Musical Style: Metal / Hard Rock	Produced By: Lebron Estrada
Record Label: Independent	Country Of Origin: USA
Year Released: 2024	Artist Website: Faith Head
Tracks: 13	Rating: 90%
Running Time: 53:56

What’s behind the meaning to a bands name?  In the case of Chattanooga, Tennessee based Faith Head, it refers to ‘someone who holds irrational religious fundamentalist beliefs and no matter what evidence is provided to the contrary will never change’ (quoting the Urban Dictionary).  Further details from the groups press material: ‘We are taking this name (Faith Head) on as the 21st century version of a ‘Jesus Freak’ just as the Roman's referred to the disciples as ‘Christians’ (little Christ’s).  More specifically, ‘To be a Christian in the 21st century is going to be the new punk rock, a new rebellion. As Christianity is less of the norm, having a stance of holiness will be more counter culture than in previous times. So by faith we boldly go in to the future proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ’.

There is no need to worry in that Faith Head are not ‘punk rock’.  Rather, the group - despite claiming no specific genre and refusing to be categorized (again, its press material) - impresses as hard rock and metal (ranging from blues based to doom to power to thrash to progressive) fused with light modern distinctions on its independent October of 2024 second full length album The Horror Of Things To Come.  Previously Faith Head released its aptly entitled debut full length Are You A Faith Head? in December of 2016 prior to putting out a pair of EPs, Genesys and Born Again from April of 2019 and February of 2021, respectively (all independent).

While I hesitate to label The Horror Of Things To Come a ‘concept album’, a common theme ties its songs together.  Once more, I will let the band do the talking:

‘(The album) takes the listener down a dark journey into the future. In a world devoid of objective truth, facts offend, and mere science is slander, our world gives rise to an inverse reality. A remnant of believers struggles within its own ranks with its own issues that are secretly hidden in the façade of religious cultural. Fallen under the influence of the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche, mankind is left unchecked and unshackled from its moral anchor. Humanity sets forth in playing god with new technologies and pursuing unkempt pleasure and lust. And the rest of the world unknowingly plays with dark forces disguised as entertainment, opening a door to the demonic realm. But, for those who endure to the end, particularly to the end of the album, will find hope. Please take the journey with us’.

Instrumental “Melodiam Pro Deperdito” gets things going to two and half minutes of crashing thunder, ringing bells, whispering voices and haunting bass.  “Aberrations Of Reality” ensues in a straight on metal heading, with unsettled rhythm guitar and unstrung lead guitar (noting the work of Tyler Anderson and Lebron Estrada) building upon the unaffected context at hand.  I take to the funk and groove driven instrumental moments.  Lyric snippet:

It’s time to wake up from your wide eyed sleep
It’s time to draw the line before we’re in too deep
The Grand Design - these things weren’t meant to be
It’s all become aberrations of reality

“Victim Mobtality” maintains the volatile focus albeit with light modern twinges, specifying talented front man Jimmie Webb and his at times affecting classic tenor and others gruffly grunge like and even spoken word vocal abilities.  Short but buzzing at three and half minutes, it elevates catchy hooks and stark emotion to rate with albums finest. Lyric snippet:

Spew emotions for all to see
Stir them up with your victim mobtality
Hide the other side no one hears or sees
You conjure up your victim mobtality
Blessed are those who suffer
But this time it’s for your own name’s sake
Blessed are those who mourn
But its self-indulgent drama faked

Albums title track ensues in a doom metal trajectory.  “The Horror Of Things To Come” labors and bewails its span, guitars slog in cudgeling fashion, while playing up an earthly feel, noting periodic breakdowns to chilling childlike voices carried over thrash like rhythms.  It deserve note manner in which the raw but correlative production allows the turbulent timekeeping of Dale Adams to stand out further.  Lyric snippet:

When all your pleasures have made you numb
It’s just the horror of things to come, and the demons you have are no longer fun
It’s just the horror of things to come, when you see the choices you have are none
It’s just the horror of things to come, and you realize your deeds can't be undone
It’s just the horror of things to come

“Artificial God” is one of albums heaviest with guttural in and out of the mix rhythm guitar aligning with jarring bass.  Song grows and establishes in intensity until crowning for the forceful (in a complementary sense) near spoken word refrain.  An almost extreme feel elevates for the tenuous instrumental moments.  Lyric snippet:

Back again to set the world on fire
A flawed creation plugged into the world with wires
Hubris blinds as the monsters arrive, mesmerized as we run for our lives

Abomination of Desolation
Birthed by singularity
The Antichrist creation an artificial god for humanity

“Six Figure Sermon Writer” slows impetus but not to the point of doom territory.  It proves every bit acerbic, pressing its irascible three and half minutes to distorted vocal tincturing and sculpted low end to speak of the impudent.  Lead guitar is fittingly vitriolic.  Lyric snippet:

Six figure sermon writer
Fake Holy Ghost insider
Six figure sermon writer
Demonic deceiver and divider
Six figure people pleaser
Self-centered licentious teaser
Six figure sermon writer
Self-righteous Paycheck Rider

First of albums three six-minute songs, “Secret Society Of Sinners” delivers light progressiveness.  Song tenderly starts to acoustic guitar and warm, lower register vocals (sort of like Rez Band’s “Concert For A Queen”) until modern tinged guitars cut in, purveying a semi-ballad form ambling ahead in giving prominence to an eloquent but severe feel.  Rhythm guitar, for instance, takes a sturdier stance for the unyielding refrain.  Contrasting lighter moments see acoustic guitar reappear over the final two minutes.  Lyric snippet:

Under a cloud of misery
Just a prayer from victory
Pretending that we’re okay
While our souls slowly decay

Under the weight of anxiety, We welcome you to our secret society of sinners

Second six minute cut “God Didn’t Kill Himself” trends progressive doom territory.  A cinematic opening to include distorted bass ahead of downtrodden guitars gets thing going, the despondent terrain giving way at moments notice to periodic electrifying moments in which impetus ups exponentially only to return to the browbeaten.  Scene comes alive for the galvanic closing two minute instrumental run.  Lyric snippet:

In the garden with God and a man
Made perfect the master plan
Flesh and spirit began its decline
The serpent who tainted mankind

God didn't kill Himself
Man did, trying to take his place

Back to straight on metal territory with slugger “Peddlers Of Flesh”.  Upping force exponentially, it proves darkly ominous with ruthless guitar momentum and Shipley’s menacing bass but consuming from manner in which songs title continuously repeats with borderline extreme vocals in the backend.  An almost power metal aspect divulges here.  Lyric snippet:

Children with no graves
Excess flushed in laves
Numbers tell no lies
Blood on our hands
Parenthood is not the plan
God’s wrath comes as no surprise

Anti-cult song “Don’t Let Them In” takes a similar discordant form.  It begins to a drum solo ensued by shrill bass, moving forward to spoken word vocals that give way to a snarling growl as plundering guitar takes over.  Compulsion continues to expand until things peak for the bellicosely driven refrain exuding near hard-core intensity.  The youthful exuberance reminds of late nineties modern metal band Eloi.  Lyric snippet:

Lucifer and all his demons
Watching, waiting, crouching at your door
Trying to deceive, what we can’t perceive
Confusing, preying in this unseen war 

Don’t invite them in
Through a doorway of sin
Innocuous games are where it all begins

Said intensity carries over to “The Unfurling”.  Song asserts a near thrash basis, starting to a bass solo ahead of an unapologetic guitar riff taking over that sounds as if taken off the self-titled Deliverance debut but settling down for a disparate and surprisingly melodic refrain to expound upon the albums hope based message: ‘without the blood of Jesus there is no escaping’.  The searing lead guitar aligns with the uninhibited musical qualities.  Lyric snippet:

No, you’re not caught in delusion
The ragged ends of moral integrity are breaking

Revelation’s unfurling
To the depths of Hell this world is hurling
The age of grace is now ending
Without the blood of Jesus there’s no escaping

Album closes to final six minute cut “Mercy & Grace”, a laid back and reserved ballad to see light guitars and layered vocal melodies prevail until heavier rocking guitars muscle in to brace the regal melody only to distantly fade.  Bluesy elements crowd in instrumentally to extent Bride comes to mind.  Lyric snippet:

From the womb to the grave
Despite the choices I've made
Mercy and Grace
He gives Mercy and Grace
When I fail Him completely
His love never fades
Mercy and Grace
He gives Mercy and Grace

Faith Head goes the metal and hard rock with modern underpinnings route well as anyone on fourth album The Horror Of Things To Come.  At times aggressive at others doom like and others calm and reticent, album musically delivers the variety to remain fresh with repeat play.  I appreciate the raw feel to production, which captures a live element to the bands performance and elevates energy exponentially.  Musicianship and vocals are accordingly up to standard, as our lyrics in line with the albums powerful theme.  If a fan of Faith Head and its previous work or the style of metal and hard rock at hand, do not hesitate to make The Horror Of Things To Come a priority purchase. 

Review by Andrew Rockwell 

Track Listing: “Melodiam Pro Deperdito” (2:42), “Aberrations Of Reality” (3:50), “Victim Mobtality” (3:19), “The Horror Of Things To Come” (5:01), “Artificial God” (4:26), “Six Figure Sermon Writer” (3:17), “Secret Society Of Sinners” (6:17), “God Didn’t Kill Himself” (5:55), “Peddlers Of Flesh” (4:18), “Don’t Invite Them In” (3:28), “The Unfurling” (4:14), “Mercy & Grace” (5:56), “Unnamed Track” (3:50)

Musicians
Jimmie Webb - Lead Vocals
Tyler Anderson - Guitar
Lebron Estrada - Guitar
Patrick ‘Pfunk’ Shipley - Bass
Dale Adams - Drums