Sonicflood

The band originally formed in 1997 under the name, "Zilch". Zilch began as dc Talk's traveling band, forming into an independent act in 1997. The initial recording lineup was lead singer and guitarist Mark Lee Townsend, keyboardist Jason Halbert, bassist Otto "Sugar Bear" Price and drummer Rick May.{{cite book |last=Powell |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco00mark |url-access=registration |year=2002 |chapter=Zilch |pages=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco00mark/page/1065 1065–1066]|isbn=9781565636798 }} Zilch released its first album, Platinum, in 1997 on Gotee Records but received little publicity. Platinum featured a modern rock sound with clear influences from 1960s pop music.{{cite journal |last=Brown |first=Bruce A. |title=Bankshots: Zilch |date=September–October 1997 |issue=14 |journal=7ball |issn=1082-3980 |page=34 }} One review cited the sound as being similar to that of All Star United, and another to Weezer plus pop and hip-hop influences.{{cite journal |last=Crabbe |first=Betrand |date=January–February 1998 |title=Tools / Music / Zilch Platinum |journal=YouthWorker Journal |issn=0747-3486 |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=60, 62 }}

This release was not praise and worship music, which the band would soon become known for, but contained more standard fare, including songs on topics like friendship, complacency, and priorities. Overall, the band was characterized as not taking themselves seriously,{{cite journal |last=Taylor |first=Sean |title=Reviews / Platinum |page=70 |journal=CBA Marketplace |date=December 1997 |volume=30 |issue=12 |issn=1092-7239 |oclc=36184061}} for instance by including a cover of the Schoolhouse Rock! song "My Hero, Zero",{{cite journal |last=Bumgarner |first=David |title=Reviews: Platinum |date=September–October 1997 |issue=14 |journal=7ball |issn=1082-3980 |page=44 }} and reflected in the band's name, which was taken from the song by the same name written by The Monkees. Likewise, the title of the album was a play on their own status as musicians. "We're appointing ourselves superstars with a 'Platinum' album..." Jason Halbert told one reporter, "That basically means Zilch!," Their song "In The Sky" is an answer to two hits at the time, Joan Osborne "One of Us" and Dishwalla "Counting Blue Cars", opening with the line, "... she asked if God was just a slob like us, well maybe something there is lacking," the second verse begins with, "Let me tell you all my thoughts on God, cause I just met with Him this morning..."

In early 1998 Mark Lee Townsend stepped down from the role of lead singer and was replaced by then-independent artist Jeff Deyo.{{cite web |title=Who's That Guy? |date=January 15, 1998 |publisher=Zilch Online |url=http://www.zilchonline.com/html/news.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980702135813/http://www.zilchonline.com/html/news.htm |archive-date=July 2, 1998}} Zilch would play shows, sometimes ending them with a praise song such as "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High." The band found that playing such music changed the nature of audience interaction with their performance, in positive ways.

{{Quote box|quote="We had misconceptions of what [praise and worship] was... Our idea in the past was that it had to be acoustic guitar, piano, and organ. Now, all of that goes out the window."|source=Jeff Deyo on praise and worship music{{cite journal |last=Carlozo |first=Lou |date=November 1999 |title=The Latest Craze |journal=CCM Magazine |issn=1524-7848 |volume=22 |issue=5 |pages=40–42, 44}}|width=33%}}

Their label took notice as well, and eventually suggested that the band consider recording a full-length praise and worship album. This idea was initially met with resistance from the band,{{cite web |last=Chismar |first=Janet |title=Jeff Deyo Traces the Road to and From Sonicflood |url=http://www.crosswalk.com/1137428/ |date=December 28, 2001|publisher=Crosswalk.com}} which was already in the process of recording a second album under the title Millennium. Eventually, the band agreed to do a praise and worship as a one-off, with no intention of continuing beyond the single album. However, as the recording progressed, the band decided to commit to the project. Jeff Deyo characterized the band's name change as a sign of that commitment, saying that it was similar to the story of the conversion of Paul of Tarsus.

Sonicflood began rotating personnel making changes that would heavily impact the future of the band. Otto Price played bass, co-produced, and shared some writing credits on the album, but not wanting to continue touring, dropped out of the core band. Price would eventually take the spot of vice president of A&R at Word Records.{{cite web |title=Word Entertainment Announces Changes to A&R Department |url=http://www.cmspin.com/newsmanager/anmviewer.asp?a=5476&z=50 |publisher=Cmspin.com}} Mark Lee Townsend did similarly, and was listed on Sonicflood as an additional musician. Already an industry veteran, he went on to produce albums for The OC Supertones and Relient K, among others. Additionally, he intended to release a second project under the name Zilch. However, despite occasional status updates throughout the first decade of the 2000s, that album is yet unreleased.

Seven Day Jesus guitarist Dwayne Larring and drummer Aaron Blanton became members of the band, bringing their number to four. The original lineup, under which the album Sonicflood was recorded consisted of Deyo, Halbert, Blanton, and Larring. Heil, then the Big Tent Revival bass guitar player, took over on bass guitar in early 1999 and joined as a founding member before Sonicflood began touring, but did not appear on the album.

Sonicflood released its debut album in February 1999. With this release, the band became one of many bands in the burgeoning genre of praise and worship music, joining Delirious?, Hillsong, Matt Redman, and others at a time when the genre was a fast-growing part of the Christian music industry.{{cite journal |last=McCabe |first=Ginny |title=Praise & Worship Music Changing for the Millennium |page=222 |journal=CBA Marketplace |date=July 1999 |volume=32 |issue=7 |issn=1092-7239 |oclc=36184061}} The album landed on Billboard charts including the Billboard 200, the top 10 Christian albums, and peaking at No. 2 on the Heatseekers Chart.{{cite book |last=Cooksey |first=G. |editor=Pilchak, Angela M. |title=Contemporary Musicians |series=Volume 51 |year=2005 |publisher=Gale Group |location=Farmington Hills, Michigan |issn=1044-2197 |isbn=0-7876-8064-8 |chapter=SONICFLOOd |pages=[https://archive.org/details/contemporarymusi0051unse/page/150 150–152] |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/contemporarymusi0051unse/page/150 }} The band would stay on the top 10 Christian album charts well into the year 2000 (for over 72 weeks),{{cite journal |title=Christian Retail Top Albums |journal=CCM Update |date=July 17, 2000 |oclc=22937802}} and becoming possibly the best known praise and worship band in America.{{cite journal |date=September 2005 |title=Truth Be Told |journal=CCM Magazine |issn=1524-7848 |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=9 }}

The release had two No. 1 hits on Christian radio, "I Want to Know You" (written by Andy Park) and "I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever" (written by Martin Smith of Delirious?), and several lesser charting singles. The latter was probably their most well known song,{{cite journal |last=Moring |first=Mark |title='I Could Sing of Your Love Forever' |journal=Campus Life |date=Jan–Feb 2001 |volume=59 |issue=6 |page=20 |issn=0008-2538}} and would gain an additional Dove nomination the following year, in the "Song of the Year" category. The band garnered three Dove Award nominations in 2000 and one win, for "Praise and Worship Album". In 1999 the band recorded a live album at the Flevo Festival but featuring content from other shows as well. Originally scheduled for a late 2000 release, changes in the band's structure would delay the album until 2001. .

In the fall of 1999 the band toured with speaker Josh McDowell. The following Spring Sonicflood joined the "Love Liberty Disco Tour", headlined by the Newsboys.{{cite journal |title=Sonicflood on tour with the Newsboys |url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Sonicflood_Tour/33381/p1/ |journal=Cross Rhythms |issue=56 |date=April 2000}} The band also recorded a track for the compilation album City on a Hill with Peter Furler as lead vocalist. This release would take a Dove award for "Special Event Album" in 2001, although by that time the band would bear no resemblance to the one which recorded it.

Sonicflood dissolved throughout the year 2000, citing differences over the vision of the band. Issues that led to the band dissolving included whether the band should return to a more conventional musical strain or continue making praise and worship music and how the band should sound.{{cite web |last=Parrish |first=Robin |title=A Conversation with Jeff Deyo |year=2004 |url=http://www.growthtrac.com/artman/publish/a-conversation-with-jeff-deyo-212.php}} These were complicated by the fact that the band had no true leadership; the original arrangement was equal ownership for each member. In a corporate fashion, this meant that each one had equal say in the direction of the band. By the fall of that year, all members except Heil had departed.{{cite journal |last1=Franklin |first1=Malia |last2=Brasher |first2=Joan |title=Key Member Exits Spell Uncertain Future for Sonicflood, Burlap |journal=CCM Update |date=September 4, 2000 |oclc=22937802}} Heil took the role of lead singer and began recruiting new members to fill the band's touring obligations and continue making praise and worship music.{{cite journal |title=Sonicflood change band line up |journal=Cross Rhythms |issue=60 |date=December 2000 |url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Sonic_Confusion/30125/p1/}}

By spring 2001, Sonicflood had gone Gold and the legal complexities that surrounded the band's name and ownership had been resolved.{{cite journal |last1=Akins |first1=Debra |last2=Hendrickson |first2=Lucas W. |title=Sonicflood Makes Label Jump Following Turbulent Year |journal=CCM Update |date=May 21, 2001 |oclc=22937802}} {{*}} Partial reprint: {{cite journal |title=Sonicflood to sign to Jeff Moseley's INO Music label |journal=Cross Rhythms |issue=63 |date=July 2001 |url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Sonicflood_Developments/30964/p1/}} Sonicpraise, the live album recorded in 1999, was finally released. Similar to their eponymous album, it featured a mix of songs from that Sonicflood and new covers written by other praise artists.{{cite book |last=Powell |first=Mark Allan |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music |year=2002 |publisher=Hendrickson Publishers |location=Peabody, Massachusetts |isbn=1-56563-679-1 |edition=First printing |chapter=Sonicflood |pages=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco00mark/page/845 845–846] |chapter-url-access=registration |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco00mark/page/845 }} This album earned a Grammy nomination for "Best Gospel Rock Album", and the band was on Billboard charts once again.

With Heil at the helm, the band recruited Tom Michael, Todd Shay and Brett Vargason, each of whom were members of the John Cox Band and David "Moose" Alan, who played keyboards for Big Tent Revival. The band switched record labels, leaving Gotee and partnering with newly formed INO Records. Heil began developing a praise and worship album, designing it similarly to the band's 1999 release, with a mix of covers and original songs. The result of these efforts became Resonate, released in the fall of 2001. Their 2003 release Cry Holy takes an acoustic rock sound, drawing comparisons to Chris Tomlin.{{cite web|url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/CryHoly.asp|title=Cry Holy Review|last=Ake|first=Colin|date=January 3, 2003|publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout}}

Following the 2005 release of This Generation, the band toured internationally, recording their performances along the way. While in Muslim-dominated Turkey the band filmed a music video for their song "This Generation". Sonicflood toured with sponsorship by Compassion International in the Spring of 2006, and continued to tour in Europe in the Summer.{{cite web |title=*Tuesday, January 24th, 2006* Sonicflood |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/Jan06.asp |date=January 24, 2006 |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout / The M Collective [ Newswire ]}} These recordings were released as Glimpse: Live Recordings From Around The World in fall 2006. As support for Glimpse, the band embarked on a United States tour, with sponsorship from the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, and included missionaries as speakers.{{cite web |title=*Friday, September 1st, 2006* Sonicflood |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/September06.asp |date=September 1, 2006 |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout / The M Collective [ Newswire ]}}

In 2007, the band appeared on Trinity Broadcasting Network's Praise the Lord to promote their appearance at an upcoming World Harvest Church-sponsored event.{{cite web |author=Sonicflood |title=*Monday, April 16th, 2007* Sonicflood |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/September06.asp |date=April 16, 2007 |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout}} Bandleader Rick Heil appeared again the following year, in support of A Heart Like Yours, telling the story of his healing from Crohn's disease{{cite web |url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Healing_Touch/33574/p1/ |publisher=Cross Rhythms |title=Healing Touch |date=September 10, 2008}} Heil contracted the disease at the age of 11, and was afflicted with it for 26 years.{{cite news |last=Freeman |first=Huey |title=Touching His Cloak: Sonicflood musician learns the age of miracles isn't over |date=May 12, 2006 |newspaper=Herald & Review |location=Decatur, IL}} Heil's case was particularly bad and, he was told, incurable, leaving his only hope for cure in miracles. While Heil does not profess to have experienced a miracle per se, he does say that "Jesus is the great physician... the healer of the heart, the soul, the mind."

The band went on to record "A Heart Like Yours" in 2008 which has a rock and piano-dominated sound.{{cite web |last=Willoughby |first=Peter |title=A Heart Like Yours Review |url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Sonicflood/A_Heart_Like_Yours/51801/ |publisher=Cross Rhythms |date=January 18, 2009}} Then, in 2009 recorded a Christmas album, "When Love First Cried."

In 2009, guitarist Phil Baquie received notice of his military unit's activation, and orders to deploy to Afghanistan in October as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.{{cite web |title=SONICFLOOd Guitarist Leaves For Afghanistan |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2009/10/22.JFH%20NEWS%20SHORTS%20FOR%20THURSDAY%20OCTOBER%2022%202009.asp |date=October 22, 2009 |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout}} Though not yet a United States citizen, Baquie is in the military reserve, which is a possible path to citizenship. Baquie's final album appearance was on their 2009 Christmas album, When Love First Cried.

• Rick Heil – lead vocals, guitar (2000–present (formerly bass guitar with Big Tent Revival)
• Ron Robinson – lead guitar, vocals, band music director (2009–present) (formerly guitar with Everlife)
• Phil Snowden – bass guitar (2013–present)
• Chris Bevins – keyboards, vocals (2013–present) (currently keyboards/vocals and band manager with Salvador)
• Dango Cellan – drums (2016–present) (also drums with Scott Stapp, Fireflight)

Lead vocals

• Jeff Deyo (1999–2000)
• Dean Rush (2000)

Bass guitar

• Otto Price (1998–1999)
• Rick Heil (1999–2000) (switched to lead vocals exclusively)
• Tom Michael (2000–2004)
• Bryan Willard (2004–2005)
• Grant Norsworthy (2005–2007)

Drums

• Aaron Blanton (1999–2000)
• Brett Vargason (2000–2004)
• Ben Showalter (2004–2005)
• Chris Kimmerer (2006–2009)
• Chris Knight (2009–2013)
• Derek Wyatt (2013–2015) (formerly drums with Kelly Clarkson)

Keyboards

• Jason Halbert (1999–2000)
• David Alan (2000–2004) (also in Big Tent Revival)
• McKendree Tucker (2008–2009)

Guitar

• Dwayne Larring (1999–2000)
• Matthew Knabe (1999-2000)
• Todd Shay (2000–2004)
• Trey Hill (2004–2007)
• Jordan Jameson (2004–2007)
• Phil Baquie (2008–2009)

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• 1997 – Platinum

• 1999 – Sonicflood
• 2001 – Sonicpraise (live album)
• 2001 – Resonate
• 2003 – Cry Holy
• 2004 – Gold (best-of compilation)
• 2005 – This Generation
• 2006 – The Early Years (compilation)
• 2006 – Glimpse: Live Recordings from Around the World (live album)
• 2008 – A Heart Like Yours
• 2009 – When Love First Cried (Christmas album)

==Awards and nominations==

• 2000 – Dove Award for Praise and Worship Album: Sonicflood
• 2000 – Dove nomination for New Artist of the Year
• 2000 – Dove nomination for Rock Recorded Song Of The Year: "I Have Come to Worship"
• 2000 – Nashville Music Award nomination for Contemporary Christian Album: Sonicflood
• 2001 – Dove Award for Special Event of the Year: City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise
• 2001 – Dove nomination for Song of the Year: "I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever"
• 2002 – Grammy nomination for "Best Gospel Rock Album": Sonicpraise

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|1=http://www.sonicflood.com}}
• [{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p365279/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} Album charts] from Allmusic
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080919102441/http://www.wreckedfortheordinary.com/category.asp?category=culture Interview with Rick Heil by Wrecked for the Ordinary]}}

{{Sonicflood}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:American Christian musical groups

Category:Musical groups established in 1997

Category:Musical groups from Nashville, Tennessee

Category:Gotee Records artists