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Group Name: Master Peace
Website: www.masterpeaceministries.org
Album Title: “House Of Hope”
Song Titles:

1. I’m Going Over
2. I’m Living The Life
3. Flag Of Victory
4. House Of Hope
5. Praise Makes The Walls Come Down
6. In Heaven
7. I’m Going Thru
8. When I Speak Jesus
9. We Honor You With Praise
10. Turning Point
11. He Makes No Mistakes

By way of introduction, let me quote from the front page of Master Peace’s website: “Master Peace is a male vocal trio based out the of the Chattanooga, TN area. They focus on tight non-vibrato vocal harmony lines that are not typical in this genre of Gospel Music. They present the message of Jesus Christ in a professional and uplifting selection of Modern Gospel music.”  Current group members include Marcus Faulkner (tenor), Mark Hooker (lead), and Brian Morse (baritone).

“House Of Hope” is the group’s latest album.  It contains 11 songs by such writers as John Darin Rowsey (formerly of Karen Peck & New River) and Gus Gaches and David Staton, currently with the Mike LeFevre Quartet.   

Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: THE SONGS!

The first song is an up-tempo number called “I’m Going Over”.  This is a progressively-styled song that many listeners should like from the first note.  Song #2 is another up-tempo number called “I’m Living The Life”.  Lead vocalist Mark Hooker is featured on the verses of this song, and the vocal blend is smooth on the choruses.  Hooker has a nice voice, but I think that he could make the verses of this song just a bit smoother.  Some of his words sound a bit staccato.  Baritone vocalist Brian Morse is featured on the third song, “Flag Of Victory”.  This is a slower song that shows off Morse’s smooth voice, and, if you listen closely, you can hear many of the same vocal inflections that Bill Gaither uses when he sings.  The vocal blend is very tight with Morse on lead.  Song #4 is the album’s title track, “House Of Hope”.  Mark Hooker is featured on this up-tempo song, and his vocals provide a strong foundation for the group’s sound. 

The fifth song is an up-tempo song with a driving tempo called “Praise Makes The Walls Come Down”.  Tenor vocalist Marcus Faulkner is featured here, and this is the first radio release from this album.  The tempo slows down as Faulkner is once again featured on Song #6, “In Heaven”.  Faulkner has a very smooth voice with good tone, and he has a firm grasp of his range.  He seems very “at ease” when he sings.  The seventh song is another song with a driving tempo called “I’m Going Thru”.  Honestly, I was not a big fan of this song at all.  The arrangement overpowered the vocals, and the blend was hard to hear on the chorus.  Mark Hooker is featured once again on Song #8, a medium-tempo number entitled “When I Speak Jesus”.  I think that this is Hooker’s best feature on the album, and the blend of vocals is smooth on the choruses. 

“We Honor You With Praise”, the ninth song, is a medium-tempo song that once again features Marcus Faulkner.  The tempo speeds up a bit for Song #10, “Turning Point”.  This song has a lighter feel to it that might make it a good candidate for a radio release at some point.  Brian Morse is featured on the closing song, the medium-tempo “He Makes No Mistakes”. 

I think that this group has a very good overall sound, and the progressive style that they have chosen seems to work well for them.  I think that, given time to “gel” together a little bit more, their vocal blend will tighten up even more.  This is a group that I think has a good future ahead of them.  Overall, I would give this album a rating of 8 1/2 out of 10 microphones!

Favorites: “I’m Going Over”, “Flag Of Victory”, “For All The World”, and “When I Speak Jesus”