Reviewed by Paul Woodward

'Divine Revelation' is packed full of challenging and thought provoking tracks which cannot fail to make an impact on the listener. Two such examples are "Firestorm" and penultimate track (if you don't count the generously included bonus track) "Superstar". The former, the lyrics of which are helpfully printed in the sleeve, discusses the book of Revelation and how there is a spiritual battle taking place for the souls on the earth. The track shows Shalem not only to be a talented rhythm master but also a knowledgeable Bible scholar. "Superstar", the album's standout moment, is a spine-chiller. It narrates, in first person, the story of a major league baseball player who on dying in a car crash finds himself in Hell. "Don't Give Up", the album's finale, is more uplifting issuing a rallying cry of encouragement to God's people. What is refreshing about Shalem's writing style is that, unlike most hip-hop, it is not all "me, me, me." Instead his rap sermons are aimed almost solely at his audience, be they believers or the undecided. What will fail to captivate, particularly the second group though, is the sloppy production. Sadly either a cheap budget or a lack of technical ability in the studio cause the songs to sound rather like a demo tape or a radio that hasn't been tuned properly. However 'Divine Revelation is a CD that grows on the listener with each play and in places the songs are powerful to the point that all else but the message becomes irrelevant.

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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