The Mission Bell (Q Magazine)
Last modified: 01 Jan 2006
Source: Q Magazine
Author: John Aizlewood
Date: Jan 2006
Eighth album from Britain's leading Christian rockers.
Uncompromising Christians in the lion's den of popular music, Delirious?'s world runs parallel to secular music - their records sell, their concerts sell out, but the mainstream remains undisturbed. Now, the quintet have seemingly given up on non-believers and settled on preaching to the converted. As a result, The Mission Bell is their most overtly religious offering yet, which helps explain the massive choirs chanting, "Jesus! Jesus!" on the stirring Now Is The Time. Musically, their isolation is shifting them towards polished earnest-period U2, fuelled by the unbridled passion of singer Martin Smith. Still, as they must surely reflect in darker momments, without God they could be massive.
(3 out of 5 stars)