Search - Soul Embraced :: This Is My Blood

Sorry guys, but this album doesn't deserve "5 stars".

J. Christensen | 06/15/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Come on guys, we need to be honest here. This is not a great album; it's not even a good album. There are an infinite number of metal albums that run circles around this stuff. The 2001-2003 time frame saw the release of many great extreme metal albums, such as Bloodbath's "Resurrection through Carnage", Hypocrisy's "Catch 22", Enslaved's "Monumension" (in '01) and "Below the Lights" (in '03), Dimmu Borgir's "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" (in '01) and "Death Cult Armageddon" (in '03), Extol's "Synergy", Old Man's Child's "In Defiance of Existence", and on and on. Soul Embraced isn't anywhere close to the same league as these aforementioned releases.



Look, I'm a Christian, guys, and I want to root for the "Christian" bands too, but I have to call it like I see it. I've been listening to death metal for fifteen years, and I know "the good stuff" when I hear it. Soul Embraced is not "the good stuff"; it's tired, substandard, and frankly, embarrassing. The frustrating thing about it is that it should be a good album. Lance Garvin and Rocky Gray are both talented, and they don't have much excuse for hashing out second-rate metal like this. I must say though, I feel much the same way about the two albums Living Sacrifice released with Rocky on guitar as I feel about "This is My Blood". Perhaps Rocky is the weak link.



Anyway, we need to call this album for what it is-junk. It hurts me to say it, but it's the truth. There are death metal and black metal bands out there who make great music and are made up of Christians: Antestor, Crimson Moonlight, Immortal Souls, Alethian, Becoming the Archetype, and a few others. Support these quality bands, but don't settle for second-rate garbage just because it has a "Christian" label on it and it's supposed to be "Jesus Approved". God wants us to use our talents to glorify Him, and in my opinion, if I'm embarrassed to show a Christian album to a secular metal kid, I don't think that's too glorifying to God. I'm not trying to insult the Soul Embraced guys; I believe their hearts were to glorify God, and He loves that, but in the end, I don't think the quality of the music matched the quality of their intentions."

A rewarding listen...

Andy Williamson | Chicago, IL | 08/13/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Soul Embraced sound invigorated on this release. They plow thru their above-average death metal/power metal material, driven by great drum work and tight arrangments. The emphasis on melody is a nice change from the typical atonal sludge of so many bands. Vocals are very hard-core in style. Good stuff by these members of Living Sacrifice. Worth checking out."

Killer Album

sickening_ritual | Portage, MI | 01/27/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some of you say this is overrated? WTF! This is a killer CD. Yes they could do more but for a first effort this is damn good. The production is very clean and clear. The vocals vary from a hardcore shout to a deathy grind. The guitars are just helacious in the grove factor. The drums fit nicely into every song, They give the whole thing a very strong back-bone compaired to alot of band sin this genre. As I see it, This is a must buy CD. I just can't get enough of it!"