I know I'm not alone when I say that John Van Deusen has become one of my favorite artists in the modern era, thanks in part to the high quality of each and every album he's released so far. And he keeps pumping out great music on nearly an annual basis at this point. After his aggressive rock album, Anthem Sprinter, in 2024, Van Deusen took a sharp left turn last year, delivering his first ever CCM-style worship album. Unsurprisingly, and despite the album having 18 tracks, he somehow had more ready to go, which now comprise this year's offering, As Long As I Am in the Tent of This Body I Will Make A Joyful Noise Pt. 2...

When someone has a favorite band, little can rival watching that band stay together and continue to make music for many years. Sometimes, however, one might wonder what it would be like for the talent in that band to fuse together with the strengths of musicians in other bands. ICONIC provides the opportunity for that mixing of talents to happen, featuring the extremely talented vocalist Nathan James (Inglorious), guitarist Michael Sweet (Stryper), guitarist Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), bassist Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, The Dead Daisies), and drummer Tommy Aldridge (Whitesnake, Ozzy Osborne). Four years after their debut album, Second Skin, the supergroup returns with their sophomore album, II...

When it comes to veterans in the Christian rock scene, few names come up as frequently as San Diego based Switchfoot. Since Fading West in 2013, the band's releases have shied away from full-blown rock albums, though, leaning into more alternative (interrobang) and pop styles (Fading West and much of Native Tongue). Even with the rock songs they have done in recent years -- consider "Let It Happen" or "Last Man Standing," for example -- this reviewer would say that such efforts landed among the weaker songs the band has released. In light of such choices, some fans likely have wondered if Switchfoot would ever step back fully into the feel of an album like Nothing Is Sound or Hello Hurricane...