Reviewed by Nigel Harris

'Hope' was recorded live in March 2003 and was the first Hillsong album to be recorded in the new Hillsong Church Convention Centre in Sydney using their own recording and high-tech television facilities. It is clearly one of the most technologically advanced Christian meeting places in the world, and you can't help but be impressed by the quality of this recording. In fact it makes most television music programmes look positively amateur! If the visual impact of the staging and the quality of the filming do occasionally detract from the worship, just sit back and enjoy this huge congregation worshipping God in excellence. Darlene Zschech leads a huge line up of musicians and singers with a capacity congregation (in fact big screens were put up for the many more who had to watch from the lawns outside). This is a great value DVD, with almost two hours of live worship - 17 tracks in all - plus documentary and songwriter commentaries. It's a great opportunity to use the subtitles feature of your DVD player to sing along. I particularly enjoyed the behind the scenes view of "Can't Stop Praising" where you can watch all eight camera monitors, watch the director cut from one camera to another and hear him directing the cameramen. I echo Darlene's prayer - this album will stir you up to find the author of life and joy as you put your hope in the name that is above every other name. 

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.

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