It is once again music review Tuesday and today I am going to review an album by a Christian rock band again. As an
Amazon reviewer put it “every year or so a new band or CD comes along that somehow stands out among the rest”. “For Red, End of Silence is one of those CD’s.” This is their debut album and it was released over a year ago but it has been making it’s footprint among rock music fans everywhere. The album was nominated for a Grammy in the category of “Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album” at the 49th Grammy Awards. The album’s first single “Breathe Into Me” peaked at #15 on the US mainstream rock charts. The song won the “Rock Recorded Song of the Year” award at the 38th annual GMA Dove Awards in 2007. The reason for the band name Red is that it symbolizes the blood of Christ. Mike Barnes who is the lead singer also says that it “represents passion and pain, but ultimately it represents redemption.”
Since the release of “End of Silence” the band has toured extensively through February of 2007. They have gained many fans with over 21,000 MySpace friends in just over a year of having the site. The album itself is a combination of gnashing guitars, and passionate vocals. Many reviewers have said that their album contains potent lyrics, and I would have to say that they sing about some deeper things than most Christian rock bands but I would love to see more theology in the lyrics. I guess I may be expecting too much. I have not seen them perform live but from what I’ve read in more than one other review they get pretty excitable and rowdy on stage. At one point in their tour the guitarist Anthony Armstrong swung his guitar and it smashed into Mike the singers head causing him to require seven stitches. They say that they really want to connect with their fans. That may be true but they sound like they are definitely connecting with each other.
omniscient, creator, sovereign, or holy. Based on the sermon series I just listened to by Mike Abendroth I would contend that the best way to describe God is Holy, Holy, Holy. The sermon series is based in Isaiah 6 and verses 1 – 13. Pastor Mike takes you through this passage as he lays out the experience of Isaiah the prophet as he encounters the holy God, and his response to the holy God. I would encourage you to read through this passage and imagine yourself in the shoes (or sandals) of Isaiah. He lived in an age where no one who truly knew God would ever think to approach Him in any way but prostrate and head bowed to the earth. The only way to approach the holy God of Israel was through sacrifice and with fear and trembling. I think we have (I know at least I had) forgotten how God was approached prior to the ultimate sacrifice of His Christ. I would also encourage you to listen to the four part series entitled “The Wonderful, Awful Motivation For Ministry”. Take the time and effort to listen to all parts. Pastor Mike does such a wonderful job of building the imagery of Isaiah’s encounter with God in the first two parts and then he takes two more parts to bring home the ultimate point. There was more accomplished at the cross of Calvary than just the redemption of God’s elect. See if you can see the awesomeness of the cross more clearly after this. The audio links to the series can be found at the link below. Soli Deo Gloria!
Upon This Rawk 