I sometimes wonder if you could randomly shuffle all of Kutless’ albums and not notice a discernable difference – which is not a great thing if you value artistic growth over a career. But then, if AC/DC can make the same album for 30 years, then why can’t Kutless?

In any case, Believer is a new Kutless album. The group still sound like Creed/Daughtry/3 Doors Down etc., and they still write inspiring lyrics like, “When all my strength is gone / you are holding on,” which could be addressed to God or the lead singer’s girlfriend, depending on whether secular radio plays them. There’s even a huge power ballad called “Hero” (that’s the one they’ll play on Radio Rhema).

Strangely, for all that, this album isn’t without merit. In a way, Kutless are Christian music’s very own Bon Jovi, and there’s a place for that. Particularly on their more upbeat songs, like the opening “If It Ends Today,” Kutless make music that is simple, meat and potatoes rock. If they made an album full of songs like that, they’d have something enduring.

Two stars out of five