After two years of touring and the promotion of their debut, the Canadian-based quartet known as Manic Drive is back with the release of their sophmore album entitled Reset And Rewind. With a collaboration of new stylings as well as guest appearances from well-known artists, Manic Drive hopes to please and win over listeners and critics alike.

The raw opener, "NYC Gangsters," kicks off the album while setting the boundaries for the overall mood of the release. "Eleven Regrets," the hit single, touches upon the issue of past mistakes and regrets, while "Blue" deals with the concept of trial-and-error and how submitting to God makes all the difference. The latter also features guest vocals by former dc Talk legend Kevin Max, another added plus. "Dancefloor," which features female rap artist M.O.C., has no lyrical depth whatsoever; it's just a party track about letting loose and having a good time.

"Obvious" is a rapid-paced track, laced with aggressive vocals, dynamic, accusational lyrics, and an added in-your-face message. The acoustic rock balled "Hope" encourages us that there really is hope within this lost and hopeless world ("Believe it or not, there's hope"), whereas "December Mourning" features echoes from the song "Carol Of The Bells," producing an edgy yet intimate feel, while at the same time painting a picture of personal sadness felt during the jubilant Christmas time. "Better Man" represents our human habit to fail and give in to sin, with references to our questioning conscience about the importance and worth of life in general ("Who's this life for?").

"Addiction" is all about resisting the temptations and addictions we face from day to day, while "Change," an orchestrated serenade, points out our need to change and draw closer in our walk with Christ. "L-O-V-E" is a catchy tune about the love between us and the Father, which is really the only track that feels like the album should have done without. "The End," ironically, is not the album's finale, but it does add flavor to the taste of the record as a whole. "The Inventor" is a beautifully constructed piano piece, gracefully closing Reset And Rewind.

Manic Drive has matured incredibly in their music as well as the reoccurring themes that they have woven throughout their latest release. I am quite eager to see what they craft into their third record, and you should be too.

- Review date: 10/27/07, written by Laura Sproull