Review Summary: Leaving me thirsty
[Disclaimer: For the purpose of both this review and the further series of reviews, disregard all Disciple albums released before this one. I’m trying to specifically focus on the alternative metal/modern rock days of Disciple rather than the thrashier, heavier early material. So, for all intents and purposes, this is the first album Disciple released.]
At this point in time (2004), Christian influence in the modern rock world was still growing. RED’s groundbreaking
End Of Silence wouldn’t come out till 2006, Skillet’s
Collide came out in 2003 and was the first to show the band in a truly heavier light, and Thousand Foot Krutch was still touring off the success of
Phenomenon(2002). Put simply, this was a breeding ground and a fairly fruitful one at that. Christian angst and alternative metal are a powerhouse combination, after all. So, why not put yourself out there and see what happened?
Vocalist Kevin Young proves to have a decent set of pipes that, while showing their influence of both older metal bands and southern rockers alike, has its own tone and is fully capable. He can croon, scream, and reach a range somewhere in the middle with little to no problems. He sounds impassioned and excited to be sharing his beliefs and rocking hard. Both he and former guitarist Brad Noah are the cornerstones of Disciple’s sound and it’s very obvious. Speaking of guitars, Brad is more than capable throughout the project in pretty much any capacity: he riffs and chugs hard, soars with simmering octave chords, strips it down both cleanly and acoustically, and even plays some nice lead parts. Bass is never a factor, and drums are rarely a factor, but if you’re into this genre, this shouldn’t come as too much of a shock.
“The Wait Is Over” and “Stripped Away” open the record and are both heavy, riff-laden numbers that split the difference between melody and heaviness pretty well. There’s more edge than your typical Nickelback or 3 Doors Down but it is still fairly accessible. The ultimate point is that it is very well-done and pleasing. “Into Black” takes it down a few notches, similar to “My Hell” from 2006’s
Scars Remain. Here, the lead guitar takes precedence over heavy Drop C riffing (though there is of course some of that there), and Kevin sings and croons more than his scratchy scream. Though the song ultimately concludes on a heavier note, it’s a decent foray into the more melodic side of Disciple. “Rise Up”, a Disciple classic and live staple, goes full force in the opposite direction: the riffs are glaringly in-your-face, screams wrack every aspect of the track, the drums thrash, and the lyrics reek of urgency. The track is heavier than the first two tracks of the record but is honestly better off for it, showing that the band can play just as well at full speed as they can at medium speed. “Shine Down” shows the whole band cohesing as a well-oiled machine: the drums, guitar, and vocals just blend very well and complement each other fantastically. “Be The Quiet” is a late-album, southern flavored rocker that blends heaviness and melody just as well as the opening track.
Filler is the best way to describe the majority of this record because there is just so much of it. Out of eleven rock tracks, five of them are straight filler. All three ballads are bland and uninteresting. That’s an 8:6 ratio and not in the album’s favor. The lyrics are decent, but there’s just a major desire for ambiguity and maybe not quite as much of a preachy feel. The lyrical approach in “Be The Quiet” works beautifully and is a subtle reference to God’s grace, and I wish this could’ve spread to other portions of the record. Finally, there’s only so long a vocalist and a guitarist can carry a record on their backs and this only adds to the filler factor.
I went into this with relatively high expectations and was let down a fair bit, but it’s by no means a bad album. The standouts are pretty strong and “Rise Up” is an adrenaline-fueled ride, but other than that there isn’t much to see here.
