Review Summary: The End is Not The End is lyrical masterpiece. It stands out as one of the finest rock albums ever made.
“There's nothing new under the sun,” they say. “It's all been tried before,” they say, and they certainly seem to be right when it comes to the music industry. Music labels today seem determined to pump out generic, uninventive pop albums in giant, nondescript droves. Bands who attempt to try something totally different and new seem to be falling right off the face of the earth, as even the most exciting and promising bands abandon their signature sounds and turn in their creativity for a high paying record deal. How great would it be to find something fresh, an album that makes you think, that doesn't sound just like ten other albums released that same year, that dares to go outside of the expectations and guidelines set by the popular music industry? What if a group of young musicians simply put their heads together and made the best album that they could make, and poured all their artistic energy and talent into it, without concern for what was “in” at the time?
In 2008, the mid-major Christian rock band House of Heroes made just that kind of album. The Ohio based group had been together for close to a decade but had yet to create any truly groundbreaking material. However, by 2008, the group finally seemed to reaching their full potential and were ready to create something truly remarkable. The End is Not the End, the band's third official release, is an epic musical adventure that is simply bursting at the seams with artistic integrity and uniqueness, all layered and given perspective by the men's Christian world view. It is considered still to be by far their best album, and has been highly praised by critics and fans alike. Though the band still remains under the radar in most circles, this album was their breakthrough which at least got their name circulating in the Indie-Rock and Christian Rock worlds. They pack uniquely performed music, lyrical quality, and expertly developed and relevant themes to create a truly intriguing piece of art.
The album opens with a short, 33 second instrumental intro. Dark and ominously, the music hits the listener with the mournful sound of strings and violins, which seem to fit the cryptic album cover art perfectly. An old man with a long, grey beard stands in a dark, cold looking, dirty city street. He holds in his naked hands a piece of card board on which is written the title of the album. The picture is tinted grey and brown, and the man's face is that of one who has seen and experienced the harsh realities of life and has been left destitute by them. Leaving the listener to process this scene as the short “Intro” flies by, the album suddenly and seamlessly progresses into the second track, immediately arresting listeners attention and plunging them into the relentless barrage of sounds and themes to follow.
It's a fascinating characteristic of music, but somehow it seems to be able to trigger emotions and summons images to the mind in a way that is moving, often spiritual. Being able to harness this characteristic is vital for any musician who hopes to use their music effectively. Somehow, House of Heroes finds a way to tie their music and lyrics together, as if connected by a string. Vocalist Tim Skipper sings softly and sadly when singing words that paint a scene set in the aftermath a massive and deadly battle. He sings sarcastically and playfully when calling out the twisted and false love promoted by the modern entertainment industry. Guitars and strings are the dominant instruments throughout the album, and they also are extremely moody and expressive. Each song, has a distinct message which ties in with the rest of the album, but the music is what carries these messages along. In the stand-out song “In the Valley of the Dying Son”, which follows the patriarch Jacob and his wrestling with the angel, the music moves the drama and story along as it constantly switches sounds and moods. When the angel and Jacob are wrestling, the music makes you feel like you are watching a battle. When Jacob is pensive and thinking, the music feels more whimsical and smooth.
The band has the incredible ability to make their music give impressions. In “Code Name: Raven”, the music makes you want to sneak about and check over your shoulder for enemies tracking you down. Later in the same song though, it rouses you to action and makes you feel as if you could run out the door, grab a weapon and join in the battle against evil. Perhaps most remarkable of all is their musical handling of what is supposed to be the end of the world at the end of the song “Field of Daggers”. The band employs dramatic choral oriented vocals to go along with the pounding guitars and heavenly strings to create a feeling of majesty. During the bridge, you can close your eyes and almost see the glorious end as Jesus comes triumphantly back. The music is fun to listen to, but doesn't just fade into the background. There's a war going on, and House of Heroes doesn't want you to snooze through it.
That's right. There's a war waging, and all of us are involved in this cosmic conflict. The lyrics on the album are at first a hard nut to crack. There are clear themes that are carried throughout the whole album that seem to be resolved in the end, but at the same time, there is a massive variety in the topics of the many songs. In one song they're talking about abortion and American's pending judgment and lack of belief. In another song they talk about worldly and shallow love. Next thing you know, they are talking about two brothers going off to war, a man being persecuted by the government for standing up for what's right, or finding truth amidst the madness of the world. Perhaps the most spectacular song lyrically on the album is the memorable “Code Name: Raven”. The song is set amidst the horrors of World War 2 in German occupied France, with the main character being a French spy who has decided to remain in his homeland. The song talks about the spy and his struggle with having to live in a country that is no longer his own, but is still his home. France has been taken over by the enemy, but he loves it still. It appears that the valiant Frenchman has had to resort to sabotage, which is clearly painful, even though he knows it's what he must do in order to win back his nation. It is implied that the man has had the opportunity to leave the country and get away from the oppressive Nazi control, but has decided to stay out of love for his people and homeland. The band flushes these interesting thoughts out using the dramatic World War setting, while also giving listeners an interesting window into the struggles that real people actually must have had.
The spectacular lyrical quality on the album is also demonstrated in their ability to pack a lot of meat in just one short verse, or even in just two consecutive lines. In the first verse of “Code Name: Raven”, it seems that the French spy is perhaps a Christian, as he reveals a very Christ-like attitude by saying, “I don't hate my enemy/I hate the cloud he's brought over my land”. How hard must it have been for the man to watch the brutal Nazis take over his homeland and still not hate them? Yes, he hates the cloud that they have brought with them and obviously the evil that they stand for, but that is a righteous hatred. The next line however brings the man's internal struggle to the next level, as he says, “There's no virtue in killing a man/ Neither is there virtue in being afraid to stand”. It seems that the man is conflicted with something that believers throughout history have struggled with. Is it ever right to kill? He says that there's no virtue in killing a man, but then he brings up the fact that there's also nothing admirable about being afraid to stand up for what's right. Does standing up for what's right mean killing? It's a question that many have been faced with, that some are being faced with today, and for many the answer is not clear at all.
Amidst this barrage of deep and fascinating lyrical material carried by passionate, artistic music, the band seals the deal on this album by tying all the themes together, giving it purpose and drive. For a piece of art to be truly brilliant, it needs to have some sort of meaning and affect on its audience. The album shows that there is something wrong, there's a conflict. It shows that we are directly affected by this conflict and that we are even to blame, but that God is not our enemy. In fact, in fact, He's our hope.
The album is an intense listening experience. It pulls the listener through scenes of war, sin and desolation. Musically, it's fast paced, it changes tempo sporadically and dramatically, and the vocals of Tim Skipper tend to be rather raw and aggressive. It's a great album to sit down, with earphones in, to just enjoy and listen to or play loudly in the car, but it definitely does not make for good background music. Good luck trying to study with it on either. I've tried, and it's simply way too distracting. However, if you are looking for an album that is uniquely and ambitious with a great message and catchy tunes, then this album is a must download. There are no blatant flaws in the album that stand out, unless you're just not really into their sound and ideas, which is the problem for many people. They are not mainstream musicians, and therefore scare many listeners away, simply because they aren't quite what the average music fan is used to hearing. I however have found this album to be a true diamond in the rough, and is in my humble opinion the most complete and dynamic rock album ever made.
