Art Of Breaking [Enhanced]

Don't get me wrong, TFK put out a great junior release. However, in order to appreciate it, you can't really compare it to TFK's two previous releases. The transition to Tooth and Nail, in my opinion, has led them a different direction... not necessarily a bad one.

A bit more "emo" than their earlier, edgy rap-rock, "The Art of Breaking" would appeal more to the screamo genre, than the rap-rock group. They have a few songs, like "Move", that make this transition a bit easier, since they resemble some of their earlier work.

The album is well-made: The quality is excelent and the sound is enormous. The music has changed some, however. The guitars are driven and the vocals are TFK, but, in my opinion, the beat that made Thousand Foot Krutch the band that it is just isn't there. The lyrics have become somewhat ambiguous and watered down... that's not necessarily bad, it's just not the TFK we knew.

To some, the change is a welcomed one and to others it's a bit too drastic. Personally, it was unexpected. On the first listen, I hated it, but I grew into it.

In conclusion, if you're expecting to hear the Thousand Foot Krutch that you knew in "Set it off" and "Phenomenon," don't. It's different, but not in an entirely bad way... you just have to take it for what it is: a decent album from an amazing band.

I bought Art of Breaking a few weeks ago, simply because it was TFK. Though I have never heard any of the tracks from Set it Off, I do have Phenomenon, and I expected to hear something similar. What I did hear was a shock - TFK's style has changed further, though not in a bad way. Once I got over my initial surprise, I fell completely in love with this album.

This is one of those albums where you either hate it or love it, as proven by the other reviews. If you are open to their progression, I think you'll love it. Trevor's voice is evocative and powerful, and I think these new tracks have strong lyrics. TFK writes songs about other people's trials, as well as their own, and I was surprised at how many of their songs deal with relevant problems in a growing Christian's walk. Songs such as Stranger, Hurt, and Hit the Floor have deep, provocative lyrics. Every song refers to God in some way, even if the reference is not immediately obvious.

Absolute (9/10) While the style displayed in this song may repel some, I thought it did well to convey the message set forth in the lyrics. It seemed a little short to me.

Slow Bleed (9/10) This seems to be one of those songs designed to wake you up. I had just gotten used to Absolute when I was shocked again by the change in this song. I didn't like it immediately, but it grew on me. The lyrics are well thought-out, and I love the ending.

Art of Breaking (8/10) One of the more enigmatic songs. I'm still not entirely sure how to interpret it. However, I like the sound, and I'm beginning to come up with my own idea of what he's talking about.

Stranger (9/10) This song has so much that is relevant to any growing Christian's struggles. The ending, like Slow Bleed, is evocative, and the lyrics are powerful. This song speaks strongly to me about the pull of God versus the draw of the world.

Hurt (10/10) This song, too, caught me off guard. The words in the verses are odd but the chorus makes up for any deficiency in that department. Trevor creates a mood in this song that is not easily forgotten. The ending drives his point home.

Hand Grenade (10/10) This one, like Slow Bleed, had to grow on me a bit, but I will never skip this song again. A bit of a headbanger, but again the lyrics are relevant and Trevor pulls off the awkward vocals easily.

Move (10/10) This song was my first favorite. It doesn't say as much as Hurt or Stranger, but it is catchy and reminds me of Rawkfist.

Hit the Floor (10/10) Another of my favorites, I think this song says a lot more than the previous one. Perhaps it is because this song speaks so much to my present relationship with God, but I found that this track affected me powerfully. Plus, the chorus is awesome.

Go (6/10) The weakest track on this album, in my opinion. I think the verses are unwieldy and the lyrics don't really say much ... still, with more listening, it might grow on me more.

Make Me a Believer (9/10) Another song that spoke directly to me, I relate to the subject a lot. TFK succeeds in conveying the feeling of being distanced from God, and the effects of failure. Not one of my favorites, nevertheless, I feel that this song has some pretty strong lyrics.

Breathe You In (10/10) This song is one of the best tracks on the album. The lyrics are direct, not enigmatic like the title track, and I think this song is far better than Phenomenon's This Is A Call. An excellent ending to an excellent album.

Trevor's guitar is not overpowering (as has happened with unfortunate others) and the instruments instead harmonize with his voice. The introduction of the piano on Hurt was also a nice addition. I think there is more emphasis on lyrics and less emphasis on instruments than in Phenomenon, which suits TFK's "new" style well. All in all, while I half-expected Art of Breaking to become the black sheep of my CD collection when I first played it, it has become the most-played album I own. Kudos to Thousand Foot Krutch for pulling it off!

I have to say that, while I've been a fan since "Set It Off" first released, this album is definately something that I could've done without. The lyrics are a bit hard to understand and the music seems... weaker. There's not a single track on this album that I'd recommend... they all begin to gain intensity, but fail to deliver somewhat. This is in comparison to their earlier stuff: "Set it Off" and "Phenomenon".

Now, if you take this CD for what it is, (for example, if this is the first time you're listenin to TFK, or didn't like the earlier stuff) it's actually very varied in terms of music. There's a little bit of everything. You can even hear traces of what they were before Tooth & Nail (Not that I have anything against them: I love Anberlin and Project 86 and many many bands on that label), it's just that TFK took a tun in a different direction and did it suddenly. To some, it's a welcomed change... to me, it's a sudden one; and, since I loved the old stuff, this new one is less appealing. Definately worth a buy if you like alterna-rapcore-in-an-attempt-to-be-screamo bands.

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