Christian has spent the two years since Anberlin's disbandment writing for a new album and a book
Posted: October 19, 2016, 5:00 PM | Category:New Releases Artist Tags: Anberlin Source: From Staff Reports MN
Stephen Christian, long known for his role as frontman of alternative rock group Anberlin, has been wrapping up his time in the studio recording his first solo album.
The album will be releasing in partnership with BEC Records,Omega Replica Watches a division of Tooth & Nail, who was Anberlin's label home at both the beginning and the end of their career. Many of the new songs have surfaced naturally from the writing Christian has been doing for other artists since Anberlin's closing, as well as from his role on the creative staff at Calvary in Albuquerque, NM. "I wasn't even trying to write for myself," the singer explained. "I was literally just songwriting for other people. When I got done, I was like 'that feels kind of like a piece of me. Those stories and those anthems, that's kind of me.' So after thinking about it, my wife was like 'you should put these out.' And I told her 'no, I'm done touring, I've done it for so long.' But she was right, because these were songs that carried so much weight, so much meaning for me."
Stephen Christian entered the studio in early October and has been sharing updates and live streams from the recording process with his fans via facebook. Although fans can expect the new music to be in some ways different thematically from Anberlin, reflective of the new season of ministry Christian has been in for the past two years, he sees it as a continuation of his passion in a new form rather than a clean break. "For me, both were for God, they just looked different. One is on a platform in front of a church, and one is at a festival in middle of Europe," he shared. "Though the mission is the same, it's a different platform. It's definitely a difference in creativity, but I love it."
Musically the album will be taking new paths as well, as Stephen drew inspiration from everything from Ledd Zeppelin, Coldplay and the TV show Stranger Things to create big, larger-than-life, electronic-influenced sounds. You can hear more about the new album and Stephen's thoughts in the exclusive interview below.
The new album isn't the only thing that has kept him busy since Anberlin's dissolution at the end of 2014. Stephen Christian has also completed a book. "I was challenged about 'what is the summation of your life?' Like if you could look back? And for me it was hope." That moment of introspection would lead to him laying out elements of his own life's story. "I was that kid that had no friends. I sat in the back of the class, I wore all black because I just didn't feel like I fit in. But the Bible says 'the foolish things of this world confound the wise.' And that's me. I don't deserve any of this... I look back at the life and the things that happened in my childhood and I go 'there's a reason for that.' It's because now the downcast and the downtrodden? They mean the most to me."
