Positive: The Knights of the New Crusade don't like the way that Christian rock has become a commoditised product, a way for record companies that might not be driven by Christian ethics and values to make a killing from a religious market.

Negative: If I'm going to be honest, my "secular humanist" hide is prevented from entering their "Christian-only" website.

Positive: The band channel good old-fashioned garage rock in possibly the most raw form that I've heard in years. I'd praise the production for not taking the edge off of the music, but it doesn't even sound like this has had any production applied to it. It's almost as if the band went straight from the studio to the pressing plant, without having any mastering done. Whether this is a good thing or not will of course be up to the individual listener.

Negative: The band have this gimmick of dressing up in knight costumes. It makes them look like a cross between those people who do medieval re-enactments, and overly enthusiastic Dungeons and Dragons players. In other words, dorks.

Positive: What Part of "Thou Shalt Not Kill" Don't You Understand might be one of the most scathing and biting anti-war songs in years, especially as it goes about it in such a way that points out the moral and religious hypocrisy of some of the leaders pushing said war.

Negative: These guys are really into Jesus. While that's not necessarily a bad thing spiritually or morally, it does make for an album that can be difficult to listen to if you don't happen to subscribe to their particular brand of in-your-face faith.

I'm not sure whether The Knights of the New Crusade are actually serious about their beliefs, or whether they're just a joke or a parody gone horribly awry. Their presence on the record label of none other than Jello Biafra outlines exactly what you should expect to hear though, ferocious rock and roll that takes every opportunity to sink the boot into authority. The fact that all the songs are about Jesus, as well as the monologues and skits in between songs, might put you off if you're not a believer. However, in small doses, this band is an intriguing and bizarre experience, and not an entirely unpleasant one either.