"Darkness Before the Dawn" is a beautifully moving piece of music that defiantly resists the urge to give up and courageously pushes forward.
Something Deep Inside: “Darkness Before the Dawn” by Caleb Hyles
Author: Zachary Van Dyke
I have developed a love and appreciation for music since I first heard Audio Adrenaline's "Some Kind of Zombie". As a teen, I felt myself increasingly drawn into the lyrics of music as a tool to search for God, and it is through this continued exploration of lyrics that I put together a core belief: that where words fail, music speaks. In tune with that, I believe that God will be found wherever he is looked for - including music that comes from beliefs that differ from my own.
I currently hold a Bachelor's of Science in Religion: Christian Ministries from Liberty University. In pursuit of this degree, I discovered a love for writing that I have put to use in my explaining what certain albums mean to me. This has translated to a passion to discern God in the lyrics of music and explaining those discoveries to other people. This has mostly been done on my own, but I am incredibly excited and honored to partner with Rock On Purpose to share in our mutual love of music.
Restoring What’s Broken: “Skeleton Psalms” by Disciple
Across the 10 tracks of Skeleton Psalms, Disciple has reinforced their legacy as one of the staples in the Christian Rock scene, all without feeling even a little stale. They are considered legends for a reason, and they put all of their heart, soul, skill and faith at the forefront of this album.
“I’m Tired of Tithing My Heart”: Rethinking Worship
True worship is bringing grief, doubt, and all the complexities of life, and using them all to point the way back to God: for others and, often, for ourselves.
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Exploding on the scene with one of the strongest sophomore efforts this writer has ever heard, Zahna graced the world with Stronger Than Death, her follow-up to 2018's Red For War.
Understanding Joy by Experiencing Struggle: “The Consequence of Being Alive” by Gable Price & Friends
Each song on The Consequence of Being Alive brings something new to the table. Lyrically, Gable Price and Friends cleverly handle walking through the stress life brings, detailing the love felt in life while honestly grappling with the loss that is inevitable. By making their music so accessible, this group has ensured their message is heard loud and clear: "Yeah, you live and love and lose, and that's the consequence of being alive."
Unflinchingly Visceral: “Hellbent EP” Impending Doom
Impending Doom's latest EP, Hellbent, finds the band shattering eardrums and melting faces with an unflinchingly visceral and aggressive sound.
Honesty in Hopelessness: “Desolate Minds” by Amongst the Giants
What Amongst the Giants have done with Desolate Minds is create a vehicle that gives voice to the utter hopelessness many feel trapped in, and they've done so in an extremely creative and expressive way.
Withered and Emptied: “Color Decay” by The Devil Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada proves on their 8th album Color Decay that they are fearless, capable of innovating their brand of metalcore without losing themselves in the process.
Pain Is Not Our Final Story: “Remade In Misery” by Memphis May Fire
From the way they released Remade in Misery one carefully crafted track at a time, to the final composition, Memphis May Fire affirmed the value in the genre and took hold (once again) of their place within it.
Admitting the Trauma: “Apophysitis” by Fight the Fade
Filled to the brim with driven guitars, synth swagger, and emotive expressionism, Apophysitis by Fight the Fade is an album that leaves listeners on their toes and fires on all cylinders.
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