Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Cross Rhythms loved their EP and we love this, the Glasgow team's album debut. Their publicity blurb gives an intriguing picture of what 'Fanatical' is all about. "Calvin's Dream mix musical, political and religious metaphors into an unstable and disturbing critical mass. Here the intensity of faith confronts its own self-disgust. Sin spits, hell bubbles and grace purrs. Images of theocracy and facism glitter and terrorise. Philistines take their revenge and preachers howl in absurdity. Love falls into nakedness. Pop slides into parody. The 60s are both invoked and mocked. 'Fanatical' is the definitive musical deconstruction of Protestantism - a brooding analysis of the dream text of Scottish life in the 90s." (Phew!) So you're not going to get seamless-and-safe CCM here. But if you're ready for a band which refuse to opt decisively for either grunge or groove, can sound uncannily like Bowie on "Philistines and more often like Nick Cave And The Bad Seed without the demons, this is most definitely for you.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.