Reviewed by Greg Inglis

There is very little that hasn't been said about the St Louis, Missouri rapper and recent Holy Hip-Hop Award 2008 nominee. After a string of well received albums Flame releases his fourth LP and follow up to companion release 'Our World Fallen'. The title alone sums up the essence of its subject matter, a reflection on our hope as Christians and looks forward to the day when Jesus will return. A quick blast of snippets from the previous album greets us before a double hitter of "Funeral To Birthday" and "Go Buck" which prove Flame has lost nothing of his radical edge and knack for a killer tune. The former could have come straight off Kanye's much acclaimed debut with its speeded up soul beats and gospel choir coupled with in-your-face lyrics which challenge the listener to make the most of their life before it's too late. The latter is a guaranteed club smash which bursts with so much energy that you may have to restrain yourself from bobbing along if listening whilst walking along the high street. It mixes Ying Yang Twins-esque beats with ferocious Busta-like rapping, coming across like the more lyrically wholesome cousin of Eve's "Tambourine" joint. The next couple of tracks lack that same insistent bite but "Hold On" more than makes up for the wait. It's an exhortation to fight through the difficulties and struggles that are an inevitable part of life. It also contains a particularly memorable couplet: "It's getting bloody as I pluck out eyes, 5.29 flat out war on the flesh." "It's All Gon' Pass" is another standout with its full blown attack on the futility of materialism with a hard hitting set of verses alongside a deliciously soulful chorus. "2nd Coming" is arguably the best track here though with Shai Linne on hand to deliver an apocalyptic warning blast over a spoken monologue from Pastor Jeff White. It's intelligent and packed full of biblical truth which comes off sounding unlike anything Flame has previously attempted. "Joyful Noise", a kind of worship/hip-hop hybrid, finishes proceedings on a resounding high and leaves you in no doubt who the real focus is on. When you set the quality standard so high it requires real diligence and focus to maintain but Flame more than rises to the challenge. 'Our World Redeemed' is an album of real depth and maturity that is a worthwhile addition to an already impressive discography.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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