By God

Album Review

Disciple plays the kind of hard rock that's like a 30-pound sledgehammer in the face. On By God, the band chugs through 19 tracks, unleashing a metal slugfest that's sure to slap hard rock fans silly. The beauty of the band is that you know what to expect. There's no sidetracking to rap, hardcore, or alternative, like many other of today's heavier bands. What you get with Disciple is pure guitar, bass, and drum fury. One constant throughout the band's career has been the many references to scripture throughout all of its tunes. Each cut on the disc is saturated with the word of God, making Disciple's motives well-known. In every case, the reference to scripture is listed after each line. Rarely has a band with such ferocity been blatantly sold out to God. Whether it's the theme of denying ourselves and taking up our crosses in "By God" or the foolish man building his house upon the sand in "Blow the House Down," lyrically Disciple smokes. Musically, By God offers up a palette of distorted guitars and a heavy drum and bass that make for a monstrous groove. Cuts like "Coal" and "Not Rock Stars" are a few of the many metal assaults on the disc. One complete surprise on the release is the addition of two slower cuts. Both "Thousand Things" and "Rich Man" are the types of power ballads that saw bands like Warrant and Skid Row top the charts in the late '80s. Each tune accents an acoustic guitar and the soul-searching vocals of bassist Kevin Young. Disciple is the type of band that should be played loud. By God is the type of disc that should be played often.