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For the first time in a while, Third Day has released a pure rock 'n' roll album. The band, known for its driving, Southern-fried rock for its first few albums, started leaning a bit in the pop direction, then released back-to-back worship records, the critically and commercially successful Offerings I and II. Now the band goes back to the beginning with the recently released Wire, which rocks almost as hard as those early albums. We caught up with frontman Mac Powell and drummer David Carr to talk about the new CD.

From left: Mac Powell, Brad Avery, Mark Lee,Tai Anderson, and David Carr (sitting)

What would surprise people about this new album, Wire?

David CarrThat it's not another worship album. It's a lot more rock and roll from the beginning. The first song is an in-your-face rock song, and it doesn't really let up for a while—but hopefully not to a point of annoyance where a listener would think, Okay, enough. I want to hear something worshipful. There is a lot of worship in the album, but it's not like Offerings or Offerings II. We set out to make a rock album.

Also, I hope they're just surprised at how good it sounds. We had some great people working on this record to make it sound amazing.

What were some of the biggest challenges in putting this project together?

Mac PowellOne was that we spent a lot more time on this record than any other one we've ever made—which was great; it was something we wanted to do. We actually made an album before we made the album; we recorded about 17 songs and we lived with those songs for a few months. That was great, because instead of going into the studio, recording things, putting the record out, and later thinking, Aw man, I wish we would've done this or that, we were able to be sure about the songs we chose.

That's not to say there aren't still things on the finished project that we wish we would've changed, but overall, we had a lot more time to spend with these songs, to develop them and bring them to the place they need to be musically and lyrically.

Other challenges on this album?

PowellWe worked with a new producer, Paul Ebersold, who's worked with a lot of mainstream bands and has had great success in mainstream radio. It was great getting out of our comfort zone from working with Monroe Jones in the past. We love and adore Monroe, but we wanted to do something different, just to throw a wrench in things, spark things up a little bit.

Also, we left Atlanta and went to Memphis to record; we were there about a month. We didn't record in the studios we are used to recording in; we were also away from home. We recorded in different ways in which we hadn't done before. Those were some of the biggest challenges, but our saying has been, "You get out of it what you put into it," and we put a lot of time, sweat, hard work, and patience into the record. I think we got a lot out of it also.

Of all of the band members, who do you think was stretched the most?

CarrThat's a good question because we've actually used the term "stretched" a lot. Creatively it's some of the best stuff we've ever done, but I don't remember a lot of stretching—it was something else. Especially with me, because I thought I was going to be stretched more than anybody.

I think it's easy for any musician, especially a drummer, to get into a rut thinking, This is how I play. But there were a couple things Paul Ebersold suggested to me; I'd try them and sometimes they would or wouldn't work. But he was so encouraging, saying things like, "You guys have been doing this a long time. You're professionals. I'm not here to make you do something you can't do or that isn't you. I'm just here to orchestrate and arrange these songs and make sure what's going down sounds good."

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