| Musical Style: Hard Rock | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Independent | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2019 | Artist Website: Faith Head |
| Tracks: 5 | Rating: 80% |
| Running Time: |
If change is inevitable and change is good, then such is the case with Faith Head and its independent spring of 2019 sophomore EP Genesys. Beginning with turnover, the Chattanooga, Tennessee based act experienced the departure of three fifths of the line up that recorded its well received (80% Angelic Warlord review) late 2016 debut full length Are You A Faith Head?, leaving guitarist Donny Raines and bassist Patrick ‘PFunk’ Shipley as the bands holdover members. Also encompassing musical direction, Faith Head switches gears musically from the straightforward hard rock mixed with modern overtones of Are You A Faith Head? to a more even balance between the two on Genesys. Good measure of said transformation attributes to new front man Jimmie Webb, who brings an expansive modern to alternative vibe vocally as opposed to the mid-range and soulful bluesy style of predecessor Jason Beavers.
Remaining unchanged is the groups faith based focus, staying true to its Faith Head moniker as ‘five spiritual minded individuals who live for Christ first and foremost in their lives’ (noting its press material). Specifically, Shipley founded the group in the fall of 2015 after listening to an apologist on the radio and heard these fateful words: ‘The world thinks we’re all just a bunch of faith heads!’ Several Google searches and visits to the Urban Dictionary later, the Holy Spirit started to speak to him, which led to his vision for Faith Head following many months of prayer and patient waiting. Again quoting the groups press material: ‘God finally moved all the pieces together for these four individuals to become one unit.’
Albums opening title track provides a good indicator of the newfound Faith Head sound and new vocalist Webb. “Genesys” maneuvers between moments both heavier and calm, with those former driven and focused as Webb reveals a gruff and course side to his delivery and that latter flowing gently to moderate guitars as vocals take a calmer, melodic tone. The group demonstrates its harder rocking side in the closing instrumental minute to feature a bass solo and Raines’ biting lead guitar. Lyric snippet:
It’s the beginning of the end
The final days of humanity
You stumble as you descend
The smoldering city ash heap
Step by step, Piece by Piece
Withered souls and angel’s weep
Law by Law, Lie by Lie
By our own Freedom we all die
Defiant hard rocker “Mindless Automatons” plows forward with vicious mid-tempo intent from the start, erupting for caustic verse sections to see lightly done rap style vocals (which work surprisingly well with there indolent sneer) and shouted refrain of the ‘mindless automatons- wake up, before your dead’ variety . Several stretches of searing guitar leads reveals the Faith Head heaviness to be understated. Lyric snippet:
The only path to freedom
Is through the heavenly Father
In your vast desert wasteland
He’s your cool drink of water
Mindless automatons
Wake up, before your dead and gone
Mindless automatons
Melancholy grayscale pawn
“Old Sin, New Skin”, second heavy duty cut in a row, begins to a spacey keyboard solo prior to plowing forward to some of the albums catchiest guitar riffs, maintaining accessibility in the form of the every bit as engaging (and quite pointed) refrain. I equally appreciate the double bass to fills things out instrumentally. Also, note the periodic modern style screams vocally. Lyric snippet:
Drawn away by our own devices
In a corner with nowhere to run
But in the end there are no surprises
There’s nothing new under the sun
It’s an old sin in a new skin
Old taboos into new trends
Old sin in a new skin
Old lies told with new twist
Lone ballad ensues in “Prodigal Road”. Opening to wave like guitars flowing between the left and right channel as Shipley’s prodigious bass anchors the low end, the song gains focus as modern style rhythms burst forth at the two-minute mark to lend an added emotional effect and build upon the strong melody at hand. Again, Faith Head does not back from its heavier side in bestowing another stretch of moving lead guitar. Lyric snippet:
Faith is the first step you take
Into the unknown
I wasted so much life
Now Father will you redeem my time
Walking down this lonely road
I see the lights in the distance
Here we are face to face
Dreamt of this moment in my mind
The only distance between us is the time, wasted
Redemption found in the embrace
Breaking down all that separates
Closer “Rise Up” is a rousing and up-tempo hard rocker. It proves full of uninterrupted vim and vigor, adorned with militant style guitars and larger than life drums but not distancing from melody in terms of the catchy chorus exhorting the listener on to victory: ‘Take the enemy by surprise, you got to rise, rise up! With its infectious and rousing demeanor, I can see “Rise Up” as a leading candidate for radio play. Lyric snippet:
It just takes one brave soul
No one special, just the bold
Your story is yet to be told
Philippians 4:13 is calling
Darkness must yield to the light
So now Rise, Rise up!
Take the enemy by surprise
You got to Rise, Rise up!
On Genesys Faith Head presents with enough straight up hard rock aspects to appeal to those whose tastes fall within the sites style guidelines - noting how the group makes lead guitar a priority – but also enough modern flavorings for those into a more ‘current’ sound. Yes, slightly more of the latter in comparison to the rawer and earthier debut but still relevant all the same. When further factoring improved cover art and production (not that the debut sounded bad) Genesys presents with not just change but a step forward all the same. Similar to many EP releases, however, I am left wanting more as well in that four to five additional cuts of the same level would have resulted in a final score in the 85% range (minimum). Still, if already a Faith Head fan or into any of the styles presented (or combination therein) you cannot go wrong with Genesys.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Genesys” (5:04), “Mindless Automatons” (4:10), “Old Skin, New Sin” (4:38), “Prodigal Road” (5:20), “Rise Up” (4:17)
Musicians
Jimmie Webb - Lead Vocals
Donny Raines - Lead Guitar
Patrick ‘PFunk’ Shipley - Bass
Ty Gerry - Drums
Additional Musicians
Gabriel Gardner - Drums (“Old Sin, New Skin”)
