Seventh Day Slumber has been rocking crowds for the Lord for nearly 20 years, and on May 13 they released their newest album, We Are the Broken, which is an intimate look of hope into a "Broken" soul. BreatheCast was able to ask founder and lead singer Joseph Rojas about the themes of the album, his own past with being broken, and a powerful testimony of restoration.

BreatheCast: This album, "We Are the Broken," has an incredible and powerful message. Joseph, how did your life experiences prepare you in writing this album, and how important was it to be transparent on this record?

Joseph Rojas: I've been through a lot in my life. I've felt unwanted; I've been abused; I've been addicted. I understand what it means to hurt. My life experiences have allowed me to connect with those who feel lost. The transformation from were I was to were I am now is nothing short of a miracle. We wanted to be as open and honest as possible on the album about our hurt, pain, and victories through Christ. This record clearly points to Jesus as the Answer for life's struggles. We wanted to make a positive, uplifting record, but without avoiding real-life issues that our fans go through. We believe this album has all those elements.

BC: You are open about your personal struggles, failures and darker issues while still giving a message of hope. Would you consider this to be a burden or responsibility?

JR: I've never looked at sharing my story as a burden, although there are times I feel overwhelmed by the response of people crying out for help. I believe as a man of God whose life was changed, I have a responsibility to share that Hope with others who need it. It's important to stay filled up spiritually out here on the road. We are constantly pouring out and without filling back up you can easily end up feeling like you are running on fumes.

BC: With the genre and image your music conveys, how does it allow you to reach those that would be considered harder to reach?

JR: While we are primarily known as a rock band, we see soccer moms and dads at our concerts. We have seen those with tattoos and mohawks come to the altar, as well as clean-cut men and women. Pain is universal. It doesn't matter what side of the tracks you came from, who your mamma and daddy are, or even whether you were raised in church your whole life. We all hurt. I believe our lyrical content speaks to anyone who needs encouragement. To clearly answer your questions though, yes, I do believe our style of music and the way we dress does open doors to minster to those who don't necessarily want to hear about God from a traditional pastor.

BC: Can you describe some of the themes and concepts of the album? Which song if any was particularly hard to write?

JR: Each song on this record has a special place in my heart. Some were written about issues I've dealt with and some were inspired by people we have met over the years, Facebook messages, etc. I will say "Trust In Me" seems to minister to my heart every time I hear it. Our guitar player, Jeremy, and I wrote this song when we were both dealing with doubt and the feeling of being unsure about our future. We both did a lot of praying and soul searching and felt like God wasn't done with us yet. As we began to write this song it seemed as if Jesus Himself was speaking to us through our own lyrics. The song "Trust In Me" is the only ballad on the record, but it's definitely one of my favorite songs.

BC: Why do you think music is such a powerful medium to get a message across?

JR: Music is like food for our soul. It moves people like nothing else can. Music can influence in a negative way or it can influence in a positive way. Like food, you can either choose healthy options in music or you can feed your mind with junk. You can listen to smooth jazz but if the lyrics are negative you will be influenced in a negative way. The same goes for rock music. It's important that our message cuts through loud and clear.

BC: What's it like having your family's on the road? Are there instances when it makes things easy, what about harder?

JR: It's amazing to be able to travel with my wife and kids. I get to do what I love with the people I love the most. Probably the most difficult part of being on the road with my family is the homeschooling. Sometimes there is no internet, sometimes the kids have to do their schoolwork on the bus with people walking up and down the aisles-- it can be distracting for them. My wife, Lori, is the road manager for Seventh Day Slumber and she is also our kids' homeschool teacher. This means she is constantly running back and forth taking care of band needs and homeschooling needs. She does an amazing job juggling the two but I'm sure it's tough on her sometimes.

BC: What's the best band testimony you can share?

JR: That's a very tough question. We've received so many testimonies from our fans over the years that it would be hard to pick one. I recently met a married couple on this tour who shared an awesome testimony. Two years ago their marriage had fallen apart due to infidelity. The husband was using drugs and neglected his family. His wife filed for divorce and decided to move on. The family was devastated. She continued to pray for him and invited him to come with the family to our concert. That night, he gave his life to Jesus, and the man told me he had been just days away from committing suicide. After three months of Christian counseling, they were remarried. They recently came to another one of our concerts to share their story and personally thank us.

BC: Is there anything else you would like to add?

JR: We just want to thank you for allowing us to share our hearts. You all have helped countless people through your stories and articles. We just want you to know you are appreciated!

For more info on Seventh Day Slumber, be sure to stay updated with their Facebook.

Kristen Solis contributed to this interview.