4Artist: Sent By Ravens
Album: Mean What You Say
Label: Tooth & Nail
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Reviewed by: Sara Walz
Track Listing:
1. Prudence
2. Listen
3. Rebuild, Release
4. Learn From the Night
5. Mean What You Say
6. However Long It Takes
7. Need It Today
8. Never Be Enough
9. We’re All Liars
10. Best In Me
For their sophomore release on Tooth & Nail, Sent By Ravens teamed up with producer, Rob Hawkins (Fireflight/Disciple) to produce an album that is sure to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump. The South Carolina band comes out with both guns blazing on an album begging people, particularly Christians, to mean what they say.
The album is heavy lyrically and they don’t shy away from tackling big issues. The opening track, “Prudence”, sets the stage for record proclaiming that they are here to say what they need to say, take it or leave it. On their Facebook page lead singer, Zach Riner says, “The entire record is based on the weight in our words,” Riner explains. “The album concept was influenced by the actions of The Westboro Baptist church. Groups like this are the ones you see picketing, holding signs which say ‘God hates Fags’ and the like. These groups use their words carelessly and distort truth.” The song “We’re All Liars” begins with someone who had been kicked out of the church and ends with an honest confession of wrongdoing. They hit on themes of identity, humility and hope throughout the album with a sense of urgency woven in.
“Mean What You Say” offers some musical ear candy as well. The album falls squarely into the hard-rock category but each song holds it’s own without bleeding into the next song unnoticed, as seems to happen with so many other hard-rock releases. The songs are full and rich with deep bass and driving drums and the occasional string track sprinkled on top, but it’s Riner’s vocals that really take the cake. There is a passion in his voice that is in your face but seems almost effortless at the same time. It makes you sit up and listen, it makes you believe that he believes in what he’s singing. The album ends with a power-ballad that finishes the album like the cherry on top.
A solid release from a band who wears their heart on their tattooed covered sleeve.
Sent By Ravens - Mean What You Say,Click here to list all the reviews by sara.walz
Click here to access our massive Reviews archive with hundreds of reviews!
Sara is a mid-twentysomethings dreamer from Minneapolis, MN. By day she runs a radio station, by night she is working on the start up for a coffee catering company. Her favorite things include her family and friends, thrift shopping, going on walks, and Diet Coke. Someday she will live on a tour bus. 
| Zac Zinn, 6h ago 
Hannah Rose
This City Awaits
Aquile (The Voice)
Victor Griffin and Jeff “Oly” Olson (IN~GRAVED)
Kingdom Band
RED
Tiffany Arbuckle Lee (Plumb)
Southbound Fearing
Matt Baird (Spoken)
CedEnough
Brian “Head” Welch (Love and Death)
Andrew Schwab
KJ-52
Lil’ Dre
The O.C. Supertones
A Past Unknown
Gideon
Memphis May Fire
Heath McNease
Belle Epoque
Loading ...
Totally agree with the 8 score! This is a great follow up to Our Graceful Words. Only problems for me are that it seems really short, and tracks 6-8 haven’t really grown on me yet after the first few listens. But still, I’m not disappointed at all with the album as a whole!
It’s interesting.. this stuff really isn’t too different than the typical stuff you hear on the radio but there’s SO much more passion behind the music. Really isn’t groundbreaking but I definitely agree with the 8. And yeah Zach Riner’s pretty awesome!
Really good. Nothing groundbreaking, but it’s very solid. I completely agree with the 8. Unless I’m forgetting the screaming portions are completely gone on this CD, which isn’t necessarily bad, but I was rather fond of them. My favorite songs are: Prudence (Y U SO SHORT?), However Long It Takes, and Need It Today.
You guys should use our “User Rating” feature.
But I have to like… Register and stuff. :P
Fine I’ll do it.
Our Graceful Words was a pretty sick post-hardcore/alternative rock CD, and I thoroughly enjoyed more than a few of the songs on there. However, not a fan of this album. In any case, a fantastic band, with a truly relevant message, one that needs to be shared more often, especially in music. Mean what you say.