Search - Showdown :: Temptation Come My Way

Throw it in, slam the cover shut, and prepare to bang!

C. W. Fitch | Wichita Falls, TX | 02/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This second offering from the Showdown is a southern-fried hard rock masterpiece, with potential to be the definitive Christian rock album of the past year. I've yet to hear a rock album this year that drives straight into my heart the way this one does: like an '05 Harley with a modified engine and the needle pegged.

The difference between this and the Tennessee boys' first album is immediately obvious; from the thump/clunk of the opening drum and cowbell, and Satriani-esque riff on the first track, you'll likely get the impression that the next fifty or so minutes is going to be a flood of arena rock. And you'll be right. Every track smacks of Black Album-era Metallica rolled in flour, sprinkled with .38 Special, and thrown into a Fry Daddy. If you're an experienced Showdown listener, you're going to find yourself waiting for the screaming about halfway through the first track, only to find not a screamed note through the entire album. (Well, maybe a couple of growled lines in "Breath of the Swamp", but that's about it...) In fact, if you have their first album, you'll probably pick up the CD case somewhere into the second track, wondering if you misread the label. This is, in fact, the very same Showdown that blew out your eardrums about a year ago.

If you're looking for more of the same this round, you'll be disappointed. Death metal/hardcore is nowhere to be found here. However, if you like your Metallica mixed with a little Skynyrd and a dash of Nickelback on the side, you've come to the right place. Listening to the whole album reveals several late-70s-to-mid-80s arena rock and metal influences, but for me, those were the bands to which they most closely compared. (In the title track especially, it was almost as if singer David Bunton was channeling James Hetfield, right down to that extra little "yeah" at the end of most every line.) I was pleasantly surprised to find that this particular little recipe is quite enjoyable from the first listen. This is the type of stuff you put in your headphones or CD player before a nice, long drive or ride. Powerful, driving hard rock riffs and crying solos pepper each track and drive you to throw up the horns and bang right along. Not only that, the boys manage to slip in the spiritual Truth ever so subtly into the lyrics; a careful listen will reveal their message of faith without pushing too hard. Every track is fantastic, with potential to be earworthy for years to come. Near the end of the CD, they even throw in a spectacular cover of Kansas' "Carry On Wayward Son" to bring back even more memories of when rock was instantly classic.

To hear The Showdown's sound mature so much in such a short time serves as an indicator of their bright future in the Christian hard rock/metal scene. This is definitely a band to keep your eyes on; whether they choose to stay with the electrifying sound of "Temptation" or return to the pummeling dirges of their debut album, no doubt they'll be sticking around for a long time, melting faces all across the country. And with a COWBELL, even!

"

The Showdown throws down with new CD

Steve Zellner | Remlap, Alabama United States | 02/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So I bought Tempatation Come My Way by The Showdown yesterday. I had heard the title track which is great, but was I still unprepared for how awesome this disc is. One indication of how much I liked it is that this band, which two weeks ago wasn't on my friends list on MySpace, is now sitting pretty at #3. I had actually seen them open for Flyleaf at Zydeco last year and really liked the music, but hated the significant amount of growly death metal vocals. That's one of the few things I can't seem to tolerate from a band. Well this CD has some amazing music, especially some of the screaming guitar work, and some really cool lyrics too.



The album starts off with "Fanatics and Whores" and "Head Down", which is my favorite of the two. Then we really hit full throttle with "Six Feet Under" and "We Die Young", which are both fantastic. "Breath of the Swamp" rocks seriously and has a full-on drum assault. "It Drinks From Me" is a...can I say ballad? It's a cool song about the effects of alcoholism on a family. The title track is totally sharp, especially the twangy Southern intro. The lyrics are also good, a testimony to the consequences of a life of constantly giving in to temptation. Next are "Forget My Name", "Spitting In The Wind", and "I Victim(Here's To The Year)", which are all good. But they saved the best for last, finishing with a crunchy and scorching cover of the Kansas classic "Carry On Wayward Son", and the last song, "Death Finds Us Breathing". That song rules. I listened to it so many times last night I went to bed with the chorus running through my head... "Ungrateful, the lifeless, the ocean held in sway, Torrential, A creature but for faith, As we breathe in and lash out, a juggernaut of days, Release us unto Death, Oh release us this age." This is one the most killer songs I've ever heard. If you like some heavy, crunchy metal with plenty of Southern flair pick this one up immediately. After having it for 6 days I've lost count of the number of times I've listened to it. Some will say sell-out and lament the lack of growling vocals but I welcome the change...and maybe welcome this band to the big time.



"

Great Album

C. Wilson | Texas | 03/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At first I admit that i was disappointed with this cd when i first listened to it, but after the second time it hit me that they have matured a great deal since The Chorus of Obliteration. Granted, it does not have the same death metal elements as Chorus, and it has slowed down about 20 steps. It still doesn't change anything. In my opinion, the song-writing on this album is no less spiritual than Chorus. They just took a more personal step towards writing their songs than just using stories from the Bible as songs. If anything this album deals more with the songwriter's personal walk in life and the things that he has experienced. I myself am a born-again christian and i was stoked when i first heard these guys because i came from an atheistic background and used to listen to bands like deicide, morbid angel, cannibal corpse, and pantera. So i was excited to listen to their cd for the first time. Well in closing, i felt that this was a huge step forward for these guys. A step in the right direction. Oh and the Kansas cover, AWESOME. By the way, their new drummer is A.J. from Still Remains. Until next time, "Good night and God bless.



-Chris"