After two albums for Tooth and Nail where the band explored more anthemic avenues, the quintet found itself re-examining its hard rock and metal roots on its third record for the label. The resulting album is an 11-song sonic attack that knows when to slow down the pace and when to pounce back like a slap to the face. "We didn't intentionally go for a heavier sound," guitarist Jef Cunnigham said. "We just wrote what came to mind and I think it turned into some of our best material."
Late last year the band's hectic touring schedule slowed enough for them to start working on the record, though they had a few geographical obstacles to overcome before starting. With members spread across four states, each created a secret Myspace for a non-existent band where they would post song ideas for the others to listen to.
Singer Matt Baird would download these parts to his iPod, where he began to craft the lyrics for the record. His finished work centers on topics like redemption and restoration, and reaches its pinnacle on the album's tenth track, "When Hope is All You Have," which began as a phrase he used during his father's funeral just before recording began.
"There are songs about healing and hope and about moving on after we've made mistakes," Baird said. "I felt some pressure in writing, hoping my parts would turn out as good as the music. But I think it all came out better than I could've imagined." After their internet-aided pre-production, the band decided to set up shop in a one-room cabin in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee for over a month to mold those song ideas into the core of the album. After three weeks of work, Baird joined the band for the final two weeks to add his lyrics to the fray.
With songs in hand the band then headed to Lakeside Studios in Knoxville for a month-long session with producer Travis Wyrick (P.O.D., Disciple), who also produced 2005's "Last Chance to Breathe," a record that helped the band expand its fanbase as it ventured into poppier leanings.
"I'm blown away by the finished record," Cunnigham said. "We wrote these songs to please ourselves, to write songs that we wanted to play live and we ended up with a few that were heavier and harder than anything on the last two records." Wyrick and the band have created a sound less reliant on overdubs and layering and more focused on bringing the band's live show to mind with a more sparse sound that still rocks as hard as ever. Maybe more so. "We wanted to experiment with heavier songs and think further ahead in the lifespan of the band," Baird said. "And with these heavier songs it really feels like a step toward the future and a reflection of the past."
The Answer
Spoken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And You will be there for the last
Mountains bow before You and the ocean turns to rain
The ocean turns to rain
You are a voice from the heavens I hear in the night
And You are the answer to questions I have in this life
The chance to touch You would change their lives
The ground would shake around You
When the earth would hear Your voice, the earth will hear Your voice
You are a voice from the heavens I hear in the night
And You are the answer to questions I have in this life
The ground would shake
The mountains tremble and fall into the sea
We'll run to You and see
(The ground would shake)
The mountains tremble and fall
You are God
You are a voice from the heavens I hear in the night
And You are the answer to questions I have in [Incomprehensible]
Questions I have in this life
You are God
You are God
The lyrics of Spoken’s “The Answer” talk about the power and authority of God, who has been present since the very first breath of our existence and will be with us until the last. The song describes the way in which even natural phenomena, such as mountains and oceans, cannot compare to the greatness of God. The voice of God is portrayed as one that people seek out for guidance and inspiration, a voice that is heard in the still of the night when all else is quiet. This voice is also depicted as being the answer to the questions we have about our purpose, our existence, and the events that unfold in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
You were there when I took my first breath
You were present during the very beginning of my life
And You will be there for the last
You will be present till the very end of my life
Mountains bow before You and the ocean turns to rain
You hold so much power that even the mountains and oceans bow down to you, and the water gets evaporated from the ocean to form rain again
The ocean turns to rain
Water from the ocean evaporates due to your power, resulting in the formation of clouds and rain
You are a voice from the heavens I hear in the night
Your voice is like a guidance that I hear during the dark and difficult times of my life
And You are the answer to questions I have in this life
You are the solution to all my doubts and problems I face in this life
Mile after mile they came to hear the words from You
People traveled a long distance just to listen to your words
The chance to touch You would change their lives
Just a mere touch from You would transform their life completely
The ground would shake around You
You possess so much power that the ground shakes in awe in your presence
When the earth would hear Your voice, the earth will hear Your voice
Your voice holds so much power that it can make the earth tremble and shake too
The mountains tremble and fall into the sea
The mountains cannot handle your power, and they tremble and fall into the sea in front of you
We'll run to You and see
We'll come running to You to see your divinity and greatness
(The ground would shake)
The ground will shake once again as we come closer to you
You are God
You are the almighty God who holds so much power and greatness
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: GARLAND JEFFREYS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bruce M. Axtens
on Wind In My Sails
I35. The highway.