Living Sacrifice - Reborn (1997)^{Release ID: 3203}

If there's one album that sealed the deal for a band's stylistic direction, it would be 1997's stunning brutal metalcore in Living Sacrifice's career, Reborn! The cathartic power of this genre was shining for the band ever since guitarist Bruce Fitzhugh started doing growling vocals.

Apparently, the band wanted to make an album with a unique sound unlike any other bands. The band released 3 albums before this with original vocalist Darren Johnson, the Big 4-inspired thrash self-titled debut and two Malevolent Creation-esque death metal albums Nonexistent and Inhabit. Reborn can indeed be considered Living Sacrifice's rebirth, taking on strong metalcore with a bit of their earlier thrash rhythm. Yeah, there is a bit of the Sepultura-like dark insanity within the uniqueness...

"Reborn Empowered" starts simple in the drumming, then sudden switches into blazing fast progressive-ish metalcore. Those growls and lyrics are just top notch, "Reborn empowered, all strongholds broken, old ways have died, given new life, boldness engulfs my every word, strength empowered by God, Jesus, the strength in Christ's name". Beginning the next track "Truth Solution" is another groove-ish verse and empowering lyrics, "Breath of God released faith, creates all life". Another track "Threatened" has acoustic strumming in different parts of the song while maintaining the heaviness throughout. "Awakening" is memorable in the groove and lyrical images, "Our spirits no longer reek of sleep, through prayer we've entered in the throne room".

"180" once again shows the band's 180-turn away from their earlier death metal while keeping a bit of the much earlier thrash rhythm. While the album has the groove-ish metalcore sound done in perfection, "No Longer" is the closest we have to a half-baked idea. "Something More" kind of give me a thrash-ish metalcore vibe of Annihilator meets Hatebreed. Introducing the next track "Sellout" is an acoustic intro that can make you think of Opeth.

"Spirit Fall" adds a little more progressiveness into their metalcore, though obviously it's a closer level to early August Burns Red than, say, ERRA. The classical-sounding (in terms of guitar) "Presence of God" is a simple interlude of improvisation to perform in worship. The most well-known track by Living Sacrifice that they still play in encores is "Reject", with lyrics about deception against the Lord, "Half truths, deceit, forced in, not God, reject all lies, reject all of the lies." Closing the album is "Liar", a song for Christ's battle against Satan, "Worthless, want to be God, loser imitation, fallen from grace, deceitful lying beast your bound, lord of maggots, we rebuke you."

It's sad that even one furious blast of metal can be considered Satanic. Some people need to be enlightened and realize that there is holy glory in metal, despite the brutality. Living Sacrifice should really has much fame as P.O.D., and this album Reborn is the reason!

Favorites: "Reborn Empowered", "Awakening", "180", "Something More", "Spirit Fall", "Reject"