With the announcement of Lacey Sturm’s new album, Kenotic Metanoia, I felt compelled to resurrect this blog and write about it.

It has been seven years since Lacey Sturm released her solo debut album, Life Screams. In this span of time, Lacey gave birth to her third child, released two more books, and reunited with Flyleaf for a few festival shows.

A lot can change in seven years. And with a new album comes new ideas, new sounds, and new ways to challenge, comfort, warn, or delight the listener.

When I saw the countdown on Lacey’s Instagram announcing that her second album was finished, I was stoked. Here are some reasons why I’m excited for Kenotic Metanoia, as well as some guesses as to what this album will sound like and how it will differ from Life Screams.

That title, though!

When I saw the title “Kenotic Metanoia,” I went straight to Google to figure out the meaning. The words come from Greek (I imagine some Bible scholars are already familiar with the word “metanoia”) and they mean “self-emptying” (kenotic) “repentance” (metanoia—can also mean” to change one’s mind”). Lacey’s single “Reconcile,” which released earlier this year, addresses metanoia directly (“Beckon Your help, change my mind”).

On a personal note, this year was one of the toughest for me. I was constantly feeling triggered and angry with the people around me, and I couldn’t shake the feelings off. It was hard for me to love people, extend grace, and give the benefit of the doubt. I also had difficulty seeing my own shortcomings in the midst of all this. So, when “Reconcile” came out, I found it very timely and relatable.

Based on what I’ve read about Kenotic Metanoia and the previous singles, I anticipate this album will address the inner selfishness and pride so many of us deal with, while also acknowledging the spiritual warfare surrounding us and the victory only available through Jesus.

The singles are promising

Five singles from Kenotic Metanoia have been released in the past four years. The first was “The Decree,” which Lacey wrote with Korey Cooper from Skillet.

The lyrics speak about anticipating the end times and the Messiah’s return while maintaining an eternal perspective in the midst of present chaos and sorrow. There’s an excellent build-up and intensity to the song, starting with Lacey screaming “Help!” against frantic guitars before the music quiets down to only the bass while she softly sings the first verse.

The following single, “State of Me,” is another co-write with Korey as well as John Cooper. It has a catchy chorus with call-and-response lyrics, and it will be the first full-length track on Kenotic Metanoia.

The third single, “Awaken Love,” is a poetic ballad with a haunting violin melody. This song was released in December 2021, a little over a month after I experienced a very painful breakup, so it’s a bittersweet listen for me. Still, it’s a beautiful reminder of God’s passionate love for us.

The aforementioned “Reconcile” came out last summer. What makes it distinct from the other singles is that the skillful guitar riffs (played by Lacey’s husband, Joshua) lean into metal territory. It will be interesting to see if this sound is explored further on Kenotic Metanoia.

Finally, the latest single is “Breathe with Me,” featuring the talented Lindsey Stirling on violin. This will be one of the final songs on Kenotic Metanoia, and its message of hope and perseverance is sure to resonate with many listeners.

Overall, these singles give an exciting preview of what is to come.

So, what do I think Kenotic Metanoia will sound like?

Album Speculations

The tracklisting for this album is publicly available on Genius, and anyone who pre-saves the album on Apple Music can also see it there.

Right away, I was excited to see more than ten tracks. I expect that 11 or 12 of these will be full-length songs.

The intro and outro will probably be brief, with “(I Died)” serving as an interlude and “A Man Needs a Maid” possibly being a spoken word piece (similar to “Vanity” from Life Screams). (Just a hunch—this title stands out the most among the others, so I find it hard to imagine it as a full-length song. I’m curious what the message will be!)

While Kenotic Metanoia is probably not a concept album, I think I can see an arc based on the tracklisting and the singles I’ve heard. “State of Me” is sung from the middle-of-the-mess, an admission of the speaker’s need for help and a newfound resolve to get out (“I’m not gonna put up with this one more day/I can’t find/The exit sign/But once I do I’ll bolt into the sunlight/Some may fear running to the unknown/But please, just tell me where else can we go?”).

“The Decree” is a marker of anticipation for change. “Awaken Love” acknowledges the spiritual hunger within us as we ache for God. “Reconcile” is a turning point for the speaker, where she finally “dies to self” (as we all must) in order to love others well. “Breathe with Me” shows the speaker extending the hope she now has to someone else facing a struggle.

I imagine “End the Wars” will be a final declaration, where the listener is challenged to put away grudges and bury the proverbial hatchet for good.

Lacey often embeds Scripture and biblical messages into her lyrics, and we’ve already seen this with the previous singles (this could perhaps be another blog post… 😉). I think we will hear a reference to Ephesians 6:12 in “End the Wars”: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

In the press release for Kenotic Metanoia, Lacey likened these songs to the Psalms, where David often speaks truth to his soul. I think this album will challenge me to evaluate my own life, to see the places where I need to be hedged or healed, and to remember the truth found in Scripture about God’s identity, my own identity, and what it means to walk as a “child of light.” These messages will be set to masterful rock instrumentation with heart-thumping beats.

And that’s exciting.

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Lacey Sturm’s sophomore solo album, Kenotic Metanoia, will release on Friday, November 17, 2023. Pre-save here and pre-order the physical copy here.