Back Breaker

It's awesome... What else can I say? It is so freaking awesome that I cannot stop playing it in my car. God has truly blessed these 4 believers to create perhaps the most intense Christian metal I have ever heard. If you first heard of these guys when they released "Temptation Come My Way" in 2007, you have been missing out big time!

The Showdown has returned back to their roots and have brought back all of the screaming, growling vocals, and hardcore metal elements that made their first album "Chorus of Obliteration" an absolute masterpiece. The 1980's rock n'roll elements that were present on their previous albums are nearly gone and The Showdown has stepped more into an early 90's thrash metal style. Now also keep in mind that there are also elements from "Temptation" in the album making "Back Breaker" a great mix between their first and second album.

Their first song, an interlude called "The Beginning", serves as a strong piece that lets all listeners know that they are in for a heavy ride from beginning to end. "The Hammer of the Gods" fits perfectly on track #2 and talks about a man going up against a strong enemy of God and he is murdered for not renouncing his faith in the Lord. "The Disillusionaire" is flat-out awesome and deals with a goddess causing a man to fall back into sin and the man chooses to fight back. "The Backbreaker" is a call to all Christians not to be conformed to the world and to rise up and stand for your beliefs.

If you're a believer in the Lord, most of the lyrics will hit you dead in the face as down right Christian songs but there is alot to like about this album even for nonbelievers. Definately for fans of Christian metal and for anyone who loves Pantera, Metallica, and Testament.

This is one of the best metal albums I have heard all year. The band melds the right mix of growling metal sing, to piercing metal screams to create an incredible experience for the entire album. The Showdown is known for its techical prowess and this album certainly does not let anyone down who is looking for incredibly tight musicians laying down heavy metal. The concept of the greek gods incorporated into the song titles and lyrics were an added bonus, and to be honest shows me a little biased because of my interest in the material. Well wortth the money I have loaned it out 2x and both have purchased copies for themselves, its just that good!

I loved "Temptation Come My Way", a good hard rock/metal album. I bought this album and listend to it twice, but I won't listen again. I don't know why all these new metal bands have to growl their lyrics; Demon Hunter, Underoath, Norma Jean, it ruins the music. The growling thing is way over used and it was a disapointment to see them go back to it.

I have been listening to metal for a very long time.I pride myself in the knowledge that i am very open to change in a band.Sadly this collection of tunes although tight and tough just did not show the next step in evolution i had hoped for in such a talented group of guys.On their first release it was fast and hard.Quite impressive.Temptation showed a swagger not unlike C.O.C.,a little loose but a lot of soul.On this recording i am afraid they suffered the curse of OZZfest.Playing all summer with a bunch of screaming death bands will make you lose your soul and they lost theirs somewhere on that road.The Showdown was the brightest spot in a otherwise bleak line-up last year and now they pay the price.
Don't get me wrong there is still plenty of good music hear to listen to,But what could have been the album of the year instead will be just another pretty good disc.Maybe next time they will find the true heart of their music but i know i will not be pre-ordering it in anticipation as i did this time.

The Showdowns third album is not disappointing at all, being not as hardcore as the 1st album and not as southern as their 2nd. Back Breaker combines both albums elements adding in Norse mythology titles that head over christian spiritual warfare lyrics that fit perfectly into the titles definitions. I myself was disappointed along with other friends of mine over Temptations rather drastic change, although not a bad change, it seemed a little to early to change the elements of their music, because IMO Obliteration was one of the best albums ever made. However the Showdown redeemed themselves with this album, combining the CD's to satisfy both audiences with heavy lyrics, growls, riffs and strums that want to make you head bang the night away.