Solidstate is a sub-label of Tooth & Nail Records and is specialized in Christian music, but it’s not the type of music you’d expect. Solidstate is a record label that releases mostly hardcore, but also metal and other types of extreme music. Project 86 is the first band on this album with “Spy Hunter” and pleases us with their, sometimes a bit toolish (influenced by Tool), numetal sound. This is a demo that sounds like a continuation of their latest offering “Drawing Black Lines”. Blindside is another band that fits well in this description and they offer us a song from their last record called “Act”. Their music evolved from Deftones-like music to more melodic post hardcore. Their new record “Silence” will probably give them their well-deserved attention. After these melodic songs the heavier bands pass by. Zao (“The Icarus Complex”) is probably one of the most important bands on this label. With their mix of hardcore, mathcore, deathmetal and blackmetal, they’ve created a new hype. Bands like Demon Hunter (“Through The Black”), Eso-Charis (“The Narrowing List”), Soul Embraced (“Still As You”) and Underoath (“Letting Go of Tonight”) all seem influenced by this band.

The album is completed with great offerings of hardcore like Stretch Armstrong (“For The Record”), Embodyment (“Belly Up”), Living Sacrifice, that blend hardcore with deathmetal, and Soapbox (“Gone”) that sound a bit like Refused. Norma Jean, formerly known as Luti-Kriss, made the biggest impression on me when I listened to this record. “Light Blue Collar” impressed me almost as much as Converge’s last record, “Jane Doe” did. So if you dig this band, then you’ll love Norma Jean! This compilation gives us a nice look into the Solidstate stable. It features great bands that will change your prejudices (if you had any) about Christian music completely. Especially if you thought it would be hallelujah and praise all over. The only negative point about these bands is that a lot of them sound too much like Zao. A bit more diversity in style would be pleasant, but putting this aside, this is a great record.