Noel Richards Band - Road To Berlin

Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Noel's first studio recording for three years and the first time the worship ministry veteran has recorded with his touring band, this is, for my money, his best ever album. The opener "There Is Only One God" with its ringing guitars and anthemic chorus is exactly the kind of song which will stir the multitude who'll be gathering at Berlin's Olympic Stadium in June, 2005. Several other tracks have a similar intensity ideal for worship in large gatherings while the band do their bit with a gritty edge with Neil Costello's torrid electric guitar work and Mark Edwards' bluesy Hammond organ particular standouts. I liked the more tender, slow songs like "Could You" as well and though the bleating quality of Noel's voice isn't to everyone's taste his sheer determination to give God the glory coupled to no little songwriting craft make 'Road To Berlin' both an effecting album and a collection of new Richards songs every bit as good as his classics of the '80s and '90s. Also, it was a brilliant idea for this package to include a bonus DVD of the Wembley Stadium worship at Champion Of The World in 1998. I trust thousands of our readers will be in Berlin next year to see the next stage of Noel's extraordinary vision unfold.