OK, I have some time, so I figure that I might as well post my initial thoughts track-by-track.
I AM - WOW. Honestly, I have a hard time imagining this song's conception except as direct inspiration from the "I AM THAT I AM" himself. It is beautiful music wonderfully constructed and performed from beginning to end. The lyrics, perfectly in tandem with the music, relentlessly paint a picture of the Christian God using rich language drawn from Scripture, tradition, society, and seemingly Matt's own imagination, doctrinally rock-solid, and the result simply brings me to my knees in wonder. God is truly doing something amazing through Theocracy.
The Master Storyteller - Great speedy anthem with a super-catchy chorus; here is where I first started to notice how wonderful the solos are: They display Jon's and Val's (in this case Jon's
) respective talent in spades, but are restrained and always complement the music, never overstaying their welcome.
Nailed - Definitely the heaviest and most aggressive Theocracy track in my book; great accomplishment. The music and the lyrics together give one an authentic sense of the strength of Luther's conviction, and while I have some Catholic sympathies, this is far too bad*ss to complain. "See these madmen peddling the works of dead men's souls, collecting on a debt already paid so long ago" \m/
Hide in the Fairytale - A great song, and I love the take on original sin in the lyrics but I think that this is one of the two songs that falls a bit under the radar within the album. Not to say that it is a bad song by any means, like the rest of the album I am constantly playing it over and over. I just think that, being surrounded by such gems, it shines a little less bright.
The Gift of Music - The Psalm of Matt Smith, plain and simple. Melodic glory throughout, and a wonderfully insane solo and buildup toward the end. The exuberently personal, thankful, and praise-filled tone of the song makes it stand out in what is otherwise quite a dark album.
30 Pieces of Silver - Ripping riffs, a catchy chorus, a wonderfully melodic solo, and hauntingly convicting lyrics make this an instant Christian metal classic, though it took me some time to recognize it.
Drown - The second slightly under-the-radar song, this one suffers not from any shortcoming in quality, but rather because its laid-back, mid-tempo rhythms and subdued tone (much less dramatic than the rest of the album) make it feel like an interruption to the general feel of the rest of the album. "The Writing in the Sand" from the last album would have felt the same if it was here, but just like that track, I think that "Drown" is a great tune. Perhaps if it
had been the single as Matt wanted, it would have fared much better on its own.
Altar to the Unknown God - That skipping intro still bugs me a bit when I hear it, but as soon as it is gone, it is gone, and a rip-roaring, complex, extremely catchy track takes its place. I might be a bit biased, as the lyrics are based on one of my favorite passages in the Bible. I love the transformation of the song from story into sermon into call to worship. Yet another future classic.
Light of the World - Great melodies and convicted lyrics make for what I must (once again) say is destined to become classic.
As the World Bleeds - Didn't click the first two times, but the third time it was like a revelation - how could I have missed this epic?? Great all-around in every facet that we have come to expect from Theocracy. Love the chorus ("As the world lies bleeding...") and the reprise of the opening melody toward the end.
All around? I cannot rank Theocracy's albums, but
As the World Bleeds once again fulfilled massive hopes and expectations, and brings the band's catalogue into darker and more complex territory without losing the melodic and lyrical eloquence.