Out Of The Ashes

Wow! As the owner of a Christian music website based in the UK, I get a few sample CDs sent to me from time to time. Mostly these are from people who have not got a record deal and who are looking for independent distribution. It's good to help these folk out a little by offering their CD online, and bringing it to a wider audience.

The other day I received one such CD from a church called The Hope Centre in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, UK. I popped it in the car CD player as I was just going on a long drive to a business meeting.

The first couple of tracks seemed nice enough; nothing amazing, just pleasant. A bit like Hillsongs, I thought, without quite so much smooth production work.

About track 6 I started to take an interest in what I was hearing. There was a sort of mantra going on in the song, something like "I will never be alone, will never be afraid, will never be without you"....it was almost on one note, slightly hypnotic, and it was building and building and ......suddenly I was starting to get into it.

The next few tracks were good, but I didn't get the same "goose bumpy" feeling again until track 11, the title track "Out Of The Ashes". Now this is one of those tracks that doesn't need several listens to grow on you...it was there, straight away. A great song, good melody, strong lyric "It only takes a little faith...".

So I hit the back track button and listened to the whole CD from track 1.

By the third play I had 3 songs that were on my "excellent" list.

By about the 6th play I had 6 songs that were on my "exellent" list.

Now, after a week or so, I can't get enough of this CD! It's one of the best worship albums I've heard in the last 12 months. And it's British! Hallelujah!

All credit to the guys at The Hope Centre for bringing out a CD that holds its own against the likes of Hillsong, Vineyard and Abundant Life. Recommended - highly!

Read more about it here:

Out Of The Ashes CD - The Hope Centre

Andy