“In Spirit and Truth” is Not Ashamed’s powerful new anthem celebrating the bands love for music and Christian faith. Not Ashamed is on a journey to take Contemporary Christian Music (aka CCM) out of its box, with the groups classic rock sound. “In Spirit and Truth” incorporates the ancient sound of bagpipes with modern electric guitar to create a track unique to Not Ashamed’s original sound. The group uses the electric guitar to amplify their lyrics and the anthemic quality of “In Spirit and Truth.” The layered production highlights Not Ashamed’s artistry and their obvious musical skill, proving that CCM can take on new form.
From the moment “In Spirit and Truth” starts you know you’ve never heard a worship song quite like this. The composition of “In Spirit and Truth” is what is so distinct, it seems to keep on ascending. As the song progresses the melody seems to ascend in volume and in tone. The track starts slow and enchanting with the distinct croon of bagpipes before heartbeat-like drums come in to keep the beat steady. The vocals are front and center in the beginning of the track that become more evocative as the drums and guitars come together. By the chorus “In Spirit and truth” is elevated to another realm. The vocals swell and stretch out while backing vocals give the track a robust feeling that makes the energy of “In Spirit and Truth” fly higher. There’s something powerful going on in “In Spirt and Truth” that both moves you and makes you want to air guitar.
The electric guitar is the backbone of “In Spirit and Truth” that pushes this song into an incomparable category. Not Ashamed takes the classic sound of the guitar and uses it to add depth to their lyrics. Between the bagpipes and live drums the guitar seems to deepen the power of the melody and the meaning of the lyrics. It creates a sound that you’d expect to hear in a large stadium or at a music festival. There’s something very vast about the overall sound of “In Spirit and Truth” that makes you wonder if they recorded it live. The mixing is as crisp as it gets but there is an honesty in Not Ashamed’s performance and a rawness to the sound of their instruments that makes “In Spirit and Truth” sound like it was recorded on a stage. This also makes the guitar solo so exciting to hear. This unique trait adds to the larger than life quality the band seems to embody naturally.
Not Ashamed excels in creating a track that never gets old. There’s something new to feel and discover every time you listen to “In Spirit and Truth. This track has so many layers that converge to create an out-of-this world song. The lyrics alone are impactful and deep but are further heightened by lead singer Richard Varno’s strong vocals. “In Spirit and Truth” has the ability to transport you with one listen. The bagpipes catch your attention in the opening of the track but its the lyrics and melody’s that make you stay. “In Spirit and Truth” breaks the mold of CCM with ease and precision. I was so impressed by the power of the chorus and how its expansive feeling makes you want to stretch your arms out and sing a long. “In Spirit and Truth” is a powerful track that you can’t get enough of.
Not Ashamed is taking CCM to new heights with “In Spirit and Truth.” By blending the best of classic rock with Christian faith based lyrics makes “In Spirit and Truth” a modern CCM hit. Not Ashamed isn’t afraid to see where they can take their sound, this lack of fear lends itself to their larger than life performance and obvious musical skill. There’s a balance between worship and the celebration of music that results in “In Spirit and Truth” feeling like so much more than just another song. Not Ashamed is only at the beginning of their innovative career, with one album already under their belt there’s no telling where they’ll take their sound next.
Chadwick Easton