Artist Of The Week - Anchor & Braille

It's been about three years since we've gotten an album from Anchor & Braille, the indie side project of Anberlin's Stephen Christian, but this week, on July 31st, the band's sophomore album will be released. The Quiet Life is a collection of haunting melodies and catchy percussion, certainly a maturation of sound since 2009's Felt. The Quiet Life is available now in stores and online through Tooth & Nail Records.

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Artist: Ivoryline
Album: Vessels
Release Date: 7/27/10
Label: Tooth & Nail Records

You know that feeling of anticipation that you get when you know something good is coming and just can't wait for it? Well, that can be said about Ivoryline's great sophomore effort, Vessels. The follow up to their catchy debut album There Came A Lion, Vessels has improved in every major area from their already high energy alternative rock, that set off their career on a high note. The most noticeable change from album to album is that Vessels shows Ivoryline at their best, especially songwriting wise, wearing their faith out on their sleeves.

While the energy found on their debut album is not missing, Vessels is a much more matured work of music. The album has a lot more depth in the lyrical themes as well, ranging from spiritual healing to redemption. "Father thank You, Father thank You for who You are, You're all I need." These are some of the lyrics from the song "Hearts Open," which is easily one of Ivoryline's best written songs to date. Songs that can still be compared to the sound on their debut album would be "The Healing," a high energy rocker, containing a vocal appearance from Jason Vena, formerly of the band Acceptance. The title track is another good example, also featuring guest vocals, which are provided by producer Aaron Sprinkle.

If you couldn't tell from its title, "Walking Dead" serves as a dark rock, full of texture and clever songwriting, such as the lyrics heard in the chorus that state, "a living, breathing generation of the walking dead." The song talks of topics such as idolatry. "The Greatest Love" goes to talk about Jesus dying for us on the cross and contains some of the most memorable hooks on the album. The song "Naked" talks of Adam and Eve in the Garden and serves as another very biblically written song.

Perhaps the biggest change in sound from Ivoryline heard on Vessels is "Made From Dust." It comes as a good listen, with a sound that could be compared to Deas Vail, but breaks into driving guitars towards the close of the song. Also full of texture, "Made From Dust" serves the purpose as one of the highlights on the album. "You Bring Fire" closes off the album perfectly, containing the strong message of hope that comes from our Creator on Vessels.

Rating: 9/10 Ivoryline have created a nearly perfect album with the release of Vessels. An easily accessible album as compared to their debut, there's something that everyone can get out of this album, from the fluid rockers to the softer ballad-like offerings. No doubt will this be a contender for album of the year in the long run. This being said, Ivoryline have certainly found their place with the release of their sophomore effort.

Tracklisting:
  1. The Healing
  2. With The Daylight
  3. Search Me Out
  4. Instincts
  5. Hearts Open
  6. Vessels
  7. No One Else
  8. Walking Dead
  9. Broken Bodies
  10. The Greatest Love
  11. Made From Dust
  12. Naked
  13. You Bring Fire
(Buy Here)

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An Airplane Carried Me To Bed

Artist: Sky Sailing
Album: An Airplane Carried Me To Bed
Release Date: 7/27/10
Label: Universal Republic

A little over a year ago, I remember discovering a small electronic act fueled by Adam Young, who took on the moniker of Owl City. Little did I know that over a year later, Owl City would be one of the premier electronic pop acts out there, already holding a hit single ("Fireflies") under his belt. Now comes another project from Young, in fact his project before Owl City was around, named Sky Sailing. The high energy electronic sounds are gone for the most part, instead replaced by the sounds of Young's expertise acoustic guitar playing. The acoustic tunes set a mood nearly perfect for good summer relaxation.

Not missing from this album are the light-hearted, whimsical lyrics that Young uses to his advantage. While covering an array of topics on An Airplane Carried Me To Bed, the general themes are found in hope and love. "Brielle" happens to be one of the most memorable of the bunch, with the soaring melodies, although not necessarily all upbeat. Songs like the wittily titled "A Little Opera Goes A Long Way" showcase the perfected guitar playing, something not heard all too much in Owl City. The vocals are somewhat very mellow throughout, but not to worry, will still catch you like a fish on a hook. "Take Me Somewhere Nice" is sure to be a fan favorite and for some reason reminds me a tiny bit of Relient K, but maybe it's just me. Not lacking the piano is the closer "Sailboats," laden with Adam Young's soaring vocals that have captured many fans in the past year.

Rating: 8/10 The acoustic project from Adam Young of Owl City, named Sky Sailing, is a fun album, especially for summertime. Lacking the electronic, upbeat energy found on Owl City, An Airplane Carried Me To Bed is easily still a success and relaxing listen. The perfect album for long walks on the beach or wherever you may be this summer.

Tracklisting:
  1. Captains of the Sky
  2. Brielle
  3. Steady As She Goes
  4. Explorers
  5. A Little Opera Goes A Long Way
  6. Tennis Elbow
  7. Blue And Red
  8. Alaska
  9. I Live Alone
  10. Take Me Somewhere Nice
  11. Sailboats
(Buy Here)

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Christian Rock Rocks recently talked with the Victory Records band Corpus Christi about their album A Feast For Crows and their new lineup!

Christian Rock Rocks (Brooks Ginnan): So you just recorded and released a new album titled A Feast For Crows. How did that go?
Jarrod Christman (Corpus Christi): It was SO much fun... easily the most enjoyable recording experience I've ever had. We tracked everything in a shade over three weeks and apart from a few minor equipment issues, it was completely smooth sailing.

CRR: What are some of the themes found on the album?
Jarrod: Well our first record, The Darker Shades Of White, was a poly-thematic record. In contrast to that, A Feast For Crows is mono-thematic... this record is all about conflict. Conflict within ourselves, conflict with society, conflict within relationships and conflict with our own fear and the choices we make. Musically, A Feast For Crows is much more diverse than our first offering, so having a centralized theme helped give this record continuity.

CRR: Who are some of your biggest influences?
Jarrod: My own personal influences are different from the rest of the band's. There is not a single common "favorite" among the five of us. So speaking only for myself, my biggest influences are In Flames, At The Gates, Zao, Mercenary, Lamb of God and The Black Dahlia Murder.

CRR: So Corpus Christi has a nearly complete new lineup as compared to the one found on the debut album. How did that happen?
Jarrod: It was Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events (ok... random Jim Carrey movie reference, I know). The old frontman had kids and just couldn't tour anymore. The old guitar player's mother was in bad health and unable to work so he had to go home and help take care of her. Our drummer at the time had to go home to help at his family's restaurant and I never got a reason from the old bass player. He quit via text message, which read "I can't make it to practice tonight, and I'm officially out" and that's all I got from him. Luckily, there were four guys, all really good at what they do, that were just exiting their previous bands right about the same time. So it all worked out for the better.


CRR: Any last things you'd like to say?
Jarrod: If you heard the first record and think you know Corpus Christi, you're dead wrong. Go get A Feast For Crows and then come hang out with us on tour. It's a whole new ballgame!
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There Will Be Violence

Artist: Impending Doom
Album: There Will Be Violence
Release Date: 7/20/10
Label: Facedown Records

Maturity is a strange thing to try and quantify. It can't be counted, weighed or measured, but you can definitely see when it is present. On their latest album There Will Be Violence, Impending Doom show a maturity in songwriting that was lacking in past releases.

Though not at all bad, Nailed. Dead. Risen. was a blur of brutal grind influenced death metal, replete with blast beats galore, breakdowns a plenty and monotonous "pig squeal" vocals. Their next album, The Serpent Servant, was a step in the right direction, but as with most all deathcore, suffered from a few boring spots. Their latest effort, There Will Be Violence, was somewhat of a wild card for me. I was hoping that they would continue to mature and continue they did. In a big way.

There Will Be Violence is a good album from start to finish and there is not a filler track in the bunch. Impending Doom have written some very fast, thrashy songs for the new album and thankfully, the breakdowns are kept to a minimum. Along with the matured songwriting is improved musicianship as well. The drumming is definitely at the head of the class in that respect. Brook Reeve's vocals have also proved substantially. Gone are both the "pig squeals" and somewhat boring death growls of past albums. He also does a great job of switching from high to low vocally.

Some of the highlights for me are the title track, with it's fast tempo and speedy drumming, "Peace Illusion," with it's tempo changes, "The Great Fear," which features guest vocals from Vincent Bennett of The Acacia Strain, also the best track on the album and the very catchy closer, "Sweating Blood." There Will Be Violence does feature two instrumental tracks as well. The first, "Hell Breaks Loose," is the opener and does a great job of setting the tone of the album with it's sinister atmosphere and the second, being "Love Has Risen," which features both a great guitar riff and expertise drumming.

Rating: 8/10 Although not flawless, Impending Doom have managed to improve by leaps and bounds over past material on There Will Be Violence. They have realized that sometimes less is more in the breakdown department and have focused much more on crafting great songs.

Reviewed by Matthew Alexander

Tracklisting:
  1. Hell Breaks Loose
  2. There Will Be Violence
  3. Orphans
  4. Peace Illusion
  5. The Great Fear
  6. Walking Through Fire
  7. Love Has Risen
  8. The Son Is Mine
  9. Children of Wrath
  10. Sweating Blood
(Buy Here)

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Meridional

Artist: Norma Jean
Album: Meridional
Release Date: 7/13/10
Label: Razor & Tie Records

Often referred to as "The Almighty Norma Jean," I would have to say that Norma Jean have rightfully earned that title with their new album Meridional. Some of their best work since Bless The Martyr and Kiss The Child, the new album is heavy and chaotic yet melodic. The guitars are all full of crunch and the songwriting is very expertise, covering a numerous amount of topics.

The chaotic pace of Meridional immediately goes into full gear on "Leaderless and Self-Enlisted." Cory Brandan's yells and screams sound great, mixed with the fast paced song and brief clean vocal section. One of the best written songs on the album is "Deathbed Atheist" which talks about the issue of atheism and makes an impact, musically and lyrically. Two of the best songs go back to back, "High Noise Low Output" and "Falling From The Sky: Day Seven," which serves as something of a ballad. Musically, the latter serves as one of the best songs on Meridional. The guitars bring to mind a heavier indie rock sound and a few screams are quickly embraced at the end. Other than that, the song is filled with the clean vocals, a break from the driving, heavy sound.

An interesting element found are the three interludes that serve the albums title, Meridional, aptly named "Septentrional," "Occidental" and the hidden track, "Oriental." The best of the trio is "Occidental," containing a stomp-clap section that stands out as unique among the album.

The music of Meridional cannot really be confined to one genre or such, but features elements of hardcore with a bit of clean vocals, but not metalcore. Also very chaotic, the album seems to stay away from the typical double bass drumming for the most part, but still sounds like a perfect fit. The guitars are also crunched and have an edge to them, unlike your typical album full of chugging and solos.

Rating: 8/10 Meridional has no doubt earned Norma Jean their popular title, "The Almighty Norma Jean." They have left me impressed for sure and will spark an interest back into fans that may have been lost in the past album or so. Chaotic yet melodic, Norma Jean may have one of the heaviest albums of the year, musically and lyrically speaking.

Tracklisting:
  1. Leaderless and Self-Enlisted
  2. The Anthem Of The Angry Brides
  3. Deathbed Atheist
  4. Bastardizer
  5. A Media Friendly Turn For The Worse
  6. Septentrional
  7. Blood Burner
  8. High Noise Low Output
  9. Falling From The Sky: Day Seven
  10. Everlasting Tapeworm
  11. Occidental
  12. The People That Surround You On A Regular Basis
  13. Innocent Bystanders United
  14. Oriental
(Buy Here)

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Artist: Newsboys
Album: Born Again
Release Date: 7/13/10
Label: Inpop Records

Since the Newsboys announced Michael Tait (formerly of DC Talk) last February, the whole CCM industry was stirred, wondering what would come of one of the scene's most beloved bands and face it, many people, including me, wondered what their new album would sound like. Well, over a year later, our answer is Born Again. The title is a statement that defines the Newsboys themselves, taking a new direction that is no doubt a lot more upbeat and fun then their sound a few years back. Tait's influence is brought into play here, leaving you wondering if you're still in fact listening to the Newsboys or some kind of new band resembling DC Talk and even Tobymac.

The title track sums up the main sound of the album, a high energy pop rocker that has graced the radio waves prior to the album, creating a hit already. An electronic influence is surprisingly thrown in on "Way Beyond Myself," adding an interesting touch to the verses. The hip-hop inspired "When The Boys Light Up" is a fun song that is essentially the mission statement for the band. Towards the end of the album, rather randomly placed on the album is the hit worship song "Mighty To Save," that takes on an nice sound with the Newsboys, but almost feels unnecessary, besides trying to show the fact that the reformed Newsboys have a more expandable sound. Although entertaining, the remake of "Jesus Freak" serves as the closer to Born Again, having BEC Recording's KJ-52 taking on the rapping verses. For some reason, I just can't seem to grasp onto the remake, but then again, maybe nothing will be better than the original.

Rating: 7/10 Face it, most of the Christian music industry has been waiting to hear the reformed Newsboys, with the talent of Michael Tait on vocals. Born Again is the anticipated album, with anywhere from high energy pop rock to electronic elements to worship songs, an album that has a little bit of everything. I don't think that this album is better than the original Newsboys that brought us songs that will always be remembered as classics, but the reformed version still entertains.

Tracklisting:
  1. Born Again
  2. One Shot
  3. Way Beyond Myself
  4. Impossible
  5. When The Boys Light Up
  6. Build Us Back
  7. Escape
  8. Miracles
  9. Running To You
  10. On Your Knees
  11. Mighty To Save
  12. Jesus Freak featuring KJ-52
(Buy Here)

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HM MAGAZINE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF DELIVERING HARD MUSIC NEWS TO THE MASSES
25th Anniversary Issue Links The Work of Dedicated Musicians Through a List of HM’s “Top 100 Christian Rock Albums of All Time”

Austin, TX -  25 years ago, Doug Van Pelt transformed newsstands by providing news and insights to heavy metal fans through a new magazine, aptly titled Heaven’s Metal. Van Pelt, founder and editor, was a junior attending the University of Texas when he created the magazine in 1985. During this time, Christian hard rock bands such as Stryper, DeGarmo and Key and Kings X were influencing both the Christian and the general music industry as whole, which quickly pushed Van Pelt to dedicate his efforts on the magazine full-time.
After Heaven’s Metal 10th anniversary, Van Pelt decided to focus on the current trends in music thus calling the magazine, HM. The name change acted as a banner for the broader spectrum of music they began to cover. HM’s prior focus on heavy metal shifted to a wide array of genres from hardcore to indie rock to punk. While HM included a large span of genres, hard rock bands such as P.O.D., MxPx, Impending Doom, and Flyleaf continued to grace the cover. As culture shifted, so did HM and with that, they have become the gateway for musicians to express themselves.
Van Pelt’s most popular feature in HM, “What So & So Says,” is a segment in which bands such as The Used, Thrice and Korn have shared their views on Christianity and related topics. HM also provides readers with spotlights on upcoming artists, album reviews, trending topics, and in depth music news.
For their 25th anniversary, HM created a list to showcase the “Top 100 Christian Rock Albums of All Time,” with U2’s seminal album The Joshua Tree holding the number 1 position.
The much-awaited list is compiled of albums from the likes of bands such as Dashboard Confessional, Underoath, Skillet, P.O.D., Stryper and MUTEMATH. Van Pelt introduced the list as a category of recognition. HM rocked out their latest issue with additional stories on Impending Doom and Haste the Day’s latest albums. Throughout Van Pelt’s career he has not only worked with HM, but has made a name for himself through many avenues in the industry.  Van Pelt has been profiled in Alternative Press magazine, written a top 10 Christian metal albums list for Revolver and penned long-standing columns for Guitar World and CCM Magazine.
“It has been a dream come true to see HM grow throughout the years,” states Van Pelt.  “It’s been such a blessing and privilege to have spent the last 25 years working to promote bands and people that I respect.  To do something you love for this long is an honor, and we are looking forward to see what the next 25 years holds for HM, and music as a whole.”
HM is sold in all fifty states and is distributed in Barnes & Noble, Hastings, and Family Christian Stores. Subscribers for HM come from all over the world and represent around 20 countries, including Iceland, Papua New Guinea, Czech Republic and Cypress. HM Magazine was recently awarded a Telly Award for its HM/Gwar Internet commercial campaign (developed and filmed by the makers of the Owl City “Fireflies” video – Endeavor Media).
The magazine's official website is www.HMMagazine.com
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In Character

Artist: Blood and Water
Album: In Character
Release Date: 7/13/10
Label: Eden Records

Sophomore albums can be a big deal for a band. Especially if following up a good debut, the follow up always seems to hold high expectations. Well, the young talent of Blood and Water are back with In Character, certainly satisfying my anticipation for hopes of a great second album. Their self-titled debut showcased a lot of energy and power from the band, which is now much more polished off and matured.

In Character is filled with 13 infectious pop punk tracks that serve as a great summer album to roll down the windows and drive to. The opening tracks, "Sleep It Off" and "McGee and Me," start off the album with a bang and are two solid pop punk/rock tracks that get you ready for the musical journey that you're about to embark on while listening to the album. The highly catchy "Opening Band" has some of the best hooks on In Character, no doubt. The pop flavored verses are sweet to the ears and also tell the story of things that Blood and Water have gone through as a band. A ska influence can be heard on "Opening Band" and especially on "Oblio." The guitar line found throughout the song shows comparisons to Five Iron Frenzy's "Every New Day." This comes as no surprise as the band worked with acclaimed producer Masaki who in fact produced Five Iron Frenzy's albums.

A maturity shows in the songwriting and acoustic style of "Feeling Better," offering up a chilling question, "Is anyone listening?" The song also talks off not being able to move on without God. The upbeat "Sinking" includes some more great guitar work and a chorus of "You know I'm trying my best to keep my head above the water, I can work this out." The piano that comes in midway through the song brings to mind a style along the likes of Relient K and Stellar Kart. A few tracks later comes "Gakou," with some of the most honest lyrical content on In Character, "I can't be everything, I can't do what I say I will do, I'm just trying to keep us all singing now." The song is a cry for God to let us know that He will make everything okay. The ballad "Interstate" ends the album and is another acoustic driven song. The bridge of "Sleep It Off" is also repeated to end the album, which has the message that we can put our troubles and trust in God.

Rating: 9/10 Blood and Water have done it again with In Character, showing that Blood and Water are not slowing down. The album has a great theme lyrically, being that we need to get past our expectations and make a difference for God in our lives. This is a message that we certainly need to hear and Blood and Water have presented it quite nicely in one of the best albums that the summer had offered thus far.

Tracklisting:
  1. Sleep It Off
  2. McGee and Me
  3. Opening Band
  4. Hear Me Out
  5. Oblio
  6. Feeling Better
  7. I Am Spartacus
  8. Sinking
  9. Given Up
  10. Weighed and Measured
  11. Gakou
  12. Secondhand
  13. Interstate
(Buy Here)

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Realis

Artist: A Hope For Home
Album: Realis
Release Date: 3/30/10
Label: Facedown Records

Genre labels are an odd thing. They both succeed and fail at what they are set to accomplish. They succeed at giving you a general idea of the style of music being performed, but fail at giving you a definite answer to exactly what is taking place musically. As humans, we tend to want everything, including God, to fit into convenient, neat little boxes. Once the boxes are established we label them, thus creating a problem for anyone or anything that has a smidge of creativity.

A Hope For Home is one such band. Their brand of atmospheric, heavy music can be labeled with a number of genres, from post-hardcore to post metal and melodic metal, but these labels would only be scratching the surface. On Realis, A Hope For Home utilize the the screamed/clean chorus style vocals, but what set A Hope For Home apart from the myriad of bands that use this technique are the high quality of the clean vocals. They are always on key and never come out whiny.

Realis has quite a deep texture to it. The guitars are equally crunchy as they are melodic. On a number of songs, the guitar playing has an almost meandering experimentation comparable to Son I Loved You At Your Darkest-era As Cities Burn. Another effect A Hope For Home use on the album to add texture to the sound is the sudden change in tempo. All of these would be just nice, singular parts if they didn't flow cohesively into the next section. Thankfully, AHFH know how to write a song.

Contained on Realis are a good amount of songs that have a slow build up before exploding into action. The few that don't use the exact opposite effect, having an explosive beginning before calming down to experiment a bit with the dynamics. Some of my favorite tracks are "Nightfall," with it's steady, beautiful build up, "Withering Branches" and "The Machine Stops" with their wonderful guitar playing and "No Light," containing beautiful piano playing and an atmospheric build up.

Rating: 9/10 In Realis, A Hope For Home have created a sonic journey of experimentation, beautiful atmospherics and passionate vocals. This is so much more than any genre label could describe.

Reviewed by Matthew Alexander

Tracklisting:
  1. Nightfall
  2. The Overman
  3. Withering Branches
  4. The Machine Stops
  5. No Light
  6. Post Tenebras Lux
  7. First Light Of Dawn
  8. The Crippling Fear
  9. The Warmth Of The Heavens
  10. Seasons
  11. Ascension
  12. After
(Buy Here)

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The Infinite Order

Artist: Living Sacrifice
Album: The Infinite Order
Release Date: 1/26/10
Label: Solid State Records

After ending a four year hiatus in 2007, the kings of Christian metal have returned to reclaim their throne. Having released the two song digital EP Death Machine in 2008 and pushing the release date of their latest album The Infinite Order back two months, it felt as if Living Sacrifice would never release a new full-length album. Thankfully, The Infinite Order is more than worth the wait.

Musically, The Infinite Order is a no-holds barred metal album. It blends everything from thrash metal to death metal to metallic hardcore. The first four songs, "Overkill Exposure," "Rules of Engagement," "Nietzsche's Madness" and "Unfit To Live" are pure metal perfection. The second half, although not the perfection of the first, is killer. It boasts highlights such as "Organized Lie" and "Apostasy."

Living Sacrifice also enlist the help of a few couple well known guest vocalists. David Bunton of The Showdown, who provides background yells on "Rules of Engagement" and Joe Musten of Advent, who alternates screams with vocalist Bruce Fitzhugh on "Nietzsche's Madness." Both performances are well done and only enhance Bruce's feverish vocals.

The thrashy song structures that exist on most of the songs only add to the heaviness and create a crushing effect on the listener. The one complaint I have is the lack of tribal percussion that was present on Living Sacrifice's past masterpieces. It does however make an appearance on "Nietzsche's Madness" and "God Is My Home," adding more depth to those songs.

On a side note, I was lucky enough to have bought a copy with a hidden track entitled "Of My Flesh, Of My Heart." This song was intended for a European release only, but due to a mistake, the first shipment of copies released had the hidden track. It is a great song and adds another awesome track for your listening pleasure.

Rating: 9/10 It is great to see and hear the return of this legendary band. Thankfully, it is as if they had never left. To say they don't miss a beat is an understatement. With The Infinite Order, Living Sacrifice have created an album that is more than worthy to sit alongside their past masterpieces Young, breakdown happy bands would do themselves a favor by studying the songwriting of Living Sacrifice.

Reviewed by Matthew Alexander

Tracklisting:
  1. Overkill Exposure
  2. Rules of Engagement
  3. Nietzsche's Madness
  4. Unfit To Live
  5. The Training
  6. Organized Lie
  7. The Reckoning
  8. Love Forgives
  9. They Were One
  10. God Is My Home
  11. Apostasy
  12. Of My Flesh, Of My Heart (Hidden Track)
(Buy Here)

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Christian Rock Rocks got to talk with Jackson Greene of As Hell Retreats about music and touring.

Christian Rock Rocks (Matthew Alexander): What musicians, bands or albums influenced you to start playing?
Jackson Greene (As Hell Retreats): Back in the day when we did start, we had influences like Mortal Treason, Blindside, As I Lay Dying, Norma Jean and The Chariot. But that is when we just wanted to start playing. Now that we have gotten older, things have completely changed.

CRR: How did you come up with your name?
Jackson: We came up with our name from a book named "Retreat, Hell." We've never read it, but we were skateboarding one day and it rained. So we went into a bookstore and saw the book and thought "As Hell Retreats." It's stuck ever since.

CRR: Why did you choose Facedown/Strike First to sign with?
Jackson: We knew they took great care of their bands all through the years. Plus, we've always looked up to that label for having great bands. When we were asked, we just couldn't pass it up. It was too good to be true.

CRR: What albums/artists are you listening to heavily at the moment?
Jackson: Well, it varies with each member. Personally for me, it's been a whole lot of Debtor and other hardcore bands. But I usually listen to any Thrice album almost every day.

CRR: Are there any big tours planned or finalized in the near future?
Jackson: Well, we are going out West, which is a huge deal to us. We go out August 20th-September 18th with Sovereign Strength and Gideon. So that should be a whole lot of fun for all of us.

CRR: What would be your dream tour to be on and to see?
Jackson: A dream tour to be on would definitely be Scream The Prayer or Thrash and Burn. Both those tours rule. Dream tour to see... well, since the band has different varieties of music, we all have different dreams. I would have to say mine would be Thrice, Brand New, Jimmy Eat World and Yellowcard. Just a sweet rock/indie/punk show.

CRR: Is there anything else in closing you would like to mention?
Jackson: I would like to mention that we are forever blessed to have the opportunity to be on Strike First Records, being on tour as much as we can and meeting sweet people on the road. It's been the greatest experience of our lives. And thank you for the interview! Take care, dude.
Vans Warped Tour 2010 Review














Vans Warped Tour 2010 at the Comcast Theater 7/11/10

Hartford, CT



A year ago, I may not have ever considered going to the annual traveling music festival, the Vans Warped Tour. However, I got the great opportunity to go this year and also get press passes to meet up with many of the talented artists found on this year's tour. The drive took over an hour, but was assuredly worth it. The sign in went very smoothly and I headed over to the press area to get signed in for interviews. A few bands were already out, but I did not recognize many.















Flatfoot 56

I then headed over to the Kevin Says Stage to catch Celtic punk rockers Flatfoot 56 on their first day of the tour. Unfortunately, their set was already drawing to a close and I only caught two songs, due to arriving an hour after gates opened. The Chicago natives played "We Grow Stronger" off their album Black Thorn. They had a moderately sized crowd, that surprisingly formed a circle pit on the closer, which is something I wouldn't have expected to see. The song was not theirs, but instead the classic hymn "Amazing Grace." Seeing an aggressive circle pit and plenty of energetic moshers move to the hymn was something that I certainly would never have guessed. Relentless, Flatfoot 56 had a great live set from what I saw.

Due to the drive, I went to the indoor facility that led to the ampitheather that staged both the AP/Advent Stage and the Glamour Kills Stage. I regret it, but had to sacrifice catching Confide's set on the Skullcandy Stage, sponsored by the popular headphone brand, for some lunch. I caught a bit of the AP/Advent stage who had The Casualties playing. To be honest, I had never heard of the band before and was not completely impressed by their hardcore punk styling. They did seem to have a large fan base that was loving their set. Due to a number of interviews I had set up, I headed back to the press area to meet up with The Rocket Summer and a few others. I could make out the sounds of VersaEmerge's set will standing around in there, but didn't hear most of their darker pop rock flavored set.

After I got out of the press area, I headed over to the Glamour Kills Stage to watch Enter Shikari. I was not planning to see them at all, but a lack of bands that had my interest brought me to watch them. They played a few electronic flavored metalcore tunes, ending with their hit "Sorry, You're Not A Winner." Pop rockers The Cab followed up on the AP/Advent Stage. A bit of the way through their set, I realized that they had a huge crowd of girls mainly, which wasn't too surprising from their lyrics.


Poema

Gladly, I headed to the tent and merch section of the tour and found Tooth & Nail's new acoustic pop duo Poema playing a short acoustic set. They played "Boys and Bugs" and "Blue Sweater," before ending their set to a small crowd. I thoroughly enjoyed them live, relentless of the fact that I was one of the only guys watching them.


















I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business

I took the long walk all the way back to the Glamour Kills Stage to watch one of the bands that I had been looking forward to, named I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business. Playing an indie/acoustic style that was reminiscent of Mae and Copeland, both of who I Can Make A Mess... have toured with. They opened with the first single off the album The World We Know titled "Old Man......." The frontman Ace Enders is also no stranger to the scene, with another band that goes under his name. The rest of the set consisted of a few more acoustic driven songs, such as "Ever So Sweet," ending the set. Enders had a great stage presence and even got the crowd square dancing, stating that "this is the only type of dance you all won't be doing today!"

After an interview with Confide, I headed out to check out some of the merch tents, including the Tooth & Nail/Solid State tent, which was set up rather nicely. According to them, there will be new albums coming this fall from Underoath and a live CD/DVD releasing from August Burns Red named Home. I ended up leaving at about six, missing a few bands who I was planning on seeing, such as The Rocket Summer. It was a great day that was certainly tiring. Some advice to anyone going out to Warped this year, be sure to bring plenty of water!

Confide Interview

The Rocket Summer Interview

Flatfoot 56 Interview
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The Rocket Summer

Christian Rock Rocks caught up with Bryce Avary, who is otherwise known as The Rocket Summer on the Warped Tour. His new album, Of Men And Angels, released in February.

Christian Rock Rocks (Brooks Ginnan): Hey man, how has Warped Tour been so far?
Bryce Avary (The Rocket Summer): It's been going really well.

CRR: You released Of Men And Angels in February. What was the process behind the making of that and some of the themes as well?
Bryce: The new album  takes on a more insightful sound, that shows in the lyrics, which contain and reflect thoughts on integrity and a hope.

CRR: What role does your faith play in your music?
Bryce: It certainly carries over to the music, showing themes of integrity and wisdom that is found in God.

CRR: Would you consider The Rocket Summer a Christian band?
Bryce: I would not, but more just a Christian guy playing insightful music. I mean, I'm on Warped Tour right now and it's not the most Christian tour to be on, but is still a good experience.

CRR: Is it hard to be on the road while on tour?
Bryce: It is hard while on the road sometimes. I almost want to go home and relax when traveling but when I'm just lying around doing nothing, I want to be touring again.

CRR: Anything else you'd like to say to the fans?
Bryce: Check The Rocket Summer out on the Warped Tour and pick up Of Men And Angels if you haven't listened yet!
Interview with Flatfoot 56



Christian Rock Rocks had the opportunity to catch up with Celtic punk rockers Flatfoot 56 on this summer's Vans Warped Tour. We got to talk with the whole band about touring, music and their new album.

Christian Rock Rocks (Brooks Ginnan): Hey guys, how has Warped Tour been going so far?
Flatfoot 56: We actually just started playing on it today! It went great, we had a fairly large crowd and had lots of fun.

CRR: You just released a new album on a new label at the end of March. How did that go?
F56: Our old label, Flicker, just kinda disbanded about two years ago and in January or so, we signed to Old Shoe Records. We didn't know how that would go but just wanted to get our new record out and see how it went. Black Thorn has been doing well so far which is great.

CRR: What are some of the lyrics about on Black Thorn?
F56: Well, they are about fighting through some of the hard times and some of these people who go through on going struggles everyday for family and whatnot. Songs like "Courage" and "We Grow Stronger" are good examples of what the new album is about.

CRR: So I know that your former label, Flicker, was a Christian label and the new one is not. Do you still think that your music can be picked up by believers and non-believers alike and expect them to get something out of Black Thorn?
F56: Yeah, our music applies to Christians as much as it does to those who are not. Our faith has been one of the biggest parts of the band and will always stay that way.

CRR: Do you have any plans to go on tour after Warped?
F56: Yep! We will be on tour this fall for sure!
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Christian Rock Rocks caught up with Joel Piper, the drummer for Confide at Warped Tour to talk about their new album that released in May titled Recover.

Christian Rock Rocks (Brooks Ginnan): How has Warped Tour been going for you guys?
Joel Piper (Confide): Warped Tour has been going great! We're playing every day on the Skullcandy stage and that has been going well.

CRR: So you just released a new album in May. Can you tell me about how the process of making the album went and also the progression between it and your last album (Shout The Truth)?
Joel: Well, this our first album with the new lineup and we were all getting situated on it. The progression between albums would be that Shout The Truth was a lot more technical and harder to get into, where Recover has much more of a sound that people can get into, especially all our fans.

CRR: What are some of the lyrical themes behind Recover?
Joel: Recover talks about things in life such as a death in the family, divorce or breakups and how we get through them and essentially recover.

CRR: Do you personally consider Confide a Christian band?
Joel: All five of us are strong Christians and believe in one God, but don't really believe in the "Christian band" aspect. It's not like you call your mailman the "Christian mailman" or anything like that. Our faith certainly comes out in our music though.

CRR: Considering that, what role does your faith play in your music?
Joel: Our faith plays one of the biggest roles and does fill our lyrics with hope that there is a love even for the broken, which goes along with the theme of Recover.

CRR: How did Confide get signed to Tragic Hero?
Joel: We really just got a call with an offer to sign with them. We signed a three album deal, so after the next album, we will be looking for another label. It's certainly too early for anything to be set in stone about that though and also can't be announced any time soon.

CRR: What are your touring plans after Warped?
Joel: We'll be doing a tour with We Came As Romans and will be going to Japan with Pierce The Veil.

CRR: Anything else you would like to say to the fans?
Joel: Come check us out on the Skullcandy Stage on Warped all summer long! If you haven't yet, give our new record Recover a listen as well. Thanks!
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Indie/Rock Band Sons of God Embarks on First Tour, EP for Free
NASHVILLE , TN – Sons of God just announced the dates for their summer tour. The shows span from July 26th to August 6th, with performances in NC, SC, VA, NJ, PA, TN, NH and more. The band will be promoting their debut EP, “The Genesis Prologue,” which released in February.
Along with the tour, SOG is currently scheduling radio interviews, Hot Topic in-store performances, and press and media interviews.
Sons of God is committed to providing all of their music free of charge – for anyone, anytime. Altogether, their catchy, indie rock tracks have been downloaded almost 10,000 times. “We want people to know that we’re not just up here playing music,” says front man and founder Aaron Newberry. “It’s the medium in which we serve.”
Lyrically, Sons of God talks about doubt, grace, sanctification and many other areas of life. They write in hopes of challenging listeners not to accept complacency, but to continue to learn and move forward. Musically, the sound that emanates truly is one of epic proportions. With an unmistakably darker tone, Sons of God hopes to capture what would be the “soundtrack to the book of Revelation” by exploring the dark and even frightening aspects of what the future holds.

Confirmed Tour Dates:
July 26h – Greenville, NC @ Colonial Mall Hot Topic
July 26th – Greenville, NC @ St Paul Youthquake
July 27th - Cary, NC @ Cary Cary Towne Center Hot Topic
July 28th – Greenville, SC @ The Channel
July 29th – East Ridge, TN @ The Warehouse
July 30th – Nashville, TN @ The Anchor
July 31st – Dayton, OH @The Attic Club
August 1st – Altoona, PA @ Eldolyn Terrace
August 2nd - Hyannis, MA @ Cape Cod Mall Hot Topic
August 4rd – Gilford, NH @ Soulfest Music Festival
August 5th – Galloway , NJ @ Word of Life CF
August 6th – Lynchburg, VA @ The Hive
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With the help of the good people over at the annual Purple Door Festival, held in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, Christian Rock Rocks is proud to announce a large giveaway including lots of music and two pairs of tickets for this year's festival, held on August 13 and 14. Each day, we will be giving away one album from an artist playing at Purple Door, courtesy of Purple Door. You can enter once a day for a chance at an album. Two grand prize winners will also be selected for a pair of tickets as well.

Day
July 16. B.Reith - Now Is Not Forever
July 17. Children 18:3 - Children 18:3
July 18. Texas In July - I Am
July 19. Project 86 - Picket Fence Cartel
July 20. Derek Webb - Stockholm Syndrome
July 21. Showbread - Nervosa
July 22. Purpose For The Pain - A Collection of Journals by Renee Yohe
July 23. Oceans In Love - La La La
July 24. B. Reith - Now Is Not Forever
July 25. Children 18:3 - Children 18:3
July 26. Texas In July - I Am
July 27. Project 86 - Picket Fence Cartel
July 28. Derek Webb - Stockholm Syndrome
July 29. Showbread - The Fear of God
July 30. Purpose For The Pain - A Collection of Journals by Renee Yohe
August 1. Oceans In Love - La La La


To enter, email your name and full address to crrcontest@gmail.com. The complete list of winners will be announced on August 2nd! Winners will be notified. Remember, Purple Door will take place on August 13 and 14 at Ski Roundtop in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania.

Thanks to the good people who help run Purple Door for making this possible!
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Decrease / Increase

Artist: Wrench In The Works
Album: Decrease/Increase
Release Date: 3/16/10
Label: Facedown Records

Explosive, heavy, brutal, chaotic. These are all words to use when describing the newest release from Wrench In The Works, Decrease/Increase. From the beginning chaos of "Vultures" to the closing strains of "Vows (He Must Increase)," Decrease/Increase is, with the exception of a few places, a half-hour, non-stop assault on your hearing.

I liked Wrench In The Works' last album The Lost Art of Heaping Coal, but this is a huge progression ahead of that album. The most noticeable improvements are the drumming and production. The drumming is very much in the forefront of the album and happens to be, in my opinion, the highlight. The blast beats, rapid fire double bass and creative fills are all perfectly placed and executed. The drumming also does a lot to accentuate the technical guitar riffs. This creates a chaotic sound that is more about technicality and time signatures than the sloppy noise a lot of bands try to pass off as chaotic.

The production of the album is flawless. Every instrument is clear and fits in well with the mix. The vocals, which are raw, raspy screams, only add to the sound that Wrench In The Works create. Some of the highlights are "Project AK-47," a song about the enslavement of child soldiers. Both of the "Vows" songs, with the first being very short and featuring chanting vocals and the last which is over five minutes long and builds into a crescendo before calming down. The spoken word sequence by Levi The Poet in "A Desert Voice" serves as a nice, brief respite to the brutality that only adds depth to the song.

Rating: 8/10 With Decrease/Increase, Wrench In The Works have created a brutally chaotic album. They also tighten and improve on the sound that was hinted at on their last album. Decrease/Increase was a pleasant surprise and should help them win over quite a few new fans.

Reviewed by Matthew Alexander

Tracklisting:
  1. Vultures
  2. Project AK-47
  3. A Desert Voice
  4. Pocket Watch
  5. Deathslayer
  6. Gethsemane
  7. Hearts and Masks
  8. Vows (I Must Increase)
  9. Purge The Creep
  10. Walk Amongst The Tombstones
  11. Vows (He Must Increase)
(Buy Here)

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Christian Rock Rocks recently interviewed A Plea For Purging vocalist Andy Atkins about their new album, titled The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell.

Christian Rock Rocks (Brooks Ginnan): So you have a new album releasing this week titled The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell. Could you explain about the release and the process of making the album?
Andy Atkins (A Plea For Purging): Well, Plea has been an ever evolving entity since it's inception, growing not only musically but as five men in life. Our influences as musicians has changed many times as our interests in genres have changed. Lyrically speaking, the band has matured with content as we have in our own personal lives. The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell is the product of trial and error. It is the product of the world around us.

CRR: I've seen you asked the origin behind the album title numerous times, so I'll ask instead, what inspired the theme of the album?
Andy: When beginning the writing of this record, we were in an angry spot. We were brought down by the world around us and the things we were seeing. We wrote this record to speak our minds about the marketing of our God. It's something we needed to get off our chests. It's very freeing to be honest with yourself and others.

CRR: What are some of your favorite songs off the record?
Andy: Lyrically speaking, I love "Trembling Hands." It, to me, encompasses what the whole record is trying to get across. Musically speaking, I love jamming "Sick Silent America."

CRR: What was it like to include some clean vocals and a ballad from Blake on TMOHAH?
Andy: Blake's just trying to get famous with his pretty voice. This record is really just his tryout to land a spot in a band as the vocalist, hahaha. We are amped for the new addition of singing in our band. It's just something new for us. We have always been a band that has respected melody. We are just approaching it from a different aspect now.

CRR: How does APFP grow in God while on tour?
Andy: To be honest, we are all in a spot right now where we aren't looking for influence in our walks with God. We are personally searching Him out in our own ways without the diluting of His word through mis-interpretation and opinion. I did in fact fall asleep last night to a few of the dudes having an intriguing conversation about theology though.

CRR: What are your summer touring plans?
Andy: Scream The Prayer, if it doesn't kill us.

CRR: Any other things you would like to say?
Andy: I am listening to that band Cage The Elephant while I'm doing this interview. They jam hard.
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The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell

Artist: A Plea For Purging
Album: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
Release Date: 7/6/10
Label: Facedown Records

In 2009, A Plea For Purging released Depravity. It was one of my favorite albums of the year. Depravity was a concept album about the wickedness that exists in the heart of man. Musically, it had everything a metalhead would want to hear, ripping guitar solos, crushing breakdowns, relentless drumming and extremely heavy guitar riffs. Fast forward less than a year and a half later and A Plea For Purging are set to release their follow-up album, The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell.

The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell is another concept album of sorts, but this time around is focused on the teachers, preachers and prophets that lead the church astray with false doctrine. Lyrically, A Plea For Purging let these false teachers know that God is none too pleased with their actions and that His judgement awaits. This message is actually the very last words you hear in the closer "The New Born Wonder" before the album ends. "The day is near when everyone will stand before their Maker/Trust not in man/Trust in God/Your judgement is coming." This is a very heavy subject matter to say at the least. What adds an even more chilling atmosphere is the fact that it is spoken by a rather creepy sounding young girl.

Musically, A Plea For Purging create quite an ominous atmosphere to go along with their nearly deathcore styled heaviness. They utilize electronic effects, samples and vocal manipulation effects to help add to the eerie feel of the songs. I do have one small complaint about the album, which is the lack of guitar solos. This is one of the elements A Plea For Purging do so well and are known for. With the exception of a rather disjointed one in "Golden Barriers," the album is completely devoid of them. However, this is just a minor complaint. In all honesty, with the tone of the album, they probably wouldn't have fit in well anyway.

One aspect that A Plea For Purging have never used before, but are present in abundance, are clean vocals. Thankfully, Blake nails them. He sounds great in contrast to Andy's growls. Another surprise from the band is the complete clean singing in the ballad, "The Jealous Wings." There is not a scream to be heard. The atmosphere of The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell, along with the vocals and melody, have an almost progressive metal sound to them. I can almost just picture Extol writing this for their album The Blueprint Dives.

Rating: 9/10 As much as I loved their prior album Depravity, I believe that The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell is an improvement. This is a crushingly heavy album.Thankfully, in place of monotonous breakdowns, the band utilize electronics and samples to create an almost industrial music style effort. This effect adds a depth that makes the breakdowns stand out, and more than make up for the lack of guitar solos. A Plea For Purging had a great formula before, but the experimenting shows to only improve it.

Reviewed by Matthew Alexander

Tracklisting:
  1. The Eternal Female
  2. Sick Silent America
  3. Shiver
  4. Golden Barriers
  5. The Fall
  6. And Weep
  7. Trembling Hands
  8. Finite
  9. The Jealous Wings
  10. The New Born Wonder
(Buy Here)

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Yet

Artist: My Epic
Album: Yet
Release Date: 7/6/10
Label: Facedown/Dreamt Music

In these days, indie rock is showing to be one of the quickest growing genres out there. The style can take two directions. A more calming and relaxing form or a heavier side that even reaches into lighter shades of post-hardcore. With My Epic, they seem to take both sides with their sophomore release, titled Yet. As a whole, this album may be a masterpiece in it's own perspective, ranging from some beautiful instrumentation to some harsher gang vocals found in a few songs. The songwriting is also top notch, showing that My Epic wear their faith out on their sleeves.

Yet starts out on a high note, with three of the strongest tracks on the album occupying the first three spots on the album. "Author" starts off with their indie rock sound, along with some intense gang vocals, and has lyrics that easily sound like they could be from mewithoutYou. "Beautiful in me is You, every good thing, every true thing" resound in the song and in fact, accompany a beautiful song. Following up is the guitar heavy "Lower Still" that features an appearance from Micah Boyce of So Long Forgotten. Micah's vocals sound great and very strong on the song, showing his vocal flexibility. The guitars aren't the only heavy thing on the song. More gang vocals greet the song, but this time, are yelled. The lyrics talk of Jesus being beaten and carrying the cross, for the sake of saving us.

Vocalist Aaron Stone's vocals are chilling on "Lashes," which are a plea to God, saying "I'm ashamed that You love me, send grace for the hearts that I stole." The song also has some heavy bass on it, along with a sound that draws comparisons to the likes of As Cities Burn. The calming tones of the album kick into gear starting with "Rich," that has a sound not to far from bands such as Deas Vail. The layered vocals that close out the song are mixed with the eclectic guitar work found on much of Yet.

The two oppositely named songs, "Patience and Silence" and "Sound and Fury," both have lyrics that are cry out to God. "Take all my fury and throw it out into the wind" represents the stronger of the two tracks, "Sound and Fury." It has some of the best guitar riffs heard from My Epic, which transition into the next track, "Pour." Something that I admire about this track and many of the others are the boldness found in the honest lyrics and heavy instrumentation that go along with the softer vocals from Aaron. There are a few times where the music does get a bit distracting and a small bit dreary, but aside from that, My Epic have created a beautiful album with a message that they are not afraid to share.

Rating: 8/10 My Epic have created a solid album with Yet, their sophomore release. The lyrics and music are both chilling, containing a great message of God's love and what He went through for us. This album is guaranteed to be a good listen, a blessing at that.

Tracklisting:
  1. Author
  2. Lower Still
  3. Lashes
  4. Rich
  5. Patience and Silence
  6. Sound and Fury
  7. Pour
  8. Ashes
  9. Further Up/Further In
  10. Perfector
(Buy Here)

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The Medicine

Artist: John Mark McMillan
Album: The Medicine
Release Date: 7/6/10
Label: Integrity Music

Sadly, some of the best artists in the music scene can go undiscovered nowadays because of another, bigger artist taking the song and turning it into a hit. Well, there's a name that you need to know and that is John Mark McMillan. Never heard of him? Let me put it this way, McMillan is in fact the talented writer behind the hit "How He Loves" that has in the past year, grown into one of the biggest worship songs in our nation, sung across the country by more and more churches. Now I've known about John Mark McMillan for a while, but his new album The Medicine easily surpassed my expectations. What we have here is a beautifully written folk rock melded with some worshipful lyrics, making for a good combination.Rest assured, The Medicine is not your typical worship album. McMillan's songwriting is full of metaphors, as well as direct references to Jesus Christ.

"Reckoning Day" starts off the musical journey found on the album, talking of Judgement Day and the second coming of Christ. Surprisingly, the title track that follows has an upbeat Americana/folk rock sound to it and seems meant for a summer drive with the windows rolled down. "If I had the Medicine, I'd give you the Medicine" are only some of the resounding lyrics in the chorus and are sure to stick. The next two tracks, "Skeleton Bones" and "Carbon Ribs," serve as modern worship tunes that could even be considered modern hymns. The beautiful "Carbon Ribs" takes on more of a slower tempo but has seemingly well written lyrics to go along with the haunting plucked guitar that backs McMillan's strong, deep vocals. "Death In His Grave" takes the same sort of direction, but with more of a Southern tone to it. The acoustic-driven folk ballad "Belly of the Lion" takes an interesting toll, with lyrics like "Days like these I don't know what to sing about."

More of a post-rock sound comparable to Gungor is found in "Out Of The Ground," certainly having a good amount of energy included. The Springsteen inspired "Carolina Tide" serves as one of the strongest tracks on The Medicine and talks of love and redemption. "Between The Cracks" tells the story of Jesus from a modern day perspective, as well as McMillan's God-given heart and passion for the broken hearted and the problems that go on in our everyday lives. The ending track comes as no surprise, with "How He Loves." Something to take note here, is that despite many other artists doing this song, the original version from the writer of the song has the most energy put into the song. McMillan's soaring vocals mix with a crowd of worshippers for the majority of the song, which put the final touch on the album.

Rating: 9/10 Worship album of the year is no surprise with John Mark McMillan's debut album on Integrity, The Medicine. Although released a few years back, this version contains four new songs, among them the hit worship song "How He Loves." Relentless, McMillan's take on worship is a rather unique one, being folk rock driven. There's no doubt that McMillan's God-given passion is put into The Medicine, making this an album you won't forget.

Tracklisting:
  1. Reckoning Day
  2. The Medicine
  3. Skeleton Bones
  4. Carbon Ribs
  5. Dress Us Up
  6. Death In His Grave
  7. Belly of the Lion
  8. Philadelphia
  9. Out Of The Ground
  10. Ten Thousand
  11. Carolina Tide
  12. My Only
  13. Between The Cracks
  14. How He Loves (Single Version)
(Buy Here)

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Artist: Future of Forestry
Album: Travel III
Release Date: 6/29/10
Label: Credential Recordings

A bit over year ago, indie/experimental band Future of Forestry started off their trilogy of EPs, titled Travel. Although Travel I and II were rather interesting listens, the highlight of the bunch is Travel III, the conclusion to the trilogy. Unlike it predecessors, this effort has more of an organic sound that seems all natural for the band, something that I'd like to hear a bit more of.

The opener is titled "Bold and Underlined," which begins with a rather fluid guitar line that is reminiscent of bands such as Switchfoot. It is also the catchiest of the small group of tracks, that all flow together nicely. The next track, "Working To Be Loved," starts off acoustic driven, but changes into more of an ambient ballad. Lead vocalist Eric Owyoung's vocals accompany the theme of Travel III well, which is a hard working ethic that is somewhat based on the album art.

"Did You Lose Yourself?" has some of the unique, experimental sounds that seem signature to Future of Forestry, with tones of light synths and chilling drum beats throughout, that end with a beautiful string arrangement to close out the song. The follow up is a darker sounding rocker named "Protection," that also contains some of the best instrumentation of the EP. "Your Day's Not Over" does not only close out the album, but the whole project of Travel. It's starts off with a nice, warm guitar intro, that quickly leads to their indie sound, that is also laden with strings that end the Travel series nicely.

Rating: 8/10 Future of Forestry end their series of EPs, Travel, with Travel III. Easily the best of the bunch, a solid indie and alternative sound is found, mixing with other experimental elements. A good effort to end on.

Tracklisting:
  1. Bold and Underlined
  2. Working To Be Loved
  3. Did You Lose Yourself?
  4. Protection
  5. Horizon Rainfall
  6. Your Day's Not Over
(Buy Here)