Close Your Eyes - We Will Overcome

Artist: Close Your Eyes
Album: We Will Overcome
Release Date: 2/16/10
Label: Victory Records

Some of the best albums can certainly come as surprises. While I've known about Close Your Eyes for a while, it wasn't until last month that I finally gave them a listen, and what I heard on their debut album, titled We Will Overcome, is one of the best debuts that I have heard over the past few years. Close Your Eyes play an interesting style of hardcore/hardcore punk, thrown in with a bit of progressive and pop here and there, mixing for a very nice sound. Lyrically, CYE have a strong, unashamed message about living our lives for Jesus.

The opener, "A Proclamation," is a good example of what to expect on further listen of We Will Overcome, with a chorus proclaiming "With every breath we take, let our lives proclaim the promises that we made to You." A few tracks later comes another highlight with "The Body," featuring guest vocals from Mattie Montgomery of For Today. His vocals are the perfect fit for the song, resonating well with Close Your Eyes' vocalist Shane Raymond.

However, the album's best two tracks come as the last two on the album. The first, "Something Needs To Change," flows with a hardcore vibe, being the heaviest track on We Will Overcome, with well placed growls throughout the song. The end of the song is filled with a great breakdown, that asks "Who will be the hands and feet of Jesus?" "Arms Raised" closes out the album, with a worship sense contained in the lyrics. Sevaral times, the song takes a turn with a pop punk sound, which is very nice on the ears. I could not have asked for a better closer.

Rating: 8/10 Close Your Eyes have released one of the year's best debut albums thus far with We Will Overcome. Some great hardcore punk, mixed in with elements of pop punk, this album has been on a heavy rotation for me, and on giving it a listen, I'm sure almost anyone would agree.

Tracklisting:

1. A Proclamation
2. Friends Are Friends Forever
3. xChet Steadmanx
4. Digging Graves
5. The Body
6. Song For The Broken
7. 17:20
8. Wake Up!
9. Bitter Path
10. Something Needs To Change
11. Arms Raised

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