It might sound clichéd to call Eowyn the hardest-working woman in show business, but it’s the only thing clichéd about this driven indie artist & her new CD, “Identity.”
She has managed to break through all the Christian music world barriers, creating a buzz on radio, retail and tour circuit, and she does it without compromising her vision to reach listeners across the board. Her online journal says it best: "I may be an independent artist, but I am not independent from God."
I spent the day listening to her hard-hitting third album, "Identity," and it made for a pleasant day indeed. Although "pleasant" is not the word that springs to mind at the thought of Eowyn; her intensity and power grab you by the gut immediately. But I like high level intensity. Thundering guitars create moody soundscapes, and through these thick walls of sound she sings her message of presence. Her lyrics are honest, unswerving, and vertical, focusing on the constancy of God: our desperate need for Him, and His relentless willingness to meet us.
Her music brings Evanescence to mind, but her emotive vocals go way past that point, and at times mesmerize, when they're not haunting, challenging, or otherwise engaging you. Again, presence. She is fully present in this music in a way that, while difficult to completely describe, is still quite particular.
Anyway.... Opener "Helpless" sets the tone quickly, a heartfelt cry to be seen by God, her haunting vocals underscoring the immediacy of her need. The brooding bass line of third track, "Locked Away," illustrates exactly why it was the most added single to Christian rock radio three weeks in a row.
The album picks up power as it progresses, with gothic overtones spilling from songs like "Draw Me," a commanding challenge to seek God's preparing strength, and the electronically looming "Escape," with Eowyn's vocals soaring above the solid drums of Adam Jones. My favorite track is the hypnotic "Hold Me," a passionate cry for the rescue of Christ floating through another thicket of guitars. If you like your music to grab you by the throat and reach deep into your heart, then Eowyn is your girl. I'm hoping for an interview with this compelling indie artist, for she has captured my attention completely.
