A full two years out from Disciple's latest studio album, the new Deluxe Edition of Skeleton Psalms adds four brand new songs, six live tracks, an acoustic version of "Promise to Live," and a new version of "Resurrecting Reasons" featuring TJ Harris (of Decyfer Down) to the original release. These extra songs add 53 minutes to the original 42-minute runtime, bringing the total up to 1 hour and 35 minutes. It is a big task to listen through, especially compared to the 2023 release, which is compact and replayable. While an EP may have made more sense (like they did for the Vultures EP), what we get here is well worth the listen for any Disciple fan.

Please note: The content and rating of this review mostly reflect the additional content on the Deluxe Edition. For our review of the 10-track Skeleton Psalms, you can read Matt Baldwin's thoughts here.

The first ten tracks remain untouched. As the original closing ballad "For The Life Of Me" fades out, things pick right back up with four new studio songs that are all excellent. "Make War" is a hard rock anthem that serves as a commentary on spreading toxicity online coming back to hurt yourself. New song highlight "If You Say So" hearkens back to their early style, from This Might Sting a Little or Back Again, and is all about following God's will no matter the cost. One notable moment here is at the end of the song, vocalist Kevin Young gives an impressive high-pitched scream that is reminiscent of 80's hair metal and is not something we have ever really heard from him. "Neversleep" is a bit more forgettable, but still a fun and encouraging jam. Finally, "Sound the Alarm" is set in a post-apocalyptic dystopia and, in addition to Young, features prominent vocals from touring bassist Maro Pena and guitarist Josiah Prince.

TJ Harris brings a great vocal performance on the alternate version of "Resurrecting Reasons;" the way Kevin and TJ work off of each other here feels special. Not to mention, we haven't heard TJ much in Christian rock lately, so it's nice to hear him again (with Decyfer Down having been quiet for a while, and his previous band, Fighting Instinct, being a distant memory). The last track before we get to the album release show live recordings is an acoustic take on "Promise to Live." It's a nice, if not simple, approach to a song that seems to be connecting with fans, but it feels a little redundant when we also get a live version a couple of tracks later. "I Just Know" is the most interesting live inclusion here, as it highlights how long they've been bringing different people together to rock out for Jesus. They also play a segment of "Game On" during "I Just Know," which is a nice throwback within a throwback. Overall, the live tracks do an excellent job showcasing their presence and energy in front of a crowd and are well-produced. Some extended breakdowns and solos are fun to listen to, but overall, there's not much to return to unless you have a soft spot for concert recordings.

Any new Disciple songs mean you can trust to hear quality metal-tinged hard rock. And that is certainly true with Skeleton Psalms Deluxe Edition. But looking at this release as a whole, the full album will mostly appeal to Disciple fans, and the new material can be cherry-picked for playlists as needed for everyone else.

- Review date: 6/8/25, written by Christopher Smith of Jesusfreakhideout.com