Reviewed by Tony Cummings

There have been thousands of live worship albums released in the last few years, but very, very few reach the heights of this project. As we have observed more than once at Cross Rhythms, reviewing worship music, particularly that recorded during an act of worship, is a major challenge for the hapless reviewer. For alongside all the aesthetics (the quality of the songs, the ability of the lead singers, the band arrangements right on through to the minutiae - is the high hat too loud in the mix? Isn't that lyric just a tad TOO clichéd?) there is sometimes another dimension to be considered. I believe some worship recordings contain within their performances a supernatural dynamic which might be described as "the anointing", if such a phrase still has value after so many years of overuse. The Worship Central movement birthed by Tim Hughes and Al Gordon has down the years, through its conferences and websites, done sterling work in envisioning and equipping thousands of worship leaders. In doing so they have played a major part in preparing the way for what this album now encapsulates - namely, thousands of church goers not prepared to go through the tired motions of merely singing songs about God but in faith and humility reaching out for divine encounters in their worship. This revolutionary worship movement has found transcendent expression in this album. Recorded on 24th March at London's HMV Forum five worship leaders - Tim Hughes, Ben Cantelon, Al Gordon, Nikki Fletcher and Luke Hellebronth - have taken a batch of newly minted songs and with a tight rock band here demonstrate both to the blind traditionalists who still view overdrive guitars as devilish and the jaded reviewers who've heard too many Martin Smith wannabes to be objective about the modern worship template - that given the right musical skill and the right hearts abandoned in worship, the result is far more than its constituent parts. Not everyone will be convinced or affected by 'Spirit Break Out' of course. But for others, from the first prayerful notes of Daniel Iverson's timeless "Spirit Of The Living God" to Nikki Fletcher, Tim Hughes and Martin Smith's "All Glory" closer this album will echo the faith, passion and hope we feel towards our Lord who makes the mountains shake and tremble and who will soon return to reclaim the world.

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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Recorded Live at The Forum. 2000 worshippers packed the famous London Venue to be part of a powerful and explosive evening. With worship led by the Worship Central team: Tim Hughes, Al Gordon, Ben Cantelon, Nikki Fletcher, Luke Hellebronth, Myles Dhillon and Tom Smith.

The creativity and production on the evening was inspiring with excellent new songs being introduced. The album is produced by Ben Cantelon and mixed by Sam Gibson (Jesus Culture, Hilllsong United, and Tim Hughes).

Worship Central Conferences are now happening across the world and are playing a major part in equipping and training up worship teams.