Thousand Foot Krutch released their last album nearly two years ago and now they have released their first live album, complete with a live DVD. Usually live albums don't bring tons of excitement my way, but I figured why not give TFK's first live effort a shot. It turns out it was a shot that was well worth the while.

Live at the Masquerade easily exceeds all expectations. The mixing and mastering is nearly flawless. The music and vocals are almost perfectly blended. At no point in the album does a single instrument wash out the vocals or vice versa. The recording is clean throughout and the crowd is nicely blended in through the entire show. The crowd is quiet when you need to hear the music and louder in key areas when you want to hear them. Several times throughout the recording you may even forget that you are listening to a live show.

TFK brings a lot of energy to the show and it is evident with the first track. The album plays out like a greatest hits release, spanning the past 10 years of their career, with more attention to their more recent albums. Here is the breakdown: One track from Set it Off ("Puppet"); one track from Phenomenon ("Rawkfist"); two tracks from The Art of Breaking ("Move" and "Absolute"); three tracks from The Flame in All of Us ("The Flame in All of Us," "What Do We Know" and "Falls Apart"); and six tracks from Welcome to the Masquerade ("Welcome to the Masquerade," "Bring Me to Life," "E For Extinction," "Scream," "Fire it Up" and "Already Home").

If you are not a fan of live albums, you should at least give this one a shot, and it is a must-have for any Thousand Foot Krutch fan. The album truly captures their live energy and passion for music as well as our Savior. Top all of that off with an excellent job on the mixing and mastering end and you have an album that is near perfection. Perhaps a few more songs from the earlier days could have pushed the album over the top. If you have never been to a TFK show, one listen to this record should have you checking their tour schedule. In the mean time, kick back and enjoy the DVD of the show that is packaged with the album's physical release.

- Review date: 6/20/11, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com