Within the first listen, the theme becomes apparent on the latest release from Audio Adrenaline, Bloom. "I'm not the king / I just sing," lead singer Mark Stuart stresses over a layer of groove and grit and rock 'n' roll. "I'm just a fraction of a thing." With loud humility the boys in Audio Adrenaline hammer in their insignificance in the face of a Christ who was, who is, and who shall ever be. "If I keep my eyes on Jesus / I can walk on water."

The irony is that their driving, grooving guitar modern pop -- humble message and all -- has gotten the attention of Spin, Rolling Stone, Details, and record buyers everywhere. Their video found it's place on the Hard Rock Cafe video tape loop -- between the Rolling Stones and Bush. Their name is painted on a stock car at Nashville Motor Speedway. They've played the Hard Rock Cafe and the House Of Blues. They've won a Dove Award and been nominated for both the Billboard Music Awards and America's Christian Music Awards.

And, while they may never be as big as the Beatles, it's still not bad for five guys who started out playing in a garage in the Kentucky college town where they met.

While the awards, the accolades, and, yes, the record sales are gratifying, the members of Audio Adrenaline say the real satisfaction comes in sharing real struggles of .life and faith with audiences. "People are tired of cliche answers," says songwriter Bob Herdman. "They know when you are telling the truth and they know when you aren't being a fake."

As they express their insignificance, they hope to point the way to Christ -- but not through condemnation. As Stuart sings, "I would love to be made perfect / but instead I have the grace of God."

"We'd like to help people see that following Christ is about acceptance from God," bass player Will McGinnis says. "It's about a relationship with God and those around you."

Article written by
Chris Well