High Flight Society hit the CCM scene with high expectations and an intense, anthemic modern rock sound. The members of the four-piece group grew up together in small Cedartown, GA. Drummer
Scotty Lockridge and guitarist
Michael Packer eventually added
Michael's brother
John on bass and vocalist/rhythm guitarist
Jason Wilkes. After leading worship music for years, the band wrote and rehearsed the 11 tracks on its self-titled debut in the Cedartown Church of God. The sound was sure to get them noticed among fans of heavier modern rock, as their debut was a cross between
Anberlin,
Kutless,
Hoobastank, and
Foo Fighters. Producer
Tony Palacios (
Sixpence None the Richer,
By the Tree,
Audio Adrenaline) kept the record from sounding too close to the more raw, Southern rock-inspired debut from fellow Georgians
Decemberadio. Yet
Wilkes' gritty vocals lent plenty of emotional flair and came across as borderline screaming at times. The opener, "Time Is Running Out," set the standard for the remainder of the record, which neither deviated far from its formula nor offered too much in the way of new outlooks on Christian themes. But the band showed that it had plenty of room to rock. Fans of earnest, high-decibel alt-rock should enjoy this album.