It's pretty weighty endorsement, when Slipknot/Stone Stour throat Corey Taylor takes time out of his considerably busy schedule to produce your EP. Taylor's steady hand guides Wall of Jericho's Redemption EP. Despite the fact that Taylor isn't the world's most experienced producer, he helps this gnarly metalcore band navigate preciously uncharted waters. Normally, Walls Of Jericho manufacture screamy metal which beats you into submission with its toughness; on Redemption, the band explores its softer side to excellent results. Frontwoman Candice Kucsulain doesn't bark once here. Rather, she sings cleanly over slow, melancholic, and ultimately moody riffs. Redemption is a one-off experiment, and Walls Of Jericho have promised that this is not the direction their next album will take. That's fine with us. We're pleased to see the taking a gutsy risk and trying their hand at gentility.

Redemption is the latest offering from the Detroit female fronted hardcore outfit Walls Of Jericho. Produced by Corey Taylor (Slipknot/Stonesour) Redemption takes the form of a new creative outlet for the band. The project that has been in the pipeline for the past 6 years has finally seen the light of day and it will probably divide the bands current fan base. In fact it wouldn’t surprise me if a fair few Walls Of Jericho fans turned their noses up at Redemption, as it is most certainly not Walls Of Jericho. This doesn’t mean to say it’s bad though, it’s just a radical change of direction from a band we have grown to know. As I have not been a huge Walls Of Jericho fan previous to this I feel I can give a more objective opinion and basically I like what I hear. It may be a bit on the over produced side and by that I mean I wouldn’t have minded some proper acoustic tracks, totally stripped bare. What we’ve got instead are some really big sounding tracks that highlight the diversity and range in Candace’s vocal ability. Yes this girl can growl and this is not totally forgotten in Redemption, but she’s also got a softer melodic voice in her too. I think what’s been taken away from Walls Of Jericho’s usual sound has been put back in different ways. You can hear their song structure, lyrics and true passion without the screams. It’s definitely got Corey Taylor’s mark on it, the Stonesour influence that is. His contributing vocals on ‘Addicted’ add great variation too. You cannot deny the man has talent. As for standout tracks, ‘Ember Drive’ has heartbreaking lyrics and great melody, while ‘No Saving Me’ shows Candace has not forgotten how to growl like the best of them. There’s also a great version of the classic ‘House Of The Rising Sun’. I do think any Walls Of Jericho fan put off by this will only prove their inability to enjoy diversity in music. There are certain bands I personally love even more after having released acoustic tracks. I believe music in its simplest form is the most beautiful and passionate and while this is not quite as simple it’s certainly proved that there is a lot more to this band. Redemption shows Walls Of Jericho’s raw emotional state, removing the layers only shows the beauty underneath, it may be different and it may not appeal to all, but at the same time I think it will pick up a whole new audience too.

An EP of melodic, mostly acoustic material is certainly not what fans of metalcore outfit Walls of Jericho have come to expect and the result could go one of two ways. It’s either going to be a disaster, or it’s going to be magnificent. Redemption is firmly of the latter status. With a little help from Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor lending his voice to three songs, as well as producing the disc, they’ve created something not incredibly far away from Stone Sour’s melodic material. Acoustic without being soft; melodic while retaining the dark, brooding feel of a metal band. A triumph in every sense. More expansive arrangements add grandeur to the songs as well, with liberal use of keys, strings and other instrumentation around the core guitar, bass and drums, including some lead electric guitar in No Saving Me and Addicted, one of the three to feature Taylor, and some background distorted chords in the latter part of My Last Stand. Indeed every track is excellent - so much so that the weakest one is the cover of legendary Animals hit House of The Rising Sun. Disappointingly only being issued digitally in Europe, but on CD in North America, it’s available fairly cheaply on import at the usual online stores. It’s also somewhat disappointing that this isn’t what Walls of Jericho produce all the time, because it’s outstanding. Here’s to what could have been…

Walls of Jericho front woman Candace Kucsulain has finished many a gig battered and bruised, has suffered a broken nose and has even ended up in hospital, such is the energetic level of her performance. Here we see Walls Of Jericho stripped back, in acoustic form, with Candace singing sweetly and with barely a hint of aggression to be heard. I have to say I'm not that familiar with the bands hardcore work, but the change in style on this release is very much to my liking. Of the 5 songs, Candace duets with producer, Corey Taylor, he of Slipknot fame, on three of the them and the results are stunning. Very mellow and utterly absorbing, I can quite easily stick this on repeat all afternoon. Ember Drive is probably the most beautiful song I've heard so far this year, it's kind of similar in texture to Kristin Hersh's classic My Ghost, where she duets with REM's Michael Stipe. Which reminds me that I need to dig that album (Hips and Makers) out for a few overdue spins. I'm sure this complete change in direction will shock many a fan, even I was surprised with their choice of cover version, House Of The Rising Sun. This is a song I have heard way too much during my lifetime, particularly the version by The Animals, well WoJ breathe new life into this old bastard and it almost sounds like a brand new song. It seems they can do no wrong on this EP. I'm pretty sure I won't be a big fan of their normal style, but I absolutely love this EP. I just hope their regular fanbase thinks the same.

Hardcore guitar attacks, wailing and intense vocals...all gone! At least for now. Walls of Jericho take a different road on their latest pet project, Redemption. The group dusts off their acoustic guitars and delivers five surprising melodic ballads ripe with sorrow and darkness. Vocalist Candace Kucsulain proves there's a soulful songstress beneath her rough exterior. Perhaps the Jericho learned a thing or two from their producer Corey Taylor when he made the switch from Slipknot to Stone Sour. It's great to hear some versatility from such a powerful and heavy band.

Candace Kucsulian singing rather than spewing out constant wrath? Walls of Jericho doing acoustic, duets with Corey Taylor and a cover of The Animals' 'House Of The Rising Sun'? It all sounds like a nightmare for the hardcore purists, and yet cast aside the preconceptions and you're left with a collection of dark, solemn songs perfect for joining you when you pour out your heart with a bottle at 3am. It's raw and stripped down rather than MTV US superstar ballad (a la Amy Lee and Seether's Shaun Morgan) and these songs have a dark, bleak edge to them - tales of loss, tragedy and family member addictions, rather than love and roses. Don't be afraid, just embrace. FOR FANS OF: Stone Sour, Evanescence, Keith Caputo

I have now decided that everything that Corey Taylor touches will eventually go from hardcore to a more subdued acoustic rock. Like the Stone Sour to his Slipknot, Corey has now taken the furious Walls Of Jericho and helped them release an acoustic EP, "Redemption," before the release of their new album. I wasn't sure what to make of this project when I first heard about it, but after quick inspection I had to change my mind. Corey's hands are everywhere in this EP, as producer and even being featured in 3 of the 5 songs. A more mellow Walls Of Jericho is present and may shock fans of the band. Slow progressive tracks take crafted guitars and Candace's hauntingly beautiful vocals (which we have barely heard before) and make tracks that feel almost inspirational when first heard. I really liked how WoJ highlighted the more classical of instruments in place of their heavy hardcore such as gentle acoustics, ringing pianos, and what sometimes feels like an orchestra backing them up. It almost feels like an acoustic version of a Nightwish song (minus the theatrics). I'm a fan of bands that do acoustic versions of their songs, and it is even more interesting when they make them acoustic first. This EP might be too much of a difference from their normal sound for some, but its soft tunes are just too eerily beautiful to ignore.

Hardcore guitar attacks, wailing and intense vocals...all gone! At least for now. Walls of Jericho take a different road on their latest pet project, Redemption. The group dusts off their acoustic guitars and delivers five surprising melodic ballads ripe with sorrow and darkness. Vocalist Candace Kucsulain proves there's a soulful songstress beneath her rough exterior. Perhaps the Jericho learned a thing or two from their producer Corey Taylor when he made the switch from Slipknot to Stone Sour. It's great to hear some versatility from such a powerful and heavy band.