This Is Not the End

Manafest Independent, 2019. $15 (download $8.99). ManafestShop.com TORONTO ROCK RAPPER Chris Greenwood, otherwise known as Manafest, is back with a new album. Instead of turning to a record label to help him create this project, he once again drew on his fans via a Kickstarter campaign. With their enthusiastic support he was able to record and release it independently, first as a four-song EP and now as a ten-song album under the same title. Anthems like “This Is Not the End,” “I Made It” and “Kamikaze” are catchy, fun and sure to become fan favourites. While this album doesn’t stray far from his signature rap-rock sound, there are new depths of emotion found in the lyrics. In “Come Back Home,” a duet with Trevor McNevan of Thousand Foot Krutch, Manafest captures a conversation between a prodigal and our Heavenly Father who waits with arms wide open: “Come back home, I’ve been right where you left me / I left the light on and I’ve got everything you need.” In “Plan for Me” Manafest approaches the issue of abortion by telling the story of an aborted child and her parents: “If born, I would of changed the world / If born, I’d been your baby girl / If born, you would of seen me twirl / Brown eyes and golden curls / And guess what? I still love you.” The song tackles a sensitive topic with grace and reminds the listener of the depth of forgiveness God offers us all. After releasing ten full-length albums over nearly two decades, Manafest shows once again that he has the ability to create music that will last. He has earned his spot as an industry veteran.