Local guitar virtuoso Matt Lund, who released his Works 2 in 2016, has recently issued a re-release of his 2014 project, Axe of God, with improved sound quality.

For those unfamiliar with Lund’s talents, he is an MTSU adjunct professor who releases solo works and projects with jazz fusion project The Lund McVey Group, Christian rock group Rescued Souls and the classic cover act The Time Raiders.

Axe of God, a venture set apart from Lund’s other groups in genre and focus, features Matt Heller and Craig Jordan contributing drums and bass, respectively, and performs Christian progressive rock and metal.

For the Axe of God record, Lund cut 11 instrumental tracks, all inspired by Bible verses. For example, Isaiah 60:20 (“Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end”) inspired the album’s second track, “Everlasting Light.” Lund takes verses such as these and paints a narrative around them, using his guitar as the paintbrush.

Lund’s website, mattlundmusic.com, offers an indication of what inspired the songs, but ultimately, the way the record sounds is what is important. Throughout all his projects, Lund’s composition skills and sensibilities are a force to be reckoned with. His work on Axe of God is no different, with soaring melodies and ripping solos weaving in and out of the tracks.

The opening section of the album is where these details shine the most. “Covenant” kicks things off with an epically intricate guitar solo that I can imagine even Jimi Hendrix would have loved to play. From there, “Everlasting Light” provides a bright and triumphant main riff fit for its inspirational title concept. “The Vision” is arguably the hardest rocker on Axe of God, with heavy riffs and theatrical builds and breaks that could stand toe-to-toe with some of popular metal’s finest. Lund caps things off with a bang on “Cornerstone,” a slow and steady rocker that transitions into an Eddie-VanHalen-esque outro.

While instrumental prog-rock/metal is not a genre for everyone, those who do enjoy it will want to dig into the top-notch compositions present here. Those seeking a blend of worshipful  inspiration and rock might also appreciate the unique approach to the subject matter.

Axe of God’s Axe of God is available on Spotify, CD Baby and Reverb Nation.