ALBUM REVIEW - PSALMS BY RECLAIM THE DAY

 

Definitely a better late than never review! On June 11, 2022, I heard Reclaim the Day the day after this project was released. Today is July 29, 2023. Oh well.

I love the artwork for this project. One word of warning - there are projects called Psalms (e.g. The Psalm Project) where the songs are Biblical Psalms set to music. There are others who use the Biblical Hebrew word for "song" (you guessed it, Psalm) but these Psalms are more contemporary. This fits into the latter category. (So does Disciple's latest release, "Skeleton Psalms.")

Reclaim The Day released three singles before this EP. Two of these - 2022 WVIU rock song of the year "Sentenced To Life" and "Chokehold" which teams RTD's lead vocalist with Zahna - lead off this project. For some reason the third single, "Who You Are" didn't get included (it deserved to have made the cut). 

The other three songs are as good as the singles. "Yours Alone," which pairs Becca Sugg with Alex Beattie, is an excellent, worshipful song. The band rocks out again on "Say Goodbye," which has been recently released as a single. This project closes with "Don't Look Back."

Those who know me know I'm a Reclaim The Day fan. You can check them out on Spotify and YouTube and their Facebook page.

 

LOOKING BACK AT '22 - FAVORITE SONGS (PART 2 OF 6)

 

Reclaim The Day, from Get To The Point Festival. Left to right - WVIU bassist of the year Logan Morehouse, drummer Tristan Harris, lead vocalist Becca Sugg, and WVIU lead guitarist of the year Marcus Sugg. Did this band have any songs on my 15 favorite songs of '22? If so, how many?

Those of you familiar with my blogs and posts know I give lists on both fiction and non-fiction books. But how about music? 

To be honest, our budget for new books and records is usually zero, so I make use of the library for my reading. I regularly get CDs from there as well, but most of the time it's classical with some music like Yanni, and for the purpose of relaxing at night (which is why I don't check out Stryper). It's recently I started listening to more recent music on Spotify (and I also plan on listening some next year to WVIU and Silent Witness Radio (click here if you missed my interview with Gothdad of SWR).

So this year, I'll list my 15 favorite songs from this past year. With my books, I don't claim my favorites were all written that year, but rather were read that year (which allows Agatha Christie and Allistair MacLean to compete against Kerry Nietz, Nancy Mehl, and Donna Fletcher Crow). The music, I'm trying to deal with '22 songs, though a '21 song might sneak in there. (For example, one of my favorite songs came out last year as a single, but was on a EP and won the WVIU award for best rock song this year, so it qualifies).

Part of the reason of these lists is to encourage the artists included, but I want to be a good dad and not show favortism, so I pick a number (often, 10 is too limited so I make sure I expand it to include all my strong favorites), and then list the entries alphabetically by title. After all, I don't want an author or musician to think, "Oh, I'm #10 on a list of 10? I just barely missed it."

Before I start, I'll state that all of these songs can be found on Spotify. There are some artists who are yet to be on Spotify that I really enjoy (e.g. True Revival Band) or have a single out this year that didn't get on Spotify yet (e.g. Worhol) that I'd love to have on the list, or a song I heard live that's not recorded yet (speaking specifically of "Relief" by Tempus Unum). Hope to see them next year!

I'll admit I haven't seen the lyrics for most of these songs, so some of those comments will be more about style. But I really enjoy each song on the list. So are you ready? (And again, the numbers don't relate to ranking.)

1. "Captain Rescue Me" by Hubbards Marsh. Hubbards Marsh consists of my good friends Gary Wixtrom and his wife Amy Shreve. Amy has several excellent albums out as well. (By the way, I'd love to interview Gary and/or Amy for the blog.) This is probably one of the mellower songs on this list.
   
2. "Fear" by Divine Martyr. I absolutely love this song, which deservedly got nominated for best rock song in the WVIU awards.
   
3. "Framing My Perception" by Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh (aka GFM Band). Some of this band's songs are a little too hardcore for me, but I especially enjoy this song. GFM consist of three sisters, for those who haven't read my interview with them.
   
4. "Future" by Undefeated. A good rock song by another family group (two sisters and a brother; definitely want to get to hear them!).
   
5. "Give Me Faith" by Becca Sugg. Becca is lead vocalist and guitarist for Reclaim The Day (pictured above), which also has other entries on this list. I think this is a song that technically is a '21 song, but I'm counting it because I just discovered it a week or two ago.
6. "God of Revival" by Forsaken Hero. I love the title of the song, and I absolutely loved the song. When I interviewed Casey Price, I learned this was a cover of a Bethel music song, but I like this version better than the original. This also got a nomination for the WVIU awards (Another band I want to hear live.)
   
7. "Mystique" by Divine Martyr. This is a unique entry on the list because it's the only instrumental. 
8. "Remnant" by Ignescent. The title definitely got my attention, because I think the American Church too often forgets God usually works through the remnant. This hard rock song is as good as the title.
9. "Send Down The Fire" by Beth Hall. This is one of two songs by Beth on Spotify, the other being a Christmas song. I'm definitely looking forward to hearing more from her.
10. "Sentenced To Life" by Reclaim The Day. I fell in love with this song when I first heard it. This song was the winner for Best Rock Song in the WVIU awards.
11. "Testimony" by Hush Harbor. This song blew me away first time I heard it, and I had the privilege of hearing them do this song at the Get To The Point Festival.
12. "Truth" by Divine Martyr. Yes, the third and most recent Divine Martyr song on this list. And would you mind if I mentioned it's my favorite by them? One night last week, as I was lying half asleep, this song was going through my brain (with Bruckner's 6th symphony, 1st movement alternating with it).
13. "World Gone Mad" by Upstanding Gents. This band's music reminds me of Lifesavors and Altar Boys from the '80's. 
14. "You Chose Me" by Toni LaShaun. The most uplifting song I heard this year. Thus, I wasn't surprised when it won the award for "Songs that remind us of our purpose."
    
15. "Yours Alone" by Reclaim the Day. If you count Becca's solo song, Reclaim the Day tied Divine Martyr with most entries for this year's inaugural list.

But what will be on my list this coming year? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

INTERVIEW WITH NICOLE DRENNAN, AKA BRAVE WRSHP

Nicole Drennan (Brave WRSHP), with Becca Sugg of Reclaim The Day (right).

Have I told you I had the honor of going to Get To The Point Festival this June? Repeatedly? Maybe because I've had the privilege of interviewing individuals from four of the six participating bands/soloists. Well, I'm happy to add a fifth: Brave WRSHP. And for my 300th blog, no less!

JR: Welcome to my blog. I’d like to hear about how you came to Christ. 

ND: Thank you so much for having me! Well, I came to Christ back in 2009. I spent some years of my early childhood in the church, but never really knew Jesus until I was 14 years old. At the time, I had been involved with drugs and alcohol while being influenced by some of my older high school friends at the time. 

I remember sharing a class with Rebecca Sugg from Reclaim The Day. She had invited me to her youth group and there was one week I had gone, and the youth pastor had shared his testimony. He had also been involved with drugs and alcohol when he was my age and he began to share how Jesus had saved him and changed his life. That night I went up to him and told him all that I was doing and how I wanted Jesus to save me. He encouraged me to share my story with the other kids in the youth group and the following week, another kid came to me and opened up about how she had also been doing the same thing and knew Jesus was calling her to repentance. I remember being so astounded that even then, Jesus was using my testimony to help others in my life.  

JR: Could you tell us about how you got into music? When did you start focusing on worship music, and what’s the origin of your artist name Brave WRSHP? 

ND: I grew up loving to sing and write music. As a little girl, I would never sing in front of anyone, haha. I would sit in my bedroom with headphones on and just sing for hours. I kept multiple notebooks of lyrics I would write and hope someday get the chance to share the songs. Music has always provided a safe place for me to escape. 

Around the time I started going to youth group, my parents had bought me a guitar so that I could start learning to play and be able to put chords and melodies together for the songs I would write. One night at youth group, my pastor heard me singing and approached me about joining the Sunday worship team. I was so nervous, but said yes I would join. My now best friend Miranda Brown from “Inarticulate Bones,” was also on the worship team and had invited me for a sleepover so that we could practice all the songs. She taught me how to harmonize and eventually we would sing duets on Sunday mornings. 

When I was 18 I heard the call from God to serve in music evangelism. I had no idea what that would look like but I had never been more confident in my life. I had told my parents I was going to take a year off before college because God was calling me to do this and they agreed. 

The next 5+ years were a rollercoaster of following God’s plans. I joined a post hardcore/ progessive metal worship band called Within Thy Walls and wrote and recorded a 3 song EP. Shortly after that my bandmates had merged with A World Apart’s bandmates to form a duel vocalist, hard rock/worship band. A year or so later Becca Sugg (i and I stepped away from the band and started a worship project called The Upright. We began serving as worship leaders for a church in Indianapolis called The Upper Room. A couple years later, we were asked to join a band called Waiting For Ravens. I played auxiliary guitar for about 3 years. In 2019 I stepped away from the band because God was calling me back to focus on solely worship. 

The name Brave WRSHP was rooted from that moment in my life. I had a lot of difficult decisions to make that left me with deep wounds that God is still healing. He spoke to me and called me to be brave which has become this sort of mantra for the project. I wanted to create a project of worship that was rooted from that place of being in deep pain, suffering etc. I have learned over the years that worshiping God can be easy when things are going well. It is when you choose to worship him in the midst of suffering, addiction, pain, abuse etc., that it is difficult and honestly more intimate. I once heard someone say that these moments in our lives are the only times we get to choose to worship him in spite of suffering etc., because when we get to heaven we won’t endure such things. 

JR: Congratulations on being nominated for “Worship Vocalist on the Rise'' and for Worship Project of the Year with the WVIU Radio Music Awards. Would you like to tell us about that project?

ND: Thank you so much! It is quite the unexpected honor, and I am so grateful for the nomination and all that WVIU Radio does to help independent Christian artists. With Brave WRSHP, I have been given a vision for writing throne room worship songs for the king. There are a lot of amazing worship artists and groups out there, but I feel like the songs that God has given me are a bit different from the normal worship songs on the radio and such. A mentor of mine, encouraged me when I had started this project, to spend time away from the stage and focus on just worshiping him in my secret place. I spent a couple of years taking time off to focus on this and my relationship with him. I learned that my worship and the songs he had given me to write, were more intimate than anything I could have ever imagined. I look forward to getting the chance to share them soon!

JR: I had the honor of hearing you at the Get to the Point Festival along with other bands I’ve interviewed on this blog (Reclaim the Day, Divine Martyr, Tempus Unum, and Hush Harbor). Are there any venues that you sang at which that stood out?  

ND: Yes! I have had the privilege to play at a few different venues over the past couple of years, but The Point Church and Community Center, where Get To the Point Festival was hosted, is my favorite. The Point Church and Community Center was my home church for many years, the place where it all started for me. It was an honor to get to lead worship again there and be able to see and reconnect with so many friends and family that had come!

JR: What are the greatest challenges you face in your ministry? Who has God used- those you know personally (friends and family) and those you don’t (radio/TV ministers, other musicians, authors/novelists)-to encourage you?

ND: The greatest challenges I face are rooted in past mistakes. There was a period in my life where I had fallen into sin while in ministry and I had to take a step back to repent and refocus. Unfortunately, there were people who had tried to tell me I should never be in ministry again and that I was no longer qualified. These comments hurt me deeply and led me to believe that God could no longer use me because I was too broken, too damaged, too dirty to be able to serve him and his kingdom. 

There were some amazing friends in my life who have prayed with me and encouraged me for years to get back up and keep going. They remind me that God can use any circumstance for his good and that he makes beauty from ashes. I have learned that God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called. Chris Bossum, Becca Sugg, Miranda Brown, my parents and my significant other are just a few of the many people who have fought by my side and encouraged me relentlessly. Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of Billy Graham, is one of the pastors I have been influenced by. He shares a similar story to mine and has encouraged me greatly in his sermons.  

JR: Thank you for your time. What is coming up on the horizon? How can we keep up with your ministry? 

ND: Thank you again so much for having me! I am currently in the studio working on releasing an EP for next year. I am also joining “For His Purpose” which is another amazing up and coming worship project founded by Trent Russell from The Persuaded. I am so excited to be able to release these songs that God has laid on my heart! 

With Miranda Brown (right). Photo courtesy of Jeanette Yoder.

The best way to keep up with Brave WRSHP is by following the page on Facebook and Instagram @bravewrshpofficial, to keep up to date on any upcoming shows and single releases!

INTERVIEW WITH TEMPUS UNUM

 

Tempus Unum, l-r: Roland Street, rhythm guitar; Ryan Mueller, bass; Adam Sheptock, drums; Nevaeh Parks, vocals; Lincoln Lee, vocals, lead guitar.

It's been about six weeks since I've been to the Get To The Point Festival, and heard six great acts, including four bands. I've had the privilege of interviewing Divine Martyr and Hush Harbor a couple of months ago and Reclaim The Day last year. It's my honor to interview the fourth band, Tempus Unum. 

JR: Welcome to my blog. Who all is in the band? I think you've added a new member since I heard you at Get To The Point Festival. When and how did the band start, and what's the story behind the band's name? 

TU: Thank you for having us! Tempus Unum consists of front-woman Nevaeh Parks, lead guitarist Lincoln Lee, rhythm guitarist Roland Street, bassist Ryan Mueller, and drummer Adam Sheptock. The band formed during the initial COVID lockdown of 2020. 

Being a child who grew up amongst the Christian Rock scene, Nevaeh has had a dream of being in a metal band for as long as she can remember. Having an excess amount of free time during the lockdown, she was able to sit down and actually write some music. This led to her connecting with her college friend, Adam, who she knew enjoyed metal and who is a very talented percussionist. They started to write songs and turn "Slander" (their first single) into an actual reality. 

They then met Lincoln about 6 months later when he started attending the church Nevaeh and Adam volunteer at. These 3 started to process of being Tempus Unum. This was followed by Nevaeh meeting Ryan through work, leading to his addition in the band. Not long after, Roland signed us to RSVP Records which resulted in him joining as well. 

As for the name “Tempus Unum,” the short story is that Tempus Unum is Latin for “One Moment.” We chose this because as musicians, we may only have one moment on stage or through that single stream of a song to reach someone who made need encouragement and to know they are not alone.  

JR: Currently, I believe, you have two songs out: "Slander" and "Decay." I also heard you perform another song  that I absolutely loved, called "Relief." Could you tell us about them? 

TU: "Slander" and "Decay" are the only singles currently on all streaming services. "Slander" was the first song we wrote. The lyrics are inspired from members’ experience with toxic relationships and how hard it is to break away from someone who thinks they can control and manipulate you. The final chorus is that declaration that we are done with all the lies and pain caused by these people in these relationships. 

“Decay” addresses the hopelessness we all feel at one point or another when we become addicted to unhealthy vices, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and false idols. The chorus is a cry to God for him to “carve away this decay” – decay being those vices/coping mechanisms/false idols. The breakdown is like a war cry of fighting against the all consuming decay. 

As you stated, we also have some unreleased songs. But you’ll have to wait ‘till the EP release for those. 😉

JR: What is it like to try to get a band started? Where did you get started on building up your song-list and getting recorded and performance dates? What has been the part that you all saw God's blessing, and which do you see God using that trial to strengthen you all? 

TU: Getting started is honestly fairly difficult. It took us a year to really do anything. Thankfully, God definitely showed up through allowing Nevaeh to meet Becca Sugg (from Reclaim The Day) through work. The timing was just too perfect for more than one reason. This allowed us to gain a lot of guidance and help. This resulted in the start of us recording with her husband, Marcus Sugg, at Reclaim The Day Studios. In addition to recording at their studio, Becca has also aided Nevaeh with her vocals and Marcus even played bass temporarily for us. The connection gained from this also helped us in scheduling our shows. This was a huge help in the kickstart of Tempus Unum. About a year later is when we met Roland Street who also runs RSVP Records. After being signed, we have gained several more show opportunities that will be announced as soon as things are more set in stone.  

JR: I often say that one rarely sees musicians wear glasses, because to make it in the music business one needs contacts. Seriously, who all has helped encourage you and assist when you need it? Anybody who has served as a mentor or inspiration? 

TU: As mentioned above, Becca and Marcus Sugg have been tremendous mentors. They welcomed us hooligans with open arms, providing guidance and wisdom any chance they can. Additionally, our church family at Second Chance Church have been tremendously encouraging. They have provided us with a place to rehearse and store our gear and equipment. Without them, most of what we do would be extremely difficult. Several of the church members also come to support us at our shows, helping wherever they can with no questions asked. We are also extremely thankful for the families of Tempus Unum. Our personal families have been extremely supportive and have pushed us when needed. From transportation, to photography, to vocal melody composition – our families really help make this dream a reality. 

JR: Besides Get To The Point, where else have you performed? What memories do you have from your performance opportunities? 

TU: There was only one actual show before Get To The Point Fest. This was in Jonesboro River Valley for PitFest hosted by Always One Ministries. We also were brought on for a church service at Mercy Base in Plainfield to lead worship back in December. While leading worship is not something we would consider a”performance,” it was definitely very memorable through being able to play a different style of genre and lead people compared to playing “at” people. For Nevaeh, it was the first time she had led worship for a main church service and she definitely marks that experience as a learning experience vocally. 

PitFest was definitely memorable for Lincoln, Nevaeh, and Adam since it was our first ever show. We had a blast, even through all the nerves and anxiety that we felt. Get To The Point was memorable through the fact that it was Ryan’s first show ever as well as our first show indoors. It was also the first time some of us felt the intense adrenaline crash that can follow a performance. We learned so much from this show and look forward to using that information for future shows. 

JR: Thank you for your time. Do you have any performance dates and singles/EPs coming up on the horizon? How can we keep up with what's going on with you all? 

TU: We had a show at The Warehouse in Clarksville, Tennessee on July 28, 2022. Our next show is at The Polish Ostrich in Toledo, Ohio on August 13, 2022. We are intending to schedule more local shows in the upcoming months. As mentioned above, we are intending to release an EP at the end of the year as well as release a music video for Decay! There are a lot of exciting things in the works, so definitely keep an eye on any upcoming announcements. You can find links to all of our socials, music, and merch at https://tempusunumband.com and we hope to see you all soon! Definitely do not be afraid to come talk to us at a show or through social media, we would love to hear from you! 💓

 

 

 

 

FESTIVALS, FATHER'S DAY, PROVIDENCE, PRAYER, SPIRITUAL WARFARE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND REVIVAL

Divine Martyr and ... Hey, who's the party crasher on the left?

 

With no children (nor nephews or nieces, and not surprisingly, no grandchildren) and both Becky's and my fathers gone, Father's Day isn't a big thing. But that leads me to a question: Am I, at 62.67 years old, too old to adopt a rock band, or maybe a Southern Gospel quartet? Or should I be content at being an Uncle.

And thus begins a blog where I hit several topics (in case you can't guess from the title).  And I took Father's Day out of order, but I'll keep going.

So:

FESTIVALS!!!  

I first heard of Kingdom Come Festival (KCF) last year, even though it has been going on for years about an hour's drive away. Didn't make it last year, and planned to this year. And the Saturday line-up had several bands I wanted to hear: True Revival, Forsaken Hero, Reclaim the Day, and Theody (all of which I've interviewed) as well as others. 

But then, I heard about Get To The Point Festival, which also had Reclaim the Day and five other acts, such as Divine Martyr who I'd miss out at KCF because they perform Friday. Plus, it was indoors instead of outdoors, half the distance that KCF is, and friendlier to Becky's and my schedule. (Festivals like this are more my style than Becky, and she's more into Southern Gospel.) 

So last Saturday (June 11, '22) I drove to the Point Church and Community Center and had the honor of hearing great music, by Inarticulate Bones and Brave WRSHP and the bands Tempus Unum, Hush Harbor, Divine Martyr, and Reclaim the Day. I got to hear great songs including Fear (Divine Martyr's latest), Relief (Tempus Unum, not yet available on streaming), Sentenced to Life (one of five excellent songs on Reclaim The Day's just released EP), and Testimony (Hush Harbor). 

But if you missed Get To The Point, then get to Kingdom Come! It starts tonight (June 16, '22) including interviewees Undefeated and Samuel Day, and as I said, is the following two days all day on two different stages!

PROVIDENCE

Technically, I could go to KCF, but I figured time wise I needed to choose between the two festivals. Well, two things happened after I decided to go to GTTP instead of KCF. First, I learned a friend of mine was having a retirement party when I would have been at KCF. Then this week, I was asked to help in the sound/camera booth at church during a funeral that again is at the same time of KCF. It seems God was pleased for me to enjoy a festival, and I chose the one I could attend.

PRAYER

So I won't be present at KCF but I will be there in spirit. Or to move from cliche to what I mean, I will be praying from here in Indianapolis while the concert is going on. I have my cell phone calendar ready to give a reminder so I can pray for my favorite artists as they're performing, as well as for KCF itself. Would you like to join me? I have the schedules for the two pages at the bottom of this blog so you can know who to pray for.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Are Christian musicians entertainers or ministers? I've always believed Christian artists, especially the cutting edge ones, are on the front line, invading the enemy's territory, and the enemy is ready to fight.

That belief was confirmed last week. Becca Sugg, lead vocalist for Reclaim the Day, fell and broke her nose and lacerrated her tongue. Was that a coincidence it was close enough to the concert she wondered if she could perform? I don't think so. Was it a spiritual attack? Good luck proving me it wasn't.

ENCOURAGEMENT

One of my heroes is Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement. I love encouraging Christians in ministry. Yes, that includes pastors and missionaries, but as I'm an artist (do you all know I've written songs, novels, and worked in ceramics and drawing?) I also like ... rather love to encourage Christian artists, be it authors, singers/bands, or visual artists.

I had the honor of meeting some of the musicians at the Festival, such as Reclaim the Day's Becca Suggs, Scott Shireman (Hush Harbor's drummer, and hopefully a soon to come interviewee) and Woody Hughes and Mark McKowen of Divine Martyr. Hopefully, I was able to be an encouragement by being there. 

REVIVAL

Actually, I could consider this to fall under "encouragement" except instead of me being the encourager, I'm being the encouragee. Several of the artists made it clear they would love to have non-Christians in the audience so they can hear the Gospel.

Since it was my first time at The Point, I may have been in the Sanctuary without realizing it. One hint were the altars on either side. Becca Sugg pointed them out and encouraged those who needed to get right with God or had prayer needs to make use of them.

Yep, this concern for the lost, and the love for others shown throughout the concert encouraged me. 

Are you going to Kingdom Come Festival? Have you gotten to hear any of the artists I mentioned or any that are listed on the schedule for KCF (including interviewees Gold Frankincense and Myrrh)? And a reminder to use the schedule as a prayer guide.

 

KCF 22 Main Stage Schedule

KCF 22 Redemption Stage Schedule

INTERVIEW WITH WOODY HUGHES, BASSIST OF DIVINE MARTYR

https://www.divinemartyr.com
 

Divine Martyr; L-R Jason Hyde (Guitar), Olivia Guetle (Vocals, Cello), Mark McKowen (Drums, Keys), Woody Hughes (Bass)

"The music of Divine Martyr reflects life. A life of struggle, and yet one of hope. One of importance, bringing forth the message of our Messiah through trial and tribulation, and remembering those who have given all for their faith. For life is not without struggle, and yet through struggle we persevere. So we run but do not grow weary, playing to an audience of One..." - Jason Hyde, from the heading "Mission" on Divine Martyr's webpage.

I enjoy all my interviews. There are some, though that I'm absolutely excited when I research the interviewee and read their answers. I'm excited about this one. So be sure to check out their webpage below.

JR: Welcome to the blog. When and how did the band get started, and how did you decide on your name? Who's in the current line-up?

WH: I really felt there was a need to minister to those who didn’t feel comfortable going to church. Maybe because they didn’t feel “worthy” to walk into a church or maybe they didn’t even feel worthy of God’s love. So, I placed an ad on Craigslist in 2016, got a reply from Dan Klinger, a guitarist who was from the Indianapolis area, and he and I started to jam in both of our garages. About a month into it, our current drummer, Mark McKowen, answered the ad and we all started practicing together and putting together ideas for songs. Shortly after, Dan left the band, and then a few months later Jason Hyde auditioned for the role of guitarist, and we figured out quickly how awesome he was and asked him to join. I knew our original vocalist, Darlene Parson, from the Vineyard Church in Greenwood, so I asked her to join us and that’s how the band started.

The name, Divine Martyr, came from Dan. I instantly loved the name because I believe that we as Christians should be willing to be martyred for what we believe in because the Bible says that in the last days we must choose between God and man when we are persecuted. Dan was gracious enough to allow me to use the name after he left.

Our current line-up consists of Mark on drums, Jason on guitar, me on bass, and we have a new vocalist and cellist, Olivia Guetle. We’re really excited about Olivia. She’s got an awesome voice and she’s a great fit to the band. The fact that she can add cello to our songs adds yet another layer of ambience and ether to our songs that really continues to define the “symphonic” aspect of our music that we’ve always envisioned.

JR: Could you tell us about your latest project?

WH: We’re releasing three new songs here shortly. We will be releasing our new song, "Fear," on June 10th, the day before our Get to the Point show. We will then be releasing a first ever instrumental entitled "Mystique" on June 24th, and finally, a cover of a popular CCM song by Kari Jobe called "Forever." We have a date in mind for the release, but it may slip due to some scheduling in all of us getting it tracked with Marcus over at Reclaim the Day. He’s our tracking and mixing engineer by the way and we’re excited about Fear so we’re using him for the other songs as well. We’ve developed an excellent relationship with him and his wife Becca. They’re pretty cool.

JR: As I looked at your website, I was impressed with your Mission. Would you like to share it with us? How did you develop it?

WH: To add to my first answer, I think that in the last six years that we’ve been together we all have seen a real need in the Christian community for outreach to those who don’t feel comfortable in a church setting. To be honest, the church in America has grown stagnant. We’re not afraid to say it. Its message has been watered down. We don’t believe that the church is doing a good job in reaching out to people and meeting their needs. It’s time for a change. It’s long overdue. So, it’s time for us to get out there and go where the Lord leads us. We don’t care where we must go. If we can do it financially, we’ll go anywhere.

JR: What would you say were the most memorable moments of your ministry as a band, such as recording, concerts, after-concert pizza raids, etc.?

WH: We always talk amongst ourselves about the opportunity to open for Disciple, but where I think we were able to minister the most effectively was at the Water Bowl in Muncie Indiana on Easter weekend in 2019. We were the only Christian band among about five other bands with one of them being an outwardly Satanic band. Those are the places where we need to be. And what’s interesting is that that show was where we felt the most welcomed by the fans. We’ve found that the secular community is more supportive of our religious stance then the Christians who think ministering using heavy metal is “sinful”. And that’s another issue of ours – The church in America doesn’t want to support those of us who are using traditionally “alternative” means to celebrate God, i.e. heavy metal. The church doesn’t seem to want to be involved unless it’s standard CCM worship.

JR: If you could address the American Church, what would you say we need to be doing to return to our First Love? Related, when you all are discouraged, where do you tend to find encouragement and inspiration?

WH: The church must teach the Bible with no reservations but in complete love. Right now, churches are teaching love, but with reservations on what exactly to discuss on Sunday mornings as to not offend people. To be frank, if you go to a church and they’re preaching the Bible and it offends you, then you need to hear it. Church leaders need to ensure that its member’s needs and their family’s needs are met. More things like feeding the hungry and visiting the sick needs to happen consistently and on a regular cadence. Not just on Thanksgiving and around Christmas.

JR: Thank you for your time. I know you'll be at the Get To The Point Festival in Greenwood, IN, June 11th, and the following Friday (I believe) you'll be at Kingdom Come Festival in Kokomo. Anything else on the horizon? Do you have any webpages to find out what's going on with your ministry?

WH: Yes, we’d love for everyone to make it to the Get To The Point Festival in Greenwood. That one is special to me personally since that’s my town. Also we’d love to see everyone at KCF in Kokomo.  And check out our Divine Martyr website (https://www.divinemartyr.com) to get a listing of all our shows and any new updates on what we may be doing. We have the month of June covered (the festivals mentioned above, and Mercy Jam in Jeffersonville, IN, June 25th), one show on July 3 (Audiofeed Music Festival 2022, Urbana, IL), and one on September 3 (Mosey Down Mainstreet, Lafayette, IN). Please spread the word. We’d love to do more shows this year. Thank you so much for allowing us to share our mission with you!

INTERVIEW WITH MEREDITH AND CHRISTIAN DUNCKEL OF UNDEFEATED

In the past week, I posted a pair of interviews with groups I discovered in the FB group "Female Christian Rock and Metal (Saving Jackie four days ago, Worhol the day before yesterday). Undefeated is another band I learned about that way. You may remember my interview with Becca Sugg of Reclaim The Day? Becca and Meredith competed for an award late last year.

Both Meredith (lead vocalist/guitarist) and Chris participated in the interview. I've chosen to use green to identify Meredith (afterward referred to as MD) and red for Chris (CD).

JR: How did you get interested in music, and how did that lead to the formation of Undefeated? Who's all in the band?

MD: I (Meredith-Lead Vocals/Guitarist) have loved
music from a very young age. Our parents were huge rockers back in the day, and have a whole God-story on how they’ve been led out of the secular scene, so we grew up with only contemporary music. Nothing wrong with that, but once we discovered the guts of rock and metal, we were hooked. I was part of a youth group who didn’t have room for anyone but the
“important” people. Longggg story short, this youth group brought in a couple bands from Canada and Massachusetts for a concert. The youth group worship team was going to open for them, and their electric guitarist bailed last minute, so I was asked
to step up. This was literally like the 2nd time I’d ever touched an electric guitar, so it wasn’t great, let’s be honest. aha.

After the concert, the manager of the MA band caught up with my mom and I, and said “I felt like God told me to encourage her.” I was invited to play a couple of songs at a worship festival that he hosted. We thought the worst thing that could happen was we wouldn’t go again, so we went! That event flipped a switch for me. The festival had all kinds of music, pop, rock, reggae, jazz, screamo. But the biggest thing, these people were like me! I just felt so included, and these people just understood who I was. 

 

A couple weeks or so later, I asked Christian (Drummer/Vocals) if he wanted to start a band, and he said “YES!” After splitting with our former bassist in 2020, we added our younger sister, Lis, to round out the now family band! 

JR: I saw (and loved) your recent video Cages. What inspired the song and the video? 

MD: Thank you! That was one of my favorites. We filmed it in an old broken down creamery in Boonville, NY! The sun was perfect that day, and the weird tan lines I got from the jewels/glitter on my face and arm lasted awhile, lol!

I don’t usually write songs off of personal experience, but they do tend to come around to mean something to me later. One of the main chorus lines is “Those caught up in cages, think freedom is a crime”, and that’s pretty fitting for the world state right now, is it not? I am very passionate about is the freedom that the true Christ brings, and I’ve recently just realized that a lot of my songs have that underlying theme running through them. So, the video was created around that one end scene, where Christian realized the back of the cage has been open the whole time, and he walked out free. 

JR: Glancing at your Facebook page, I've noticed a variety of venues: Firestream Festival and Revival, August 15th; Guest Worship with Christian Assembly of Schulyer, September 26th; Anti-Violence and Stop The Hate Concert at Watertown, NY, October 17th. Any stand out as being a blessing, a surprise, or simply memorable?

CD: The Anti-Violence show, even though it was cold. (End of October, outside, in upstate New York = FREEZING) It was close to home and the people there were amazing! Everybody was just helpful and it ended up becoming a great time and we met great people; it was really a blessing in disguise. I thought it was going to be a hassle but I ended up having a lot of fun there. 

Soulfest in New Hampshire was just memorable. I learned lots working with the stage crew there and
got to see bigger bands come through. I got to see what it takes to grow our band to the next level which was pretty cool.

JR: How have you dealt with COVID as a band?

MD: You know, we’ve just kept taking steps
where we felt like God was leading us. 

JR: What are the biggest challenges you find as a band, and where do you get the most support to face those challenges from?

CD: The biggest challenges I find being part of the band is the time aspect. I go to school full time and we have to practice at least 2-3 times a week. Granted, we have been slacking in that for the past month but we are getting back into the swing of things and I have to start managing my time better, be it in school or out of school. I also like to practice a lot by myself to be able to grow as an individual musician. This allows me to become better and help progress the band to where we want to go. 

I get the most support from my band mates and parents. Meredith and Lis are always encouraging and we work around each other to be able to keep the band alive and striving. Sometimes we get picky with each other but in the end we all know the direction we have to pull in and pull together. My parents also support my decisions to stick with band. They allow me to take school off to play/record or do other band things. They pushed me to really become the band mate I am today. 

JR: Thank you for your time. How can we keep up with Undefeated? Any thing coming up that you'd like to let us know about? Any prayer needs? And yell if you're in Indianapolis!  

MD: We loved being a part of this! So, thank YOU! :) Our website is up and running, so you can check us out there! We’re also on Facebook and Instagram. Catch our music videos on Youtube! We recently just started a TikTok, so follow us there to be a part of our shenanigans!

Anddddd we’d love to come to Indianapolis! Anyone want to host? :)

 

 

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2022

Courtesy of Enclave Publishing

 

Okay, I've spent a few days looking back at 2021. What am I looking forward to the next year?

First off, since I'm a writer and do a lot of writing, I'll start off with what I'm looking forward to reading. As I did last year, I'll set the goal of reading one non-fiction and two fiction books a month.  

As far as non-fiction, I have a few on deck. Last year, I read three 9-Marks: Building A Healthy Church books, and I'm considering reading four more. I also discovered "New Studies in Biblical Theology," and I'm planning on reading more (though I'm not planning on reading all in the series, which is at 52 last time I checked). Plus, I might reread some books such as Discipled Warriors by Chuck Lawless and Superheroes Can't Save You by Todd Miles.

On the fiction end - am I through with my reading a lot of Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense? Probably not next year. I read 9 in '19 (only 3 before that), 11 in '20, and 18 in '21; I've got 21 on my docket for next year. Nancy Mehl and Donna Fletcher Crow are tied for second on my most-read-novelist list with 16 each, and the competition will occur next year, and there's an Agatha Christie book I plan to read, slightly increasing her lead at 23. Kerry Nietz has a couple of books I'm planning to read as well, and the long awaited third installment of Janet Sketchley's Green Dory Inn is due out. Of course, I'm hoping for something new by favorite authors like Randy Singer, John Otte, Julianna Deering, J.P. Leck, J.M. Hackman, and Allistair MacLean. (Okay, I don't expect a new MacLean book.)

Three of my favorite interviews this year were with Angie Leyda of Always 1 Ministries, which hosts the Kingdom Come and Pitt Fest music festivals Becca Sugg of the band Reclaim The Day, and Devin Cunningham.  Hopefully, I can get to one of those two festivals this year and be blessed with a RTD concert either at the festival or elsewhere. There's also the Indiana Gospel Music Festival which is different stylistically, where I can hear Cunningham again. Finally, I'm looking forward to judging NCFCA speech/debate contests, and hopefully live this year.

Finally, Becky and I are talking about various ministry opportunities we can get involved with, and I'm planning on taking the next step with what seems like the never ending road to publication. 

The one thing I haven't talked about are this blog. This will be the topic for New Year's Eve, which is also known as tomorrow. 

How about you? What do you plan to read this year? Is there anything on your to do list?

INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD PRESTON, ADMINISTRATOR OF FB GROUP FEMALE CHRISTIAN METAL & ROCK

 

I go through a love/hate relationship with internet groups. I enjoy being in them and like a sense of belonging. Sometimes, though, I think I'm in too many groups and trim them down. One group I stuck with for years is Female Christian Metal & Rock. (For those who thought my music tastes were limited to hymns and classical music, I hate to disappoint you.) Today, I have the honor of interviewing that group's moderator, Richard Preston.

JR: Let's start with the Facebook group. Could you tell us about the group and how you became the administrator of it?

RP: Hey Jeffrey! Well, I am a member of several Christian rock and metal groups. A few are not moderated to where they get any real messages out. Few rarely post concert dates, new groups, release dates, etc. One day earlier this year, I get a post message asking if I want to take over as admin of Female Christian Metal/Rock. I have no idea how I was chosen out of over 500 members. After a moment, I jumped on it. One of the best choices that I have made, EVER. I did change the name to make it sound better. Since taking over, I have introduced many bands. Members have commented on never hearing about some. I enjoy the sharing.

JR: How did you come to Christ, and when did you develop a love of music? Are you a musician yourself? And what is your day job?

RP: My 3 siblings, all younger, were baptized very young at a Baptist church. I sat in a pew each time thinking that something was wrong, this has to be a conscience decision. Years later, I was at a retreat, and there was a call for those that wanted to be saved. Heads bowed, eyes closed. Suddenly, I felt that it was my turn, I raised my hand. I am 55 now, and 2021 has been my most productive year in learning about God and Christ. 

I played the trombone in junior high school. I chose to quit in the ninth grade because I wasn't really that good, in my opinion and, I became bored with it. I do not work. I have been disabled for a number of years. I have neuropathy which limits normal motor functions. But, I am in the process of adapting a book to a screenplay. We will see how one-handed typing works. 

Music started in elementary school. My parents listened to country music. I sort of got into it, but it really wasn't me. A clock radio was put into the room and I started looking for something. I came across 2 AM stations that played disco and pop. It was better, I enjoyed some of it. And then some years on down, friends introduced me to rock and a better station, on FM, 97 Rock. From then on, nothing else. Granted, I still enjoy a little disco, pop, and soft rock music, but nothing beats a screaming guitar.

JR: Can you name three bands/artists that made an impact on your life?

RP: I will go backwards using life impacts. 

1. My love for guitar based bands/music started with The Little River Band. Hearing Happy Anniversary and Help Is On It's Way was the very start. Great songs and great guitars. Then my friend, Scott, played Def Leppard's Pyromania constantly. That and Night Ranger's Midnight Madness sealed it. Then came the other great rock and metal bands...and MTV! 
2. Faith-based music started later with Stryper (of course). I became more in-depth with them when the internet came around. Then finding Holy Soldier, Ken Tamplin (Shout), Bloodgood, and some others. I am rather picky. 
3. I really enjoy working merch tables. I have worked numerous Winter Jams and one festival at Six Flags. Hearing up and comers gives me a chance to find other artists to enjoy. My first time hearing Skillet, I worked handing out some kind of pamphlets. Whispers In The Dark is their typical opener, it became my instant favorite. Then seeing them do Winter Jam and able to slip away to see that one song makes me a happy camper.

JR: A lot of the discussion in the group is promoting the great female singers in Christian rock, but has there been moments where God has worked through the group?

RP: The music business in general is male dominated, including the Christian genres. We are supposed to treat all as equals in Christ, that is my attempt here. I have had male artists attempt to post their music, I just do not let it happen. I cannot say if anything Godly has worked through the group, not much is mentioned in general. I have reposted a few things, such as a “sort of” (her words) testimony from Becca Sugg. And thoughts from bands on other topics. Personally, I have been moved by the thanks I get from the artists that i post. Some privately, and some in comments. At times, just seeing those words bring tears. I am very humble and very happy to do what I do with the group. Anthony from Saving Jackie, we are definitely “one” in Christ. When we talk, we seem to say something the other needs to hear.

JR: I'm sure you'd agree that we're in changing times. What do you see the role of Christian music in general and Christian rock specifically?

RP: Though I am not a CCM fan at all, it seems to be the most popular, and the most flooded out of the Christian genre. Christian rock and metal, at one time, was referred to as the “devil's music”. Not all has to sound like a hymn. Accommodating to the different genres is a must in order to keep God's message flowing positively. I can think of it as a personal thing. Would I as a Believer, listen to CCM if I did not like it? Absolutely not. There are some that can listen to Jeremy Camp, then Skillet without missing a beat. I am not one of them, and there are other people that are the same as me. Then there are some that go with even heavier tunes. If the music honors God, is against Satan, loosen up, it's all good.

JR: Thank you for your time, Richard. Anything else you want to share? If someone's interested in the group, how can they find it?

RP: I do have a blog on Facebook, titled MyJourney. Sadly I do not keep up on it as much as I feel that I should. I currently have several about to go live. The topic is about my journey learning about God and Christ, my thoughts about anything in my life related to Them. My page can be found on Facebook, and a Google search will bring it up, Female Christian Rock & Metal. Jeffrey, I am humbly honored, thank you.

INTERVIEW WITH BECCA SUGG OF THE BAND RECLAIM THE DAY

 

I have learned of the band Reclaim The Day by being a member of the Facebook Group Female Christian Rock & Metal. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they're based out of nearby Greenwood, Indiana. It is my honor to interview the band's lead vocalist Becca Sugg.

JR: What are the origins of the band? Who's in it? Also, how and why did you decide on the name?

BS: The band was formed in 2019 by myself and my husband. We had left our previous project as we felt God tugging us toward starting our own ministry together. It took us awhile to really think of a name. We prayed about it for a good few weeks before choosing something that was personal to us. We had one of our friends and mentors at the time tell us that we have the power through Jesus Christ to reclaim our day from what we were struggling with and then the name stuck. Not only did it help with our situation, but we wanted to spread that hope to other people. After a couple line up changes throughout the years, we now have a solid line up of 4 people for quite awhile. On drums we have Alex Beattie, who actually started with us originally on guitar before I started playing rhythm live again. On bass guitar we have Logan Morehouse. Lead guitar is played by my husband and co-founder of the band/ministry Marcus Sugg. I am the lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist.

JR: Who would you consider role models/heroes/mentors both on the music end and on the faith end?

BS: I have had many mentors throughout the years that have helped me get to where we are today. All of them have had individual advice to help me in different parts of life whether it would be business or faith. It is hard to name one person because I have been blessed with so many amazing people in my life.

JR: What is it like in performing in an outdoor festival like the Pit Fest you were part of September 25? How does it compare with being the main performer? Also, Becca Sugg served as the emcee at the Pit Fest. How do you prepare for that role? Any memorable moments in the festival?

BS: It is always interesting because depending on the weather and the sound, you never know what you are going to get with an outdoor festival. I myself have been a part of Pit Fest since it’s first year in 2013. Since then I have played that festival with 3 different bands over the years, been a guest speaker, and have had the pleasure of emceeing the festival for 4 years. This year has been particularly interesting as the sound went out during our set but it gave us the opportunity to get up and personal with our fans for a brief time of ministry before the power came back on. I prepare for Pit Fest just as I do for any of our shows. I usually pray for God to speak through me and make it about Him and not about me. It is hard to pinpoint any particular memory but I will say when I was listening to the band Leper Saturday night share the gospel gave me chills. They just happened to be the other band that the power cut out on too. I think the devil really tried to stop what we were doing in that festival and we just persevered to spread the gospel and hope of Jesus Christ. That is what has always stuck out to me about any Always One Ministry event. No matter what that particular festival will always hold a place in my heart.

JR: How has being in the band strengthened your Christian life and/or made a positive impact on others? Likewise, are there any challenges you face unique to Christian musicians/artists?

BS: Let me start off with saying being a Christ follower is never easy. I think being a Christian band has been even more so difficult. Though I have learned many life lessons in my time being a music evangelist, some of them were some of the hardest times of my life. I have been burnt and broken by many things including some people who are also in the same industry or sometimes even the same band. However, it’s because I have conquered that with Jesus Christ that I am the person I am today. That is the same hope that myself and my bandmates carry to give to others. Though we have all been broken, God has called us and will equip us to be whole again. I will never really see all the seeds that our ministry plants but when I have seen it, there is no greater joy than to see our friends and fans find the hope and peace God has given to us. They realize that God has a plan for them and that is why we do what we do. I would have to say the challenges we have been through haven’t just made us stronger in our faith but it has made us more bold in reaching out to others.

JR: Related to the previous question, we are living in uncertain times between COVID, the political divide in the country, and the current shift in culture, among other things. How does the band deal with it as a group and individually? Are there any "Macedonias" that are calling Reclaim the Day to help them?

BS: Well as I said previously, it is very challenging to be a Christian especially in these times. I know many people that have done what they did or said what they said that goes against what the Bible says just to be relevant. Either that or I have seen some of my closest friends step down from their faith because of how they have been treated by other Christians. It is heartbreaking to see but this is a time where we as Christians need to be more bold than we have ever been. Despite all of the negativity in the world, there is still a God who loves each and every one us and we need to stand our ground and tell people about hope and love. As a band, we are all on one accord with the same ministry mindset. That is something we are truly blessed with. If there ever is something we disagree on, which usually barely ever happens, we talk about it as family and as adults and still love each other. We just have to stand up for our beliefs now more than ever all while loving on and serving others.

JR: At the moment, I have not had the honor of hearing you live. 😢 Are there any concerts coming up in the near future, or any new music projects ready to appear over the horizon? How can the readers keep in touch with the band?

BS: Right now until next year we only have two shows on the radar. One is going to be a part of an online streaming event and the other is an award show in Alabama in November. We have started working on booking for 2022 ut the majority of the rest of the year our main focus will be on finishing up our upcoming EP. We will be hopefully releasing new music within the next month or so as well as a new music video. The new song is called Chokehold and it is featuring my good friend Zahna. Other than that you can keep an eye out for any upcoming news or events if you follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We have two songs out right now called Who You Are and Sentenced to Life so people can go check them out on all streaming platforms everywhere. Also, if you just need prayer you can also message us or email us at Reclaimthedaystudios@gmail.com. As always, we want to remind our Reclaimers family to keep the hope alive and reclaim the day!