Steve S. (Reno-ness) from ARROYO GRANDE, CA Reviewed on 6/29/2007...
Screamers for Christ!
Ameris P. from POUGHKEEPSIE, NY Reviewed on 2/3/2007...
This is a very rocky CD. I like it, but I don't advise it for anyone who gets headaches from screaming.
CD Reviews
One of the best albums I have ever heard!
Patrick Hodges | Evansville, IN USA | 11/07/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I love Christian rock music and Disciple has been my favorite band for quite some time now. So, when I received my copy of "Scars Remain," I had some pretty high hopes. I heard several of the new songs at an awesome Disciple concert in September. Also, I had listened to their first single off of the album "Regime Change" numerous times on the radio and MySpace, and it just blew me away. The incredible music and intensity of the song meshes perfectly with the subject of our desire as Christians to separate ourselves from our sinful selves and even the deep longing to murder that part of ourselves. Anyway... I have listened to album all the way through numerous times now, and I think I can safely say it is the best album I have ever heard.
Disciple's sound on the album feels like a mixture of their signature heavy metal sound (listen to their great albums "This Might Sting a Little," "By God," and "Back Again") and their latest self-titled album. It's much heavier than the self-titled "Disciple" album and equally as heavy and intense as "Back Again" (if not moreso). Brad, Joey, and Tim are back playing their instruments the way they do so very well: synchronized to produce a great hard rock sound. Brad mixes up the palm-muting and playing open to create a great variety on the guitar. He also has several solos on this album. Yet, the album still has sort of the same feel as the self-titled album (probably because Kevin continues to do a lot of fantastic singing on this album). Also, Kevin really brings a great variety of screaming and singing on this album, and the guys have really mixed in a great variety of heavy rock/metal and alternative-type stuff. All in all, I think it's Disciple's best-sounding record yet, and probably the best album I've ever heard musically..... secular or Christian. It's incredibly strong all the way through...... you won't want to skip a song and it will probably be difficult to pick out a best song on here. "Scars Remain" is just that good.
Disciple has written some phenomenal lyrics for this one, as well. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the lyrics on this album are also probably some of the best lyrics they've put out yet. I have already mentioned how much I love "Regime Change," but there are so many other great ones. "Love Hate" has a lot of brilliant contrasts between the love and hate in this world. You can really feel how the hatred in this world is grating on Kevin as he sings the song. One line in particular brings me to tears nearly every time I hear it: "A mother is willing to give her life, while another one throws away her child." "Fight for Love" is a fantastic song about how we should be desperately fighting for the souls of all of Jesus' children that He loves so dearly, and therefore we should love so desperately. "Scars Remain" is a great song about how we all share pain and scars..... no matter where we are in life (which reminds us of Christ's scars for us and directly points to everyone's need for a savior). "Game On" is an incredible, raging anthem about fighting against terrorism and rising up to defend our families and our country. "After the World" is a beautiful song from God's perspective about His amazing, incomprehensible love for us (Kevin's singing on this track sounds great, too). There are just so many highlights on this album that I would have to list nearly every song to explain how wonderful the message of this album is.
All I can say to close this review is to just check out this album. If you like rock music or Christian music (or both), you will absolutely love this album. Even if you typically don't listen to Christian music, don't write this album off. There's no judgmental themes to be found here. The music is breathtaking and top-notch, and this album is filled with love, hope, and themes clearly showing that we all have a need for a savior...... the loving Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank you, Disciple, for another fantastic album, and for some of the very best music I've ever heard! This CD won't be leaving my player for quite some time!"
My Metallica replacement
Jason Andersen | Minot, ND, USA | 04/02/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a Metallica fan since 1989. I recently gave up listening to them because of their interference with my faith. Only 5 days after I discarded every Metallica CD I had, I received this Disciple CD in the mail. Like I said, I was a fan, die hard Metallica fan, since 1989. Scars Remain has replaced my Metallica thirst musically and replaced angry, hopeless lyrics with Jesus. Awesome!!!!!!!!!"
I feel like something busting, breaking out of its own skin.
Jaden Trueblood | Chapel Hill, NC | 01/12/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"That line (my review's title) from "Purpose to Melody" pretty much describes this album. Disciple's latest "Scars Remain" album cannot be held back--it's just that incredible. It's heavier than their last release and the lyrics are phenomenal on pretty much every song. You really feel the need for our loving Savior and a joyous thankfulness for God's love while listening to this album; it's very present throughout. Here's a track by track breakdown:
1. Regime Change: This is just about the perfect hard rock song; it's incredibly intense and emotionally powerful. The intro really builds into the song beautifully. The lyrics about us, as Christians, fighting with our sinful selves are exceptional. The song also goes out with a incredible bang. Quite possibly my favorite song I've ever heard. A+++
2. Love Hate (On and On): Great song. The lyrics comparing/contrasting all of the love and hate in the world are phenomenal. They'll really make you think. The music is heavy and very well done. One of my favorites on the album. A++
3. My Hell: The lyrics to the song are awesome. It speaks about how anything (even Heaven) is Hell if God is not there. The music is good as well, but it didn't grab me with as much intensity as some of the others. B+
4. Scars Remain: The intensity of this song is probably an 11 on a scale of 10, and for a song about the pain we all feel, it is a perfect fit. The music is heavy and absolutely beautiful. A++
5. Game On: Great song about holding our ground for the ones we love and fighting back against terrorism. It's a very inspirational song and should definitely make anyone strongly opposed to war under any circumstances rethink their stance. Kevin's passionate vocals remind me a lot of the pain, betrayal, and anger we all felt on 9/11. The music has a great heavy beat and the vocals sound like some of their older stuff as Kevin's vocals are a combination of rapping/screaming for the majority of the song. A+
6. Someone: Fantastic song about feeling God's presence all around us and that you can easily prove His existence by just looking at the order of nature's cycles and the way all species behave. Extremely awesome heavy intro. You'll get your head banging whether you want to or not. The verses are slowed down a bit, but the chorus is really heavy as well. This is another of my favorites. A++
7. After the World: The first of two ballads on the album. The song is written from God's point of view, as He's calling out that He is what we're looking for in this life and that He has and always will be here for us. The vocals are great, and the music is slow and builds into powerful choruses. The bridge is wonderful, as well. It's an absolutely beautiful song and puts a lot of modern rock ballads to shame. A++
8. Dive: Great song about finding our strength in God. We need him to rejuvinate us when we are growing weary, and this song is praising Him just for doing that for us. It's a very fast song and the music is fast, hard, and very catchy. I love this one. A++
9. Fight For Love: Probably one of the most intense songs on the album. Kevin starts off by screaming the first two lines of the verse acapella, and the song never looks back. The song talks about fighting for Christ, our first true love, and fighting for all of the ones who do not know Him, whom he loves so very dearly. Great, great song and one of my favorites. A++
10. Purpose to Melody: Incredible song about the Christian journey/relationship and it sounds like it is more specifically written about Disciple's own journey as being God's servants in a Christian rock band. The intensity of the song is unstoppable, and the lyrics are very inspirational. This song is also very heavy, and the music is just incredible. The chorus is one of my favorite choruses in any song. A++
11. No End at All: Beautiful second ballad of the album. The lyrics are, once again, very good. The song talks about how God is there with each of us through all of our rough times, and how nothing can separate us from his unending love. The guitar in the verses is great (even sort of beautifully haunting) and the music transitions to a feeling a joy and thankfulness for God's neverending love in the chorus. A
So, there you have it. Each song on this album is incredibly good, which is such a triumph today in music. Also each track is unique, so the album never gets monotonous (something many other rock albums suffer from). It also holds up well over repeated listenings (it has hardly left my CD player in the two months I've had it). It's probably Disciple's best album and very possibly the best album I have ever heard. Check it out! I think you'll be glad you did!"
WOW!!!!!!!!
Jaden Trueblood | 03/27/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When my dad showed me this CD I was blown away. I couldn't believe that i'v never heard of Disciple before. Ever since christmas they are all I have in my stereo and on my MP3 player. I can't get enough of Disciple and I can't wait for their next CD."
Awesome band, Awesome CD!
Ashley M. Bishop | Texas,USA | 03/27/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am a Christian, and of course I listen to Christian music, and I LOVE all types of Christian music, Contemporary, Hip Hopish, Rock, etc... I read a review on this CD on Amazon, and that same day I went to town and I bought the CD and I am really glad I did! Disciple is an awesome Christian rock band! I am really liking this CD more each day as I listen to it. I am glad that Disciple is doing this for God. I hope that they continue to do what their doing in Music Ministry. My favorite songs would have to be "After the world", "My Hell", and "No end at all". All in all this is an awesome Christian CD, and I recommend that you all go buy it! ;-)"