No.49 - ‘The Face Of Love’ by Sanctus Real (2006)

Burn away the pride; Bring me to my weakness, until everything I hide behind is gone; And when I'm open wide with nothing left to cling to; Only you are there to lead me on; 'Cause honestly, I'm not that strong…”

There are cons to music streaming; mostly the incredible lack of earnings that goes back to the artist. But as a consumer, I have Deezer and Spotify to thank for the plethora of new music they’ve both suggested. At a time when I was just discovering the vastness of Christian rock bands, mostly out of America, certain Sanctus Real songs stood out amongst the ocean of music I was piling through, and “The Face Of Love” is still my stand out album by this fantastic band. 

If you’re a fan of Switchfoot, you probably know these guys. Heavier than your standard rock/indie albums, but just as melodic. Think Snow Patrol but a little rockier and more overdriven…more in the U2 category. The songs are excellent and the melodies are very catchy; anthemic would be a good description. There are some great guitar riffs throughout the album and the strength if the guitar is a great positive. But the vocal tone and melodies set this album apart from others. Such is the strength that without Hammitt’s singing, the album may slip away into the vast back catalogue of lost rock albums.

The lyrics focus strongly on living a good moral life, though struggles may come. Like many Christian bands they don’t explicitly mention God or Jesus, but the ‘He’ mentioned numerous times obviously relates to the Creator. This does cater for people of all beliefs, and those who just want to be decent human beings. The songs are brilliantly written and any melodic rock fan will enjoy this album.

Sanctus Real formed in Ohio, 1996. The band was born out of a youth worship group, and made a name for themselves winning competitions and through independent releases. They have released 12 studio albums, with ‘The Face Of Love’ reaching No.158 in the US and No.10 in the US Christian chart. Unfortunately it hasnt been released on vinyl.

Favourite songs -  I’m Not Alright, The Face Of Love, Possibilities, …Benjamin



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

No.45 - ‘The Bell And The Hammer’ by This Day & Age (2006)

Image
“  If I could learn to act patiently, then I would see that my view of time is selfishly based around me;  I should run away, but I  can't; chasing dreams that are slowing down for me;  I should turn around, but I can't; It's within my reach …” Another round of applause  given to the pool of online streaming algorithms for showing me a plethora of new music. Not all stay within my listening world for long and some become firm favourites. The Bell And Hammer is one of the best albums ever  recommended to me and one that continues to grow on me with every listen. This Day & Age cross into indie from melodic rock. If you are a fan of Keane, Coldplay or Ben Folds, but fancy something a little heavier in the guitar department, you will absolutely enjoy this album. A strong piano/keys and soaring vocals with decent harmonies set the standard for most songs.  The tone of Jeff Martin’s voice has a sweetness that fans of the aforementioned bands will love. ...
Read more

No.64 - ‘The Wait’ by Zox (2006)

Image
“Sometimes I'm sure that I am crazy;  It's taking its toll, it 's making me old;  With half the winter still to go;  Maybe I'm afraid of love, maybe I'm afraid of pain; And maybe I'm afraid too much, maybe I'm afraid that I won't ever change…” It was August of 2006, and our first and only Reading Festival. Wanting to see the likes of Muse, Less Than Jake, Gogol Bordello, Flogging Molly, Bedouin Soundclash and others around the Lockup Stage, we left the festival having discovered a new band, and one of our favourite acts of the weekend, Zox. They don’t really fit into the bracket of other bands. A mix of Sublime, The Pixies and Maximo Park; There is a ska influence, but mixed with indie rock. The  defining feature being an electric violin player, taking the role of lead guitar, producing an interesting and unique overdriven sound. Although this setup felt a little sparse to me in the studio recordings at first, I appreciate hearing the string nuances and ...
Read more

No.66 - ‘Direction’ by The Starting Line (2007)

Image
“ I've got stars in my great big sky;  I shall gaze upon without leaving small ones behind,  because they're harder to find;  Some were satellites, others planes;  Some were twinkling while others were fading away,  but they're all one of a kind …” I never latched onto the likes of Blink 182 or Sum 41. Surprising, as I spent most my teens listening to Punk Rock. The closest mainstream band of my desire, in the Pop Punk genre, would probably be Green Day. But another Spotify discovery brings us The Starting Line, at 66 in our 100 best albums countdown.  I don't tend to latch on to the popular bands, but to what my ears like (It’s what this list is all about). And ‘Direction’ takes a look at punk from the alternative rock angle; really good melodies, interesting rhythms and timings, and quite a range of dynamics. Its a far more mature sound than the likes of those bands previously mentioned. Although I’m not totally enamoured by Kenny Vasoli’s vocals, the mel...
Read more