Orphan Project's second full length album, Spooning Out the Sea ,has finally been released.   Orphan Project really made a splash, and there are a lot of fans (including me) that have been waiting impatiently for this new album. It does not disappoint!  It is much heavier than their debut, Orphan Found, but it still has all the elements that you love.  Although the new album lacks the lovely strings that added so much to their early sound,  the album still manages to be progressive, although in a much more prog-metal vein.  Shane Lankford's dynamic Peter Gabriel-like voice still shines brightly, and the guitar playing rocks. With lyrics like "He has carried me when I've fallen, and I know I'm not alone - hallelujah" (from  Fallen), there is no mistaking where these guys [bad word] from spiritually.  While the most of the songs are full on rockers, One Dark Moment stands out as a very moving ballad. Inspired by an incident where Lankford had a severe fall into concrete, it speaks of how God's goodness and providence shines through our darkest moments.  Every song on this record captivates. Highlights are: My Goodness, which emphasizes how we have no goodness apart from Christ; Head on Your Platter,  which blisters your old fleshly nature into submission with shear rockingness (is that a word?);  Empty Me, basically a worship song;  and the rocking epic Battle Rages On, which features a kids choir on the [bad word]  and is a challenge to all to press into the fight.   If you like heavy progressive music with solid, clean, discernable vocals, you need to pick this up. 

www [bad word] orphanproject

“My Goodness” takes a symphonic based hard rock approach.  The song muscles through its verses as forward – but [bad word] – keyboards play a leading role.  Gradually decelerating, “My Goodness” slows to a near standstill for a dark and swarthy [bad word] standing in contrast to the decisive scene.  The lyrical themes presented revolve how there is “no goodness” apart from Christ:

All that I’ve done and all my goodness
All that I’ve made is burning away
My righteousness is filthy rags now
And my sacrifice despised as Cain’s
I try to, I’d die to start again
Remake this, and change this bitter end