Mainstream and Christian bands come and go. Whether it's for a short time or a life time, some groups leave an impact on fans and industry. Some bands break for several reasons: some want solo careers, others simply can't work together, or some simply want to spend more time with family, working part time as an artist instead. Here are some bands that you might've forgotten, and songs that might've slipped your mind.
We As Human
If any band showed promise, it was heavy rockers We As Human. John Cooper, the lead singer of the iconic rock band Skillet, discovered We As Human in 2010. They signed with the music label Atlantic Records shortly thereafter. In 2013, the band dropped their high-profile, and very successful, self-titled album. It had all the ingredients for success: a Skillet-influencing sound and some familiar voices, Lacey Sturm and John Cooper. It was a hit on Billboard: number three on the Christian Music chart and number eight on the Hard Rock chart. In addition to the successful album, We As Human toured with the likes of Skillet and the iconic rock band, Third Day.
With the pieces in all the right places, it came as a surprise when they disbanded in 2016. Shortly after their demise, some band members formed the hard rock band As We Ascend. The music's great, but it's simply not the same.
Luminate
The Texas-based contemporary band Luminate's music is fun to the ears: catchy pop melodies and Christ-inspired lyrics. The band dropped their debut album, Come Home, in 2011, a year after signing with music label Sparrow Records. The album was a success, nominated for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year at the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards. The group kept the momentum going by releasing their second album, Welcome to Daylight. The widely successful album features the very catchy hit single "Banner of Love." In 2014, Luminate announced that they would drop an album a year later, in 2015. But, it never materialized.
City Harbor
The Nashville-based duo City Harbor formed in 2011 and signed with the music label Sparrow Records in 2012. They only dropped one album, the self-titled City Harbor in 2014. The critically successful album featured two popular singles, "Somebody Tell Them" and "Come However You Are." The pop band sadly disbanded two years later in 2016.
The Wrecking
In 1996, lead singer Doug Elder and drummer Darren Elder formed and started the band, the Kingpin Wrecking Crew, later shortened to The Wrecking. The band's sound was a blend of hip-hop with funk rock and other musical styles. The Wrecking dropped their debut album, A New Abolition, in 2008. Followed by the much more successful So Much For Love in 2012.
Joel Oliphint, a writer with Christian Today, compared the two albums. "A New Abolition, was all over the map stylistically, incorporating worship songs, hip-hop, and even a cover of Peter Gabriel's 'In Your Eyes.' It didn't always work, but at least it kept you guessing. So Much for Love, on the other hand, is 14 tracks of consistently normal, predictable pop rock, with verses that only exist to forecast fist-pumping choruses."
The Wrecking disbanded in 2013 at the height of its success.
The Benjamin Gate
Christian rock artist Jeremy Camp isn't the only rocker in the family. His wife, Adrienne, was the lead vocalist in the South African band The Benjamin Gate. The group formed in 1998, but disbanded in 2003. Adrienne thought it would be difficult working as an artist and wife at the same time. Since then, Adrienne has released two solo albums: Don't Wait in 2006, and Just You And Me in 2010. In 2020, Adrienne released The Worship Project with her husband, Jeremy.
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