Reviewed by P Viceroy

"Urgency: A pressing void in the human heart that demands immediate attention." These were the words written inside the album cover by band leaders/brothers Tim and Lary Melby. It sets the theme of the album performed by this six-piece Californian outfit. The album begins with the title track, and after a neat vocal intro the power chords set in amongst an excellent bass line which really controls the song. I found this the most impressive track on the album. The rest of the album would probably be appreciated more by a contemporary audience than a rock one. Although the band do retain their own sound the ballads, due to the number of them, do get a bit tiring. "The Hardest Part's The Waiting" though has some nice dean guitar work and an extremely mellow sound. The lyrical content is good in places but rather typical of a Christian band in others: "He gave us free will' or "You can hear him if you listen' etc. Ocean View paints a nice picture of God. Overall I think that while a few of the songs show promise this album is essentially standard AOR.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.