Sleeping Giant - Kingdom Days In An Evil Age

Artist: Sleeping Giant
Album: Kingdom Days In An Evil Age
Release Date: July 12, 2011
Label: Ain't No Grave Records

I for one, along with many others I'm sure, have been eagerly anticipating the release of new music from Sleeping Giant, since their impressive sophomore release from June '09', Sons of Thunder. Well, the time has finally come, and armed with a new label, Ain't No Grave Records, Sleeping Giant are back with Kingdom Days In An Evil Age. Has all the hype paid off however? The answer would be a yes, and in fact, this may just be the best that we have heard the band.

Kingdom Days In An Evil Age packs in everything Sleeping Giant does well, and takes it up a notch, with more intense instrumentation, powerful lyrics, and plenty of worship. The minute and a half intro, "Throne Room Militance" is not your typical instrumental build up to the following song, but instead packs as much as it can into the small duration of time, setting the atmosphere of Kingdom Days with an in-your-face message and call to believers to rise up. "Salvation is our banner!" is the one line of "Dead Men Walking" that pleas to be yelled along with, from an anthem of a song that wages war against the powers of Darkness. Guest vocals from Frankie Palmeri of Emmure are found on "Eyes Wide Open," fitting the song well, and are especially memorable when he screams with Tommy Green, "You better pray!"

Some classic Sleeping Giant is heard on "The Cross Is Suicide," which is a proclamation of willing to lay our lives down for Christ. "ICXC" is a very aggressive track from its start, and speaks of Jesus being the Conqueror. The song which fans have known as "Hallelujah" for about a year, "Tithemi," is an energetic worship song, made up mainly of Tommy Green's singing, before some spoken word, leading into a crippling breakdown to end the song. Although it may not be exactly the same, the intro of "Tongues Of Fire" sounds somewhat similar to "ICXC," but after the intro is a completely different track altogether, with mainly just drums in the verses, backing Tommy's yells and screams. The percussion is once again highlighted on the start of "Jehova Shalom," a song full of mostly down-tuned chugging, and lyrics of the many names of God. A tribute to martyrs is made on "The Unnamable Name," along with a prayer for breakthrough over many unsaved nations.

"Morning Star" cries out "Jesus come, cause You are worthy of every human life, Kingdom come, Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End," followed by deep, throaty growls of "I am blinded by glory." Similar to how Sons of Thunder ended, piano is added on the closing of Kingdom Days In An Evil Age, "Enthroned." Another song of all singing, the song is hauntingly beautiful, with more honest lyrics of desperation for the Love of God.

Those who pick up the deluxe edition of the album are not only treated to an expanded, in-depth booklet, but three more new songs as well. The first, "Defiance," is all singing from Tommy, and gang vocals that accompany the chorus, along with heavy bass and echoing drums. The only real heavy track of the three is "Father To The Fatherless," which asks God why He chose to give up His Son, and that "Sons need fathers!" The final and closing "Holy Is The Lamb" starts out a bit slower with gang chants, which build up to the all out singing of ""You're the hope of all the nations, You're the Living God, and we cry holy, holy is the Lamb." A great way to end Kingdom Days if I do say so myself.

Overall: Sleeping Giant have made it clear that they have poured their hearts, minds, and souls into Kingdom Days In An Evil Age, their awe-inspiring third album. A very cohesive effort, each song drips with a worshipful passion, which fuels a battle cry for believers of this generation. As it says on "Tithemi," "This is declaration," and that is what Kingdom Days In An Evil Age is, pure declaration.

Rating: 9/10

Tracklisting:

1. Throne Room Militance
2. Dead Men Walking
3. Eyes Wide Open
4. The Cross Is Suicide
5. ICXC
6. Tithemi
7. Tongues Of Fire
8. Jehova Shalom
9. The Unnamable Name
10. Morning Star
11. Enthroned
12. Defiance
13. Father To The Fatherless
14. Holy Is The Lamb

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