Thousand Foot Krutch was among some of the more successful independent artists in Christian music. Through those years, the band garnered hit songs on Christian rock radio, a prominent following, and secured a bright future ahead. Then Tooth & Nail came into the picture. The label signed the aspiring rapcore band; and soon after, they releaseed Phenomenon, one of the most well-received rock releases of 2003. By the end of 2004, they had broken barriers in CHR radio with their single "This Is a Call." A re-mastered, re-packaged of their independent release Set It Off late last year was the icing on the proverbial cake.

This year, the band returns with the follow up to Phenomenon, in the form of The Art of Breaking. It's more urgent, more in your face, but seems to be more of the same. Thousand Foot Krutch shows signs of maturing, but their nu metal rock sound seems fairly identical to that of Phenomenon. Perhaps it is a bit of a stretch, but many of the songs could have easily worked on their last release. That is a stretch, however, due to the subtle signs of maturity sprinkled throughout this release.

But the maturing is most notable in the lyrics. Sometimes they are simplistic to get a basic but justified point across, like on "Absolute," "We want the Truth. Give us the absolute. We need Your help. Because we've got nothing." And other times they are desperate, heartfelt cries out to God, like on the moving album closer "Breathe You In," "Because I need to breathe. I want to breathe you in. I want to breathe you in." The lyrics are still over the top, as has always been the case with Thousand Foot Krutch, but they have matured over the years, and they reach their pique on The Art of Breaking.

Thousand Foot Krutch's latest effort may seem to run a bit through the motions, but repeated listens will prove that assumption wrong. The Art of Breaking may not be rocket science, but it's fun, aggressive, and perfect to blast through your car stereo with the windows down. Fans of Phenomenon should not be disappointed. Longtime Thousand Foot Krutch fans might be, but give this one ample time to grow on you, and it will be worth the effort.

- Review date: 07/17/05, written by Josh Taylor