Reviewed by Tony Cummings

In many ways a live album is the perfect way to listen to Kutless, that's if you can't get to a gig itself. This kind of muscle-bound hard rock always works best when the speaker stacks are vibrating with max volume and when arrangements are raw and rugged. That's exactly what you get here. Recording the band in their hometown was a good idea as clearly - as the accompanying DVD of the concert demonstrates - the guys are axe-wielding heroes there. The major disappointment of the set is that there is no new material here. In fact, with four songs form their debut 'Kutless' (1998) set and four each from 'Heart Of The Innocent' (2000) and 'Sea Of Faces' (2004) this is very much a greatest hits live project rather than an in-concert try out of newly minted songs. But as I said, it's live where this kind of hard riffing, raw rawk makes the most impact, while frontman Jon-Micah Sumrall shows himself to be a powerfully expressive singer adept at everything from slower worshipful songs to the practitioner of blood curdling screams on "Somewhere In The Sky". Even the two songs from Kutless' misguided 'Strong Tower' praise and worship album come out here with far more high octane intensity than anything that dull album delivered. As well as the usual exhortations to the excited crowed to "go crazy" and "jump up and down" Sumrall also uses the between song interludes to speak simply but believably of his faith and even offer a word of prayer. Yep, powerful, full-on rock in vibrant live sound and, on the DVD, atmospheric images. Existing fans will love this and the album may even impress new-to-Kutless hard rock buffs.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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