Review: Mandisa- Out of the Dark
Depression is a real battle. No, not getting sad, but real depression. It’s a darkness that not many people know or understand but a lot of people still do. More people battle depression than care to admit but those who are open about it tend to overcome it more often.
For Christian recording artist Mandisa, the darkness and despair of depression has been an ongoing battle and she’s decided to open up about it on her latest offering, aptly titled Out of the Dark. After she released her previous record, ironically titled Overcomer, Mandisa became overwhelmed with a dark depression she almost didn’t get out of. Needless to say, the abyss she reached was a deep one.
With Out of the Dark, Mandisa wanted the record to not just be about the music. She wanted it to be the calling card for anyone who battles depression and doesn’t think they can get out, which is often the case- sometimes you just don’t know how to climb out or even where to start. You just know it’s there.
The record opens with a spoken word intro that’s actually voicemails left for Mandisa by her close friends and family while she was at her darkest times. Right away, we’re off to a very powerful start and it doesn’t slow down at any point.
Out of the Dark is loaded with songs of inspiration and hope. “I’m Still Here,” “Unfinished,” “Comeback Kid” and more are anthems for those who have risen above the depression and darkness and they’re also songs of encouragement for anyone who’s buried and can’t dig their way back up.
In the end, many things are clear with Out of the Dark. It doesn’t matter who you are and how much success you have- you can battle depression too, and sometimes even worse than others. Out of the Darkness isn’t just an album from Mandisa- it’s a victory cry and one that anyone can relate to. Whether you just deal with occasional sadness or severe, clinical depression- Out of the Dark is a record that you can find something to hold close.
This took courage from Mandisa and she should be commended for putting herself out there in such a vulnerable way and letting her fans in on such a deep level. This should be in the running for Album of the Year come the end of 2017.
Rating: 10/10
-Reggie Edwards