Top 10 RED Songs

By: James Southworth

RED is such a special band to me. They're one of the few bands I've been actively following since their first album came out. I didn't have to go back in their discography to find out about them; instead I grew up with them. This band has been consistent from their debut, making a powerful, haunting, and intense symphonic hard rock sound with interesting variations in between. I also love how all their albums connect conceptually in cool ways. Because of how good RED is, it's hard to narrow down a top 10 list. It seems fitting to do this list just before their new release "Gone" (perhaps my most anticipated album of the year) is released. I somehow managed to do compile my favorite songs by my second favorite band of all time, so here they are!

Honorable Mentions: "Mystery of You", "Hold Me Now", "What You Keep Alive", "Run and Escape", "Breathe Into Me", "Already Over", "Falling Sky", "The Outside", "Take It All Away"

10. "The Darkest Part" (Of Beauty and Rage)

This was the lead single for RED's most recent album, and man did it make me SO excited for the album. This song embodies pretty much everything that is classic of the band: a dark atmosphere, huge guitar riffs, sweeping symphonic elements, and Michael Barnes trading between beautiful singing and brutal screaming. Right from the beginning with the subtle piano one can feel this song has a lot of weight to it, and it certainly does in the lyrical department: "I never wanted you to see/The darkest part of me/I knew you'd run away/Waited but you never came/So afraid to be alone...". THIS is how you make a song focusing on relationships. I could tell Barnes was very passionate about whatever relationship this was, and nothing about it felt cheesy or forced. This song is also musically dynamic, especially in the bridge where the guitars explode, and the ending segment where Barnes lets loose an incredible scream. The chorus is incredibly catchy, and the thematic arc of this song is touching and haunting.

9. "Hide" (End of Silence)

RED's more epic feeling songs are some of their most intriguing; you'll definitely see a few more of them on this list. "Hide" is certainly a great contender for this type of song, and it never overstays its five minute run time. I love how subtly the song starts out before the guitars, drumming, and violins all come together in a glorious explosive harmony. Something about Michael's voice just works so well with this song in particular, and there is a certain rawness to it that makes the song's emotional heft. This song is interestingly poetic in nature, having lyrics that are a bit more vague in subject matter. What exactly is Michael trying to hide from? It's never actually revealed, which is what adds to this song's intriguing feel. It's the last song on "End of Silence" (besides the acoustic version of "Already Over"), so it certainly ends the album out leaving you wanting more. I especially love the ending, where it goes calm with just a simple piano playing. There is a certain breathlessness to how much this song shifts, but the breathless feeling is always exhilarating.

8. "Feed the Machine" (Until We Have Faces)

I can't think of many better tracks to get you hyped up than this one. This is easily RED's heaviest track, as the guitar riffs evoke a more metalcore feel, and Michael's screams are some of his most intense and unbridled. This song is also very cinematic in nature, especially in its incredibly memorable conclusion where a choir collides with the symphonic elements. The subject of the song also feels like it could belong in a movie, as the band commentates on how we are controlled by a "machine", whether that be the media, government, anything that keeps us away from God. The chorus effectively shifts between Michael's passionate singing and brutal screaming. It's one of RED's most captivating choruses, and that's saying a lot. This song gets what is an overall perfect album to an incredible start, and the track works even better live!

7. "Out From Under" (Innocence and Instinct)

This is easily one of RED's most underrated (if not their most underrated) songs in their whole discography. Honestly, I don't get how this one doesn't get much recognition. It has a very interesting start with some slight electronic elements eventually giving way to a chaotic guitar and symphonic sound that works so effectively. I also love how Michael's vocals have a controlled menacing feel to them. There's an honest desperation in this song, as Barnes asks where God was in his time of vulnerability: "So tell me where where you/When everything fell down like thunder/I begged you to pull me through/I couldn't get out from under". RED knows how to make lyrics relatable, as I have certainly felt moments of doubt like this, and I think almost everyone has asked where a person was at their lowest point. One can especially feel Barnes's emotions in the bridge, which just has some absolutely gorgeous strings, and it cleverly incorporates the thematic arc of the album as well. If you haven't heard this song before, please do yourself a favor and listen. It's one of the band's most heavy songs in subject matter and sound, and it's also one of their most unique.

6. "If We Only" (Release the Panic)

While I do think that RED's third album is overall a bit weaker in comparison to the rest of their discography due to its over reliance on pop elements, it is still not a bad album at all. This song is certainly an indicator of that fact, as this track is fun, classic RED. This one really does a good job of using strings in a bit more of a subtle way. It emphasizes more on the drumming and guitar work, which I think actually serves to make this song feel quite a bit more intense. I still can't help but smile whenever I hear Michael scream "Let it die!" at the beginning of the song before it unleashes with some of the best drum work I've heard in any RED song. The lyricism is also quite powerful, as it discusses how we should try to be unified and understand each other, rather than holding on to our pride. This song is still relevant in many ways today, and that only serves to make the song stand even taller in the band's discography.

5. "Of These Chains" (Of Beauty and Rage)

Speaking of songs with heavy subject matter, this one certainly fits the bill. I enjoy pretty much every RED ballad, but this one (and another one you'll be seeing later on the list) holds a special place in my heart. I had to deal with a tough loss in my junior year of high school, and I wish this song had been around in that year. But this song touched my heart nevertheless when I first heard it, as it's one of the few songs that has brought me to tears. This song is quiet throughout its run time, effectively only using a piano and some gorgeous sounding strings. These two musical elements, along with Barnes using his higher register, creates what is a true masterpiece of a song. The chorus of this song is unbelievably heartbreaking yet redeeming at the same time: "Let me take you when I go, when I go/I don't want to do this on my own, on my own/I'm breaking free but of these chains, oh/Let this one remain". This is basically a song Barnes wrote for when he passes. He wants to take his loved one with him when he dies. He realizes that death is what breaks him free into heaven, but he still wants to keep the metaphorical chain of being connected to his loved ones intact. That subject matter is powerful and so chilling to me. This song never fails to make me get goosebumps while feeling very emotional at the same time. The natural power of RED to draw out the deepest emotions in their listeners is a God-given talent, and this song is evidence of that.

4. "Lie to Me (Denial)" (Until We Have Faces)

This is one of the only RED songs that I think has a more alternative rock feel to it, and I've always loved it for that reason. I also love the almost creepy beginning this song has with its use of quiet strings and a steadily building guitar tone. Where this song really excels is in how it's actually from God's point of view. We see God objectively observing this person who is so broken and turns to their inner demons to keep them comfort. However, it is God who is able to offer them comfort as he reassures them that they "don't need to run again". I've always thought that this song accurately reflects who God is without ever feeling preachy. In fact it's done in such a way that it took me quite a few listens before I realized that the song was not done from Barnes's point of view. This song is complex in that it tackles identity as well, as God is basically saying that by this person denying God and trying to run from him, they are not only "lying" to him, but they are also lying to themselves. This song certainly has a lot more on its mind than your typical rock single, which is why I'm disappointed that this one didn't perform very well for the band despite its super catchy chorus that sticks and overall impactful sound. This is another RED song that I consider to be underrated, and it's always been a big favorite for me.

3. "Pieces" (End of Silence)

This song is a fan favorite, and it totally is deserving this label. I've heard so many different stories about how this song has connected with RED fans. I have my own story as well. I remember being at a youth conference in 8th grade. This conference was very important to me because on the last night of it, I ended up rededicating my life to Christ. After the conference had basically ended, I heard this song playing over the speakers. It was one of the few songs from RED's debut I hadn't listened to that much, but I still recognized the song as theirs, and the subject matter of the song was so fitting and emotional for the moment I was in. I still love how this song is basically someone coming to God as a very broken individual, hoping that he will welcome them home. Ultimately, there is a powerful redemption that occurs: "Then I see your face/I know I'm finally yours/I find everything I thought I lost before/You call my name/I come to you in pieces/So you can make me whole". Those lyrics still touch me to this day. They are an important reminder about RED's overall image as a band: the band acknowledges the very dark parts of us, but they also are able to navigate that darkness to find the potential for a beautiful, hopeful redemption. I will always be grateful to this song for that reason, and I can't see it ever going out of my top 3 favorite RED songs.

2. "Death of Me" (Innocence and Instinct)

In my opinion, no top 10 list for RED is complete without this song in there somewhere. This song takes the hard rock edge and symphonic elements that "End of Silence" had and refines them to make a song that is absolutely flawless in every way. Even though I've listened to this song hundreds of times, it still takes me breath away with how seamlessly it makes the symphonic rock sound work. The music video for this song is one of the best music videos I've ever seen, as it brings the meaning of the song in a whole new light. I now can't view this song as anything but this: Barnes believes that he could potentially be the death of himself. This song is basically saying how the darkest part of us is at constant war with the good part of ourselves: "You tear me down and then you build me up/You take it all and still it's not enough/You tried to tell me you can heal me/But I'm still bleeding/And you would be the death of me". It's a powerful message of how we can often be our own destruction because we tear ourselves down due to false perceptions and a corrupted sense of self. My favorite part of this song is where Barnes and guitarist Anthony Armstrong clash their screams together to make one of the most intense parts of any song I've ever heard. Everything about this track still blows me away to this day, and there's nothing anyone could say to change my mind about this.

1. "Shadow and Soul" (Of Beauty and Rage)

This song is just a masterpiece- a pure masterpiece. This is the culmination of RED's consistently building talent from their first album. This song tackles the idea of the dark and light part of the soul rather than just the self. It's one of the most complex things that RED has discussed: "My furtive soul/A heart unknown/It's buried alive/The boundary fades between/Shadow and soul/My untold I'm waiting". Barnes's songwriting here is intelligent enough for him to actually realize that he doesn't know where his own soul is at- is it in the shadows or is it fully a soul? The boundary between the two is so grey that he feels caught in between both of them. This also encompasses the theme of the album, which explores how to find beauty out of the darkest moments in life. This track is chilling musically. Right from the beginning this song hooks you with its usage of dark strings and Michael's voice constantly going from clashing between singing and screaming, representing the struggle between the shadow and the soul. Everything musically works on a symbolic level to create a song that is an emotional journey from beginning to end. What really sells this song is its ending, where Barnes surprised me by using his higher vocal register, almost nearing the falsetto. It's gorgeous, and it leaves this nearly six-minute epic on a chilling note. You can't miss this song, or any of the other songs on this list!