Delivering a modern, alternative rock sound with a mission to reach the youth of today with a positive message is what San Antonio based Abandon is all about. Comprised of brothers Josh and Justin Engler, along with cousins Stev and Dave Vela alongside Bryan Fowler, Abandon’s music is driven by high energy guitar riffs and pop rock vocals that are built to fill a stadium. Their Forefront Records self titled debut releases April 21st.
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Abandon [Abandon EP]| Posted March 16, 2009
?Abandon EP? is a great new album by new San Antonio rock act Abandon. I?ve been greatly enjoying the first song ?Providence? since last year which is one of 6 energy-gushing songs off the self-titled debut, digitally released last year and coming out with additional track "Hold On" on April 21, 2009. The band?s sound has been described as The Killers meet U2 which is a great description. For me, I would also compare them to The All-American Rejects, Fall Out Boy, Mute Math and Christian rock bands After Edmund and Nevertheless.
They have a steady rush of uncommon creativity that has both modern flash and worshipful depth. Brothers Josh and Justin Engler had moved from their home state of Indiana to Texas while in high school, where they met Dave and Stevan Vela, cousins, at church. Gelling by jamming in the worship band, they felt a growing desire to write original music together as well.
That theme of danger and hope shines throughout the album. The pulsing beat of ?Providence? really sets that tone. ?The story of Peter in the Bible has always been a fascinating one. How could someone that walked so close to Jesus deny being His follower? If this story was about you or me, would it be different? Either way, grace is enough.? The songs ?Be Alive In Me?, ?Here Waiting?, ?All Because of You? and ?Atmosphere? are all very worshipful and biblical. Radio single ?Hold On? ?is about a teenage girl who is experiencing some rough times in her life. Although the character is fictional, she represents the majority of our nation?s youth. ?Hold On? is intended to offer the listener hope.? ?Hold on. Someone will find you. Look for the searchlights?.
I love all 6 songs and highly recommend this album for fans of worship and alternative rock.
Abandon EP| Posted April 28, 2009
Texas pop/rock act Abandon enters the Christian music scene with its self-titled debut
EP on Forefront Records (Rebecca St. James, tobyMac). Fervent lyrics and a biblical
message coupled with fresh, highly energetic music will surely grab your attention.
The members of Abandon began their ministry as a worship band. Upon cutting their
first demo, the band felt in need of a purpose. While touring throughout the Northwest,
Abandon became involved with Seven Project, an outreach program that coordinates
school events to discuss the current issues that teens face. This outreach helped the band to define its purpose: giving hope to young people.
When I first listened to Abandon, I immediately thought of After Edmund. The guitar
work and rhythms sound quite similar, most notably in “Providence” and “Hold On”.
However, their music lacks some of the creative chord progressions that After Edmund
incorporates into their music.
"Providence” is the perfect opener. A driving rhythm and punchy guitars in the verse lead
into a catchy chorus in which frontman, Josh Engler, vocalizes the story of Peter’s
denial of Jesus. “Three times were all he had to say yes, say yes/Say, yeah/But denial
seemed so beautiful.”
The album then takes a turn toward the pop genre with “Be Alive in Me”. The song talks
about feeling defeated from failures and longing for God’s renewal.
“Hold On” conveys the group’s purpose. The song brings a message of hope to those
who feel lost and alone. “Hold on, hold on, someone will find you / Hold on, hold on,
somebody loves you.”
“All Because of You” is a beautiful worship anthem simply about praising the Lord
through song. The melody is straightforward enough that it could possibly be used for
congregational worship.
“Here Waiting”, written from God’s perspective, is a reminder that the Lord waits for us
to come to Him. Isaiah 30:18 comes to mind: “The Lord waits for you to come to Him
so He can show you His love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God…”
The final track “Atmosphere” has an airy feel to it (as the name suggests), utilizing synth
pads and dreamy guitars. “It’s all about the atmosphere of God, the electricity of His
presence,” explains Josh. “I must decrease; He must increase. Healing happens when
you’re in the atmosphere of God.” From a musical standpoint, this is the weakest track
on the album. The song feels like it is trying to be something epic, but unfortunately,
“Atmosphere” ends up sounding uninteresting and mundane.
This six song release is just a taste of what’s to come from Abandon. Be on the lookout
for their full-length album Searchlights releasing September 8th.
Abandon is off to a great start with a solid debut. While they don’t necessarily re-invent
the wheel, they certainly have the potential to become a frontrunner in Christian music. I
am interested to see what their full-length release will bring.
Good| Posted May 06, 2011
An excellent EP for it's time, but all of the songs except for one (All Because of You) have since been released on their "Searchlights" album. Out of the two EP's the band released I thought this one contained the stronger material...though both are very good. My recommendation would be to buy "Searchlights" and then pick up the extra tracks as MP3's possibly.
Excellent EP.| Posted April 15, 2011
More of a pop sound than I tend to enjoy, but these guys opened me up to more than just rock music. All of the soungs are uplifting, and fun to listen to. Even though they have more of a pop sound, there is still a little rock somewhere in there, and that is what keeps me wanting to listen to thier music.
Great Band And EP| Posted April 28, 2009
It's been three years, one EP, and one full length release since Texas band Abandon emerged, and they now have a chance to make an impact in the Christian alternative scene. With a new deal landing them on Forefront records, Abandon has released a self-titled EP in anticipation of a full album scheduled for next year.
The five-track Abandon EP is a tasty morsel of what is to come. "Providence" starts this effort ambitiously, with a nice modern alt rock sound that will remind the listener of Sanctus Real and The Afters. "Be Alive In Me" is a simple heartfelt song of dedication, where lead vocalist Josh Engler asks God to "Be alive in me. I know I'm Your's forever... So take me and shake me. I know I'm needing You to be alive in me." "All Because of You" slows down the tempo with a more straightforward worship feel.
Musically, Abandon brings a cheery alt rock sound with plenty of catchy hooks. This well-excepted format brings many other bands to mind, including some traces of Switchfoot and Tree63. The lyrics, deal with themes of desire, a need for Christ, and humble worship.
Abandon has put together a solid EP that will definitely create interest. This band is good at what they do. This is a satisfying listen and the future looks bright for Abandon.
Abandon by Abandon| Posted April 21, 2009
I was listening to this album in the background while I was doing other things. I was not impressed at all with this album. I am sure that the group Abandon made a sincere effort in recording this album, but as far as I was concerned they were just making noise.
Energetic| Posted April 20, 2009
This is some energetic rock! the main singer's voice is unique...much different from what is usually heard! The lyrics are self explanatory and to the point!
Nice Rock/Alternative Mix| Posted April 20, 2009
After listening to this cd I believe this is a group that youth will listen to. They have their upbeat Rock songs that you can crank on your stereo and some mellow songs that can make you think and ponder. I really did like this cd and would encourage everyone to support these guys and buy their cd.
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