Christian rock was a powerhouse segment of the Christian music genre in the 2000s. While the more contemporary "K-LOVE" style has always been the biggest moneymaker, during the 2000s, guitar-driven Christian rock was a good case for second. With many chart-topping artists that had crossover mainstream success and a big appeal to a younger demographic, it was a golden age to be a fan of the genre. I was a teenager during this time--finally developing my own identity as a music listener--and I remember gobbling up most of these releases. There was an abundance of riches in rock music, the likes of which we may never see again.
Alas, the pickings grew a lot slimmer in the years since. Fewer new artists boast this sound. Older artists from that era have either disbanded or don't release music at the steady clip they used to. A few faithful bands of that era still release regularly but even among their output, it's hard to come away from the feeling that the 2000s are solidifying themselves as the "golden age" of Christian hard rock with each subsequent year.
2009 can serve almost as a climactic high point of this. That year saw a deluge of A-list Christian rock artists release some of their most popular work. For this article, we take a look back at some favorite rock releases from that year turning 15 this year. Feel old yet?
Skillet - Awake
I discovered Skillet amid their career-defining 2006 release, Comatose. The album revolutionized my taste in music. I remember how pumped I was for the first album release as a fan. I saw the band live for the first time when they were touring Awake. This album smashed open doors for Skillet, capitalizing on the success of Comatose in all the right ways. Its one-two punch of lead singles "Hero" and "Monster" launched the band into another stratosphere commercially, with "Awake and Alive" riding the momentum to cement this album as the band's bestselling to date. This trio of songs still looms large over the band's setlist. Regardless of how one feels about the album, Awake made quite the commercial splash--it's certified Double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
While many fans (myself included) felt the album was stylistically a lesser sequel to the magnum opus that was Comatose, or may prefer the edgier stylings of 2003's Collide, you cannot argue with success. If Collide and Comatose put Skillet on the map, Awake poured a bucket of cement over it to ensure they would be one of the genre's defining acts for generations to come. It's hard to believe it's been a full 15 years since it's come out.
Thousand Foot Krutch - Welcome to the Masquerade
Thousand Foot Krutch, affectionately known as TFK to fans, were always a favorite among Christian rock circles. With some minor mainstream crossover success, they always seemed to be right on the cusp of breaking out on a Skillet-level. Perhaps at no point was this as palpable as with 2009's Welcome to the Masquerade. What would be their final album on Tooth & Nail Records, this album was an artistic triumph. From its instantly recognizable cover art to its myriad of signature hits ranging from the title track, the aggressive "Fire It Up," and the radio primed "Already Home," this was a banger of an album from beginning to end. And arguably, it remains among the best of TFK and a starting point for any new fan to jump in.
Red - Innocence and Instinct
Three years after storming the Christian rock scene with a slew of No. 1 hits from their debut End of Silence, Red took things to the next level with the release of Innocence and Instinct. Lead single "Fight Inside" made Christian rock history by debuting right at No. 1 on the charts. The band's signature style of orchestral-driven hard rock was refined with this release and provided a template that still drives their hits to their day. Songs like "Death of Me" and "Forever" are still career highlights while "Never Be The Same" and "Start Again" opened up the band to new fans who liked a little less screaming in their rock music. Either way, the balanced album racked up the hits and stands as one of the band's best even 15 years later.
Flyleaf - Memento Mori
Because Flyleaf found a lot of commercial love with their successful debut album, the pressure was high for their sophomore album. It took four years for the band to make it happen, but Memento Mori eventually saw the light of day. Amping up the artistry and dialing back some of the more emo stylings of the first, the band found a lot of success with some of the album's hits. Songs like "Again" were instant crowd pleasers while songs like "Beautiful Bride" and "Missing" proved that these emo rockers could produce some of the most artistic hard rock around. Momento Mori was a memorable record that proved Flyleaf wasn't just a one-album wonder.
Decyfer Down - Crash
Delayed so much that the lead singer changed, many fans worried that a sophomore album from Decyfer Down would never come. Preceded by an EP of the same name the year before, the album was poised to capitalize on the immense success of the debut that produced four No. 1 hits. Caleb Oliver leaving the band was a huge blow, but when Fighting Instinct's TJ Harris stepped in to fill the void in the wake of his own band reaching their conclusion, the ship was immediately back on course. With the driving title track, the memorable "Fading," and the gritty "Desperate" leading the way, Decyfer Down left quite the mark on the Christian rock world with this album. While they have settled into a more part time gig in recent years, they are still active in the music scene. And this album still stands as one of the highlights of their career.
Hawk Nelson - Live Life Loud
Hawk Nelson was one of the prominent faces of 2000s Christian punk rock. Before lead singer Jason Dunn left and the band reinvented itself as a contemporary pop band for a few albums, the sound of Live Life Loud notched them hit after hit. This album came around the peak of the band's success and produced many hits for them. The title track was everything the band had come to be known for, while "Alive" and "Never Enough" showcased their more aggressive sides. But the band had also come to show they could write ballads--the moving "Shaken" is a gem in that vein. "Meaning of Life" balances the best of both worlds for a radio-ready crowd pleaser.
Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down
A less commercial album than their previous offerings, Forget and Not Slow Down showed that Relient K was growing up. They were maturing, and their music did too. The title track still remains a career highlight, bursting with youthful energy. But this album transitioned the band from the snarky punk rock kids they'd been known as previously, while still keeping a healthy dose of their identity intact.
NEEDTOBREATHE - The Outsiders
I remember being a little disappointed when NEEDTOBREATHE's album The Outsiders was released. It was a noticeable shift toward country but balanced with a mainstream rock sound. In hindsight, it's easy to see this as a transition to the southern rock powerhouse the band would evolve into over the next few albums. While the campfire feel of songs like "Lay it Down" might conflict with the band's rock-heavy instincts, it's hard to deny the infectious energy in songs like "Hurricane" or the signature radio stylings of "Something Beautiful."
It's hard to believe that 15 years later, NEEDTOBREATHE is one of the most consistent acts around and this album is a solid turning point in that. As of this writing, it's still the band's only album to achieve a Recording Industry Association of America certification of Gold. While many of their singles have notched such an honor, it says something about how special this album is to have reached that milestone as an album.
Stryper - Murder By Pride
While 2005 officially brought Stryper out of hiatus, I would say 2009's Murder By Pride is truly when their comeback became a real thing. This album kickstarted what has been a consistent slew of releases that have continued to this day. Stryper could easily have been written off as a has-been that disappeared from relevance in the early 1990s, but this album showed that the veteran rockers were back and here to stay. Lead vocalist Michael Sweet had kept busy in the interim years, with solo projects and as a touring member of mainstream band Boston. And while Reborn received mixed reviews, Murder By Pride was the return to form many fans had been anticipating. It's hard to believe that it's been 15 years since this comeback album from a veteran first dropped, and they are still going strong as if they never left.
Switchfoot - Hello Hurricane
To me, Switchfoot's album Hello Hurricane started a new chapter in the band's career. With a label change and Greatest Hits project separating the band's previous album from this, it seemed like the band might be heading for the exit door. Luckily for fans, this album showed that the band wasn't anywhere near finished. Returning with an edgier and grittier sound in the lead single "Mess of Me," Switchfoot proved that they were legends in the rock scene. This album was a prolific work of art from start to finish, with other rocking highlights such as "The Sound," the title track, and "Free" balanced with ballads like "Your Love is a Song," "Always," and "Red Eyes."
From the ethereal opening notes of "Needle and Haystack Life" to the climactic build of "Sing It Out," and the haunting revisiting of the former in the final song's outro, this was the picture of a band who was finally allowed to fully embrace their artistic vision free from label interference. And the result was glorious. Luckily for fans, this album would serve as the first in a string of winners for them that would represent one of the strongest streaks of their career.
Other Great Releases:
Newsboys - In The Hands of God (Peter Furler's final outing as primary lead vocalist) The Letter Black - Breaking The Silence EP (the debut label project from The Letter Black) David Crowder Band - Church Music (an exceptional release from when Crowder actually fronted a rock band. The lead single was Crowder's signature and immensely popular cover of "How He Loves") Jars of Clay - The Long Fall Back To Earth (a highlight of this legacy band's discography often forgotten in their most artistic late-career offerings) Falling Up - Fangs (as the final album before the band went independent, this album pushed the limits of a rock album by going full on story album and transitioning the band into the next phase of their legendary sci-fi rock career) Seventh Day Slumber - Take Everything (the first of many worship rock albums from Seventh Day Slumber. The band's proven to be resilient and remains to this day one of the genre's most consistent presences)
J.J. Francesco is a longtime contributor to the NRT Staff. He's published the novel 'Because of Austin' and regularly seeks new ways to engage faith, life, and community. His new novel, 'When Miracles Can Dream,' is out NOW!
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