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Point #1 - Chevelle (1999)

Call them intellectual punk, relaxed fit rock, or concentrated bass groove-the only label that sticks for Squint's new band is Chevelle. Brothers Pete (vocals, guitar), Joe (bass) and Sam (drums) Loeffler pack a real punch in their debut's eleven tracks, journeying from fallen nature ("Point #1"), to the healing, vision and freedom God wills. Distorted and grating at its core, "Open" rocks out the project with an intense mix of track two's progression. The title cut rebukes the folly of adding our loss in light of Christ's immeasurable love. Chevelle's potent rock grind continues in "Prove to You" which screams (literally) for people to see a world in dire doom and longing for the truth. Their current single "MIA" strives for an identity that's missing in action, while "Skeptic" clings to the wise ignorance of choosing Christ as the source of life. Many punk/hard rock acts irk me with their obvious lack of talent; Chevelle consists of first and foremost some incredible players, fronted by Pete Loeffler's solid, intense voice and multi-layered songwriting. "Anticipation" builds on the perspective of a new believer urged to see the Christian walk as a daily struggle, not a Band-Aid to life's confusion. Translating the Spanish word for "two," "Dos" contradicts oppressive reality that begs to give up. Powered by the line "the rhyme you've hidden in won't keep long," track 8 takes on discouragement and unanswered questions, looking only to eternity for resolve. "Blank Earth" and "Sma" cynically deny any hope in the world's culture or the church's legalism, instead loosening their grip so God can take hold. "Peer" slows down the breakneck pace (briefly) in disclosing the blindness of humanity and overall need for vision. The Loeffler brothers have for years been hard at work engineering their Chevelle...now we're enjoying the ride as they floor their vehicle on a tarred pavement of images and emotion.