Music Video Monday: I'll Never Be Ready

We are back with an all new edition of Music Video Monday. It's been quite a while since our last post, and it was due somewhat to a lack of videos, but we are back with a vengeance.

We start things going hunting. With Demon Hunter. From their album Peace, part of their War and Peace Release, this is More Than Bones.

From The Arena to the Dance Floor. LZ7 is the successor to the Dance/Hip Hop Legend WWMT (aka World Wide Message Tribe or simply The Tribe). Lindz West formed the band shortly after the Tribe Broke up, and they have proven a worthy heir. These are Better Days released this year and I Give My All is by far my favorite song. And the crashing nature video is pretty good too.
Finally it is time to get out your hankies once again. When Veridia came out with The Beast You Feed, I gave it a 5 Emerald rating for various reasons. The Biggest one was I'll Never Be Ready, a touching tribute to her late father, which had Deena accompanied by Amy Lee of Evanescence. It was a song worthy of Angels. Now we add a video done in the form of a home video of a dance between father and daughter. I won't spoil it further.

I told you to get your hankies before watching, didn't I? I wouldn't let you get ripped apart emotionally without warning you first. 

I will return, hopefully, next week with an all new edition of Music Video Monday. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Phoenix Rising: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Alternative

We are in a spot between ties. Alternative had seven entries and no other genre did. It stands alone. Wonder how that happened.

Alternative Rock

• Crowder - I know a ghost
• Eowyn - Just Believe
• Brooke Fraser - B Sides
• MAE - Multisensory Aesthetic Experience
• Twenty One Pilots - Trench
• Steve Taylor - Squint
• Veridia - The Beast You Feed

Eowyn is back with an awesome album, Steve Taylor releases a classic to the digital world and Veridia goes more alternative with a little help from Amy Lee of Evanescence. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: October 2018

We are underway for #PVX or Platinum Vinyl 10. I can hardly believe that it has been almost a decade that I have been doing this. My first post was July 8, 2010, so we have a few months for the big celebration. The Platinum Vinyl Awards, however, got backdated, so we could have a non-calendar eligibility year like all the other awards. We begin this time of year with the Christmas Music, which, thankfully, is not eligible. 

Christmas Music (Non-Eligible)

• Hannah Kerr - Christmas Eve in Bethlehem 4.75 Emeralds
• Matt Maher - The Advent of Christmas 5 Emeralds
• North Point Inside Out - Emmanuel (Hope of Heaven) ft Seth Condrey (Single) 4.50 Emeralds
• Ivan Parker - Christmas Dreams 4.75 Emeralds
• David Phelps - It Must Be Christmas 4.25 Emeralds
• Mark Schultz - Mark Schultz Christmas 4.75 Emeralds
• Various - A Motown Gospel Christmas 5 Emeralds
• Ce Ce Winans - Somethings Happening: A Christmas Album 4.75 Emeralds
• Darlene Zschech - The Table: A Christmas Worship Gathering 4.75 Emeralds

A very good mix, and, since there is no award for this genre, there is no bias. I usually like Mr. Phelps Christmas music, but it seemed so pedestrian this time around. We move on to the songs released during the month.

The Singles Scene

• AT4G - Retribution 5 Emeralds
• Antarctic Wastelands - Farthest Dreams 5 Emeralds
• Steven Curtis Chapman - Remember to Remember 5 Emeralds
• Aaron Cole - Making History 4.75 Emeralds
• Crusoe - Go And Get It ft. Zayde Wolf 4.75 Emeralds
• da Foo - One In A Million 4.50 Emeralds
• Keitron Fountain - Be In Your Presence 4.25 Emeralds
• G12 Worship (fka Soulfire Revolution) - All Things New 5 Emeralds
• London Gatch - New Stories ft Brandon Lake 4.75 Emeralds
• Travis Green - See The Light ft Jekalyn Carr 4.75 Emeralds
• Hammock - Universalis 5 Emeralds
• Caleb Hammon - Great I Am 4.50 Emeralds
• Spenser Kane - Wavy (ft Jor'dan Armstrong) 4.75 Emeralds
• DJ Kirk - Fighting Through It 5 Emeralds
• Tasha Layton - Love Lifting Me 4.75 Emeralds
• LEAH - Lion Arises 5 Emeralds
• TobyMac - The Elements 5 Emeralds
• Rachael Nemiroff - Heart of Stone 4.75 Emeralds
• Matthew Parker - Breathe 4.75 Emeralds
• Scott Ralley - Fan My Flame 4.50 Emeralds
• Salt of The Sound - For Those Who Wander 5 Emeralds
• 7eventh Time Down - Help Me 4.75 Emeralds
• One Sonic Society - Love Song ft Elle Limebear 4.75 Emeralds
• Switchfoot - Native Tongue 4.75 Emeralds
• Kenneth Thomas and Goshen Sai - Soaked [FSOE] 4.75 Emeralds
• Veridia - Cheshire Smile 4.75 Emeralds
• Jeremy James Whitaker - Feelings (Instrumental) 4.75 Emeralds

Platinum Vinyl 10 is getting off to a good start. On to the albums. We begin with those albums that do not make the cut.

Missing The Mark

• Dillon Chase - Joyful Loser 4.25 Emeralds
• Ben and Noelle Kilgore - A Resting Place EP 4.25 Emeralds

Two albums miss the mark. I must be getting soft. Now to those albums which surpass all expectations.

Pure Platinum Perfection

• Evanescence - Synthesis Live (CD/DVD) 5 Emeralds
• For King and Country - Burn The Ships 5 Emeralds
• LEAH - The Quest 5 Emeralds
• Toby Mac - The Elements 5 Emeralds
• Marc Martel - Thunderbolt and Lightning 5 Emeralds
• Twenty One Pilots - Trench 5 Emeralds
• Planetshakers - Heaven on Earth 5 Emeralds
• Holly Starr - Human (Deluxe Edition) 5 Emeralds
• Various - WoW Hits 2019 5 Emeralds
• Veridia - The Beast You Feed 5 Emeralds

10 to 2. Definitely a sign of softening standards. I plead the holidays. Canadian Celtic Metal Mistress LEAH, Twenty One Pilots, and Mark Martel (Queen Covers) all make a strong Fringe showing. So does Veridia, with a duet with Amy Lee of Evanescence.

Semi-Precious Metals

• Anthem Lights - Worship 4.75 Emeralds
• Francesca Battistelli - Own It 4.75 Emeralds
• Lauen Bea - Wildflower 4.50 Emeralds
• Lisa Page Brooks - My Life EP 4.75 Emeralds
• CRC Music - Greater Than All, Part 1 EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Aaron Cole - The Other Side EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Covenant Worship - Covenant Worship (Live) 4.50 Emeralds
• Michael Farren - Fighting For Us 4.50 Emeralds
• Fight The Fury - 
• GAWVI - Panorama 4.75 Emeralds
• Christon Gray - Clear The Heir 4.75 Emeralds
• The Gray Havens - She Waits 4.75 Emeralds
• Influence Music - Mistakes EP ft Melody Noel 4.75 Emeralds
• Iron Bell Music - Glory To Glory 4.75 Emeralds
• Jenny and Tyler - There Will Be A Song (Deluxe) 4.50 Emeralds
• Carmen Justice - Quarter Life Crisis EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Lovelite - Apocalypse Hymnal 4.75 Emeralds
• Matthew Parker - Daydreamer 4.75 Emeralds
• Planetshakers - Heaven on Earth, Part Three 4.75 Emeralds
• Psalm - Deathproof 4.75 Emeralds
• Sarah Reeves - Easy Never Needed You 4.75 Emeralds
• Gerry Skrillz - Hundred Proof EP 4.75 Emeralds
• J Steph - Glory: The Remixes 4.50 Emeralds
• Tenth Avenue North - The Things We've Been Afraid To Say EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Chris Tomlin - Holy Roar 4.75 Emeralds

That does it. October is in the bag. Platinum Vinyl 10 is under way. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

Hungry Beasts and Ghosts, Oh My.

Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Yes, I know that's mathematically impossible, but we're dealing with emotions here. And sometimes the rawer the emotion, the better. Especially when we're dealing with Music.

The Beast You Feed by VERIDIA is chock full of raw emotion. You will be pulled in so many directions with this album and be left bawling at the end. Just fair warning so you can get your tissues ready. If I need them, you'll need them.

For an album featuring so much raw on your sleeve emotion it is somewhat ironic that it's opening that the opening track is Numb, featuring a bridge like this

And life is perfect Drown out the sanity It’s really perfect When I can’t feel a thing

You will feel. Whether its anger (Savage), regrets (Ghosts) or hope (I Won't Stay Down), you will relate. Remember what I said about the whole being greater than the individual parts. None of the songs, save for the final cut, really stand out on their own, but they are part of a journey, a theme, that draws you in, wrings you out, and leaves you primed for the finale. Yes, it's manipulative, but in a good way. It's therapy. Kind of Like an Evanescence Album.

Which brings us to our final song I'll never be ready. Written by lead singer Deena Jakoub (Veridia) with backing vocals and piano by the immortal Amy Lee. I agree totally with Amy, this song, this collaboration, was totally orchestrated by God himself. I want you to experience this. I know I must have been a sight in the donut shop listening and sniffling.

I think you know where this is going. 5 Emeralds on the strength of the final cut. Certain albums are therapy, and cost a whole lot less than a psychiatrist. Evanescence has been my therapist for a long time, and I think Dr. Deena might be a referral from time to time. Get this album, and some tissues. Until next time I am (sniffle) Awaiting Your Reply.

MVM Special Edition: #PlatVnyl7 Rock Video of The Year Nominees

We have reached the end of this portion of the Video of The Year Nominees. There is still the General Field portion of the awards to go, but that is yet to be narrowed down. Most likely we shall go to the other portions for a while. Those were completed first. Anyway, the nominees for Rock Video of The Year are: Back From The Dead by Skillet; Black Honey by Thrice; Rot by Lacey Sturm; Shake The Skies by FearlessBND; and Still Breathing by Veridia. Our last convenient playlist (for a while)
That does it. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: The Ghost Ship Rises

Happy Halloween everyone from all of us at Night Beat HQ. I know that may be a shock to some of you, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with today. As I have said before, any day centered on candy can't be bad. Take it from a little stinker (that's a Skunk).

It's not only Halloween, it is also Monday. So that means an all new edition of Music Video Monday. Well, we don't really have any Monster Videos, unless by monster you mean extremely awesome. We have that in spades. Let's get to it. Our first video is from a group called About A Mile. The first cut on their new album is a rock number called Taking Back. The Video has been out for a while, but we go by the album release.

Next up is a rap number. Our rapper is Sho Baraka. The new album is called The Narrative, and the concept is a bunch of songs done in style of a certain year or era. It is an enjoyable journey, but my complaint is that we jump back and forth in time, and styles. It is a bit jarring. I guess I am more chronologically oriented. Anyway the song is called Road to Humble, 1979.
Forget what I said about no monster videos. Leave it to my girl Deanna Jakoub of Veridia to come through for today. This is Still Breathing.
And finally, a band which is quickly becoming my favorite Metal Band. Sorry Stryper, but these guys are the new blood. Who said a Theocracy was a bad thing? When you release albums in 2003, 2008, 2011, and 2016, you know they like to take their time to craft an album. All aboard the Ghost Ship.
That does it for this Halloween edition of Music Video Monday. We will return next week with another edition. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Shemita Songs: The 2015 Platinum Vinyl Awards 4th Qtr - Rock

We are heading down the stretch folks. Rock was tied with Modern Worship for the second most entries this quarter. The big surprise in that statement isn't that rock wasn't well represented at other times, it is that Modern Worship wasn't number one. A dozen entries is pretty good. Let's get to it.

Rock Music

• Carrollton - Sunlight And Shadows
• Disciple - The Best of 2005 - 2013
• Disciple - Vultures
• Memphis May Fire - Unconditional: Deluxe Edition
• Needtobreathe - Rivers EP
• Pillar - One Love Revolution
• 7eventh Time Down - God Is on the Move
• Sidewalk Prophets - Something Different
• Thousand Foot Krutch - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best Of Thousand Foot Krutch
• Tree63 - Land
• Veridia - Pretty Lies EP 
• XXI - Inside Out

Next up is the big winner, and it was POP. Who woulda thunk it. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: September 2015

The End Is Here. The end of the #PlatVnyl6 Eligibility Year, that is. What did you think I was referring to? Hopefully we have all the entries, but the entry period is over and the judging begins. As you know things can pop up before the official announcement of the nominees is made. There were five singles released during September, so let's get to it.

The Singles Scene

• The Afters - Live On Forever 4.75 Emeralds
• Fearless BND - Brighter 5 Emeralds
• Kirk Franklin - Wanna Be Happy 4.75 Emeralds
• Manafest - Shine (feat Trevor McNevan) 4.50 Emeralds
• Zealand Worship - Good, Good, Father 5 Emeralds

A few notes. Fearless BND (pronounced Band) is the band formerly known as Worth Dying For. A band by any other name. And like I said, I judge songs and albums independent of each other, so you have been warned. Our album coverage begins with those releases which were deemed unworthy of the pool, those that

Missed The Mark

• Broken Flesh - Broken Flesh 3.25 Emeralds
• Jason Crabb - Whatever The Road 3.75 Emeralds
• JGivens - Fly Exam 3.75 Emeralds
• Kari Jobe - Majestic: Revisited 3.75 Emeralds
• Marty - Marty For President 3.75 Emeralds
• Leigh Nash - The State I'm In 3.75 Emeralds
• PyRexx - Born Again Disciple 3.50 Emeralds

A few more comments. Broken Flesh was like a broken record to me. The thrash vocals were unintelligible (no biggie, most are), there were no clean vocals on the samples I listened to, and musically every song sounded the same. That's a triple no no. I was very generous with the rating. I gave Leigh Nash a MTM rating based on the idea that this is a "serious" country alblum. You never can be sure with her style of vocals. If this is tongue in cheek it is pure genius. And Kari? You strip out all the orchestration and everything that made Majestic majestic. Not gonna get past this critic.

Pure Platinum Perfection

• Annie Moses Band - American Rhapsody 5 Emeralds
• Big Daddy Weave - Beautiful Offering 5 Emeralds
• The City Harmonic - We Are 5 Emeralds
• Planetshakers - #LETSGO 5 Emeralds

Semi-Precious Metal

• All Things New - The Good News 4.75 Emeralds
• Building 429 - Unashamed 4.75 Emeralds
• Carrollton - Sunlight and Shadow 4.75 Emeralds
• Noah Cleveland - Church With No Walls 4.75 Emeralds
• Amanda Cook - Brave New World 4.50 Emeralds
• Conveyer - When Given Time To Grow 4.50 Emeralds
• Jonny Diaz - Everything Is Changing EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Disciple - Vultures EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Colton Dixon - Calm EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Colton Dixon - Storm EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Colton Dixon - The Calm Before The Storm 4.75 Emeralds
• Eleven 22 Worship - Before All Things 4.75 Emeralds
• Julie Elias - Unbroken 4.75 Emeralds
• Darrell Evans - Fearless 4.50 Emeralds
• Jon Foreman - The Wonderlands: Darkness EP 4.75 Emeralds
• David Gentiles - God of Heaven 4.50  Emeralds
• David Jooste - Amazing God EP 4 Emeralds
• John P. Kee - Level Next 4.50 Emeralds
• Crystal Lewis - Crystal Lewis 4.75 Emeralds
• Jonathan McReynolds - Life Music, Stage 2 4.75 Emeralds
• Justin McRoberts - Everything Has Changed EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Andy Mineo - Uncomfortable 4.75 Emeralds
• Cindy Morgan - Bows and Arrows 4.75 Emeralds
• Trevor Morgan - Roots 4.50 Emeralds
• Needtobreathe - Rivers EP 4.50 Emeralds
• New Hope Oahu - Greater Together 4.50 Emeralds
• Pen Pals - Gold EP 4.50 Emeralds 
• Reckoncile - Catchin Bodies 4.75 Emeralds
• Rp Tha Chozen 1 - The Harvest 4.50 Emeralds
• Holly Starr - Everything I Need EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Ryan Stevenson - Fresh Start 4.75 Emeralds
• Tree 63 - Land 4.75 Emeralds
• Various - #TheBridge, Volume 1 4.75 Emeralds
• Various - Wow Hits 2016 4.50 Emeralds
• Various - Wow Hits 2016 Deluxe 4.75 Emeralds
• Veridia - Pretty Lies EP 4.75 Emeralds
• XXI - Inside Out 4.75 Emeralds
• Zealand Worship - The EP 4.75 Emeralds

Whew! Now that's a list. That's a whopping 38 entries in Semi-Precious Metal. Obviously a lot of these will not make the cut. You know the drill, I am forgoing links blah, blah, blah. I have actually started going back to the beginning of #PlatVnyl6, but I am in November of 2014 at the moment. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

#PlatVnyl5: The Nominations Are In

The nominations are over. #PlatVnyl5 moves into the final judging period and the winners will soon be announced. The world waits with baited breath. Excluding compilations, there were 130 nominated artists, though featured appearances may have inflated the total by a few votes.

There were 55 categories, a record. The awards are spread over four fields: Album, Song, Video and General. Heading into the finals, British Expats Ben and Anita Tatlow, aka Stockholm's Salt of The Sound, lead the nomination pack with a record setting 11 nominations. Due to multiple nominations in a category, however, the maximum times they can step up to the virtual podium is 7.

They can be beat by the second place nominee holder, Kari Jobe of Gateway Church in Southlake, TX. Her 9 nominations for Majestic (Live) and its signature song Forever were all individual category nominations, so she has the opportunity to make 9 trips for 9 nominations. The album certainly lived up to its name. I confess at the first it didn't impress me, going only by Amazon clips. Once I saw and heard the video I changed my tune and upgraded it from 4.5 to a perfect 5 emeralds. It is a formidable hurdle for the others.

Tied for Second with 9 nominations is someone who probably will never be on the same stage with Kari Jobe. Metal Pioneers Stryper. Since they also had multiple nominations for two albums, they will only be eligible for 8 wins, which is pretty good considering.

Salt of The Sound led the debut artists, but they had a lot to crow about. Taking out the leader, the others had 34 entries between them. Rockers Veridia and Folk-Rock/Worship For The Fatherless were in second place with 6 apiece.

Though there is still no hardware and only a virtual venue as well (no pretty presenters or speeches), things are heating up and word is getting around. I give God all the glory for the growth of these awards, as I really am flying by the seat of my pants on this. And while all this is going on #PlatVnyl6 is halfway through the nomination period. Never a dull moment. 

I may be spotty on the blog. (Big Surprise) as it is my Birthday. No I won't tell you how old I am. So until next we meet, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

MVM Special Edition: Music Video Tuesday

I know, I know, it doesn't sound half as good as Music Video Monday. All I can say in defense is that "They which live by public access shall...." This wouldn't have happened if I invested in a cheap windows laptop and hung out in a coffee shop.

We are going to start our video roundup with one of the hottest new bands out there, Veridia. They just released a concert video for their song Furious Love off their debut EP Inseparable.

Next up we have Pop/Dance/Rock outfit Manic Drive. No longer Blue, they are now the V.I.P.

And when your not, sometimes you go and set off a Molotov. For Today wraps things up this week.

That concludes this special edition of Music Video Monday. Hopefully things don't get messed up next week. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Music Video Monday: Stranger Ways to be Disconnected

It's a special Music Video Monday here at night beat HQ. Today we say goodbye to one of the greatest alternative bands of all time, and at the same time welcome some up and coming rockers who are destined for great things.

Where do I begin. I really hate goodbyes, and perhaps that is where I should start. 12 years ago a Mutiny Started on the CCM Bounty, and it was led by none other than Mr. Christian. Stephen Christian that is, the lead singer of +Anberlin . The band has decided to call it quits after 12 years, and while I wasn't there for the full ride but once I got on I was hooked. The band is a regular at the Platinum Vinyl Awards and Vital and Devotion are both perfect albums. We go out with Stranger Ways. The Lowborn salute you.

Next we go to the newcomers. Veridia is a new FFR Rock Band that I have become quite fond of. I loved the debut EP and hey, Red and Demon Hunter are fans as well. That alone speaks volumes. The band knows how to Rock, but in their Music Video Monday Debut, they have decided to take on the Silent Movie era. Disconnected indeed.

For our final video we bring you another new band with a strange name. This is Artifex Pereo and To Listen and Say Nothing.

We never have nothing to say here at Night Beat HQ, but it is time to hang it up for now. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Polar Vortex Polka: The 2014 2nd Quarter - Rock

We are almost at the end of the road. We move now to Rock. They had eight entries represented. So let's get on to the announcements.

Rock Music

• Carrollton - Breathe In Deep
• Colton Dixon - A Messenger Expanded Edition
• Peter Furler Band - Sun and Shield
• Jake Hamilton - Beautiful Rider 
• Nine Lashes - From Water To War
• Number One Gun - This is all we know
• Sumerlin - Runaways
• Veridia - Inseparable

No real surprises here, though I was very impressed by the strong debut of FFR band Veridia. They are going to be big.

The big genre of the quarter is next, and once again that is Modern Worship. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: February 2014

Welcome to March. Spring better be in the air soon. The Polar Vortex should put the deep freeze on any of the Global Warming nuts. Just bury them in the snow drifts. With the groundhog, who's probably on the lam in Aruba.

With this edition of Rewind we are beginning a new segment. I am adding a quick hit rating for released singles. We shall see how this helps or impacts the picking of song awards. There were three songs released in February.

Single Songs

• Forever (Live) , Kari Jobe 4.50 Emeralds
• Splendour , Quiet Science 4.50 Emeralds
• Tonight , KJ-52 4.50 Emeralds
• You Won't Let Go , Michael W. Smith 4.50 Emeralds

For purposes of this post, we shall say this is a very good song, and should go into the song pool. On to the album ratings. As always, we begin with the albums which will not get an award because they failed to make the pool. These are they which

Miss The Mark

• Ellie Holcomb - As Sure as the Sun 3.75 Emeralds
• Kutless - Glory 3.75 Emeralds
• Mike Mains and The Branches - Calm Down, Everything Is Fine 3.75 Emeralds
• Rapture Ruckus - Invader Volume I 3.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - Son Of God Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [+digital booklet] 3.75 Emeralds
• Various Artists - WOW Gospel 2014 3.75 Emeralds

A few words about this list. Kutless and Wow Gospel, though in different genres, suffered from the same malady. Simply put, they sounded flat, as if it was mailed in. Rapture Ruckus started out good, but repeated listenings wore me out. Simply put, there were only seven songs and the first and last were the same (the final cut a remix of the opener), so eventually you didn't know if you were ending or beginning. My biggest disappointment, however is reserved for Son of God. This was no Music Inspired by The Story. Even a good orchestra couldn't save it.


We move on to the perfect, the 

Pure Platinum

• Canton Jones - Lust, Drugs & Gospel 5 Emeralds
• Sumerlin - Runaways 5 Emeralds

There really isn't much to say about these except Wow. I reviewed Runaways in full. Canton Jones is a mixtape, and I love the way he can move seamlessly between Rap, Hip Hop, Gospel and some smooth R & B.

Most of the releases, however, are neither perfect nor horribly flawed, they are simply what we call 

Semi-Precious Metal

• Anthem Lights - You Have My Heart 4.75 Emeralds
• Dave Barnes - Love Songs EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Carrollton - Breathe In Deep EP 4.50 Emeralds
• City Harbor - City Harbor 4.75 Emeralds
• Deraj - Mirrors & Medicine EP 4.50 Emeralds
• James Fortune and FIYA  - Live Through It 4.75 Emeralds
• Jars of Clay - Jars 20 Stage It: Debut Album 4.50 Emeralds
• Loftland - I Don't Want To Dance 4.50 Emeralds
• The Love Amendment - The Love Amendment EP 4.50 Emeralds
• For Today - Fight the Silence 4.50 Emeralds
• Veridia - Inseparable EP 4.75 Emeralds

Of the list above I was most impressed with Veridia. For a debut. Wow. It could have been perfect with a few more songs. Plus, you've got to make the young ones suffer a bit. Until next time, think warm. I am Awaiting Your Reply.

We Are The Brave

Deena Jakoub. Remember that name. I predict you'll being hearing a lot about her in the future. Right along with Amy Lee, Lacey Sturm, Sarah Anthony and Dawn Michele. That's Evanescence, Flyleaf, The Letter Black and Fireflight for the rest of you.

Welcome to the World of Female Fronted Rock and Roll, which is one of the fastest growing areas of Christian Music, and believe me, that is a very good thing, and not just from the eye candy point of view. Face it, the male fronted bands are getting kind of predictable and all sort of sound the same, and that's the truth.

Truth, from the latin Veritas. From Nashville, Tennessee we bring you Veridia, which is a variation on Veritas. It means truth seeker. And the truth these days that the girls can rock better than the guys. They have deeper resonant voices (a side effect from the hair metal days), and a wider range. They can hit the high notes without their voice cracking. And they're gorgeous. Sorry guys, I know, the truth hurts.

As anyone knows, the Truth and I are Inseparable. And that's one of the reasons I love this band. More than just the music is the message. The album is chock full of message. We Are The Brave is about facing fear. Disconnected is about the power of words. Furious Love is for the girls who feel they have to remake themselves in a guys image or never have love. The last song is Mystery of The Invisible is about being lost in God. My favorite though, is track four. Mechanical Planet is written from the P.O.V. of Regret, and has this awesome bridge.

The truth is I work day and night to keep the gears grinding in your mind.

To keep you from knowing you are worth more than gold.
Not some assembly line rusted shell of a person that I try to remote control.

I never want you to believe that when you're down on your knees
that someone is actually listening
If you were undistracted for even a moment I  lose my hold
and you would notice that you have never been alone.
Never Have You Ever Fought Alone.
Never Have You Ever Fought Alone.
On This Mechanical Planet.

Like I said. Powerful words. I encourage you to listen for yourself, courtesy of The Night Beat, HM Magazine and Soundcloud.
And since I want you to get this album, I want you to go to iTunes. It's got an exclusive right now, so I won't get a penny from the sale. I'm giving Inseparable 4.75 Emeralds. I'd give it a perfect 5, but it is a debut and an EP, and I want more. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.