STYLE: Pop RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 6325-6179 LABEL: Warner Alliance WBD4146 FORMAT: CD Album
This product is currently not available from Cross Rhythms Direct
Reviewed by Cliff Doust
"The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force." Much in the mould of Keith Green, Steve is in no mood for taking prisoners. Non-Christians may find his lyrics a tad unpalatable, but then many thought Jesus Christ well OTT. Nonetheless, this album could arguably be better described as gospel rather than contemporary and is not as hard edged as earlier works (ie, 'Shake Me To Wake Me', 'It's A Dying World') or as the title implies. There's nothing fey about the lyrics, but the arrangements are too lavish and to my ear over produced. No doubt Steve has been criticised in the past for being too abrasive, but that's better than losing the message in the orchestration. There's a fair reworking of "It's A Dying World"; "He Is Able" and "In The Hands Of God" are fine songs (particularly the latter) but for me most of the remaining tracks are too sanitized.