MUSIC
REVIEWS
CITIZENS & SAINTS ‘JOIN THE TRIUMPH’
Genre: Worship - Label: BEC Recordings
Reviewed by: Leah St John - Rating: 3.5 (out of 5)
Join the Triumph is Citizens & Saints sophomore release, following their 2013 selftitled debut CITIZENS (the band was formerly known as CITIZENS).
Join the Triumph is undoubtedly a worship album, proudly proclaiming the gospel
on each and every track. All of the songs are original, with the exception of a new
rendition of the beloved hymn “Be Thou My Vision”.
While this is essentially an upbeat, and at times softer, worship album, Join the
Triumph really captured my attention when it branched out of the typical “worship”
sound. There is a definite 80’s inspired mainstream pop vibe on several tracks, namely “You Brought Me Back To Life”, “The
Mighty Hand of God”, “The Gospel”, and “Greatly To Be Praised”. I’d like to see Citizens & Saints expand on this sound on their
future releases, because this is one of the best modern combinations of the 80’s pop and worship genres I have heard.
Citizens & Saints didn’t really settle on a specific sound on Join The Triumph - hence it’s a bit of a mixed bag. There were upbeat
worship songs, some softer melodic moments, as well as the aforementioned 80’s influenced tracks.
FIT FOR A KING ‘SLAVE TO NOTHING’
Genre: Melodic-Core - Label: Solid State Records
Reviewed by: Christian St John - Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Slave To Nothing is Fit For A King’s third release and what a release it is… this is without
doubt one of the best heavier albums of the year!
Branching out on their sound, Slave To Nothing is less Metalcore this time round - this
release can best be described as Melodic-Core. Fast and furious head-crushing guitars,
drums, and bass, as well as ear piercing screaming vocals, are complimented by clean
vocals, twin guitar attacks, and some of the best bass playing I have heard on a heavier
album - the bass on this album is killer!
At it’s heaviest, the music on Slave To Nothing is crushingly brutal. But throughout the album there are moments where the heavy
music lets up giving way to moments of perfect clarity amidst the sonic onslaught. An excellent album worthy of every one of the five
stars I have given it. (Note: my colleagues in the CR office also think this is a 5 star album.)
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