NOW AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING is a concept album titled Dark to Light. Living a spiritual life has ups and downs, moments of feeling separated from God and in the dark while other times feeling really close and in the light. Everyone has a different life experience but we can all relate to the theme of Dark and Light. Through 4 sections, BLACK - DARK GRAY - LIGHT GRAY - WHITE, I will explore the various stages of life we may find ourselves in starting in the Dark and moving to the Light.
RELEASE TIMELINE
-December 21, 2022 - Single from BLACK section (Longest day of DARK in the year)
-February 10, 2023 - Single from DARK GRAY section
-March 20, 2023 - Middle track released as single (Spring Equinox)
-May 7, 2023 - Single from LIGHT GRAY section
-June 21, 2023 - Single from WHITE section (Longest day of LIGHT in the year)
-June 23, 2023 - DARKTOLIGHT released!
The story starts with "I Dont Care" in the darkest place of the album. Listening to the song, you'll hear dissonance not only in the distorted electric guitar but also in the lyrics. "I'm out of touch...that's what I want..." doesn't sound happy but maybe you force yourself to think you're happy. In a state of seclusion and separation, the thought "I dont care" sticks out, and indifference might be one of the darkest places to be. The BLACK section of DARKTOLIGHT continues with realizing that loneliness is not enjoyable. Going out to try connecting with other people with an expectation for easy success is quickly shut down with rejection. Seeing others joyfully get along with one another only adds salt to the wound. A resolution of being "so done" with everything proves that darkness is not so easily escaped. In this darkness, a place of defeat, a nightmare wakes you up to see what your destruction could look like...it's terrifying...enough so for you to change your resolve to "I gotta get out of here." This "life-flashed-before-my-eyes" moment is the first push towards the Light.
Now fearful of where the path of darkness could lead you, and tired of living in "garbage," you begin to look for something else: a new direction, something to live for. But, things are foggy, and it's hard to see anything new with your past lurking behind you. In fact, as heard in the second single from DARKTOLIGHT, "Pushing Me," old habits may be holding you back from moving forward into the light. However, you've seen a glimmer of light poking through the fog, and no longer desire to dwell in darkness, so there's a fire under your feet pushing you towards making a change in life. Motivation, for the first time, to start on a brighter path fills you up but it doesn't seem to be enough to get you out. Suddenly, the feeling of helplessness floods your mind, and you realize that you are not able to pull yourself out. It feels like an impossible task and you are incapable to take it on by yourself. The only thing left is a desperate cry for help, reaching out for someone to take your hand.
The first half of DARKTOLIGHT ends with an outreached hand, a final attempt to escape the darkness. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, we see a man who was beaten and left for dead on the side of the road. When two walked by, who were supposed to be his "people", they simply kept walking, ignoring the state of this man.
The turning point of the album
The second half of DARKTOLIGHT begins with an outstretched hand picking up the one in need. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, a stranger who was socially at odds with the beaten man, came to his rescue. He picked him up, addressed his wounds, and brought him to a place to heal and recover, paying all expenses owed.
A hand stuck in darkness has reached out, and two merciful hands are outstretched to pick up the one in need. Two strangers with different life stories have one goal- bring you out of the dark and into the light. Through their compassion they begin to teach you the truth so you can begin growing, like a newly planted seed. In this stage of the journey, friends and community play a huge role in helping you stay on track, much like a gardener carefully tends to his seedlings to set them up for the best possible growth. As you progress, things that were difficult become easier, but you discover new challenges and lessons to learn. In these challenges it can bring back memories of old times where you perhaps felt more comfortable without these new growing pains. A little while ago you might have turned around and walked backwards, but now you can shut those doors to the past and continue moving forward towards the Light.
Looking back to the turning point of the album, Single #3 which tells the story of the Good Samaritan, we see that other lights in our life play a key role in bringing us out of darkness and helping us to stay in the light. In the moment of being helped or rescued it may not register in our mind how impactful that really is. But, when you're more removed from that time of salvation, it can hit you just how blessed you really are! Your community of friends becomes family, your solo struggles becomes a group effort, your lonliness turns into a village. The road to the light wasn't easy, and staying in the light still isn't easy, but when your love tank is full and your village is there for you, you simply feel blessed by the Best, and highly favored!