Reviewed by David Bain

Having already built up quite a reputation for themselves, Royal Priesthood, that's Smooflow, Roucheon and Silas to their mothers, deliver a streetwise, stormer of an album. The one female and two male rappers have already had impressive sales on previous independent releases, with music videos and several awards from the UK gospel scene which tends to invite you to an awards ceremony for simply MAKING a CD. Be that as it may, this offering oozes perfection. In-house production on the beats comes courtesy of Smooflow, deftly mixing chunky horns with growling basslines. On top of this are the vocals, interlacing seamlessly with those tasty rhythms. Standouts are many but include "Stop The Violence" with a filtered vocal hook and positive lyrics. Also, "Move" breaks new ground dropping a solid bassline over a tight drum and bass sample - a big party tune. Priesthood have a heart for youth, which shows through their strong messages against crime and drug culture mixed up with innovative tunes. Not only a strong contender for UK hip-hop album of the year, but also razes the bar for holy hip-hop worldwide.

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.