I must say now that I wasn't too crazy about Spoken's latest effort Echoes of the Spirit Still Dwell. I was anticipating a little more than what I heard. This disk was entirely too different to me. It was intense then slow then intense again and... I think you see the point. I thought the band did some nice things, but I would have been much happier with a constant sound. But if you like a little mellow emotional lyrics then out of nowhere a full frontal assault, this is your album. To me it is put into the WEIRD section. I really can't describe this thing. It is that complicated.
The thing I liked about this effort is its EXTREMELY strong message. This album did not sit too well with me because I like a constant hard rap/core tempo. These guys brought it to the plate, but did not get a homerun. The song I am fond of is "Forevermore". It had me going because of its brutal message.
If you like Rage Against the Machine mixed with Stavesacre you'll probably like this disk, but before you spend your money, sample it from a friend as a warning to those who were like me. This band did get a Dove award for best hard band at the recent Dove Awards. I give Echoes of the Spirit Still Dwell a 5. May seem low, but hear it for yourself.
5/10
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #88Reviewed by David BixlerWith 'rapcore' being the 'new thing,' the plethora of sound-alikes has become tiring. This is how I felt about the first couple of Spoken CDs, which bore an uncanny resemblance to Rage Against the Machine, both in the vocal attack and general sonic, as well as the riffing. Echoes of the Spirit Still Dwell is a very pleasant surprise, as it demonstrates a remarkable change in direction. There are…Similar sounding releases
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