Irishman Robin Mark to release Year of Grace

|PIC1|Celebrated Irish worship singer/songwriter Robin Mark offers a Year of Grace, his new Integrity Music CD which releases on July 14.

Mark, based in Belfast, is known for blending traditional Celtic sounds with his passion for modern praise music. He has recorded 13 albums, including the most recent East of the River (2008) and his landmark 1999 recording of Revival in Belfast which remains on the worship charts a decade after its release. His signature song, "Days of Elijah", has become one of the most sung worship songs ever.

His newest CD is Mark's first live project recorded in the US. Produced by Paul Mills (Bluetree, Lincoln Brewster, Third Day), Year of Grace was recorded in Syracuse, New York, at North Syracuse Baptist Church. According to Mark, recording the new CD in the US was first born out of necessity.

His home church in Northern Ireland, which had been host to several of his previous recordings, was scheduled to undergo a major renovation and expansion at the same time Mark was planning to record his new album.

Having visited and performed at North Syracuse Baptist last summer, Mark said; "I knew intuitively that the sound and passion of the New York concert crowd, enhanced and charged by the wonderful acoustics of the beautiful sanctuary, would have all the ingredients for a great recording."

The CD's title has its own interesting origin. Said Mark, "Coincidentally, one of the New York counties near Syracuse is called 'Ulster' and is named after the province of Ireland where in 1859 a year long revival took place.

"That year, 100,000 people came to Christ and the outpouring dramatically changed the country and that season became known as 'The Year of Grace'. My CD Year of Grace is in part a celebration of what God did on that occasion 150 years ago, but mainly anticipates what He still can do in any nation of the world."

The music of Year of Grace is reminiscent of Revival in Belfast, combining powerful worship songs with Mark's unique Celtic/folk musical style. There are 12 tracks, including songs co-written with Paul Baloche, Vicki Beeching and fellow Irishman Johnny Parks.