Employing the same tireless work ethic that's made the group a favorite of fans and critics alike on the concert circuit, Hearts of Saints, comprising Craig Felker (frontman), Jason Killebrew (drums), Jesse Grisham (guitar) and Joel Purdy (bass), entered the studio energized and focused not only to write more of its signature catchy rock anthems but also Scripture-heavy songs for the church.
"We've always led worship but there are many people who didn't know that," Felker shares. "So as these worship choruses kept naturally pouring out, we thought ‘What if we made an album that showcased both sides of what we do live?"
The result of this rather inspired idea is a unique double-disc effort titled For All of Us. While some songs are written specifically for the church to sing together in unity, others are meant to uplift, encourage and entertain with Hearts of Saints' trademark pop/rock sound.
"We've always been comfortable in both worlds, it's just who we are," explains Felker. "We're not a rock band covering worship songs; we feel called to write fresh expressions. Truth be told, we've never been all that interested in simply singing songs to people anyway. We want to sing songs with people."
Pleased to be teaming up again with Executive Producer Ainslie Grosser (Jesus Culture, Matt Redman,) and producer/songwriter Michael Farren, known for writing modern worship staples "Let it Rain" and "Let the Worshippers Arise," Hearts of Saints also enlisted Grammy Award-winning producer Andy Hunt (Shirock, Matthew West) for the rock side of For All of Us.
Covering a wide subject range, For All of Us is chock full of anthemic songs that speak to the real world joys and heartaches of the faith journey. "Come Out of the Dark" is a bold call to remember our identity in Christ as "sons and daughters of light," while the Psalm-inspired "Everlasting," portrays an intimate plea born out of a desire for holiness. The moving title track recalls the love and victory that Christ demonstrated on the cross "for all of us."The group hopes these songs will ignite generations to live out their faith.
Along with the seven new worship tracks on For All of Us, listeners will also be treated to six more cuts that reflect the band's pop/rock sensibilities. Yet nestled beneath these songs' playful, raucous musical exterior are, similar to the worship tracks, sobering commentaries on modern life and faith. In "Attraction Distraction," co-written with Joel Smallbone (for King & Country), Hearts of Saints considers the danger of becoming slaves to people-pleasing, while the compelling ballad "Wait," written after learning a teenage fan had committed suicide, centers around people searching for lasting love, significance and fulfillment.
"So many kids don't know they're loved, and one of those stories seriously rocked our world," recalls Purdy. "We found out that a fan of ours, a young girl, took her own life. So we wrote this song because there's so many young people like her who need to know they're loved and that someone really does care."
Reflecting on the final result, Hearts of Saints says this about For All of Us, "Everyone brought something unique to the table, and we feel that this is the most accurate reflection of who we are. As a result, we think this is our best work yet, and we hope everyone who listens will agree."
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