Customer Reviews

Until We Have Faces

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Essential Records' two time GRAMMY-nominated hard rock outfit RED packs a potent sonic punch on its third project, Until We Have Faces, a record that leaps out of the speakers with a ferocity and complexity reflecting the band's growth and intensity. From the opening seconds of "Feed The Machine" through the final, contemplative moments of "Hymn For The Missing," the four-man unit of vocalist Michael Barnes, guitarist Anthony Armstrong, bassist Randy Armstrong and drummer Joe Rickard shows both maturity and abandon can coexist within the various dimensions of rock RED inhabits. I'm truly a fan of this band now. Since getting hooked by the amazing music and excellent vocals by Mike Barnes, I've had some time to listen more closely to the themes of all three albums. "Breathe Into Me," "Already Over," "Lost," "Fight Inside" and "Death Of Me" are such intense rock songs, I didn't think RED could possibly have another level, however the opening guitar hook and Michael's scream to kick off "Feed The Machine" proved me wrong. The chorus has me totally captivated: "We fall in line, we live the lie, Give up, give up and feed the machine." Even if you don't normally listen to hard rock albums, the artistic nature of these songs draws you in and elicits an emotional response. As hard as "Feed The Machine" starts, it ends with a soft choral and orchestral arrangement that just calms you. This excellent rock album totally brings the perfect package of heavy rock guitars and the emotive vocal punch and gorgeous strings found in the two previous RED albums.

The new album's overarching theme is a search for true identity, inspired by a number of sources, including author C.S. Lewis' book of similar title, Till We Have Faces. The band itself is working through its own new identity - as a four-piece with the addition of drummer Rickard. Until We Have Faces takes listeners down the path of recognizing the hollowness of life until finding their true identity on first single "Faceless," which has quickly become my all-time favorite song by this incredible band. I've been constantly singing the chorus, "I'm not, I'm not myself, Feel like I'm someone else, Fallen and faceless, So hollow, hollow inside, A part of me is dead, Need You to live again, Can you replace this? I'm hollow, hollow and faceless." "Lie To Me (Denial)" keeps the rock flow going and the theme of this album is very cohesive as the songs all point to the concept of finding our true identity. The idea of creative destruction unveiled in the midst of new life is found on "Let It Burn," and simultaneously presenting the positive energy found even "in a world so cold" is explored on the infectious, melodic ballad "Not Alone." These are truly some of the deepest rock songs I've ever heard as they all challenge me and I can't wait to see the band perform these new songs in concert, especially the rock anthem "Who We Are," which has one of the best guitar parts I've ever heard. "Hymn For The Missing" is the incredible closing song which is a wonderful ballad and reminds me of "Pieces" from End Of Silence and "Take It All Away" from Innocence & Instinct. The song accentuates Michael's tender vocals and features new artist Kerrie Roberts singing a gorgeous harmony at the end of the song. Paired again with award-winning producer Rob Graves, Until We Have Faces features RED in its most musically intense place to date.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
I am so impressed by the music and production mingling the harder rock guitars, soft strings and the emotive vocals of Mike Barnes, I even enjoy the `screaming' in the harder songs "Feed The Machine" and "The Outside." The messages throughout many of the songs are very positive and although RED has had mainstream success, I don't question the spiritual seeking nature of the lyrics, which are naturally much more Christ-centered than mainstream metal bands like Linkin Park that many have accurately compared to RED. To me, the stand-out songs are "Feed The Machine," "Faceless," "Lie To Me (Denial)," "Let It Burn," "Not Alone," "Who We Are" and the epic closing song "Hymn For The Missing." This album firmly establishes RED as the premier rock band in all of Christian music. If you like Pillar, Breaking Benjamin and Linkin Park, then you'll enjoy RED. Until We Have Faces is the crowning achievement by this incredible rock band and will certainly be among my top albums of 2011.

Mainstream hard rock is an unfortunate genre, generally stacked with a list of number one hits that reach the top less by musical talent and more by their clean fit into blockbuster films and into fashionable youth-centered shopping outlets. Red certainly does not bother trying to break out much, even if it fits in the heaviest subcategory of the over-filled genre. However, Red has an "X" factor here - it may be all formula, but it is also all heart.

The biggest thing that separates "Until We Have Faces" from the Nashville rockers' previous work is a much-welcomed substitution of melodrama with genuine talent. It's never been easy (if even possible) to lodge a complaint against lead singer Barnes' vocal prowess - fluctuating between a smoother Chris Daughtry at times, a rather angry Josh Groban at others, and, impressively, an emotionally charged Tim Lambesis (of As I Lay Dying fame) at yet others. Yet, with this album, the music quality has been kicked up more than just a notch. The safe-rock characteristics of Red's previous albums have been ditched in favor of much more ambition. Guitars are split into multiple parts rather than played in unison, and drums pound out much more complex rhythms, using the double-bass pedal much more than what would be expected from a band of this genre. There is actually quite a bit of heavy metal influence here - more so than many self-proclaimed "metal" bands themselves convey. Likewise, the strings, synths, and background vocals are cut down to see time only when they are appropriate, not every moment (looking at you, "Innocence and Instinct").

In fact, this album really never works against itself. Production quality is arguably perfect, and the track listing provides an interesting listen from start to finish. The kickoff comes in the form of the incredibly aggressive "Feed the Machine." Where most hard rock bands would suffice with a short, two-and-a-half-minute burst of energy at the beginning of an album, Red effectively draws the song out for over five minutes. Since the rest of the album never really matches the intensity found here at the start, the length is actually appreciated because it's just so satisfying. It is said that it is better to leave the listener wanting more than wanting less, but finding that sweet spot between the two is an achievement on its own. "Faceless" slows things down just a bit, but compliments the first song perfectly. The album feels rather formulaic from this point on, but it is almost impossible not to get behind the tight rhythms, technical riffs, and gorgeous melodies heard throughout. The album swings between heavy ballad and fist-pumping rock from here, with the climax coming in at "Watch You Crawl," which reinstates some of the energy found in "Feed the Machine" to carry the album to its end. This is where the listener hears Red at their finest, laying down some of the best lyrical, melodic, and rhythmic work the band has ever done. The album's energy starts to decline at this point, but only on a smooth curve that keeps things interesting. "Best Is Yet To Come" is the last (and best) rock ballad of the album, and it's followed by the epic "Hymn for the Missing" which starts out softly with pianos and strings and, thankfully, remains soft until the end.

Red's latest is, at its core, the perfect mainstream hard rock album. The lyrical message is honest yet hopeful and upbeat, the music is well-crafted and nuanced with technical complexity, the production is tight, and the vocals stand out as some of the best in any genre today. Red has certainly proven themselves to be forceful and aggressive while retaining a wide appeal. Perhaps the subtle ambition in this album will further spur the group to think a bit more outside the box and craft something more unique on their next project, but for now, "Until We Have Faces" is as impressive as modern rock albums come. If modern mainstream rock is remembered twenty years from now, Red should be one of the names associated with the genre. Here is an album that makes stereotypical schlock un-typically slick.

Ten-Point Scale: 8.5 out of 10
Genre: Hard Rock / Modern Rock
Recommended: Highly

NOTE: Many people have complained that this album is, in fact, not heavier than their previous work, which was something hyped about the album. This is a misunderstanding of the term "heavy" - More overall volume, louder guitars, or faster drums do not make for a "heavier" sound, per se. It would be nearly impossible to make anything here "louder" than their previous work and it still be digestible at all. This album incorporates many more heavy-metal-styled riffs and rhythms than in previous works, which results in a significantly heavier musical structure. Red has always been louder and more aggressive-sounding than, say, even most Metallica, yet Red remains mainstream rock and Metallica remains heavy metal. Red is, however, much more pop-like in song structure and chord progression, while Metallica does far more experimentation and uses both fast and slow rhythmic breakdowns and guitar solos/duets to achieve it's sound. In this regard, "Until We Have Faces" more closely resembles classic metal than simply much-louder pop-rock. This is just an observation from a musician - perhaps this sheds light on why I (as well as Red) view this album as being much heavier than the others.

Essential Records' two time GRAMMY-nominated hard rock outfit RED packs a potent sonic punch on its third project, Until We Have Faces, a record that leaps out of the speakers with a ferocity and complexity reflecting the band's growth and intensity. From the opening seconds of "Feed The Machine" through the final, contemplative moments of "Hymn For The Missing," the four-man unit of vocalist Michael Barnes, guitarist Anthony Armstrong, bassist Randy Armstrong and drummer Joe Rickard shows both maturity and abandon can coexist within the various dimensions of rock RED inhabits. I'm truly a fan of this band now. Since getting hooked by the amazing music and excellent vocals by Mike Barnes, I've had some time to listen more closely to the themes of all three albums. "Breathe Into Me," "Already Over," "Lost," "Fight Inside" and "Death Of Me" are such intense rock songs, I didn't think RED could possibly have another level, however the opening guitar hook and Michael's scream to kick off "Feed The Machine" proved me wrong. The chorus has me totally captivated: "We fall in line, we live the lie, Give up, give up and feed the machine." Even if you don't normally listen to hard rock albums, the artistic nature of these songs draws you in and elicits an emotional response. As hard as "Feed The Machine" starts, it ends with a soft choral and orchestral arrangement that just calms you. This excellent rock album totally brings the perfect package of heavy rock guitars and the emotive vocal punch and gorgeous strings found in the two previous RED albums.

The new album's overarching theme is a search for true identity, inspired by a number of sources, including author C.S. Lewis' book of similar title, Till We Have Faces. The band itself is working through its own new identity - as a four-piece with the addition of drummer Rickard. Until We Have Faces takes listeners down the path of recognizing the hollowness of life until finding their true identity on first single "Faceless," which has quickly become my all-time favorite song by this incredible band. I've been constantly singing the chorus, "I'm not, I'm not myself, Feel like I'm someone else, Fallen and faceless, So hollow, hollow inside, A part of me is dead, Need You to live again, Can you replace this? I'm hollow, hollow and faceless." "Lie To Me (Denial)" keeps the rock flow going and the theme of this album is very cohesive as the songs all point to the concept of finding our true identity. The idea of creative destruction unveiled in the midst of new life is found on "Let It Burn," and simultaneously presenting the positive energy found even "in a world so cold" is explored on the infectious, melodic ballad "Not Alone." These are truly some of the deepest rock songs I've ever heard as they all challenge me and I can't wait to see the band perform these new songs in concert, especially the rock anthem "Who We Are," which has one of the best guitar parts I've ever heard. "Hymn For The Missing" is the incredible closing song which is a wonderful ballad and reminds me of "Pieces" from End Of Silence and "Take It All Away" from Innocence & Instinct. The song accentuates Michael's tender vocals and features new artist Kerrie Roberts singing a gorgeous harmony at the end of the song. Paired again with award-winning producer Rob Graves, Until We Have Faces features RED in its most musically intense place to date.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
I am so impressed by the music and production mingling the harder rock guitars, soft strings and the emotive vocals of Mike Barnes, I even enjoy the `screaming' in the harder songs "Feed The Machine" and "The Outside." The messages throughout many of the songs are very positive and although RED has had mainstream success, I don't question the spiritual seeking nature of the lyrics, which are naturally much more Christ-centered than mainstream metal bands like Linkin Park that many have accurately compared to RED. To me, the stand-out songs are "Feed The Machine," "Faceless," "Lie To Me (Denial)," "Let It Burn," "Not Alone," "Who We Are" and the epic closing song "Hymn For The Missing." This album firmly establishes RED as the premier rock band in all of Christian music. If you like Pillar, Breaking Benjamin and Linkin Park, then you'll enjoy RED. Until We Have Faces is the crowning achievement by this incredible rock band and will certainly be among my top albums of 2011.

First, let me just say that I had fully planned to not buy this album because I am only interested in physical releases and I will never switch over to buying mp3 albums. When I saw that Itunes was getting an exclusive track called "Until We Have Faces", I made the decision that I was done letting record labels punish me (and other true fans who do want the physical releases) by giving us less music for our money. Nothing encourages piracy more in my eyes than when record labels/bands cut songs off of albums and try to sell us incomplete albums or give certain versions/countries exclusive songs. All fans should be treated equally, no matter where they buy their albums or in whatever format they choose.

However, after I was able to confirm that (this rare time) the exclusive Itunes track was only an instrumental intro (albeit one that should have stayed as an intro for "Feed The Machine" on the physical release), I went ahead and bought a copy of this new album, and I am glad I did. Despite what many Red fans are saying though, I find this to be Red's softest album to date. Really only "Feed The Machine", "Faceless", "Who We Are" and "The Outside" are what I would consider the 'heavier' type songs. This album has several mid--level rocker tracks and a few power ballads and these songs are the ones that stand out for me. I am a sucker for great melodies and memorable hooks and they definitely deliver. These songs include "Lie To Me (Denial)" which is destined to be a future single, "Let It Burn", "Buried Beneath" (which is another catchy song with a great chorus hook), "Not Alone" and the anthem-like "Who We Are" (although there is some annoying static-like noise in this song). Honestly, there was not one song I wanted to skip though.

With that being said, the song that impressed me the most is the piano/orchestra driven album closer "Hymn For The Missing". The chorus of this song has such a beautiful melody to it that I got chills when I heard it. And then to top it off, there are some subtle (but gorgeous) etheral female vocals harmonizing in the background, which really compliments the orchestra especially as it picks up for the haunting instrumental climax at around the 4:30 mark. Perhaps my only complaint about this soul soothing song is that after the instrumental climax, I would have loved to hear one final chorus with both Michael Barnes and Kellie Roberts (the female vocalist) singing together. But even without this, the song is powerful and easily compares with "Pieces" from their debut release for being their most beautiful song.

Red is one of the very rare bands within the Christian rock market where I feel that they put just as much effort into the melodies they write, as they put into their lyrics. Most of the "preachy" bands, I can not get into because they concentrate solely on the worshipping aspect and very rarely touch upon the undeniable fact that there is A LOT of frustration and confusion in not only being a Christian, but being alive in general. Red covers this with true power and skill to where they are appealing to the Christian rock market, along with the mainstream rock market. They mix a Linkin Park-ish rock vibe (back from when LP were still a good rock band at least) in with the orchestras for a symphonic rock sound that I normally had to go to female fronted European bands like Within Temptation or Delain to find. And this album is no exception. UNTIL WE HAVE FACES still manages to build some epic sounding atmosphere to the background of their guitar-driven rock, while toning the anger down a little from their previous two releases.

Overall, the album has helped get me excited for good rock music again after an abysmal 2010. It's the first release since Katatonia's recent masterpiece Night Is the New Day that has made me feel like many repeat replays are in order. And with more future albums coming from Within Temptation, The Panic Division, Cyrenic, A Perfect Circle and others, it looks like 2011 is off to a promising start.

I listened to this album first on various Youtube channels, and have to say that I was NOT impressed. I picked up the CD for $6 here on Amazon (release day sale? I don't know) because I support bands I like regardless if they have a so/so CD or not. Needless to say I was stunned at what I was missing with the Youtube versions. The production is 100x better than I thought it was, with subtle strings and chorus. I loved the CD in its purest form. These songs are amazing, though they did take a listen or two to grow on me. My favorite song on the album is "Best is Yet to Come."

I think this album stands on its own, but definitely makes a great appearence when playing the Red discography on random.

Highly recommended.

I've followed Red's music since they came out with their first album. After listening to this album over and over throughout the week, I've got to say that there's been a bit of a progression. When I first started, I thought that the first two songs in the album (Feed the Machine and Faceless) were the only two good songs on the album. As I replayed the album more and more, several more songs grew on me (Lie to Me (Denial), Not Alone, Buried Beneath, and Watch You Crawl). Overall, this is a solid album. I'm a huge fan of the melodic, modern hard rock style that has characterized Red's first two albums, and in that respect, this album does not disappoint. However, I can't mindfully hand this album 5 stars with the awesomeness of the first two albums in mind.

I think what got me was that the first two albums had very good songs from cover to cover. There was not a single bad song in those albums that would make me hit the "NEXT" button on my iPod. With this album, I think Let it Burn and Hymn for the Missing are weak and sound very lazy around the chorus lines. Listening to those two songs, I keep waiting for the climax to hit during the choruses, maybe even in the bridge sections, but it never comes, and as a result they sound just so boring.

That said, the best songs on this album (the first three tracks) are up there among my favorite Red songs of all time, and are possibly even better. The screaming is still there, the phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes feeling is there, the strings are still there, and the well-done lyrics are also still there.

Overall, a solid album. But two songs (at least) away from 5 stars in my book.

--EDIT (3 weeks later)--
After listening to this album over and over again for the last 3 weeks, I think I can now upgrade this to 5 stars. Despite still being two songs away from being a coast-to-coast blockbuster, I think every single other song on this album is probably among my favorite Red songs of all time.

It seems like just yesterday I first saw an upstart and eager band take the stage, opening for Sevendust, in support of their debut record, End Of Silence. Yet here we are, greeted with the band's THIRD album, Until We Have Faces. Red has been a band that has gotten progressively better with each CD, both lyrically and musically, so I was quite excited to hear their newest offering.

My verdict? It's Red's best yet. They've successfully married the raw, in your face, aspect of End Of Silence and the more polished, mature, sound of Innocence & Instinct to give us a mature, hard rocking record.

Any fan of Red will feel right at home from the get-go thanks to the uber-powerful opener, Feed The Machine. From then on it's business as usual for the band. Until We Have Faces is unbelievably good, but it's not anything Red hasn't done before. Every song is easily listenable, each with it's own distinct sound and message, it's just got that Red stamp on it. Which isn't a bad thing. These guys are still around for a reason, they're good at what they do...churning out catchy, relatable songs with anthemic choruses, driving riffs and great vocals. Before you think I'm pegging this as 'more of the same,' I'm not. Until We Have Faces is its own distinctive entity, one that progresses Red's catalog nicely. What mainstream rock band do you know that injects strings into each and every track without it ever sounding tacky or just plain out of place? I can't think of any. Hence, the 'Red stamp' I was referencing earlier.

Like I said, every song is good. Sure, it's easy to pick out favorites, but as a whole, Until We Have Faces has an excellent flow where no song sounds out of place. Jump starting the CD, as I already stated, is the incredibly heavy opener, Feed The Machine. From there we have Faceless and Lie To Me (Denial), both of which are begging to be released as singles (though I think Lie To Me already is?). Both offer strong riffs, powerful vocals and lyrics that are, as usual, very well written. Buried Beneath is a chorus driven track that will have you rocking your head and singing along almost instantly. It wouldn't be Red if there wasn't a poignant ballad, which is just what Not Alone is. Normally I might say this throws off the balance, but in this case it keeps your attention. Great song with great lyrics. The other song that immediately jumped out at me, personally, was Best Is Yet To Come. We've all felt exactly what the lyrics say at one point, and they couldn't have written them better. Coupled with passionate vocal delivery and music that only adds to the final product, I'd say this, along with Feed The Machine, are the two must hears.

All in all, Until We Have Faces is a great rock record. One any fan of rock music will find interesting at the very least. Likewise, if you've ever shown any interest in the band, this would be the CD to get. Red is a band that plays with passion and intensity, and you can really tell when you listen to this CD. Highly Recommended.

Red's third album Until We Have Faces is amazing, this album is the third time the charm, because they did it perfect on this album start to finish. I think Until We Have Faces is Red's best album to date. I like the direction they are going in. I've liked Red since the beginning, and after each album they get better. I've had this album on repeat since I've gotten it, it's that good. I think this album will make it into my top favorite 40 albums of 2011. I couldn't wait for this album to come out, it's been two years since their last album came out, and it's hard to wait that long for a new album. Red has sure stepped it up on Until We Have Faces. I think the iTunes bonus song Until We Have Faces should have been on the release, and not as a bonus song, because it's the name of the album, doesn't that make any sense? To me it does. Until We Have Faces is one of my favorite albums of the year. My favorite songs on this album are:
1. Burned Beneath
2. Not Alone
3. Best is Yet to Come
4. Faceless
5. Lie to Me(Denial)

I purchased at release and had high expectations after the promise shown in Red's previous album.

However, as I listen to the cd, I cannot help from constantly identifying most of their sound with other mainstream artists. In this way, they are rather unoriginal. Most of their songs have taken a glaring shift toward a whiny modern rock sound I associate closely with Breaking Benjamin. The end result, for me, is a frequently dull listening experience with unimpressive vocals.

"The Outside" is the best track on the disc. It is also the best executed and most interesting piece of songwriting. It strays from the widespread Breaking Benjamin sound to something more like Chevelle or Tool. For me, this is a good thing.

Perhaps their most distinctive feature is the involvement of background strings. But with the exception of a few cases, this ends up being pretty forgettable.

Spiritually, the content of the songs doesn't feature much depth. Perhaps the most profound idea is the allusive title to C.S. Lewis' work. The simple, although ambiguously presented idea of looking forward to heaven in "Best Is Yet To Come" is the most moving part of the album. Nonetheless, this CD does present a good option for those wanting a similar sound to popular mainstream hard rock without the unnecessarily sordid lyrical content.

I'd say it's worth the $6 I bought it for. A few of the tracks will make my lifting playlist. But overall I had higher hopes for better, more original songwriting.

So tired of most bands completely changing their sound from album to album, but RED remains consistent in the sound that they began with, and that is a good thing in this case! Pick up this album if you like heavy metal infused with orchestral sounds, or if you like slow acoustic sounding emotional songs.