Reviewed by Ian Webber

Sitting in the same musical pool as the likes of House Of Heroes and Anberlin, this North Caroline outfit does not fit the usual mould of a Facedown band. The whole album is characterised by a beautiful atmosphere of spacious drum rhythms and anthemic rock phrases, all tempered with a sweeping ambience that draws the listener in. Sitting over the top of this indie rock backing are the haunting vocals of Aaron Stone that help to produce what at times could be described as a modern rock worship project. Authentic lyrics sit comfortably in this setting. Even the inclusion of elements of the '80s chorus "Majesty" enhance the worshipful "Hail". The most radio friendly track is "Curse" and highlights the band's ability to write catchy, layered rock tunes. The whole album benefits from some excellent production work by Matt Goldman (Underoath, Anberlin) reinforcing the soaring crescendos and building an excellent dynamic throughout. With the feel of a concept album, the tracks "Arise", "Approach" and "Arrive" make up the backbone of the album that is both beautiful and surprising as nuances jump out with every listen. Lovers of mature progressive rock should investigate these 11 tracks; they are not to be missed.

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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