Following the great success of The Insyderz' second album, the original Skalleluia, many youth ministries and individuals around the world requested a second similar disc. Now comes the band's fourth disc, that requested follow-up.
It seems a shame to call this disc ska; almost completely gone are the skanking guitars traditional to third-wave ska. In their place comes a punk sound, complete with double-speed drumming and extremely loud, distorted guitars. The transition from third-wave ska to skacore, begun on The Insyderz' Skalleluia and continued throughout Fight of My Life, is complete here. The horns almost seem extraneous at times, such as during The Insyderz' original track "When I Look Up."
Where the first Skalleluia! disc drew largely from classic praise and worship material, such as the Integrity and Maranatha catalogs, the new disc focuses on the new wave of praise and worship that's been sweeping across the world, showcasing tracks from Australia's Hillsongs ("Peace of God," "Shout to the Lord") and the United Kingdom's Deliriou5? ("I Could Sing of Your Love Forever.") Also highlighted is the incredible Mercy/Vineyard catalog ("Who is This," "In the Secret (I Want to Know You)," "Psalm 121 (I Lift My Eyes Up)," and "Pour Out My Heart.")
Among the standout tracks on this CD is the original song "When I Look Up."
Did I do what I was called to do?
Did I do what You wanted me to?
Did I be the best that I could be?
And will Your mercy cover me?
Other really enjoyable songs included the band's interpretation of "Shout to the Lord" (easily one of the most played worship songs of our day), "In the Secret" and the classic Rich Mullins song "Step by Step" (written by long-time Mullins collaborator David Beaker), during which the Insyderz' classic ska sound returns.
One track that really could have been left out was "The Old Rugged Cross." Sang Kim, the band's instrumentally multi talented brass player, takes the lead vocal for this song. His Elvis-style vocals (complete with someone saying "thank you, thank you very much" in the middle of the song) really seem incompatible with the swing music backing it. The song also makes a second appearance as a "bonus" track at the end of the disc, sung in a foreign language.
Throughout the disc, none of the vocals seem to be "up" in the mix enough; on occasion it is hard to distinguish Yerke's vocals from the backing instrumentation. The cover, which bears a strong resemblance to the original Skalleluia! is clever, and the lyrics are well laid out and easy to read.
While not as strong as the first Skalleluia album, this is a fine addition to The Insyderz' catalog and should be considered by anyone looking for a modern praise and worship experience.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
ReAL Magazine 1999Reviewed by Kevin D. HendricksThe Motor City boys are back with their fourth album, Skalleluia Too!, a return to the alternative worship of the original Skalleluia. But this second round of worship is a definite step up for the Insyderz. They've reached a new level of maturity and are able to play a wider range of styles--at some points you'll be scratching your head and asking if this is really the Insyderz. When they sat…
