Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Music Review


Fleshkiller, Awaken
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Fleshkiller
Awaken



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Metal
Album length: 10 tracks: 50 minutes, 21 seconds
Street Date: September 15, 2017


READER RATING:   


Back in 2013 Christian metal, admittedly, wasn't in the best of places. It saw bands recycle the same metalcore cliches and tropes and nothing new was being offered to yearning listeners. Then, Extol announced their return from hiatus with the release of a brand new self-titled album and the genre received a resuscitation of sorts as excitement about a classic and beloved staple spread. Today, Christian metal is thankfully in a much better place. This year alone has seen plenty of innovative releases that have breathed new life into a genre that was once thought stale. Then came the announcement of Fleshkiller, the latest passion project of Extol's Ole Borud, and the excitement grew once again.

Firstly, it's important to lay down some history. Fleshkiller was originally formed by Ole Borud and Peter Dalbakk of Vardoger and Schaliach. Peter departed before recording to focus on life and family and this led to Elisha Mullins (of The Burial and A Hill to Die Upon respectively) to join the band. With two metal veterans leading the group, many were expecting a result that was nothing short of superb. Now that Awaken is finally in listeners' hands, has it lived up to the hype? The answer is a resounding yes.

Awaken closely follows the progressive footsteps of Borud's previous projects and marries them with crushing brutality and riffs that are as memorable as they are monstrous. While the band takes plenty of cues from both artist's discographies, Fleshkiller presents a sound that is all their own. Lead single "Parallel Kingdom," for example, opens with Borud's signature clean vocals backed by a soaring guitar riff before jumping straight into an aggressive frenzy led by Mullins's harsher vocals. The guitar goes every which way, taking a frantically fast paced route one second and a slower, crunchier sound the next. This is all weaved together by Andreas Skorpe Sjøen's excellent drumming and Ole Vistnes's bass. The technicality on display is incredible, keeping the music tight and cohesive yet giving the listener much to dig into and explore at the same time. Nothing ever feels repeated or overdrawn, and when each song averages five minutes, that's an impressive feat all on its own.

Lyrically, the album follows Extol's tradition of Christ-centred worship and Biblically inspired anthems. "Salt Of The Earth" is an immediate highlight here, beginning with a slow and atmospheric intro that eventually builds into an encompassing array of growls and phenomenal riffs as Mullins's screams, "Love your enemies. Bless the ones who curse you. / Pray for those who persecute the children of the Most High. / Unchain the prisoners of wicked injustice. / Break the yoke of the oppressed. / Bring the favor from above. / Salt of the earth.... You are the carriers of light..." "Secret Chambers" is another brilliant cut that explores the nature of faith and loyalty, "Faith is evidence of things unseen. / A journey not by sight, in search of what is hoped for. / Moving with confidence, regardless of the tides. / Learning how to love. Strengthened from above. / The shaping of a soul, forging a prudent character. / Through all, we cannot see, the deepest mystery. / A lesson for the just. Wisdom is to trust." "True Image" is unabashedly worshipful and will most likely stand as one of the best songs of the year, "True image. Sustainer of the universe. Mighty and powerful. / Every knee shall bow. Every tongue will confess: You are the Holy One. / All creation sing of the glory You bring. You are the Holy One."

And on and on I could go, pointing to the theologically rich lyricism and the sublime musicality on display all throughout Awaken's fifty-minute runtime. In the end, Ole Borud has given the metal community another masterpiece to cherish for years to come.

- Review date: 9/15/17, written by Lucas Munachen of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

JFH Album Sampler
. Record Label: Facedown Records
. Album length: 10 tracks: 50 minutes, 21 seconds
. Street Date: September 15, 2017
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon.com (CD)
. Buy It: Amazon.com (Vinyl)
. Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)

  1. Parallel Kingdom (4:26)
  2. Salt of the Earth (6:04)
  3. Wisdom (5:21)
  4. Secret Chambers (4:54)
  5. Awaken (5:07)
  6. Inherit (6:00)
  7. Evil Eclipse (5:02)
  8. True Image (4:07)
  9. Warfare (4:31)
  10. Window of Time (4:49)

 

 

 

 



Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, July 25, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor & Braille New Mexico [Equal Vision]
B. Tee Told You [Syntax]
Bride Scarecrow Messiah CD Re-Release [Girder]
Homesick Prodigals Different Good (independent)
KDNS After Eden [Syntax]
Olivia Lane Songs About Jesus (Deluxe Edition) [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA [Motown Gospel]
Kevi Morse Kingston We Winning [Syntax]
Pulpit Vomit Hospital Lens [Rottweiler]
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno Dance for Jesus - EP (independent)
Taylor & Co Worship Breakthrough - EP (independent)
Josh Wright LEAD (independent)

SINGLES
abenezer i was lost - Single [Gotee]
Sho Baraka Still Got Faith (ft. L3xdivine) - Single [Syntax]
Gracie Binion Easy To Please - Single [BEC]
Katty Camargo Shine Upon Me - Single (independent)
The CCC Collective Thankful - Single (independent)
C4 Crotona Mr. Gritty - Single [Syntax]
EJ Swavv & Nickwit2Ks Growth - Single [Syntax]
Forrest Frank GOD'S GOT MY BACK - Single [River House / 10K]
Andrew Gonoude Closer To You - Single (independent)
Noah Paul Harrison Oh Lord My God (Live) - Single [Bethel]
J.Solo All I Have (ft. Kaboose & MotionPlus) - Single [Syntax]
Kings Kaleidoscope + Kings Kaleidoscope Hymns Amazing Grace - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Life In Me - Single [BEC]
Lecrae Bless You (feat. Torey D'Shaun) - Single [Reach]
TobyMac God Did It (feat. Jamie MacDonald) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Hunter Plake Down to Earth - Single [BEC]
QEW JOYXFIX (ft. Stevie Rizo) - Single [Syntax]
Naomi Raine God Will Work It Out - Single [Tribl]
Saints in Exile Bad Vibes - Single [Syntax]
Xander Sallows infinite - Single [DREAM]
Silent Reflection Left Me for Dead - Single [Syntax]
John Stratton The Body and the Blood - Single [Pure Mosaic Services]
Regina Vandereijk You're the Light - Single (independent)
Joel Vaughn Feel It - Single [DREAM]
Zach Williams Killed A Man - Single [Provident]
Zauntee Jesus Down In Florida - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Bride Scarecrow Messiah Vinyl [Girder]

DVD
Jordan Smith The People's Hymnal DVD [Gaither]

This Saturday, July 26, 2025
SINGLES
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno What Would You Do? - Single (independent)

Next Friday, August 1, 2025
ALBUMS
Crash Rickshaw Big Sir - EP [Velvet Blue]
McKamey Legacy Holding to Truth [Horizon]
Ordained Thunder Roar [Girder]
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM Worship]

SINGLES
Dan Bremnes Human - Single [Curb]
Lauren Daigle Let It Be A Hallelujah - Single [Centricity]
Sleeping At Last Believe - Single (independent)

VINYL
Disciple Attack! (Limited Run Vinyl) Vinyl [Girder]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Get all of JFH's indie compilation now totally free!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images