Capitol Christian Music Group
Release Date: September 15th 2023
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Chris Tomlin & Miel San Marcos– Holy Forever (Español) (Single) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Holy Forever (Español)
When you’re Chris Tomlin, and you’ve seemed to have conquered everything- sold our tours, hit number one songs, and a country influenced album that has impressed critics and fans alike… what is next? In 2021, Chris Tomlin & Friends: Summer EP released, and it was incredibly underwhelming. I reviewed it here, and the long and short of that release was that I thought it was a tad lazy to release a 5 song EP with 2 ‘double-ups’ and similar guest vocals. It’s an unfortunate blip in an inspiring and impacting career thus far; while the worshipful album Always, with a middling score of 3/5, is expertly written by Jon, and you can read that review here. There are powerful songs and cringeworthy songs on the album- and Chris is Chris, so therefore, you’re going to get the songs like “How Great Is Our God”, and you’re going to get the songs like “I See You”. Chris writes songs for the church, and so… should we expect his songs to be lyrically creative and ingenious? Possibly. But when you’re at the stage of your career like Chris- I guess you can afford to be… sloppy isn’t the right word, maybe it’s more attune to what God wants you to write more than what people want you to right. You get what I mean? Arguably one of the biggest songs from Always was “Holy Forever”- and now, Chris has re-released the song- this time as a duet with Guatemalan worship band Miel San Marcos.
There’s nothing much needed to be said about “Holy Forever”. This time, it’s partly sung in Spanish, but my enjoyability and the effortless poignancy and power on this track remains. “Holy Forever” is probably my favourite Chris Tomlin worship song since “Resurrection Power”; and this version only enhances my viewpoint. I don’t know Miel San Marcos from a bar of soap; but they’re energetic presence is a big, big plus, and Chris’s vocals are on point too. And as we come together regardless of language and worship a God who is indeed holy and worthy of our praise; let us bask in the wonder and amazement of Jesus, and let us bask in the knowledge that He is with us and He will always be with us until the end of our days. I previously thought that after Chris Tomlin released his country album Chris Tomlin And Friends, that he’d be branching out further, into maybe a pop album or a rock album or an EDM album. Now that he’s gone back to what he knows best (which is worship); I have mixed feelings. Chris has done a lot in worship, and frankly, I’d love it more if he branched out more musically and recorded something just a tad different. Always was alright, but it wasn’t the greatest, and I’m still itching for the next album that will be on par with Arriving or See The Morning or Burning Lights. That album hasn’t come yet, and I’m still holding out hope. But if Chris keeps recording songs like “Holy Forever”, then I guess that’ll be ok. The song isn’t my absolute favourite from Chris. But it’s the best worship song he’s done in a long time. Objectively and subjectively, “How Great Is Our God” is still Chris’s crowning achievement… and it looks to stay that way at this point in time. Yet “Holy Forever” is solid… but let’s hope Chris changes it up musically the next time. He is probably one of the fathers of modern worship music. and that’s fine. I just think that there’s more untapped potential that is waiting to be explored. “Holy Forever” is the first step of many- maybe there’s a resurgence coming of powerful and brilliant Chris Tomlin worship songs or Chris Tomlin songs in general. And so while we wait for what is next, let’s worship Jesus with this song. Because it truly is magical, and a timely reminder of how great Chris is and has been as a songwriter and a worship leader.
Score: 4/5
RIYL: Crowder, Kristian Stanfill, Christy Nockels, Jesus Culture, Meredith Andrews