The Christian metalcore quartet Colossus packs a bone-crushing wallop on its debut, Time & Eternal. Beyond its sheer sonic brawn, the group displays an intriguing blend of prog, hardcore, and classic rock elements, harnessed in the service of a God-centered lyrical message. Lead vocalist Alex Gutzmer has a commanding set of pipes that alternate between cellar-deep screams and higher, more vulnerable howls. Straining the bounds of conventional metalcore, Colossus shifts from grinding breakdowns into ascending guitar flights (courtesy of Jim Hughes), lending kinetic energy to even the thickest instrumental slogs. Time & Eternal likewise impresses lyrically, tearing into human vanity and weakness with a merciless edge. Tracks like “Superficial Saviour” (skewering modern conformity), “Counterfeit Kingdoms” (facing mortality head-on), and “Approaching the Throne” (a sinner’s anthem of redemption) combine fearless self-knowledge with vivid imagery rooted in biblical themes. The massively heavy “Dirge” and the grandly atmospheric “Pentecost” show the band’s skill at forging instrumental pieces.