It has been a long while since I did a proper CD review, and I thought I should get some new stuff up here. I've been listening to all sorts of new music, but haven't really gotten into one style of music lately (which is what usually happens with me). This review is definitely out of left field for me. I ran across the band Kronicles thru a search on MySpace for local NJ bands a couple months back. Bands that call Newark, NJ their home will definitely catch my attention, especially when they have a hard rock edge. Back in the mid to late 90's Newark was at the center of the NJ Hardcore scene, and when you combine that influence with the legacy of the thrash and melodic metal scene in NJ during the 80's, you can get some very music that screams Jersey (at least to me). With The Never Ending, Kronicles are showing more of the their NJ melodic metal roots, sounding like an updated version of Xenon. The twist is that Kronicles are a Christian Metal band. I've never been a big fan of overtly religious bands, although a band like Paramore does a great job at sticking to their principles without sticking in your face. Kronciles are a little more forward with their beliefs than Paramore, but not so that I can't listen to their message. A great example is the song Take Me, which does a great job at lifting a little bit of the lyrics and feel from Led Zep's In My Time Of Dying and turning it around (and making it their own).
Over all The Never Ending is a definite must buy for anyone that likes progressive metal. Some may call it more Hard Rock than true Metal, but either way it is all good. My favorite song on the CD is Reason. It is the hardest song on the CD, but has a very funky feeling (one that progressive fans will like). IMHO, Kronicles will appeal to a variety of fans. From fans of classic progressive rock icons like Rush, to newer metal bands like Alter Bridge, Avenged Sevenfold, and Coheed and Cambria should check these guys out. You can download The Never Ending for $5 over on their site. And I hear that they are even better live, which I will find out for myself, since they are playing at The Cup in Linden, NJ on Feb. 29th.
As for their site, it looks like they could use a redesign. Like a lot of bands these days, a band's MySpace site is more important than their official site, so it gets all the updates and such.
Check out the video for Reason