Until My Heart Caves In is the eighth studio album by Audio Adrenaline and the final album with Mark Stuart as the lead vocalist. The album was released on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 on ForeFront Records and went on to win the Grammy Award for Rock Gospel Album of the Year.
Concept and development
Frontman Mark Stuart commented on the meaning of the album:
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"Until My Heart Caves In is about living for God until your body collapses. It's about never giving up, even when you feel like it. So many people aren't living with a fire in their hearts on a day-to-day basis... We should be living like warriors and get out there worried less about the nice clothes and plastic personas and more about getting on the edge, living with authentic and real passion."
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After guitarist Tyler Burkum took lead vocals on several songs on Worldwide, this album features Burkum singing lead on more than half of the album. Five months after the album was released, Mark Stuart announced the band would be disbanding, due to the stress of touring on Mark Stuart's vocal cords.
Critical reception
The album was well received by critics. Jared Johnson of AllMusic rated the album four stars out of five, writing that "it would be tough to argue that this final output allowed them to go out on top."
Accolades
The album won the Grammy award for Rock Gospel Album of the Year. It was the second consecutive album to win the award, after Worldwide in 2003. It also spawned the Until My Heart Caves In Tour with Pillar and Sanctus Real.
Commercial performance
The album peaked at No. 122 on Billboard 200 and No. 5 on Billboards Christian Albums. The song "King" also peaked at No. 19 on Billboard's Christian Songs.
Track listing
Personnel
Audio Adrenaline
- Mark Stuart – lead vocals, percussion
- Tyler Burkum – lead vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitars, electric guitars
- Will McGinniss – bass
- Ben Cissell – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Jay Joyce – keyboards, guitars, drum programming, loops, backing vocals
- John Deaderick – synthesizers (10)
- Brent Milligan – acoustic piano (11)
- Christopher Stevens – Hammond B3 organ (11)
- Mickey Raphael – harmonica (4)
- Jason Hall – additional backing vocals
- Denise Allen, Jason Eskridge and Debi Selby – choir (11)
Production
- Brent Milligan – executive producer
- Jay Joyce – producer, recording (1–10)
- Audio Adrenaline – producers (11)
- Christopher Stevens – producer (11), recording assistant (11)
- Jason Hall – recording (1–10)
- Aaron Swihart – recording (11)
- Rob Clark – recording assistant (11)
- Mike Paragone – recording assistant (11), mix assistant
- Danny Duncan – choir recording (11)
- Jeff Cain – choir recording assistant (11)
- David Leonard – mixing at East Iris Studios (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Jim DeMain – mastering at Yes Master (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Jan Cook – creative director, art direction
- Tim Frank – art direction
- Asterik Studio, Inc. – design
- Marina Chavez – photography
- Sheila Davis – grooming
- Bradley Wardlaw – grooming
- BrickHouse Entertainment – management