Mars Hill Music Label Partners With Major Record Companies

By Alex Murashko, CP Contributor Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Seattle-based Mars Hill Church is taking its record label that features an eclectic brand of worship music to the next level by partnering with two renowned record label and recording studio companies that have featured such Christian favorites as Jeremy Camp, KJ-52, Kutless, and Falling Up.

Mars Hill Music announced on Tuesday that it will be partnering with Tooth & Nail Records and BEC Recordings to share the variety of worship bands coming from Mars Hill Church. Both companies work closely with EMI Records, one of the largest music distribution companies in the world.

"We have already been incredibly blessed with the number of people we've been able to reach with our music so far," Mars Hill communications director Justin Dean told The Christian Post. "For Mars Hill Music this partnership with Tooth & Nail means taking our record label from previously being able to reach thousands to possibly reaching millions through Tooth & Nails' distribution channels."

Mars Hill churches are currently found in 14 different locations inside four states and are home to 35 worship bands such as Citizens, Kings Kaleidoscope, Ghost Ship, and The Modern Post. On February 12, Tooth & Nail Records and BEC Recordings will release the "Mars Hill Worship Sampler," a compilation of worship songs as an introduction to bands featured at the church.

"These bands have all reached top positions on the iTunes Christian & Gospel chart with previous EP releases, including The Modern Post's Grace Alone EP, which also reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and the Top 20 on the Billboard Christian Albums Chart," Dean stated. "The Mars Hill Worship Sampler will feature fresh, musically diverse takes on traditional Christian anthems as well as original songs."

Mars Hill Music's first full-length release featuring Citizens is planned to debut on March 12. The band's self-titled LP follows the debut EP "Already – Not Yet," which climbed to the top position on the iTunes Christian & Gospel chart. This record will feature a fresh take on hymns as well as original songs, according to the music label group.

Citizens is a high-energy indie rock worship band born in the heart of Seattle's University District. The band has quickly built a reputation for their dynamic hymn arrangements and high-intensity anthems, states Mars Hill Music. Zach Bolen leads the band with "visible emotion and a passion that stems from a desire to see everyone worship Jesus as Lord." Citizens has performed at major events such as Catalyst One Day, Creation Festival and Resurgence conferences.

Mars Hill Music label manager Jonathan Dunn said in an interview with CP last year that it was time to take what Mars Hill worship bands have been doing for the last 10 years "off the grid" and begin sharing globally.

"The first thing people often think of when they hear Mars Hill Music is that we're a group of punk rock Calvinists who hate the modern worship movement. Mars Hill Music is setting out to change that perception. Our music is not an expression against anything but instead an outgrowth of our theology, who we are, and the communities our churches are in. We love Jesus and are expressing that love in our own way," Dunn said.

On the Web: http://marshill.com/music.