Emerging from the same label as bands like Mustard Plug and Avenged Sevenfold, Hopeless Records' latest act Nural is an alternative band that should turn some heads. Their sound can best be described as post grunge meets nu-metal with a touch of melodic rhythms. The band's latest effort "The Weight of the World" exhibits a wide range of styles in the hard rock genre and, for the most part, doesn't attempt to copy other bands in the process.

The album kicks off with "Tension," a solid rocker with 90's metal-like guitar riffs and smooth, harmonic vocals. A couple of songs later comes Nural's first single "Curse," which addresses the ups and downs of personal relationships and describes the situation as a 'lover's curse." Unfortunately, a couple of the songs seem a little rushed, as evident in tracks like "Years to Come" and "Chasing You," as both come to a close in just under three minutes. Another low point is that although many (if not all) of the members profess to be Christians, spiritual content seems to be lacking throughout The Weight of the World, resulting in a low possibility of gaining a fanbase among Christian music fans.

There are a couple of songs that do possess Godly morals regardless, such as the "choose to live for good or evil" vibe of "Lukewarm" (a personal favorite) and "Not Guilty," a song encouraging the listener to not be so quick to judge another if they claim to have a righteous heart. The latter also includes a stellar guitar solo that makes it easily one of the best tracks on the album. Other highlights that express somewhat of a musical genius are the ballad-turned-slow rocker "Sign of Life" and the acoustic rock-ridden "Enlighten Me" (about holding on to a God-like faith). Sadly, the emotional "Forgive Me" comes close to sounding like a plea of asking God's forgiveness for all his wrongs. Surprisingly, the chorus subtly implies that the singer is making a public confession and apology to a girl he hurt in his past.

For most practical purposes, The Weight of the World is an album that's geared towards a mainstream audience. However, the spiritual content that is included fits perfectly among bands like Acceptance, 12 Stones, and Lifehouse. I would recommend Nural to those looking for a band that enjoy experimenting with their music throughout each song they do. One can only hope that in the near future, these guys will have a desire to be more ministry-oriented with their music. For the present time being, Nural is a band that ceases to lack in overall musical talent.

- Review date: 9/1/05, written by Paul Portell