The story is a familiar one: talented, hard-working singer/songwriter undertakes a full-length album in the hope that his/her lyrical message is appealing enough to move a few units in a market inundated with insincere, calculated offerings aplenty.

Should sales fail to exceed — or equal — expectation, then there is always consolation in that s/he has borne his/her soul to a minority somewhat bigger than close friends and family.

Walt (aka: Erwalt De Beer) typifies the aforementioned and amidst periodic quality, ‘Somewhere’, ‘Be Yourself’ and ‘Until The End’ see him further set apart from the rest of the nation’s hopeful artists with strong vocals and passionate delivery thereof.

Unfortunately, ‘Could I Just Believe’ and ‘Miss You’ — as admirable as their collective inspiration may be — amount to nothing more than drab melancholy that temporarily takes away from an otherwise impressive effort.

‘Fill Me Up’ stands out head and shoulders above the album’s 10 other tracks and boasts shades of Seether-esque character, while ‘So Gone’ and a live studio version of ‘Hate Within’ provide a fitting conclusion to a collective embraced by emotion far beyond its unassuming advances.

De Beer, with his token backing band in toe, appreciates everyone that’s anybody involved in his musical journey on the album booklet’s obligatory ‘thank you’ page, sentiment echoed throughout an entire CD well worth a monetary chance.