Saturday, April 21, 2018

NEW HORIZONS


Passerby changed their name to Flyleaf due to legal reasons in June 2004.  They released their self-titled label debut in 2005 which included the singles 'I'm So Sick' and 'All Around Me'.  They toured with the likes of Disturbed and Skillet.  In 2009 they put out MEMENTO MORI which included the singles 'Again' and 'Beautiful Bride'.  Fast forward to 2012 and they released NEW HORIZONS (A&M/Octone Records).  It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart and at #2 on the US Billboard Alternative Albums chart and the US Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart.  On this, their third full length album, Flyleaf is: James Culpepper (drums), Sameer Bhattacharya (guitars, vocals), Jared Hartmann (guitar), Lacey Sturm (lead vocals), and Pat Seals (bass, vocals).  This would be Lacey's last album with the band.

1. 'Fire Fire' starts things off.  It's a rock song that speaks of a troubled past: "That's enough, now dry your tears/It's been a long eleven years/Fire, fire, fire!/Fire from the tongues of liars/You're ashamed of where you're from/Crying 'cause your father's drunk/We can't die because we're young/At least that's what we heard in a song".

2. 'New Horizons', the album's first single and its title track, follows.  It rocks out and points to God: "Life floods in with a conquest/Life floods in with a new quest/He's a voice for the voiceless/And a song for the soulless/Life floods in/Wait/You said I'd only have to wait until I die/New horizon/There is no such thing as time/Inside this moment no sun rising/Wait until I fly/New horizon".

3. The album's second single is 'Call You Out'  It's a rocker pointedly aimed at the devil: "I hear your claims/And I know your name/Liar, liar/Your time's up now/That's enough now/Shut up, get out!/Truth called you out!"

4. 'Cage on the Ground' includes these curious words: "Welcome to the machine/It's a currency generator/And then it's a guillotine/A mirror held up to your own behavior/I'm gonna take my bow/And disappear into the sound/I'm leaving my cage on the ground/When I take my bow/I'm watching it burn to the ground/See my feet flying up through the clouds".

5. The rock praise number, 'Great Love', is next up: "Great love setting the world on fire/I am in awe of who You are/And it's Your love I'm living for/Great love, oh wake me up inside/You are the One I'm looking for/And I am Yours forevermore".

6. 'Bury Your Heart' is a slower rock song that offers a commentary on society: "You're so cold as you sit there alone/Selling your bright ideas/And paying someone to answer your phone/So this is life/Come home to kids and wife/And a day of twisting the knife 'til you get yours/There's blood on the tracks again/Do you buy, buy what you're selling them?"

7. 'Freedom' speaks of coming alive spiritually: "Bleeding dry the promise of worth/Knowing you were meant for this thirst/Drink it in slowly while life puts a heart in you/Weaving new blankets of words (2X)/Oh, freedom/This is for your freedom!"

8. 'Saving Grace' is a pretty rock ballad that serves as a prayer: "Wake me up with patience I don't know/Call me by a name that I love/Take my hand, we're almost home/We can see the fire glow/Save me grace/I'm sick of saving face/Will You hold me close?/You're all I want to know".

9. 'Stand' talks of making a positive difference in our world: "Find there's no need to hide/The time has come to stand and fight/Save the world and save that girl from enemies unseen/Our hands will bleed for children unborn.../How long did You bleed for us? (2X)"

10. The meaty rocker 'Green Heart' follows.  It points out the folly of materialism: "Small green heart/Engraved on a dollar bill/Tell me, could it build a whole universe?/Can it speak or answer your prayers like you hope it will?.../All you own is gonna burn!"

11. Last up on the physical cd is 'Broken Wings'.  It celebrates friendship with God: "Thank You for being such a friend to me/Oh, I pray a friend for life/And have I ever told You how much You mean to me?/Oh, You're everything to me/And I am so lost for words/And I am so overwhelmed/Please don't go just yet".

NEW HORIZONS is a decent Christian rock album, but its not the band's best work.  The ballads here outweigh the faster paced numbers.  Pain, dysfunction, and emptiness without God are explored here. The devil is rebuked.  Ultimately, the band puts their hope in God and desires the abundant life only He can give.  God is praised and the band dedicates their lives to Him.  Out of this flows a desire to be a light for Christ in the world and to help others.  What would have made this more than a decent rock album? First of all, straight forward lyrics, rather than too many abstract ones. Secondly, some great electric guitar solos would have been highly appreciated by this reviewer. Thirdly, a song or two where there was a break or two where we could just hear Lacey's vocals acappella.  All this being said, I'm still rating NEW HORIZONS 83%. For more info visit: www.flyleafmusic.com or connect with the band on facebook.