Some things in life are certain: We are in desperate need of salvation, and there is a sovereign Lord who offers life. While these ideas are hardly new to Christian rock, they are infused with fresh, poetic life on Absolutes, a dark and brilliant manifesto of Christian faith. With Stavesacre, though, you can be assured that, while their latest is a work of art, it is as if someone took the painting and smashed you over the head with it. With the passion and fury of muscular hard rock, Stavesacre blows through like a force of nature: the drums roll by like thunder; the bass rumbles with the inevitability of an oncoming storm; the guitars shoot and slice like random lightning bolts; the lead vocal shouts against the wind, which tears at whatever isn't bolted down. Cloaked in the discordant pop are lyrics that encourage leaving behind the sin nature and pursuing the Christian life: Yes, we are saved by grace through faith, but there is still a responsibility for us to follow through (Romans 7:14-8:17). More than once, the lyrics use the image of a desert snake shedding its skin, most notably in "Shiv" and "Wither"; the ongoing struggle with the flesh and the importance of turning back to God come through in "Sand Dollar" and "Two Heavens"; the joy of the new life in Christ is celebrated in "Ascend." The centerpiece is "Colt .45," a religious debate: I thought about what you said/ and I'm not sorry for a thing, the lead vocalist opines. He defends his position (cannot discard this as emotional/ this is not a passing stage) before drawing from Ecclesiastes (vanity of vanities/ each breath you breathe is grasping at the wind). Although it is a hard response, it is also one that is fair. Maybe Absolutes was created out of real life conversations, maybe it's simply academic. Whichever it is, Stavesacre has made an artistic and spiritual statement, a resource for loud apologetic discussion.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Tony LaFianzaStavesacre delivers on their second cd a deep, hard-core blessing. The songwriting on this record is strong, profound, and musically kicks. These four veterans of the Christian hard-core scene form a supergroup with its own sound: Dirk Lemmenes on bass, Jeff Bellew on guitars, Sam West on drums, and Mark Solomon on throat. We all knew Mark could yell, but who knew he could actually sing? Mark…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Linc LefeisteWith Absolutes, Stavesacre's follow-up to Friction, Mark Solomon and company have once again put together a quality album. The production, handled again by Brian Carlstrom, and musicianship are superb, resulting in an album of great heavier alternative rock. My only complaint is that Absolutes isn't much of a change from Friction. With the exception of a beefed up drum sound (thanks to the…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Josh SpencerStavesacre is one of those bands I can't listen to very often. They're just too mesmerizing, putting me in a hypnotic trance of pure pleasure, so that I literally can't turn them off. When I originally heard their first album, Friction, I didn't care too much for it. As I gave it a few more spins, however, I was pulled in deeper and deeper, realizing that Stavesacre isn't music meant to be…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Mark J. AylorAbsolutes is my first experience of Stavesacre. The first couple times I listened to it, I was not impressed. It was very good alternative rock with a heavier edge, and the production was excellent. Otherwise, I didn't find anything special about it. What really turned me off was Mark Salomon's vocals--too nasal for my tastes. A lot of people I talked to really raved about Stavesacre, though, so…Similar sounding releases
2004DisengageApplication For An Afterlife
1998Project 86Project 86
2002SnapcaseEnd Transmission
2001The BlamedIsolated Incident
2002The Color RedClear
2002Home GrownKings Of PopMore from Stavesacre
2001Stavesacre / Denison Marrs
2002Stavesacre
2002Live From Deep Ellum
1999Speakeasy
2001Collective
1996Friction
