Christian hard rock band Fades Away are back with new music! Their new album will hopefully be released in September later this year but fear not, for you don't have to wait long to hear some new music! Their new single "Creature" is coming out next Tuesday (28th May) through Voluminous Records.
Thought you knew Fades Away's sound? Well, think again! Whilst still keeping with their melodic hard rock sound in parts, "Creature" is by far the most brutal and heaviest track from them yet and, trust me, it's truly special so it's time to get stoked folks! I guarantee you'll have this track on repeat! You can hear a sneak peek of the new single below.
To keep up to date with Voluminous Records and Fades Away, be sure to like their facebook pages HERE and HERE respectively. Fades Away and Voluminous Records are also considering releasing another single prior to the new album release so keep an eye out for that...
The latest release from CLG distributed artist Sara Renner entitled Acoustic Sessions is currently being featured on AmazonMP3's website for $5.99. The album will only be available at this price for a limited time.
The album is a collection of soulful original and cover songs recorded in an intimate setting in Sara's hometown of Minneapolis, MN. Sara doesn't just sing. She "sangs." Anyone into Soul/R&B will easily know exactly what is meant by that phrase. Highlights on the album include a stripped down version of "That's The Way You Love" (one of her most popular songs) along with a delightful, intimate cover version of Michael Jackson's "Man In The Mirror."
So do yourself a favor and head over to the AmazonMP3 site and check out this outstanding album from a mega-talented independent artist. This is top-notch material in every single way!
Anyone into Gospel Rap likely knows the legendary duo known as Gospel Gangstaz. Their Gang Affiliated album from 1994 sold in excess of 300,000 units and brought Gospel Rap to the forefront. In doing so, the duo established the genre as credible among even the most cynical of rap fans. In 2013, our favorite G's are gearing up to announce some big news...and they've promised to give us the exclusive scoop first. So stay tuned to JesusWired in anticipation of the BIG NEWS! You will hear it here first.
As we patiently wait for them to iron out the details, they've decided to drop a video on YouTube for the song "Change" from their 2002 album The Exodus. View the video below and make sure to leave a comment to let us know what you think about the video.
These legendary cats are once again about to bust a move on the Christian Hip-Hop world and reclaim their rightful place as kings of the genre!
It's been over three years since the popular Christian pop punk band Stellar Kart released their last full length project "Everything Is Different Now". There's been a couple of smaller releases since then which never seemed to garner much interest from long term SK fans, one being their Disney EP "A Whole New World" and the other was their "Acoustic Album".
Well, fear not SK fans, a new full length project is on its way later this year. The lead singer, Adam Agee, last night did a live ustream video and, in response to my question, announced that their new album "All In" will be released 27th August. Stellar Kart then proceeded to announce it via twitter. You heard it here first, unless of course you were watching the live stream!
In response to another of my questions, he also revealed that the album will contain a mixture of ballads, rock and roll and some old school pop punk songs. Adam also divulged that this is their deepest album yet and his favourite. During the one hour broadcast he performed a couple of the new songs acoustically, one was the fourth song on the record "Never Left Your Side" and the other was the new single "All In (Apologize)". He also gave us sneak previews of the intros of a few of the other songs and confirmed that the track "Criminals & Kings" off the acoustic EP will be on the new record.. From those two songs and previews, the new album looks like it's going to be seriously awesome and I'd highly recommend you circle 27th August in your diaries so you don't miss out on what will surely be one of the albums of 2013.
The title track and lead single off the record "All In (Apologize)" is OUT NOW. It released at midnight all around the world so people from Australia and here in the United Kingdom for example got to buy and listen to it first. I have not stopped listening to it and is on constant repeat through my headphones. It's awesome!
You can buy the new single from iTunes HERE (it's also available via other fine digital retailers). Stay up to date with Stellar Kart by liking their facebook page HERE and follow them on twitter @stellarkartband.
Be sure to tell all your friends about this awesome news by sharing this article!
Denver, Colorado based Christian rock band Random Hero's started an indiegogo campaign last month to help raise the funds to finish up their new album "Carry Me, Bury Me" and for their summer tours. There are just 28 hours left to go and they still need to raise $4100+ so head on over to their campaign HERE to help them raise the necessary funds by pre-ordering their new record (you get some pretty sweet rewards in return!) and to find out much more about the project. Please also share this campaign with all of your friends! The introductory video to the project from the lead singer Aaron is below.
Random Hero's mission and ministry is to bring light into the darkness by bringing a message of hope and joy through their music. To find out more about them and to keep up to date with them please give their facebook PAGE a like and follow them on twitter @randomheroband.
Broken Down? In need of recovery? Don't fret because help is at hand!
At the end of March, New York native Cory Matthews released his brand new single “Broken Down” featuring A.J. The track, off his upcoming album “UnAfraid”, was produced by Sinima beats and engineered by Jordan Clark in Albany, NY.
Effortlessly blending elements of both hip-hop and rock, Cory brings us an incredible track infused with hard hitting crisp lyrics and a powerful message. Cory describes the meaning behind the song in much more detail below,
“The first verse of the song is written to a man who lost his family in a drunk driving accident and felt as though it was his fault. This man could not understand why God would allow this to happen to his family. Instead of turning to God who wished to heal his broken heart... he closed himself off to society and began to use drugs as a means to escape feeling. I really wanted to express to this man that he is not too far gone and that God still loves him and wants him to come to Him...even in his broken state so that he can be made new. God wants forgiveness for all and sometimes the hardest person for us to forgive is ourselves. The second was written for a tremendous girl who had fallen victim to rape. As it always does, this experience left the girl traumatized and questioning where was God. This girl's faith was strong and she regained her faith but her relationships suffered. She felt abused and weak...no longer worth her true value. This song is meant for her...to know that she is still loved and truly a daughter of God. No man can take away her beauty in His eyes. In prior weeks I had heard some really traumatic stories that had me questioning why God allows evil into the world...a question that is asked regularly to Christians. I understood the concepts of free will but when it comes to one’s life, it is much harder to just take that... Sometimes it feels as though God abandons us.. This song was really written to show that in those times where we are Broken Down...that is when God is calling out to us the most. We have to break out of ourselves and realize that we are not strong enough to overcome on our own...but with the strength of God all is possible. God loves his children and does not wish us to suffer. So when we do, God wants to be our crutch, our defences, and our respirator...filling us with the breath of life. I really wrote this song to let the world know that there is never a place where you cannot turn to God. He wants everyone where they are at. Clean, dirty, or absolutely Broken Down... God wants all of us.”
"Broken Down" opens with some delicate piano key strokes accompanied by a various assortment of softly sung 'hey's, 'oh's and 'woah's which, along with the opening chorus, helps set the contemplative tone for the rest of the song and gently eases us into the first verse. The lyrics are crafted with finesse and in such a way that each time I listen to the first verse it conquers up the same vivid image of a man on his knees, bound in heavy chains, in a cold and damp dark room desperately crying out to God to save him. As Cory punches out the following hard hitting vocals from the first verse with conviction you can feel yourself being swept along for the ride from despair to redemption, swiftly growing more confident in yourself and God’s love,
“...you think that ya past defines you every time you try to forget, circumstances reminds you of how you’re unclean, so unworthy tear ya self away from the world feeling dirty your past trials don’t form your identity God said to forgive your enemies well sometimes, that means forgive yourself don't just place your problems on the shelf you are more than the person that you used to be you are dressed up in beauty, and His majesty you’re a son or a daughter, of the God of mercy And He will save you, no matter if you’re worthy So God let me stop letting all this pain hurt me I’m starving for the truth, and these scars have me thirsting..."
It's when the chorus triumphantly hits, however, that chills are truly sent scuttling down your spine. It’s at this point, in my mind, that the man’s chains fall to the ground as he stands and spreads his arms wide in surrender to our God above, cloaked in the bright light suddenly flooding through the window.
As the second verse commences we’re immediately thrown into the confused and lost mind of this poor girl and, in echoing a question many of us humans have cried out to God in the past, “God where were you when I was on the ground, hoping, choking, broken down” we’re just putty in Cory’s hands. Cory molds his lyrics perfectly to take us on a roller-coaster journey through her thoughts where we feel her pain as if it’s our own and, although safe in the knowledge that God is always there, by the end of the verse we’re left desperately crying out to God with her “I need someone to come and Save Me”.
The final renditions of the chorus achieve something quite remarkable as they cause the listener to experience two almost polar opposite feelings at the same time. You’re left crying out to God for His grace to save you from a place of desperation but you’re also left feeling majorly encouraged and safe in the knowledge that no matter how “Broken Down” you are, God will always want you. Somehow it works (don’t ask me how though)!!
“Just take what's left of me and tear it out, The fire inside my heart just burnt me to the ground, I'm broken down, I'm lost, will I ever be found, Who will save me now, won't You save me now, Won't You save me now”
It takes a few listens to truly appreciate what the piano sounds bring to the table but after a while you come to the realisation that they add an extra depth to the track, in that they complement and interact with the hip-hop beats seamlessly . I think I can also detect some guitar in there as well but I'm still very new to looking beyond the surface of songs at each individual element so please forgive my ignorance!
It doesn't seem to matter whether I listen to this track to analyse and dissect it or whether I'm just listening to it for pleasure, or even what mood I'm in, it never fails to deliver the goods; all of which point to "Broken Down" being a truly great song. Since I stumbled across it completely by chance whilst doing updates for my Christian Contemporary Music facebook PAGE three weeks ago, and then pretty much immediately purchasing it, I've listened to it over 140 times, and that's not even including the plays on soundcloud and youtube before I bought it! I think it's safe to say I LOVE this song, I really hope you do too...
You can listen to "Broken Down" below and you can purchase it on iTunes HERE (it's also available via other fine digital retailers).
Want to keep up to date with Cory Matthews' music? Then go and like his facebook page HERE and/or follow him on twitter HERE. If you also want to know a bit more about Cory there's a brief bio beneath the video.
About Cory Matthews
Living in New York with his father, who just happened to be a DJ, Cory Matthews grew up in love with music. His cousin was a rapper and Cory felt called to hip hop thanks to its authenticness and pure ability to express exactly who the artist is and what they believe in. Although not having the easiest of upbringings and having to live pay check to pay check, Cory recalls that they never let the lack of money stop them from having a good time and spending time with each other. Cory did however give up on his dream and pursue other types of music after being consistently told by everyone that he didn’t look or talk like a rapper, that he was the wrong colour, that there was no way he could do hip hop and so on. Up until College broke the group up, Cory pursued other music options by playing the drums for a band which included his close friends Kevin, Dylan, Nick, Justin and, the guy who’s featured on the single, Adam. Cory had attended church in the past but it was around this time that he had a massive calling from God and begun a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He also begun to witness to the inner city youth that he felt he had a close bond to and it was through this that his love for hip-hop was re-kindled, “I just felt that I could really witness the gospel in an attractive way through hip-hop. Rap music has always been about being real, telling your audience who you are, what you believe, and taking a stand."
Cory’s now gaining a name for himself in both the hip hop music and the Contemporary Christian Music scenes. Cory however remains his humble self, “I am still in shock at how many people listen to my music. It is truly a privilege to be able to serve. I am by no means worthy. I think that shows the power of Christ in a real way... He takes a guy like me who has faults, mistakes, and doubts...and graces me with the ability to serve him. Who am I to be a herald of God's good news for his people?”
JesusWired will be hosting the brand new video in the U.S. for "Fearless" by the Irish band The Remission Flow for one week. Yes, that's right. You can only see it HERE for the next week!
The song is inspired by the reckless, peerless love of our God and the response which that should illicit in those who have received His Mercy. This is a live demo recorded using a handful of mics in the little homemade studio above the guitarist's garage on the outskirts of Monaghan in Ireland. They recorded their debut album "The Light That Floods" in this little room last year with Producer/engineer and label boss Trevor Michael. They hope to include a more complete version of the track on their upcoming live album scheduled for a late Autumn/Winter 2013 release on 7coremusic.
BIO:
The Remission Flow are seven ordinary people, with very ordinary talents living wonderfully normal lives. Our backgrounds, ages and experiences are as diverse as our dreams, failings and needs. However, we are totally united in Jesus Christ, desperate to serve our God and burdened for those who have yet to receive His beautiful salvation. We haven’t got Christianity figured out, don’t have all the answers and our lives are far from perfect. In fact, our names, faces, stories and the songs we have been given are worth nothing if they do not point to Christ. God has instructed us to share our hearts, vision, pains, struggles and joy with each of you and to point everyone we meet Home. It is our desire to live out our lives in Worship and to see many receive the Remission of their sins. We are so unworthy but so incredibly privileged to serve in this ministry and pray that we can be a blessing through our obedience to God’s call. All Glory, Honour and Power are the Lord's forever and ever. Amen.
Read our review of "The Light That Floods" by clicking HERE!
Check out the brand new song/video for "We Lift You Up" from South African worship leader Niel Higgins from the upcoming album "The Noise We Make" due out March 26, 2013:
Purchase the song on iTunes (click above button), Amazon or Google Play. Also available on Rhapsody and other fine digital retailers across the globe as well as Spotify and similar music streaming sites.
Over the weekend Christian rapper Purified released his third full length album "Rebirth". The first single "One I Want" featuring Unknwn is below. In the words of Purified himself, "If you like Dubstep, Electro-hop and high energy party music then this is definitely the album for you"! You can buy the album on iTunes and other fine online retailers.
Are you a big Purified fan like me? I'd love to hear your thoughts on which you think is his best album so far here.
Christian hard rock band Fades Away are back with new music! Their new album will hopefully be released in September later this year but fear not, for you don't have to wait long to hear some new music! Their new single "Creature" is coming out next Tuesday (28th May) through Voluminous Records.
