The band plays solid rock throughout basically the whole CD. Musically I describe them as Pillar mixed with 12 Stones and just a touch of Lifehouse. It starts loud, then "Run" tones down just a bit, complete with a violin or something. "Vow" brings it back up again, and there's only a couple other slower ones towards the end of the CD, including the very last track, "Grace and Love," a beautiful piano-fronted worship song.

    But just because it's mostly loud doesn't mean they all sound the same. Many songs seem to have their own unique feature: "Your Touch" has a cool-sounding intro guitar riff. "Run" has nice harmony on the pre-chorus and chorus. I like the anticipation that the guitars build with both verses on "Vow," and "Pride Away" features the only rap on the CD (very well done, too). "Tonight" has some almost out-of-place screaming at the end. Then it ends with "Grace and Love," the worship one with the piano. (I kept waiting for the band to kick in. It builds a little at the second verse, and though it never gets loud, it actually sounds very cool)

    That's not even counting all the impressive guitar work throughout the whole CD. I like to save my perfect Musical Talent rating for bands that play exceptionally well, and Kutless definitely earns a 5. As for Musical Variety, at points some of the guitar patterns began to sound a little familiar, but it wasn't really that bad, and the talent and creativity expressed in the other songs helped offset that. Nevertheless, note that I still like the first half of the CD better than the second half.

    On the other hand, do actions really speak louder than words? You might expect a band with this kind of talent to have song lyrics that are iffy, hidden, or ambiguous to appeal to a secular audience (for example, 12 Stones). Or songs that still have a Christian meaning, but it's more of a theme like encouragement or hope than shouting Jesus' name (for example, Switchfoot). But not Kutless. All of Kutless's songs are obvious as to their meaning, almost blatantly, although I prefer the word "uncompromising."

    The lyrics may be good and Christian, but they're not outstanding. Simple themes abound, such as "God saved me," "I need you God," etc. "Run" and "Vow" make some very good points, but overall the CD is unextraordinary. This does not take away from the CD. It simply shows that they have room to grow in that area.

    There's very little rhyming, but Kutless proves that you don't have to. There's not necessarily anything deep, or a really clever lyric (sometimes it even almost gets redundant at points). It's just five guys telling whoever will listen what God has done for them. Not a bad idea at all.

Music Variety: 8 of 10
Musical Talent: 9 of 10
Lyrical Value: 10 of 10
Worth Buying: 10 of 10
Overall Rating: A (93%)

ChristianityToday.com
The Good News: Kutless successfully fills a vacancy in Christian music for melodic hard-rock bands...Not that Kutless is doing anything new or brilliant, but you'll definitely love this band if you're looking for heavy guitars, strong drums, and a catchy melody...Kutless's talents are impressive, especially considering all the members are between 19 and 23...As for the songs themselves, most all of them are loud, catchy, and lyrically simple...These songs may not be profoundly worded, but they connect with listeners, particularly the teen audience for whom the music is aimed.
Conclusion: Kutless is a complete success — performing accessible hard rock while offering solid testimony of their faith in Christ.

JesusFreakHideout.com
The Bad News: The band doesn't offer much musically that you haven't already heard...For those looking for a different rock album, you'll want to pass over Kutless's self-titled debut.
Conclusion: If you're a big fan of Creed and wouldn't mind a decent counterpart with simplistic lyrics, you may find a favorite among Kutless.
Rating: 2.5 of 5

CMusicWeb.com
The Good News: Kutless's self-titled debut on BEC Recordings will blow you away. Beginning with their first single, "Your Touch," Kutless grips your ears and won't let go. "Your Touch" contains some of the crispiest rock this side of a Nestle's CRUNCH bar, and Jon Micah Sumrall's Scott Stapp-like vocals glide through the low notes and paralyze when he screams...Kutless pens a plethora of positive rock with lyrics that either drown you in thought or cut to the bone...In a time when high album sales often cover-up shoddy performance, who would have thought such well-rounded artistry could emerge from hard rock oblivion?