Refuge
Chasin' Away the Night
Reviewed by Maury Millican
Refuge has produced a full-length, 9-song cassette called Chasin' Away the Night. The material falls in the dance-club-rock category. Drums and drum machines are way up in the mix, along with the vocals and keys. As a result, the guitar and bass do not dominate their sound, a la metal mania. But it is obvious that Refuge spent significant time working on the sounds on the tape. Mix is nice and bright, hi-energy, danceable rock 'n' roll. They sound a lot like Starship, Heart and Triumph. So, radio stations with Christian rock formats will enjoy this band's music. The quality of the lead vocals really stand out in the songs. Great pitch, style, and tone. All the vocal arrangements have nice melodic hooks and the BGYs sound primo, unlike many metal bands. The drums are poundin' away all the time. Bass guitar is solid. Keys are punchin' through, but some of the keyboard solos are a bit immature. Guitar solos are tasty, but they could have been a lot louder. On my first listen to the tape, I thought: "This band has a solid evangelistic message." But on the second pass, I reconsidered: "Wait a minute. These songs speak to Christians as well. There is truth in the fact that we all need to keep turning to the Lord and away from the corrupt desires of our hearts." Old, crusty Christians need someone to "chase away the night" just as much as unbelievers. So, Chasin' Away the Night should appeal to a broad audience. You can write Refuge at: 55 N.W. 94 Street, Miami FL 33150.