Album Review :
In the Verse - Transformer

Once in a while, I’ll come across a band that slipped beneath my radar and wonder why I hadn’t heard of them sooner, wishing that I had. In the Verse is a perfect example of that. Hailing from WI, the 5-piece band brings a lot to the table for avid hard rock fans. The band is uncompromising in their message and is determined “to bring the message of Christ back into the lime-light with uncompromising, deep lyrical content while maintaining a rich musical experience.” And they certainly do.

The album “Transformer” was released back in December of 2016 and is certainly one to be reckoned with, even if I am only catching up to it now. The album opens with the track “Compassion” which kicks off with a bit of synth that’s pretty reminiscent of Icon For Hire, but that’s where the comparison ends. Musically, the song takes a few unexpected, but very enjoyable turns which makes it a really great listen and this is really a common trend throughout the album. The vocals often remind me of Decyfer Down in terms of tone and some melodies.

The following track, “Dying Words” is very piano driven in the verses accompanied by rap/sung vocals and it works nicely. The choruses are hard rock and a call to repentance from a dying breath. “Shatter to Pieces” is some really killer hard rock from start to finish and is probably my favorite on the album.

As you continue throughout the album, the piano mixes in with the hard rock often and it works really well. An album that features hard rock of this caliber, full of messages inspiring hope, and lyrics infused with faith, “Transformer” is a must. The album has great production and just gets better with every listen. As I mentioned earlier, this album slipped beneath the radar on me, but I’m glad I got caught up and now it finds a place in my regular listening rotation. Be sure to give this one a listen, it’s something pretty special and I really look forward to what the band has planned for the future.