Citizens has a new name, but the Seattle band is not starting over. The group will now record and perform as Citizens & Saints while preparing its second album, Join the Triumph.
The band changed its name after learning that British group Citizens! had already been operating under the Citizens name. Rather than waiting for the overlap to become a larger problem, the two groups worked toward an agreement.
“In fairness, they have been a band operating under that name longer than we have,” frontman Zach Bolen said. “In the end, we knew that higher than our band name is the name of Jesus.”
Why Citizens Became Citizens & Saints
The revised name keeps the original idea intact. Citizens took its name from Ephesians 2:19, which describes believers as fellow citizens and members of God’s household.
Adding “Saints” makes the reference considerably less subtle while allowing the British band to keep the shorter name it had been using first.
Meanwhile, the newly renamed group has announced Join the Triumph, scheduled for release Oct. 28 through BEC Recordings.
The album follows the band’s 2013 self-titled debut, which reached No. 6 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums chart. Its single “Made Alive” also spent more than 15 weeks in Air1’s Top 10, according to the label announcement.
‘Join the Triumph’ Arrives During a Season of Change
The new project comes during considerable change for the band. Bolen is no longer serving on staff at Mars Hill Church, where Citizens originally formed around the music ministry of the church’s University District campus.
Even so, the members have committed to continuing together while they work and worship in different places.
“The primary thing for us will always be to serve the local church, whether or not Citizens & Saints is playing together as a band at a specific church,” Bolen said.
Brian Eichelberger and keyboardist Nate Garvey remain connected to Mars Hill. In addition, the band has partnered with William Morris Agency for booking and is seeking fall dates and additional touring opportunities for spring 2015.
Join the Triumph centers on grace, redemption and the shared identity of the church. Bolen is joined by Garvey, Nathan Furtado, Spencer Abbott, Jeremy Kelderman, Adam Skatula and Eichelberger, who also serves as a co-writer and producer.
The name change may require some explanation in the immediate future. Still, it avoids the more awkward alternative of two Citizens bands arriving at the same festival and both assuming the green room belongs to them.