Track list:

1. The Heart Of Man (3:28)
2. The Pharisaic Heart (2:47)
3. The Machine (3:09)
4. Abandonment (2:03)
5. Opposition (3:43)
6. At the Feet of Creation (2:01)
7. Released (3:46)
8. Defiance (4:03)
9. Home (1:12)
10. Fearless (3:34)
11. An Awakening (2:55)
12. Reborn (3:28)

" Deathcore band, In the Midst of Lions (ITMOL), has moved up to the "major

league" of the Facedown family for the release of their second album, The Heart

of Man. ITMOL proved themselves with Out of Darkness on Strike First Records and

was brought up to Facedown for the follow up. This album brings everything a

deathcore fan could possible want to the table; with that being said, they bring

nothing new either.

Let's start by saying that the most impressive thing about ITMOL is their

undying faith and devotion to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This rings true on

every song; there is no attempt to veil what they are about from beginning to end

of the entire album. Though it will be hard to understand the message through all

of the monstrous, guttural growls and the high-pitched shrieks, the truth of God

is constantly there. The song "Released," for instance, talks about the coming

end of times, the wrath of God, and the deception of the beast. After all of

this, singer Matt Janssen gives a reminder, "But fear not! A release has been

provided through a Savior, sacrificed for us. A release has been provided from

His wrath. Thus fear not."

Now, on to the music... ITMOL offers up heavy riffs, technical guitar work,

massive breakdowns, and pummeling blast beats in buckets; unfortunately, it is

the exact same music you will hear on any other deathcore album. There are a

couple of things, such as some spoken word segments (like in "Abandonment") and

even some clean background vocals (like near the end of "Released"), that do set

them slightly apart from similar bands in the genre. The musicianship is solid

throughout. The music doesn't come across as overly easy guitar riffs played fast

and heavy to make you think it's technical; these guys legitimately sound like

solid musicians, giving you an overall enjoyable listening experience.

Though there is nothing mind blowing or groundbreaking on this record, it's a

fun listen and a solid outing for a band that still seems to be coming into their

own. A couple listens will have you thinking that ITMOL has the ability to be

something more than your average deathcore band. They already have an incredible

leg up with their amazingly spirit-filled lyrics. If they continue to evolve

musically, they have a real shot at setting themselves apart. If you're a fan of

bands like The Faceless, Meshuggah, and Veil of Maya, you will absolutely love

this record. If you're looking for something fresh and new, you are probably are

going to want to pass this one up for now.

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