Pre-order our new album “His Death Overcame” here: http://kck.st/3TxDxdq
So much modern music is focused on creating a pop hit that immediately begs for your attention and never lets go. Every moment of the song filled up with no space to breathe or relax into the music. An overproduced sound has permeated the music culture in every genre. Streaming platforms now give listeners the immediate choice of a million songs to listen to which makes it difficult to find music that doesn’t loudly shout for your attention from the very start.
In contrast, our new album titled “His Death Overcame” is a nuanced acoustic based journey that leaves room for the listener to join in and invites them into a space allowing them to find rest. The first song on the album is a single take of a lead vocal and an acoustic guitar for the first 2 minutes and 30 seconds. There’s nothing flashy on this album. It is imperfect, authentic, and real. In the first song if you listen closely in the background you can even hear my kids playing upstairs while I’m recording the song in my basement. It’s moments like these that actually enhance the song in my opinion as it sounds more real, beautifully human, and alive. This album is not overproduced, machine perfect, but it is real and honest.
One thing that I think Christian music has not always represented so well is coming to grips with the broken side that is within all of us. I love worship music, it shows us how big God is and reminds us of His faithfulness. But it typically never focuses in on the brokenness that is also present here on earth. In modern Christian worship songs, there is always a resolution that God has brought us through a storm in some way, a perfect closure to our problems.
But what about those of us currently in the storm, still waiting? A few songs on this album struggle with that middle ground… God – where are You? Just like many of the psalms speak to those same struggles without any resolution. There's three different categories of songs written in the book of Psalms: songs of praise, thanksgiving, and lament. We have plenty of the first two categories in modern worship music, but very few of the latter. And yet conversely, the psalms are primarily made up of songs of lament.
Several of the songs on this album are laments. My hope is that by being honest and open about my personal struggles in these songs, it may encourage others to know they are not alone. God is in the process of redeeming our brokenness for His glory, but it is a process. Despite being in the storm, we can find strength in knowing “that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
The album design serves as an illustration of this process of becoming whole... if you look to the left side of my face in the cover art my features are almost imperceptible. But to the right, as time passes and our faith is perfected, the intended and created true image appears, as we strive to become more like Christ. Similar imagery and metaphor is captured in the CD artwork on the design below. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17
Why back this project?
All proceeds received from this kickstarter go directly into the digital distribution, mixing, mastering, recording, and making of this CD and music. Without your help, we can't make the music we love using professional engineering studios and mastering experts. To raise the quality of the music there is a cost, and to digitally distribute the album across all of the platforms (Apple Music, Spotify, etc.) there is a cost. Your donations go directly towards this and make it possible for us to continue to write and record songs that will hopefully impact many listeners in a personal way. Our hope is to bring a light to the darkness by pointing to Christ and what He has done for us... that others may discover the incredible peace and rest that comes from knowing and believing His Death Overcame.
Reach Wabuku
If fully funded, 10% of all proceeds for this project will be donated to Jason Cizdziel and his family as they currently serve as missionaries in Papua New Guinea. To learn more about their family and the multi-year journey they have taken as they church plant from inside the Wabuku tribe, click here: http://www.reachwabuku.com
Preview the Songs
A preview of each of the 5 songs on this album can be heard at the following link: https://unbrokenlight.bandcamp.com/album/his-death-overcame-ep-preview
Liner Notes
The band members who contributed to this album are:
-Matt White (vocals, bass)
-Jason Cizdziel (drums, percussion)
-Josh Mills (vocals, guitar, bass, keys, loops, drums, and percussion)
- Guest musician Ray Tilkens (fretless bass and slide guitar on All Over To You)
The entire album was recorded at Unbroken Light Studios in Stafford, VA except for the song "All Over to You" which was recorded at Ambient Studios in Maryland. All songs mixed and mastered by Jeff Covert at Wally Cleaver's Recording Studio in Fredericksburg, VA except for the song "All Over to You" which was mixed by Ray Tilkens at Ambient Studios in Maryland.