[Mickey]

Nashville, Tenn., September 17, 2002 – Sparrow Records’ newest rock band Sanctus Real will release its national debut, SAY IT LOUD, Dec. 24.

The band caught Sparrow’s attention and was eventually signed to the label following its impressive win of Clear Channel WIOT’- FM’s “Best Band” contest. Sanctus Real beat out 75 other hopefuls to receive the top award from the station, one of Toledo’s top commercial radio outlets.

Don Davis, program director at mainstream rock radio KHYT-FM (Tucson), former program director at WIOT-FM when Sanctus Real won the contest, comments, “Sanctus Real combines infectious laden hooks with mean-spirited guitar riffs that produce songs that are nearly impossible to get out of your head.”

“Sanctus Real is a band with an ear for great melodies and a heart for God,” adds David Yonke, journalist for the Toledo Blade who recently completed a feature article on the band that can be found online at www.toledoblade.com. “Whether they’re rocking the house or slowing things down for a time of worship, the group has an amazing gift for combining graceful melodies and lyrical depth. Their tight musicianship and upbeat sound will immediately grab listeners’ attention while their lyrics will give fans something to think about long after the show is over.”

With over five years of touring and three independent records already to its credit, the Toledo, Ohio-based band is teaming with producer Pete Stewart (TobyMac, Tait) to fine tune its brand of aggressive, melodic Rock and Roll for SAY IT LOUD.

“Sanctus Real is a real rock band,” emphasizes Stewart. “It seems like the marketplace has been flooded with a lot of records in the last few years that are full of studio tricks and very computerized-sounding rock music. The refreshing thing about making their record is that we took the approach of capturing a solid rock band just playing great songs without a lot of extra fluff. As a result, the record really breathes and has a lot of their youthful energy on it. I think people are ready to hear a band like Sanctus Real; I think they really stand out.”

Sanctus Real has already built a significant fan base through national tours performing in churches, clubs, bars, coffee houses and any place where they could spread their positive message of hope and faith. As the band continues to tour, its fans will have their first opportunity to hear new material from SAY IT LOUD on the highly anticipated multi-act Festival Con Dios, which began last Friday in Spartanburg, SC. Sanctus Real is being featured on this celebrated tour that has garnered major media coverage from outlets such as Newsweek, USA Today, CNN, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly and the Late Show with David Letterman.

For more information on Sanctus Real and SAY IT LOUD, please visit www.SanctusReal.com and www.sparrowrecords.com.

Brentwood, Tennessee-based EMI CMG was founded in 1994. It is the world's largest Christian music company, operating the Sparrow, ForeFront, Worship Together and EMI Gospel labels in addition to EMI CMG Publishing and Chordant Distribution Group. EMI CMG is a unit of EMI Music, the third largest recorded music company in the world.

PHOTO CAPTION: Sanctus Real is pictured (l-r) at West Main Studios in Franklin: (Back row) Mark Graalman (drums), Matt Hammitt (vocals, guitar), Steve Goodrum (bass) and Chris Rohman (lead guitar), Sanctus Real. (Front row) Pete Stewart, producer; and Brent Hendrich, assistant engineer.

For much more on Sanctus Real, click here