| Additional Review by: Jay Heilman On: 4/27/2009 jay.heilman@ christianmusicreview.org |
| Click on the 'X' in top right corner to exit this page |
| My Rating: Message: 3.7 out of 4 Music: 2.8 out of 3 Production: 2.0 out of 2 Creativity: 0.9 out of 1 Overall Score: 10.0 out of 10 |
94% [A]
Decyfer Down Crash
I remember when I received the pre-release copy of Decyfer
Down's debut End of Grey in the summer of 2006. It was one
of the those albums that everyone was buzzing about. So I took
a listen to see what all the hype was about. I soon found out
what the rock fans were so into. End of Grey was an album,
with a dark, melodic and hard rock soundtrack but featured lyrics
that spoke to the less 'talked about' things in our lives and the
struggles we come against even as believers in Christ.
When I heard that Decyfer Down's new album would be hitting
stores in September 2008, I kept emailing their publicist asking
her when I was going to hear some new music. It had been
delayed and pushed back for a 2009 release. I was like 'what's
going on here?' I couldn't understand why an album would have
been pushed back. I later found out that their lead singer &
bassist had left the group, for personal reasons. What those
personal reasons were, no one really knows for sure. Prayer was
asked for Caleb and that was it.
I later received a press release explaining this and that the new
lead singer, TJ Harris, whom I loved from his work with the hard
rock group Fighting Instinct, had recently gone into the studio to
re-record the vocals for the album. Some albums don't make
quite the splash they intended when they're finally released after
a long delay, but I thought what DD did with Crash was smart.
I thought the early tracks I had heard with Caleb on the vocals
were impressive, but I honestly think the TJ brings something to
the group that wasn't there before. The vocals sounded fresh.
There are certain 'down under' bands I think that should have
made this choice with their recent lead singer switch, but that's a
whole other story! Anyway ...
Skip ahead to February 2009. I went to get our mail and low and
behold, it had arrived! The pre-release for Crash! I have only
two words to describe my mindset after going through my first
'listen through'. Blown. Away! I was highly anticipating this
release and I felt the band didn't let me down and I think the DD
fans or 'Decyferites' as the band calls them will really enjoy what
the band has brought to the table with Round 2.
Songs like "Fading", "Best I Can", "Wasting Away" immediately
caught my attention. "Best I Can" I would have to say is
probably my favorite song on the album. The message behind
the song serves as a great reminder of how we should approach
our daily walks as Christians. God know that we're not going to
be perfect, but expects us to put out best foot forward. It's
doing the best we can that I think is most pleasing to the Lord.
The two heaviest tracks on the album in my opinion would have
to be "Crash" and "The Life". I think the songs and their
messages really go right into each other. I didn't quite
understand the concept to the song "Crash" at first, but after
reading the song-by-song, I realized that the song stood as a
reminder of the struggles that we must overcome at times. Being
a Christian can be tough, especially in today's world and often
times we have to crash through the obstacles that are constantly
in our paths. By crashing through the stumbling blocks of life
lead us into the message of the song, "The Life". Only when we
have come through to the other side have we really found the
life. "I gotta have the life". That's the big idea. In Christ we can
all have that.
I was also caught off guard with one of the softer tracks,
"Forever With You". The song could almost serve as a
worshipful ballad taking you into a euphoric experience in the
presence of the Holy Spirit. We should be focused on 'the things
of God' and His will for our lives. Very beautifully written song.
I was very impressed with this track as well.
Closing Thoughts:
Overall I really enjoyed this album. I have to be honest, it has
been in my iPod since late February and I have probably listened
to it more then any album so far this year. That and Fighting
Instinct's debut album are just about warn out. I think all the
DD fans will enjoy this one, but one thing I noticed that album
did not have a whole lot of, compared to End of Grey anyway,
would be the guitar solos. They're are somewhat absent from
this record. I would have like to hear Clonts/Mills talents a little
more. Bottom line, I think this is definitely an album worth
picking up. I think by year's end, it will remain in my top 10!
I remember when I received the pre-release copy of Decyfer
Down's debut End of Grey in the summer of 2006. It was one
of the those albums that everyone was buzzing about. So I took
a listen to see what all the hype was about. I soon found out
what the rock fans were so into. End of Grey was an album,
with a dark, melodic and hard rock soundtrack but featured lyrics
that spoke to the less 'talked about' things in our lives and the
struggles we come against even as believers in Christ.
When I heard that Decyfer Down's new album would be hitting
stores in September 2008, I kept emailing their publicist asking
her when I was going to hear some new music. It had been
delayed and pushed back for a 2009 release. I was like 'what's
going on here?' I couldn't understand why an album would have
been pushed back. I later found out that their lead singer &
bassist had left the group, for personal reasons. What those
personal reasons were, no one really knows for sure. Prayer was
asked for Caleb and that was it.
I later received a press release explaining this and that the new
lead singer, TJ Harris, whom I loved from his work with the hard
rock group Fighting Instinct, had recently gone into the studio to
re-record the vocals for the album. Some albums don't make
quite the splash they intended when they're finally released after
a long delay, but I thought what DD did with Crash was smart.
I thought the early tracks I had heard with Caleb on the vocals
were impressive, but I honestly think the TJ brings something to
the group that wasn't there before. The vocals sounded fresh.
There are certain 'down under' bands I think that should have
made this choice with their recent lead singer switch, but that's a
whole other story! Anyway ...
Skip ahead to February 2009. I went to get our mail and low and
behold, it had arrived! The pre-release for Crash! I have only
two words to describe my mindset after going through my first
'listen through'. Blown. Away! I was highly anticipating this
release and I felt the band didn't let me down and I think the DD
fans or 'Decyferites' as the band calls them will really enjoy what
the band has brought to the table with Round 2.
Songs like "Fading", "Best I Can", "Wasting Away" immediately
caught my attention. "Best I Can" I would have to say is
probably my favorite song on the album. The message behind
the song serves as a great reminder of how we should approach
our daily walks as Christians. God know that we're not going to
be perfect, but expects us to put out best foot forward. It's
doing the best we can that I think is most pleasing to the Lord.
The two heaviest tracks on the album in my opinion would have
to be "Crash" and "The Life". I think the songs and their
messages really go right into each other. I didn't quite
understand the concept to the song "Crash" at first, but after
reading the song-by-song, I realized that the song stood as a
reminder of the struggles that we must overcome at times. Being
a Christian can be tough, especially in today's world and often
times we have to crash through the obstacles that are constantly
in our paths. By crashing through the stumbling blocks of life
lead us into the message of the song, "The Life". Only when we
have come through to the other side have we really found the
life. "I gotta have the life". That's the big idea. In Christ we can
all have that.
I was also caught off guard with one of the softer tracks,
"Forever With You". The song could almost serve as a
worshipful ballad taking you into a euphoric experience in the
presence of the Holy Spirit. We should be focused on 'the things
of God' and His will for our lives. Very beautifully written song.
I was very impressed with this track as well.
Closing Thoughts:
Overall I really enjoyed this album. I have to be honest, it has
been in my iPod since late February and I have probably listened
to it more then any album so far this year. That and Fighting
Instinct's debut album are just about warn out. I think all the
DD fans will enjoy this one, but one thing I noticed that album
did not have a whole lot of, compared to End of Grey anyway,
would be the guitar solos. They're are somewhat absent from
this record. I would have like to hear Clonts/Mills talents a little
more. Bottom line, I think this is definitely an album worth
picking up. I think by year's end, it will remain in my top 10!
