Every now and again, an underground project grabs you and won't let you go. No need to sleep, because Timothy Brindle is here and is leaving a blazin' trail in holy hip-hop. His debut effort is titled The Great Awakening and is already creating a buzz throughout the hip-hop community.

His 18-track project packs some serious heat and has a heavy East Coast vibe that feels like a natural fit for Brindle. He brings an unapologetic, live and direct flow to the game that is reminiscent of The Ambassador of The Cross Movement, with tight lyrics and killer beats making every song on the project potent and dangerous. Deejay Essence is all over the project, producing and recording all of the tracks.

"Glorious" has an infectious beat highlighted by a slick organ and saxophone melody. As tight as the track is, it is eclipsed by the impressive stylings of Brindle who speaks of the glorious life that we as believers have in Christ. "My New Life" addresses the new life that comes with the acceptance of Christ's sacrifice for us.

Brindle brings some friends along for this Great Awakening. One of the many hot spots on this project is "Saved By Grace", which features Shai Linne. (Some may recall this artist’s work on the RockSoul project from 2001 —see album review). The hook features lyrical tradeoffs between the two emcees, and it sounds as effortless as what you might get from Method Man and Redman, CNN, or any other dynamic secular duo. Linne teams with Brindle on "Sanctification" and "Bondservants", while teaming with muzeOne on the gritty "Behind Bars".

Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising song is "Faulty Doctrine". Here, Brindle digs deep and speaks out against those whose teachings are contrary to God's Word, speaking both directly and indirectly about certain personalities within the Christian community. That’s always cause for some controversy. But whether or not you agree with his stance on certain issues, Brindle is bold with his lyrical presentation, captures your attention, and fulfills the true purpose of music...delivering a memorable message.

In a nutshell, it’s that message that is the essence of The Great Awakening. Brindle's presentation is unparalleled as he combines skillful rhymes, blazin' beats, and sound lyrical content.

It's evident that this project aims to reach the lost and to encourage believers to be awakened to a greater existence. That combination puts this release in a class by itself, and puts it where few releases can go.

Without question, this is a top five candidate for "Underground Project of the Year".