Here it is folks...the Holy Soldier debut album. It's been three years since you may have first heard about them in Heaven's Metal, and the hype has been heavy. This buzz has reached the point in the metal world to where people are saying, "Man, it better be good with all this hype." Well, Holy Soldier delivers. This 10-song album is nothing short of melodic heaven. These Southern California cliff-divers play heavy metal. It's an original blend of commercial, melodic metal that can really stand up in the mainstream market and draw lots of attention. Lead vocalist Steven Patrick gives the band the distinction that they need to compete in this market. Try blending Axl Rose, Don Dokken, and Joe Elliot together, and you'll get a good idea of his raspy, yet melodic, vocal style. An astonishing mix by David Zaffiro allows each member of the band to shine. David's got two other excellent hard rockin' projects under his belt (Zion and his solo album), but this is his best effort yet. (Way to go David!) The guitar work of Jamie Cramer and Michael Cutting is excellent throughout most of the album. The only guitar sounds that really didn't tickle my fancy were the first two songs, "Stranger" and "See No Evil". The best guitar moments come on side two with the awesome ballad, "Eyes of Innocence", and the rockin' "We Are Young, We Are Strong". Andy Robbins' bass is really punchin' throughout this disk. The mix really did Andy justice. Standout bass lines are featured in "See No Evil", "Cry Out for Love", "Love Me", and especially the intro to "When the Reign Comes Down". Drummer Terry Russell gets his shot at getting noticed with his bass drum attack on "We Are Young..." and cracks his snare loudly on "Cry Out for Love". The whole rhythm section really rocks tight on "Tear Down the Walls". I love this album! The song structuring is exceptional, the BGV's are big, the mix is flawless, and each song offers something different. It's got your metal rockers, your tear-jerkin' ballads, and good lyrics to boot. "Stranger" reminds me of Larry Norman's classic, "The Outlaw". It does a good job of presenting Who Jesus is. "See No Evil" is a powerful tune about the murder of unborn children. An ethereal chorus of small children trades vocal lines with the band, chanting, "Thousands come/ Thousands go/ Day by day/ The numbers grow." "Cry Out for Love" sings about a believer who has found the Lord, and, wanting more of His love, discovers that God has more to give. "Tear Down the Walls" delivers the hopeful message that Jesus can tear down the walls that we've built up inside. "Lies" exposes the deceitfulness of the Proverbs 7 lady. My favorite tunes are: the mega-melodic "Eyes of Innocence", complete with guitar leads that bleed with feeling; "The Pain Inside of Me", a haunting ballad with the perfect separation and mix of guitar, keys, bass, and drums (the chorus here has the definite BGV production trademark of David Zaffiro stamped on it); "We Are Young...", with its rapid-fire start and rippin' leads; and "Love Me", which incorporates a post-modern guitar sound. A few bands have used this alternative guitar sound to good effect - The Cult and Bang Tango. Holy Soldier refines the use with a great performance. I think time (and sales) will prove that Holy Soldier accomplished the tough task set before them. They had to face all the aforementioned hype, plus the pressure of being the first metal act through the corporate machine of Myrrh Records...which meant the record had to be smokin' hot. Well, ouch! It is. It is. And don't worry, it may be melodic heaven, but it's not wimp city.