Now here is a band that I’m confident would have been signed by Brandon Ebel to the Tooth & Nail label – had he known of their existence.
The Story of a Man (2011)
Artist: Chasing Light www.iamchasinglight.com
Label: Grandview Records / Studio 7
Length: 10 tracks /33:35 minutes
Now here is a band that I’m confident would have been signed by Brandon Ebel to the Tooth & Nail label – had he known of their existence. But thankfully the band has recently been picked up by Grandview Records / Studio 7 for national and overseas distribution.
Chasing Light is an alternative rock band that hails from Sydney, Australia. Their music contains a mix of sung and screamo vocals. I first connected with their music after the band sent me their ‘A Matter of Trust’ EP (2009) which is a kind of concept EP which the band has now expanded to the current ‘The Story of a Man’ CD . The title track of that EP left me gobsmacked. I also discovered shortly thereafter the song ‘Forever and a Day’ from their first self-titled EP.
The opening track ‘The Victory’ immediately captures the attention of the listener with its introductory drum roll and guitar onslaught – a very strong opening track lyrically and musically. As already mentioned, I fell in love with ‘A Matter of Trust’ from the moment I first heard that song. ‘In Search of Truth’ is another corker of a song, the chorus of which states:
You are offered the whole world,
Yet you say that you want more.
You constantly confront and contradict the truth,
but you don’t even know what you’re fighting for!
You don’t even know what you’re fighting for!
The band has produced a video of this song which is available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4k9ypFDXd0&feature=player_embedded . (Their lead singer Tim Robinson, by the way, is Video Producer at Diverse City Films www.diversecityfilms.com so he’s very familiar with the film/video medium.) I love the use of the distortion peddle during the second verse of the song. ‘Coming Home’ is another epic song which contains the following challenging lyric: -
Life is short. Life is fleeting.
Understand there’s more to this life than the ending…
Where are you going? Where are you heading?
There’s a life beyond the one you’re living…
The moving ‘My Prayer for you’ contains the lines: -
You may not accept the truth,
but it’s my duty to share with you,
the story of a man,
who lived to die and rise again.
The song continues with an honest prayer of confession – a kind of ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ as prayed by Merv Edwards. This song segues naturally into the celebratory ‘Rise up to a new day’ –
Well it’s true that death has been defeated
The devil’s plan for you will never be completed
Well it’s true that life is reinstated
There’s a new plan for you
Rise up so you can take it
‘Save my Soul’ is another epic song which I’m sure will prove to be a real crowd pleaser at their gigs.
With this release the band has truly arrived so-to-speak. ‘The Story of a Man’ is a clear and creative presentation of the Gospel message that I’d have no hesitation about giving to someone who is ‘In Search of Truth’, as one of the band’s songs is entitled, but likes their music hard and heavy. No lyrics are provided, but the vocals are very clear throughout. Stellar production from Shane ‘Buddha’ Edwards. While not in the metal genre, this album really appeals to the metalhead in me.
Frank Rasenberger October 2011
www.myspace.com/frankrasenberger
www.myspace.com/liveatchapel
