Artist: Capital Lights
Album: Rhythm 'N' Moves
Release Date: July 19, 2012
Label: Tooth & Nail Records

Rhythm 'N' Moves is the sophomore release by Tooth and Nail's Capital Lights. Following the vastly successful This is An Outrage, which was released in 2008 and had a #1 single on the R&R Christian Rock charts ("Out of Control"), the group announced that they would be breaking up for personal reasons. This was not the last that their disappointed fans would hear from them though, and on December 24th, 2010 bassist and lead vocalist, Bryson Phillips, announced that the group would be releasing one more album, though they would not be touring behind it. Here it is, nearly four years from the day that This is An Outrage was released.

Last year, CRR ventured out to the town of Gilford, New Hampshire for a music festival named SoulFest. It was our first year, and it was amazing, and we will be going back this year! Below is a day-by-day breakdown of what to expect across the festival's five stages, including notable artists, speakers, and even a movie.

Wednesday, August 1st: 

Wednesday this year will contain a good collection of indie rock and worship bands, notably at the Inside Out Stage. The night will be headlined by Florida's Ascend The Hill, along with Abel, The Ember Days, and Walking Unity, with opening slots from upcoming artists such as Astoria. The Revival Stage will be led by Jeremy Camp and Plumb, and the Deeper Well stage will feature a joint set of Matt Maher with Audrey Assad, and young rock bands Fixus and Phao.


Thursday, August 2nd:


Thursday is expected to be one of the biggest days, with SoulFest veterans Switchfoot headlining the Revival Stage, after the annual candlelight service, and with thousands of people, it is quite a memorable scene. The Inside Out Stage will also have its most intense day, full of hardcore and metal all day long, with artists such as Sleeping Giant, War of Ages, To Speak of Wolves, and many more. The Mercy St. Cafe will be the host of a late night dance party with New Zealand's Rapture Ruckus and Gabe Smith Pop Culture Icon. The newly revived Five Iron Frenzy are also set to make their first appearance of this year's festival at the Mountain Top stage as well.


Friday, August 3rd:


Friday's Revival Stage appearances are sure to be one of the most energetic of the festival, with tobyMac and Family Force 5 taking their respectful places. Meanwhile, the Mercy St. Cafe will be showing the notable indie film Blue Like Jazz, with a Q&A session with director/musician Steve Taylor, which will be followed by a set from piano rockers The City Harmonic, who really impressed us last year with their unique live show. If you're into hard rock, the Inside Out Stage will be the place to be, with Brian "Head Welch's Love and Death taking the headlining spot, with vets Project 86, Write This Down, Run Kid Run, and Blessed By A Broken Heart to name a few.


Saturday, August 4th: 

Saturday morning will be the start of the SoulFest youth conference, and the day will see Casting Crowns, Kutless, and Lecrae at the Revival Stage, while the Inside Out Stage will present the recent comeback of ska, with Five Iron Frenzy, The OC Supertones, and rockers Children 18:3 and Hyland.

We're certainly excited for SoulFest, and you can currently order tickets right here, or pick them up at the gate as well!

Artist: Wolves At The Gate
Album: Captors
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Label: Solid State Records


Solid State has been a staple in terms of heavy christian music. Unfortunately, it also has lost some of it's greatest artists in the last few years (i.e. The Chariot, and Norma Jean.)  However, lately Solid State has really started to kick it up a notch. With some of the recent "new breed" signings, Solid State has given us The Overseer, and Wolves At The Gate. Two bands that I believe will be shaping Solid State back in to the label it used to be.Wolves At The Gate has been on my radar for a couple years now.  They released their EP We Are The Ones last year independently, and it was instantly a hit for me.  Their sound was not super unique, but they did have the maturity to come in to their own. When I heard that Solid State was signing them, I was really excited to hear them expand on the mastered sound of the EP.  Captors, is something really special.

Artist: For Today
Album: Immortal
Release Date: May 29, 2012
Label: Razor & Tie Records

The main thing I've always admired about For Today has been their unashamed faith in a scene that has been judged so much for its darkness and anger. In fact, I think that has been the key driving point behind their music. While oh so often For Today are classified as unoriginal, it can be insignificant, because at the end of the day, they make uplifting metalcore, that certainly focuses on message over originality. However, that being said, their new album Immortal does switch things up a bit. The band's typical breakdowns are still there, but are utilized a bit better as compared to their last album, Breaker, and many more melodic elements are implemented, such as clean vocals and brighter sounding guitar riffs, even a jazzy one (layered over frontman Mattie Montgomery's screams in "Immortal").

Artist: The Old-Timers
Album: Soli Deo Gloria
Release Date: June 14, 2012
Label: Thumper Punk Records

Three men; Dave, Don, and Matt from South Africa have come together to form a hardcore-punk band known as The Old-Timers. The band who record their albums in a very odd way, have come out with their latest high octane album, Soli Deo Gloria. This album was recorded be three men in three different cities and two different countries. Dave (vocalist) and Don (guitarist/bassist) live several hours apart from each other in South Africa, they recorded their parts and then sent them to drummer, Matt whom recorded his parts Idaho. The band states that their main purpose is to make music they love, and music that honors the Lord and they're not going to let anything including distance get in their way.

This has been a huge year for Christian hip-hop, and we are only half-way through. We’ve had some releases that I’m certain will go down as some of the best in the genre’s history, and a few that deserve to, even if they end up fading from the eyes of many.