Reviewed by Phil Thomson

Big God, big sound, big heart. I was sure I was in for a nineties Phil Spector rip-off, climatic walls of voice and absolutely no depth. I was wrong. The Imperials stand head-and-shoulders above almost any other American Christian import you are likely to encounter. The choice of songs, the gutsy production, soaring quasi-black vocal leads against disciplined harmony, insistent percussion and a real sense of purpose - just enough drama to imbue the set with urgency, you have to rise above the American penchant for oh-so-sincere build-up on one or two tracks, treatments which, in any other context might slip into parody. To their credit, they have been economic with the strings. There's significance in the label - Star Song Communications - where so many other USA acts dish up elevator music, this quartet really do communicate. I simply wish there were the budgets and the air time to see our own impoverished Christian music industry try for these heights; perhaps one day. Meanwhile, if you are looking for music with authority and stature, look no further.

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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