Acclaimed rock group Disciple has released their latest full-length studio album Skeleton Psalms, an opus of life and death led by the singles "The Executioner" and "Promise to Live." Disciple's Skeleton Psalms is the story of humanity told in three parts: brokenness, mercy and ultimate victory.
"Every single song is intertwined and connected with each other," lead singer and band founder Kevin Young reflects. "They all deal with similar themes, they all have an element of being autobiographical. It's almost like chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3: human depravity, the unconditional love of God, then victory."
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Skeleton Psalms - Full of Musical Expertise| Posted April 26, 2023 What You Need To Know
What can I tell you about Disciple that would do the Christian rock legends justice? The Tennessee-founded, southern, hard rock band has been releasing Christ-centered music since 1993 with two indie cassette-only records until they started working with the great producer Travis Wyrick. Currently, they are able to produce music in house with lead guitarist Josiah Prince's own skills and studio (The Ranch). They are partnered with Tooth and Nail Records for distribution. Skeleton Psalms is the band's thirteenth studio record releasing April 28, 2023.
What It Sounds Like
The albums opens with "The Executioner" which offer a great example of what to expect from Skeleton Psalms. The record offers some of the best production I've heard from them since the band started producing in-house/independently. The arrangement of the songs and music styles offers fresh, yet familiar, hard rock that Disciple excels at.
Additionally, the music and vocal style is reminiscent of older Disciple records, such as Horseshoes & Handgrenades and new music like Long Live The Rebels, even a song or two harkening This Might Sting A Little style. Overall, it is a great blend of aggressive music, soaring vocals, and catchy choruses that we've grown to love with Disciple.
Spiritual Highlights
There has been no shortage of spiritual depth and messages to Disciple's music over the years, and that continues to be the truth here. Each song has lyrics that directly reflect some biblical Scriptures (which you can find in our lyrics section for the record). Kevin Young's poignant and in-your-face songwriting continues to create vibrant imagery and foundational truths in every song.
Whether it's comforting messages from the perspective of God to His children or bold proclamations of faith in Christ, this record is full of the songwriting that Disciple utilizes to deliver the Gospel messages.
Best Song
One of the standout tracks to me is "Scapegoat," and I can't wait for you to listen to it. This song has the grit of an old Disciple song, almost as if pulled from This Might Sting A Little, and blends into their modern rock age. There are musical quirks and the vivacious, fast-paced vocals make it a more unique song on the record. Plus, Disciple often shines best when the striking, heavy songs have a fitting lyrical theme--and one that spits on the devil's reputation is definitely welcome.
Bottom Line
There is always anticipation to listen to a new release from a band that has been around for a long time like Disciple. The small differences in their self-produced records versus studio records are easy to miss, but they add up. Don't miss this one; Skeleton Psalms is easily one of the best in their thirteen record-spanning discography.
There are songs like "Bad Words," "Scapegoat," and "Bow Down" that bring an old-school flair to their modern hard rock style, meanwhile songs like "Promise to Live" and "For the Life of Me" bring the tear-jerking ballads that they can craft well. My critique would be on the choir-like openings to the first two songs that feel out of place compared to the rest of the record. Any fan of hard rock, especially Christian fans looking for empowerment in their faith, should not miss this great rock album.
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