Reviewed by Paul S Ganney

Press play and you're hit with solid drumming, power chords, driving bass, power chords, melodic guitar solos, power chords, guitar riffs, sung vocals, huge choruses. Did I mention the power chords? This is metal, a la Evanescence ("Six Feet Down" has that definite Moody grunge), Aerosmith ("Captain" for example - although I'd argue that this has a better vocal), Helloween (the opening to "Criminal"), P.O.D. et al (with a bit of Third Day on "Follow"). There's some nice touches to create a sound of their own rather than sit mid-genre. The funky licks in "On Fire", for example, the rhythmic shuffle in "Captain" and the choruses that hint at Bon Jovi singability (see "Always Faithful" - and there's a few guitar licks on this track (see the outro) and all over the album that suggest they've more than heard of the band). Thematically the lyrics are faith-based: they're not afraid to name "the God of new beginnings" as the one who wants "All Of Me", for example (from which I did like "I'm a mass of contradictions - I'm a doubter who believes"). It was a sheer delight to listen to an album of this musical quality where I could also enjoy the lyrics without occasional "sorry?"s (if you listen to a lot of rock/metal, you'll know what I mean). When I listen to an album for the first time, I tend to note tracks that I think might qualify as "best". After listening to this album, I'd listed seven of the 10 tracks - the others only missing because I knew I'd heard something better already. Yes, it is that good and really does get better as it goes on. I'd quibble with the record company that a band formed in 2001 are "veteran", but that's my only one. Enjoy (I did).

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