UNSPOKEN

UNSPOKEN always makes is a special night. Here is more from the band:

Although they’ve always been an act that’s endeavored to wrap melody around doctrinally-sound lyrics, recent events forced the members of Unspoken to stand on the promises of God more than ever before. “When all of our work went away because of the pandemic, we realized a lot of our identity is caught up in what we do and what we can accomplish,” Mattson confesses. “Not being able to accomplish anything really drew us to the Word of God.”

Their bandmate’s serious illness also steered them back to the basics after their drummer, Ariel Munoz, was hospitalized with COVID for nine days. “My oxygen got really, really low. It was 3 a.m., and I was dreaming I was drowning. Except I wasn’t dreaming — my body wasn’t getting any oxygen,” Munoz recalls, adding that the doctors were close to intubating him. “The only thing I remember is asking God for peace. By the grace of God, the numbers came up a little bit, and I came out of the danger zone later that morning.”

For Mattson and fellow bandmates Jon Lowry (bass), Zach Smith (guitars) and Matthew Callaway (keys), Munoz’s brush with death emphasized the deep brotherhood they possess. Mattson notes: “I think one of the things this whole season has taught us is just how important community is.”

They were also reminded of the unique bond they share with their fans as hundreds of prayers, cards and letters poured in with thoughts and messages of well wishes for Munoz. “The love and support we received from fans was super encouraging,” Mattson says.

“They called me the ‘rock star’ because of all the letters that came in every day,” Munoz adds, laughing. “It was amazing.”

The response from fans also affirmed the purpose behind Unspoken’s efforts. “Our job is to encourage people along the way, encourage people in their journey,” Mattson says. “Sometimes it’s to encourage people to be more like Jesus, and sometimes it’s to encourage people to accept what God’s Word says about them.”

Lead single “Love Is Everything We Need” looks at love from a different point of view. Mattson penned the upbeat, lighthearted offering following a disagreement with friends. “I have a lot of grace for people, but I also expect a lot of grace from people,” the frontman admits. “This song is a call to the Church to be in the world, but not of it, and to extend grace and love to people even when we don’t agree.”

“It gives us a wonderful picture of the body of Christ and how a group of really different people can accomplish quite a bit together,” offers Mattson. “I love being a part of a band. It’s one of the greatest things I’ve been able to be a part of, outside of my family. Even through hardship, God has kept us together and used each one of our upbringings and experiences to allow us to make something beautiful.”

With their forthcoming album, Unspoken wants that beauty to lie in the meaning behind the music. “The whole goal is to encourage each other in the faith,” Mattson insists. “With this record, we want to encourage the body to live what the Word of God says, to believe what the Word of God says and to stand up for what the Word of God says.”

Perhaps the best place to start is 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”