Reviewed by Ian Webber

Arriving with lyrical and musical power, this four piece band from Abilene, Texas exudes passion, communicating in an uncompromising, hardcore fashion. Opening with choppy guitars and solid breakdowns, "Paradise" at times reminds me of a track that Project 86 might have written with its repeated "You're my anchor" lyric. "Jeremiah" is full of old school hardcore riffs and concludes with a surprising spoken reading of Psalm 46, before Josiah Lyle of Mouth Of The South guests on the title track. With a much bigger, booming sound, this cut includes more texture and variety in delivery. The standout track for me, "Free" seemed to sum up the band's motives and desires with its poetic lyrics that reveal vulnerability and a desire to worship God. "Your spirit fills my veins/I see your face/I am home and this is grace/I fall to my face and tears fill my eyes/You forgive the old me and give me a new being/God I am free/You are king, Jesus, you are King." Although these five short tracks skip by quickly in the CD player there is enough quality and hard-nosed dissonance on show here to warrant an investigation, particularly as this EP is available on free download from HM magazine.

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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