Kutless Continues to Improve
Posted August 16, 2007
By Epilogue,
Finally, an album that sounds like Kutless. Before, the only way to tell Kutless was singing a song was by the guy's voice. Each of their albums was totally different. I'm happy to say they've seemed to settle on style that suits them perfectly.
The intro riff marks a turning for Kutless. They are actually creating a riff that doesn't consist mainly of power chords! That's a pleasant touch. It also marks Kutless' first solo, which has a tacky 80's feel, but is still very welcome, as it shows Kutless does have more skill than just playing power chords.
Not that they aren't bad when it comes to power chords; the hard rockin', very catchy, 'Shut Me Out', which challenges us to declare our faith in Christ, though the enemy may try to 'shut us out', is very power-chordy, as is the notably darker 'Beyond the Surface,' which deals with self-image and cutting. 'Winds of Change' is a great, rocker, as is the fast paced, 'Somewhere in the Sky.' Even though this album has some of Kutless' hardest songs, it has the most ballads for any of their albums (save the Strong Tower album). The catchy, poppy, and unique 'Smile' is very un-Kutless, but, like the rest of this album, is a breath of fresh air; Kutless isn't afraid to mix things up, which is great. The brit-pop sound of 'Changing World' is fine, but the melancholy, though touching 'Mistakes' handles the softer sound excellently, as Jon tells his son, 'There's so much I could say/ There's so much that I've learned/ Don't make my mistakes/There's no time to delay/Take my hand and learn from my heartache.' But, most certainly, the best of the softer set is 'Promise of a Lifetime,' a powerful Kutless ballad that equals all its former rock ballads with its powerful lyrics and soaring, catchy choruses.
But Kutless hasn't gone soft in case you were wondering. 'Push Me Away', a song about drowning our pride, is a nice rocker that has some keyboard laced through the verses, but Kutless' best rockers come flying in hard at the end. The simple, yet delectably hard 'Million Dollar Man', with its sweet intro, catchy chorus, and intense scream (something I'd prefer Kutless go without) makes this song one of Kutless' best heavier feats. But this might even be outdone by the following song and the album closer, 'Legacy', with its insanely fast intro riff, hyper catchy chorus, and hard rockin' closing riff. Kutless ends with a bang on this album.
Although this is not my favorite Kutless album (Sea of Faces remains my personal favorite; mostly because of 'Treason'), it is clear that Kutless is taking promising new steps; they're not staying put, which is a relief. Their lyrics remain spot on, their skills are growing, and the future looks bright. Anticipating their next album greatly.
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