Reviewed by Graeme Crawford

The latest instalment of the popular 'X' series of Christian rock compilations has arrived and proves to be little different from its predecessors. As usual, there is something here for everyone, with plenty of pleasant surprises along the way. From the straight ahead rock of Skillet's anthemic "Whispers In The Dark" to the Rammstein-lite industrial groove of Family Force 5's "I Love You To Death", and from Toby Mac's thumpingly energetic "Boomin" to the intelligent punk of Relient K's "Forgiven" the broad spectrum of rock music is displayed in all its glory. Those tracks were all better than expected, and that's not even mentioning personal favourites Underoath, Flyleaf and Anberlin, whose albums already reside in my house. The packaging is basic but adequate and is similar to comparable secular compilations. On the downside, Hawk Nelson's pseudo punk and Leeland's Coldplayesque musings weren't to my taste. It will be a very special person who enjoys all 17 tracks on offer here, but it would be tough to find a better snapshot of contemporary Christian rock.

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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