After joining the ranks of Small Step Records in 2022, Light the Way almost immediately released their best album to date, Long Story Short. Never ones to rest on their laurels for too long, the California pop-punks quickly released a few more singles that were received well. Now, it's album time again. Expel is their third full-length and it fires on all cylinders.

Need proof? Listen to opening track "Wildfire." Light the Way has always had minor traces of easycore in their music, but "Wildfire" is easily the heaviest song in their repertoire with melodic hardcore instrumentation and fierce screaming. But I suppose that’s what happens when one enlists the help of Facedown Records hardcore act Deathbreaker. "Sacramento vs Everybody" comes close, though - the band experiments here with some wilder lead guitar amid the raucousness, but also adds some clean vocals and more melody than the opener.

However, if heaviness and screaming aren't your thing, you should still stick around for the rest. The vast majority of Expel is chock-full of the solid pop punk that Light the Way has been known for since 2016. The songs are upbeat and energetic, taking the best of bands like Sum 41 and New Found Glory and putting their own personality on it. It results in tracks like the super fun "Dude Jesus loves U," but also slower, more introspective songs like "Hollow Tree" and "In Memoriam," the latter of which closes the album in a mostly acoustic, soft rock fashion, which is in stark contrast to the heavy opener.

Light the Way has always mixed humor with lyrics that touch on a variety of topics surrounding the Christian faith. However, Expel is their most serious album to date. "Waterwalker" deals with what it means to be faithful to God and how living in faith can be difficult. The song cries out to Jesus to help conquer unbelief ("Hold my hand, don't let go / everything feels like it's out of control / I can't do this on my own / I struggle and sink in the midst of the storm / waterwalker, I want to step out on the top of of the waves / I believe, please help me / please help me with my unbelief"). "Lazybones" is a convicting song that challenges our comfortable way of life as 21st century Christians who have constant access to numerous forms of entertainment. It pairs well with "I Would Prefer Not To," which references the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 7, as we struggle with doing the things we don't want to do, and vice versa. Kudos to Light the Way for taking on important subjects when they could easily just pump out an album full of mindless jams.

I've followed Light the Way since they debuted on Indie Vision Music nearly a decade ago, and it's been a pleasure to watch them grow and consistently write good pop punk music. Expel is another solid entry in their discography - perhaps their most mature thus far - and it's also their first to be pressed to vinyl! I didn't expect a new top ten contender this late in the year, but this will definitely be fighting for a spot.

- Review date: 11/1/24, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com

Record Label: Small Step Records
Album length: 11 tracks: 34 minutes, 14 seconds
Street Date: November 8, 2024
Buy It: Bandcamp (CD / Vinyl / Digital)
Buy It: Small Step Records Store

1. Wildfire (3:20)
2. Dude Jesus Loves U (3:25)
3. Lazybones (3:15)
4. Waterwalker (3:37)
5. Depth Charge (1:35)
6. I Would Prefer Not To (3:33)
7. As If You Could Outrun Me (3:11)
8. Sacramento vs Everybody (2:11)
9. Hollow Tree (3:51)
10. Lurk (2:31)
11. In Memoriam (3:45)