I Am The Pendragon: “Titans” Album Review
I was first introduced to I Am The Pendragon after seeing Jerrod Cunningham join XIII Minutes as their new vocalist. Jerrod is playing double duty, between rocking it out with XIII Minutes and leading the Midwest rockers of I Am Pendragon. Even more interesting is that the drummer is Jerrod’s oldest son, who is only 16 years old! This marks their third thematic release, with the latest concept focusing on the end times as they prepare for battle against the titans.
Titans Album Review
Tracks: 12
Release Date: May 26, 2026
Label: Independant
Titans starts with a post-apocalyptic introduction in “Transmission 3:28.” Unique to this band, the guitar work is more technical and futuristic rather than the grungy post-apocalyptic sound that we’ve heard on Dissenter (Haste The Day) or Wasteland (Wolves at the Gate). This song provides an unique introduction with a spoken word, setting the stage for the story of the album. Buckle your seat belts and get ready for an intense album filled with southern guitar riffs, gruff vocals and thematic drums to flesh out the story of a battle between good and evil.
As mentioned earlier, we know Jerrod’s work as the lead vocalist for XIII Minutes, but I Am The Pendragon has a more southern rock inspired sound, as heard on “The Flood.” The southern rock sound soars along with the drums keeping up with the guitar riffs. While listening, I could see the crowd moving along to the guitarwork. On this song, I like hearing Jerrod’s gritty scream.
“Battle lines, the edge of knives. We’ve made intentions clear. We won’t retreat, we won’t back down. We’ve laid to rest our fear.”
The band is showing that they’re not holding anything back on their lyrics. The theme throughout this album is focused on standing up for what you believe in and know that God will always be there for you.
The battle continues into “Wake The Dregs.” The intro has the sound of a casket opening which provides a really interesting selection to kick off the song. The vocals sound like Sunny from Godsmack and from the sound of the song, I’m almost anticipating to hear “I Stand Alone” by Godsmack. I like the bass drop going into the chorus. The 2000s rock inspiration continues into “The Other Side.” Drums kick off the track, and the sliding guitar chords lock in the groove. In this song, the vocals sound different, they seem almost grittier than the other songs.
Vocals and guitar set the tone for “Unbelief” as it highlights a different side of Jerrod’s vocals. While the opening feels a bit raw, his performance steadily gains momentum as the track progresses. Jerrod has a strong vocal ability, but the stylistic choices in the verses don’t fully lean into his strengths. Despite these minor things, I appreciate the lyrics for this song as it’s something that a lot of people wrestle with.
“You see into my heart. You see the very soul in me. You know I believe. Help me with my unbelief.”
The band draws a lot of inspiration from the 90s and 2000s rock. The next song, “Till Death (or Till The World Falls Down)” pulls from that 90s sound. A straightforward guitar progression gets the track started. I like the earthy vocals that we hear throughout the song. While the track takes a moment to find its footing, there are some really promising elements throughout. Towards the end, the vocals and guitar work blended nicely to close out the song.
“Atonement” is a passionate song that packs a punch. This is a song that I could hear played on the radio. Between the guitar picking, driven vocals and thunderous drums, this is probably the best song on the album. The tempo was calm and impactful and I loved the care that the band put into every aspect of the song. The slight guitar shrill that leads into a picking session is an interesting choice to lead the buildup for the finale.
“Nothing but Your sovereign hand could have brought me to this place. Was grace that called, in grace I stand, in Your grace I’m swept away.”
They stand by their lyrics and they stand by their faith, knowing that it is through the grace of God that we are saved.
We continue on in this journey between good and evil with “The Overload.” The guitar intro is pretty intense and it is a crowd-pleaser. The drums are really good and show tremendous skill. Reminder that the drummer is Jerrod’s teenage son and he shows impeccable talent as a drummer. The song is rather long at over 8 minutes long and with that length, it sounds like it has two halves. They work on blending the halves together, but the distinction between the two is still noticeable. The song closes with lines from the hymn “It Is Well.”
“Fire from the Sky” lives up to the name musically. The guitars and drums set the stage and sound incredibly strong. From a production standpoint, the vocals feel a little inconsistent. Through the course of this album, there are songs that sound well produced and there are a few moments that could use some extra balancing to match the high points on the record. Despite that, the double bass plays are a nice touch throughout the song. I like the lyrics “marvel at the might of monsters we have made…defiantly, we raised our fists towards the skies. In revelry, not knowing tomorrow we die.” These lyrics sound a message that we create certain circumstances and get upset at the consequences of those circumstances. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy.
“Bloodthirsty” starts out of the gate with a boisterous guitar intro that shares an 80s rock influence. Despite some ongoing production challenges, the song still features standout moments that showcase the band's genuine talent. The drums sound solid and technical and the bass keeps everything blended together. Lyrically, it continues to reinforce the theme of the album.
“When Titans Fall” seems to hint at the climax of our epic battle. I felt that the thematic elements were used appropriately on this album. For this song particularly, they’re used fittingly to introduce it and bring a conclusion to the overall album. The gritty screams shined bright on this song. I can hear the passion and plea through every ounce of this song whether it’s guitar, drums, bass or vocals. That passion pushes the narrative of the promise that stands with God despite being hampered with trials and tribulations.
“His promise stands. My life secured in His hands. I rest assured. The Lord, my God, He will prevail.”
A powerful message to stand behind and the recurring anthem throughout the album.
The last song on the album is “Glory to God.” Seemingly outside of the album theme, it's more of a worshipful song rather than a song of battle and war. This song is a reminder that only through God can we be saved. Throughout the album, themes of end times, spiritual warfare, and fighting against the machine take center stage. It concludes with a worship song of how we’ve gone through life broken and battered and yet God has always been there for us. A powerful song full of gentle guitar riffs and empowered vocals. It’s a great message to end on.
Titans is the third release from I Am The Pendragon and these midwestern rockers are cooking up more than BBQ with this release. They’re delivering elements of war, end times, perseverance and enduring faith. Despite some minor production flaws, the album holds up as a solid release. This is a band that has found its identity and is starting to break out of their shell. If you live in the midwest, keep your eye on their touring schedule and keep your ear out for any potential radio singles. If you have a local Christian radio station, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to suggest some I Am The Pendragon to the playlist.
