The Union of Sinners and Saints - One More Shot Album Review Posted September 01, 2022 By JJFrancesco_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need To Know The Union of Sinners and Saints has proven themselves a supergroup of Classic Christian Rock. With prominent members of both Petra and Whiteheart, the band feels like a time capsule in music form. The band's been working on a sophomore album for a while now and they're finally ready to unleash it on the music world.
What It Sounds Like
John Schlitt has one of the all-time great rock voices. Overflowing with 80's arena rock goodness, his iconic vocals are instantly recognizable and add power and gravitas to whatever he sings that elevates it. It's what made Petra such a powerhouse presence during his 20 years fronting the band, allowing them to transition successfully from the departure of another popular vocalist.
Schlitt brings those power vocals to TUOS&S. And while the music carries some of that 80's synth hooks, such as on the Russ Taff cover "I Still Believe," it would be inaccurate to write this off as just like Petra. With bluegrass and country influences, The Union explores a bit more varied territory, while still undeniably feeling the influences of its members' former bands. "One More Shot" and "10,000 Strong" all bring energy and grit. "Group of Songs" offers an acoustic medley of Petra and White Heart ballads that is both nostalgic and intriguing to hear the songs in a different setting. Those who grew up on Petra worship will be pleased with their covers of standards "God of Wonders" and "Reckless Love."
Spiritual Highlights
When a bunch of musicians from the 1980s and 1990s Christian music writes music, you can bet it's going to be blunter in its themes than a lot of the safer modern music. "10,000 Strong" is a militant rebuke of the enemy and a reminder of the assured victory of Christ. "One More Shot" sings against those who refuse to see the truth in front of them. "I Still Believe" sings of keeping your faith in tough times. While perhaps the heavy hand might come off a bit cheesy in a few spots, it's also refreshing to see lyrics with such an uncompromising tone.
Best Song
Album closer "We Are The Broken" boasts some of the band's best melodies on the album. With a fine blend of a more emotive chorus and edgier guitar elements, this is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser.
The Bottom Line
Fans of Classic Christian Rock will be eating this up. With John Schlitt's classic vocals against a bombastic rock sound, this album balances the stylings of the big hair hard rock with modern production. Together, they work to make a solid rock release that feels like a melding of musical eras.
