It's been a whirlwind year for Paul McCoy and his band, 12 Stones. The band experienced a solid level of success with their debut album and hit the road on some big name (Creed, Three Doors Down) tours. But the biggest coup came when McCoy took guest rapper duties on Evanescence's "Bring Me To Life," which came out of nowhere to become one of the biggest multi-format singles of 2003. Suddenly Wind-Up's little Christian band that could's lead singer had through-the-roof name recognition.

There is life after Evanescence, though, and 12 Stones hit the studio to move onto the next phase of their career. The result is Potter's Field - an album that shows the band seemingly choosing to not mess with success and play to their strengths. Dave Fortman (Evanescence, Atomship) produces, though his presence here is for the most part complimentary rather than proactive.

Lyrically, Potter's Field reflects its title, which the band says represents anonymity, with songs that deal with struggle and darkness but also are encouraging to those who have that sense of hopelessness. Songs (directly and indirectly) point towards Christ as the answer without Christian pretense, cliché, or lingo in the presentation. Musically, Potter's Field moves comfortably in its post-grunge sense of melody, which sets it apart from other bands that are purely clones of Creed.  Potter's Field should please fans of 12 Stones' debut and earn a solid place at rock radio.