Jesusfreakhideout.com: Dojo Saints, "Dojo Saints" Review

JFH Indie Review

Dojo Saints
Dojo Saints

Artist Info: Discography
Street Date: May 30, 2026
Style: Rock / Reggae / Punk / Ska / Funk
Official Site: Facebook Page
Buy It: Amazon Music

READER RATING:

� / 5.0 (0 votes)

The family band from Iowa, Dojo Saints, have recently released their self-titled debut album. This father-mother-son trio has quite an eclectic taste and musical output. Reggae, punk, ska, blues, rock, funk and more all make appearances in the album's 15 tracks -- most often blended together in some way. The immediate band that comes to mind for comparison while listening to the Dojo Saints is absolutely the 90's Organic Records band The Channelsurfers. Maybe add a touch of Rancid (for the more punk and ska elements) in the mix as well to really round off the sound comparison.

Dojo Saints are loaded with potential. It can honestly be heard all over the album. There is some great blending of genres happening (while reggae and funk are the most common sounds), and songs that are legitimately good ("All Good"). However, there are also very clear areas of weakness. The production could use some improvement (overall mixing and mastering as well as instrumental tones, like the electric guitar on "Clean Fear"), and often lyrical phrases are really packed in and forced into a melodic section where they don't fit quite as well. Musically, it's solid as an overall project. This family knows how to play their instruments and there are no glaring faults. The vocals also work well within the songs. Some melodic choices take away from certain moments ("War Crimes"), but it's not a vocal problem. While the lyrics aren't the strong suit of the project, there are some great moments of truth and gospel presented. And the songs are very Christ-centered. In "Sad Song," Tera sings, "Yes He washed me and forgave me. He filled me with His Holy Ghost. He saved me and adopted me -- yes He loves me and made me His own. That's why I ain't got no sad song to sing." Some songs do reference the modern political landscape as well, but it's from a biblical point of view, and never delves into an "our side versus their side" type of approach.

Dojo Saints are somewhat an anomaly in today's landscape as their sound is reminiscent of the 90s when bands like 311 ruled the airwaves. There are some shining and positive moments, but there are also areas for improvement. However, don't discount what this family trio brings to the table -- I only wish my folks were cool enough to start a band with! If you're looking for a fun and funky sounding album with a positive biblical message, then look no further than the Dojo Saints' self-titled debut.

- Review date: 6/26/26, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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JFH Staff's Second Opinion

There's something to be said about a band's ability to be musically versatile. Some of my favorite bands have been known to switch things up stylistically and keep their listeners on their toes, which is ultimately a good thing and can keep the band from potentially getting stuck in a rut and becoming stale. Dojo Saints, a fairly new rock band from Iowa, incorporates multiple different genres across their debut, self-titled album: punk, grunge, blues, reggae, you name it. But in being versatile, the artist must also be cohesive. Unfortunately, the track-to-track voyage of Dojo Saints is a little too confusing and sporadic. Subtle genre changes here and there, or even occasional non-subtle ones, can be a welcome addition. But here, most of the song transitions lead to a different genre, and none of them feel particularly mastered by the band. However, all of that being said, there's definitely potential to be found. Should Dojo Saints stick to the genre they feel most confident about and focus on writing songs in that style, they could end up with a nice batch of songs for our listening pleasure. - Review date: 6/26/26, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com

Record Label: None

Album length: 15 tracks: 56 minutes, 48 seconds

Street Date: May 30, 2026

Buy It: Amazon Music

Clean Fear (3:24)
Overcome (3:14)
Clean Heart (5:02)
War Crimes (3:38)
All Good (3:26)
Glory Revealed (3:12)
Step Up (4:40)
Follow Peace (4:22)
I'm Like (3:25)
Sad Song (4:10)
Armed And Dangerous (2:45)
Backwards (3:55)
Eternal Slave (5:03)
Limitless Power (4:06)
70X7 (2:28)

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Jesus Freak Hideout (Michael Weaver): Your sound is so eclectic and varied. What bands do you draw inspiration from musically?

Aaron Iacino: I got saved as an adult in 2002. The bands that influenced me growing up were Bob Marley, Sublime, Rage Against The Machine, The Doors, Bad Religion, and Fugees. The bands I found when I got saved that I really enjoyed were Toby Mac, Pillar, Pax 217, and P.O.D.

JFH (Michael): Have any of you been in bands previously, or was this venture the first for all of you?

Aaron: I was in many bands growing up in Southam California. This is the first band for my wife and son.

JFH (Michael): What is it like being a family in a band? There are lots of instances of siblings playing together, but a father, mother, son trio is a little more rare. How does the process all work together?

Aaron: It's great! We are tight in life, and it comes through in the music. We fight like any other band, but with family, we don't take it personally and keep moving forward. We all listen to each other and all have input. Most of the time, I'll write the songs and then Tera and Sam will tweak them and make them better.

JFH (Michael): I really appreciate how you stick to biblical themes and elements. Songs about salvation, about overcoming struggles, and Christ's power as our Savior. Why is this such an important aspect for you as songwriters?

Aaron: This is our outreach ministry. We are being wise to win souls. We are taking the church outside of the walls straight into the devil's territory and plundering the souls that he has ensnared. Our goal is to win souls to Christ and to help them mature in the faith, and to give strength to the saints to help them to be bold in living their faith.

JFH (Michael): Your bio states that you're an international touring band. Where is the coolest or most exciting place that you've played?

Aaron: Our favorite place to play is where there are souls. Haha. Live music attendance is hurting in this generation. We need to fill up these live music festivals again.

JFH (Michael): Do you have any tour plans now that your debut album has been officially released?

Aaron: Yes, we tour consistently all year ever year. We typically do 2-3 shows a month in various states. For the rest of 2026, we are playing in Lincoln, Nebraska; Springfield, Illinois, Denver, Colorado; Casper, Wyoming; Huntington, Arkansas; Sulphur, Oklahoma; Bloomville, Ohio; Clearence, Iowa; Harrison, Arkansas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Sioux City, Iowa.

JFH (Michael): Any final thoughts you'd like to share with the readers, or something unique that you'd like to say about the Dojo Saints?

Aaron: Our name the Dojo Saints comes from the fact that we, as a family, run a Dojo and that we are saints of the most high God. We own and operate One Combat Academy in Sioux City, Iowa. It is an MMA school. Everyone in the band coaches Boxing, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Krav Maga. Sam, our drummer/keyboardist, is a double weight class kickboxing champion. I am a former kickboxing champion as well.