In several ways, Breaking the Silence is the picture of the modern rock band. Like many mainstream rock artists, the group's debut album, Stand, is spotted with pain, angst, deceit, and suicide. However, unlike most mainstream rock acts, Breaking the Silence offers an answer for all of these problems: Jesus Christ. Led by married couple Mark and Sarah Anthony, the band's debut offers a solid hybrid of girl and guy fronted rock not unlike Worth Dying For.
Fortunately, lead female vocalist Sarah Anthony fronts a more cutting-edge style of alternative rock similar to that of Flyleaf and Fireflight than worshippers Worth Dying For. The rock tempo-meter falls into the area of Skillet and Kutless, but the title track (which features the most significant union of Sarah and Mark's vocals) does feature some background screaming on the impressive borderline hard rock track. When Sarah drives the songs, the music takes an alternative edge like the intense "Must Die" and the guitar-led "Out Of Reach."
Mark's voice is reminiscent of Todd Agnew and Jonah 33's lead singer Vince Lichlyter, but his voice is a little rough around the edges. When he leads the solid rock tunes "Different Face" and "Break," the melodies sound too generic, but "You Are More" offers a strong vocal performance by Mark to go along with a sturdy chorus. The powerful lyrics in "Tonight," about a man looking to end his life until a confrontation with Christ (‘put the gun to my head/I hear someone come into the room/I look and see Jesus standing there/With tears in my eyes I say tonight… please get here fast/No one but you can save me this time tonight.'), are offset slightly by the lack of urgency in the piano/guitar blended music.
Although other solid messages like fulfilling the promise of marriage ("Until Death") and forgiveness ("Break") don't project amazing song writing skills, Break The Silence manages to avoid singing cheesy songs while including God and other relevant topics. Along with some good anthems like "Overdose" and the title cut, the album offers hope and an answer for those who have neither ("Out Of Reach" states: ‘Life is falling out of reach/And you don't understand/God is always here for you/And he's just a prayer away').
As good as Stand is in most areas, Breaking The Silence isn't outstanding in any major one spot. However, the impressive chick-rock is a step away from being something spectacular, and with a few innovative tweaks, the rock music and lyrics could very well follow suit on the band's next project.
- Review date: 6/26/09, written by Nathaniel Schexnayder of Jesusfreakhideout.com
Record Label: None
Album length: 11 tracks
Street Date: July, 2007
Buy It: Amazon.com
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Mat Kearney Certainty - Single (independent)
