerable lyrics.

Muncie, IN metalcore act Send the Advocate has released a promising debut EP, but can they move past the pitfalls of an oversaturated genre?

This New Mexico quintet's ambitious sophomore release features lyrics on par with My Epic and everything you loved about early Thrice.