Celebrating a powerful and uplifting 20+ years since the original independent release of the band's GOLD selling self-titled debut album, THIRD DAY – which Billboard has called "one of the best rock bands, period" – forges new but familiar ground on its upcoming 12th studio album, Lead Us Back: Songs of Worship. Looking beyond the extraordinary stats and accolades including 30 #1 singles, more than 8.5 million albums sold, 24 GMA Dove Awards, four GRAMMY®s, an American Music Award and being honored as a Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee, the band is focusing on the spirit of worship and a pure consistency that has driven all of its recordings and live performances, and has always inspired its loyal fans to draw closer to God.Mac Powell (lead vocals), Mark Lee (guitars), Tai Anderson (bass) and David Carr (drums), extol the eternal virtues of "Our Deliverer" and "Maker" while asking Him to "Lead Us Back" to the passionate faith that all believers had at the beginning of their walk with Christ.Fashioned by its producers, The Sound Kids (Nashville based artists Jonny Macintosh and JT Daly), as a worship experience with THIRD DAY at the center of a "friend choir," the 12-track devotional features members of Powell's home church choir; prominent guest vocalists Michael W. Smith, Natalie Grant and Michael Tait (featured on "In Jesus Name"); background vocals by David Crowder, Daniel Bashta, David Leonard and Leslie Jordan (All Sons & Daughters); and a featured vocal on "Your Words" by emerging female indie artist, Harvest."Thematically, many of the songs on Lead Us Back include references to the Hebrews leaving the slavery of Egypt to enter the Promised Land, with strong parallels between Moses leading God's people and Jesus bringing us back to where we should be in relation to God," says Powell, who generally initiates the band's collective songwriting process.
THIRD DAY's first dedicated worship album in 12 years, Lead Us Back: Songs of Worship is the latest in the band's storied tradition of recordings in the increasingly popular genre.
The original songs "Cry Out To Jesus," "Your Love Oh Lord (Psalm 36)," "Show Me Your Glory," and "King of Glory" have become staples of contemporary worship services around the world and in addition to the group's previous worship projects, the PLATINUM and GOLD selling Offerings: A Worship Album (2000) and Offerings II: All I Have To Give (2003). But while the first Offerings album was a mix of new songs, covers and live versions of previous songs and its follow up was a gathering of live recordings, all of the songs on Lead Us Back: Songs of Worship were penned specifically for this project.
THIRD DAY's stature as a multi-platinum band galvanizing both the group's core CCM audience and secular rock enthusiasts alike has led to the opportunity in recent years to work with some of the pop and rock world's top producers, Howard Benson (Revelation) and Brendan O'Brien (Miracle). While blessed with the confidence and experience that those sessions imparted, the band took a very different approach in hiring the young duo The Sound Kids. Jonny Macintosh was part of the modern rock group Luna Halo, and JT s the lead singer for the indie rockers, Paper Route. The fact that the two had only recently joined forces as a production duo, (its most prominent credit is Daniel Bashta's The Invisible), was compelling creatively to the band.
Connecting Old Testament images of "beauty rising from ashes" and "new life in these dry bones" to the redeeming work of Christ, Third Day expounds upon the many things done "In Jesus Name": the blind have sight, the deaf now hear, the lame will walk, the lost draw near. Likewise, the atmospheric, piano driven title track "Lead Us Back" includes imagery from Exodus as it connects with Jesus' ability to bring us back to him in order to move forward. The stomping, high energy "Maker" is an explosive reminder of the infinitely creative side of God, maker of heaven and earth. The ambient rock ballad "He Is Alive" ties in to the band's moniker perfectly, reflecting upon the Resurrection and the hope it brings. Lead Us Back: Songs of Worship wraps with a soulful reflection on Jesus' power in "I Know You Can," the infectious, lighthearted sing-along praise to the "Father of Lights," and "The One I Love," the folk-pop flavored finale to the album is a love song to us written from God's point of view.