The worship band Sonicflood is celebrating 25 years of ministry in 2024. The band’s name is based on Revelation 19:6: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.’”
But the way the name is stylized in various usages — SONICFLOOd — is not as noteworthy.
“There is no significance other than the font that was chosen for the word ‘SONICFLOOD.’ If you do all caps in that font, the ‘D’ looks like another ‘O,’ so it would look like ‘SONICFLOOO,’” said lead singer Rick Heil with a laugh.
“It was noticed, but it didn’t read well, so they decided to do a small ‘d’ [in the stylized version] and hence, SONICFLOOd — small d.”
Heil was able to laugh about that interesting beginning in Sonicflood’s history, but his own was much more sobering.
Turning point
When Heil was 11 years old, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. At the time, not a lot was known about this illness, especially in children. Because it was very rare, he said he was a “guinea pig” at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“They took out a lot of my intestines throughout the years. I’ve had about six resections. You can’t grow intestines back. There’s also a lot of pain involved because the body is attacking the actual intestines, causing ulcers and fistulas and all kinds of nasty issues,” Heil said.
He was in and out of hospitals, had nasal tube feedings and couldn’t have a typical childhood and adolescent experience. Furthermore, his parents were worried about paying the medical bills.
Heil decided he wanted to die.
“In the middle of my depression, the Lord said to me in a very clear voice, ‘I will always take care of you,’” Heil remembered.
Calling it a turning point in his life, Heil has since watched God fulfill that promise. He has a loving family and an amazing wife and is considered a walking miracle, as it’s not technically possible to live with only three feet of intestines.
Music
Heil’s musical journey started when he began playing his dad’s bass in junior high bands. One Christmas, he graduated to a 12-string guitar but then admitted into the hospital for several months the next day.
“[My parents] were like, ‘Bring your guitar.’ I was just hating life and said, ‘No!’ But they brought it anyway,” Heil said.
After being admitted, “some volunteer chick” offered to give him lessons. Cranky and sullen, he agreed, knowing it would help pass the time. She taught him basic chords and some popular songs.
“It was another proof that what Satan means for evil, God means for good. He used that time to hone my skills on the guitar,” he said.
Heil wasn’t athletic and was an introvert. Music quickly became his refuge.
Growing up in the Churches of Christ, he learned how to sing in harmony and carry a tune without accompaniment but couldn’t use his instrumental talent there, so he would lead a cappella worship on Sundays and then play with bands in bars on the weekends.
During that time, he was invited to play bass for Christian rock band Big Tent Revival and fell in love with the Church at large after meeting God’s people worldwide while on tour.
Then he was given a prerelease of the first Sonicflood CD. Driving from Nashville to Missouri to see his girlfriend, CeCe, who is now his wife, he fell asleep and flipped his truck while it was going 70 mph.
Bystanders assumed he was dead, but he crawled out of the wreckage. His only injury was a scratch from when he fell to the glass-filled top of the cabin after undoing his seat belt.
The first thing he saw as he emerged was the Sonicflood CD lying in the grass.
“I was like, OK, God’s trying to get my attention,” Heil said.
He found those who made the album and learned they were looking for some band members. He made the decision to leave Big Tent Revival with its big bus and salary to go to Sonicflood’s small van and living off “crumbs from the merch table.”
Wonders
Throughout his 25 years with Sonicflood, Heil has told his story of living with an incurable disease thousands of times. His pain has never left completely, but because he sees God do wonders every day in his own life, he expects God to do wonders for those who come up for prayer after he shares.
“Obviously, I’m like, ‘What in the world is going on? Why can’t this be easier?’
“You move one step forward and 15 steps back,” Heil continued. “But at the end of the day, I say, ‘Lord, help me trust You because You’ve always been faithful. It’s not about me and my agenda. I want to put You first in my life.’”
Sonicflood’s 25th anniversary tour, “One Nation Under God,” will include songs from all of the previously released albums and “maybe a few new ones.” However, as always, Sonicflood keeps the focus on Jesus and all He’s done.
“He is faithful. He’ll never forsake us. He’ll never leave us. He’ll never abandon us. He is always with us. He is right beside us holding our hand. He’s worth it.
“He’s worth every little bit of sacrifice that you can give Him and trust Him. That’s hopefully my life in a nutshell.”
To learn more about Sonicflood and their 2024 tour, go to sonicflood.com.
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