With an uplifting, melodic approach, Christian rock group Unspoken landed on the Billboard 200 with their eponymous debut in 2014. They later enhanced their soulful sound with horns and electronic elements on 2016's Follow Through. Unspoken founding members Chad Mattson (vocals) and Mike Gomez (guitar) met while on a missionary trip in the Dominican Republic. Back in the U.S., the two musicians summoned Mattson's childhood friend Jon Lowry, a multi-instrumentalist. Drummer Ariel Munoz was added after he and the trio crossed paths at a Nashville talent contest. Signed to the Centricity label, Unspoken debuted in 2012 with the single "Who You Are," which peaked at number 11 on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs chart. "Lift My Life Up," their 2013 follow-up single, reached the same position. After a couple additional short-form releases, they issued their self-titled debut album in 2014. It peaked at number nine on the Top Christian Albums chart and brought them more-widespread success, including the Christian Top Five hit "Start a Fire" in late 2014. While preparing for their follow-up album, Unspoken recorded a 2015 all-acoustic EP called Unplugged, which featured stripped-down versions of earlier songs. A year later, they delivered Follow Through, their second album on Centricity. It reached as high as number seven on the Christian albums chart and produced the single "The Cure," which became a Top 20 Christian hit in 2017. The song also crossed over to the Hot Rock Songs chart, where it landed in the Top 40. Munoz left the group in 2018, and the lineup of Mattson, Lowry, Munoz, guitarist Wiso Aponte, and keyboardist Alan Pelno found chart success with 2019's "Reason," the title track from the band's third long-player. It went to number six on the Christian songs chart. With producers including Follow Through's Tedd T. (Newsboys, for KING & COUNTRY) and Christopher Stevens (TobyMac) also on board, Reason peaked at number 22 on the corresponding album chart. ~ Andy Kellman & Marcy Donelson
