Christian Rock Reviews http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog See What's Coming Up Next in Christian Rock Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:00:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 en Secret and Whisper - Great White Whale http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/03/04/secret-and-whisper-great-white-whale/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/03/04/secret-and-whisper-great-white-whale/#comments Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:00:45 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/03/04/secret-and-whisper-great-white-whale/

This CD ROCKS.  I bought it about 2 weeks ago and I have listened to it about 7-8 times, that is with all the other new CDs that I have bought and been listening to also.  Had I not had so many new purchases, I probably would have listened to this even more.

Secret and Whisper’s new CD is unlike anything I have heard before.  They have a very unique sound, I can’t really compare it to anything else I have heard.   Their sound is unique, but this doesn’t stop them from mixing-it-up and expressing themselves uniquely in each and every track.  I am quite impressed with the new sound and band that I found, which I heard here on the local radio station, originally.

Great While Whale gets a 2 Thumbs Up from me and I will be anticipating this band’s tour that will hopefully come through Dallas, soon.

Type: Alternative / Rock / Melodic Rock /?
Lyrics: A
Sound: A
Song Diversity: A-
Overall Rating: A

]]> http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/03/04/secret-and-whisper-great-white-whale/feed/ IvoryLine: There Came a Lion http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/02/18/ivoryline-there-came-a-lion/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/02/18/ivoryline-there-came-a-lion/#comments Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:04:03 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/02/18/ivoryline-there-came-a-lion/ Brand new CD from a Brand New Band. This album started out hard and fast with a pop/alternative style that some other bands try to pull off, but few accomplish. The first 4-5 songs on the CD were phenomenal, giving us great lyrics and rockin’ guitar. I thought that the middle few songs all sounded very similar; I like the sound, but I would have liked to see a little more variety in these. However, overall I think the album is quite good and I have listened to it 5-6 times already.

My personal favorites:
Be Still and Breathe (played on the local radio station in Dallas)
Hearts and Minds
Remind Me I’m Alive

Type: Alternative Pop/Rock
Lyrics: A
Sound: A-
Song Diversity: B
Overall Rating: A

]]> http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/02/18/ivoryline-there-came-a-lion/feed/ FireFlight - The Healing Of Harms http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/02/02/fireflight-the-healing-of-harms/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/02/02/fireflight-the-healing-of-harms/#comments Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:51:53 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/02/02/fireflight-the-healing-of-harms/ I heard Fireflight’s new song Unbreakable on the radio, which has been used in the new Bionic Woman show, and I decided to check out their latest CD.

The Healing Of Harms was released in 2006 but I just got it. I thought that the CD was well-conceived and had a very good, alternative rock sound. I really like the lead singer’s voice, she has a really great sound.

The songs on the CD all have a similar sound, but I didn’t believe that they all “sounded the same”. To me they sounded all uniquely different. I look forward to their next release which should drop this month.

Type: Alternative Pop/Rock
Lyrics: A
Sound: A-
Song Diversity: B
Overall Rating: A

]]> http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2008/02/02/fireflight-the-healing-of-harms/feed/ Demon Hunter - STORM THE GATES OF HELL! http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/11/08/demon-hunter-storm-the-gates-of-hell/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/11/08/demon-hunter-storm-the-gates-of-hell/#comments Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:42:26 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/11/08/demon-hunter-storm-the-gates-of-hell/ In traditional Demon Hunter fashion, I had to replace 2 of the speakers in my truck after I bought this CD. I have been buying most of my music on iTunes of late, but when this CD dropped 2 days ago and they were offering a Deluxe Edition, which included a DVD, some postcards, a bumper stick, 2 extra bonus tracks on the CD, and a souvenir necklace in a commemorative package, I had to make a trip to the store to purchase the real deal.

I haven’t watched the DVD yet, so I might blog about that later, but the CD totally rocks. Demon Hunter continues their tradition of hard-hitting, guitar grinding, metal-core music and they add a couple of thrash-metal songs into this mix on this one. Ryan Clark delivers growling thrash vocals like he is famous for. This guy isn’t gonna have a voice in another 10 years, I am betting.

This CD is Demon Hunter’s 4th release and I tell you that each one gets better and better. It is worth the extra $20 (retail price of $29.99) for the Deluxe Edition set just to get the extra 2 songs on the CD, imo. But you get so much more also.

Rock on, Demon Hunter. Keep the music coming. And tour on back to The Door in Dallas, TX so I can come see your show again.

Type: Nu Metal / Thrash Metal
Lyrics: A
Sound: A+
Song Diversity: A
Overall Rating: A

]]> http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/11/08/demon-hunter-storm-the-gates-of-hell/feed/ Spoken: Self Titled http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/27/spoken-self-titled/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/27/spoken-self-titled/#comments Sun, 28 Oct 2007 01:10:47 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/27/spoken-self-titled/ I think my ears bled when I put this CD on.

Spoken outdid themselves on this new release.  What a strong, high octane sound! They have redefined hard rock in my opinion.  They start off with a bang and grind your ears with electric guitar all the way through the CD.  This one hits harder than their former release, which I also liked very much.  But if you want something that will make your neighbors come knocking on your door and asking you to turn it down, this is the CD for you.

Spoken’s lyrics are strong as ever, they just seemed to like to turn up their amps more on this CD.

Type: Hard Rock
Lyrics: B
Sound: A
Song Diversity: B
Overall Rating: B+

]]> http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/27/spoken-self-titled/feed/ The Almost - Southern Weather http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/27/the-almost-souther-weather/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/27/the-almost-souther-weather/#comments Sun, 28 Oct 2007 00:53:01 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/27/the-almost-souther-weather/ Not since Todd Agnew’s Grace Like Rain have I heard such an uplifting and heart-pounding remix of Amazing Grace. I admit that the reason I bought this CD was because I heard their song, Amazing, Because It Is, on the local radio station here in Dallas/Ft Worth, TX at www.897powerfm.com.

I listened to this CD all the way through several times and found the sounds as diverse as I like them to be on a new CD. The Almost just about melts your face off on the first couple of songs, then they slow it down with a few lighter tracks also. Then comes my favorite, track 7.

This band does a phenominal job of both lyrics and sound. I think the thing that impressed me the most about them is their strong, Biblical lyrics that accompanied the hard rock sound, much like Disciple’s early CD, This Might Sting a Little.

Type: Alternative/Hard Rock
Lyrics: A
Sound: A
Song Diversity: A
Overall Rating: A

]]> http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/27/the-almost-souther-weather/feed/ Emery - I Am Only a Man http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/03/emery-i-am-only-a-man/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/03/emery-i-am-only-a-man/#comments Thu, 04 Oct 2007 03:20:04 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/03/emery-i-am-only-a-man/ This new release that dropped yesterday is a lighter side of Emery that I haven’t heard before.  Their last 2 CDs that consisted of beautifully melodic voices mixed with screaming harmonies and accompanied with a good, alternative style of rock-n-roll.  The new CD, while it remembers much of the old style, is quieter and softer and on music side, and there simply isn’t as much screaming.  That isn’t really a good or a bad thing, it is simply an observation.  Emery’s previous style of mixing the melodies and loud screaming was what attracted me to them, much like the popular sound of Anberlin.

I am pleased with the growth of this new sound that Emery has and happy to see them expand.  The first 2 songs grab you with the traditional Emery sound, then a whole new sound takes over for the next 2 songs and the switchback continues throughout the entire CD.

Also, right now Amazon has the CD selling for at $1 cheaper than iTunes.  Check out this link to download the full CD in MP3 format.

Lyrically, Emery is just the same as always.  Strong, yet quiet, Christian Lyrics.

Type: Alternative/Modern Rock
Lyrics: B
Sound: B+
Song Diversity: B+
Overall Rating: B+

]]> http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/10/03/emery-i-am-only-a-man/feed/ 12 Stones - Anthem for the Underdog http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/30/12-stones-anthem-for-the-underdog/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/30/12-stones-anthem-for-the-underdog/#comments Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:19:32 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/30/12-stones-anthem-for-the-underdog/ I am finally getting around to reviewing this album. I bought it on iTunes the day that it came out, and listened to a few songs here and there since then, but never could get the whole CD in one fell swoop. So this weekend I went to New York and finally got the chance to listen to the whole CD on the plane.

This CD, while very good as a stand alone, doesn’t live up to the previous CD, Potter’s Field. But that didn’t make me regret buying it, I still think it was a great CD. The lyrics weren’t as solid as some of their previous work, in fact a couple of the songs spoke to a woman rather than God. That is fine, there is nothing wrong with that, but this is ‘Christian Rock’ right? But still, I have seen many Christian Artists write love songs to their wives or loved ones and I think that is cool. It just doesn’t happen all the time.

Anthem for the Underdog provides solids lyrics on their songs about God, unique sounds so that every track doesn’t sound the same, and updated tunes to previous CDs.

I’ll tell you something and that is that I didn’t think this band was together anymore. I bought their first 2 CDs and loved them, then thought there was a delay in any more releases. One of the DJs on the radio mentioned a while back that they hadn’t heard anything from this band in a while, then BAM, here is this CD. So I am glad that the band is still active and together.

Great CD, 12 Stones! I’ll listen thankfully and look forward to the next one.

Type: Alternative Rock
Lyrics: B
Sound: B+
Song Diversity: B+
Overall Rating: B+

Similar Artists: Must, Creed, Evanescence

]]> http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/30/12-stones-anthem-for-the-underdog/feed/ Demon Hunter - New Album Artwork http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/22/demon-hunter-new-album-artwork/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/22/demon-hunter-new-album-artwork/#comments Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:43:58 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/22/demon-hunter-new-album-artwork/ From their site at www.demonhunter.net

Become our friend on Trig.com to see our new album cover! Storm the Gates of Hell in stores 11/06!

Demon Hunter is one of my favorite bands right now. They blow you completely away both with their grinding metal-core style and their lyrics as well. I saw them play last year at The Door in Deep Ellum and they were fantastic. I am REALLY, REALLY stoked about this new CD!

]]> http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/22/demon-hunter-new-album-artwork/feed/ Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/01/relient-k-five-score-and-seven-years-ago/ http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/01/relient-k-five-score-and-seven-years-ago/#comments Sun, 02 Sep 2007 04:21:07 +0000 admin http://www.christianrockreviews.com/blog/2007/09/01/relient-k-five-score-and-seven-years-ago/ Relient K, while starting out as a rather “modern punk” band, has released their next CD with a theme that has changed and grown for a newer, more unique sound than the standard punk that you hear from so many bands today.

I bought this CD for one song only: Track #3, I Need You. It was the single being played on the local radio station in Dallas, TX. Sadly, this was the best song on the CD. I was disappointed that the other 14 songs weren’t in closer relation to the sound of Track 3, though I often complain that I don’t like it when all the songs on a certain album all sound the same, too. I can definately say this CD didn’t have that problem.

Each song was uniquely different, most of them holding a definition closer to “modern pop” rather than “modern punk” So if you like a more melodic and mellow sound, this CD is probably for you. Thankfully, I enjoy a various and eclectic selection of music, so I didn’t mind that this CD sounded different than what I was expecting it to be. I listened to it 3-4 times at work the day I got it, and I will likely continue to do so.

Also, I thought it was pretty cool they covered a Beach Boys song on Track 15, Sloop John B.

Type: Pop/Rock
Lyrics: B+
Sound: B
Song Diversity: B+
Overall Rating: B

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