This is a world-class album, but also a mixed bag. If you still remember the joys of hearing a note-for-note perfect guitar solo a la Neal Schon (Journey), then here is a new album you simply must get. The downside of this 12-song CD is that, if Michael Bolton were to retire or need a backup, some of these songs and these performances would do perfectly (Don't believe me? Just listen to "The First And The Last"). Yes, this metal veteran outfit, who've seen the better part of two decades, have taken the soft path of Monster Ballads. If your sense of rock aesthetic can get past this obstacle, whip out your lighter, cuz you have utter musical perfection to enjoy. If not, move on to the dangerous riffs of Extol or Kekal.
There is a shining, showstopper moment that must be pointed out here, though -- "Let Your Love Shine Down." It tells the story of Moses coming down the mountain, and packs a punch with its perfect Gospel-inspired dynamics. I swear, David Coverdale would pay a million bucks for this song! If your idea of a classic Christian rock band is Petra, then you've got a whole new band to blow your mind. This album clearly draws a line in the sand between musical generations. In a slightly older ballpark, this is a homerun.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Trae CadenheadHaving a roommate who can't get over '80s Christian Rock music has not been good for my taste in the formerly popular, now dead phenomenon. When I read about Joshua Perahia in another publication that compared them to Petra, it was almost enough to scare me away from this album. However, I was still curious if a band could really be serious about making that kind of music in this day and age.…Art for the Ears 2001Reviewed by Marco PovervestSome will read the name of the artist and think he's a new star in the firmament of the music world. However, guitarist Joshua Perahia is a star who has been blinking in the sky since the early eighties. With his band Joshua he released three records. He formed the band Jaguar and later on M-Pire. It was M-Pire that released the last Perahia album, in 1995. It seemed that since the star was…Similar sounding releases
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