Tony Cummings reports on the hitmaking CCM band from Nashville, UNSPOKEN

Unspoken

If you are a long-time listener of Cross Rhythms radio, you'll know the band Unspoken. Their 2014 album 'Unspoken' produced the radio hits "Everything" and "Start A Fire", while their 2016 release 'Follow Through (Deluxe Edition)' gave us "Can't Deny Your Love" and "Higher". Now, the band from Nashville, Tennessee have released a single, "Reason", which is the title track of what will be their third album, to be issued by Centricity on 21st June.

Working with producers including Tedd T (For King & Country), Chris Stevens (TobyMac), David Spencer (Hunter Hayes) and Jeff Pardo (Ben Rector), Unspoken poured their personal stories and vulnerabilities into this new batch of songs, all of which, unintentionally, pointed to a central message.

Said lead singer Chad Mattson, "Every song on the album speaks to some different kind of emotion or struggle we've been going through, but everyone has the idea that God's love is the reason - it's the reason we have everything needed, it's the reason we can love ourselves, it's the reason we can forgive, the reason we've made it this far, the reason we can look in the mirror and be confident, to know we're gonna be all right. In the hard times, I've sometimes wondered 'When is God gonna show up?' But the truth is we've already been given the victory. That's more than enough reason to believe, to persevere, to trust. . . This album is about sharing with people that you have a Reason."

Unspoken consist of Chad Mattson on vocals; Jon Lowry on guitars, keys, bass guitar and vocals; Ariel Munoz on drums and Alan Pelno on keys. In 2015, around the time of the release of their 'Unplugged' album, Chad was asked by godtube.com how he would describe Unspoken's music. He said, "I would describe it as soulful. I would describe it as pop. One member grew up on '80s rock. One on hip-hop and R&B. One on artsy singer/songwriter music. 'Unplugged' is very eclectic compared to some of our other music. All of our personalities and musical tastes come through on the record." They've toured alongside acts like MercyMe, Big Daddy Weave and Casting Crowns, sharing their powerful testimonies through song. The title track of their 2018 EP 'Just Give Me Jesus' became a popular praise anthem on US radio.

Chad was asked by the NewReleaseToday website what were the band's long-term goals? He was candid in his reply: "That's the tricky thing; we don't know. ‬We as human beings, we don't know what we want. I can dream, and I think to dream is a necessity, but ultimately our prayer is, 'Lord your will be done. Your sovereign plan, let that be done.' I mean, I hope to be headlining shows and to be selling lots of records because I know if we're doing those things, we are reaching our culture and making music that is current and impactful and full of truth. We just had a meeting with the head of iTunes yesterday, and we're just saying with all of the music that's out there, with all of the messages that are in the mainstream market and stuff, our music is like a beacon of light. It's an encouragement to not follow the crowd, to live at a different standard than your friends, and to receive the blessings that come from living like that. My goal is to continue to impact people, to continue to bring God glory, to be a light, and whatever that looks like - whether we're headlining or we're in the same spot, we'll be thankful to be doing this as long as he's called us to do it. I want to sell a million records, have five buses, have awesome production, headline the tours. All those things I want to do, but I don't know what's good for me. ‬So I dream, but I also say, 'your will be done'."

Speaking about the soon-to-be-released 'Reason' set, Mattson said, "The themes of this record come from seasons of trial and tribulation, so it only made sense to add some of these elements sonically. It's what this album needed."