Thousand Foot Krutch formed in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
in 1997. The next year they released the
now out of print THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE DO, independently. In 2000 they released SET IT OFF on an indie
label. ‘Puppet’ was a highlight on that
album. In 2003 Krutch signed with Tooth
& Nail Records and put out PHENOMENON.
On the album, produced by Aaron Sprinkle and the band, Krutch is: Trevor
McNevan (vocals, guitar), Steve Augustine (drums), and Joel Bruyere (bass). Sprinkle plays additional guitars. The band thanks “God for the chance to use
the gifts He’s given us”.
Starting things off is the album’s first single and title
track ‘Phenomenon’. It hit #1 on
ChristianRock.Net. It’s basically meant
to energize the crowd: “Down, here comes the sound/Everyone pound your feet to
this phenomenon/Now, let’s make it loud/Let me show ‘em all how you move to
this phenomenon/Whoa, open your soul/Baby, lose control inside of this
phenomenon/Just let yourself go/We’ll let everyone know/You moved to this
phenomenon”. ‘Step to Me’ is a great
rock song aimed at Satan: “I’m sick of letting you control the places that I
go/I’m never giving into you again/Take another look at me/And tell me what you
see/All of these cats tryin’ to get under my skin/But they can’t step over
me/You try to control me/But you can’t hold me/You don’t own me/If you ever
step to me”.
‘Last Words’ seems told from the perspective of one who has
committed suicide: “You’ve got what it takes to make it through/And if I was
you I’d get down on my knees and pray/Thank God in the morning for another
day/Cause these are the last words/I’m ever gonna get to say to you/When
everything falls away from you/Take these words and know that the world is not
worth leaving”. ‘This is A Call’ is a
moving ballad about finding purpose: “And they say someone out there sees
us/Well, if you’re real, then save me Jesus/Cause I’ve been this way for far
too long/I wasn’t meant to feel alone.../I’m asking You to show me what this
life is all about”.
‘Rawkfist’ hit #1 on ChristianRock.net and broke into the
Top 40 on mainstream radio. It’s a
punchy rocker that’s all about having fun: “Throw up your rawkfist/If you’re
feelin’ it when I drop this/Show ‘em how we blow the spot/Let’s make it
hot/Let’s shock ‘em with the bodyrock/Til the party stops/It’s time to take it
up a notch and keep it locked/For all the headbangers in the parking lot”. ‘Faith, Hope And Happiness’ speaks of the
downside of fame: “Every single word I say is judged by a million critics/Every
which way you turn you’ve got the sound of a million voices/Every single move
you make is torn by a million cynics.../Wish everything didn’t happen to me/All
I want is faith, love and happiness”.
‘I Climb’ is a rock song about relationships: “I don’t want
you to be anything at all/I just want you to say you love me/I don’t care, just
stop living like this/I don’t want to be anything at all/I just want you to see
who I am/And stop the violence, no more silence/I’m gonna show ya I’m
alive/Breathing clearly for the first time/Hold me in your arms/Take me to the
place where you are”. ‘Quicken’ cries
out to God: “It’s coming to that point/I’m down on my knees/I’m praying/You
change my life and change me/I’ll follow You there/Got nothing to lose/Unwind
me, heal my sickness/Unravel this and set me free”.
‘New Design’ talks of loneliness: “Sometimes I feel so
alone/It feels like I’m standing out here on my own/I’ve never felt so far from
home/It’s comin’ on/It hits me when I step outside my zone.../I’ve never felt
so far from home”. ‘Bounce’ is an energetic
fun rocker: “Everyone bounce!/Show me what it’s all about/Don’t stand up,
bounce/Cause we’re takin’ over now/It’s TFK, we rock the party/We keep the
party jumpin’ in an old school way/Bounce!/Show me what it’s all about/Don’t
touch us, bounce/Get up and let it all hang out/If you find it hard to breath,
ya better just leave/We ‘bout to make it hotter than the third degree!”
‘Ordinary’ is a song of reflection: “You could never stop
this feelin’ I’ve got inside of me/And you could never fill these shoes/Cause I
refuse to lose/I’m just ordinary me/Digging slowly, flowers growing/Beautiful
from inside of me”. ‘Break the Silence’
is conversational: “You make me feel complicated sometimes/I try to explain the
way/You took me, turned it all around/Everyone will know the minute we let it
go/I can’t take it anymore/Let’s be original”.
Well, you won’t find any sex or drugs here, but you will
find lots of ambitious rock ‘n’ roll! In
fact the only ballad is ‘This is A Call’.
It’s a good one by the way. Three
of the songs are simply about rocking out and having a good time. Other topics include: crying out to God,
fighting Satan and loneliness, and the cost of fame. You won’t find much theological depth here
lyrically, but it would be a good album to work out to. Fans of Skillet and Manic Drive will enjoy
this effort, but it’s not as strong as several of Krutch’s other works, so I’m
only giving it an 83%. For more info
visit: www.thousandfootkrutch.com.