Artist:  Fireflight

Title:  For Those Who Wait

Label:  Flicker Records

Female fronted rock on overdrive …

For its third full-length CD, Fireflight left the runway with the goal of evolving stylistically and musically, and as the results on For Those Who Wait indicate, that mission was mostly accomplished. Now that the band's earned several radio singles and some Dove nods, the female-fronted troupe seems to have rallied the confidence and the cohesion it lacked across earlier albums.

Part of that growth process also steered the group towards greater accessibility, while still retaining its harder edges for more aggressive audiences. The title track, "Desperate" and "You Give Me That Feeling" are all shell shocking examples of the group's gritty guitars and the ferocity of front woman Dawn Michele, as the lyrics take an authentic approach to living a Christ-centered life that dares to go against the grain of the secular society. "Name" and "Recovery Begins" are perhaps the most contemplative tracks in the band's catalogue to date, and while they lack the guts of the above, these softer moments help add variety to the collection.

Even with all the praises, Fireflight still retains some generic elements, often times teasing audiences with explosive pockets, but never fully letting loose. The same can be said on ballad fronts, which are certainly poignant in their own regard, but fail to break the mold of other modern rockers temporarily adapting a stripped down approach. Nonetheless, the third time is indeed the closest Fireflight's come to a charm thus far and indicates a prosperous future for the fairly productive act.

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**This review first published on March 30, 2010.