By Andy Argyrakis

COUNTRY WITH A CHRISTIAN TWIST

After leading the New Country Traditionalist movement throughout the ’80s, Randy Travis made a faith-based foray into the world of contemporary southern gospel. On the brand new Around the Bend (Warner Bros.), his style returns to genuine country (technically for the first time since 1999), though elements of his spiritual reawakening continue to permeate the project.

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HEAVY HANDED HARDCORE

Sever Your Ties mark the latest signees to Solid State Records, the increasingly popular imprint of Tooth & Nail that also houses the likes of Underoath and Norma Jean. Expect thunderous vocals, jarring guitars and aggressive intensity, wrapped around a mainstream-friendly message throughout the San Diego-bred band’s label debut, Safety In The Sea.

SINGER RETURNS TO SMOKING POPES

Though the Smoking Popes are indie icons in the mainstream (whose tour credits include the mighty Morrissey), Christian audiences are more familiar with born again front man Josh Caterer and his offshoot project Duvall. But after numerous fan requests and newfound fame from younger acts citing his original band as an influence, the singer reconvened the Smoking Popes, whose new general market release, Stay Down (Appeal Records), still has sprinklings of faith across a delectable post-punk/melodic pop pedigree.

A NEW LEASE ON LIFE

Fellow salt and light stars The Alarm also return with a brand-new album following front man Mike Peters’ courageous battle with Leukemia. Though he’s since conquered the disease, Guerilla Tactics (The Twenty First Century Recording Company) talks about that struggle and serves as a simultaneous encouragement to those suffering in any format. Though incredibly inspiring, a few coarse words pop up on the mainstream project, but it isn’t enough to hamper the front man’s otherwise faith-flanked offerings. After all, the band’s been compared to U2 on planes of sonics, subject matter and the occasional contextual curse word throughout the years, while Geoff Moore and the Distance cited The Alarm as an influence, even covering the classic “Rescue Me.”

For a complete list of new and upcoming albums, check out our new releases page.