Album review: Resuscitate by Remedy Drive

Originally known as The Aslan Band, Christian Rock/Alternative band Remedy Drive has been around since 1998, but due to the inconsistency of some of their releases, they were flying under the radar until their well-received album, Daylight Is Coming was released in 2008.

Their latest release is Resuscitate. As the title of the album implies, this release sees the band come back to life on a new label (Centricity Music) and with three new members:  Timmy Jones (drums), Dave Mohr (guitar) and Corey Horn (bass).  The only original member still in the band is front-man and lead vocalist David Zach.

Pete Kipley, who is known for his work with acts such as Matthew West, Kutless and MercyMe, produced the album.

Better than Life the first track on the album. It is well-written and crafted; it’s not your everyday straight-forward rock song, it has an alternative twist to it. The passion for God that the lyrics and music evoke make this song captivating.

Lost Cause is a song about hope in the mist of being lost and broken.  I might be lost I might be broken I am not a lost cause.” That is what the gospel of Jesus is all about: Hope for the sinners and lost. Lost Cause has some extra voices joining in on the chorus, and that may be the most interesting thing about the song apart from the hopeful lyrics.

Resuscitate Me, the album’s title track and the first single off the album seems to be a continuation of Lost Cause because the theme of the song is to ask the LORD to resuscitate those who are broken– to save, and not let go of the seemingly “lost cause.” Metal-heads and rockers  will appreciate this song.

God I Hope So is one of my favorites from the album. I love how they played around with the piano and other instruments, but at the same time did not let the instrumentation overtake the vocals. David Zach sings “maybe there is a beauty in this tragedy I don’t know, but God I hope so.” So many times things happen and we kind of wonder why, and we hope for something positive out of them, so one can easily relate with this song. The vocals on the song is outstanding compared to most of the songs on the album.

” … Cos we have something to live for/redemption is like a river, so lets jump into the water”  are some of the lyrics  from the beautiful What Are You Waiting For, which is another of my favorites from the album. It is such a smooth-sailing song from start to end. It is beautiful. Again the vocals here are impeccable.

If I heard Don’t Forget on the radio, I would probably have said it was a song by Tenth Avenue North. It’s a song about remembering who we are and to whose kingdom we belong. I kind of sense this song was longer, but the band saw or maybe noticed that it got boring at some point so they decided make it as short and fun as it could be by reducing the length.

On my first listen of Resuscitate, Crystal Sea was the song that stood out the most to me. After listening to the album a few more times,  it still stands out. It is a B=beautifully written song, that David Zach sings passionately and fearlessly. Crystal Sea is one of those songs that would also be good if it was acoustic only.

Glory is such an anthem song! It will be great singing along to Glory in a concert and it will make the band look good, but I somehow found the instrumental, beat and rhythm of the song boring. Talking about snoozefest and boring Hold On and Make It Right are exactly that. The two songs just seem like album fillers. I just know these two songs as well as Glory could have been way better.

One thing I can say for sure is that Resuscitate is that it is a grower, it actually grows on you because I remember first listening to the album and not getting into it. I had just about two or three songs that I could say good things about, but with time, that changed.

The album proves that Remedy Drive is back to stay and it can only get better from here. The album brings a message of hope to the lost, broken and weary that they too can be RESUSCITATED.

Best Songs

Don’t Forget

Crystal Sea

Better Than Life

Lost Cause

God I Hope

SoWhat Are You Waiting For

Click here to get your copy of Remedy Drive’s new album or click below