Contemporary Christian Music group Unspoken defines the term “breakout act.” Their debut single, Who You Are (Centricity Music), reached the Top Ten on the CHR chart in December and was selected as iTunes Best Christian & Gospel Song of 2012.

The four-member band is comprised of lead singer Chad Mattson, bassist Jon Lowry, guitarist Mike Gomez, and drummer Ariel Munoz. The group initially formed in the Dominican Republic where Mattson and Gomez met. Mattson’s childhood friend, Lowry, hooked up with them back in the states. Munoz joined after meeting the other three in Nashville. Unspoken recently completed the first leg of a spring and fall tour with Santus Real.

Mike Gomez graciously agreed to an interview with DivineDetour.

 

What is the significance of the name Unspoken?

There is a famous quote that says, “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” When the band came together this became our anthem so we chose it to encourage people to be the Gospel.

Who (or what) have been your more important musical (and/or spiritual) influences in recent years?

Musically we love to listen to bands that know how to combine good melodies with great lyrics, so basically anything that falls in that category. Spiritually, we are all influenced by different pastors, teachers, and preachers like Ravi Zacharias, David Platt, Joseph Prince among many others.

Has God ever sent you an unexpected “detour” that turned out to be positive?

Oh yes!! Chad, our singer, went to the Dominican Republic on a self-made missions trip and that’s where the band started when we hooked up, as I was a guitar player over there. Talk about a detour! It took Chad from Maine to the Dominion Republic!

Congratulations on the success of Who You Are from your Get to Me EP. How many of the songs did you write or co-write for the project?

We must have written and co-written over 100 songs for this project. We write/co-write all our songs. We’re in the studio now recording a new EP to come out this summer and then will release a full album in early 2014.

Did you have a central theme or foundation song in mind when you set out to record the project?

Yes, the fact that God will do anything to get to us!

You openly speak about the bonds of addiction and the need for each of us to have a close relationship with God. Would you, please, share a few words about that?

We believe that true freedom is found in Christ alone. What good would it be to get clean but at the end still lose your soul? We share about focusing on our relationship with God instead of concentrating on the issues that bind us. As we develop our relationship with Jesus our recovery will come as a by-product of that relationship.

A few fun questions…

Whether on tour or off the road, what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Rice and beans! LOL—anything cooked by our wives really. Food on the road can be interesting.

This website features authors as well as musicians. What’s the name of the last GREAT book you read?

We all did a Bible study of the book Radical by David Platt.

Are you a major or a minor chord?

Major, but minor on rainy days.

In the story that is your life, are you the tall, dark stranger; the romantic lead; the mythical warrior; the mad scientist; or the child in an adult’s body?

I’m definitely the child in an adult’s body.

I’m a dog lover. Please tell us about your pets, if any, or your favorite pet as a child.

Our drummer, Ariel Munoz, has some sort of dog named Bam Bam, and I have a Chihuahua named Bella.

Thank you, Mike! It’s a pleasure to have you as a guest at DivineDetour.

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For more information about Unspoken, visit their website. To view the story behind the song Who You Are and others videos, click here.

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