One of the industries top bands, Grammy winners Audio Adrenaline, will add a final chapter to its substantial career with "Adios: The Greatest Hits," releasing Aug. 1.
AudioA has consistently proved its relevance, artistry and heart since 1991, taking a full throttled blast of musical artistry and passion and melding it with a compassionate desire to impact the world at large. The group has sold over 3 million records and racked up 18 No. 1 singles and four Dove Awards.
After 15-years of music and mission, Audio Adrenaline is choosing to say "adios," offering one more nod to its considerable fan base with the album and an aggressive 35-city tour with MercyMe through the fall.
As you may know, Audio Adrenaline front man Mark Stuart is experiencing ongoing vocal challenges. After consulting with doctors, it is clear the toll his voice has taken will prevent his ability to continue a consistent live performance schedule.
But AudioA is not done yet. Fans will also receive a commemorative look at the expansive career of Audio Adrenaline through "Adios: The Greatest Hits." The album features 17 tracks, including 12 No. 1 hits and two newly recorded songs. The first new song, the contemplative and hopeful "Goodbye," released to radio last month, its melodic hooks floating gloriously over solid rock chords. The second song is a hard-driving cover of The Alarm's "Blaze Of Glory," signifying a band that is going out on top, still thundering joyously to the end.
"Adios" is well representative of AudioA's illustrious creativity, including their best infectious funk-rock moments, such as openers "Big House," "We're a Band," and the exuberant "Never Gonna Be as Big as Jesus." Their nuanced power ballads are represented by the airy "Leaving 99," the reverent "Pierced," and of course, the great encourager "Ocean Floor." "Chevette"'s 70s guitar lines reminds us of AudioA's constant willingness to experiment, "Hands & Feet" point us, as AudioA always does, toward authentic ministry, and the grooving hum of standout praise track "King" reminds us Who it's really all been for.The wonderful project is closed out perfectly by the Beatlesque "Starting Over," encouraging us to "reclaim your innocence, start over..... it's never too late." Indeed. We're really gonna miss these guys.
The companion "Adios DVD" to be a part of the special edition "Adios" package is slated to feature a third newly recorded song, the Charlie Peacock cover tune, "Down In The Lowlands." The DVD will also include five Audio Adrenaline videos, as well as live performance footage and interviews from artists impacted by Audio Adrenaline. Some of the artists already signed up to participate are tobyMac, Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, Pillar and Relient K. Each of these artists is sharing tour experiences and favorite memories of Audio Adrenaline. All of this will help us with the loss of this faithful band of friends, but none could come close to replacing Audio Adrenaline.
