Stephen The Brave isn't very popular if compared to Christian metal giant such as Stryper or Guardian, but behind their obscure existence, I can see a lot of potential that could have made them bigger than they were. The problem is they're struggling without any marketing support from any major label, and also joining the scene in 1992 was pretty damn late for any hard rock-related act to survive.

Bordering between Giant, Europe, and commercial MSG's sound, their debut, "Battle Cries", possessed a magical touch of melodic metal, though not as heavy as in the early 80s. "All Together Now" is an explosive opener, the skewed verse with a great melodic chorus made this one a brilliant starter. Salters' voice is somehow very similar to Robin McAuley's style. "The Waiting" is a wonderful semi-ballad track, radio friendly, and clearly the best track inside. "Tears of A Broken Heart" has big hooks and memorable chorus, "Never Live Without Your Love" should have ruled the airplay, a hit potential power ballad indeed, and "Ride With Rhythm" is an example of how The Brave messed with heavy metal, a powerful uptempo track.

The rest of the album has some mixed feeling. "If That Ain't Love" is a decent filler, "Just A Man" and "Big World" aren't that great but okay. Aside from several weaker tracks, "Battle Cries" still enjoy a lot of huge tunes and nice production. If you like Christian-based melodic hard rock/glam metal, this one is a good catch.