Driving guitars and percussion will win the love of all hard rock fans, yet they do not overwhelm the message of the lyrics, and will likely win fans who don’t normally listen to this genre of music.
This Is Life
Artist: Hour6
Indie
Starting off hearing the introduction track with a heavy drumbeat and melodic keyboards, I was not sure at first what to expect from Hour6. The music tempo builds for the very brief introduction before some very good sounding hard rock guitar riffs for the song “Inside Out” greet your ears. Lead vocalist Gerrit Wind is very melodic, as he states “You’re always inside out; you’ve got to figure out; turn it right side out, and give yourself away."
The third track, “Right Now," slows a bit (but not ballad slow), as the lyrics challenge, "sometimes I think I am better off without You,” “But You keep pushing me." Challenging because, haven’t we all felt that way? Questioning if it is worth it, to deny ourselves daily, to pick up our cross? The soft reminder that even in those moments God doesn’t let go, but keeps pushing us, is a very personal touch to all of us. The chorus finds a recommitment to follow God more closely, holding on to God- right now.
“Yeah, Love” follows up nicely, with a beautiful reminder that “This is where we set things free." A song of nothing but hope, you will find yourself singing along to the chorus line “Yeah love, love will, love has found a home.” If you are feeling down- I highly recommend giving this a listen. The music is very emotional, and the percussion flows perfectly, moving you through the song.
The title track, “This Is Life," is a first person conversation with Jesus, with beautiful lyrics that remind us “This is life- when You draw near." The music then speeds up a bit for “Fists On Fire," an easy favorite and a call to action that makes you want to go to war with our enemy. With good rhythm and building tempo through the song, and vocals that push you, this could be the best song on the album. If not this one, then definitely the next- “Back From the Dead," which starts out mellow, progressing until intensity rises you to a new level. You can’t help but chat along, “Bang bang bang! Nails in my coffin." When you reach the line “I’m back from the dead, I’m breathing for a reason” you feel like yelling, Yes I am!
By the time “We Are the Ones” opens, saying “I stand with the ones who believe in the things unseen,” your spirit goes right with it, and find yourself committing to the fact that “We are the ones who can make a difference; we are the ones who can take a stand." Some heavy choppy guitars push through “A Lesser Man” before slowing down a bit to start “Greater Destination,” a melodic and determined encouragement to press on to what lies ahead.
That determination is reminded of why we are able to press on in the final track, “I Am Here.” Because no matter what is going on in our life, no matter the good, the bad, in day or night, God is here with us- walking us through every moment, leading us if we are willing to follow, never abandoning, never forsaking… beautiful.
Musically, the album flows flawlessly, with no ackward transitions or songs that sound misplaced. Driving guitars and percussion will win the love of all hard rock fans, yet they do not overwhelm the message of the lyrics, and will likely win fans who don’t normally listen to this genre of music. Over all, this is definitely one of the best albums I have heard in a very long time; a 5 out of 5 stars and a must have for any music lover.
Randy Jackson
