Whenever a new year comes around the corner, as people we tend to make new resolutions, kick old habits and establish healthy goals. The year 2012 has now arrived and we have the opportunity to kick start this year with a bang! The much anticipated, internationally recognized Hillsong United has released their latest album Hillsong United – Live in Miami (2012) February this year. Recorded live at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida in August 2011, this album captures 22 tracks of God-breathed and Christ centered worship with the united purposes of seeing people connecting with Christ Jesus.

Hillsong United – Live in Miami (2012) has creatively engineered to bring forth exciting music using both old and new songs. Fresh from last year’s release of the ‘Aftermath’ album, Live in Miami brings to front several tracks from the 2011 studio album to the ears of the beholder. Hillsong traditionally has had a reputation of bringing congregationally friendly and lyrically sound music to the global church. The release of ‘Aftermath’ surprised and exposed us to different tunes, musical arrangement and lyrics. It was an album with techno and electronics that separated itself from its predecessors. Live in Miami has really brought the lyrics and the heart behind the songs in such great finesse!

Hillsong United – Live in Miami (2012) starts off with a techno-robot voicing “Welcome to the Aftermath”. The crowd starts going wild as Matt Crocker takes the lead with the song ‘Go’. You can hear a loud declaration from the crowd singing, “We’re giving it all away, away. We’re giving it all to go your way~” before the drums and electric guitars kick in! The praise follows into ‘Break Free’ with JD (Jonathan Douglass) asking the people “Is anyone READY to break free in this placeeeeee!??” to which an overzealous crowds responds in cheers!

Throughout the album it felt as though as we were present at Miami attending the conference in person, experiencing the worship first-hand. Leading into the song ‘Mighty to Save’, Hillsong United’s frontman Joel Houston addresses the crowd, “It’s good we can hear ya. It’s a good thing ‘cos you know what tonight it’s more about your voice than it is ours. I don’t know how you came to be here but we’re grateful, we’re glad that you made it.” This reminds us that more important than an album recording, the conference in Miami was establish to connect the hearts of people to God. In response, the crowd sang in confidence to the song ‘Mighty to Save’, declaring God’s faithfulness aloud in unity. Before you know it, we are drawn into the powerful act of worshipping our God and King.

Listening through the album once, it is apparent that the drummer is high on ‘Jesus Juice’! Live in Miami has so many fantastic drum rolls and build-ups that it’s impossible not to give credit to Simon Kobler (Kobes) for his outstanding performance on drums! He comes in strong in Disc 2 starting with ‘Freedom is Here/Shout Unto God’. You can hear the impact and power associated with his drum playing as it elevates from the song ‘From the Inside Out’ through to ‘With Everything’. ‘From the Inside Out’ really touches the heart lyrically. The song engages the crowd to sing soulfully unto the Lord. It enters a powerful free worship session with catchy minor-chord progression known as ‘A Song to Sing’ where people really focus their energy and attention towards God Almighty. At the end of ‘A Song to Sing’, the people started singing “Woahhhh … Woa~aahhhh… Woaahhhhh” whilst the drums continue in momentum, driving the worship. We are slowly brought into the song ‘With Everything’ led by Joel Houston with more drums and free worship happening - a truly remarkable worship experience!

Hillsong United has really compiled a powerful worship CD. There’s especially a high interest within the community for these ‘tour-styled’ album ever since the release of ‘The I Heart Revolution – With Hearts as One’. Hillsong United – Live in Miami (2012) is not an album of newly written songs, rather its worship album that of songs collectively sung in the at a conference in Miami with the intention of drawing all hearts to God through His son Jesus Christ. To those that enjoy losing themselves in worship and love the songs written by Hillsong, then this album is a must! The mixture of loud drums, electric guitars, and a huge cohort of worshippers singing as one church has given this album a wonderful, electric feeling with huge lift!

“These songs that we’re singing are not just some random songs, some ideas, some religious idea of a God. We’re not singing tonight to a dead God, or a distant God, or a dormant God but tonight these songs are songs of life, songs of truth to the ever-lasting, the ever-faithful, the ever-present God”. – Joel Houston.

Memorable Tracks:

Mighty to Save

Bones

Rhythms of Grace

From the Inside Out

A Song to Sing

With Everything

Take it All

Read: HILLSONG UNITED - LIVE IN MIAMI (2012)

Having led worship in churches, stadiums and open fields around the world, UNITED’s Live In Miami is the first live album from the band in four years and features 22-tracks all captured during the band’s sold out worship night in Miami. In 2011, best-selling modern worship band Hillsong UNITED brought a new and fresh approach to tours, visuals, songs and multimedia to the U.S. for the widely successful ‘Aftermath’ Tour. The tour logged sold out worship nights in venues across the country - from New York to Los Angeles (where the band became the first Christian band to sell out Staples Center) and back east to Miami where the CD and DVD were recorded.

In studio and out of studio, on tour or home at Hillsong Church, UNITED is committed to sharing songs that speak truth, create a unique sound, connects with churches, individuals and ultimately connects people everywhere with God. Born out of the Youth Movement of Australia’s Hillsong Church, UNITED is fronted by worship leaders Joel Houston, Jad Gillies, Jonathon “JD” Douglass and backed by an evolving collaboration of pastors, worship leaders, musicians and songwriters - all intentional about giving voice to a generation passionate about God.

Hillsong United's tour-type albums are definitely one to deserve much attention. Hillsong United - With Hearts As One album featured a list of familiar and classic songs from the Hillsong Church but arranged in a fresh and exciting that it really captures the attention of music lovers. In addition, the album contains approximately 20 tracks of music goodness that can't be compared to any standard album recording. Without a doubt, the live albums are the ones that attract positive feedbacks. As of today, Hillsong has released many songs that are sung in churches globally. Most congregations aim to replicate the sound and feel captured in the live albums. This becomes harder to attain with studio recording that utilize techno sounds and unique effects. Hillsong has recognized this great need to replicate the style of worship, and have subsequently release music tutorial videos for its recent Hillsong Live - God is Able album. Wouldn't it be great if Hillsong recorded their annual albums holding around 20 tracks of both old and new songs performed in a live setting? This allows us to experience the great classic music from ancient times, to the new ones that are creatively engineered yearly by the Hillsong team!

Read: HILLSONG UNITED - LIVE IN MIAMI (2012) REVIEW

Hillsong Music is taking orders for Hillsong United - Live in Miami new album

US Store | AUS Store

Remember, TheChurchTools readers receive a 15% discount on any purchases including this pre-order using our coupon "TheChurchTools1"

Hillsong has released their third Christmas worship album composed of Christmas songs led by the Hillsong Church in the middle of November. Above is the official music video of 'Born is the King' from Hillsong - Born is the King (2011) Christmas EP album. This EP contains 8 tracks of classic Christmas songs arranged by Hillsong including two self-written songs 'Born is the King' and 'Emmanuel'.

Download Hillsong - Born is the King (2011) EP Christmas:

Hillsong Music has recently revamped its flagship online store and has included online digital downloads as an additional purchase option for consumers. This allows consumers to quickly get their hands on the latest Hillsong music! Hillsong has generously offered a special discount of 15% on all purchases made at Hillsong Music. Simply enter the checkout code "TheChurchTools1" to receive your special 15% discount off ANY purchases. Hillsong Music has inspired individuals and churches worldwide to praise and worship our God and to bring Him glory. Hillsong's dynamic worship services is the original, contemporary music that continues to emerge from the church's musicians and writers. Hillsong Music collectively refers to the music produced by Hillsong Church and distributed around the world. Hillsong Church consists of a company of dedicated and devoted people that exists to bless the community, city and nation in which it is planted. Their influence on the global Church was recognized twice by the Gospel Music Association which presented "International Awards" to Hillsong Music and its modern worship band Hillsong United in recognition of their impact on the worldwide Church.

Best-selling modern worship band Hillsong UNITED returns in 2011 with twelve new songs recorded in a studio to inspire a generation to embrace the hope of the gospel. The release of AFTERMATH follows a sold out US Tour in 2010 and is the most recent album in a line that is fast approaching 800,000 units sold over the past six years. Additionally, the band will be back to tour the US in February and March 2011 playing the AC single "Search My Heart" and other hits off the new album.

Hillsong UNITED has always pushed the boundaries of what is considered "worship music," and on AFTERMATH the band stays true to form again stretching themselves lyrically and sonically. The songs on AFTERMATH explore the life-changes and hopefulness in the 'aftermath' of an encounter with Christ. Longtime fans of the band and those who appreciate progressive worship music will not be disappointed.

Cause all this time I have assured myself that when it comes to cover-art, our creative story-telling genius is as clear as day for all the world to see; communicating the timeless message of Christ in such grandeur clarity and relevance that it’s impossible not to find redemption simply by looking at the front cover of our albums; graphical design so deep and complex that it speaks eternal truths to the soul through the iris’s of all who are privileged enough to set eyes upon such visual masterpieces. HA! Think about it; 2004; “MORE THAN LIFE” - a clip-art-extravaganza which involved hundreds of meticulous hours spent cutting out images of people in our youth ministry and zoo animals and other random objects that represented all that life entailed to us at the time.. And above it all we blasted the word “UNITED’ and had some random images of musicians worshipping our God, so as if to visually declare “ohhh I looove yoouu.. Moooooore than liiiiiife”.

I mean for real.. It was brilliant!! And yet, in response, all we got was a hundred angry emails about how in amongst the plethora of layered images there was a particular image of MGC (Michael Guy Chislett) making a symbol that apparently represented the devil!!!

Album Inspired by ‘Aftermath’ Paradox of the Crucifixion of Jesus

Best-selling modern worship band Hillsong UNITED offers its highly anticipated, 11th full-length album and second ever studio recording, AFTERMATH, Feb. 15, 2011 on Sparrow Records. Having its pulse consistently in tune with the heart cry of congregations across the globe and a fresh, forward-thinking soundtrack to match, Hillsong UNITED has been the veritable gold standard of modern worship music for the past decade and counting. The album follows a string of 2010 sold-out events in the US and around the world, and is its first new recording in the alliance announced last year with EMI Christian Music Group.

AFTERMATH is also the first new album from Hillsong UNITED in over two years. The band members took the time to challenge themselves musically and lyrically. Not willing to be bound by what’s considered “worship,” nor willing to rest on their past laurels, Hillsong UNITED offers an unabashedly creative collection of new songs that celebrates the One who saves, redeems and is the true representation of Hope in a world where hopelessness abounds.

1) Take Heart

Words and Music by Joel Houston

I wrote this song on vacation in January of 2009 amidst the doomsday predictions in the aftermath of the global economic crisis, and being bed-bound after a foot injury preventing me from surfing. It seemed like an appropriate time to write a song about hope. I love in John 16:33 where Jesus states, 'in this life, you will have trouble...' He makes no illusions of the fact that being a Christ-follower in no way excludes us from the realities of trial and troubles. But He doesn't end there, '... but take heart, for I have overcome the world.' Because of the cross, all our troubles, our trials and pain, our fear and failure are overcome. We live in a different kind of aftermath - one where we can cling to the light and hope of an empty cross. – Joel Houston

The NEW Hillsong Chapel: Yahweh (2010) has been released! Hillsong Chapel - Yahweh 2010 Album is a newly created series of intimate and devotional arrangements of popular Hillsong songs led by the Hillsong worship team. Recorded live in the Hillsong Chapel, Yahweh, the first installment in the series, contains organic and contemplative versions of top CCLI songs including "Mighty To Save", "Hosanna", "From The Inside Out", and the title track "Yahweh".

NewReleaseTuesday is doing an exclusive full album preview of the Hillsong Chapel - Yahweh album. The album preview will be available all week long prior to the album launch. Click the above to sample the full album. Mind you the website added extra 'newreleasetuesday' vocals into the album preview to prevent infringement of copyright material.