Sleeping Giant exploded onto the hardcore scene in 2006 and quickly gained a reputation—reaching far beyond their hometown of Redlands, California—for intense live performances full of searing passion.  The band’s unwavering love for the Lord is clearly apparent in every song, and the bold and sincere lyrics recall the passion of the forefathers of the Spirit-filled hardcore movement. The band’s name is a well-intentioned affront to Christians in the world today, who the band sees collectively as a sleeping giant that desperately needs to wake up.  The members of Sleeping Giant are resolute in their goal to reach as many people as possible with their message of repentance. www.MySpace.com/SleepingXGiant Bridgeshadows is the brainchild of kL, former keyboardist of Wedding Party.  Bridgeshadows combines elements of goth, industrial, electronica and classic metal.  The band began in 1999 and was first heard by the public with the launch of a site on the now defunct MP3.com.  During the same time, Bridgeshadows released a limited edition CD EP for Cornerstone Festival 2002 and followed that up with their first independent self-titled release in 2004.  Bridgeshadows signed to PsychoAcoustiX Records in 2005, but before their first release with the label, Carl Crandell, owner of PsychoAcoustiX Records, suddenly passed away and the label ceased all operation. So kL continued working on writing more music and recording more demos.  In late 2007, kL joined forces with Jonathan Stamets, programmer extraordinaire and the front-man of Coriolis, and in January of 2008 they welcomed a new vocalist and lyricist, Bethany Jones.  They are making great progress with a new album, entitled "Pray for Rain," which should be completed in time for a release at Cornerstone Festival 2008. www.MySpace.com/Bridge_Shadows With two members who are also pastors of Rise Above (San Antonio, Texas), Our Corpse Destroyed has been entertaining and preaching the Gospel to the underground since 2000. www.MySpace.com/OurCorpseDestroyed Coming at you in a blaze of high-end solos, A Plea For Purging waste no time in proving their instrumental prowess.  Guitarists Blake Martin and Lyle Paschal leave no room for the non-descript breakdowns that seem to saturate the current metal-core market.  Formed in 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee under such influences as Dragonforce and Iron Maiden, A Plea For Purging banged out 200 shows in their first year as a band.  The band is as well known for their antics as for their scorching live performances, and sometimes the two go hand in hand:  "We've been known to breath fire at live shows from time to time," says vocalist Andy Atkins. When the fire isn't coming from their mouths, it is certainly coming from their hearts.  Pouring forth such intensity and precision, they are a sort of threshing combine running at peak performance, producing highly contagious riffs and infectious harmonies. www.MySpace.com/APleaForPurging Jason Berggren former frontman of Strongarm As a founding member of Strongarm, Jason Berggren is one of the forefathers of Spirit-filled hardcore.  He continues to be active in ministry, and has begun work on his first book, entitled 10 Things I Hate About Christianity: Working Through the Frustrations of Faith.  About the strong tone of the book's title, Jason simply says this:  "I live in the real world, with real problems, and I want to say what I really mean.  Anything else is a waste."  Jason hopes that the story of his Christian walk—which he describes as often being "messy and clumsy"—will help others work out the issues they may encounter in the course of their own journeys.  Read more in Jason's weblog at 10ThingsIHate.com. Shawn Jonas former frontman of Zao and Symphony In Peril Shawn Jonas spent years as the vocalist for two of the heaviest and most influential Christian metal bands, Zao and Symphony In Peril, and is still involved in youth ministry.  Although the early Spirit-filled scene had all but fallen apart, Shawn realizes that God is still moving in many of today's up-and-coming bands.  It is his sincere hope to offer his advice and encouragement to see the resurrection of the Spirit-filled movement. Loyal Thurman founder of Hope For The Rejected More than ten years ago, God gave Loyal Thurman a calling to reach the underground subcultures with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he has been involved in subculture ministry with Youth For Christ ever since.  Loyal has become a leader in subcultural Christian ministry because of his vast experience with various ministry models, knowledge of subcultural "tribes," and all-consuming passion for the underground Church.  Loyal's hope is that every segment of the underground community would be reached with the Gospel, and he knows that this can be accomplished only by a unified Church. Dan Green founder of Straight to the Cross Ministries Dan Green overcame childhood abuse and came out of a homosexual lifestyle, and now ministers to those struggling with homosexual desires or dispositions themselves.  Dan's testimony and teaching comprised perhaps the most moving and evocative presentation of last year's Unified Underground, and he is sure to impress again this year. “Pastor Skip” Brooks pastor of Rise Above Ministries Skip Brooks used to be a binge-drinking, drug-chugging, violent young punk rocker severely suffering from what the doctors had diagnosed as obsessive compulsive disorder. Now the bondage of addiction, aggression and mental disease have no hold over Skip... and these miracles in his life were only accomplished through prayer, deliverance, perseverance, and faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. With most of his exposed skin covered in tattoo work and various piercings penetrating his face, Skip might appear to be an unlikely leader in helping to further the Kingdom of God on earth. But this happens to be exactly what Skip's doing as the Senior Pastor of Rise Above Ministries in San Antonio, TX. During his several year stay interning at the relatively conservative Trinity Baptist Church, Skip was specifically called by the Lord to take the Gospel to people in underground music scenes where the Word of God is either not heard or, if heard, rejected. Skip started Rise Above Ministries in the year 2000 with now Associate Pastor Eddie Villanueva. Skip is married to a lovely lady named Jenni who helps lead the Rise Above worship band, All Hail The King. Joshua Stump founder of The Anchor Fellowship Currently the pastor of the Nashville-based Anchor Fellowship, a Vineyard church, Joshua Stump is passionate about instilling the nature of God's heart into everyone he encounters.  Joshua spent many years in the music business, including experience as a promoter, A&R rep, and band manager, but his real passion has always been guiding people in their walks with Christ.  Following this call, Joshua became a full-time pastor in 2004, and since founding The Anchor Fellowship, his vision has expanded into a ministry school and other endeavors. Thommy Green Sleeping Giant / Tithemi Bio coming soon. Dan “Pops” Bawinkel founder of Fatcalf Productions Dan Bawinkel, known to many as "Pops," started a generator stage at Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois back in 2001 in an effort to help his sons' band.  Since then, the Fatcalf Stage has grown into one of the festival's favorite tented generator stages, especially for fans of punk and hardcore.  Dan has also helped countless young bands, not only by giving them exposure to the crowds at Cornerstone, but also by utilizing his knowledge of the music industry to provide helpful information and resources to up-and-coming independent bands through Fatcalf Productions. Ryan Davis HairBall8 Records / Rise Above Ministries Ryan formed HairBall8 Records in 1995 while studying abroad in England, and released his first album a short time later:  a compilation featuring Blink 182, Lagwagon, Swingin' Utters and more, including some psychobilly artists who proved to be the catalyst for a change of HairBall8's primary focus, which has become one of the preeminent psychobilly record labels.  With HairBall8 as his vehicle, Ryan couples a formal education in the field of sociology with his powerful personal testimony—including drug and alcohol abuse and the exploration of Marxism, Satanism, and hedonism—to share the love of Jesus Christ with the secular entertainment world through international distribution. Phil Porto frontman of The Red Baron Phil Porto, vocalist of the Spirit-filled hardcore band The Red Baron, is a 24-year-old subculture minister. With experience in facing trials such as cancer, growing up in a single-parent home, and depression, Phil has a passion for speaking the truth of overcoming through Christ, into the hearts of subculture youth everywhere. His calling is to teach through love and make himself available to bands everywhere for prayer at anytime. Partnering with ministries such as Hope for the Rejected and Rise Above Ministries, Phil's prayer is that the hardcore, punk rock, and goth scenes will come to know the unfailing love of Jesus Christ. Jeremy Ritch author; founder of Hold Fast Ministries An accomplished speaker, writer, and minister, Jeremy Ritch's passion is for mending relationships between the disenfranchised and the mainstream church, in hopes of restoring the unity that Christ demands of us. He has been involved in ministry for almost ten years, including work with Atlanta's Revolution Church, and is currently working on his second book and has established a cultural webzine called The Full Sleeve.  Visit JeremyRitch.com to read some of Jeremy's work. ...and more to be announced!