InnerSiege was founded in 2008. Their website says: “InnerSiege hails from
Peoria, IL, USA and considers itself in the Euro Power Metal genre. Reviewers say they sound similar to Dream
Evil, Hammerfall, Primal Fear, Iron Maiden and early Queensryche.” InnerSiege is: Jeremy Ray (vocals), Ravn
Furfjord (bass), Kevin Grose (guitars), J.L. Prater (guitars), and Wade Helm
(drums). These words, also from the
band’s website, provide insight into the band’s history: “During a long two
year recording process, the band suffered many setbacks. Their recording studio closing, a member
getting called for active military duty in Afghanistan and two founding members
leaving the band. The band replaced the
departed members and continued on playing local and regional shows when they
could.” Their album KINGDOM OF SHADOWS
(2012) was released by Roxx Productions.
‘Warrior’ begins the album with blistering electric guitar
work. Lyrically, it reflects on the
spiritual darkness so prevalent today: “Living in this foreign land barely
surviving/No real life from where I stand, none I can see/There’s evil
everywhere, it’s far too much to bear/I’m praying for a way to save me from
this place.” The song goes on to point
to our sure hope in Christ: “A white horse You ride, sword and shield held
high/You’ve come to save the day/Warrior.”
‘Fight On’ is another bona fide hard rocker. It paints a realistic picture of spiritual
warfare: “Oppression’s victory has conquered many souls.../As long as there’s
hope for tomorrow/I will not live in yesterday/As we face new horizons/We will
fight on/The struggle is fierce, it’s all around me/A fight for all our lives.”
‘Dragon Rider’ is a real slam-knocker of a song. It shares these words of warning about our
adversary, Satan: “He comes in the night to seek and destroy/He comes in the
night wearing his cloak of darkness/Ever so patient, he lays in waiting/When
will he strike?/You’ll never know till it’s too late/It’s too late when it’s
over/It’s too late when you feel his breath on you.” The message of ‘Children of Winter’ will
resonate with many Conservatives and Republicans: “I see the filth and
decay/The smell of death it almost overwhelms me/And when my strength fades
with the day/I hear the battle cry/I press on through the night.../Facing the
shadows in this dark and evil world/Through it all, we will stand our ground.”
‘Control’ is a great song with blazing guitar work, that
would fit well in a rock drama or a rock opera.
It seems to be about the lure of sexual immorality: “I know your
haunting voice so well/We’ve spent some time in unholy communion/Evil deeds
that I’ll never tell/Behind the door in an unholy union/Each time I’m alone/She
sings to me, she’s calling for me/That’s when it begins, I’ve lost all
control.” ‘Abuser’ is a tragic
headbanger that to me reflects on the dark side of porn: “I cry before You
God/Why are You so far?/It seems You have forgotten me/I don’t know where You
are/How does a little girl grow up and get this far/To wish she was not
‘beautiful’?.../Bound and gagged, he says I’m pretty/The lights flash as
darkness surrounds me/The camera rolls until my abuser is through/My abuser is
through.”
‘Excuses’ features guest growling vocals by Colt Caperrune,
one of the album’s producers. This song
exposes the tendency many of us have, not to take responsibility for our own
actions and lives: “Others are blamed in all of your reasons/Passing the buck,
that’s not worth a dime/It’s the same ol’ thing/It’s always that someone did
you wrong/Down this road again with all of your reasons/Lines become blurred
between truth and the lies/You’re such a victim/It’s never your fault for where
you are.” ‘Free’ has Kristina Ray as a
guest vocalist. The song rocks heavy and
could really be addressed to either God or a human love interest: “A lonely
heart, I walked alone/Then you rescued me/There I am, I stand in my sorrow/But
you came to me/You were just what I needed/How did you ever know?/Now with you
right beside me/Alone I am no more/Free, you set me free/Because of you I am free/Free,
you came to me/Free, you give to me/All the love that I need.”
‘What Kind of Love?’ is a wonderful, quieter instrumental,
with a splendid electric guitar lead.
‘Ultimate Sacrifice’ chugs right along for over six minutes. It starts by praising brave soldiers: “A man
full of honor/Heeds the call of his country/And he is no doubt a hero/A man
full of valor/Gives his life for a stranger/That horrible day at Ground
Zero.” The song then points to Christ as
the ultimate example of noble character: “Let me tell you of One/One who gave
it all/While others gave some/He gave His life away/Never before in our
time/The price had been so high/The Ultimate Sacrifice for you.”
KINGDOM OF SHADOWS is hands down one of the best metal
albums in recent memory in the Christian market. It’s right up there with Stryper’s 2009
release MURDER BY PRIDE. Incredible
electric guitar work and a vocal delivery similar to that of Deliverance’s
Jimmy P. Brown II, propel this album to greatness. This is melodic power metal at its best. It is easy to see after listening to this
album, why InnerSiege was on the same bill as Whitecross and King James at
Switzerland’s recent Elements of Rock festival!
I’m rating KINGDOM OF SHADOWS 90%.
For more info visit www.innersiege.com
and www.roxxproductions.com