Rend Collective – ‘As Family We Go’ album review

Somewhere between the vigorous energy of Foy Vance and popular contemporary worship acts lies Rend Collective. Ever since the worship band from Northern Ireland released Organic Family Hymnal in 2010, they’ve added a vibrant intensity to congregational catalogs with songs of celebration and praise.

As Family We Go brings a communal theme to the table, a nod to both the familial bonds between the band members and the greater church family they are addressing. The songs themselves are vertical expressions filled with hope and joy rooted in the person and character of God. Slower numbers like “One and Only” are quite lovely, but Rend Collective’s signature up-tempo tunes are the bread and butter. Don’t miss the one-two punch of “Celebrate” and “Free as a Bird.”