Hey guys! So last week we had a MASSIVE recording session with various people trying their hand at DJ'ing... Choosing which show to put on the blog was a no-brainer....here's Bron's show, Stoep Talk, where she interviews the incredibly talented Matthew Mole, an up-and-coming South African musician - someone who you should definitely look out for!!
By now it is no secret that Mandela's condition is critical. The world is watching with bated breath to see what becomes of our South African icon.
Artists from all over the world have been sending their best wishes to Mandela and last night we found a video of a song from one of my favorite artists at the moment.
Similar artists: Thousand Foot
Krutch, Red, Fireflight, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin
Rating: 4.5/5
“It’s
time to change it all... unite and fight to make a better life… Tonight we
rise,”
Where
do I even begin with this album? There is so much that I wish I could say about
it but to avoid an essay of epic proportions I will do my best to keep this bad
boy short and sweet...
John
Cooper brought to attention the fact that this album has been filtered through
the eyes of a teenager, “coming into adulthood and he’s faced by the horrors
that we see every day — floods, bombings, earthquakes school shootings... It’s
about his path to salvation and wanting to be significant in some way.” Throughout
the album he is bombarded with feelings of horror, cynicism, and despair.
Cooper also explained that “As we recorded them,
we started to realize that there was something going on—that the album was
really telling a story. Realizing that, I knew we needed to make it as powerful
as we could.”
Rise opens
up with the title track, which is a call to arms declaring that it is, “time to
change it all... unite and fight to make a better life… Tonight we rise”. This
track is not only powerful but meaningful as well, this song is the start of
the story woven into the tracks within Rise.
In this song we are called to "Rise in Revolution" against the things
of the world.
“Good To Be Alive” incorporates instruments not usually
associated with rock, or Skillet for that matter, such as the accordion,
mandolin, dulcimer and bells. It’s a positive song in which the protagonist
realizes there is a lot in his life that he has to be thankful for. The
story continues with “Not Gonna Die” which refers to the fact that the protagonist
of this story is not going to die, but rather have an eternal life in Heaven. “Madness
In Me” is
reminiscent of
songs like “Monster” and “Sometimes”. In it, the protagonist finds that he has
problems within himself saying that he, "Can't change the past, but I can
fight to save today".
John
Cooper explains that "The story's apex is the song "Salvation,"
where the protagonist realizes that he desperately needs to be saved." And
in realizing this, he asks Jesus for forgiveness. “What
I Believe”The last song on the album and it is
about the protagonist taking a stand and boldly proclaiming his faith.
It’s hard for me to say whether or not Rise will do better commercially than Awake, but in my humble opinion it is the
better album. The songwriting has more depth, there’s added diversity, the
concept is very thought-provoking and inspiring without being too “preachy”
which mean that this album will appeal to anybody and everybody. Fans of Skillet
will find that there is a lot to like in this album, and new fans of the band
will be attracted as well.
With
so much right with this album I truly believe that it was
well worth the wait for this album, and it almost certainly promises to set the
bar high in the rock and roll genre for years to come.
This
week, Song of The Week goes to: “Not Gonna Die”
Hey everybody, Alex here! So this week we thought we'd let our good friend Jeremy write for us....he is an incredible man and shares this incredible-ness on his blog http://epawelan.wordpress.com/. So i urge you to check it out! His post raises quite a few touchy topics which we hope to address in the near future!
Peace and Love everybody!
A
Hi readers
of Rocking it Christian style! My name's Jeremy and I've been given the honour
of writing this weekend's post. Just to explain myself, I'm pretty good mates
with Jal...I can't say that, it's too silly. Jason and Alex. I'm good friends
with those two, the guys behind this awesome blog.
I study a
physical-science type degree. I’m also a Jesus-Freak (a Christian but I don’t
want to be compared to some of the Bible-bashing conservatives who give us a
bad rep). I don’t have a problem with gay people. I don’t have a problem with
people of different faiths (there has to be a grain of truth in any religion
that looks at the beauty of the world and declares someone somewhere divine). I
try not to drink or party too wildly (occasionally it happens though, as it
does for any student).
I believe
God spoke the universe into being…13 odd billion years ago. Today
scientists are not sure what caused the Big Bang. They know it happened, but
cannot tell us why. I believe God spoke it. Until it can be replicated in a lab
under chaotic, random conditions I will continue to believe that.
I believe
God spoke life into existence…3.8 billion years ago. Until a scientist can
create life from scratch in lab conditions repeatedly, using only the elements
of the periodic table I will continue to believe this. I know smart scientist
types have created their own virus from scratch, coding the DNA themselves, but
they had to use a blank cell as the base, and using what I believe is God-given
intelligence to manipulate the world around us is not wrong or unnatural.
I believe
humans evolved over millennia parallel to apes from common ancestors…under
divine guidance. I know Richard Dawkins has written numerous books to try and
disprove this, but I’ve read Origin of Species, and until someone can
sufficiently explain how we evolved with such an intricate body (with things
such as our eyes) that still suffers greatly and disgustingly from the common
cold (which seems counter-evolutionary…I know the cold would have evolved as
well, but still) I will continue to believe that.
I believe a
man called Jesus existed +- 2000 years ago…and that he was divine and the Son
of God. Contemporary Roman and Jewish sources of the time state they had heard
of a man called Jesus and that he was a great teacher. They state nothing about
his divinity. That part of my belief comes from my personal experiences in
life, along with the Bible and testimonies of people who have no reason to lie.
The problem
with some anti-religion promoters is that they refuse to accept the testimonies
of millions of people who have personally experienced God. While all those
testimonial experiences can be explained rationally, I personally think that
such hallucinations on such a grand scale are far too coincidental to be
coincidence. There’s no way so many people can experience such similar mass
psychosis separated by countries and decades or even centuries.
I believe
fully in science and I believe fully in God, and I hold Newton’s 3 laws for
macroscopic objects as close to my heart as the 10 commandments. Jesus also
never, ever mentioned homosexuality in the Gospels, so this is why I believe
persecution of the gay community is so wrong. Jesus came not to shackle but to
free
Sorry for
the long post not related to music. But seeing as though this blog explores
Christian life-style I thought I'd get back to basics :)
Similar artists: Demon Hunter, Oh
Sleeper, Destroy the Runner, Inhale Exhale
Rating: 4/5
A step into the past….
When Haste the Day tried to expand their
sound on albums
such as Pressure the HingesandDreamer, they seemed to end up making their
music sound too simplistic and generic; and because of this a lot of their fans
started to lose interest. However with Attack
of the Wolf King,
Haste the Day returned to their roots, using basic metalcore concepts and
improving upon them with the band’s newfound musicianship. This is a result of
various member changes that were made in the years leading up to this album’s
release. In Attack of the Wolf King; raging guitars, combined with well
executed choruses, tactically placed drums and face-thrashing double bass help
to create an awesome album. Not to mention Stephen Keech’svocals, which have come a long way since
his debut with the group. With Attack of the Wolf King, Haste The Day are
fuller, more diverse, and as ferocious as ever.
It saddens me to think that just as Haste the Day were beginning
to reach a new peak in their potential, they disbanded. Attack of the Wolf King is a glorious tribute to a truly awesome
band. The Christian-metal scene lost a truly significant band in March 2011. With
that said let’s dive right in shall we?
I have to say that Keech's vocals in this album peak in
"Un-Manifest." Long gone are the weak and flowery songs he attempted
inPressure the Hinges, and his skills at mid to
low screams have really improved since the last album, becoming an entirely new
level of menacing.
Aside from the vocal improvement,
Haste the Day also manages to create an atmosphere throughout the album that
connects all of the songs together, givingAttack
of the Wolf Kinga more cohesive feel than past efforts.
Another noteworthy feat, not only for
the band but for any metalcore act, is successfully pulling off a slower, all
singing song. “White as Snow” sounds like it came off of aDeftonesalbum; it has a dark mood with
beautiful, ambient guitar melodies that complement the vocals and add a much
needed break from the intensity of the album.
With such a unique name asAttack of the Wolf King,
it is no surprise to learn that it is a concept album. It tells of a herd of
sheep protected from a pack of wolves by righteous lions. To open with
"Wake Up the Sun," a group of individuals (the sheep) are running
from an unnamed threat, but feel that their "hearts are empty." "We've tried to run, but it's no use
and all this time we've reached the point of desperation."
With "Dog Like Vultures" comes the arrival of the lions. "Our eyes are upon you and we will
protect you, be assured no fang will breach your fleece." This
story can be taken as a basic analogy of our weakness, and Jesus' willingness
to protect us. In "Travesty," the sheep proclaim their praise to the
lions, as we to our Savior, "With
love that the blindest eyes will see, you cover the darkest part of me."
The Christian-metal
scene has known few bands as tough as Haste the Day. Since the departure of their
old lead singer Jimmy Ryan, they have taken a rough ride, a ride that most
bands would not be able survive, but they soldiered on. Even when they
struggled to find their sound, they kept the faith. The significance of Attack of the Wolf Kingis equivalent to the quality of the
album, and though the sound that Haste the Day was conceived in has gone, their
identity has stayed the same. Further still, by warping the different styles
that their previous two albums have presented and adding in quite a few new
features that come naturally with new personnel,Attack
of the Wolf Kingis
without a doubt a high for Haste the Day.
Hey guys! So today’s post isn’t music related, but it’s
definitely something that God has laid on my heart. We had an American
missionary come preach at our church a couple of weeks ago, and what an impact
he had! He emphasised the importance of ALL Christians being ambassadors for
Christ WHEREVER they are.
I stay in a commune filled with missionaries who have given
up the comforts of being in their own country to come and minister to those in
need. I find this difficult task to be an incredible inspiration (and is
definitely something I want to do at some stage) but what I often forget is
that I don’t have to travel to a foreign country and preach the Gospel to be a
missionary, I can be one at home!
I am a firm believer in the fact that God has put me in this
specific place, studying this specific degree, with these specific people
around , for a reason. I am the first to admit that I do not have the impact on
the people around me that I would like to have. With studies, I often find myself being
consumed by work, almost hiding myself from the world until my assignment or
test is done. I feel a heavy conviction with regards to this area of my life
and it is something that I am now working on.
I was hit hard after reading Mark 16:15 where Jesus commands
us to go unto ALL THE WORLD and spread the Good News. I thought about who I was
impacting around me...I have many Christian friends who are positive influences
on me, but it’s not them that I need to share the Gospel with. I have many
friends whom I love incredibly, but do not know the Lord and I often ask myself
“Am I doing all that I can for them?”, “Do they see something different in me?
Do they see God’s light in me?”.
Charles Spurgeon , a British preacher in the 1800’s, gives
us Christians such a strong challenge – “if sinners be damned, at least let
them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish
with our arms wrapped about their knees. Let no one go there UNWARNED and
UNPRAYED for.“
I know this is heavy, but it’s really something God has
opened my eyes to. We, as Christians, need to be constant lights in the
darkness. 1 Peter 1:13-16 sets us another difficult challenge: “Therefore,
prepare your minds for ACTION; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the
GRACE to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do
not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just
as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written, “Be
holy, because I am holy.”
I just want to remind you that living for God’s glory should
be at the centre of all our lives, and we should focus on sharing what God has
done in our lives with others...focus on sharing His love with those around
you...be that light in the darkness...Remember that being a Christian isn’t
“just for Sundays”, we must be constant ambassadors for Him wherever we find
ourselves.
I pray that you all have a fantastic week...and, being
Father’s Day, don’t forget the unconditional love our Father in Heaven has for
us and give Him thanks and praise!
Similar artists: Jamie Grace, Sarah
Groves, Laura Story, Wendi Foy Green
Rating: 3.5/5
This album reminds me of my first love…
Underneath her pop sparkle and her beautiful voice we find a solemn collection
of songs driven by a deliberate and confident message. In I Choose Jesus, Moriah proclaims her faith, and it is clear that
encouraging the spiritually of others is the goal from the very start. Her
message however, does not lessen the beauty of any of her songs. All of them
still maintain a feel-good, catchy quality. Fans of soulful and summery pop
music will love this album and I believe a very promising career can only grow
for Peters from here.
It would be wrong (I think) if I were to
describe Moriah as having a “bubblegum pop” feel to her music, that would be
unfair, however she does have a very pop-feel to her music. The whole album is essentially
full of very pleasant songs, sung with Moriah's silky sweet voice that you cannot
help but like. Even if you're a rock lover or a dance raver, this is the kind
of music that doesn't offend. I Choose
Jesus has a mix of great songs that are about Jesus and His love for us, and
other songs that have a very positive message about living a good life. I think
very highly of Moriah as an artist, she has such a rich and wonderful
harmonious voice that you could just listen to all day
Given the genre of music that Moriah falls
under it is understandable to expect a rather empty teenage pop-music feel on
this young singer’s album. In fact, there is not an autotuner or a predictable
synth riff in earshot and thanks to the sure hand of producer Ed Cash (Chris
Tomlin, Bebo Norman) the sound here is organic enough that one has to take the
21 year old's album seriously. Peters comes across as a very bubbly personality,
with a childlike heart with which she sells in these songs, many of them are
bold declarations of her faith, which makes it impossible to dismiss her as yet
another ‘dime-a-dozen’ girl with a guitar. Stars of her age often try to appear
“too-cool-for-school”, but Peters seems unconcerned with appearances
Moriah has skillfully constructed ten gems, with
many treasures to find every time you listen to them. With her fresh and pleasing
attitude towards life, unlike many other female mainstream artists, Moriah has beautifully
used her youth and creativity to her advantage, additionally dropping in some
of her own personal stories into the songs making them that much more relatable
to the listener.
Moriah will certainly grow up to be a very
influential artist in the Christian music world. I take my hat off to Moriah. Her
faith in Christ is fresh and energetic, with the lyrical maturity beyond her
years, Moriah incorporates smart songwriting with musical genius to create ten
tracks of easy-listening, yet at the same time, songs that will motivate and
encourage the listener
I Choose Jesusis packed full of insightful and thoughtful messages that
a listener of any age could learn from. I believe that this album would make a great addition to
your favourite playlist.
