Red is a newly popular band and they released their first recording effort “End of Silence” in June 2006. Red is Michael Barnes - Lead and Background Vocals, Piano; Jasen Rauch - Guitars (primary writer of all the songs except “Pieces”); Anthony Armstrong - Guitar, Background Vocals; Randy Armstrong - Bass, Background Vocals, Piano; Hayden Lamb - Drums. The group grew up in Pennsylvania performing Christian music covers to area youth groups.

Throughout the tracks, you will hear both smooth vocals and controlled shrieks from lead singer Barnes and Chevelle-like guitar riffs and music patterns that build power. Some songs like “Already Over” even remind me (in a good way) of Linkin Park.

I bought this CD for the first two releases “Breath Into Me” - about sorrowfully recognizing a wrong path you’ve taken in life, and “Already Over” - about giving up on yourself or something good.

There are many tracks on the CD that hit issues like loneliness, pain, and grief but they have an underlying redemptive quality that keeps them from being too depressing.

“People are hitting on subjects that are deeper and darker,” base guitarist Randy Armstrong says. “I think it’s just a sign of Christian music evolving. But at the end of the day, no matter what the message is wrapped in, the music is still about redemption. How people got out of their struggles and into their relationship with God.”

The whole CD melodically swells and fades from beginning to end. The closing piece “Already Over Pt. 2″ is interesting because it uses the same lyrics, but it is played slowly and serenely without the angst in “Already Over” giving the words new meaning about being at peace… or finding your way back to that something good. A couple of other songs slow down the pace of the music, including a beautiful piano and strings interlude at the four-minute mark in “Pieces,” but there are plenty of tracks for head bangers to enjoy including “Breath Into Me,” “Let Go,” “Break Me Down,” and “Gave It All Away.”

I’m relatively new to the world of Christian rock, and only started listening to it when three years ago my boyfriend showed me that music can be about something more than what you hear on mainstream radio stations. And I found out that not only can music about God be interesting and meaningful but also it can rock! It feels good to find music that is worth listening to because you believe in what the artist is saying, or the artist expresses a feeling that you find in your own philosophical self. Regardless of my newness to the genre, I can tell a great band when I hear one. Red is solid and I am looking forward to their next album.

Track Listing

• Intro (End of Silence)
• Breathe Into Me
• Let Go
• Already Over
• Lost
• Pieces
• Break Me Down
• Wasting Time
• Gave It All Away
• Hide
• Already Over, Pt. 2