Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Music Review


What We Do In Secret, Repose
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

What We Do In Secret
Repose



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Metalcore / Hardcore
Album length: 10 tracks: 29 minutes, 29 seconds
Street Date: November 22, 2019


READER RATING:   


For years, the story of What We Do In Secret was one of uncertainty. With only a couple of independent EPs to the band’s credit, they kept talking about an eventual full-length that never seemed to come to pass, while also maintaining a less-than-prominent social media presence that left fans wondering about the band's future. But you could hear a collective sigh of relief a few months ago when Facedown Records announced that they had signed WWDIS, and that the long-promised full-length album was not only on its way, but would be here before the year was up.

Repose is a ten-track album that introduces the band’s identity to the world while also fitting quite nicely and safely in its metalcore lane. Trace amounts of Wolves at the Gate (and even a little Empty) can be found in the way they mix the heavy and the melodic; great examples of this come in “918” and “Blackout.” WWDIS excels at effortlessly going from fast and furious to tempered and melodic and back again at the drop of a hat, trading Josh Adams’ somewhat rough scream for a much smoother clean singing. The opening track, “In Falling,” also introduces a sort of screamed spoken word sound. This element is sparingly utilized on Repose, but it does show up again in the title track, which presents a nice opportunity for a guest appearance by Silent Planet’s Garrett Russel, who fits in perfectly.

Something that “In Falling” does set a precedence for is the album’s theme. Adams says, “We’re sick and broken, we’ve all gone astray / lost in the darkness, depression has its way / but it’s all not hopeless, our suffering’s not unique / listen to the songs of the broken, I pray they give you peace.” The depravity of humanity meeting the mercy of Jesus is covered in varying ways, with an impressive lyrical style that, at times, overshadows the music itself. “Rebirth” is a darker song near the beginning of the album that deals almost exclusively with feeling lost and peaceless - with only a hint of redemption in a couple spots - but it can be very relatable to the band’s audience, and is at no point completely hopeless. “Shine : Lost” is a cry for humility, “Repose” mourns the loss of an unborn child, and “Silhouette” seems to deal with mental illness; WWDIS covers a lot of ground in such a short runtime. But the final track, “Vindication,” closes the album by reminding the listener of God’s goodness and promises through all of life’s miseries: “I’ve waited for the winds to change / for the scales to be tipped my way / but now I see that Your hand’s holding me / strung out on the things I could not escape / but You said I am free / You calmed the storm in me.”

It’s been a long road for What We Do In Secret, and it’s exciting to see that part of their journey comes with such great exposure and a new platform on which to share their struggles and faith. My initial reaction was that Repose was simply a decent album, but diving into the lyrics really helped to pull back the curtain and find the beauty in the whole package. This is one of Facedown’s best releases of 2019, so don’t sleep on it.

- Review date: 11/20/19, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

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

 

. Record Label: Facedown Records
. Album length: 10 tracks: 29 minutes, 29 seconds
. Street Date: November 22, 2019
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)
. Buy It: MerchNow (CD/Vinyl)

  1. In Falling (0:18)
  2. 918 (3:06)
  3. Rebirth (3:34)
  4. Blackout (3:36)
  5. Shine: Lost (3:49)
  6. (Remain) (0:43)
  7. Repose (feat. Garrett Russell of Silent Planet) (3:29)
  8. Home (4:07)
  9. Silhouette (3:01)
  10. Vindication (3:45)
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

 

 JFH Album Sample Player

 



Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

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

Search JFH



This Friday, July 25, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor & Braille New Mexico [Equal Vision]
B. Tee Told You [Syntax]
Bride Scarecrow Messiah CD Re-Release [Girder]
Empowered SALT - EP (independent)
Homesick Prodigals Different Good (independent)
KDNS After Eden [Syntax]
Olivia Lane Songs About Jesus (Deluxe Edition) [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA [Motown Gospel]
Kevi Morse Kingston We Winning [Syntax]
Pulpit Vomit Hospital Lens [Rottweiler]
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno Dance for Jesus - EP (independent)
Taylor & Co Worship Breakthrough - EP (independent)
Josh Wright LEAD (independent)

SINGLES
abenezer i was lost - Single [Gotee]
Joe L Barnes Good Shepherd (Studio Version) - Single [Provident]
Sho Baraka Still Got Faith (ft. L3xdivine) - Single [Syntax]
Gracie Binion Easy To Please - Single [BEC]
Katty Camargo Shine Upon Me - Single (independent)
The CCC Collective Thankful - Single (independent)
C4 Crotona Mr. Gritty - Single [Syntax]
CXMMXNS Trust and Obey (feat. CAIN) - Single [Provident]
EJ Swavv & Nickwit2Ks Growth - Single [Syntax]
Forrest Frank GOD'S GOT MY BACK - Single [River House / 10K]
Andrew Gonoude Closer To You - Single (independent)
Noah Paul Harrison Oh Lord My God (Live) - Single [Bethel]
J.Solo All I Have (ft. Kaboose & MotionPlus) - Single [Syntax]
Kings Kaleidoscope + Kings Kaleidoscope Hymns Amazing Grace - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Life In Me - Single [BEC]
Lecrae Bless You (feat. Torey D'Shaun) - Single [Reach]
TobyMac God Did It (feat. Jamie MacDonald) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Matt Maher Wait (Radio Version) - Single [Provident]
Hunter Plake Down to Earth - Single [BEC]
QEW JOYXFIX (ft. Stevie Rizo) - Single [Syntax]
Naomi Raine God Will Work It Out - Single [Tribl]
Rave Jesus Runnin' - Single [Provident]
Saints in Exile Bad Vibes - Single [Syntax]
Xander Sallows infinite - Single [DREAM]
Silent Reflection Left Me for Dead - Single [Syntax]
Michael W. Smith Your Love Is A Flood - Single [The Fuel]
John Stratton The Body and the Blood - Single [Pure Mosaic Services]
Regina Vandereijk You're the Light - Single (independent)
Joel Vaughn Feel It - Single [DREAM]
Zach Williams Killed A Man - Single [Provident]
Zauntee Jesus Down In Florida - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Bride Scarecrow Messiah Vinyl [Girder]

DVD
Jordan Smith The People's Hymnal DVD [Gaither]

This Saturday, July 26, 2025
SINGLES
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno What Would You Do? - Single (independent)

Next Friday, August 1, 2025
ALBUMS
Crash Rickshaw Big Sir - EP [Velvet Blue]
McKamey Legacy Holding to Truth [Horizon]
Ordained Thunder Roar [Girder]
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM Worship]

SINGLES
Dan Bremnes Human - Single [Curb]
Lauren Daigle Let It Be A Hallelujah - Single [Centricity]
Sleeping At Last Believe - Single (independent)

VINYL
Disciple Attack! (Limited Run Vinyl) Vinyl [Girder]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Get all of JFH's indie compilation now totally free!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images