Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Music Review


A Plea For Purging, The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

A Plea For Purging
The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 10 tracks: 39 minutes, 30 seconds
Street Date: July 6, 2010


Last year, A Plea for Purging released their Facedown Records debut, Depravity. The album was both unique and lackluster at the same time. It had a few great moments where the band showed off a nice down-and-dirty metal approach, but it also suffered from a general lack of energy or variation. Now, Plea returns with The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, an album that effectively pushes them into a more mature and complete sound.

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell deals for the most part with the familiar "wolf in sheep's clothing" scenario. There's a lot of anger in this album directed at church leaders who lead only for the sake of personal gain. This point is emphasized by the occasional soundbite of such a teacher preaching the prosperity gospel. Musically, the album is low, slow, and very dirty. In most tracks, the band lays down a simple, dissonant riff, then builds upon it with a myriad of breakdowns, choppy drum sections, and the incessant throaty growls of lead vocalist Andy Atkins.

Where The Marriage... improves upon Depravity is in the energy of the tracks. The songs on Depravity tended to get bogged down in the slower sections, with the guitars stuck in an uninteresting pattern for seemingly minutes on end. On The Marriage..., the songwriting is kicked up a notch, providing a consistent variety of riffs and rhythms within each track. At the same time, the song structure is more chaotic and dissonant, which is exactly where this band should be musically. An excellent example of this stop-and-start, clashing sound is the track "Golden Barriers."

There is one new development on The Marriage... that may come as a surprise to some listeners: the addition of clean vocals. There's not a hint of singing until the fifth track, "The Fall," suddenly breaks into a very clean and very melodic chorus. The contrast between verse and chorus couldn't be stronger, and in a way, that's what enables the band to pull it off. Instead of cheapening the sound, the singing emphasizes the guttural heaviness of the rest of the track. After "The Fall," the clean vocals pop up several more times. In fact, the second to last song, "The Jealous Wings," is entirely clean.

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is both more polished and more chaotic than anything we've heard from A Plea for Purging before. It's a clear step forward, as the band taps into the full potential of their unique sound. While there are still the occasional low points, this album showcases the best A Plea for Purging has to offer, and some of the best metal we've heard this year from any band.

- Review date: 7/5/10, written by Timothy Estabrooks of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

. Record Label: Facedown Records
. Album length: 10 tracks: 39 minutes, 30 seconds
. Street Date: July 6, 2010
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. The Eternal Female (3:31)
  2. Sick Silent America (4:43)
  3. Shiver (2:55)
  4. Golden Barriers (3:37)
  5. The Fall (3:45)
  6. And Weep (3:45)
  7. Trembling Hands (3:44)
  8. Finite (4:13)
  9. The Jealous Wings (4:16)
  10. The New Born Wonder (5:01)
spacer     Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH




This Tuesday, November 19, 2024
SINGLES
Mat Kearney Certainty - Single (independent)

This Wednesday, November 20, 2024
ALBUMS
1K Phew Let Go Let God: The EP [Reach]

SINGLES
Drew & Ellie Holcomb High Seas - Single [Magnolia]
Sleeping At Last Let It Snow - Single (independent)

This Thursday, November 21, 2024
ALBUMS
The Choir Translucent (independent)

SINGLES
Wilder Woods Curioso [Dualtone]

This Friday, November 22, 2024
ALBUMS
Coqui I'll Still Have Christmas Day - EP [DREAM]
for KING & COUNTRY A Drummer Boy Christmas (LIVE) [Curb]
The Kingsmen Decades: Vol. 3 & 4 [Horizon]
Jonathan McReynolds Red & Green - EP [Capitol CMG/Motown]
NEEDTOBREATHE Acoustic Live Vol. 1 (CD Reissue) [Omnivore]
NEEDTOBREATHE Live From The Woods (CD Reissue) [Omnivore]
R.kitect Vicious Circles - EP (independent)
Run51 Let's Celebrate - EP [DREAM]
Van Zant Always Look Up [Frontiers Music]

SINGLES
7eventh Time Down I Speak Jesus - Single [BEC]
99 APEX Find A Way Freestyle - Single [Syntax]
Cory Asbury You're Still The One - Single [BEC]
Ashes Remain Lost Light - Single [BEC]
Paul Baloche Angels We Have Heard On High/Glorious (feat. Sarah Kroger) - Single [Integrity]
Elan Brio Sun Rays - Single (independent)
Amy Jay And So It Goes - Single (independent)
Jericko Holy Ground - Single [Syntax]
Reece Lache' Energy - Single (independent)
Vic Lucas Presha - Single [Syntax]
Cliff & Antoinette Murray O Emanuel - Single [DREAM]
Procyse, Dave A. You’re Not Free - Single [Polished Arrow]
River Valley Worship This is Our Jesus (feat. Moriah Christian) - Single [BEC]
Vineyard Worship Royal Son - Single [Integrity]

VINYL
NEEDTOBREATHE Acoustic Live Vol. 1 (Vinyl Reissue) [Omnivore]
NEEDTOBREATHE Live From The Woods (Vinyl Reissue) [Omnivore]

Next Thursday, November 28, 2024
VINYL
Van Zant Always Look Up Vinyl [Girder]

Next Friday, November 29, 2024
ALBUMS
Sixpence None the Richer Dawn of Grace (Deluxe) [Flatiron]
Thrive Worship Christmas, Vol. 2 - EP [Integrity]

SINGLES
ICF Worship Light of the World - Single [Integrity]
Selah Glory Hallelujah (feat. Mike Weaver) - Single [Integrity]
Slow Salvation The Ghost of Christmas Past - Single [Velvet Blue]
Uche Agu, Revival Today Worship Medley of Hymns - Single [DREAM]

VINYL
Sixpence None the Richer Dawn of Grace (Deluxe) Vinyl (Record Store Day Exclusive!) [Flatiron]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Single from Second Adam and the New Creations!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images