Third Day Enters New Chapter with 'Revelation'
Award winning Christian rock band Third Day released on Tuesday a new album, titled Revelation, that critics say reveal a new phase in the band's award-winning career.
"Revelation is the strongest album in years, and indicates the beginning of the next chapter in the group's already-successful career," said Debra Akins, contributing editor for GospelMusicChannel.com.
According to Mac Powell, the lead singer of the band, they wanted to shake things up and try something fresh. To start, they got out of Atlanta and recorded their album with a new producer, Howard Benson, who is known for his secular works.
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"Going with a different producer and working different places than we'd ever worked before did get us out of our comfort zone," Powell said. "I think it brought about a whole new process for us."
And their move to a secular producer was not an attempt to leave Contemporary Christian Music, the band assured.
"We're not trying to cross over," said bassist Tai Anderson. "We're just trying to be the best Third Day we can be."
"We were talking and saying that we need to make sure this record does not sound like the first record from a band that is now past its relevancy," Anderson told The Dallas Morning News.
But Anderson didn't rule out the possibility of more secular exposure.
"Our hope is that it doesn't have to be an either-or (secular or religious)," said Anderson, as reported by the Dallas newspaper. "The first thing is look at the cover of the record. If we were trying to water down our message, there wouldn't be a cross on the top of the mountain. This is not a band that is trying to disguise its faith. But at the same time we're a band that's ready. We just want to test the limits a little bit."
Senior music editor of GospelMusicChannel.com, Deborah Price, commented, "There comes a time in the life of every successful band when they can either comfortably continue to employ a formula the know works well or they can plunge into risky new territory and take their creative chance … it is obvious GRAMMY-winning rockers Third Day have chosen the road less traveled."
Prior to the release of Revelation, Third Day released Chronology, Volume 1 (1990-2000) and Chronology, Volume 2 (2001-2006), selecting highlights from the group's earlier projects.
The new album consists of 13 tracks, including "This is Who I Am," "Born Again," and "Call My Name." Chris Daughtry and Lacey Mosley appear as guest artists.
Third Day is a Georgia-based Christian band formed in 1991 by Powell and Mark Lee. Anderson on bass and David Carr on drums joined to make the full band and Scotty Wilbanks on keyboards joins occasionally for tours. Third Day received numerous awards including Grammys and Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards.
