For the last twelve years or so, SONICFLOOd has been spreading the message of gospel through their worship music, but they weren't always known as SONICFLOOd.
SONICFLOOd
The group first started as Zilch, and was the traveling band for dc Talk. They split off from dc Talk in 1997. In the beginning, the lead singer was Mark Townsend. They recorded their first album, Platinum, under the Zilch name in 1997 with Gotee records. It wasn't received well. The group had a modern rock sound with a strong influence from the 1960's pop music. They weren't taken very seriously with name like Zilch.
In 1998, Mark Townsend left the group to start a solo career. The band was in the process of creating a second album, Millennium. Jeff Deyo joined the group. The band decided to make a change. They became a praise and worship group and changed the name to SONICFLOOd. Millennium was the first album recorded under the SONICFLOOd name in 1999.
The Praise & Worship movement was just getting started. SONICFLOOd, because of the genre of praise and worship music, became known as one of many groups in a up and coming category. Others that were gaining in popularity at that time were Delirious?, Hillsong, Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin. That first album, Millennium landed on the Billboard 200, the top 10 Christian albums Billboard chart and peaked at #2 on the Heartseekers Chart. Now, this group was serious. They had gained respect. Millennium had two #1 hits, earned three Dove Award nominations and won in the category of Praise & Worship Album.
In 2000, after such a fantastic year, SONICFLOOd went through a series of changes that resulted in every band member leaving except for lead singer,Rick Heil. Current band members with Rick Heil are Chris Knight on drums, Branden Taulbee on bass and vocals, Phil Baquie on guitar and vocals and McKendree Tucker on keyboard and vocals. The band has been through several changes throughout the last ten years, but continues to produce grammy nominated projects every year or so. They are enjoying reaching out to a world in need as a Christian music ministry.
When Love First Cried
This is the first Christmas album for the Praise & Worship band. This album is made up of 5 traditional Christmas classics with 5 new Christmas tunes in Sonicflood's own distinctive style.
- When Love First Cried
- This is Christmas
- The Gift of Love
- Ring the Bells
- O Come Emmanuel
- Noel (Glory To Your Name)
- Hope Has Kissed the Earth
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
World View
SONICFLOOd has been honored and recognized as the first Christian band to ever play a Christian concert in the nation of Turkey, which is almost all Muslim. They also had the privilege of playing for the President of Thailand on his birthday. Their international ministry is intensive, SONICFLOOd has played on every continent in the world except Antartica.
SONICFLOOd has teamed up with great evangelistic names around the world for the cause of international evangelism. They've worked with Promise Keepers, Franklin Graham, Josh McDowell, Morris Cerullo, Robert Schuller, Luis Pulau , Rod Parsley, and Acquire the Fire.
They played at the 2008 Republican National Convention Prayer Breakfast, and lead singer, Rick Heil and his wife were appointed Americans of Faith Coalition Chairmen. In their 10 years of ministry they have helped facilitate over 10,000 child sponsorships for adoption. Like most of the other Contemporary Christian and Praise & Worship artists out there, Rick Heil and the members of SONICFLOOd are reaching out to a hurting world doing all they can one day at a time and one song at a time.
HOL 101
Amy Wingfield - Amy, a freelance writer since 1999, has combined her passion for writing and for Christian music.There's always a story behind the ...
