Nine Lashes - From Water To War (2014) [Gorgatz]

Nine Lashes - From Water To War (2014) [Gorgatz]



- I N F O -

In a time where many mainstream rock/nu metal acts have faded out (Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, etc.), Nine Lashes continues to bring a strong sound to the table. From Water to War is the band's second release under Tooth & Nail Records and is a showcase of what exactly Nine Lashes brings to the table. With a sound that brings other bands such as RED, Skillet, and label mate Thousand Foot Krutch to mind, Nine Lashes is slowly creeping towards the higher echelon of the Christian rock genre.

From Water to War opens with "Never Back Down" and "Break The World" which are two tracks that could fit right in on their first release World We View. The songs have the feel of "Anthem of the Lonely" and "Get Back" in a 2.0 form. A bit later on in the album, the influences of some of the other Christian rock powerhouses is evident in the brilliant "Lights We Burn" and "Surrender". The former channels the band's RED side with a string arrangement and electric sound throughout, while the latter matches the finesse of some of Thousand Foot Krutch's finer ballads.

The second half of the album strays further from the comfort zone that the band has created for itself and experiments with some new sounds, mostly beneficial to the album. "Fear and Shadows" has a strong ambiance and is in great juxtaposition to "Surrender", but ultimately has flaws. Strong verses from singer Jeremy Dunn have a slight resemblence to Linkin Park's New Divide, but ultimately his vocal performance brings the song down in the chorus and bridge sections. "In The Dark" is the heaviest track on the album and is the can't miss song. The track contains some of the heaviest screams the band has included in their discography since those featured in "Our Darkest Day" on World We View. Not to be left out is "Light It Up", which also features screams, reminiscent of works from Love & Death.

The album concludes with a pair of tracks that stand out from the rest in terms of sound. "Love Me Now" contains some of the strongest Christianity-based lyrics on the album and has a pop element that is not present anywhere else on the album. The band slows it down "Cover Your Own" and showcases the vocal range of Jeremy Dunn. Dunn is spot on in this track and is spot on in the various pitches utilized in the track, providing a satisfying ending to the album.

Nine Lashes ultimately does not reinvent itself on From Water to War, but it is an album that is very encouraging for their future development. The band created a sound that suited them in World We View and developed it even further. Tracks such as "Lights We Burn" and "In The Dark" show that Nine Lashes still brings a strong, consistent sound to the Christian rock genre, but "Surrender" and "Love Me Now" show that the band is willing to take risks and expand their sound as they continue to grow. From Water to War is a strong album that should help Nine Lashes propel themselves towards the level of Thousand Foot Krutch and RED, and they may have even more potential as their sound continues to develop.

- T R A C K L I S T -

01. Never Back Down
02. Break The World
03. Where I Belong
04. Lights We Burn
05. Surrender
06. Fear And Shadows
07. In The Dark
08. Light It Up
09. Love Me Now
10. Cover Your Own

Format : Mp3, CBR 320 kbps
Genre : Alt.Metal
Size:105.51 MB