Kutless: “The Seventh Seal” EP Review
Kutless successfully returns to their hard rock sound after 17 years with the EP, The Seventh Seal. They deliver, with driving riffs and powerful, Revelation-inspired lyrics, See our thoughts on this dystopian themed EP!
It has been eight years since Kutless’ last release Alpha/Omega, but it’s been 17 YEARS since their last rock release, To Know That You’re Alive. They brought back their signature rock sound with their latest release, The Seventh Seal. As somebody who loved their heavier catalog, I was eager with anticipation for this release.
The Seventh Seal EP
Tracks: 6
Length: 27:11
Release Date: June 27th, 2025
Label: BEC Recordings
The EP starts with a cinematic feel in “End of the World.” It feels like something was being awakened. Kutless did a great job with their worship albums, but their fans were missing those signature guitar riffs and the vocal attitude that can send crowds into an active frenzy. When listening through the lyrics, you can hear the inspiration from the book of Revelation.
“The time has come, the moon like blood. Stars are falling from the sky. The breath of God, the world undone.”
Where “End of the World” fixates on struggle and the breaking point with a sense of urgent, frantic energy, the shift to “Midnight” offers a moment of reflective calm. The heavy riffs throughout the song are very reminiscent of To Know That You’re Alive, one of their heaviest albums. The vocals seem to be treated with a mechanical effect. The rhythmic chants at the end of the chorus are distinct and unique. The lyrics offered that traditional hope that we come to expect from Kutless.
“Nobody sees the disease taking over. I can’t believe they don’t run for cover.”
“Feels like a fight to survive. When I’m falling, I hear you call my name at midnight.”
“Words of Fire” was the first single released back in 2022. The intense and dominating intro shows that Kutless still has that heavy sound that they used to showcase in their music. Between the chunky main guitar riffs and Jon Micah’s shattering vocals, this is a song that will send any crowd into an energetic frenzy. The theme of Revelation continues with this song as it calls for spiritual revival in the midst of societal chaos. Guitarist James Mead shared that this song was inspired by the story of the Two Witnesses in Revelation chapter 11. He writes, “When I read the story of the Two Witnesses, I can just picture a world that wants to stop them from spreading the truth. It’s an anthem for those that will continue to rise up and be bold and share their faith. The dead come back to life.”
After the heavy tone in the first three songs, Kutless slows it down with “Breakthrough.” This echoes the pattern set by Sea of Faces and Heart of the Innocent, featuring powerful songs followed by a more restrained, slow song. It has a slower tempo, but keeps that rocky edge. The song’s message is very relevant as anxiety is commonplace in our society. The lyrics offer some solace with words of reality as well as hope and breakthrough.
“I’m not giving up on you. I’m still searching for the truth. I just need you to be my breakthrough.”
“Lies of My Brothers” has a distinct sound compared to the rest of the EP. The opening of the song reminds me of one of the songs on the new Wolves at The Gate record. It has that dystopian sound throughout the song. When reading over the lyrics and listening closer to the song, Jon Micah is writing this from a sense of betrayal. In today’s world, when somebody goes against us, we want justice and we want that person to feel pain. In this song, while Jon Micah is writing from that place of betrayal, he answers it by saying that it’s just better to walk away from it, to forgive those who wrong you and how to move forward in life.
The EP ends with “Hold On.” It’s a song that screams hope and pleads with the audience to hold on. It’s easy to find ourselves overwhelmed by life, but being a believer in the hope and salvation of Jesus Christ, we trust that He has overcome the world. It was refreshing and welcoming to hear Dawn Michele, of Fireflight, add to this song. When I first listened to this song, I didn’t know that she was featured on this song but her distinctive vocals immediately gave her away. The difference in tempo in the vocals and instruments in the verses distracted me, putting this song lower on my list.
It was nice to hear Kutless return to their hard rock roots. The Seventh Seal really features the intense, driving guitars and Jon Micah’s incredible vocals, which are solid and encouraging. While it was great to hear new music, the songs felt similar. The dystopian theme has been a favorite among Christian hard rock & metal bands over the last few years, so it can be a little overplayed. There were other missing elements that could’ve taken this EP to another level. We had guitar solos on the other albums, but on this it was missing. Overall, The Seventh Seal was excellent and a welcome return to new music from Kutless; however, it felt as though it was just shy of greatness without a stand out moment.