Kutless’ aggressive sound and solid lyrics earned the band’s “Sea of Faces” a Dove Award nomination for best rock album earlier this year.

In its follow-up project, “Strong Tower,” Kutless joins the crowded market for worship music and tones things down — but only by a notch.

With the opening barrage of “We Fall Down,” Kutless warns that this isn’t your typical worship CD. Frontman Jon Micah Sumrall and the guys turn the mellow favorite about praising God into a vibrant rocker.

One of the strongest tracks is “Take Me In,” which uses power chords to portray the power of worship. It’s packed with Old Testament images of Jerusalem’s Temple as it proclaims, “I hunger and thirst from your righteousness and it’s only found one place.”

Among the new songs, the title track mixes rock riffs and throaty vocals with Martin Luther-like imagery to describe the strength and refuge available in God.

Despite the presence of solid new music, the disc’s primary focus is presenting modern standards with a new edge. Overall, the effort is quite effective, with familiar songs like “Better Is One Day” being infused with new energy. But some don’t translate into the Kutless sound quite as well. For example, the restrained vocals in “Draw Me Close” don’t mix well with the assertive guitarwork.

However, that doesn’t mean Kutless can’t be mellow. “We Who are Thirsty” takes the tempo down a few more notches but maintains its vigor as it calls to those who are weak, thirsty and hurting. And the acoustic “I Lift Up My Eyes” offers a melodic and beautiful account of offering love and praise to God.

This all adds up to a new direction for Kutless, but don’t worry, the edge is still sharp.

Superchic(k) sends positive message to women

With hits like “Barlow Girl” and “One Girl Revolution,” Superchic(k) has been quite effective in encouraging young women to take control of their lives. This chick-power message comes through once again on the group’s new disc, “Beauty From Pain.”

The album reveals a band that has moved beyond the concerns of the high school hallways and into the wider world. It uses a blend of rock, hip-hop and punk as it explores pain, relationships and self-esteem.

It opens with “Anthem,” which aims to burst stereotypes. “Pure” focuses on avoiding “the rocks of life that pull me down.” “It’s On” is a high-energy encouragement to grab opportunities when they’re presented. “Bowling Ball” is an energetic and ornery song about ditching a bad boyfriend.

The most emotional tracks deal with pain and fear. The band joins with tobyMac for “Stories,” which also appeared on the hip-hop artist’s own CD last fall. It’s a weighty song about people who’ve hit rock bottom but found strength by turning to God. “Courage” is a haunting prayer for help with an eating disorder. The title track examines the nature of suffering. It asks “why God lets me walk through this place.” But states, “I cling to your promise that there will be a dawn.” And “Suddenly” is a moody, yet aggressive song about facing fears.

Superchic(k) is one of those Christian bands that everyone has heard, often without knowing it. The group’s songs have landed on dozens of TV and movie soundtracks — from “Legally Blonde” to “Alias.” Expect to hear some of the excellent tracks from “Beauty From Pain” at a theater near you.

Today’s Praise is a roundup of news and reviews from the contemporary Christian music industry. It appears on the Religion page.