Reviewed by Jeremy Williams

Spoken have been plying their noisy trade on the Christian hardcore scene for the best part of a decade, and have become something of an established act. For this, their sixth album, they retreated to a cabin in the Smokey Mountains and rediscovered their roots, coming out with 11 of their hardest, heaviest songs yet. Travis Wyrick (POD, Pillar) then polished them in the studio for maximum effect. One of Spoken's strengths is that lead singer Matt Baird can actually sing, and for me it's the tracks where he balances the light and the dark, the singing and the screaming, that work best. While there's no denying the sheer exhilaration of "History Erased" or "Brought To Life", the songs where they turn the amps down to 10 actually have a bigger impact, with "Trade In This Troubled Heart" and "When Hope Is All You Have" particular highlights. To bring balance to the set, "You're The One" is a much quieter affair, while the crashing drums and background vocals of "Start The Revolution" trespasses dangerously into prog territory. In summary, a heavy album that knows when to pause for breath.

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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