cycosynner: RED Ranked | Sputnikmusic

cycosynner 12.21.22	Grew up on a lot of this "Christian rock" type stuff and I still think that RED is one of the strongest bands out of that scene. Not nearly as preachy or as safe as Skillet, far more musically talented and interesting than Pillar, and (mostly) lacking the cheese of Thousand Foot Krutch. These cats played on Conan and had a pretty solid crossover with stations like Octane and I think they deserve respect for trying to push their craft forward with every record. Speaking of their craft, I feel like this is also a band that has been creatively torn for a long time, which leads to an interesting (if slightly inconsistent) discography. The RED faithful adore the cinematic, symphonic, and visceral tones of OB&R and I&I, but albums like Gone and UWHF display a clear proficiency at writing guitar-based alt-metal with plenty of electronic ear candy and shiny studio gloss. This inconsistency is likely what makes it hard for me to establish a concrete placement for a ranking of this band. I&I arguably does the purely symphonic stuff the best, but OB&R is a great blend of RED's heavier edges with the rich production and hidden glitzy ear candy the band has become known for. Gone is a fairly solid foray into more of an industrial rock/metal direction, but UWHF has some of this band's best songs on their more accessible and melodic side. Don't get me wrong, it could be nostalgia, but there's something about this band I just can't quit, my strong disagreements with their worldview notwithstanding.
cycosynner 12.21.22	Oh boy Pizza... you might well have triggered something in me. I could never really get into Pillar, even back in my youth group glory days. There's clear talent there, and Where Do We Go From Here has some alright stuff, but For The Love of the Game has one of the worst production jobs I've ever heard on a record.
JDubb 12.22.22	Top 2 are top 2