RANDOM HERO "Tension"

(c) 2019 Rockfest Records

1. Desperate Measures
2. Motivation
3. Weight Of The World
4. Tension
5. Outgrown
6. So Close
7. Public Enemy
8. Set It Free
9. The Sound
10. White Flag

Aaron Watkins--Lead Vocals

Micah Labrosse--Guitars

Rob "Los" McDonough--Bass

Patrick Madsen--Drums

Denver's Random Hero is no stranger to mainstream success, at least on a limited scale, but they are quite possibly a stranger to you.  Despite the fact that they have had two mainstream rock Top 30 hits with the catchy rocker "Impossible", as well as "Running"...not to mention numerous other Top 5 charting Christian rock hits...most fans of the modern rock genre probably couldn't pick Random Hero out of a lineup.  They seek to change that with their latest effort, and first for RockFest Records, Tension.

The album kicks off with a boom-crash-boom-boom-crash from Madsen's drums, and we are off and running with "Desperate Measures", the uber-catchy, hook-laden opener.  The song is an absolute powerhouse, with pretty much everything a hard rock fan could want from a band these days:  strong vocals, a big drum presence, and aggressive guitar work.  What goes unnoticed by so many is the strong bass presence in this song, and nearly every other song on the record.  McDonough is a very competent bassist, staying on the drum's line when necessary, or straying outside the lines to create interesting textures and rhythms when called upon.  When you grab this record (which you definitely should do), take the time to seek out the sounds that McDonough drops into each song and see if you don't appreciate him even more.

"Motivation" is another catchy rocker based largely upon a snappy drum/percussion line to open things.  The chorus is the big hook for me on this one, as Watkins' big voice is used for the call portion of the chorus, while a more laid-back vocal approach is used for the reply sections.  Good, good stuff here, and that isn't even giving proper credit to the guitars being used so strongly on these chorus sections or the superb drum work on this track, with changing tempos and patterns being used throughout.

"Weight Of The World" is probably the most aggressive song on the record, with edgy guitars blazing the path to Watkins' vocals right from the outset of the song.  A song about heaping too much upon yourself and stressing yourself out in the process, the lyrics likely hit home for a lot of people in today's full-speed-ahead world.  With stress being a huge issue of this record, "Weight Of The World" has some of the most blunt lyrics, as Watkins sings, "Oh no, the panic in my heads getting hard to bury/Let go, Easier said than done./Am I extraordinary/Running on fumes, getting close to empty/Oh no, the Weight of the World is getting hard to carry!"Good, good stuff here, both musically and lyrically.

The album's title track and lead single, "Tension" is up next, and it is a perfect example of the growth of the band in the songwriting category.  Teaming with Josiah Prince, guitarist of Disciple, Watkins, Madsen, and McDonough craft a song that builds upon some introductory programmed elements, adding in rhythm guitars and drums, before Watkins jumps in.  A bed of programming and guitars burns beneath the verse sections, but its the big, soaring vocals on the chorus that are likely to grab the listener's attention the first few times through the song.  After the second chorus run, we get a big tempo change with a piano being added to the mix as Watkins calls out, "Am I going out of my mind?/My vision's blurry all the time/I know You see where I hide/But I'm just too scared to chase the Light."  Already a hit at Christian rock radio, this is a song that should be all over Sirius/XM's Octane channel, as it hits all the musical chords that crowd craves, while delivering a message that so many people of EVERY crowd needs to hear!

If I had one complaint about Tension, it would have to be the middle of the record, specifically "Outgrown" and "So Close".  The first feels like a blatant stab at the modern pop scene, coming closer to the electronically enhanced hip-hop style that someone like Manafest uses than what I would expect from a hard rock group.  I mean, we have electronic drums, layers of programmed synths, fingersnaps...just not what I would have expected to be dropped into the middle of an otherwise stellar record.  As to "So Close", it's not the song that is troublesome for me, it is its positioning on the record.  Putting two slower-tempo songs back to back nearly bogs the record down for me.  But, I also want to be fair in stating that I don't dislike either song...not at all.  For example, I have made no bones about the fact that I actually like a lot of what Manafest does, and "So Close" is performed exquisitely, with Watkins sounding exceptionally strong on the ballad.  I just don't understand the track listing order, I guess.  I think both songs would have been better served to be separated from each other.

Fortunately for the rockers that either stuck around or skipped ahead, the record rights itself in a big way, as "Public Enemy" is one of the really good tracks on a record chock full of good-to-great songs!  Marching style drums intro the track and Watkins applies a rhythmic approach to the verse sections to go right along with the drums.  The pre-chorus becomes a bit more melodic and less rhythmic, only to return to that cadenced vocal approach on the chorus.  A grinding guitar solo tears into the musical fabric after the second chorus, and the track's intensity picks up a bit from there until it comes to a conclusion.  I love the sparse nature of the chorus and the rhythmic approach taken to the song as a whole, and it's stuff like this that really sets Random Hero and Tension apart from a lot of other bands out there today.

"Set Free" is a more straight-ahead rocker with buzzsaw guitars and a solid rhythm section bolstering Watkins powerhouse vocals that range from singing to shouting on this one.  The backing vocals are also really strong here, which serve to make Watkins stand out that much more.  I usually find myself hitting repeat on this track when I put it on.

"The Sound" starts off with some programmed elements and some subtle effects used on Watkins vocals, giving the track a very modern sound but with a catchy riff and a sing along chorus.  This leads us to another of my favorites, the album's closer, "White Flag", which is a song all about surrendering to God.  The chorus is very catchy and the guitar solo here is among the best on the record as Labrosse does some serious string bending before the band jumps back in to make a final run through the vocally-layered chorus.  An impressive ending to a very impressive record.

I'm not sure how much the move to Rockfest Records influenced the style and sound of this record, but it certainly didn't hurt things.  Rockfest has been a beast of a label in 2019, and the production work done on Tension is top-notch.  The guitars retain their grittiness on most songs, and the voices of the instruments are all given room to be heard.  I honestly feared that Tension would sound over-produced, especially with how well it was received on the charts, because, let's face it, hard rock and metal are generally not well-received without some sort of concession in the sound of the band.  That is not the case with Tension, however, as Random Hero still sounds like Random Hero, and I think a lot of that has to be due to the fact that the producer, Kellen McGregor, has learned a thing or two about industry perceptions with his own band, Memphis May Fire.  Yes, there are some differences between this record and the band's previous effort, but that is what we call "growth".  And, in the end, Tension shows serious growth for the band, especially as songwriters.  Now, my only real question now is how is Random Hero going to top this?  

Rating:  Definitely a crank-worthy release!  Crank it to 8!

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DAV "War Zone"

(c) 2020 Independent Release

1. Crazy
2. New Name
3. War Zone
4. The Abyss
5. What I Can't See
6. Your Name
7. All It Takes
8. Happiness
9. Reach Out
10. Fly Away
11. Scratching The Surface
12. Addiction

Dave Hanson--Lead Vocals, Guitars, Bass

Jacob Towns--Unclean Vocals

J.W. Reed--Guitars

Zack Gallipeau--Guitars, Bass on 12

Jacob Gallipeau--Drums

Additional Musicians

Lori Peters--Drums on 1, 2, 3, 5, 7
Jenna Kopitske--Drums on 4 and 8
Bryan Arzaga--Guitar solos on 1, 3, and 7

Jon The Revelator--Additional vocals on 7

Ian Sebastian--Bass on 4
Marisa Slempkes--Backing vocals on 4
Eric J. Milton--Backing screams on 3 and 7
Sydney Gallipeau--Harmony vocals on 5

Following the end of his previous band, In The Verse, Dave Hanson embarked on a new project, known simply as DAV (both a shortened version of his name and also an acronym for Delivered, Adored, Victorious), which released a handful of singles in 2018 and 2019.  Two of those singles, "All It Takes" and "Scratching The Surface" hit the top spot on various Christian rock charts, and Hanson decided to expand the project to become a full group.  

Of course, one of the things that will likely draw some attention from casual fans is the fact that Lori Peters, formerly of Skillet, plays on almost half of the record.  Other outside friends joined in the project, as well, with Jon "The Revelaytor" performing the guest rap vocals on "All It Takes", and Ian Sebastian of Ignescent contributing bass on "The Abyss".  And while those things are all great, the key thing to take away here is that DAV is a true band project now, not just a side project from Hanson with some friends filling in as needed.

War Zone, as a record, is a bit of an experimentation of styles, with the record basically being broken into modern rock tracks and modern metal tracks...with a few fun quirks thrown into the mix.  "Crazy" kicks things off in that modern rock mode as Hanson proclaims, "I don't care what fear says, The Reaper does not scare me!/ I am saved by the Cross, You can call me crazy!"  The guitar solo coming out of the second verse is a real treat, as there is some serious string shredding going on courtesy of Bryan Arzaga.  Lori Peters was on board for drums on this track, and her style is one that fits the track well.  Punchy, without being heavy-handed, the percussion is a driving force here and definitely helps to set the tone for this full album release.  Definitely a solid way to kick off the record, and "Crazy" is a track that should feel comfortable to fans of Hanson's previous project, In The Verse, or anyone familiar with the tracks dropped last year.

"New Name" is something of an outlier on the record, as it incorporates some significant electronic elements into the track.  It never really crosses over into industrial territory, and it definitely isn't dub step or techno, but there are elements that will surprise a lot of people, especially when the laser blasts start firing following the first run through the chorus.  The guitars keep this firmly in modern rock territory, and the drumming from Lori Peters is rock solid, as would be expected from the Skillet alum.  I can't help but like the song, even as I find myself asking, "Just where did that sound come from?"  The message here is excellent, also, as Hanson sings about redemption in Christ, regardless of what our weaknesses are or what our sins have brought us to.

The title track straddles the line between being a really heavy, full-fledged metal track and the more modern radio rock sound Hanson found success with in both In The Verse and the DAV EP.  Yes, hanson adds some of his own deathy support on vocals, along with Eric Milton, and there are some great rhythm guitar riffs, as well, but the majority of the track stays relatively radio friendly...at least as far as hard rock radio goes.  "War Zone" is definitely one of my favorite tracks on the record because it gives fans of multiple styles something to sink their teeth into.  After kicking off with the sound of a beer bottle opening, some rugged rhythm guitars cut their way into the mix, and once again Peters' drum work graces the track with some serious thunder, but without dominating the overall feel of the track.

I previously said "New Name" was "something of an outlier", and that is because as odd as that track may strike some listeners, "Your Name" is going to slap most people in the earhole with a strangeness that DAV fans will likely not see coming.  We are talking full-on electronic sounds and some almost bouncy keyboard elements...I mean, we're talking nearly circus like instrumentation...embellished with blackened screams in the background and a sweet, sweet guitar solo that is an absolute string-bender, packed with emotion and talent.  I don't even know where to go with a full description of this track because it is just so...unquantifiable.  It's just...wow...  You simply need to hear it to understand my lack of comparison or description.  And that's not a bad thing...it's just what it is.

"What I Can't See" is a full-fledged praise and worship track set to big arena drums and edgy guitars and modern production elements.  Deeply passionate about his love for Christ, Hanson pours himself into his vocals on this bright-sounding track that I could even hear being sung in a youth group or a younger congregation church.  I have to say that it is not out of the realm of possibility that DAV could eventually put out a full praise record, and a song like "What I Can't See" would fit extremely well.  It's a bit of a surprise to hear, but it is a welcome one.

And then there are the truly heavy moments, which are scattered all across War Zone.  "The Abyss" is the first really metal moment on the record, and it doesn't disappoint.  Opening with some demonic-sounding screeches, "The Abyss" combines Hanson's instantly recognizable clean style with some truly deep growls from Jacob Towns, and is, to me, a natural progression from a more hard rock/modern rock track like "Scratching The Surface", which hints at being heavier than it probably is.  Mix in a blistering solo, with a really cool guitar outro to close the track, and you have one beast of a song that will likely garner some metal airplay at some point on TheBlast.FM or a similar station, even if it may be a bit too heavy for the likes of ChristianRock.Net.  This is some ferocious music, but hang on, as this isn't even the heaviest moment on the record.

"Reach Out" is another full-on head banger which incorporates about as much metallic variety as one can pack into a track.  We have Hanson's clean vocals, and then both guttural death vocals and screeching black metal vocals used as supporting voices, all within one song, and that doesn't even get into the different effects used on Hanson's voice in various spots.  Heavy guitar riffing and some thundering drums are accompanied by programmed orchestral elements, giving the music a really full sound with a serious dose of melody in spots.  I know it sounds like it could be a musical train wreck, but it actually works extremely well, and I truly home that "Reach Out" ends up being a single off this record, as it is a really good track.  I love the message, also, as Hanson exclaims, "Brokenness is not weakness...Reach Out, Reach Out!"  Later he professes, "I know that I am alive, Found God, No longer broken!"  Really a potent message for those who may feel they are lost and worthless, broken and beaten down.

Album closer, "Addiction", really unleashes the blackened vocals at an even higher level than "Reach Out" did, and Towns is also able to scrape the bottom of the vocal barrel with some more harsh growling.  There are some impressive drum fills from Gallipeau, with a lot of double bass work, and the breakdown section chugs along with some serious intensity, even if it is relatively short.  Guitars swirl all over the place in a mosh-pit inducing frenzy of sound that wraps War Zone up in a punishing fashion.  Hang on at the end, as there is a false ending before a massive guitar run that pushes things into borderline thrash territory that you absolutely need to hear!  A great way to close things out!

All of this goodness and I haven't even mentioned the two big singles from last year that were also added to the record.  I know a lot of people aren't necessarily fans of cross-genre vocals, but I really like what Jon "The Revelaytor" brings to the huge radio hit, "All It Takes", with his rapid-fire rap vocals adding a different focal point as the guitars churn beneath his rhymes, with Milton's screams adding another depth level.  Meanwhile, the more hard rock track, "Scratching The Surface" also genre-bends just a bit by dropping straight death vocals into the mix as part of the pre-chorus and bridge sections of this chug-chug-chug rocker that was all over Christian rock radio for the better part of the last year.  To me, it says a lot about Hanson's writing ability, as well as his comfort with who he is as a musician and his understanding of his audience.  The fans of DAV pretty much gobble up whatever he puts out there, and with good reason, as DAV truly delivers with War Zone.  

One of the greatest strengths of the record, outside of the variety of styles, is the production.  War Zone sounds like a big-time project, with excellent production, which is quite a statement when you are talking about a 100%, non-label-backed, independent release.  The different vocal styles are evenly matched, which is often not the case as the "unclean" vocals frequently dominate the mix on other projects...sometimes even label projects!  The guitars have a nice, gritty feel to them, and the drums, regardless of who is playing them, have a very full sound.  There is zero muddiness here, and I was very happy to hear the quality of the production here.

Snag your copy on iTunes or your favorite music outlet!

Rating:  Definitely crank-worthy in all its various forms and fashions!  Crank this one to 8.5 and rest assured that there is likely something everyone will like about War Zone!  Almost guaranteed to be fighting for top indy release of the year on this site, as well as others!

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JODI ESSEX "Irreverent"

(c) 2020 Independent Release

1. Stand Up
2. Soar
3. Irreverent
4. What Is Your Truth?
5. Symphony
6. Fighter
7. Weightless
8. All Right
9. Someone Somewhere
10. Rearview Mirror

Jodi Essex--Lead & Backing Vocals

Jadan Sorensen--Guitars, Bass

Pablo Melgar--Keys

Josh Smith--Strings

Sean Hill--Drums

Jon-Paul Keller--Backing Vocals

Jodi Essex is a newcomer to the Christian rock scene, but she is positioned to make quite a splash when her debut drops later this month (June 26).  Essex brings a clean, but somewhat "sassy" vocal approach to a rock world that is currently dominated by women who are generally much harsher in their stylistic approach.  Classic rock is an easy label to throw at Essex's music, and while it fits to a good degree, there is an undeniable modern quality to the performance and production that gives songs like the album's title cut, "Irreverent", a definite foothold in today's rock world.  While it would not have been my choice as the lead single of the record, "Irreverent" definitely caught the attention of radio and fans, alike, as it launched its way onto multiple Christian rock charts and onto ChristianRock.Net, among other stations.  That "sassy" attitude in Essex's voice comes to the front on "Irreverent", with a bouncy chorus that hooks the listener almost immediately.  Some gritty guitars from Jadan Sorensen (who also plays bass) really set the tone for the track, and Sean Hill's drum work is tight and driving, with neither man becoming a distraction for the main event, which is Essex's performance.  Check out "Irreverent" below...      

To me, "Fighter" would have been my choice for the first single, although I can understand wanting to introduce Essex to a bit broader audience with the first track most people would hear.  "Fighter" is a hard-charging rock number with some great drum work from Hill and searing guitar licks from Sorensen.  On "Fighter", Essex adds a bit of an edge to her vocals that is generally not present on the rest of the material here, and it is for this very reason that I think it was held back as the lead single.  Described in the press release as an "autobiographical song", "Fighter" packs a heck of a wallop, both musically and lyrically, and for my money, this type of song is absolutely in the wheelhouse of Essex, and I would LOVE to hear her tackle an entire album of material such as this!  Definitely my favorite track on the album!

 

My second choice for best song on the album would have to be the opening "dirty" rocker, "Stand Up", which features a gritty guitar intro, a killer bass line threading through the chorus section, and some excellent vocal moments from Essex.  Balancing her approach between the punchiness of the chorus and the the more Benatar-styled approach of the verse sections, Essex showcases a versatility in her vocal approach that not a lot of singers have today.  Sorensen pulls off a catchy guitar solo in this track, as well, and the drums from Hill really drive this track.  Good, good stuff right here!

On "What Is Your Truth?", Essex's smooth vocals carry a confidence that is undeniable, and when I first heard her power her way through the chorus, the first two names that popped into my head were Faith Hill and Martina McBride.  Now, yes, I realize Hill and McBride are a country singers (I spent a decade in country radio in the 90s), but that has more to do with the style of music they choose to perform than it does their vocal approach and delivery.  But the type of powerful, confident delivery style that Hill and McBride utilize regularly is definitely present on "What Is Your Truth?", as well as several other tracks on the record.  Not really a ballad, but definitely not a full-on rocker, "What Is Your Truth?" is the type of track that I think could bring Essex a good deal of crossover appeal to more mainstream Christian pop fans and radio, but without compromising who she is as an artist.  Recently dropped as a single, "What Is Your Truth" seems poised to make an impact on multiple charts.  See if you agree by checking out the video below...

      

If I had any complaints at all about Irreverent, the album, it would be the ballads.  It is not that they are performed poorly, because that is not the case at all.  In my opinion, however, they are too soft for the rest of the record, and too poppy.  "Symphony" finds Essex approaching the track in an almost breathy style on the verses of this largely acoustic song that fails to produce even a single "rock" note in the first couple of minutes, and just when the guitars and drums hit for the bridge section, they disappear almost entirely once again, serving only as a musical backdrop for the last run through the chorus.  Once again, I am really pulled in the direction of a Faith Hill comparison, especially her later 90s/early 2000s material, where she added an epic-ness to some of her songs.  The strings here are a nice touch, but there is just not enough to sink my teeth into here. 

Meanwhile, not even a really cool guitar solo from Sorensen can propel "Weightless" out of the praise & worship-meets-crossover-country track that it slips into.  Again, Essex's vocals are stunning...absolutely breath-taking, really...but the type of music she is working with here betrays the rocker in the black leather jacket on the album's cover.  I have no problem with a ballad, but make it a rock ballad.  Essex has more than enough talent to drive her way through something closer to a power ballad and doesn't need to play it safe with this type of crossover material.  

"All Right" redirects the album back into a more classic rock direction, especially with the big, thundering drum line and the 80s radio rock-styled guitar riff that open the track.  Not a full-throttle track, but more mid-tempo oriented with an AOR hook,  "All Right" sounds like the type of track a band like Berlin, or perhaps the more melodic rock-styled Heart, might have tackled back in the day.  Once again, Sorensen flashes some serious talent on an excellent solo, and the big chorus backing vocals give the track a Foreigner feel that I have to admit to really liking.    

"Someone Somewhere" stays in that retro radio rock territory, but takes a bit more of a Top 40 approach, not wholly unlike some of the material Amy Grant put out on her crossover albums of the 80s and 90s.  In fact, I think the Grant comparison here is pretty much spot on, as "Someone Somewhere" never really rocks, but stays comfortably in that middle-of-the-road pop rock territory that Grant plied with her big albums like Heart In Motion.  The drums are solid, the keys comfortable additions to the guitars, which spend time both in electric and acoustic modes here.  Essex sounds like she is really enjoying herself here and feels what she is singing.

The album closes with another slower number, "Rearview Mirror", and once again, Essex showcases a really strong voice with an ability to run it up or down her range with relative ease.  A bit less Nashville rock than some of the other slower material here, this is a solid song to end on (although I always want to rock!), and Sorensen proves himself to be a big talent on the guitar, with an excellent, soulful approach to the track that really stands strong when surrounded by the quieter style of the song.  The guy can bend the strings, no doubt!

The production here is superb, with Hill doing an excellent job of balancing the instruments on this record and keeping the tracking on the record from bogging down at any one point.  I do wish there were one or two more full-on rock tracks here, but as an introductory record, Irreverent seems geared toward showcasing the full scope of what Essex can do.  The sound is fully professional, despite this being an independent project, and there is enough of an edge on the rock material to grab the attention of most modern Christian rock fans today.  Throw in the fact that there are no fewer than five fully produced videos from this debut album, and it is clear that Essex and her team believe in her...and they should.  There is no shortness of talent here!  No, Essex doesn't employ the harsher vocals styles of a Zahana, Lacey Sturm, or the English sisters from Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh, but she doesn't try to, nor does she need to.  There is enough room in the genre for Essex and her style of guitar-driven rock, so long as she remembers that this is the reason she is here:  to ROCK.  Fairly similar to what I believe about Jenna Parr, a lot of how Essex fairs from here forward is going to depend largely upon what direction she chooses to take her music.  I have no doubt that she will find success in whatever style of music she chooses to perform, I truly hope it is the rock road that she chooses to travel.

Rating:  A very solid record from start to finish, with just a bit too much time spent on slower material.  Rock this at 6.5 and keep an eye out for Essex in the future, as I think she could be on the cusp of something special in her career, regardless of which direction she chooses to go.

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GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, AND MYRRH "GFM's Acoustic EP"

(c) 2019 Independent Release

1. On The Inside
2. Graveyard of Identities
3. Twisted Humanity
4. Give Me A Sign

CJ English--Vocals, Guitar

Maggie English--Bass, Vocals

Lulu English--Drums, Percussion, Vocals

Okay, for the most part, this whole stripped-down acoustic thing has run its course.  For the most part, all the listener is given is an EP or album filled with unplugged renditions of songs that the artist thinks they can safely pull off with very little thought or effort put into changing things up or putting consideration into how previously heavy material is going to come across in the acoustic setting.  But all of those things are "for the most part".  They are not the way Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh do things, thankfully.

The normally heavy, aggressive, often-harshly screamed music of GFM has been dumped on its head by the English sisters, and the result is a fabulously delicious mess.  Of particular note is the strength of the girls as musicians.  Acoustic music typically exposes weaknesses, in my experience, as you can't disguise a flub with more distortion or volume.  And, there are a few such flubs here, and the girls just blow through them.  For example, the lead vocals on "Graveyard Of Identities" stretch a bit too far in the second verse and come a bit off key at one point, but the girls just seem to shrug it off, seemingly owning their imperfections, and move on.  Musically, the skill exhibited by both CJ and Maggie on their stringed instruments is impressive, and hearing the girls all sing in clean vocals and HARMONIZE so well is a real treat.  I also really like the alternative percussion used by Lulu on a track like "Twisted Humanity" or "Give Me A Sign", both songs where she employs either congas, or perhaps tunable bongos, to deliver a rich tone that fits so well with the string work from her older sisters.

Perhaps even more impressive to me is the rearrangement of these songs.  All four are tracks that have been released as singles at some point, so most listeners are already familiar with what they are hearing.  With that familiarity, there is often a tendency to stay safe and not challenge either the performers or the listeners to be open to something different.  That is NOT the case here, as all four songs have been reworked, with "Give Me A Sign" being particularly impressive to me.  The changes in vocal pitches, the way the backing "whoas" are still incorporated, but in a more haunting way, and the gentle incorporation of some piano (not sure who is playing that), really alters a song that is really aggressive in its usual form.  In all honesty, all four of these tracks are actually uptempo numbers and not songs that most bands would have chosen to rework, as there is a lot of change that was required to put these songs together in this new fashion.  Most bands would have played it safe with ballads, or at least more down-tempo numbers.  Not so with GFM.  Color me impressed.

I have no way of knowing if these were done "live", or if they were all recorded in multiple takes over multiple sessions, but it matters little in the end.  The musical maturity shown by these three young ladies is worth noting, and GFM continues to prove that they are so much more than just a sister novelty act.  GFM is an act that deserves to be paid attention to, and they seemingly command that attention more with each release, including this little 4 song EP.  I genuinely hope that another acoustic effort is offered up by the girls at some point in the not-so-distant future, especially if it is anywhere near as good as this one. 

Rating:  It's an EP, it's acoustic, but it cranks!  Spin 'er up to 8!

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JENNA PARR "Made For This"

(c) 2020 Broadhead Music Group

1. T.K.O.
2. Break Me
3. The Runaway
4. Made For This
5. Those Eyes
6. The Runaway (Acoustic)
7. Tremble
8. Breakdown (Acoustic)

Jenna Parr--Vocals
Randall Broadhead--Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Drums, Piano, Programming, All Instruments on 7
Steve Perreria IV--Guitars, Bass, Drums on 1 & 4, Piano on 4
Matt Lane--Guitars, Bass, Drums on 2, 3, 5, Co-Lead Vocals, Piano on 8
Jordan Copas--Rap Vocals on 4

Jenna Parr is a relative newcomer to the Christian pop/rock scene, so I will forgive you if you don't know her name yet.  However, with the explosion of her current single, the Number One ChristianRock.Net hit "Break Me", that forgiveness won't be out there for long, as the music industry will soon know exactly who she is if she continues in this vein.

Supported by Randall Broadhead of We Are Vessel, Parr's 8 song EP is kind of all over the place musically.  And while she is certainly never "bad", it is definitely the harder-edged material that is likely to garner her the most attention.  This is immediately evident with album-opener, "TKO", an edgy rocker with hard grinding, modern guitars churning their way through the track, with a very solid bass presence in this track.  The drums sound like they are programmed, and there is an electronic, programmed element that seems to flow throughout the track, but these aren't necessarily bad things here.  Those hard-edged guitars I spoke of kick the track off in a very promising way, and I really like what the songwriters were trying to do here with the variance in tempo and rhythm.  And that bass is kickin'!  I also applaud Parr's effort here, but I just don't feel she hits the verses with enough attitude.  A little snarl can be a good thing on a track such as this, especially for a young woman like Parr who is trying to find her niche.  Not a bad song, but probably a bit of a gamble as the first track the listener hears when the album starts (if my track order is correct).  I would have probably started things off with the current single, "Break Me", but it's a short wait to get to that now-huge song.       

"Break Me" starts with a programmed keyboard sequence and what sound like programmed drums introing the song, before a buzzsaw guitar steadily builds and Parr's mid-range vocals kick it, with some programmed effects dropped into her vocals as she sustains the final note.  The entire "band" kicks in after this initial run, and the first verse hits, running through the same opening stanza of the song before adding a second line and a brief pre-chorus section.  It is the chorus that seems to grab the listener so strongly, and this is, in my opinion, due to a couple of things.  First, Parr has a very strong voice and knows her range well, so she is not found stretching for notes that she can't effectively hit, nor does she try to sound "edgy" (which I think would have worked on "TKO") with her singing style here, as I don't think it would have fit the almost Gothic feel that "Break Me"incorporates into its modern rock take.  She sings like she sings.  This is made all the more effective by the producer/mixer of this single, as Parr's vocals can be heard to be her own backup, singing in different registers and with different inflections, adding a unique sound to the backing vocals.  There is also a hint of an unclean male vocalist in final run through the chorus, which adds a bit of an edge to the track as well.  Lyrically, the song is extremely simple, with very few variations between the first and second verses, but it is the chorus that grabs the listener's attention and holds onto it fiercely.  That use of multiple layers of Parr backing herself, combined with the conviction with which she sings makes the chorus very infectious and hard to get out of your head.  There is a brief vocal bridge that enters into the mix before the final run through the chorus, but again, it's nothing overly complicated or attention-grabbing.  This song is all about the chorus, the hook, and the performance of Parr.  Check out the video below:

The album's title track and lead single, "Made For This", has an Evanescence quality to it, starting with a fairly haunting piano intro, which Parr joins as she sings about having a dream/nightmare, before the guitars, bass, and drums hit in a big way.  Again, very reminiscent of Evanescence, the guitars are edgy and crunchy, the drums, while sounding programmed, are solid and have enough punch to drive the track, and some additional percussion is thrown in for extra measure.  Broadhead's strong voice enters the fray on the second verse, and while he does good job on his own, for some reason his vocals do not mesh well with Parr's when they sing together.  This briefly results in Parr sounding like she comes a bit off key around the 2:05 mark.  This issue is short-lived, however, and a third voice enters the mix, as rapper Jordan Copas jumps in for a 30 second vocal run, before the male/female chorus section is repeated, with Copas dropping into a couple of spots as it exits the song.  I can see where this song would have been pretty welcomed on Christian rock radio, but there are some vocal issues I would like to see cleaned up to really emphasize the strong points here.  I like the idea of the three voices, even if I'm not necessarily the biggest rap-rock fan out there, and I do think it works well here and serves a solid purpose.  We just need to get the pitches matched up a bit better on the multi-voice choruses.

"Those Eyes" starts with a phone being dialed, only to catch a busy signal, which causes the band to hit full force with guitars, keys, drums, and bass.  A more mid-tempo rocker, this is probably my favorite track here, just ahead of "Break Me".  Parr stays in that lower end of her range, actually coming dangerously close to that snarl I mentioned was lacking in "TKO".  Again, the listener is treated to multiple layers of Parr singing both lead and backing vocals, and the guitars of Broadhead and Lane are more prominent here than on other tracks, which is a good thing, as it really adds to the overall feel of the track.  There is an urgency to the guitars here that is not really present in most of the rest of the album, minus "Break Me".  I really like this song, and I hope that this is pushed as a follow-up single to "Break Me", as I think it could do big things for Parr's rock career...if that's the path she chooses to take.

I say that because for the rest of the record, Parr seems reticent to let go of her softer side, sometimes even drifting toward the more praise and worship-styled music that she likely grew up with.  "Tremble" is a perfect example of this.  This cover song, performed originally by Mosaic MSC, among others, has some subtle programming running the length of the song, some muted electric drums and guitars, and a soaring vocal presence from Parr that finds her singing far more sweetly than on the three rockers here, and doing so in excellent fashion.  This track is very much in the vein of modern worship music that many churches employ today in an effort to reach younger demographics.  She also does a GREAT job singing on the acoustic version of "The Runaway", which is just Parr and a piano, and while I'm willing to bet the full-electric version of this really well-written song will be released to rock radio at some point, I wouldn't be at all shocked to see the acoustic version on the Christian pop charts. The same can be said of "The Breakdown", another vocals and piano track, but this time featuring a duet between Parr and Lane.  The voices work extremely well together, especially on the bridge section where they are singing in unison for much of the stretch.  Very well done, here.  And, while it is not my style of music, I have to admit the song is well-written and performed, and again, I would be this song is released to Christian pop stations at some point.  

What happens to Parr from this point on is probably going to be determined largely by which direction she feels most comfortable going in, as I think she has a lot of potential in both the hard rock and the praise and worship areas.  Yeah, she might cross-over into the Christian pop realm a bit, as I mentioned, but I don't get the feeling that is where she desires to be.  If Parr really embraces the rock sound that half of this EP builds to, I think she will be welcomed with wide-open arms, as strong females in Christian rock, just like in mainstream rock, are something of a rare commodity.  

To that end, my one criticism of Parr's performance here is that she sounds like a background singer in spots, and not like THE singer.  By that I mean she lays back too much in places where more aggression would be helpful.  Her more alto range lacks dynamics in some songs, again leading Parr to sound like a supporting backing vocalist and not the lead vocalist.  This could easily be a recording or mixing issue, but it I'd one that if addressed would open up a new level of vocal dynamics for Parr.

As a debut effort, there is a lot to like about Made For This, but there are some things to improve upon, as well.  But if the response to "Break Me" shows anything, its that rock listeners are ready for more from Jenna Parr, and there are a couple of musical punches on this album that this young woman still has to throw (PLEASE push "Those Eyes"!!).  Let's hope they find their mark!

Rating:  Rock this at  6.5, with a good dose of promise in between a couple of lesser moments.

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DENS "Taming Tongues"

(c) 2020 Facedown Records

1. Even
2. Foolish
3. Men
4. Are
5. Wise
6. When
7. They
8. Learn
9. To
10. Keep
11. Quiet

Shaun Hypes--Vocals, Guitars

Josh Waltman--Lead Guitars

Josh Tomlinson--Bass, Backing Vocals

Brandon Osborne--Drums, Backing Vocals

Additional Musicians:

LeRoy Hamp (War Of Ages)--Vocals on "Foolish"

Laura McElroy (Comrades)--Vocals on "Are"

Gary Spears (Empty)--Vocals on "Quiet"

I am not necessarily a fan of labels, especially when it comes to trying to figure out how to represent a band's sound.  Dens is a band that gives me fits, label-wise.  Are they metal?  Well, no, not entirely.  Post-hardcore?  Grunge?  Not completely and no, not really.  Alternative?  Indie rock?  Sorta.  Maybe.  Nothing completely defines who Dens is, musically.  But maybe that's okay, because Dens isn't about being labelled.  They are about making heavy music that makes you think.  (And before you ask, no, they aren't math metal, either!)  With ambient sections, metal sections, hardcore sections, screaming vocals, barked vocals, dang near spoken word vocals, and deep, heavy grooves, Dens is one of those bands that really should appeal across hard/heavy music genres, yet when I talk to my friends about them, nobody has heard of them.  That, my friends, needs to change.

Immediately, most people are going to notice the message spelled out with the song titles, and as you may have guessed, that was not unintentional.  "Even Foolish Men Are Wise When They Learn To Keep Quiet" is an altered version of Proverbs 17:28, which reads, "Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues" (NIV), which is rather interesting to me as in this day and age, NO ONE seems to hold their tongues about anything, thanks largely to social media.  It's cool that the band is able to do this with the digital and CD packaging as it is, because in the cassette and vinyl days, the message would have been split up into sides A and B, causing a disruption in the flow of the message.  Also, it should be noted that rarely do the song titles actually have anything to do with the song itself, so hopefully no one is expecting "Foolish", for example, to have a chorus of the word foolish just being chanted over and over endlessly.

The album comes to life with a discordant squeal of a guitar, with a heavy wall of guitars, bass, and drums building in the distance and roaring forward.  The surprisingly clean singing voice of Hypes glides over the top of the fray, and I have to admit to waiting for the harsh screams or snarls to hit, but they never come.  After the second chorus, the guitars take on a droning quality for a moment wit some heavy drum work underneath, and while a solo never breaks out, the song doesn't venture into a breakdown, either.  One more run through the chorus and "Even" wraps things up, leaving me a bit overwhelmed despite the fact that I have heard this song dozens of times, as the song has been released as a single and is steadily climbing the Christian Rock charts.

My favorite track here has to be "Foolish", and for people thinking this type of music needs harsher vocals, then this is the track for you.  No, Hypes doesn't shred his vocal chords for the sake of the song.  Instead, the band calls upon LeRoy Hamp from War Of Ages to add his hardcore barks to this track, creating a stark separation from the smooth, clean vocals of Hypes.  This song is pretty much pure aggression, with big drums and jagged guitars ripping their way through the enormous sound wave that blasts through the speakers.  No doubt about it, this is heavy, heavy stuff, and someone needs to explain to me why metal/heavy rock radio isn't eating this song...and band...up.  I mean, at just two songs in, I find myself pretty much sold on Dens.  Anyway, check out another Dens video, this time the cool, "art house" video for "Foolish".

"Men" is up next and after a brief intro, the band hits full force, like a throat punch, but to your ears.  Again, Hypes' vocals seem almost out of place when juxtaposed with the heavy music, but it works so incredibly well.  You can feel the emotion dripping from Hypes' words, and the wall of guitars is an impressive thing to behold, as well.  I really wish I had the lyrics to this album, as I really want to know what Hypes is singing on the chorus, but it is hard to pick up sometimes because of the previously mentioned guitar wall.  The drums are big here, also, and Tomlinson weaves a bass line through the track that fills in the rare nooks that the guitars don't smother.  Good, good stuff.

The album really takes an interesting swerve with "Are".  The song opens with a much softer feel than the previous tracks, with Hypes singing in almost a whisper at first as he drifts through the ambient layers of stretched guitar chords.  At about the 1:50 mark, the gorgeous vocals of Laura McElroy enter the track, taking a turn at a verse by herself before joining Hypes in a duo fashion for a stretch.  It's nearly three full minutes before the percussion joins the song, and Hypes cranks up the power of his voice at the same time, and a heaviness envelops the track without picking up the pace of the song until near the end.  It is hear that Osborne's drums take on a heavier, almost tribal rhythm, picking up the pace gradually as the track bleeds directly into the next one, "Wise".  This new song relies heavily on drums and percussion and has a really cool vibe to it as Osborne pretty much takes over.  Sure, the guitars are still a major presence here, but for me, the power of the drums, the cool fills and the huge cymbal crashes are just impressive.  This is a song that, if played in concert, would likely leave me standing there, almost numb from all that is going on, especially if "Are" was included as the prelude, because together they reach almost 9 minutes of intense musical beauty.  I don't think it a stretch to consider a song/song combo like this to be progressive, as the styles incorporated here are definitely not singular in nature.

"When" gives the bass a bit of a chance to shine as it accompanies the drums in setting the foundation of the song, allowing the guitars to flow across the top.  Hypes is again a strong vocal force here, but once again, it is the somewhat unusual drum patterns that really grab my attention on "When".  In contrast, the guitars are the first thing to grab me on "They", a track that I would imagine will find itself being released as a single at some point, as it shares a bit of the same stylistic approach and a similar accessibility to "Even", the current rock radio single.     

"Learn" features a rather unusual vocal approach from Hypes, as he uses basically a spoken-word approach, or rather a shouted-word approach, on the verses.  I'm trying to think of who it reminds me of, as it is right on the tip of my brain, but I can't quite grab it.  It adds a different type of intensity to the track, and I visualize him standing up on a box, barking to the crowd through a megaphone in the live setting.  The chorus sections are sung, which gives an even greater power to the gruffer verse vocals, while the layered guitars churn away beneath the whole episode.

"To" has some jangly bass and rather angry, discordant guitars bouncing atop a tribal drum pattern to start things off, and the first thing I can think of is an angry Primus song.  But then Hypes takes on an equally angry/aggressive vocal style, turning to barks and shouts instead of the smoother singing style he had used throughout the first several tracks.  Everything is kind of a noisy, jumbled, heavy mess that runs for just two short minutes, but really sets the stage for "Keep" which has a melodic, emotive build at the beginning that stands in stark contrast to "To".  Hypes returns to his clean singing, and the guitars take on an atmospheric quality with the effects employed on the bluesy style of playing.  Good stuff, to be sure, and solid proof of the amazing skill of this band.  I hope this song and the next one, "Quiet", are both incorporated into the live set, as both prove Dens is so much more than just a blazing wall of heavy guitars and thundering drums!

Speaking of "Quiet", this song stands even further out in musical left field than "Keep" does.  After hitting hard to open with some power chords and crushing drums, a choir of fans' voices fills the chorus section, adding a really cool element to the track as they sing/speak "When you speak, the Earth it quakes.  When you speak, the fires rage.  When all is quiet, there You are.  When you speak, the waters flood.  When you speak, the winds they rush..."  Really a powerful section on a song that closes out a genuinely powerful album.

The production here is outstanding, which was honestly necessary.  With the sonic build of a band such as Dens, if great attention isn't given to each element and instrument, there is a huge risk of everything becoming muddy and muddled together.  Fortunately, that is not an issue here, as it is relatively easy to pick out a single guitar, for example, and follow its line throughout a particular song, with the intentional "messiness" of "To" being the chosen exception.  As I stated above, I don't have a physical copy of the CD, so I don't have access to lyrics or liner notes, so I can't comment on packaging here, but generally speaking, Facedown does a good job in this area.

I don't really know who to compare the band to if you have never heard them, because as I pointed out, Dens is really hard to pin down.  There are elements of Attalus in the sound, but the odds are most readers won't know who that is, so that's not a lot of help.  Just know going in that this is lot of record to take in all at once, as there are so many moving parts.  Lyrically deep and musically intense, Dens should be a force to be reckoned with in the heavy music scene if they are given the chance to impact the market.

Rating:  Crank this full-length debut from Dens to a 7.5!

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FIGHT THE FADE "In Love.In Hope.In Peace."

(c) 2020 Independent Release

1. Don't Say
2. Everything Is Fine?
3. What's Left
4. Over And Over
5. Consumed
6. Heart
7. Feelings
8. Underwater
9. Wild Ones
10. Devil
11. Everything
12. Standing Here
13. The Answer

Zene Smith--Vocals

Tyler Simpson--Guitars

Bryan Conway--Guitars

Trevor Taylor--Bass

Alyssa Worth--Drums

Go ahead.  Try to find another band as nearly impossible to pin down style-wise as Fight The Fade is.  Sure, on the songs they are best known for, such as "Edge Of Desire", "Lanterns (In The Dark)", and "Masks", the band comes across largely as a industrial hard rock/metal band.  And that's a fair assessment if all you have heard are the singles, especially the most recent ones.  And man, those are some GREAT songs.  But if you have never dug deeper into a Fight The Fade record, you have missed a lot of other pieces of who the band is.  I mean, this band is SO electronic at times, there are more bloops, bleeps, whirs, and buzzes than in a Star Wars droid scene!  Sometimes those moments are almost entirely devoid of guitars, while other times the electronic elements are merely the bedrock upon which the rest of the song is built.  And nowhere in their catalog are these elements more prominent than on their newest effort, In Love. In Hope. In Peace.

The album starts off with "Don't Say", and right away fans of Fight The Fade will notice something different is going on here.  Combining heavy electronics usage, a repetitive bass line, and equally repetitive lyrics, "Don't Say" in unlike anything I can recall hearing from the band previously.  I can't say I dislike the track, because I really like the way lead singer and band founder, Zene Smith, approaches the vocals on this piece, but it is definitely not something that I was planning to hear when I popped In Love.In Hope.In Peace. in for the first time.

The same can be said for "Everything Is Fine?".  If "Don't Say" was a bit of an oddball, "Everything Is Fine?" is straight up quirky.  Techno, industrial, electronica...even hints of dubstep...all collide in this song, and pretty much everything here is electronic, from the drums to the synthesizers to the effects used on Smith's vocals.  And when Smith's more metallic scream kicks in towards the end of the track, the heavy guitars aren't there to accompany him, just layers of synthesizers and electronic sounds as his scream echoes away, trailing off into the more spoken-word approach he uses for most of this track.  Not gonna lie, I was starting to get a bit concerned at this point, as this was not the Fight The Fade I was expecting.  Where were the hard hitters like "Lantern" or "Masks"?!  What gives?

Turns out what I was seeking would punch me in the earhole immediately, as the mid-tempo-but-hard-hitting rocker "What's Left", blasts forth on song three.  A track that combines an industrial element to its guitar-driven hard rock, "What's Left" is likely the sound and style that fans of Fight The Fade picked up this album to hear.  For non-fans, if you are familiar with the band Stabbing Westward from the late 90s and early 2000s, that would be a fair sonic comparison, although Zene has far superior vocals, in my opinion.  Already seeing significant airplay on Christian rock stations, I really don't know why "What's Left" isn't getting broader radio play, as it would fit comfortably on nearly any modern rock station, metal station, or on Octane.

"Over And Over" slows things down a tad and inserts a few more electronic elements, but the guitars still carry a heavy, industrial grind throughout the track, and the chorus punishes when it hits full force.  Utilizing some pretty harsh vocals in spots alongside the unmistakable vocal style of Smith.  There are some atmospheric elements here, as well, especially on the bridge section before the final run through the chorus, which really add to the musical depth of the track.  This song was a real sleeper for me, as I feel I used to spin right through this song without realizing just how great it was.  Trust me, I stop to take notice now.

"Cosumed" returns to the heavy electronic influences, and I get a distinct Nine Inch Nails vibe here.  The electronic drums are very rapid fire on this track, and harsh screams rip through the chorus section that is a big part of the NiN comparison for me.  I can envision a moshpit opening up at the front of the stage as this song pulsates with techno rhythms and industrial power, but I can't say that this is a track that I find myself really grabbing onto, as NiN has never been a favorite of mine.  I will say that this is some of the heaviest vocal work I have ever heard from Smith, as he lets loose with some rage-filled screams that stand completely apart from the smoother vocal style he applies to the next track, "Heart", which finds itself in that weird territory between ballad and mid-tempo rocker.  Piano and softer percussion during the verses yield to heavier, more aggressive sounds in the chorus sections on this obvious love song.

"Feelings" has a unique percussion line to it and some blurby keyboards that run throughout this song about self-sacrifice (yes, I said "blurby".  I don't know how else to explain them.)  Definitely one of the weaker musical moments for me, I honestly skip this track the majority of the time.

Skip is NOT something I do with "Underwater", which follows a similar style to the other rockers here, combining atmospheric electronic elements with hard driving guitar lines and Smith's powerhouse vocal style.  The mid-tempo rocker has multiple layers to the vocals, with the main line of the chorus exclaiming, "I keep going underwater", while set slightly in the background, a second vocal line implores, "Don't let me drown".  There is a smoothness to this track that just makes it flow...well...like musical water when I listen to it, but the guitars retain their bite and the percussion is huge throughout.  I find myself hitting repeat on this track quite often.

"Wild Ones" is another up-tempo rocker with a big chorus that just begs the listener to scream along when the band shouts "we are, we are the reckless youth!"  The tempo comes to a screeching halt after the second chorus run, with just Smith and some electronic sounds taking over at the front end of the bridge, slowly building in tempo and intensity until until the chorus hits once again.

The Stabbing Westward comparison I made earlier really hits home on "Devil", which is a fun, quirky rocker that leans heavy on the industrial side, but also incorporates some unique percussion sounds, both electronic and human, with some funky bass work thrown into the mix as the instrument doing the heavy lifting during a vocal bridge leading to the final chorus.  And that bridge section...if you don't hear a bit of Kid Rock's "Cowboy" in the way it is structured, we may not be listening to the same song.  Like I said, this is a fun rocker that is unlike anything else on this record.  Check it out below.

"Everything" sounds like it has about three clocks all running in the background, and all are ticking and tocking in slightly different time, which is an odd thing to hear.  At just under a minute, this little interlude leads directly into the ballad, "Standing Here".  An electric current runs beneath the keys that intro the song, drawing up to the guitars and a really big drum sound that would push the track into "power ballad" territory were this 1989.  Make no mistake, this is a modern rocker, but the song's structure and style are definitely a nod to that lighter-in-the-air sound, whether intentional or not.  I dig it...a lot...and I have to think the song goes over well in the live setting.

The album closes on an excellent note with "The Answer", which is definitely one of my top two or three songs on the album.  Hard-hitting and aggressive, "The Answer" is a full-force industrial rock attack from start to...well, almost finish, as there is an echoing keyboard that exits the song and the album.  Smith's vocals are again accompanied by some harsher, lower-register screams that in at least one place sound a lot like Ryan Clark from Demon Hunter.  A nearly perfect way to bring a really good album to a close.

While it does have its quirky moments and expands upon the band's previous sounds, In Love. In Hope. In Peace. is a treat from start to finish and will hopefully draw more attention to a band that deserves to be noticed.  There truly aren't many, if any, bands in the Christian arena that sound like Fight The Fade, and few in the secular world that sound as good as this Oklahoma-based act.  I would strongly encourage you to pick up the album and support the band by shopping directly from their website store, located HERE.

Rating:  Somewhat hard to pin down, especially at the outset, but In Love.In Hope.In Peace cranks its way through to a 7.5 rating!

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GOLD, FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH (GFM) "Oh, The Horror!"

(c) 2019 Independent Release

1. Give Me A Sign
2. The Other Side
3. R.I.P.
4. Never Again
5. On The Inside
6. Can You Promise Me That This Will Never End

CJ English--Vocals, Guitars

Maggie English--Bass, Vocals, Keys

Lulu English--Drums, Vocals

It has been nearly four years since the English sisters (well, they're American sisters named English, so...) released their successful sophomore album, Identity Crisis, on the masses.  (Their 2015 debut EP, Death Of Giants , went largely unnoticed, although four of the six songs were later included on Identity Crisis).  Now, the creators of Beautycore have returned with an EP of six new songs, showing considerable growth not only as musicians, but especially as songwriters.  

The EP kicks off with "Give Me A Sign", which has garnered significant airplay on Christian rock stations throughout the country and clocked in as number 20 on ChristianRock.Net's Top 100 songs of 2019.  A fun punk/metal hybrid, the song is insanely catchy and really shows an increased strength in the clean vocals from CJ, who also rips through some impressive rhythm guitar lines on the song.  Big backing "whoa" vocals add some depth to the track, and Lulu's impressive skills behind the kit really drive this rocker that features almost exclusively clean vocals.

"The Other Side", by contrast, is a lot darker vocally, with Maggie's harsh growls rather staggering to hear coming from the young lady, and standing as a bipolar opposite of the sweet sounds of CJ's voice.  Thick bass chords are a  prominent part of the track, and again, some fiercely aggressive rhythm playing from CJ pushes the more metallic attitude here.

Next up is "R.I.P.", a fun, punkish song that has to be a blast in the live setting, as fans shout along to the song's title in the chorus.  Co-written by Josiah Prince of Disciple, this song likely won't be released as a single, which is a shame, because it really is a catchy tune.  Featuring another really strong bass presence, especially at the beginning, this song also sports some fairly sparse musical sections, especially on the pre-chorus sections, allowing for the contrasting vocals of CJ and Maggie to take more center stage.
If you have ever seen the girls in their cheerleading stage outfits, they are even more appropriate with this song, as there are a couple of sections where the girls chant along (with some additional crowd help), sounding like a high school cheer squad.

"Never Again" is a more metallic track that has seen recent airplay as a single, and as with so many songs from the trio, the interplay between CJ's (and some of Maggie's) clean vocals and Maggie's harsh screaming growl really drive the song and set it apart from so many other songs on Christian rock radio today.  A strong message of independence and personal belief in oneself, "Never Again" stands as kind of the antithesis of their last album's title, Identity Crisis, as CJ declares, "I am stronger now/I will stand my ground/I won't apologize for who I am!"  The stop-start chugging of the rhythm guitars and bass are punishing, and Lulu's aggressive drumming really pushes the song forward.  Definitely more "core" than a few of the tracks here, there is a brief, pummeling breakdown here and power chords galore as the girls prove they have the musical chops to stand with the boys of the genre.

"On The Inside" is the "radio" song of the batch, with a softer...slightly softer...approach, with the majority of the vocals handled in a cleaner fashion.  Yes, Maggie tears loose with a growl at the onset of the song, but by and large, this is the most melodic of the headbangers on the record.  That doesn't mean the music is less intense, the chords any less powerful, the drums any duller.  But there is definitely a catchiness, a melodic sensibility that the other songs don't really call for that "On The Inside" brings to the table.  Check out the video below and see if you can't detect what I'm talking about.

The EP closes with the latest single, "Can You Promise Me That This Will Never End", which may be the longest song title I have typed since my days in radio when I had to type "If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body (Would You Hold It Against Me)" by the Bellamy Brothers.  Hey!  Maybe it's a sibling thing.  Okay...of course it isn't.  Anyway, long song title aside, this is a great way to wrap up this impressive EP.  The song starts off with some effects before those meaty rhythm guitars hit and the cymbals crash to announce the arrival of the girls.  As is pretty typical on this effort, CJ handles the vast majority of the clean vocals, although Maggie does drop in some clean harmony vox as well, but her vocal presence is most felt when she snarls her lines in a manner that would likely make Angela Gossard (Arch Enemy) grin.  Lulu does enough double kicking here that it sounds like she's running on her kit, and she has some really interesting patterns she chooses to use before the final run through the chorus. 

To be honest, complaints about this effort are very few, as everything works really well, from the cool cover art to the perfectly executed track listing.  If I had any complaint, it would really be only that the album is just too short and leaves me wanting more!  None of the six songs here top 3:40 in length, and half of them don't even get to three minutes, so the entire EP sits at around 18 minutes.  But it's a really, really fun, interesting, aggressive, and entertaining 18 minutes.

I have never found this EP in the physical format, so as far as I am aware, digital is the only way you can get Oh, The Horror!  Frustratig, to be sure, but I just downloaded the EP (along with the girls' acoustic EP) and burned it so I could take Oh, The Horror! with me on the road.  Available on Amazon and iTunes (and probably just about any other digital store you care to shop), this is definitely a piece of the modern hard rock/metal scene that is worth the download.

As good as Identity Crisis is, Oh, The Horror! tops it in nearly every way!  All that's missing is a softer moment like "Chatter In The Room" from IC.  There seems to be nothing that will stand in the way of these talented, ambitious young women who have certainly raised the bar...and some eyebrows...in the hard music industry, both Christian and secular.  Color me impressed!

Rating:  Very definitely crankable!  Dial this up to an 8!  I only wish it were a bit longer!

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SAVED BY SKARLET "Out Of Darkness"

(c) 2019 Independent Release

1. Intro
2. Feel The Enemy
3. Out Of Darkness
4. Conquerors
5. Surrender All
6. When I'm Cold
7. Come Alive
8. Light It Up
9. Fire Inside
10. The Syndrome

Benjamin Andrews--Screams, Group Vocals

Matthew Middleton--Guitars, Bass

Nathan Middleton--Vocals, Drums, Synth

Adam Chenier--Drums

Saved By Skarlet is a four-piece, metalcore-influenced band from Rhode Island.  Built around brothers Matthew and Nathan Middleton, the band has experimented with a couple of different line-ups before putting together the current band and releasing Out Of Darkness, their debut album.  A couple of previously released singles are included on the album, along with 8 new tracks that range from pretty straight forward metalcore to more melodic, progressive tracks, all of which work to varying degrees.  What does work throughout, regardless of style, is the band's commitment to being a Christian band whose faith is on display through the lyrics to each of the ten tracks on this album.  

The disc starts off with...well, with "Intro", a spoken-word track with some electronic elements (including synthesized strings), a church bell, and some rather progressive guitar work.  This sub-minute long track stands in pretty stark comparison to "Feel The Enemy", the first true song on the album.  Musically, the song is a hard-hitting, core-based track, with some excellent rhythm guitar work and tight drumming, along with some great screams and an excellent breakdown section.  The lead, clean vocals are a bit emo in style and sound, and it took me a couple of listens to really wrap my head around how they fit into the mix here, as this is a pretty heavy track otherwise.  Definitely not the norm for fans of pure metalcore, but plenty of musical meat here to chew on, along with some solid lyrics about fighting against the internal desire to sin and fighting against the enemy that inspires those thoughts and desires.

The title track, "Out Of Darkness" follows, and again, we have a pretty aggressive, largely metalcore track, although the band incorporates several programmed elements into this song, along with some higher pitched screams and some of the harshest vocals that Nate lays down.  His clean vocals, again, are fairly emo in nature, but nothing that detracts from the overall quality of the work here.  Once again, the rhythm guitars are particularly strong, and the drum work is solid.  It reminds me of something Nine Lashes might have done in their harder-edged moments. Two true tracks in, I have to say I am rather impressed with this self-recorded, self-produced effort.

Next up is one of the most diverse songs on the album, musically.  Originally released as a stand-alone single in 2017, the band re-packaged "Conquerors" for this album and re-released it as a single, and it is now climbing the ChristianRock.Net charts.  I say it is diverse because there are some solid guitar leads thrown into the mix under the verse sections, pairing with the pretty fierce rhythm guitars to give the track a solid foundation.  Again, some programmed elements and reverb are thrown into the mix, especially on the vocals in the chorus sections, but overall this track relies on the traditional instrumentation to drive the song.  Featuring a cool opening riff and some nice percussive moments, "Conquerors" is one of the strongest songs on the album, despite the fact that there are no real harsh vocals used here, outside of a couple of screams at the end of certain vocal lines.  I have to assume this is the reason Andrews isn't in the video; either that, or he wasn't in the band when the video was made.  There is a pretty vicious breakdown in this song, also, which I really like, but there is always going to be that part of me that really wishes that there would be a screaming guitar solo ripping through the section, as well.  Inspired by Romans 8:37-39, the song is about being more than just conquerors through the strength of Christ.  Check out the band's self-produced video below.

The band slows things down considerably for "Surrender All", with a piano playing a prominent role in the musical presentation here.  The cleaner vocal style that Nate uses on the album works better in this environment than in other places, but the music is almost too "pretty" for this record, with programmed strings joining the piano after the first chorus, which is also when the guitars and drums finally join the mix.  Later, a female voice is added to the background vocals, and there are several big "whoa-oh-ohs" thrown in for good measure, creating a really big-feeling song.  To me, the song steers pretty hard into praise and worship territory, which isn't a bad thing, but again, it really doesn't fit what the band has done up to this point.  Even the very brief snarl that Nate throws into his voice at the end of the one of the chorus sections doesn't do anything to change the overall feel of this song.  All this to say I would NOT cut the song, as I think it is a very impressive composition and it is performed really well, but I WOULD move it to the end of the album where I think it wouldn't feel like such a shock to the system.

"When I'm Cold" is up next, and if I'm being 100% honest, I skip this track pretty much every time it comes up, and that is due completely to the first verse and run through the chorus.  I just can't do it, which is actually too bad, because from that point on, the song really has some excellent work, especially on guitar.  There's actually a pretty cool (albeit short) guitar solo, and the leads are some of the best on the record.  The backing vocals are great, the chimes used in the percussion section are a great touch, and the writing is really, really good.  I just can't get through the starkness of the first verse.  The keys used sound almost off key to my ear, which, in turn, make the lead vocals (Matt tackles that task on this song)  sound off and nasal, and I just have to hit skip, at least in my truck.  When I am at home and can actually fast forward through the song without the threat of swerving off the road, then I really, really like the last two-thirds of the song.  I hope that perhaps the band will consider rewriting this song and including it in a follow-up album at some point.

Following the sound of a heart monitor, "Come Alive" picks the tempo back up, with some really good drum patterns and some more really solid guitar leads.  Electric piano is used as a supporting instrument on this track, and it is put to good use.  All the vocals on this track are of the clean variety, and the heart monitor exits the song in much the same manner that it introduced it.  Not an overly memorable song, musically, but a good read lyrically, with a solid message.  I don't skip it, but "Come Alive" isn't a song I would steer people toward to understand who Saved By Skarlet is.

The same can be said for "Light It Up", although this track has some really great guitar work...right before the quasi-rap section!!!  Starting off with a definite dirty blues riff, then morphing into a hard-driving modern rocker, this song is all over the place stylistically, but I have to admit it is kind of fun!  I'm betting the guys had a blast with this song, which features the most prominent bass sound on the record, and I would imagine that this is a fun song in the live setting.

"Fire Inside" trends back toward the metalcore sound the band used on the first handful of songs, which is where the band is definitely at their most consistent.  Aggressive, with a heavy, chunky breakdown, and those strong rhythm guitars...and surprising leads, this is what I think Saved By Skarlet should really focus on.  In fact, if they were to bring in more of their harsher, core-styled vocals, this would possibly be my favorite track on the album, as it is really tight musically.  One thing that bugs me, however, is how much quieter this song is than any other song on the record, which is almost certainly a product of the guys doing this record almost completely on their own, with no label backing or professional producer at the helm.  Another example of a song that I hope the band gives new life to on a later release.

"The Syndrome" closes things out in excellent fashion, as Saved By Skarlet is hitting on all cylinders here.  Harsh vocals, punishing rhythm guitars, tight, machine-gun drumming, a crunching breakdown, and some interesting programmed elements all mix together to create a song that I hit repeat on nearly every time through.  This...THIS...is what Saved By Skarlet needs to be, in my opinion!  Brutal beauty that I think most any metalcore fan will be able to grab hold of and rattle their brain to!  Please, give me more music of this intensity in the future!

In the end, this is a pretty solid debut and a decent album overall, with several strong songs.  Spiritually, the band is on-point, and musically they have a feel for what they are trying to accomplish, although there are a few times I think they attempt to get to proggy and not core-ish enough.  In blunt truth, this would make a great EP, as I would lop off the intro, "When I'm Cold", and "Come Alive", ratcheting things down to 6 really solid core-based tracks, with "Surrender All" tagged on to close things out.  I hope that in the future the guys stick to the more core-ish style...especially with the harsher vocal approach they use in "The Syndrome"...and stay away from the cleaner, more emo-styled stuff.  The harsh vocals, gritty guitars, and savage breakdowns are the meat of this band's sound, in my opinion, and the more emo-oriented vocals and song styles don't do the band justice.  I also hope that there is some way these guys can get with a professional mixer and producer, to help level things out and smooth out a couple of rough edges.  I think there is a good deal of potential here, no question.

Be sure to check the band out on Facebook, and head over to CDBaby to get this album from the guys.

Rating:  Rock this debut effort at 6.5, with the expectation of some bigger things to come!

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