HolyName have just returned in the most triumphant way possible. This self-described “preachcore” is everything our music scene has been missing. The band just dropped “Creed” featuring Eric of xDeathstarx (you listen to the song, below) I think people who are fans of the heavy music genre and sub genres are seeking to find answers and balance to our world. Music like this not only encourages a search for encouragement and spiritual nourishment but it also inspires the listener, makes you think, makes you rock out, and ultimately leads the listener to fall on his or her legs to pray and seek worship with the God who made us new in his image. Tales of “Revivals” gone past are becoming rarer and rarer. Memories of times that people gave their lives to the Lord and got baptized in the word and holy spirit are slowly fading away like the wilting flowers, the yellowing of photographs, the dust covered scrapbooks, and even that leather bound book called the “Bible” that has lost its glimmer collecting dust in the back of a closet next to those old chucks. I’m not here to spew sarcasm or some repetitive cynicism that all the cool cats and guys with podcasts will tell you. I pray to God that music like this catches fire. That all the men and women who once found salvation in the presence of our Lord, who committed their lives to a mission of reaching others for his Kingdom, would slowly return to the surface so that we could all laugh, love one another, and celebrate that next revival. People may laugh about the past, act like it didn’t exist, or tell you that they need “recovery” from the trauma of being a part of the Christian (sub)Culture. I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, where you got to, the things you did, the pain you endured because guess what, none of that will matter when you’re face to face with a God who loves you with every ounce of his heavenly spirit. I’ve gotten to the point in life here in my middle age that I’m done worrying about what’s cool, what’s trendy, what so and so thinks, or if I offend anyone. There has been damage and pain for people that grew up through our last big revivals but that is mankind’s unfortunate mistakes and the sins that made their way toward infecting a culture. Just know that we are all one in this life no matter your background, what you may have believed, who you voted for, who signs your check, what pain you caused, because together we are stronger. United we can influence a culture and bring about a real revival of hearts for the next few generations. It starts with us, and the many who have lived it, even if just a part of it. Let’s put down our protest signs, stickers, badges, patches and all the things that show our disdain for living out a full life. Bury the trash that festers, where spiritually desolate maggots come to feast to spawn numb and empty flies that ultimately fall to the ground and die only to be forgotten for another tomorrow. It’s time and this is me in preaching mode because honestly, I’m tired of running and I am really tired of wasting precious time in my life just treading water. I have this platform and I am going to shout these words out loud. God bless Facedown Records and all the other bands trying to spread their hopeful messages to an audience that needs it most…us.
Official Press Release:
After joining the Facedown Family in 2021 and releasing four singles, HolyName is back with one more single and the announcement of their self-titled full length release.
Check out the new single “Creed” (ft. Eric Gregson of xDeathstarx) everywhere you listen to music.
The “HolyName” LP drops JANUARY 13, 2023
HolyName’s watchword is preachcore, and their self-described sound of “holy drone violent worship” makes a lot of sense when you hear their songs. The new album is essentially a love letter to Christ and a tribute to the history of eastern orthodoxy.
A season of death and profound brokenness caused Tommy Green to dive deeply into the very beginnings of the church, seeking for the connection between holy orthodoxy and liturgical practices, and today’s modern Pentecostal charismatic church. He found beauty in a hidden treasure that he didn’t fully understand, his pain driving him to a place he never intended to go. Orthodox imagery is extremely influential to the graphics and lyrics of HolyName’s work. The holy orthodox church and the historical origin of Christianity became very important to Tommy personally and that’s why the imagery seems so saturated with traditional ancient orthodox Christianity.
The genesis of the idea of HolyName sprang from a lockdown project when Joe and Tommy recruited friends from their church community nationwide to participate in a worship “mix tape.” Tommy’s initial contributions were an acoustic song he wrote in 2014 called “Meet Me Somewhere Quiet” and a cover of a song by his brother-in-law Aaron Craner called “Fall On Your Knees”. He sent the songs to Joe who turned them from acoustics to fully instrumental heavy tracks. When the duo heard the first finished products they were excited to keep going. Tommy felt like he was using the songs and the choruses and the sounds of HolyName to try to keep his faith alive when he felt like it was dying.
“Some of the answers that I have been given by the modern charismatic Christian culture weren’t adequate. There were gaps that I couldn’t seem to fill in the face of death. I knew the faith that brought me brought me through Sleeping Giant and nurtured that ministry was beautiful, but I was losing such faith that I needed to find the eyes of Christ somewhere and I couldn’t seem to get my feet under me with the answers that I had. I was really in danger of walking away from quite a lot.”
The search into the origin of his faith opened the door for Tommy to fall in love with orthodoxy. He has been able to use the experience of this project to process his grief and work through broken-heartedness.
In addition to Tommy Green and Joe Holt, the HolyName project features mixing and mastering by Ryan Leitru, additional vocals from The REV Gang choir, Brook Reeves of Impending Doom, Eric Gregson of xDeathstarx, Joe Advent, Danon Saylor of Nothing Left, Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter, and Mike Felker of Convictions, with beats produced by Hunter Babcock of Wolf Skin.
glad to hear they’re back. was a huge fan of Sleeping Giant, and it’s good to hear that Tommy has kept his faith alive in a time when it feels like so many are walking away from it. can’t wait for the full length.
Excited about this!