Reviewing a Christian metal album is always like swimming in shark tank with a chum jockstrap on. Well…IT’S FEEDING TIME BOYS!!!
But I try to stay the course and be objective as I can, and most readers probably don’t realize that I’m actually a devout (?) atheist, so my many Christian reviews aren’t some thinly veiled attempt at pushing my religion off on readers or using Teeth of the Divine as some sort of soap box. I’m actually trying to expose people to good music, and this, the second album from North Dakota’s Hands is indeed just that. Damn good music.
As with their 2009 debut, Creator, Give Me Rest is an artful melding of shimmery metalcore a la Life In Your Way/Misery Signals with a dose of lumbering and atmospheric post-rock. And while label mates Your Memorial has the same mix on their impressive debut, Hands are able to render a much more elegant mix that’s as adept at lurching post-rock chords as well as typically Christian introspection and ambiance. To be quite honest, Give Me Rest might be one of the more thoughtful, beautiful and dynamic Christian metal albums I’ve heard since Life In Your Way called it quits.
You want rousing Christian anthem? Go to introductory opener “I Will”. Want lurching post-rock with deep throaty roars? Go to “Water”. Want shimmery emotive metalcore? Check out “Cube”. Want uplifting melodies and soaring hymnal vocals? “The Helix” and “Here I Am” should hit the spot. Hands has it all, and while certainly leaning heavily on the more elegant, introspective and well… Christian side of things, they have the ability to simply shift and morph into something impressively heavy at will. Amid all the shimmery, delicate strumming and skyward looking vocals are moments of impressive heft and girth. Particularly the likes of “Jovian” which melds a very nice, heavy heaving riff and a bellowing vocal interplay. But that being said Hands, are just perfect at delivering prayer like anthems of of praise and joy; the closing trio of the down right gorgeous “Northern Lights” and “Restart” are three soaring metal sermons that will warm the metal head’s soul.
Of course, that is assuming that metal heads can get their collective heads out of their Necronomicons and Dungeons and Dragon guides. Zing.
[Visit the band's website]
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No thanks. I’ll take my metal from Satan.
on Aug 31st, 2011 at 10:20lol I can always tell when Nick writes a comment, even on the main page without his name on it
on Aug 31st, 2011 at 11:43By the way Nick, did you ever receive that random fan package?
on Aug 31st, 2011 at 12:22Hey Eric, just thought I’d let you know that Life In Your Way are back together and working on a new album.
on Aug 31st, 2011 at 12:34Life In Your Way is back!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB77RlpgsnM
on Aug 31st, 2011 at 14:31I so did. thank you guys so much. solid stuff.
on Aug 31st, 2011 at 19:47yeah ive been tracking them in rate your music- comes out September right?
on Aug 31st, 2011 at 19:52Yes the new LIYW is so legit and the new Volumes is probably the greatest album of 2011 imo and I haven’t even heard it yet.
on Aug 31st, 2011 at 22:56Never cared for Life in Your way for some reason. I am listening to this, and really like it. And without Satan, there is no god, and vice versa!
on Sep 1st, 2011 at 15:29I love this new Hands record! One of my faves of the year! It is a great mix of Cult of Luna, Cave In, 90’s rock(Hum, Shiner, Failure, etc…) and a little post rock ambiance! The production feels a lot like Cult of Luna’s Salvation record. All the lyrics are very Christian redemption and worship, so that may turn off some, but i love it! There is nothing in christian metal like this at all and not much like this out there at all!
on Sep 1st, 2011 at 20:04I like this album a lot and I’d be the first person to pan a band for being too overt about their christian beliefs. The music is tremendous….i will admit, sometimes I have a hard time getting past the obviously references to christianity, but I get past it.
on Sep 1st, 2011 at 23:01This also got me to dig out the
on Sep 10th, 2011 at 09:56“Until Forever Finds Me” EP by This Runs Through. That was a fantastic little gem I hadn’t listedn too in ages.
Sometimes the lyrics are hard to ignore… which is torture. The music’s pretty good, except for the much too artificial and obnoxious heavenly passages.
on Sep 11th, 2011 at 01:54