By God

plays the kind of that's like a 30-pound sledgehammer in the face. On , the band chugs through 19 tracks, unleashing a slugfest that's sure to slap fans silly. The beauty of the band is that you know what to expect. There's no sidetracking to , , or , like many other of today's heavier bands. What you get with is pure guitar, bass, and drum fury. One constant throughout the band's career has been the many references to scripture throughout all of its tunes. Each cut on the disc is saturated with the word of God, making 's motives well-known. In every case, the reference to scripture is listed after each line. Rarely has a band with such ferocity been blatantly sold out to God. Whether it's the theme of denying ourselves and taking up our crosses in or the foolish man building his house upon the sand in lyrically smokes. Musically, offers up a palette of distorted guitars and a heavy drum and bass that make for a monstrous groove. Cuts like and "Not Rock Stars" are a few of the many assaults on the disc. One complete surprise on the release is the addition of two slower cuts. Both and are the types of that saw bands like top the charts in the late '80s. Each tune accents an acoustic guitar and the soul-searching vocals of bassist . is the type of band that should be played loud. is the type of disc that should be played often. ~ Steven Douglas Losey