Hillsong United 'Tear Down The Walls' album

American fans of Hillsong United, the Australian rock band, are building a grassroots bonfire under the group as a_CROSS//the_EARTH: Tear Down The Walls, the band's newly released live album, rockets its way to the #2 position on the U.S. iTunes Top Albums chart.

A musical dark horse on the iTunes chart, a_CROSS//the_EARTH: Tear Down The Walls catapulted over mainstream competition last week from Adam Lambert, Keith Urban, Green Day and Lady GaGa.

Fans have been generating standing-room-only ticket sales for Hillsong United on the North American leg of the group's a_CROSS//the_EARTH Spring Tour 2009 (please see itinerary following). On Wednesday night (May 27), Hillsong United sold-out the 12,000 seat Verizon Amphitheatre in Alpharetta, Georgia, just outside Atlanta, delighting their ecstatic fans with an evening's worth of electrifying spirit-filled rock presented in an astounding concert environment of state-of-the-art light and sound.

Hillsong United is the music-making world-touring youth ministry of the Hillsong Church, a pentecostal congregation located in Sydney, Australia. Featuring Brooke Ligertwood and other charismatic worship leaders and performers, Hillsong United host Encounter, an annual youth conference, in the U.S. each summer, drawing thousands of fans from across the country. This year's Encounter conferences will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center (August 21-22) and the University of Miami (August 28-29).

The Hillsong Church produced its first praise and worship CD, The Power of Your Love, in 1992. The first Hillsong United release, the four-song EP One, was released in 1998 and bundled with the annual Hillsong live album. Since those humble beginnings, more than 6 million Hillsong CDs, DVDs and other branded units have sold in the United States, with Hillsong United selling more than 560,000 pieces in the U.S.

a_CROSS//the_EARTH: Tear Down The Walls, the latest in a line of live Hillsong United albums beginning with 1999's Everyday, has been drawing rave reviews:

Kevin Davis, writing for the Christian Music Review, called the album "...a must have for your praise and worship collection."

Andree Farias, in Christian Music Today, found "...a combination of stadium-sized praise rockers and ballads..." in the album while "Hillsong United goes back to their old ways with energy and passion....In case you've been living under a rock, take heed: Hillsong United is the biggest youth worship band on the planet.

"Hillsong United return with their first live CD recording since 2006," wrote Leigh DeVore in Charisma magazine. "a_CROSS//the_EARTH: Tear Down The Walls features 12 songs, including 11 new tracks, in Hillsong United's signature power, pop-rock worship melodies. The crowd stays involved on this rousing CD, with its good mix of feet-stomping tracks and heart-moving ballads....Hillsong United continue to usher crowds into the presence of God with energetic, faith-building songs. Fans will be so glad to hear them again...."

Hillsong United tour dates
Thu 6/3 Virginia Beach, VA Wave Church
Fri 6/5 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom (sold-out)
Sat 6/6 Toronto, Ont. Christian Heritage Day
Tue-Wed 6/9-10 Chicago, IL Willow Creek Conference
Fri-Sat 8/21-22 Los Angeles, CA Hillsong United Encounter - LA
Fri-Sat 8/28-29 Miami, FL Hillsong United Encounter - Miami

Hillsong United biography
There's a generation across the earth who are being awakened to real love and who are starting to walk in it. Rising up with hearts as one; our value nailed to a cross that we would find value in the broken and the hurting and the lost. Hillsong United seeks to give voice to this generation. Birthed and anchored in the youth movement of Hillsong church, UNITED is about seeing a generation encounter God in a way that changes us from the inside out; so that together we can change our world.

“One of the strengths of our Church is the way the youth are embraced and encouraged to be a part of all that is happening,” says Joel Houston, the Creative Director of Hillsong Church. “It’s what makes United distinctive. We’re not just a band. The very nature of who we are and what we do is inclusive. It’s a discipling model. Everything we (the current band) do is because someone gave us an opportunity.”

Hillsong United have also had an amazing opportunity to take what is happening ‘at home’ to others. They have worshipped in Churches, stadiums and open fields in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, and through powerful praise and passionate worship, they have seen literally tens of thousands of people connect with Jesus.

With songwriters as well as worship leaders: Joel Houston, Jad Gillies & JD at the forefront. “We’re just getting started,” says Joel. “There are a lot of people who need to know Jesus. If our worship is just great youth meetings, nice songs, lots of jumping around and a few CDs, then we’re missing it. Our vertical expression must have a horizontal effect. So, we’ll continue to worship, praise and honor God with heart, soul, mind and strength the best we know how, but the fruit of that must be a generation who are totally committed to reaching the lost and helping those who need help, locally and globally.”

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Hillsong United - Tear Down The Walls