Walls Of Jericho - Redemption
Redemption is the latest offering from the Detroit female fronted hardcore outfit Walls Of Jericho. Produced by Corey Taylor (Slipknot/Stonesour) Redemption takes the form of a new creative outlet for the band.
The project that has been in the pipeline for the past 6 years has finally seen the light of day and it will probably divide the bands current fan base.
In fact it wouldn’t surprise me if a fair few Walls Of Jericho fans turned their noses up at Redemption, as it is most certainly not Walls Of Jericho. This doesn’t mean to say it’s bad though, it’s just a radical change of direction from a band we have grown to know.
As I have not been a huge Walls Of Jericho fan previous to this I feel I can give a more objective opinion and basically I like what I hear. It may be a bit on the over produced side and by that I mean I wouldn’t have minded some proper acoustic tracks, totally stripped bare. What we’ve got instead are some really big sounding tracks that highlight the diversity and range in Candace’s vocal ability. Yes this girl can growl and this is not totally forgotten in Redemption, but she’s also got a softer melodic voice in her too.
I think what’s been taken away from Walls Of Jericho’s usual sound has been put back in different ways. You can hear their song structure, lyrics and true passion without the screams. It’s definitely got Corey Taylor’s mark on it, the Stonesour influence that is. His contributing vocals on ‘Addicted’ add great variation too. You cannot deny the man has talent.
As for standout tracks, ‘Ember Drive’ has heartbreaking lyrics and great melody, while ‘No Saving Me’ shows Candace has not forgotten how to growl like the best of them. There’s also a great version of the classic ‘House Of The Rising Sun’.
I do think any Walls Of Jericho fan put off by this will only prove their inability to enjoy diversity in music. There are certain bands I personally love even more after having released acoustic tracks. I believe music in its simplest form is the most beautiful and passionate and while this is not quite as simple it’s certainly proved that there is a lot more to this band.
Redemption shows Walls Of Jericho’s raw emotional state, removing the layers only shows the beauty underneath, it may be different and it may not appeal to all, but at the same time I think it will pick up a whole new audience too.