The return of Grammy winning songwriter, Creed frontman, and platinum-certified solo artist, Scott Stapp is underway.
As new single, “Purpose For Pain,” gains traction, Scott has revealed the albums July 19 release date, the meaningful cover art, and the track listing for his first album in six years, THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SHADOWS via Napalm Records.
The announcement coincides with the album’s pre-order where fans will be gifted two instant grat tracks – “Purpose For Pain,” and “Name,” with two more to come – “Face of the Sun,” (May 31) and “Gone Too Soon,” (July 12). The pre-order is live now at scottstapp.com.
THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SHADOWS is powered by Stapp’s introspective lyrics and his pitch perfect delivery that has consistently brought anthems of gratitude and optimism to music’s darker side.
Lead single, and first IG track, “Purpose For Pain,” is now one of the most-added at rock radio in the U.S. and internationally, has stormed playlists like Spotify’s Rock Hard list, and been bolstered by its video. In it, we see the underlying contributors of, and the fight against, addiction and depression through the eyes of a child who escapes an abusive home, begins a solitary journey, tries to avoid chemical “solutions” for his pain, finds a battered-but-still-standing safe place where he wages an intense personal fight, and finally finds his way to an elevated, clear view of the all the possibilities ahead.
“This album comes at a time where I have empathy, instead of anger, for what the ‘boy’ in the video went through. My heart will always ache for him but as a man who’s had successes, failures, four children, and a lot of support, I now identify with the boy in the last frame who sees infinite possibilities on the horizon and he finally trusts that he never really walks alone. The album cover is related to that concept – a boy journeys within and emerges a man with stories to tell and lessons to share.”
The 2nd IG track, “Name,” is a chill-inducing promise to Scott’s children. Available today via the album pre-order, the song has already been heard by select fans during radio visits where each performance is met with pin-drop silence and standing ovations for lyrics like:
“I am a son without a father. He gave his name and walked away.
I am a man, now a father. And I swear my son will never know that pain.
I was a child, I was abandoned. Too young to fight to have a say.
Oh God what seemed so heavy handed. Made me the man I am today.
It’s so hard to forgive. Even harder to forget.”
“Name” also gives the album its title, as Stapp vows to make his hard-learned lessons count:
“I will…I will… be the space between the shadows.
I will…I will… be the light inside the sorrow.”
THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SHADOWS was co-produced by Scott Stevens and Marti Frederiksen, with additional production on “Purpose for Pain” by Kevin “THRASHER” Gruft. The album was recorded at Sienna Studios and Poppy Studios in Nashville, TN and The Cabin in Los Angeles. It was mixed by Chris Baseford and mastered by Howie Weinberg and features ten original songs and two original bonus tracks.
