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Crosscheck Records announces the April 25, 2006 release of Voices From the Frontline, an album of all original material from US military personnel currently serving in Iraq. Featuring twelve musical tracks and twelve spoken word vignettes recorded by men and women on active duty, the CD offers an insider?s view into the often difficult, emotional, and unblinking reality of life for American troops stationed in Iraq. Crosscheck Records has teamed up with the non-profit organization Operation AC to donate a portion of the proceeds from Voices From The Frontline in order to supply soldiers with non-combat supplies. Voices From the Frontline tells the stories of several soldiers in their own words. In the opening track, "First Time," rappers Mike Watts and Quentin Givens matter-of-factly ask the question at the core of every soldier facing deployment: "Will I come back alive or will I come back dead?" The soldiers speak about keeping it together to get the job done, letters home to loved ones, saluting those who lost their lives, the close calls dealing with IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), the support of their families, the fight to stay alive, the guilt of not seeing a child grow up, the inner conflict and loyalty they feel. In "Condolence," a performer who goes by the name Amp writes a letter to a woman apologizing for his role in her loss he asks God "if there?s a spot for me in heaven, could you give it to her?" Overall, the men and women on Voices From the Frontline aren?t using their art to make a statement for or against the war. They just want to be heard, their experiences shared. These are their stories and their expression of what it is like to fight, to work, to live, and to cope with life on the frontlines in Iraq. It is clear that they appreciate life despite their daily struggles, the overwhelming challenges, and the loss of fellow soldiers. Through it all, they manage to find the strength and courage that it takes to do what they do.