"This one is gonna be the most honed-in rock album that I've done," said Rick Cua in Volume I, issue 6 of Heaven's Metal. "It's gonna be a real rocker." Rick wasn't lying. This album tackles all the aggression that a band like Kiss could ever put out. Wear Your Colors, which you may have heard on your local Christian radio station by now, has a real rowdy bass line. Rick uses a lot of the tools he's grown accustomed to: chorus shouts and heavy bass drumming, making this song a power-anthem. "When you walk the walk/ Remember who you are/ When you talk the talk/ You gotta show your heart." "Flex" is about the spiritual muscles that the Holy Spirit supplies us with as believers. This song really edifies the body: "Flex/ Use the power/ Flex/ You're not on your own/ Flex/ It's your hour/ The flesh is weak but the Spirit's strong." When hymns were first introduced, about 1500 years ago, some of our brothers wanted to help the body of Christ remember the foundational doctrines easier. They decided to put theology to music. You know what? It worked. Thus was the creation of written sacred music. It was a Gregorian chant then, now it takes varied forms - like the rock chants/shouts of Rick Cua. Think about it. When you're repeating a phrase like "The flesh is weak but the Spirit's strong," you're reinforcing your beliefs and feeding your spirit the Word of God. "Hungry" is a forceful rocker that portrays those emotions of dissatisfaction. Our spirit isn't satisfied unless it gets enough spiritual food - God's Word. Thus the chorus: "I am hungry/ Hungry for the Word." "Lemme At 'Em" is another gut-level rocker that would make Kiss jealous and The Altar Boys proud. It's a song that shows the ferociousness of Jesus. Jesus is not a wimpy pacifist. He has triumphed over the devil and made a public display of him. He is mighty, to the tearing down of strongholds. "Your Words of Life are now/ All I can hear/ He said, 'Take Me to what's hurting you/ And watch the shadows disappear./ Lemme at 'em/ I'll keep the demons from your soul/ Lemme at 'em/ I'll fight the criminal who stole your heart.'" "Got the Rock" is a real good boogie rocker. The lyrics offer an explanation of Rick's philosophies on using rock music to spread the good news. "We got the Rock/ We're on the roll/ There's a hunger deep inside our souls/ It's our time, don't look back/ Nobody's gonna talk us off the right track." The synthesizer intro to "Unchained" suggests that this song is going to be the one commercial song to get radio airplay for the album. Not so. Rick refused to put any of those type of songs on this album. The steel-stringed instruments steal away the pop sound of this song before it gets too far. "Nightfall" is a comforting song that lets us know that Jesus doesn't leave us - ever! "Hats Off to You" is a pat-on-the-back to those who don't let their friends compromise their holiness, who refuse to become lukewarm in order to keep friendships. Hats off to ya! "Guitar loaded/ Ready and strong/ Electric wire/ Sing our song." "Line of Fire" ends the album by telling us that we can't run from God's love. He can find us anywhere. This song gives the most room for the guitars anywhere on the album. The jams here are never fully cut loose. They come in just enough to meet your electric guitar quota and then they back out. If you want to hear Rick's band cut loose, go see him on tour. Each guitarist battles it out for best lead of the night and the drummer gets his double bass thumping loud enough to affect your heartbeat during his solo. Of course Rick jams out on the bass - showing why Spyro Gyra, the highly talented jazz group, offered him a job. One reader, Jay Mindeman, wrote in and offered his review of the album. Jay says, "Wear Your Colors is simply fun to listen to. Cua has recruited some first class writers, including Bob Halligan Jr. - who wrote for Judas Priest and Blue Oyster Cult - and Dave Perkins, who also produced. Cua adds his touch and throws in some excellent studio musicians for a catchy rock sound hinting of heavy metal. Cua's voice, although having little range, is rich and fun to listen to. All these cuts contain superlative vocal harmonies and some of the catchiest hooks this side of Van Halen. The synthesizers and guitars blend well, cutting out riffs, melodies and solos that don't seem saturated. Even though Rick Cua rocks with little variety, he never stoops to mediocrity. Wear Your Colors is a triumph for Christian hard rock, proving that metal can be fun without being sugar coated." Check out this album, it's Rick's hottest to date.