Artist: Unhindered
Title: Be
Website: www.unhinderedworship.com
Style: Modern Praise & Worship
Label: EE-Taow Records
Rating: 9.85 out of 10
By C.W. Ross
Unhindered is a band from Atlanta, Georgia that has already had some success selling more than 30,000 copies of their 2005 independent release, City Streets. The band's new release, Be, is their national label debut on the new label, EE-Taow Records.
Unhindered is EE-Taow Records first band signing. The band and the new upstart label are a perfect fit for each other. EE-Taow Records is a worship label run by the international youth outreach organization Teen Mania Ministries. The label's stated mission of, "providing its young audience with an authentic, relevant worship experience fits perfectly with Unhindered's stated desire to, 'encourage honest, unhindered worship of a holy God.'
The band wants to get out through their music the message to live an unhindered faith life, not being worried about others will say about you. Here's what band member Ben Smith had to say about it, "We want our music to bring people into an encounter with God." He continued on saying, "One of the biggest obstacles to worship is believers who are self-conscious. We want to kick down that wall, so we get the whole crowd on their feet, jumping around. It is amazing to watch people when they really feel free to worship."
I've never given any CD that I've reviewed a perfect 10 because I feel that anything that has been accomplished by human hands can't be perfect. But this release had me really thinking about that philosophy. If this band is setting the benchmark for the next generation of worship music then the future is in very good hands.
"You Are My Creator," is a corporate worship song that gets the music started with its upbeat modern rock sounds that are reminiscent of the band Delirious. Things continue on an up tempo note with the track, "We Will," a song about seeking out God's truth in your life.
I could probably list every track on this release as a highlight track but I've narrowed my list down to just a couple to keep my review from turning into a book. The Track, "Father Will Come," offers up a nice change of pace with its piano ballad style of music that's filled with passionate vocals and lyrics that talk of redemption.
Two of the songs that probably best capture the band's message of freedom in your faith are, "People of God," a big guitars and drum filled up tempo rocker that talks about it being time for people to wake up and shout it out that, Jesus is alive! "Light This World," is the edgiest sounding song found on Be with its punk rocker sounds and attitude. The song is filled with lyrics that talk about lighting up the world with the love of God.
The band decides to slow it down for the last track, wrapping things up with the acoustic guitar driven song, "Farewell Lullaby." This track really encapsulates the band's message with its lyrics of letting go of all ambitions and having an unbound faith experience with God.
Be was produced by Scotty Willbanks (NewSong, Third Day, DecembeRadio). Fans of Delirious and Hillsong United will want to add Unhindered to their list of, 'must have band's music.'
If you haven't figured it out by now I really, really, liked this release! While it doesn't break any new ground in the genre of modern worship, the music that Unhindered puts forth on each song that's found on Be hits almost flawlessly with each new note that it pumps out.
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