When I sat down to listen to Nodes of Ranvier's The Years To Come, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had heard Defined by Struggle first (my fault), and I wasn't impressed. But, when "The Renewal" played, I knew it was different. The record progressed, and I was pleasantly surprised. Unlike Defined by Struggle, The Years to Come has a completely different twist to the whole musical style.

Musically, this album is solid. "The Renewal" and "Novocain for No Reason" are instrumentals starting with a simple guitar riff, then gradually getting louder and more intense. "The Dawning Age" gives it an eerier feel, with the beginning guitar opener. "Glass Half Nothing" and "What Goes Around..." show the speed these guys can work. Breakdowns appear in "The Dawning Age," "Dolores," and "What Goes Around..." And the growls... oh, the growls. Compared to the vocals of the self-titled record, Lost Senses, More Innocence, and Defined by Struggle, the vocals here are most unique. They have a Lamb of God feel to them, but lower. And, obviously, more Christian.

The lyrics of this album get a thumbs up. "Relentless" talks about using Atheism as an excuse for escaping the truth, "The Dawning Age" talks about the rise of technology and how it will overtake us, and that we, as Christians, must be prepared. "Grave," the only ballad on this album, talks about how sinning affects God as well as us ("Where is the man who came around? I pulled him down"). "Predisposed" encourages listeners to find strength in God ("Find your strength, find your strength in faith"). "What Goes Around..." talks about a guilty conscience searching for the answers.

There are a few faults, however. First of all, this album is not groundbreaking. It may be different, but nothing really makes The Years To Come really stand out in the sea of metal. Besides that, "The Renewal" builds up anticipation for "Relentless," but unfortunately, "Relentless" loses its energy at about 30 seconds into the song. It's not that it's a bad song, it's just in the wrong place. Thankfully, "The Dawning Age" recovers the energy. Also, the listener may find that the talking during most songs may get old fast, and may lose its impact. And on a few tracks, the singing vocals are rather sloppy.

All in all, this album is solid. Besides some minor faults here and there, I recommend this record to any metalhead. Sure, The Years To Come may not be groundbreaking, but to anybody who wants a good solid metal album, check out these Nodes.

JFH Reader Review: written by Luke Johnson, 8/15/09, for Jesusfreakhideout.com