Review Date: 09/15/2014
Review By: Arthur Reynolds
Release Date: 05/27/2014
Rating: [usr 7.0]
Heavy rock band Relentless Flood is back with their sophomore album, The Time is Now. The independent band from North Carolina consists of lead singer Marshal Huffman on the drums, backup vocalist Dale Huffman on the guitar, and Bret Rogers on the bass. Their previous album –Stand – was a hit for the well-known tracks “Never Again” and “Get Behind Me.” On their new album, the in-your-face rock style doesn’t disappoint, with lyrics that are very meaningful to today’s society. Let’s take a closer look:
The first, title track “The Time is Now” gets the listener pumped with the fast-paced music while promoting a call to action. Telling us to “Get up just see this isn’t who you are,” we know that we need God’s love — a recurring theme throughout the album — and without it we cannot fulfill what, or who, we were created to be.
Their first radio single from the album, “Come Home,” is relatively laid-back musically. The lyrics are written from Jesus’ perspective, preaching His offer of saving grace for prodigal sons. “Walk Away” is faster and full of aggressive guitar riffs. The lyrics confront our problems from our sin nature, reminding us that “The lie you’re living has you calloused and numb,” and that our perceived secrets are known to God.
“Adam’s Cry” starts slowly and quietly compared to the previous tracks, providing emphasis for the seriousness of the lyrics, which from our point-of-view in the pain of the realization of our sin encompass our sinful actions and the restoration of our soul. “Take You In” returns to a fast-moving, heavier sound, speaking about the genuineness of God’s love. When you “feel just like your world has been shaken” but “they all think that you’re gonna be alright,” God is “waiting for you with arms wide open.”
Musically, “Letting Go” is serene, mostly acoustic, yet building intensity throughout, and worship-ready. Lyrically, it beautifully describes our inability to control our own life and the struggle of surrendering it to Jesus. “Still I Know” (Feat. T.J. Harris of Decyfer Down) opens with pounding drums and driving guitars that let up only for the verses. The lyrics expose the apparent hopelessness in the midst of a fallen world, and rally around the fact that “through everything, my King is on the throne.”
“Erased” follows the same musical pattern of driving guitars letting up for the verses, but with an aggressive sound in the chorus. The lyrics describe our struggle accepting God’s forgiveness when we know we need it; the song really hits home with lines such as “I’m done with living in this self-inflicted shame” and “It’s not about what I’ve done, because of who You are.”
Arguably the heaviest-sounding song on the album, “Call Me What You Want” is a declaration of our unending confidence in our literally awesome God, even when we’re rejected by the world. The captivating sound and message of this song has pulled me to listen to it over and over, making it a standout on the album for me. Contrasting musically, “53” is a slower, yet still musically-driven, ballad that straight-up preaches the Gospel and why we need Him, teaching that “He paid our ransom to break our chains, with His sacrifice of love” and to “Let it go! Lay it down! Hallelujah, my Jesus conquered the grave!”
The lyrics on The Time is Now are full of truths about why we need Jesus, and elegant transitions between lyrics from God’s perspective and those from our perspective really show off their talent in writing. The music is driving, yet it never overshadows any of the passionately-sung lyrics. Overall, this is a very solid offering from Relentless Flood and well worth a purchase.
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