I Anthem

Let’s face it, we are smack in the middle of the Bible Belt. This might be the only place on earth where there are more churches than there are McDonalds. With this in consideration, we have to recognize the audience and market for bands that can cater to the Christian crowd. Regardless of the morality or ethics of marketing towards Christians, I like to take a step back and listen to the music and listen for two things: 1. Do I enjoy this? 2. Would other people enjoy this?

If the answer is yes to either one of those questions, I am proud to advertise and promote the band regardless of their intended audience. Also, good looking band members are always a plus.

So let’s take a minute and consider the band, I Anthem, a 4 piece band from Florence, SC that seems to have quite a following in the Church community. Fortunately, I Anthem is not strictly dedicated to Church venues and have even opened for Emery at The Handlebar twice. Musically, they fit right into CHR genre, and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear them on Alternative Christian stations. They have two EP’s under their belt; both of which are highly addictive and very popular among their audience. The Things Our Eyes Can’t See was released in 2009 and features catchy choruses, an impressive brass arrangement on “Accidentals in the Carousel,” and even a few break downs to keep us all entertained. I found myself listening through the EP a number of times before considering taking it out of my CD player (that’s a real achievement for any of my CDs).

Their next EP, Not Afraid Not Alone, which was just released last Friday, is home to six songs whose quality has skyrocketed. I suppose two years of working hard and saving money should result in better music, but it’s always nice to hear improvement in a band you like. They also released a video for “Revolutionary Heart” which I’ll stick on the bottom of this post just to give everyone an idea of how ruggedly good-looking these guys are. (Let’s be reasonable here, looks are important in this kind of industry). They’ve been able to steadily tour around the East Coast, despite juggling band and school, and now, since their lead singer Tyler Edwards has graduated, we can expect to see a lot more of them. Their upcoming tour dates include churches, bars, and venues, which is pretty cool in my opinion.

For me, I’m just excited that South Carolina has produced such talent, and I am always hoping for the success of any band from this state. I Anthem has a bright future and we’d be smart to keep our eyes on them. - We Are The Upstate

Artist: I Anthem
Title: Not Afraid, Not Alone
Label: None
Release Date: 8/5/2011
Reviewer: Joshua Hedlund

Tracklisting:

Revolutionary Heart
Making A Scene
Defense
Talk Too Much
Sirens
Lorica
I Anthem is a four-piece rock band from South Carolina, with a sound in the vein of The Classic Crime or The Wedding. Mixing in a smattering of gang vocals and handclaps, the polished rock sound is catchy and enjoyable. The <i>Not Afraid, Not Alone</i> EP kicks off with “Making A Scene,” an energetic song about guilt: <i>We bury all our evidence / Shaking hands with dirty prints / So I’ll admit / I’m just as bad as you</i>. This is followed by the single “Revolutionary Heart,” and we start to get a feel for this band’s formula, from the muted-guitar verses to the catchy riff interludes, all with pounding drums and catchy melodies.

The energy continues with “Defense,” followed by “Sirens,” which has harmonies and a slightly darker feel that reminds me a bit of Wavorly. “Talk Too Much” continues the EP’s musical feel and lyrical themes of guilt and love.

The final track “Lorica” is the strongest, giving us the main theme: <i>I’m not afraid (I’m not afraid) / My strength is failing me / But my hope grows strong</i>. The driving passion is almost in the 30 Seconds To Mars category, and this song also shows the greatest creativity, with the group vocals singing the final chorus and the acoustic guitar, bells, and percussion that end the song.

<b>Overall:</b> I enjoyed this EP a lot more than I thought I would at first impression. It may not be the most original sound in the world, but it’s well-executed, energetic, and polished. The guitar riffs are just as likely as the melodies to get stuck in your head, and the background vocals are used well. It’s not the killer EP of the year, but I Anthem has a lot of potential, and I recommend giving this a chance if you’re a fan of Anberlin, House of Heroes, The Classic Crime, The Wedding, and/or Wavorly. - Indie Vision Music