` Jesusfreakhideout.com: Refiner, "Return To Dust / Not the End - Double Single" Review
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JFH Indie Review

JFH Indie Music Spotlight Review

Refiner, 'Return To Dust / Not the End - Double Single'
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Refiner
Return To Dust / Not the End - Double Single

Street Date: February 28, 2025
Style: Deathcore



If you're a Christian metal fan with any kind of social media use, you're likely familiar with For The Rock, a platform dedicated to supporting all things Christian rock and metal. You also may know that For The Rock's founder, Christopher Adam, has a one-man deathcore act called Refiner. What few knew until very recently is that Adam signed a deal with Rottweiler Records a couple of years ago. Now, 2025 is looking to be a breakout year for Refiner, and it's starting with Return To Dust.

Return To Dust isn't a big offering in terms of runtime, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in quality. Refiner has always put out good deathcore, but these two new songs are on a new level. Adam has honed his craft in the performance and production aspects, and one can't help but notice an improvement from the Firewalker EP. In other words, it's hard not to agree that this is his most well-written and best-sounding material to date.

"Return To Dust" features a powerful, dynamic vocal performance from Adam, as he uses the full range of his vocals, from deep growls to cleans to high-pitched shrieks. They're accompanied by riffs galore, symphonic synths, and nu metal-esque glitchy sounds. "Not the End" is the heavier of the two, dropping most of the electronics (save for the occasional haunting melodies) in favor of a full-on assault of guitars and double bass. As the song says, it'll "hit like a ton of bricks." The messages of the two songs work well together, too. "Return To Dust" quotes Luke 15 at the beginning and goes into the reality of searching for something other than what God has for us and the meaninglessness of life without Him. "Not the End" almost echoes this sentiment, but more from the perspective of encouraging a loved one at the end of his rope to cling to the truth ("This is the end of life as you know it / don't be consumed, there's no use / some way, somehow / you've always known the truth").

Rottweiler has added a lot of new artists to its roster over the last year, and Refiner is definitely one to be excited about. These two new songs are killer, and they're more than enough to whet the appetite as we (hopefully) prepare for more to come. I know I'll be on the lookout for it.

- Review date: 2/26/25, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com



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JFH Indie Spotlight Review . Record Label: Rottweiler Records
. Album length: 2 tracks: 7 minutes, 17 seconds
. Street Date: February 28, 2025

  1. Return To Dust (3:57)
  2. Not the End (3:20)

 

 

 

 

 

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This Friday, March 21, 2025
ALBUMS
Anberlin Nevertake [Equal Vision]
Kayla Berry Soar - Single (independent)
Diatheke ...And The Word Was God [Rottweiler]
Ellie Holcomb Sing: Spring Songs [Capitol CMG]
Jesus Culture Worthy of Hallelujah (Live) [Capitol CMG]
William Murphy THE devil DIDN'T GET AWAY WITH IT - EP [Motown Gospel]
Thrive Worship Praises & Prayers (Deluxe Edition) [Integrity]
Tauren Wells Let The Church Sing - EP [Capitol CMG]

SINGLES
99 APEX Make Me Cry (ft. De La Cruz) - Single [Syntax]
Alabaster Grace Savior of My Heart - Single (independent)
John Allan Living God - Single [Centricity]
Blindside Dead Weight - Single [Wasa]
Pat Boone ONE - Voices for Tanzania - Single [Lamb & Lions]
Rich Colón People Mover - Single [Polished Arrow]
Faith Worship Arts The Lifter (Live) - Single [DREAM Worship]
Alex Henry Foster I'm Afraid - Single [Hopeful Tragedy]
Free Worship On Time God - Single [BEC]
Sierrah Garcia Joy Like This (feat. ZEKE) - Single (independent)
Integrity Worship Abide (feat. Ke'Erron, Mayanne J. George) - Single [Integrity]
Leslie Jordan Elegy - Single (independent)
KingsPorch Child of Jehovah - Single [BEC]
Life.Church Worship Christ In Me - Single (independent)
MrBigFaith TOP DOWN - Single [Syntax]
QEW League Lessonz (ft. Zippy) - Single [Syntax]
Sanctus Real The Difference - Single [Framework/The Fuel]
Seph Schlueter Turn It To Praise - Single [Provident]
SNT. VINCENT Winning (ft. K Cartel) - Single [Syntax]
Jordan St. Cyr To Save My Life (Acoustic) - Single [BEC]
We Are Messengers A Thousand Times (feat. Cochren & Co.) - Single [Curb]
Yancy History Maker - Single [NWN]

Next Friday, March 28, 2025
ALBUMS
Steve Camp Fire and Ice (Remastered Collector's Edition) [Girder]
Red Rocks Worship The King Is Coming [Provident]

SINGLES
Big Daddy Weave I've Just Seen Too Much - Single [Curb]
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Ronnie Martin Ever Sing For Joy - Single [Velvet Blue]
Switch Love Like This - Single (independent)
Madison Watkins You Won't - Single [Provident]
The Young Escape Every Little Thing - Single [BEC]



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