Reviewed by Steven Bridge

Nine Lashes began as a desire for change. With their name deriving from the whip used to beat Jesus before the Crucifixion, a cat of nine tails, and serving as a constant reminder of what Jesus has done for them, they have determined in their hearts to bring a message of hope to the hopeless, and purpose to the lost. They prefer to think of the stages they play on as an altar. The message is Jesus Christ. "We never want to forget what He did for us, and we hope that our band name beckons people to ask this very question - it is what we are all about," founder of the band Adam Jefferson shares. The band was formed in 2006 around founding members, guitarist Adam "Tank" Jefferson and original drummer Keith Cunningham, who had played together in another band for several years prior to this. Jared "Gus" Lankford and Adam's brother Jon Jefferson joined as bassist and guitarist, and lead singer Jeremy Dunn joined in 2007 after the band's original vocalist got married and decided to settle down. Noah Terrell came in on drums and the band were signed by Tooth & Nail Records in 2011. They found themselves in the studio alongside top producer Aaron Sprinkle who sprinkled his 'magic' in their crafting a national label debut in this album which proceeded to be a Christian music hit, particularly the song "Anthem Of The Lonely". Writing their own songs with Trevor McNevan of Thousand Foot Krutch, vocalist Dunn adds, "The songs cover a variety of subjects from perseverance to a wake-up call. It is the world we view." Boosted by guest appearances by TFK's McNevan and Demon Hunter's screaming frontman Ryan Clark, their music is heavy and thick, with some added balladry, the lyrics are clever and inspiring and they have brought a fresh twist to the ever burgeoning Christian rock scene. And the verdict on this record: Nine squares for Nine Lashes!

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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