Jon Micah
Sumrall - vocals
James Mead - guitar
Nick DePartee - guitar
Dave Luetkenhoelter - bass
Jeff Gilbert - drums
This band formed in Portland, Oregon as a Worship
band called Call Box in 2000. The band changed its name before releasing their first EP. Their first full-length self-titled
album came in 2002. The album jump stated their career as tracks “Your Touch” and “Run” leaped onto
the Christian rock chart to numbers 4 and 10. They followed up the debut album with albums
Seas
of Faces, Strong Tower, and Hearts of the Innocent. Now they release their fifth studio album To Know
That You’re Alive. The album begins with lead single “The Feeling.” The track pounds your eardrums right
off the bat with great sounding guitars. The shortest normal track on the album does it job with getting the juices flowing
yelling lines like: “I Can Not Run Away. This feelings got to stay. While we rock all night long” and “Let’s
unite to the rock and roll” Next is an instrumental that leads into the title track “To Know That You’re
Alive.” It begins with an eerie but intriguing sound that skates into a nicely placed guitar riff. They quickly follow
with decent vocals and a sound that fans can get into. “The Disease & The Cure” is an amazing track that will
get everyone going. It’s simple yet super clear vocals drives the track right down main street. Hard guitars riffs and
solos compliment the vocals and the additional of pounding drums sets the entire track off. “Complete,” the second
single off the album, spins off 5th. It’s a slower track laid with praising of the higher power. It is perfectly
crafted with simple but impacting drums, solid guitar play and a powerful message. “The Rescue” is a high energy
track with raging guitars, a solid bass, and pounding drums. It has a lot of live energy feel to it as just towards the end
it kicks it up into high gear with a scream and a thumping bass. “Promise You” is a heart felt track with an emotional
and passionate feel. The vocals are coming straight from the heart in this song and many fans with connect with. “Overcoming
Me” is a more upbeat track with a great sound. The guitar play is good with repeating riffs that impact the song a lot
more than you would think. The lyrics seem to get lost in the music in spots, as I found myself focusing on the music more. The last portion of the album begins with the tenth track “I Do Not Belong.”
The heart felt track embraces the higher power and explains that they do not belong here, but rather with him in another land
“The place of your perfection” as they state. “Loud” is a track that gets the blood pumping once again.
It’s not in the top of the classes, but a second tier track that is right on that edge of making to the top. “Dying
to Become” has an insane guitar solo packaged so sweetly in between to heaping piles of smooth vocals. The solo will
make you melt, your jaw drop and your energy soar. The last song, “You,” serves up a heavy dose of lead vocalist
Jon Micah Sumrall. His sweet voice sticks with you on this track and makes you want to play it over and over again.
Overall this is a pretty decent album. I don’t think it is an A, but a middle ground B. It starts off strong but seems
to just flatten out towards the middle. It never seems to fall under that B zone and there are a few standout tracks that
are worth of a lot of radio play as well as a download.
Rating: 8 out of 10
My favorite tracks:
The Feeling,
To Know That You’re Alive,
Track List:
1.
The Feeling
2.
Sleeping City
3.
To Know That You’re Alive
4.
The Disease & The Cure
5.
Complete
6.
The Rescue
7.
Promise You
8.
Guiding Me Home
9.
Overcoming Me
10. I
Do Not Belong
11. Loud
12. Dying
To Become
13. You
Website (s): www.kutless.com, www.BECRecordings.com