Hillsong: United We Stand CD Review of New Release by Worship Band

Between the Hillsong worship movement and the Vineyard worship movement, the church has forever been changed, at least musically. As a new generation of singers, writers, and musicians have been finding places of leadership, new anthems have arisen to the forefront of today's contemporary gatherings. Yet as short a time frame it has been since that movement began, another one is taking place.

Many people are largely familiar with the Passion worship movement, especially when the artists within it are selling hundreds of thousands of records and winning handfuls of Dove Awards. Chris Tomlin and David Crowder have become (Christian) household names. And right alongside this movement, there is another one happening. This one just happens to originate on the other side of the globe.

Within the Hillsong scene, the youth and young adults of the Sydney, Australia congregation have been putting out their own music from their own worship gatherings. Hillsong United has been the name and their records are becoming hugely popular all over the globe. Known for their amazing Euro-rock riffs and infectious melodies, Hillsong United tracks have begun to be sung in churches all around.

United We Stand is the latest from Hillsong United. A collection of seventeen original tracks, the album is another solid addition to the discography. In typical fashion, the album opens with anthem after anthem declaring an all-out abandon to God. This is common for the United series, as their worship lyrics tend to be all-or-nothing in their statements. "The Time Has Come" is a perfect example of this as the album opener:

All we are is yours
All we're livin' for
Is all you are
Is all that you are

The theme continues on each track as a formidable crowd sings of complete devotion and surrender to God. While that may seem redundant, the effect is actually the opposite. It's refreshing to find an album that calls again and again for the listener to give up everything in every way, whether that comes to plans or devotion, action or feeling.

As great as the United band is at rock anthems, they are never better when they bring it down and create overwhelming ballads. And the highlight track here is just that. "From The Inside Out" is beautiful from the outset and is highly memorable in singing about "the art of losing myself." The track then explodes into a bridge that declares the glory of God in a way that few songs can.

This series of worship albums is at least as good as the Passion series, if not better. If you have never checked out the Hillsong United series, you are missing out. United We Stand is another strong offering in an already not-to-be-missed series.