Artist: Sacred Sorrow

Album: Deliver Us From Evil

Label: Wounded Records

Tracks: 12

Length: 44:50

Reviewed by: Jeff "hardcore johnny" Krause

 

 

Where to begin with this one.  Before saying too much, I will say that it's apparent pretty quickly that these guys are just trying to have some fun with a purpose, as well as the fact that they are young, and probably pretty inexperienced when it comes to songwriting and recording. 

 

I find it difficult to be too critical of a band, seeing as I myself am in a band, and thus, am available and open to equal criticism.  But when reviewing a release, I must be honest in my assessment of it, regardless of any extenuating circumstances.

 

That being said.....

 

This cd, beginning to end, is horrendous.  I've listened to it numerous times (as painful as that has been), in an attempt to find SOME redeeming value in it somewhere.  I did find one thing:  their message.  These guys are passionate about God, about their faith, and about sharing His love with others.  For that, they are to be commended.  But from every other standpoint, this album is nothing more than something for the band to give to their close friends and family.  The songwriting, from a musical standpoint, is awfully simplistic.  The production sounds like it was done with no concept of how to run a mixing board and the band is off time numerous times throughout the cd, most notably on the drum-only introduction to "Sunsets Over Salem".  Vocally, this cd is all over the place, from a hardcore feel, to punk rock, to emo-type singing.  It falls short on all levels, though.  At the very LEAST, a band recording a cd for public consumption needs two critical elements:  good vocals, and good timing.  This cd contains neither.

 

I'm not sure there's much that can be taken away from listening to this cd, except maybe a step in the learning process of what not to do when sitting down to write and record an album.  Hopefully, as the band gets older, grows, and matures, they will come into their own and gain the ability to produce something much stronger.