House of Heroes: Cold Hard Want

Release: July 10, 2012

Genre: Rock

Rating: 10/10

I was a little late to joining the House of Heroes party. For a while I had seen music sites screaming how awesome HOH was, so I listened to some of their stuff and was sort of indifferent to them. Nothing special. Then came along the band's single, "Touch This Light," and I knew there was no turning back. I quickly snatched up the band's last two albums, Suburba and The End is Not the End, and I have been jamming out to Cold Hard Want for like the past month. On this album the band created some of their finest masterpieces, and created easily their best album to date. I have listened to this album more times than I can count, and I have not grown tired of it yet.

"A Man Who's Not Afraid" is a pretty daring way to open the album, and definitely different than anything I have heard a band do before. It was strange, but House of Heroes made it work. After the little one minute intro, "Out My Way" began to serenade my ears with the best song of the year so far. The song is kind of in-your-face, but at the same time not too in-your-face, if that makes sense. "Out My Way" has an urgent feel to it and at the same time is very motivating - it is perfect working out to by the way. Possibly some of my favorite lines by House of Heroes come from this song, like the chorus, "If you've got shots you wanna take, better hope it buries me, hey ey ey. If I go out then so it be; you know I'm going out my way." This was a great way to start the album off, and it easily made me super excited to listen to the rest of the album.

"Dance (Blow It All Away)" follows up "Out My Way" with a song that always makes me think of Relient K for some reason. (Do not ask me why, just go with it.) The song is filled with a bunch of metaphors from the very first stanza, and is just great lyrically. The song talks about wanting to either completely rebuilding their life or just start all over and hav fun with it - just blow it all away. "Remember the Empire" is a very fun song to listen to, and completely different than the rest on the album as far as sound goes. It is a very interesting song, with some of the most intricate instrumentals on the record that intrigue me every time I listen to it. The song seems to go along with the thematic songs they have had in the past, in fact Cold Hard Want seems to take a departure from their usual, thematic albums. So many songs on this album remind me of weird things, but "Remember the Empire" reminds me of Star Wars every single time I listen to it.

"We Were Giants" was an easy choice for my second favorite song on the record. It is a little different than the rest of the album, in that it is more acoustic and intimate. I would absolutely love to hear this one in a house show type setting. I have always loved Tim Skipper's voice, but "We Were Giants," I feel, is the best representation of how great of a vocalist he truly is. The song is a plea for someone to stay and hold on to what they had, because he still believes they still have it. The song is a perfect segue into "The Cop," slowing it down perfectly to go into a purely acoustic song with interesting production. I have heard complaints lately of bands overproducing albums, which there may be some validity to that, but "The Cop" seems to take it back to the times when songs sounded less than perfect. The song was supposed to sound a little more old-fashioned, in which the band greatly succeeded.

I instantly fell in love with the instrumentals on "Comfort Trap;" in fact, I just love the whole song. I get it stuck in my head every time I listen to it, and it will usually stay in my head for like the next 24 hours it seems. The song is super catchy, and the lyrics - like all other HOH songs - are stellar. Skipper talks about getting to comfortable with what he has in life and telling God that He could wait, and he realizes he is stuck in this horrible trap. The first and only single form the album, "Touch This Light," follows that up with easily another favorite of mine off the album. The song is equally as catchy as "Comfort Trap," but it really speeds the album up and brings it back to the pace we left off with on "Remember the Empire." The single is what revived my love for the band, and it should be able to make a fan out of anyone.

"Angels of Night" is that song on the album that I think may have made me realize just how good this band truly is. The style of the song is unlike the rest of the album, which seem to be the theme of Cold Hard Want. The track is not one of my top favorites on the record, but after listening to this song for the first time, something just hit me and me realize just how well the band does everything. I would highly recommend looking up the lyrics to this song and just reading through them, even without the song playing in the background. Just read them. The lyrics are so well written and are the greatest representation of just how great of a lyricist Skipper is. "Stay" continues with the slower pace that "Angels of Night" started again. The song is pretty good as far as instrumentals, lyrics, and vocals go, but it is not one of my top tracks on the CD.

"Suspect" is another one of those interesting songs on Cold Hard Want that just really made me fall in love with the band all over again. The instrumentals are a little more technical and techno-ish during the verses, and the lyrics take me back to those old secret agent movies I used to love to watch. Who am I kidding? I still love to watch those movies - just last night I watched an old James Bond movie! "Suspect" is easily the best song in the later portion of the album. "Curtains" then continues in the strange intro tracks that segues into the final song, "I Am a Symbol." The song is a perfect mixture of everything that makes House of Heroes great, from stellar lyrics to great instrumentals to strong vocals on the part of Tim Skipper. The best line in the song, by far, is "One voice in the crowd is small, but if he speaks the truth, then he speaks for all, all of us." I love the song, and it is a perfect way to end a perfect album.

I am very skeptical of ever giving perfect ratings to albums, which is why I rarely give them out. Most albums that I review, I will pour over and scrutinize everything possible to get a good picture of how everything sounds, which I did with Cold Hard Want as well. I seriously can find no flaws in this album; House of Heroes did absolutely nothing wrong on the record. Every time I listen to it I fall more and more in love with it, and each time I find something new that makes me love it even more. I went into this album hoping for a solid release from the band, and they more than delivered. They released, what is right now, the top album of the year. I guess we will have to wait and see if any album can top Cold Hard Want, but man is it going to be hard to do.

Favorite Song: Out My Way

Tracklist:

1. A Man Who's Not Afraid
2. Out My Way
3. Dance (Blow It All Away)
4. Remember the Empire
5. We Were Giants
6. The Cop
7. Comfort Trap
8. Touch This Light
9. Angels of Night
10. Stay
11. Suspect
12. Curtains
13. I Am a Symbol

For Today: Immortal

Release: May 29, 2012

Genre: Metal

Rating: 9/10

For Today is a band that needs no introduction. Along with Demon Hunter, August Burns Red, and The Devil Wears Prada, they are probably the most popular Christian metal band today. Immortal is probably the band's most well-rounded album to date, with great preaching tracks, super heavy songs, and great call-to-action songs all throughout the album. The first and only single from the album, "Fearless," made me fall in love with the album and made me even more excited for the album than I already was. Then a few weeks after releasing the single I got the chance to interview vocalist, Mattie Montgomery, in which he talked a little bit about the album - making me even more excited. Needless to say, this was my most anticipated metal release of the year.

The album begins with "The King," one of two instrumental tracks with some preaching on it. Not only is the preaching really good, but it does a perfect job of building anticipation for "Fearless." The song transitions perfectly into "Fearless" in what is one of my favorite beginnings to a metal album. "Fearless" is such an explosive song, and they really capitalized on that with such a sweet intro. The song is a call-to-action for Christians, saying that we have nothing to fear because Christ is on our side, therefore we have no reason not to be out sharing Christ with everyone. If you want to be encouraged and be extremely on fire for Christ at the same time, then "Fearless" is the song for you.

"Stand Defiant" perfectly follows up "Fearless" with a more battle-line mentality, telling us to stand defiant, unwavering on what we believe. The song is one of the heaviest on the album, and one that I believe would be amazing live and in concert. "Immortal" then begins with my favorite lines on the record, "Everyone dies, but not everyone truly lives. Everyone dies, but the faithful will live on to rule the kingdom." The song basically says that since we are going to live forever in Heaven, why not give everything we have to make His name known here on earth? It is definitely one of those things that is easier said than done, but it is also something to think about.

"The Call" is my favorite of the two 'preaching tracks' on the record. The song has soundbites from the likes of Billy Graham, John Piper, and K.P. Yohanan, all calling us to be sold-out followers of Christ. This song is powerful. "Foundation," because of "The Call," then becomes one of the most impassioned songs on the album. The song talks about us how as Christians we have a solid foundation in Christ, and because of that we should never be moved from His word. I love the song, and I love what it talks about. The song also happens to be one of the heaviest songs on the record, but is at the same one of the most melodic. "Open Eyes" talks about us not being our own, but bought by Christ; and because of this, Montgomery says, "And You demand every part of me!" Everything about us Christ's; we should technically not even have a choice to follow Him, but He gives us the opportunity to make our own decisions. 

"Under God" then starts off the string of three straight tracks with guest vocals. The song features Tommy Green, vocalist for Sleeping Giant. I got the privilege to see Sleeping Giant on the Scream The Prayer tour and fell in love with them, so now going back and listening to this song it makes it that much better. "Under God" is one of those songs that I like to just sit back and let it all soak in, because it is truly just great music. "Set Apart" features Jake Luhrs of August Burns Red - one of the first metal bands I listened to. The song talks about how we as Christians are set apart and should be different than the rest of the world. Having Montgomery and Luhrs on one track is truly amazing, and this song quickly turned into another of my many favorites on Immortal. "The Only Name" talks about how only one name - Christ - has the power to save us and do all these amazing things. Sonny Sandoval did a great job on the track, and really added another layer to the song that could not have been accomplished without him. The song also has some cool old-school moments on it that really surprised me and made me love the song that much more.

"My Confession" closes out the album with the best track on the album. The song is a very emotional and personal one that gets me pumped and really touches my heart whenever I listen to it. The chorus to the song gets to me every time, "Call me a fool for this stand, but I would die for that man! My king is alive! Call me a fool for this stand, but I would die for that man! My king is alive! And He is worthy of everything!" Every time I listen to this song it makes me wonder why I ever sin, and why I ever live less than completely sold-out out for Him. For Today definitely saved the best for last.

For Today proved with Immortal they are a force to be reckoned with in the metal world. I do not listen to mainstream metal at all, but I have a feeling this will rival anything mainstream metal acts put out. The album is screaming of truth, and is a call-to-action for us Christians to get up off our butts and be on the front lines of the spiritual battle going on all around us. If this album does not get you pumped up to go share the Gospel with everyone you know, then I have no clue what will! Immortal never gets old, no matter how many times I listen to it. This has been a great year so far for Christian metal, and Immortal is another one of the amazing albums that has been released this year.

Favorite Song: My Confession

Tracklist:

1. The King
2. Fearless
3. Stand Defiant
4. Immortal
5. The Call
6. Foundation
7. Open Eyes
8. Under God (Feat. Tommy Green)
9. Set Apart (Feat. Jake Luhrs)
10. The Only Name (Feat. Sonny Sandoval)
11. My Confession

Wolves At The Gate: Captors

Release: July 3, 2012

Genre: Metal

Rating: 9/10

Solid State Records seems to be rebranding themselves lately. They recently signed Wolves At The Gate, as well as The Overseer, both of whom are a cool cross-breed between heavy metal and awesome rock music. Both bands lean more towards the melodic metal side of hardcore music, and both bands to it pretty well. Captors is the band's debut album, and it is definitely one of the top metal debuts I have ever heard. Every time I listen to the album I fall more and more in love with it. Seeing as I am a sucker for great clean vocals on a metal album, I instantly fell in love with Wolves At The Gate.

The album begins with "The Harvest," which quickly became one of my ultimate pump tracks to listen to when I work out or play basketball. The song is a call-to-action, calling us as Christians to be out there sharing Christ's love with the lost. This track instantly caught my attention, and made me so excited to listen to the whole album. "Awaken" finds vocalist Steve Cobucci marveling at how great and awesome God is. I love a lot of the lines in the song, but I think my favorite may be "When nations rage agains your throne, You are unchanging, still the immutable God!"

"Morning Star" talks about fixing our gaze on Christ and looking forward to His return. I love how the song talks about eliminating all the distractions out of our lives and living totally sold out for Christ - "For only to the cross my arms will cling." "Dead Man" follows that up, with easily my favorite song on the record. If you want an example of a perfectly executed melodic metal song, this is the best example I have ever seen. There is a great mixture of clean and unclean vocals that make for a pretty heavy song, but also a very melodious one at the same time. I love it when songs can get me head banging and singing along all at once, and this song does that for me. The lyrics to the song are also spectacular, talking about how we were dead before Christ came into our lives and breathed life into us.

"In Your Wake" is another perfectly executed song that sounds almost like a praise and worship song to me when I listen to it. There are very few metal songs that can get me in a place of truly worshiping Christ (mainly because most are call-to-action songs, rather than worship songs), but "In Your Wake" does a great job of that. I love, love, love the lyrics to this song; they are as good as the lyrics to any Hillsong track. "This is justice for my wickedness with your Son descending onto this world bearing our sin. We're helpless in need of Your grace. This freedom is not in our hands, still Your grace remains." The words to this song are powerful, and so refreshing to listen to.

The sixth track, "Slaves," is a little different than the rest of the songs on the album. It starts out with just an acoustic guitar and Cobucci singing along, and moves slowly into a little more heavier stuff , until it goes full-out metal at about the one and a half minute mark. The song is definitely one of the more melodious on the record, and is one of the more intriguing as well. In the song, Cobucci, calls out to God asking Him to free him from the bondage of sin. "Step Out to the Water" is a song for those who are skeptical about God, telling them there is nothing to fear because He loves us - in fact He loved us so much that He died for us. The song shows Cobucci's heart breaking for the lost, especially in the chorus when he says, "So just as You have given grace to me, I'm pleading Father that their eyes will see the clearest vision of Your love shown on Calvary. For redemption's story's in my heart may be seen through me." If only all of us had that same prayer.

"Amnesty" may be the heaviest song on the record, starting from the very beginning with explosive vocals and great guitar riffs. The song once again deals with being slaves to sin, and talks about all the grace God has showed us. "Safeguards" follows that up with a song where Cobucci is asking Christ, "How can I repay You Lord for this all-forgiving love?" The English student in me comes out when I look at the lyrics to this song, making me want to print them out and annotate them to death. I love reading the lyrics to this song, because they are so understandable and at the same time very complex. On a side note, the title of the album, Captors, came from the line in "Safeguards" where Cobucci says, "When safeguards turn captors it will stay."

"Through the Night" is another pretty heavy song, with one of my favorite breakdowns on the album. The song talks about being totally focused on the eternal goal of living for Christ and doing His will, kind of going back to the them expressed in "Morning Star." "Man of Sorrows" closes out the album with a beautiful song about Jesus that talks about all the things He went through for us. Then Cobucci basically says, if He has done all this for us, why would we not give our whole lives for Him? The final lines of the song sum up the song, and really the whole album, very well: "This is not a simple story. Our lives are for Your glory. Beyond my words and written pages, Your song across the ages."

Needless to say, I have fallen in love with Wolves At The Gate. Melodic Metal is the new popular thing to do it seems, and Wolves At The Gate are leading the pack (see what I did there?). This album is spectacular, from the vocals to the lyrics to the breakdowns. This album has really rejuvenated my love for metal, and is probably one of my top two or three metal albums of the year so far. If you want to hear the best melodic metal you have ever heard, then do not even hesitate to buy this album. There is no doubt in my mind that you will fall in love with this album.

Favorite Song: Dead Man

Tracklist:

1. The Harvest
2. Awaken
3. Morning Star
4. Dead Man
5. In Your Wake
6. Slaves
7. Step Out to the Water
8. Amnesty
9. Safeguards
10. Through the Night
11. Man of Sorrows

Your Memorial: Redirect

Release: July 17, 2012

Genre: Metal

Rating: 8/10

Your Memorial is arguably one of Facedown Records' heaviest bands. When I saw them on the Scream The Prayer Tour about a month ago (check out my review here), I was blown away by the heaviness of their breakdowns, as well as by the killer vocals done by Blake Earring. He has a super low and menacing voice - perfect for a hardcore act that is as heavy as they are. One of the main reasons I was so blown away by their live show was the fact that I was less than impressed by their last album, Atonement - their Facedown debut. The album was subpar in my opinion; it just did not measure up to my standards for good hardcore music. After seeing them live though, I became very excited to hear Redirect and see if it is as good as their live performance.

Redirect is a stellar album, from a band that I have now fallen in love with. The album has three purely instrumental tracks, as well as an opening track that is only instrumentals accompanied by preaching. I love those instrumental tracks, but that also means there are only seven full-on metal tracks. With that in mind, the album becomes a lot shorter than it actually is (it clocks in at about 39 minutes). So, I would say the brevity of the album is probably my biggest complaint. (Why is that all the good albums are so short, but the mediocre ones seem to be super long?) One thing that surprised me about Redirect is that even though the album is so heavy - possibly one of the heaviest of the year - there are still some very melodious parts throughout the record. Songs like "Transform" have killer clean vocals that really round out the album very well.

The album opener, "Transfiguration" may possibly be my favorite intro track on a metal album ever. The instrumentals are very soft and soothing - not what you would expect on an album that is so heavy. I love the everything that the preacher talks about, and it really sets a calming mood on the album. The title track comes next, and is a perfect way to introduce the heaviness of the band, but it also does a great job of showing how well they execute the clean vocals. The song, and really the whole album, is asking Christ to redirect our steps and put us back on the path He wants for us. The closing lines of the song I think perfectly represent what Your Memorial is trying to say through the whole album, "My life is Yours. You set the pace. You are worthy of all my praise."

"Shipwreck," which I believe was the first single from the album, is one of my favorite songs on the album. The guitar riffs are spectacular, and the whole premise of the song is great. Earring talks about how life without God is a losing battle, a shipwreck. He calls out to God, asking Him to be his anchor and to bring him back to a firm faith in Christ.

The seventh track, "Transform," I believe, is one of the most melodious tracks on the album. Major parts of the song are given to the clean vocals, and I love how natural the whole song feels. Some metal bands try to use clean vocals and they come off sounding forced and weird, but Your Memorial - and on this song in particular - they do a really good job of it; it just naturally seems to flow with their music. "Anthem" then follows that up with a pretty sweet song, that is possibly one of my favorite songs on the whole record. The song perfectly blended their heavy style with some great melodic parts, to form, what I feel, is a spectacular song. After "Anthem," though, the album drastically slows down. "...Evidence of Things Unseen" and "Cadence For a King" are both instrumentals that serve to slow it down, and a lot of "Trial and Triumph" is instrumental as well. These last three tracks are a great way to end a fantastic album; and are a good time to really reflect on everything they talked about in each of the songs. I think that may be why I love instrumentals on metal albums so much, because they give you time to really reflect on everything they said.

Your Memorial have really surprised me over the past month. They went from being one of those mediocre metal bands - in my mind - to being one of my favorites. I love this band and I love the message they bring in each of their songs. After seeing them live, I was not only impressed by their sound, but also in the way they act on and off the stage. You can tell they truly want to glorify Christ in everything they do, and that is why I have come to like them as much as I do. There are not very many bands that will get on stage and pray in the middle of their set, but they did; and that impressed me more than anything they else they did. Redirect is an album you do not want to miss. It is not perfect by any means, but I am very impressed by it and I am excited to see what these guys do next. I highly recommend checking this album out if you love metal; and I would definitely encourage you to go out and see them perform live. I have a feeling you will not be disappointed.

Favorite Song: Redirect

Tracklist:

1. Transfiguration
2. Redirect
3. Shipwreck
4. The Substance of Things Hoped For...
5. Eternity
6. Change the World
7. Transform
8. Anthem
9. ...Evidence of Things Unseen
10. Trial and Triumph
11. Cadence For a King

KB: Weight & Glory

Release: July 17, 2012

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap

Rating: 9/10

We were first introduced to KB, outside of HGA, when he rapped on Lecrae's song "Used To Do It Too," off of Rehab. The Tampa Bay, Florida native made a pretty big splash with that, but people still did not pay too much attention to him. Next came Tedashii's "You Know What It Is," and still it seemed that he was not given the proper attention; but then he was signed - in what seemed to me - out of the blue, to Reach Records. That is when people really started taking him seriously. In the past year and a half he has been on Pro's "116" and "Full Court Mess," Tedashii's "You Know What It Is," 116 Clique's Man Up, Andy Mineo's "Young," and Trip Lee's "One Sixteen." Plus, he has released three singles: "Hello," "Zone Out," and "Go Off," and a mixtape, Who is KB? The guy has been busy, and with all that he has still managed to release great quality music every time. ("Hello" was my only disappointment, but I will hit more on that later.) I have had high expectations for Weight & Glory mainly because of how well he has done on everybody else's songs.

The two things that originally drew me to KB were, number one, how fast he raps. The dude can rap faster than anybody else I have ever heard - expect maybe Canon; they're both pretty fast. The second thing was his lyrically ability. Lecrae has always set the bar for me as far as lyrics go in Christian rap, but KB is almost on his level already.

The album opens with "Weight Music," which I feel is a very important song for the album. It sets the tone for the whole album, and it shows the theme of the record, which is being so overwhelmed by the weight of God's glory that you want to do anything you can to further His kingdom. The song has a very nice beat, with some sweet keys, and awesome background vocals, that make for a great opening track. The second single from the album, "Zone Out," follows that up with a very fast-paced track, that is easily one of my top two or three songs on the album. The concept of the song is that we should be so zoned out for Christ that all we see is Him and all we desire is to glorify Him in everything we do. The song has an amazing message, but it also sounds so good. The verses are spectacular - KB definitely did a great job with that. The chorus is phenomenal - I literally cannot get it out of my head. I have been singing it since it was released in January; I am addicted to this song, and its message.

"Anomaly" deals with God's nature and how it is against everything this world possibly thinks is right. Christ died for all of us - who in the world does that? He never changes; he is constant in everything he does - who do you know that is that way? I love this song, and its concept. "Don't Mean Much" really surprised me. I think mainly the sound is what surprised me, because it sounds a little different than the rest of the album, and different than really everything else released on Reach. It is nice to have Sho Baraka on another Reach song though. Baraka is what I would call a "smart man's rapper;" whenever I listen to him I feel like I am going to be a smarter than before I listened. His vocabulary is stellar, and the way he raps just feels so educated and civilized.

The final single from the record, "Go Off," really had to grow on me. I was honestly not a huge fan of it after listening to it three or four times. Now after listening to it probably 20 times, I am in love with the song. I love hearing Andy Mineo singing, and I love the fact that the song is super fast from almost the very beginning, but Mineo comes in on the chorus and really slows it down. At first it felt weird and unnatural, but now it sounds so clean and almost perfect. On a side note, Tedashii killed it on his verse. I have never heard him rap like this; he literally raps so fast on his verse that I feel like he is going to need an oxygen tank afterwards. His verse, and really the whole song, is so dope. Even the concept of just going off for Christ and being souled out for Him is awesome!

In so many ways I feel like "Mr. Pretender" is speaking to me. The lyrics talk about that guy who goes to church and acts like he is the greatest saint in the world, but he really does not have a solid relationship with Christ. Sometimes I feel like my walk with Christ is not as good as it should be, but on the outside I seem like I have everything together. I guess we are all not as close to Christ as we could or should be, and in that case this song is really for all of us. The lyrics are a great reminder for all of us. "Open Letter" is one of the best songs Reach Records has ever released; there is no doubt in my mind about that. In the song KB and Swoope each open up fan letters that each deal with lust, and then at the end Trip Lee prays for the people writing the letters. Most Christian rappers try to stay away from any controversial topics, and in the process their songs come off as cute and fuzzy. The lyrics to this song are fantastic, and are very relevant to young Christians today. I have very quickly fallen in love with this song, and I think it will be an instant hit from the album.

If I had to pick a least favorite song on the album, it would probably have to be "Heart Song." Even though it is my least favorite, it is still a pretty good song, it is just that compared to the rest of the tracks on the album, it is not quite as good. The song talks about a baby girl with major heart issues, and it ends up being a very emotional song from start to finish. "Angels" picks the pace back up, with another great song. I think one of the things that drew me in with this song was the sweet beat; it is so simple, but the bass is killer. Flame killed his verse on the song as well, and really showed me why I love his music so much (it reminds me a little bit of his album Captured).

"Tear it Down" is one of the few songs without any guest artists on it, and the first since the sixth track. The song talks about tearing down all the false notions about Christ and showing who He really is and what the Christian walk is all about. Overall, it is just a great hip hop song. I was so anticipating the song "Church Clap" with Lecrae. It seems like when Lecrae and KB come together they always create a masterpiece, and that certainly seems to be the case with "Church Clap" as well. I could see this song becoming the next Christian anthem; it just has that anthem feel to it. The song talks about churches that are not focused on the right thing: bringing people to know Christ. If churches really listen to the lyrics on this song, they should easily be convicted if they are not doing their duty as a church.

"Hello" was the first single released by KB, and it was easily my least favorite single ever released by Reach Records. It has grown on me some, but I still hold that it is my least favorite single they have ever released. It sounds nothing like the rest of his music, and almost sounds like Group 1 Crew, especially when Pablo was still with them. The song is all about the joy of being freed from sin and having total forgiveness in Christ. I love the concept of the song, but I am still not a huge fan of the sound. "Here We Go" picks back up with another great song though, this one featuring PK - who always seems to deliver a stellar performance on whatever song he is on. The amped remix of "Zone Out" then finishes off the album very nicely. I have missed the amped remixes so much, so it was great to hear another one from Reach. If you like how this one sounds, you will definitely want to check out 116 Clique's whole Amped EP. The remix stays pretty true to the original sound, but at the same time brings a sweet rock influence to it.

After looking at the tracklist for Weight & Glory I was a little disappointed. Three of the songs had already been released - four if you count the "Zone Out" remix - that leaves ten new tracks. I had this sinking feeling in my stomach it was going to be a watered-down and simple album that did not take too many risks. I could not have been more wrong. The lyrics to some of these songs are not what people want to hear, because they will truly convict you. The beats are better than I thought they would be for a debut, much better. And of course the rapping is stellar; there was not a thought in my mind the album would lack in that category. I have had this album on constant replay since I got it, and have probably listened to it at least 10 times in the past four or five days alone. I think I would go as far as to say it is my favorite Christian rap debut since Lecrae's Real Talk. I am very excited to see what the future holds for KB; God is going to use him in great ways, and I have a feeling his music is going to get even better. This is rap at its finest.

Favorite Song: Open Letter (Battlefield)

Tracklist:

1. Weight Music
2. Zone Out (Feat. Chris Lee Cobbins)
3. Anomaly
4. Don't Mean Much (Feat. Sho Baraka)
5. Go Off (Feat. Andy Mineo & Tedashii)
6. Mr. Pretender
7. Open Letter (Battlefield) (Feat. Swoope & Trip Lee)
8. Heart Song (Feat. Jasmine Le'Shea)
9. Angels (Feat. Flame)
10. Tear it Down
11. Church Clap (Feat. Lecrae)
12. Hello (Feat. Suzy Rock)
13. Here We Go (Feat. PK)
14. Bonus Track: Zone Out (Amped Remix)

Ruth: Payola

Release: March 6, 2012

Genre: Alternative, Rock

Rating: 8/10

Ruth is one of, what seems like many, Tooth & Nail bands to leave the label and make an album independently. Payola was the first time I heard anything from the band, just because they never really caught my attention when they were with Tooth & Nail. After hearing so many great things about these guys and their music, I decided it was time to check out what everyone was talking about. The EP was originally recorded independently and was supposed to be released independently as well, but it caught the attention of MTV and was quickly picked up to be released on their record company. After listening to it many times, I can easily see why they were so smitten by what they heard. Payola is a very fun-loving, seven track EP, that is perfect for listening during the summer. Dustin Ruth's voice had to grow on me at first, but after maybe two times of listening through the whole thing - I was in love with their music.

"You've Changed" starts off the EP with a very fun-loving, but at the same time, very serious song. The song talks about a friend who has changed, and is nothing like the person he was great friends with before. "I really, really hate to complain, but I liked the old you so much better," sums up the song perfectly. "Darling Why" is one of my favorite songs on the record, that shows Ruth's depressing side, but you cannot help love it because of how great the song sounds! "Life is Just a Dream" is one of the most fun-loving songs on the record, with the best opening to a song I have heard in a long time (once you listen to it, you will realize why I say this). The song has so many elements to it that make for a fun song to listen to, blare as loud as possible, and sing along to at the top of your lungs. Be prepared to want to sing along to it, even after just one listen.

"Love & Craigslist" has easily my favorite instrumentals on Payola, and some of the most intricate lyrics as well. I love how the song mixes the flowery topic of love with comedy, but still sounds absolutely amazing. You cannot help but smile when listening to this song; it is almost impossible. "Alone" takes another dive into depression, talking about sometimes wanting to be alone and feeling like he has nowhere to go in the world. One thing I love about the EP is that one minute you could be super happy, and then the next moment your at the lowest low. Payola is definitely a roller coaster ride from start to finish - you never know what turn or drop is going to happen next.

"My One and Only" opens up with some pretty sweet acoustic guitar work, that leads to more and more instrumentals joining in as the song goes along. The track is a very fun love song, that is one of my favorites near the end of the EP. "Summer Fire" closes it all out with one of the more slow songs on the EP, that quickly became my favorite song on Payola. My favorite line on the album comes in the chorus of the song, when Ruth says, "You can love me if you want to, but break me if you have to." The song is very emotional, and is one that I feel everything fell into place perfectly for. This is the song where I first fell really fell in love with his voice; and I have had it on repeat ever since.

Ruth lived up to the hype. Payola is an absolutely great EP, that I have fallen in love with - from start to finish. So many of the songs are just naturally fun-loving, but a few of the songs are also very sad and depressing, and the instrumentals do a great job of conveying the mood on each of the tracks. Payola is so interesting to listen to, and it seems like every time I do, I find something else I love about it. If you like rock music, or you just like good music, you will want to pick this up and blare it from your best stereo system. Ruth better not wait three more years to release something, because there is no way I can wait that long to hear new stuff from these guys.

Favorite Song: Summer Fire

Tracklist:

1. You've Changed
2. Darling Why
3. Life is Just a Dream
4. Love & Craigslist
5. Alone
6. My One and Only
7. Summer Fire

Pearl: Reflection

Release: April 16, 2012

Genre: Adult Contemporary

Rating: 7/10

Pearl was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina; and only recently relocated to Chicago, Illinois with her husband. She has a super smooth voice that makes you instantly fall in love with her music, and lyrics that are a perfect compliment to her rich voice. Her debut EP, Reflection, is based off Ephesians 5:1-2, which says, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."

The five song EP begins with, "More Than," which portrays her vocal abilities very well, and is a great way to start of the record. The song talks about wanting more than the things of this world, and yearning towards Christ and eternal pleasures. The song, I believe, also fits perfectly with her name - Pearl - because it takes me back to the parable Jesus tells in Matthew 13: 45-46. In those verses He compares the kingdom of heaven to a merchant seeking a fine pearls, and when finds the one he is looking for he sells everything he has to get it. This story fits perfectly in with the lyrics of this song, which talk about giving up everything in this world to get heavenly things.

"Reflection" is a very beautiful song, that shows Pearl talking to God and asking Him to let others see His light shining through her when they look at her. Her voice is especially smooth on this song it seems, which makes for an especially great song. "Love of Jesus" follows that up with a more acoustic song, that almost seems to be meant to put a spotlight on her voice. I love the beginning line of the chorus that says, "There is nothing that can separate me from the love of Jesus," because it is so simple, but so true. The song is a great encouragement to anyone facing hardships or are struggling in their faith.

"One of a Kind" is probably my least favorite song on the EP; she goes with a different style that does not seem to fit with her voice. I love the lyrics to the song that talk about God being one of a kind, and always there for us in whatever way we need Him. The lyrics are great, but I am not a big fan of the rest of the song. "Humble Me" closes out the EP with another great acoustic track that oozes with passion and emotion. It is a prayer to God asking Him to humble her and give her a childlike faith.

Pearl did a great job on the this short, five track EP; especially lyrically and vocally. Her voice is what drew me in to her music, but the lyrics are what kept my interest. She still has some growing to do as a musician, and it seems she is still trying to find exactly what style she wants to go with in her music. Reflection is full of great and encouraging lyrics, and is a great EP to buy if you like adult contemporary music, or just want to hear a great voice. I am definitely looking forward to hearing what she does on her next project; it will be interesting to see her grow as an artist.

Favorite Song: Reflection

Tracklist:

1. More Than
2. Reflection
3. Love of Jesus
4. BONUS: One of a Kind
5. BONUS: Humble Me

The Vespers: The Fourth Wall

Release: April 3, 2012
Genre: Folk
Rating: 8/10

The Vespers are a quartet from Nashville, Tennessee who formed in 2009 and are currently unsigned. They have been together since a young age and have been creating a country sound for a folk audience that could easily become one's favorite.

"Better Now" is a great way to start off The Fourth Wall because of its folksy sound that captures the character of the band, and is a slow-paced introduction. This song is easily one of the best on the album because it is musically smooth and the lyrics create a worshipful vibe for the audience to enjoy. This song could easily be a worship song for anyone to recreate. The song expresses their musical talents and lyrical brilliance.

"Lawdy" is also another great song for the album because of its deep southern sound filled with many different instruments and a great lyrical base. In the lyrics, the singers cry out for the Lord to help them understand and to draw near to them. I think in this song, The Vespers capture the soul of their roots, and create a masterpiece. They do a great job with this song and others that sound like it on the album.

The next song, "Jolly Robber", has a jazzy feel to it, which I definitely did not expect from a folk band. They did a great job with this song musically; and the lyrics speak about a robber that hates the life he lives, as the song says. ("When you say you're happy with the life you live, I can see you crying in your sleep.") This song was a good surprise to me. "Grinning In Your Face" is also, I think, a fantastic song. The string instruments create a deep mood to the song, and the words could make for a potentially popular song. The Vespers did a great job with this song and many others on the album.

The Vespers did very well in the many great songs on this album; they managed to create catchy and smooth music with solid lyrics to boot. I do not see why I have never heard of them before; they make some fun and upbeat songs that are enjoyable and some deep, strong, slow songs that are equally easy to enjoy. The Vespers did a great job with The Fourth Wall, and is an easy favorite of mine in the folk genre this year. If you like folk music, you will definitely want to check this release out.

Favorite Song: Lawdy

Tracklist:

1. Better Now
2. Flower Flower
3. Instrument For You
4. Close My Eyes
5. Got No Friends
6. Lawdy
7. Jolly Robber
8. Grinning in Your Face
9. Footprints in the Snow
10. Daughter
11. Will You Love Me
12. Winter

Holly Spears: Heartache to Hope

Release Date: April 3, 2012
Genre: Acoustic, Pop
Rating: 6/10

Holly Spears came out with her new album Heartache To Hope in April, and her new record speaks about the heartache that is involved in this life, and how it can be transformed into hope with the power of the love of God. Anyone who enjoys adult contemporary or pop music will find some satisfaction in listening to Holly Spears.

To start off Heartache To Hope, "Just Another Love Song" is a typical contemporary song: a soft beat with an acoustic guitar playing in the background. Her lyrics are questioning the realness of a person, although many of her songs sing about heartbreak and love. For instance, this song's lyrics express nothing but things about love. I think this song actually is just another love song; there's not too much to it besides that. The next song, "A Beautiful Mess" is about her personal experience of hiding her personal feelings while her heart cries out. This song does a good job of expressing the pain in hiding, and what can result from harboring the real person underneath your skin.

"Identity" is about a girl who loves a boy - another typical love song. The whole of it is about how she tries to impress him with what is on the outside, and how she ends up being heartbroken as a result. Her battle is expressed well through "Hard To Carry;" I think this song is better than most on Heartache To Hope because it paints a picture more so than the rest; it gives the listener a good visual of the struggles a person is experiencing. There is a strong message in this song that, I think, can be conveyed to many women that hear Holly Spears's music.

Holly Spears' new album Heartache to Hope mostly consists of songs with the same sound, but with different stories, meanings, and depths. When it comes to her music, you really have to listen to her and try to live out in your mind what you hear in her songs. Although she does well on the lyrical side, the sound of her music is repetitive and has little variation which, as a result, makes her music slightly difficult to listen to. This is why I have chosen to rate the album relatively low. Holly Spears has done a good job with her album Heartache to Hope, and the quality in her album is on the lyrical side, but I feel like she could step it up in the future.

Favorite Song: Learning To Love

Tracklist:

1. Just Another Love Song
2. A Beautiful Mess
3. Identity
4. Hard To Carry
5. A Small Voice
6. Where'd You Go
7. Fairytale Dreams
8. Even Flowers
9. Looking for You
10. Watch Over Me
11. Learning To Love
12. Heartache to Hope

P.O.D: Murdered Love

Release: July 10, 2012

Genre: Rock, Rock Rap

Rating: 9/10

P.O.D. (Payable on Death) have been around since before I was born, and are celebrating their twentieth anniversary and their eight album, Murdered Love. I first fell in love with the band about six years ago when I heard their song "Goodbye For Now" on iTunes. I listened to that song over and over again, but other than a couple other songs I did not listen a lot to them for some reason. Murdered Love however has changed that about me, and has rekindled my love for the band. There is literally no other band out there like P.O.D, and I have not heard an album like Murdered Love ever before; it reminds me a lot of why I fell in love them to begin with, because it has that same sound they had six years ago when I first heard them. Sonny Sandoval's voice has always intrigued me, which was why it was awesome to see him do a song with Lecrae on Rehab. It has been four years since they released their last album, When Angels & Serpents Dance, and even though it has been that long, Murdered Love was well worth the wait.

The album opens with the sound slowly getting louder on "Eyez," slowly building anticipation for the song. "Eyez" is a very strong way to start the album off; I especially love the intensity and urgency of his voice on the track. The song is used to call out all those who have seen what God can do and has done for us, and yet refuse to accept His love. "Murdered Love" follows that up with another quite intense song, that may be one of my favorites lyrically on the whole album. The song talks about us as humans - the most wretched sinners - killing our Savior. We do no deserve the love he has given us, because we in essence murdered love.

"Higher" became my favorite song on the record after listening to it once. The song is a little more melodic - and less intense - than the rest of the songs, making for a great track here at the beginning of the album. Sandoval says in the song that people can say or do whatever they want to him, but he knows that he is living for eternity, and not just the here and now. I believe the song will become an instant classic.

"Lost in Forever" was the band's first single from the album, and I believe one of the most melodic songs on the album. Most of the album is pretty intense, but this song and the one before it - "Higher" - give a little break early on from the intensity. "West Coast Rock Steady" follows that up with a very fun and energetic song, that I have found is perfect for working out to. The song is really all about the west coast - mainly California - and just celebrating how much fun it is to live there and be from there. I have never been there, but living in a similar place (Florida), I can easily relate to the song. I may or may not change the words to East Coast rock steady in my head. The song is so much fun to listen to, and was instantly one of the best songs on the album to me.

"Beautiful" is one of the more emotional songs on the record that really deals with suicide and self-image issues. Sandoval basically says in the song that life is so beautiful, and so worth living, that it is not worth it to take your life and leave the ones who love you - even if you do not feel loved. Lyrically, it is one of my favorite songs on the album, just because I can hear the honesty in what he is saying. "Babylon the Murderer" picks back up with some high intensity that has a little more of their hispanic sound to it. In fact, the first time I listened to the song it reminded me of how he sounds on Lecrae's track "Children of the Light." It also has more of that raw sound to me as well; I do not know how to describe it other than it just sounds a little more raw to me.

"On Fire" is an interesting track with some sweet guitar work, and some interesting production as well. The song is a call to action that is all about getting us as believers to live for Christ and get rid of all the excess junk in our lives. I love the concept of the song, but at the end of the day it is probably not one of the more memorable tracks on the record - especially compared to a bunch of the others on here. "Bad Boy" stuck out in my head, but maybe not for some of the best reasons. I honestly wish they had left this song off the record. Most of the time, bands have extra songs they do not put on their albums, and I kind of wish they had replaced this with one of those. It has absolutely no spiritual value, and it really does not sound like anything that a Christian band should be singing about. I am not one of those people that thinks that every song has to mention Jesus and be all about spiritual things, but the lyrics to this song kind of rub me the wrong way. For instance, when he says, "I'm looking for a love that's true, not just another ho to do." Was that really necessary?

"Panic & Run" picks back up with a little more hispanic reggae sound that I absolutely love. The song may not be one of the most memorable ones, but it is still a great track to listen to that talks about not listening to all the junk from the media and everything else. There is even some hardcore music at the end of the song that kind of caught me off guard. The album finishes up with a song that I am very much on the fence about. On one hand, I love the song. I love the way it sounds. I love what it talks about. It just sounds great! The chorus is where it breaks down for me. Sandoval says, "But I know this the one and only Son of God, so tell me who the f*** is He?" Now, in all fairness they did sort of bleep out the word, but you can also still tell what he is saying. I have heard Sandoval's explanation for it, and honestly I cannot agree with him. We as Christians are supposed to be set apart and different than those around us - in the world but not of it - and using curse words shows the world that we are just like them. It in no way helps those who do not have a personal relationship with Christ come to know Him, so therefore I am against using curse words in any context. So, it is a great song, but that one little blemish makes me like the song a whole lot less.

Overall, Murdered Love is one of my favorite albums of 2012 so far. It has a sound unlike anything I have heard in a long time, and the intensity of the songs is something that is hard to match as well. P.O.D. never seems to disappoint, and this album has made me a much bigger fan of their music than I ever thought I would be. The band did a spectacular job with the record, and it is one I believe I will be listening to a lot for a very long time. There are a few issues with the album, which is why I cannot give it a perfect score, but as far as sound goes, it does not get any better than this. Murdered Love is a masterpiece that I believe any fan of P.O.D. will love, even if you do not always like all of their stuff. 

Favorite Song: Higher

Tracklist:

1. Eyez
2. Murdered Love
3. Higher
4. Lost in Forever
5. West Coast Rock Steady
6. Beautiful
7. Babylon the Murderer
8. On Fire
9. Bad Boy
10. Panic & Run
11. I Am