Slow Fade

"Slow Fade" is a song by Christian rock band Casting Crowns. Written by Mark Hall, it was released as the third single from Casting Crowns' 2007 studio album The Altar and the Door. Written after the public falls from grace of several church leaders, "Slow Fade" is a cautionary tale against making the wrong choices. It was positively received by music critics, who praised the song's lyrical theme.

"Slow Fade"
Single by Casting Crowns
from the album The Altar and the Door
Released2008[1]
StudioZoo Studio in Franklin, Tennessee, My Refuge Studio in McDonough, Georgia, and The Sound Kitchen in Franklin, Tennessee.
GenreChristian rock
Length4:38
LabelBeach Street, Reunion
Songwriter(s)Mark Hall
Producer(s)Mark A. Miller
Casting Crowns singles chronology
"Every Man"
(2008)		 "Slow Fade"
(2008)		 "Until the Whole World Hears"
(2009)

"Slow Fade" had moderate success on Christian chart formats, peaking at number five on the Billboard Christian Songs chart, number seven on the Billboard Hot Christian AC chart, and number 19 on the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart. The song's music video, which was produced and directed by the Erwin Brothers, depicts a family slowly deteriorating due to the compromising decisions they have made. It won the award for Short Form Music Video of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards.

Background and composition

"Slow Fade" was written in the "light of the well publicised falls from grace of several high profile church leaders".[2] According to lead vocalist Mark Hall: "Nobody falls, it's just a slow fade. It's a series of minor compromises until you're in a place you never thought you'd be, doing things you never thought you'd do and rationalising all of it". He continued by saying that: "As believers, as men, if we're not guarding our relationship with God, we're going down. There's too much going against us. If we're not careful, we're going to crash and burn".[2]

"Slow Fade" is a song with a length of four minutes and 38 seconds.[3] According to the sheet music published by Musicnotes.com, "Slow Fade" is set in common time in the key of D major (though it was recorded in D flat major), with a tempo of 80 beats per minute. Mark Hall's vocal range in the song spans from the low note of A2 to the high note of G4.[4] A ballad,[5] "Slow Fade" is "a cautionary tale urging believers to make the right choices".[6]

Reception

"Slow Fade" met with mostly positive reception from music critics. Jared Johnson of Allmusic noted it had a "mature rock theme" and "showcased more grunge guitar than could be heard on all of Lifesong".[3] In reviews for Billboard and CCM Magazine, Deborah Evans Price praised the song as "compelling"[5] and an example of Mark Hall's ability to write "stirring anthems" and "achingly vulnerable, introspective songs".[6] Andree Farias of Christianity Today praised the lyrics as "full of great ideas about spiritual apostasy" but said the arrangement "leaves the impression that [Mark] Hall and company are bored or tired".[7]

Chart performance

"Slow Fade" debuted at number 28 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart for the chart week of August 23, 2008.[8] It advanced to number 19 in its fifth chart week[9] and to number 15 in its sixth.[10] In its 11th chart week "Slow Fade" entered the top 10, moving to number nine.[11] It advanced to its peak position of number five in its 18th chart week, the week of December 20, 2008.[12] In total, "Slow Fade" spent 29 weeks on the Christian Songs chart.[13] It also peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Christian AC chart,[14] which it spent 30 weeks on,[13] and number 19 on the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart.[15]

"Slow Fade" ranked at number 33 on the 2008 year-end Hot Christian AC chart.[16] It ranked at number 35 on the 2009 year-end Hot Christian AC chart and number 50 on the 2009 year-end Christian Songs chart.[17][18] On the 2000s decade-end Hot Christian AC chart, "Slow Fade" ranked at number 95.[19]

Promotion

Produced and directed by the Erwin Brothers, the music video for "Slow Fade" was shot in Birmingham, Alabama.[20] The video depicts a deteriorating family slowly fading because of the compromising decisions they have made.[20] It premiered on Yahoo! Music on May 21, 2008, receiving placement of the website's front page.[20] It was included on Casting Crowns' live album The Altar and the Door Live[21] and won the award for Short Form Music Video of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards.[22]

Slow Fade was featured on the soundtrack for the 2008 movie, Fireproof.

Casting Crowns performed a "haunting" rendition of "Slow Fade" at a concert on March 22, 2008 at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.[23] At a concert on February 3, 2010 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, Casting Crowns performed it as the third song on their set list.[24] At a concert on February 28, 2010 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, they performed the song as part of their set list.[25]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the album liner notes.[26]

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[27] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Towns, Crowns, and Widgets". Fireproof Blog. May 29, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  2. Cummings, Tony (October 9, 2007). "Casting Crowns: Exploring compromise in 'The Altar And The Door'". Cross Rhythms. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  3. Johnson, Jared. "The Altar and the Door - Casting Crowns". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  4. "Casting Crowns – Slow Fade Digital Sheet Music" (Digital Download). Musicnotes.com. EMI Christian Music Group. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. Price, Deborah Evans (September 1, 2007). "The Billboard Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 35. Prometheus Global Media. p. 55. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  6. Price, Deborah Evans (August 2007). "In Review" (PDF). CCM Magazine. Salem Publishing: 39–40. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 5, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  7. Farias, Andree. "The Altar and the Door, Christian Music Reviews". Christianity Today. Salem Web Network. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  8. "Christian Songs (August 23, 2008)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  9. "Christian Songs (September 20, 2008)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  10. "Christian Songs (September 27, 2008)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  11. "Christian Songs (November 1, 2008)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  12. "Christian Songs (December 20, 2008)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  13. "Singles Charts Archive Search". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2012. Note: User must manually input the correct search information to obtain the sourced information. Type in Casting Crowns in the Artist category and Slow Fade in the Single Title category. Select the desired chart and click on 'All weeks' in the Date category. Then, press 'Submit'
  14. "Hot Christian AC (January 31, 2009)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  15. Jessen, Wade. "Christian CHR National Airplay". Radio & Records. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  16. "Hot Christian AC Year-end (2008)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 25 August 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  17. "Hot Christian AC Year-end (2009)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 21 August 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  18. "Hot Christian Songs Year-end (2009)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 21 August 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  19. "Hot Christian AC Decade-end (2000s)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  20. "Yahoo! Music To World Premiere New Casting Crowns Music Video "Slow Fade"". Jesus Freak Hideout. May 15, 2008. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  21. Mabee, Justin (June 24, 2008). "Casting Crowns, 'The Altar and the Door Live' Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  22. Wynn, Ron (April 23, 2009). "Chapman shares deep emotions at 40th Dove awards". The City Paper. SouthComm Inc. Archived from the original on April 27, 2009. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  23. Pinkham, Paul (March 24, 2008). "Concert review: Casting Crowns serious about faith, not themselves". The Florida Times-Union. Morris Communications. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  24. Brownlee, Bill (February 5, 2010). "Review: Casting Crowns". Back to Rockville. Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  25. Davis, Kevin (March 30, 2010). "A Night With Kutless & Casting Crowns". New Release Tuesday. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  26. The Altar and the Door (Media notes). Casting Crowns. Beach Street/Reunion. 2007. p. 4, 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. "American single certifications – Casting Crowns – Slow Fade". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
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