Singer/songwriter and veteran worship leader Aaron Williams is set to bow his highly anticipated full-length debut, The Hope of Christ, August 5. The Worship Initiative release was produced by Williams and Alan Thomas (joan) and features 10 pop-driven live worship selections extolling the boundless grace, love and rest offered by the Savior.
Williams co-penned each track, with additional songwriting contributions from Shane Barnard, Jason Ingram, Jon Egan and Benji Cowart, among others. Highlights of The Hope of Christ include lead single “Walk By Faith,” an anthem of devotion to Jesus; album opener “Enter In,” celebrating our unfettered access to the Father; the Shane & Shane-featured title-cut, a confident proclamation of the heart of the Gospel; and “Abide” (feat. Aaron Keyes), a melodic ballad already resonating with worshipers around the world.
“The overarching theme that inspired this project is summed up in ‘Abide,’” Williams shares. “We live in a world that often leaves us feeling like the only way forward is to hustle, achieve, and prove our value. Jesus offers a different way of life—a way that still leads to fruitfulness but does so out of a place of acceptance and life-giving relationship. To abide is to learn to live in dependance on God for all things. It’s to stand on the truth that we are loved no matter what we achieve, and no matter how we fail.”
“I want The Hope of Christ to help people move deeper into that kind of abiding relationship with God, one that lingers in His presence and worships Him extravagantly in the everyday moments of life,” Williams adds.
The album’s next single, “No Height No Depth,” available later this week, is a deeply personal track for Williams. “I wrote it this Spring after nearly losing a close friend to mental health struggles,” he reveals. “With rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide at an all-time high in our society, I wanted to offer a song that would help people give voice to worship during such seasons of life. If we’re going to worship Him with sincerity during times of hardship and struggle, we need songs with fitting language for those moments. ‘No Height No Depth’ aims to honestly express where we are, while anchoring ourselves in the unchanging love of God.”
‘Home’ is inspired by the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). It is the first offering from Yates’ Between the Joy and the Sorrow Part 2 album. Last month (June 24), Yates released Between the Joy and the Sorrow Part 1.
In someway we’ve all been the prodigal son. The song is about coming to the end of yourself, making mistakes, getting lost and deciding to return home empty handed with the intent to beg the father to accept you back. Yet the reality is the Father was always there, waiting for the son, he welcomes his son and throws the biggest party.
Benjamin Hastings release new music titled “Feels Like A Blessing” with JUDAH. The official lyric video can be viewed below. “Feels Like A Blessing” is available now.
Friday (July 22), Nashville-based singer/songwriter and worship leader Shaylee Simeone releases new music with “If It Comes From You.” The track was produced by Chad Carouthers and written by Simeone, Luke Brown, and Jillian Edwards.
Simeone is on a journey to say “yes” to God’s calling on her life. With pop-inspired music that is inherently congregational, she took her first step with a single debut of “Dearly Loved” on July 26th, 2019, which currently has over 5 million streams on Apple Music. For years now, Shaylee has enjoyed being a part of several music projects focused on sync/licensing (including the band HRDLY and Sugar Sad Eyes) while consistently leading worship at her local church; it’s no wonder that writing worship music that feels universally accessible has been such a natural transition. She recently signed her first record deal with Lula Street Records, and “If It Comes From You” will be a part of the first EP released through this new partnership.
“This song means a lot to me because it was written during a sort of crossroads in my career and ministry. I felt God calling me towards writing worship music, but I kept doubting myself and questioning. Still to this day I find it to be a difficult balance of being confident in what I feel I was created to do while also making sure that I’m following God’s voice and not my own. This song was a way of grounding myself, a reminder that every good and perfect gift comes from Him. He knows where I’ve been, He knows my hopes and dreams. And I only want this if it comes from Him.”
Today (July 22), Newsboys releases new music with “King of Kings” featuring MercyMe’s Bart Millard. The official lyric video can be viewed below. “King of Kings” is available now.
Today (July 22), Rend Collective releases new music with “Let It Roll.” The official live performance video can be viewed below. “Let It Roll”, off of the group’s upcoming album titled Whosoever, is available now.
Legendary, heavy metal band Stryper released their latest single “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” today July 21st off their upcoming album set for release later this year. This single release follows the successful release of first single “Rise To The Call,” on June 24th which has been receiving praise from press and fans alike in the buildup to the groups forthcoming album.
This new album release, produced by front man Michael Sweet, firmly continues the trend established over the band’s last few albums, the new music sees the band growing heavier, while also maintaining their trademark melodies, virtuoso guitar playing, and air tight rhythms.
When asked about their latest single “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” Stryper frontman Michael Sweet said, “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” was, believe it or not, inspired by the health issues that Oz and I have been faced with. Despite our limitations, we were able to deliver an album that is powerful and relevant and “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” is the perfect track to showcase that. We could not be more excited about this album! The best is yet to come.”
When it comes to groundbreaking bands in the metal genre, Stryper is renowned for their distinctive brand of “heavenly metal,” extraordinary crossover success, and venerable endurance. The group ascended to prominence in the 1980s with Billboard Top 40 hits like “Calling on You,” “Honestly,” and “Always There for You” and has maintained a global fan base since. Stryper’s career album sales exceed 10 million worldwide, including 1986’s multi-platinum release To Hell with the Devil. The band also made history when it notched two songs simultaneously on MTV’s Top 10 with videos “Free” and “Honestly.” While Stryper is known for their Christian faith, their decades plus career in heavy metal has made them much more than just a ‘Christian metal’ band. Sure, that is part of who they are, but at the end of the day, they are simply a long-running and well respected heavy metal band with a late-career rebirth that has proved their enduring talent and musical skills are well intact.
See No Evil, Hear No Evil – Stryper
Today, some 37+ years after emerging from the southern California nightclub scene, Stryper continues to record, tour and perform for loyal fans around the globe. With three original members including brothers Michael Sweet (lead vocals, guitar) and Robert Sweet (drums), Oz Fox (guitar) and newest bandmate, seasoned bassist Perry Richardson (formerly of Firehouse), the group finds itself creating their finest, most powerful music yet. Stay tuned to Stryper’s socials below for updates on the release of more singles in the build up to their forthcoming album as well as upcoming tour dates from the legendary metal group.
Cory M. Coons teams up with producer Marc Muir and label-mate Ed Roman for new melancholic single, “Long Hard Rain”
For many a broken heart can feel like a long hard rain as the emotional, dark clouds roll in. Cory M. Coons new single, “Long Hard Rain”, is for all the folks who have felt beaten down at one point in their lives. The lyrics depict a person who is heartbroken, spiritually or romantically.
But there is still hope as they hold out for love and realize that the clouds will dissipate along with their emotional bondage.
“Long Hard Rain gives us an impression of a tumultuous time, with a sense of foreboding, sort of like a darker cloud of emotions or energy hanging over one’s mind and spirit of things to come.” – Cory M. Coons
“Long Hard Rain” was written by Cory M. Coons and produced by his good friend Marc Muir. MTS Record Label-mate and good friend, Ed Roman, provided stellar Hammond b-3 style organ tracks while Muir added bass, atmospheric guitar, electric piano and filler organ.
“Long Hard Rain” was released on July 15 on MTS Records.
About Cory M. Coons
Cory M. Coons is a professional independent performer, musician and award-winning songwriter from Eastern Ontario, Canada, just south of Ottawa. With over 30 years of experience in music, it has been his passion since his early teens as a guitar player/bassist & singer in High School, and shortly after while traveling and performing in a variety of very popular cover bands throughout the mid-to-late 90’s in both Ontario and the United States in well known local high-energy acts such as “Heads Or Tales” and “Shake The Tree”, as well as the band “U.S”, (which toured most of the South Eastern United States in 1998’).
Then later formed his own Classic-Melodic Rock influenced band “Tycoons”, releasing two independent recordings and performing throughout Eastern Ontario, Northern NY State, and Quebec in the early 2000’s.
As a Roots-Rock/Americana blend of Singer-songwriter, Cory has amassed more than 170,000 plays on Spotify for his melodic brand of roots-flavored rock. His work with famed legendary record producer Ron Nevison, has earned him industry recognition from the Los Angeles Music Awards, the Producer’s Choice Honors, The Josie Music Awards, International Singer-Songwriter Association and the Radio Music Awards, among others. With a catalog that boasts several critically-acclaimed full length albums and EPs, as well as a handful of well-received singles. Since 2004’, Cory has officially released 4 full length albums and 2 E.p’s, (with another recent E.p released in 2020), featuring the singles “Leavin” and “Good Times Gone”.
He recently released a previous album “The Long Road Home” in 2018, produced by Multi-Platinum Veteran Music Producer Ron Nevison, (Heart, Bad Company, Damn Yankees, Survivor, Styx, Night Ranger). The album was nominated in 2019 for “Male Album Of The Year” at one of the biggest Independent Award Shows in North America, the “Josie Music Awards”, and he as well had 4 nominations at the 2020 JMA’s, 3 more at the 2021 JMA’s, and is currently nominated at the upcoming 2022 JMA event again in two categories, “E.p of the Year”, & “Single of the Year” (Americana) for his song Freedom Road, this time being held in October at the Grand Ole Opry House. Cory also earned a nomination at the 2021 “International Singer Songwriter Association” (ISSA) Awards in 2021 for “International Male Vocalist of the Year”.
In 2020, Cory’s Nashville recorded E.p “33.3”, and previous album “The Long Road Home” were released on MTS Records, along with the “Share A Little Time” (E.p) and a re-issue of his “Retrospective” compilation (spanning 1999′ – 2010′).
The single “Leavin” was released early in 2020, and the follow up single “Good Times Gone” was released in June of 2020, from the recent Ep “33.3”. In December of 2020, Cory released “Burning Bright at Christmas Time” on MTS Records. The enchanting blend of acoustic guitar and sleigh bells captured the spirit of the holiday, and Coons’ melodic sensibilities remain intact with another rootsy release that feels at home next to his finest releases. “Burning Bright” also featured Coons’ then, 6-year-old daughter, Charleigh, on backing vocals, giving the track a real family touch. Another independent single “Far Away” was released in early 2021, which also featured Charleigh Lynn Coons (at 7) on backing harmonies on the track, along with his single “Freedom Road” which dropped in late 2021 on MTS Records, and currently a new upcoming single is set for release on July 15th of 2022, “Long Hard Rain”, also on the MTS label.
For more information, please visit Cory M. Coons’ website at www.corymcoons.com
