First off let me say this.....HARDCORE!!!!!!!
If you've ever wanted to know what these guys sound like live but haven't got the chance to see em this album captures their sound (though not their stage presence) extremely well. Being produced by the master Barry Poynter doesn't hurt at all either. The other releases always lacked the energy of NIV and Barry harnessed that and threw it on disc for all of us music junkies to enjoy. I have liked NIV since the beginning but always wanted the albums to sound different, tougher, meaner and fuller, this album is what I wanted them to sound like and more so I am extremely happy. Oh and being on the biggest hardcore label (Victory) doesn't hurt a band either. Plus it is great to see Christian brothers in that scene and gaining that respect.
On specific topics let's start with vocals. I have heard them described as "more metal" but I don't know about that. They are tough, gritty and full, just like Jason Moody is live. Corey Edelmann's guitars are fat (would Barry do an album without fat guitars?) and tight with the drums and bass. Riffs are not technical (this IS hardcore) but played extremely tight and mean. Jason Dunn's drumming is full and tight (the last album seemed a little looser). Kyle Fisher's bass playing back everything up with solid bass lines that aren't flashy but hold everything together with a fat low end.
The lyrics are bold and straightforward. No pretty wording to get around Christian themes here. Subjects of songs range from NIV's stance in the hardcore scene to just having a good time at shows and dancing it up.
If I had to wrap up this album in one word (from a sound point of view) that word would be TOUGH. Or you could just say HARDCORE!!!!
a new feature I'm gonna do on album reviews I do will be to pick a few of my favorite songs so you know what I dig the most about a band and what they play....
song picks: C.E.B, Never Face Defeat, All for the Color, Pushed Aside
ps. I got mine at Tower records and I presume any place where Victory is carried will have it.
10/10
Other Staff Member Ratings
D_Lister: 8.5/10
Other coverage for this album
Dead Zine 2002Reviewed by Hey YouI was pretty happy to get this cd for a couple of reasons. First of all it's on the huge hardcore label Victory Records. This shows that it will be a pretty good release. Second of all it was the only Christian article in the store where I got it, that being Hot Topic. I wasn't completely yearning for the disc, but when I saw it in Hot Topic, I had to show my support. This was by no means a…Dead Zine 2002Reviewed by WoodensoulFor some unknown reason I put off buying this cd for a long time. I always liked NIV's debut on Rescue Records with No Compromise. But I thought this cd would just be another copy of that 1st album. It turned out I was wrong ... WAY wrong. Coming to us via Victory records NIV has matured so much I am amazed. These guys play with the likes of Hatebreed and Earth Crisis ... and they still keep…Dead Zine 2002Reviewed by GrindboyAll right. Now I was pretty hard on No Compromise, and was skeptical when I first listened to this one, too. This strikes me as a big step forward for the band, however. One of the things that held their last effort back was the less than stellar production. Now on Victory Records, this is without question the best the band has ever sounded. The guitars are much hungrier, particularly, and that…HM Magazine #82Reviewed by Doug Van PeltThis album was forgotten . . . or at least we were. The record label advertised with us, but forgot to hook us up with a review copy. We love this band, so we decided to give the label a call and commence to reviewing this slab of metalcore. The first thing to note about this album is how significant it is to have a Christian band being distributed by a label with the underground and street cred…Art for the Ears 1999Reviewed by Marco PovervestHere's the first NIV release through Tony Brummel's label Victory Records and let me tell you, this is brutal old school stuff! And aggressive too! On Flesh And Blood the band displays hardcore with some metal-influences. Watch out, this ain't metalcore! These metal-influences must be courtesy (or not) of Barry Poynter with whom they produced and recorded the album. There are even guest roles for…Similar sounding releases
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