Though accolades look nice on a shelf, it’s how an artist manages its success that really matters. The members of Building 429 all agree that with success comes added responsibility – to whom much is given, much is required. Jason Roy (vocals/guitar), Scotty Beshears (bass), Michael Anderson (drums) and Jesse Garcia (guitar/keyboards), are eager to use their newfound influence to serve God fearlessly, as reflected on the band’s sophomore release, Rise.

Debuting in 2004 with “Glory Defined,” a song that hit No. 1 on eight different charts and became BMI’s 2005 Song of the Year for Christian music, Building 429 received four Dove Award nominations and was named the Gospel Music Association’s 2005 New Artist of the Year.

“The key is to keep it all in perspective,” says Beshears. “The awards are all fine and good, but it’s really about being thankful that God has chosen to use you for His purpose. You don’t have to play music to be used, certainly – you just have to be willing. In that regard, we are on an equal playing field with everyone else.”

To satisfy fans looking for the band’s energizing modern rock heard in its live show, Building 429 gives a passionate performance on Rise, shaped by the prowess of gifted producer Monroe Jones. “Monroe is big on making sure that you put everything you’ve got into every take,” says Anderson. “As a result, there is a lot more heart on this record.” Roy adds, “A passionate performance translates differently than a technically perfect performance. People hear the honesty in that. This record is very much the heart of the band on display.”

Title track “Rise” stems from the story of a young man Roy knew in junior high school. “He was good at everything, but he was a kid that was out there by himself. People picked on him and pushed him around; I became the guy that took up for him. This song comes from the idea that no one could ever see him the way that I saw him and the way that God saw him.” With meaning enough to represent the whole album, “Rise” compels listeners to realize that when it seems no one sees them, God does.

Building 429 pushes on unapologetically with clear, honest and open faith through songs like “Searching for a Savior,” “I Belong to You” and “Alive.” Advancing musically, Rise showcases the band members’ growth as musicians and songwriters. It also represents a natural progression of the meaning behind the name Building 429, taken from Ephesians 4:29. Concludes Roy, “It’s not enough to not say something bad. It’s about going out of your way to lift people up when everything else is beating them down. It’s about rising to that occasion. We want young people to know that yeah, life is tough, but God is there; He loves you and He has a plan.”