In early October 2026, a new gospel supergroup released a trio of debut singles -- "Wonderful Change," "Blessings," and "Help" -- announcing the arrival of an exciting new voice in the gospel/soul scene. Well, I should say "voices," and what voices they are!
Unchained Ministries is a six-piece vocal group (originally a five-piece, as pictured in the artwork, with a sixth member added recently) of highly experienced singers and musicians, all of whom have years of experience touring and singing with other musical acts. And if you listen to any of these three singles, it will be immediately evident just how talented these vocalists are (on top of the fact that they wrote and arranged these songs themselves, plus a few of them play instruments while singing). There are huge displays of character, gusto, range, and vocal fry, all without ever getting distractingly bombastic; meanwhile, the group takes full advantage of its size, filling each song with lush layers of background vocals and harmony. These six men have great chemistry together that I imagine translates very well to the live concert setting, especially considering that they've only been making music together for the past year or so. "Wonderful Change" is probably my favorite of the three songs, but for this review, I'll be focusing primarily on "Help" -- which I imagine will appeal to JFH readers, with its dark, moody chords and its electric guitar-centric arrangement. "Help" does a great job capturing a 70s/80s R&B feel across its slow-burn arrangement, slowly building throughout six lovely minutes. It's the type of careful arrangement where every little instrument and note matters -- where one small addition to the percussion feels like a massive shift. The refrain of "
please help me, Lord" becomes increasingly desperate and impassioned until the inevitable key change, where the singers completely let loose and go wild for the final sprint of the track. Underneath them, the drummer is pounding his snare and toms to death while the guitarist bends his strings to the point of snapping. For listeners willing to lock in with the six-minute track length, the full experience is a cathartic one. If I have one notable nitpick about these initial songs, it's that the mixes can be a bit muddy at times. For me, one of the greatest appeals of gospel music is getting to hear top-tier musicians having a blast and flexing their muscles to a degree that's uncommon for many other worship and inspirational genres. The song mixes here are by no means bad, but the focus is placed so strongly on the vocals, drums, and bass that the piano, organ, guitars, and other auxiliary instruments sometimes get lost. This issue did not hinder me from having a good time listening to these songs, though. These three singles are purportedly the first songs from an upcoming nine-song album, which I look forward to hearing in its entirety. If the other six songs are as good as (if not better than) "Wonderful Change" and "Help," then it would very easily be positioned as one of the best gospel albums of 2027.
- Review date: 10/29/26, written by Chase Tremaine of Jesusfreakhideout.com
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JFH Staff's Second Opinion
The name
Unchained Ministries may be newer in the world of music, but the members that make up the group are more than well-traveled and have a wealth of experience. That experience is brought to the table in one of their most recent singles, “Help.” The backing band delivers a classic gospel sound that, while low-tempo, has a lot going on in it, displaying God-given talent in the guitars, smooth bass, piano, and more. The ensemble of vocalists all sound really great, as well, crying out for God’s help to live righteously. The genre is one that is typically outside of my wheelhouse, but the talent and passion for God’s love and forgiveness make “Help” quite easy to listen to. Fans of traditional gospel music will be pleased to hear this, but I'd even recommend it for fans of modern worship bands like Elevation or Hillsong.
- Review date: 11/7/26, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com
Record Label: None
Album length: 1 track: 6 minutes, 1 second
Street Date: October 3, 2026
Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)
- Help (6:01)
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Jesus Freak Hideout (Chase Tremaine): Hey guys. Thanks for sharing your music with us, and congrats on the release of your trio of debut singles! The release strategy reminds me of when a TV show kicks off a new season with three episodes before switching to one episode every week. How long have these first three songs been in the works, and how many more are you already working on?
Derrick: Hello, Chase. Thanks for taking the time to review our project. These first three songs were written about a year ago. We spent a year gathering new group members, practicing, and adding an additional six songs for a complete release of 9 songs. The decision to release these first three songs was sparked by requests from promoters and fans to hear the newly formed group.
JFH (Chase): I noticed on your website that you're currently looking to be booked for events and church services in the DC, MD, and VA area. Feel free to plug more information about that here, but I wanted to hear what your live performances entail, beyond simply singing these three songs. Do you sing a lot of covers, gospel classics, or worship songs? What are some examples? And do you play with a live band?
Derrick: Although we are based in the DC, MD, and VA (DMV) area, we are accepting events anywhere in the world. Our intention is to share our music, message, and ministry Unchained and anywhere it is needed. Our programs include motivational and inspirational spoken ministry and singing mostly original gospel songs. However, there are some gospel classics (hymns) we sing to make sure worship experiences have a familiar tone and allow people to hear songs that are close to their hearts or they have grown to love.
We play with a live band. Most of our singers play an instrument.
JFH (Chase): I've always loved listening to vocal groups, and these songs definitely show off how talented you each are. It sounds like, for each song, one of you sings lead vocals while the rest of the group sings backup. Is that accurate? Are you hoping that future releases will see a balance between who sings lead, or is there one or a few of you who will most frequently be singing lead?
Derrick: Thank you for the compliment!!!
Most of the time, both lead singers (Derrick and Anthony) will sing together, and during those songs, we alternate between lead and background to augment the background harmony. We also have songs that we lead by ourselves. There will be times when a guest singer or one of the other group members will have a song they want to sing. We are open to whatever God presents.
JFH (Chase): Your website and bio list six official members, but the single artwork includes only five of you. Who's the missing guy, and do any of you have specific roles with Unchained Ministries beyond just "singer"?
Derrick: Ahh, you noticed. We recently added a guitarist and singer (James). Although he was not present for the artwork, we wanted to include him on the website.
Some group members serve in a business capacity for Unchained. I (Derrick) serve as Assistant Manager, Treasurer, IT Specialist, and Promotions POC. Anthony serves as the Music Director, Engineer, and Program Manager. Keith serves as Manager and Safety Officer.
JFH (Chase): Similarly, I noticed that streaming services currently list "Unchained Ministries" as both composer and lyricist for all three songs, so I was wondering what the songwriting process looks like for you. Is it fairly collaborative between all six of you?
Derrick: Primarily, Anthony, Derrick, and Keith collaborate on the music and lyrics. I focus on the lyrics, Anthony focuses on the musical arrangement, and Keith focuses on the rhythm. All songs are copyrighted as a collaboration.
JFH (Chase): What's the story behind "Help," and what inspired the lyrics? Feel free to share anything else about the song that you'd like to!
Derrick: Wow, you picked a wonderful song to ask that question. "Help" was the first song written by Unchained. We all belonged to other successful gospel groups and needed a change. We needed to be free to worship God and not bound by group politics, outside opinions, and historical norms. We wanted to be Unchained!! (This is where our name came from.)
The day after leaving our previous group, Anthony and I got together to discuss next steps. After talking, we both concluded that, with open options, we needed God's guidance on a direction. There was a brief silence. Then, what was probably intended to be a prayer came out as singing in harmony. We began to sing, "Please help me, Lord." I sang what was on my heart, we asked for help again, and then Anthony sang what was on his heart. It was a wonderful and amazing experience!!
JFH (Chase): Am I correct in hearing a "shamone" about two and a half minutes into "Wonderful Change"? Would you consider Michael Jackson a big vocal influence upon the group? Who are some of your favorite singers or biggest influences?
Derrick: Great question! We have a multitude of influences across several genres. For example, I started singing gospel at age 5, then sang classical in the US and abroad at age 16. I then produced and sang R&B from ages 20-25. I came full circle at age 26 and began to sing gospel again. We enjoy and appreciate great music that is heartfelt and delivered with sincerity. (Artists include Daryl Coley, Rance Allen, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Lee Williams, Marvin Sapp, Michael Jackson, Prince, Luther Vandross, The O'Jays, The Spinners, Journey, Aerosmith, and Luciano Pavarotti.)
JFH (Chase): It seems to me like, ever since the '90s, the face of modern gospel music has been Kirk Franklin, who has brought a lot of change and evolution to what modern gospel sounds like. Are you all fans of where the genre has gone throughout the 2000s? Are you wanting to place a modern spin on gospel music as well, or are you wanting to help bring the genre back to its musical roots? Who are some artists currently making gospel music that you think are doing so excellently?
Derrick: We enjoy modern gospel and the move to freely worship the way your heart provides. Our desire is to add a unique, sincere, and God-inspired entry into today's music, providing songs that are Unchained and freely presented to those who identify with our message and worship. Some current favorite artists include Elevation Worship, Maverick City, Le'Andria Johnson, Lisa Knowles-Smith, Tim Rogers & the Fellas, Marvin Sapp, John P. Kee, Fred Hammond, and many more.
JFH (Chase): Unchained Ministries is an interesting band name -- really leaning into the ministering power that music is capable of having. Is there more to the name, though? Are there other ministries that the group is participating in or that you hope UM will involve in the future?
Derrick: We want to be free to worship God and not bound by group politics, outside opinions, and historical norms. We wanted to be Unchained!! (This is where our name came from.)
Unchained is highly involved in international charities (Awake Youth Mentoring Association) and local charities that focus on helping underprivileged youth.
JFH (Chase): What else would you like to share with our readers, and how can they best keep up with you?
Derrick: Please support and pray for us as we present our ministry to the world. Keep track of Unchained Music Ministries by visiting www.unchainedmusicministries.com.
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