by Jenny Bennett

If there's a word to describe Christian rock band Fireflight, I might call them instrumental (no pun intended) in changing the perception of the ever-evolving Christian music industry.

Take the veteran musicianship of bands like Pillar [1] and P.O.D. [2], throw in the appeal of guy/girl voices together (think Skillet [3]), imagine lead singer Dawn Richardson's angelic voice (reminiscent of Evanescence's Amy Lee) soaring above audacious guitar riffs, and add to that inspiring, powerful lyrics, and you have Fireflight, whose song Unbreakable was used for promos of NBC's Bionic Woman. (Not a surprising choice when you hear the lyrics: Now I am unbreakable, it’s unmistakable. No one can touch me. Nothing can stop me.)

Unbreakable is the title track for their newest album released March 4, and Gospel Music Channel viewers will have a chance to see the band in action this weekend in Atlanta as part of a live studio audience [4], and on The Kitchen Sink [5] very soon (stay tuned...)

It's hard to choose a favorite on the album. Stand Up and Go Ahead both have calls to action embedded in their catchy, energetic choruses that are sure to please crowds across the country (be sure to check their tour schedule [6]). This is one of those groups that must be seen live to capture the full effect of their talent.

You Gave Me A Promise and The Love We Had Before deal with the common need for healing in relationships, and again the energy of strong vocals, lyrics, guitar and drums make them great candidates for live performances. The softer acoustic Wrapped In Your Arms, as well as songs like Brand New Day and Forever, that start out slower than the others, round out the project and show the group's versatility.

The subjects they cover – depression, weariness, love & relationships – are universal and uncomplicated, but pack a powerful punch when combined with their overarching message of faith and courage, delivered through their brand of rock that has an ever-so-slight pop flair, making it appealing to an audience wider than rock fans alone. Already gaining national exposure on primetime TV, Unbreakable is the first release from the new album and has been No. 1 on Christian rock radio for more than three weeks. That trend shows signs of continuing.

I hear two other hits in the making that stand out both lyrically and musically – So Help Me God and The Hunger. Starting out in a minor key signaling something decidedly different than the other tracks, The Hunger sounds like it has the potential to top charts not only in Christian radio, but in the mainstream world with its unique sound and accessible (but not overdone) message: Do you want to spend your whole life jaded? Stuck in a rut that you created. Why don’t you break the cycle? Let love win.

'Cause you want Him, and you need Him
But you act like He’s not there.
Yeah you know that you're hollow
And something's missing here.
So you push and you pull the hole in your soul
But you can’t make the hunger disappear.

So Help Me God stands out because of its raw honesty (You sit beside me // And I love you // But I hate you // I don’t want to feel this way // But I can’t stop). I detect a hint of grit in Dawn's voice here, but the mood of the song merges dependably back into a hopeful ending, (So help me, God // To let this go) and the song stands out to me because of its encouragement. It seems to encompass the group's motto of reaching people through personal relationships.

The group takes their ability to reach fans through their music and extends it past a typical performer-audience relationship – one that lasts after the show is over. Personally responding to all MySpace messages and spending time after shows to talk to anyone who needs a friend, define the band's character.

“The heart of the band is to develop relationships with people,” says bassist Wendy Drennan, who uses the word “approachable” as a defining trait of the band. “We want to meet people and impact them on a relationship level, not just on a music level.”
 
Honest, inspirational, personable, energetic – turns out there's more than just one word to describe Fireflight. We at Gospel Music Channel will definitely be hearing more about this group in the weeks to come, so look for more on gospelmusicchannel.com [7] in the near future.

fireflightrock.com [8]
MySpace [9]
iamunbreakable.com [10] (special fan community website)

More Street Date... [11]

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