HolyName: “Three Bar Cross” EP Review

When Sleeping Giant made the heart-breaking decision to close up shop in 2018, it devastated the Christian metal scene. Then, COVID happened and Tommy Green’s wheels were spinning and his creativity took over. Out of COVID spawned HolyName. In 2023, they would release their self-titled debut that featured special guest spots ranging from Brian “Head” Welch to Brook Reeves of Impending Doom to Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter and Eric Gregson of xDEATHSTARx. Then out of nowhere, they posted a teaser in the fall of 2025 for new music. November 14th, they released Three Bar Cross, a 4-song EP.

Three Bar Cross EP Review:

Tracks: 4

Length: 13:16

Release Date: November 14, 2025

Label: Facedown Records

“Christ is Risen” kicks things off with a chilling technical intro that teases what’s to come. The track quickly shifts gears, as a choir joins in to deliver the song’s only haunting lyrics, before launching into an epic breakdown that is reminiscent of old Sleeping Giant. Sleeping Giant was one of those bands that could throw down some hard bass lines that got your head thumping. Those familiar bass lines come through in this song. This song amps you up for what’s to come from the rest of this EP.

“Ritual” was the first song that was posted on HolyName’s socials along with a music video. Tommy’s vocals offer a delicate, chant-like style while layered with reverb. It creates an otherworldly atmosphere that contrasts with the heavy metal instrumentation. He’s going a completely different direction that he did with Sleeping Giant. Through HolyName, he shows a more intentional effort to ground his lyrics in Scripture and proper theology, influenced by his connection to the Eastern Orthodox church. In this song, the message and focus of the song is trusting in God and the importance of the elements of communion.

“Stained Glass” is a grungy metal masterpiece that was released earlier in the year, but it found its home on this EP. This song was written from a personal experience that Tommy had, coming from a place and time of betrayal in a church setting. It’s disheartening to have somebody that you look up to and see as a spiritual mentor, only to have them betray you. For some, it can drive them away from the Church, but for others they see past the betrayal and continue to put their faith in God. It is difficult to deal with church hurt, but it is important to continue to put your faith in God above all things and that He will bring justice to those who misuse their position in the ministry.

“These words I once loved but now I despise. You were like a father to me. But you’re like the father of lies. Father of lies.”

The lyrics are genuine and coming from a place of vulnerability. But while it sends out a message of pain, there is also a message of triumph.

“Through stained glass. I see again, I’m free again.”

Trevor Tyson (from Heal the Hurt) offers the brutal screams to compliment Tommy’s soft vocal styles. The music in this song continues to have this grungy breakdown feel. Between the distorted guitars and the thumping bassline, it drives the chords to get you headbanging along to.

The EP concludes with “Blood.” The songs are tied together by a recurring theme—navigating the messy reality of our own shortcomings.

“Well I’ve been the wounded. I’ve been the wolf. It’s no secret. Life is suffering and we are the culprits of all our disarray. In fact take a good look I’m sure you’ll see. We become the monsters we create.

There is a reality in Christianity and that is humans mess up. We are fallen individuals, but it doesn’t excuse the misuse of other people’s trust and respect. As I’m reading through the lyrics, there are moments that I sense that Tommy and the band could be writing from the perspective of the Apostle Paul, but that moment only comes in the middle of the song when he references “I am the chief of sinners” which Paul refers to himself in 1 Timothy 1:15.

Between the guitars and drums, the music is fun, energetic and gets you moving. The double-bass of the drums thumps through every now and then to add a punch to the song. It ends the EP with a bounce as opposed to the hard driven lines of the opening songs.

I sense that a common distinction of HolyName songs is the bass line. These songs seem to have a driving bass line, with the exception of “Blood.” Oftentimes, the bass can get hidden or will only get small moments to shine, but for HolyName, they want it to be highlighted. The mix is exceptional, especially how it carves out space for the bass to drive the tracks without muddying the guitars. It gives an appreciation for the instruments used in the song. 

Tommy used personal stories to fuel the message behind the songs on Three Bar Cross and it’s great to see him back on the scene with this new venture. If you appreciate solid theology, hard driven guitars and heart gripping lyrics, you have to follow HolyName as I’m sure there will be more music to come in the future.

Meadows: “For A Good & Faithful Servant” Live Album Review

In memory of Brandon Dabbs (bassist)

What do you do when your original plan is to pack a venue and play a show dedicated to a friend, but you get an unusual snowstorm in Birmingham, Alabama? Alabama-based Meadows had to make a decision and they decided to go ahead and record the show, without the audience. This was a show and album dedicated to their late bassist Brandon Dabbs who passed away on October 1, 2024. His brothers in the band wanted to do something special for his memory. Taking inspiration from Brandon’s life and the verse in Matthew 25:23, they released their live album, For A Good & Faithful Servant on May 25, 2025. It’s a private, emotional and intimate recording that gives full glory to God and reflected the inspiration from their friend.

For A Good & Faithful Servant Album Review:

Tracks: 12

Release: May 28, 2025

Label: Facedown Records

From the very first notes, the raw emotion in Meadows’ performance is a moving tribute to their late friend. The first song comes from their Likewise release, “Oh God, How Great the Mountains.” Musically, this song is reminiscent of The Ember Days, whose music was very mellow but heartfelt. From this emotional, methodical opening, Christian launches into screaming and his vocal ability is similar to early mewithoutYou, where Aaron Weiss’ vocals were beautifully unhinged and chaotic, but not a straight up thrash screaming.

The set continues with 'Orion,' a fellow track from their Likewise album. All the songs that are featured on this live album were tracks that Brandon had a role in creating. It was a nice way to pay tribute to their bandmate. “Orion” is centered around the message that while we may not like ourselves or think the world of ourselves, but God does. God cares for us so much that He sent His son to die on the cross for us. The raw vocals paired with the melodic guitarwork are highlights in this song. 

Transitioning to the title track of Likewise, the song kicks off with a brief sermon intro before taking off. The song packs a visceral punch and I love it when the band really gives it their all in on their songs. The emotions are being poured out through the aggressive guitars and the incredible drum beats. After “Likewise,” they lead into “What is Truth,” which comes off their most recent release Familiar with Pain. The track kicks off with this distorted piano that sets a heavy mood, leading into a question that feels incredibly relevant to everything we're going through as a society right now.The music leans toward chaotic, but considering the source material, it makes sense. I love the closing lines to this song as the singer is recognizing God as truth.

“Like in the silence I heard your voice, in the stillness you move, in the distance you’re close. You’re ever-present when needed most. Holder of my broken heart.”

Next, we move into “The Answer” from their In Those Days & Also After release. The beginning is filled with a hopeful and fun paced guitar riff, paired with a matching melody. Meadows reminds me so much of The Ember Days, mewithoutYou and Attalus. This song, whether it’s the live version or the recorded version, is a song to be added to your post-hardcore summer playlist.

“Soften this heart of stone. I give You my life, rededicate my soul. To The King of Kings and Lord Hosts.”

This is such a great line and a great reminder of where we can find that hope. The recording continues with three more tracks from the Familiar with Pain album. The momentum continues with “39X,” a powerful track that explores the depths of the suffering Jesus endured. At the end of the song, there is a piece with the telling of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53:2-5. I love it when music is grounded in the Word, especially when artists either build their lyrics around Scripture or include live readings within the track.

This launches right into “Barabbas.” The song gives a gritty, distorted groove on the electric guitar, which gets the blood pumping right before Christian erupts with the “Barabbas” scream. The opening alone is enough to hook you. Throughout the song, you can really feel the weight of the crowd's decision to pick Barabbas instead of Jesus. Then they go into “Kudzu Guilt.” It’s got these high, melodic riffs that come out of nowhere and just make you want to start moving.

Next, we dive right into “The Raven,” a frenetic track from In Those Days & Also After release. After a whirlwind intro, the song develops a rhythmic and consistent sound. The band tackles the issue of an absent father, with difficult lyrics talking about how he wouldn’t be there to pick me up. A really tough song to write, but a reminder that we have a heavenly father that will never abandon us.

There’s a break in the energy with “For a Good & Faithful Servant.” The recording likely began here, with Christian opening in prayer for the event, the recording, and everything ahead for the band. Honestly, I’m glad they included this, because it is an absolutely powerful piece. Praying for those who are listening, those who have seen them live, for each other and those affected by Brandon’s life. Thank you to Meadows for including this track and continuing to live out their faith in the metal scene.

After the prayer track, they go into their worship song “My God is Strong” from Familiar with Pain. It is an incredibly beautiful song that features the vocals of Hayden Creel (guitarist Stone Creel’s wife). Between the soft piano and the clean harmonies, it is something that you’re not expecting after everything that we’ve heard so far. The power behind the harmonies and the lyrics, this is a song that can help pick you up through a difficult time. If you’re listening to this song and you’re going through a tough time, I would suggest just closing your eyes and opening yourself up to the Holy Spirit. I could see myself putting this track on repeat and being immersed in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Then, they wrap up the album with “I’m Only A Man.” The vocals carry this raw sincerity. You can tell they aren't just singing the words, they truly live them. This is a great song to close with because it highlights the reality of being human. Lyrically, it shows that while men desire to be brave and strong, we must ultimately rely on God for that strength.

Going through For A Good & Faithful Servant, the line between an album review and a concert review starts to blur, since it’s a live recording. Meadows isn’t an incredibly heavy band, but they’re more of a methodical band. Christian’s vocals are chaotic, but fun. It’s just immersive, high-energy music that a crowd can really get into. For this album, they wanted to do something to help remember their friend and colleague. The songs that were used in this recording were created and influenced by Brandon and it served as a wonderful tribute to Brandon’s influence on the band. I really enjoyed For A Good & Faithful Servant and frankly, I’ve liked everything Meadows has ever released. I am confident that the trend will continue with the new album rumored for release later this year.

Confessions Of A Traitor: ‘This Pain Will Serve You’ Album Review

A lot has happened for Confessions Of A Traitor (COAT), a 4-piece U.K. metal band, since their 2019 viral “Breakfast Breakdowns” video, where they screamed lyrics over pancakes & sausage for patrons of a local Romanian restaurant. They were signed to Facedown Records, released two albums and toured across the U.S. & U.K. They recently wrapped up a summer tour with Bloodlines, Meadows and No Treaty, supporting their latest release, This Pain Will Serve You.

Just dropped in May, this metalcore album features 11 tracks and multiple contributors, ranging from Tommy Green, of HolyName, Trevor Tyson, of Heal The Hurt, to the nu-metal sounds of fellow Brits, Black Coast. This is their sophomore release on Facedown, following Punishing Me Before God Does.

The Pain Will Serve You Album Review

Tracks: 11

Length: 36 minutes

Release Date: May 16, 2025

Label: Facedown Records

Since its release in May, The Pain Will Serve You has been the go-to Christian metal album of the summer. The band uses haunting melodies and gritty lyrics to draw the listener into a deeper dialogue about grief, religious abuse, and self-worth, while maintaining a message of hope and redemption. The album starts off strong with its first three tracks, “Starve,” “Fatal Frame” and “Doomsayer.” From the very first note, “Starve” serves as a great introduction to this album: fast, aggressive and shares a great message of perseverance.

“Through trials, your strength will shine through and one day this pain will serve you.”

As soon as the last notes of “Starve” fade, the album flows right into “Fatal Frame,” which packs the same punch as “Starve.” These two songs help set the stage for the rest of the album, with its fast pacing and gut-wrenching lyrics. Confessions of a Traitor doesn’t seem to want to slow down, with the guitars pushing through and the breakdowns at the end of this song compelling you to headbang, no matter where you are.

Another highlight of the album is “Still Haunted.” This song features the clean vocals of Tommy Green from Sleeping Giant and HolyName along with the scream vocals of Trevor Tyson of Heal The Hurt. I would describe it as a Beauty & Beast song. You have the gentle and soft, clean vocals from Tommy paired with the harsh screams of both Trevor and Stephen. I couldn’t stop playing this song on repeat!

“Hail Mary” grabbed my attention with it’s deep and painful meaning. It’s unfortunate that we live in a broken world. While the church is supposed to be a safe space, there are those who do harm under the name of Christianity. In this song, Convictions Of A Traitor goes after those who abuse, but hide behind the name of God. To tackle this heavy topic, they called in the guys from Convictions to assist with brutal screams and heavy riffs.

The last two songs I want to point out on this record are “Let It Consume Me” and “The Sins I’ve Yet to Answer For.” I enjoyed the synth at the beginning of “Let It Consume Me” as it offered something different from the rest of the album. What really caught my attention, besides the contribution of Leroy Hamp (War of Ages), were the lyrics:

“Created in his image, but I despise mine. This is sacrilege of the divine. Within this battle, I’ll find self affection. You’ll never see the hate I hold within, I’m a hostage in my skin.”

Those lyrics pull no punches, with the message focused on how often we hate ourselves. We put ourselves lowly and wonder “how could God love us?” But this key moment creates the transition to “The Sins I’ve Yet to Answer For.” The song continues the message from “Let It Consume Me” with a strong focus on our shortcomings. But at the end of the song, Stephen screams, 

“My heavy heart, rotten to the core. With these sins I’ve yet to answer for. From a wretch’s cry, forgiveness hails. One cross, three nails.” 

Great way to end a song - to go from utter rottenness to a chance for redemption!

Overall, this was a fantastic album to listen to. If you’re looking for an album to rock out to while you’re at the gym or if you just need a good headbanging, this is that album! A great follow-up to their Facedown debut. There were moments of high energy and moments where they would slow things down, like the opening to “Doomslayer.” Each song brought its own momentum that continued to build upon itself and put together one of the best albums of the year. 

My one critique is while there were many highs, there were some songs that were indistinguishable from each other. This is a common thread in metal, where songs tend to run together, but there were definitely some stand out moments in this album. All in all, I’m giving This Pain Will Serve You a 4 out of 5 stars.

Check out Confessions of a Traitor

To dive deeper into Confessions of a Traitor, check out their website, or look them up on Instagram or Facebook.