Small Voice is a bit of a misnomer when you consider the vicious vocals and high-voltage riffs delivered by one-man band James Panzarello — and the supernatural scope of his songs’ themes.
“No King But Christ,” which leads his latest project, is the perfect example, spinning the “Christ is King” mantra often found in Christcore circles into its own metalcore creed. The reverent roar of the vocals is a declaration, one that listeners can claim as their own.
“I believe at the end of the day that I serve no other King,” Panzarello, a California-based metal musician, confesses clearly. “That song is a culmination of the other songs and what I go through and have gone through. At the end of the day, I serve and live for no other.
Other songs are similarly theologically rooted in simple, timeless truths that hold fast in whatever storms might come our way: mental or physical, as “Mental” parts one and two explain. This two-part hurricane captures the battle with depression and anxiety, bringing the listener along for the whirlwind and ultimately landing them at rest in the arms of God’s steadying love.
This eight-song collection is the latest from Small Voice, the project James Panzarello launched in 2023. His musical roots, however, reach far deeper: he began making music in 2010 (then as part of the band Alorion). Small Voice serves as both personal processing space and an invitation for others who might be experiencing the same things, be it church hurt, anxiety, depression, or — ultimately — spiritual truth and absolution.
“Music is how I deal with my emotions,” the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist says. “You can release emotion and feelings into the music you create, and it’s almost therapy as much as a service. What keeps me going is the messages I get from people about how much it has helped them. I am encouraged that my story may help others keep going.”
The latest collection of songs will be available everywhere mid-2026. For more from Small Voice, visit https://linktr.ee/smallvoice.
Rock On Purpose 