CROWN OF MERCY - NEW BEGINNING /2007

THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(11-TRACKS)
1-THE FALL
2-MERCY
3-THE WORD
4-FOLLOW THE LIGHT
5-THE GIFT
6-REALIZATION OF TRUTH
7-TOUCHING THE NOTHING
8-HOLY
9-GOD IS REAL
10-DAY OF COMPLETION
11-THERE AND BACK AGAIN
CREDITS:
Rick Johnson – Lead Vocals & Rhythm Guitar
Dirk Werner – Lead Guitar
Michael Reed – Bass
Jeremy Richardson - Percussion

BIOGRAPHY/REVIEW

New Christian progressive rock that won't hold back the truth that must be told. Powerful Anthems for true belivers.Crown of Mercy is on the verge of breaking new ground. Bringing in your face progressive rock music to the Christian scene. This sounds like it could scare a few elderly women. The loud crunching guitars with the pounding rhythm section is enough to make grandpa grab on to the closest rail and pray for mercy. Fortunately these guys really have it together. This is an album that tells a story of mankind's struggle as we go from thinking that we have the power to realizing that only God has the power. You will go on a journey that will have a happy ending just as predicted in the Bible. This is an album that will set new standards for the "church music" to come. If you like to get fired up about the greatest news on the planet, in your face guitars and a message that will leave you wanting more, you will love this album. Several talented new bands have come out of the growing Christian progressive rock scene in recent years. America Gomorrah, Revelation Project and Pursuit are the first that come to mind as a result of the hard rocking approach they take to the genre. Vertical Alignment, Torman Maxt and 7th Overture, on the other hand, deserve credit for their symphonic and technical expertise while Flagship combines elements of both the classic and the progressive. Neal Morse has also gained renown for his high quality solo releases One (2004), ? (2005) and Sola Scriptura (2007). Crown Of Mercy is another group worth mentioning. A Scottsburg, Indiana based group that came together in 2005, Crown Of Mercy takes a foundation of progressive rock and joins it with equal amounts of upfront rhythm guitar and lush acoustic guitar on its 2007 debut New Beginnings."New Beginnings finds Crown Of Mercy reflecting the influence of the previously referenced artists in question. The band, for instance, is at its best on “Mercy” and “The Word”, two exemplary examples of subdued progressive rock, in addition to the bluesy “Day Of Completion” and metal laced “There And Back Again”. “Realization Of Truth” and “Touching The Nothing” both bring a tasteful acoustic laced sound and the catchy “The Fall” and guitar driven “The Gift” a straightforward hard rocking vibe heavily rooted in the eighties." A joining of acoustic guitar and bass propels “Follow The Light” through its first verse. Sustaining the laid back impetus during the bridge that follows, the song gains initiative as the rhythm guitar cuts in to underscore a chorus talking about victory in the life of a Christian,“The Gift” stands out as one of the albums heavier pieces. The song starts to a hard hitting guitar riff prior to tapering off to a rumbling bass line prior to its first verse. After inching ahead with the rhythm guitar hammering in and out of the mix, “The Gift” moves on to a flowing chorus fortified by a touch of shouted backing vocals. God’s gift to mankind is the subject matter here,“Realization Of Truth” opens to a blend of resounding bass lines and screaming guitar feedback. Driving through its first verse to an upfront rhythm guitar, the song does not taper off until transitioning to a passage underlined by a tasteful acoustic guitar. The rhythm guitar returns to its forward place in the mix before “Realization Of Truth” reaches an instrumental section in which a razor sharp lead guitar interweaves with more acoustic guitaThe intricate progressiveness of “Touching The Nothing” gets underway acoustically before immediately launching into its first verse. The song builds impetus as the rhythm guitar gradually makes its presence felt, decelerating for an acoustically driven passage but picking up in pace for a steadfast chorus delivered in poignantly charged fashion. Werner highlights an extensive rhythm section with another blazing run of his soloing abilities. “Touching The Nothing” focuses on Romans 7:r. As its title implies, “Realization Of Truth” talks about finding the truth,The worship metal of “Holy” comes across a bit flat. While the song delivers an abundance of up-tempo initiative, the lack of an eye catching chorus in the end holds things back. All around, this one fails to deliver that extra once of energy and inspiration the albums better material brings to the table. Good lyrical direction, though, “God Is Real” is another number I have been unable to grow into. The song actually opens to an interesting blend of chanted vocal harmonies and rhythm guitar and really grooves through its verse portions. But, similar to “Holy”, a chorus I might describe as colorless forces me to hit the skip button.The bluesy “Day Of Completion”, the albums longest track at 8:40, proves quite the technical piece. The acoustic guitar makes its presence felt throughout the songs earliest moments, underlining its first two verses and the minute long instrumental section that follows (again, Werner really shines with his stylish work on lead guitar). Once the rhythm guitar takes over, however, “Day Of Completion” moves ahead in a grittier manner until – just prior to its six minute mark – it gains a hold of a sweeping chorus pointing to the purpose of Christ “There And Back Again” commences as an acoustic guitar shores up narration from the first chapter of Genesis. Maintaining the acoustic heading for its first verse, the song picks up in pace as a metal-laced rhythm guitar steps forward and bolsters the second hard and heavy. The rhythm guitar continues to play a prevailing role during the ensuing instrumental section. After a commanding voice states “Now there is a new beginning”, “There And Back Again” takes on a more melodic tone as it drifts through its final verse portions as the purpose of Christ is again revealed(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)