There comes a time in most everyone’s life when you decide the status quo isn’t good enough. Whether the result of a dramatic epiphany or a gentle revelation, the desire to escape mediocrity and embrace the best God has for us suddenly seems overwhelming. It’s that powerful transformation that lies at the core of The Afters’ new project, “Never Going Back to OK.”

“On the last record there was a common thread of hope that came out in all the songs,” vocalist/guitarist Brad Wigg says of “I Wish We All Could Win.” “This album seems to reflect transformation. I think a lot of the songs are talking about moving forward, of becoming who we are meant to be.”

Indeed there has been a considerable amount of forward momentum for The Afters in the past few years. The Texas-based band was propelled into the national spotlight with its INO Records debut “I Wish We All Could Win.” The project spawned the swirling, melodic hit “Beautiful Love,” which earned the band an enthusiastic following among the MTV set via its use on the show “8th and Ocean.”

The Afters were named New Artist of the Year at the Gospel Music Association’s 2006 Dove Awards. “Someday,” “You” and the album’s title track also made impressive inroads on the charts and solidified The Afters’ reputation as one of the hot new bands to watch.

“It’s been an eventful three years, that’s for sure,” says drummer Marc Dodd of the musical odyssey that has become the band’s busy life. They’ve poured their life experiences into the new music and Dodd is excited about sharing the songs on “Never Going Back to OK.” “The title track encourages people not to just go through the motions, but to try to make an impact on the world and help someone change their perspective on how life can really be.”

For The Afters, life as a band began at a Starbucks in Mesquite, Texas where lead vocalist Josh Havens and vocalist/guitarist Matt Fuqua served up coffee and plotted their entrance onto the music scene. They recruited Dodd and Wigg and began performing under the name Blisse, earning a reputation as a potent live act with an arsenal of catchy pop/rock anthems.

Discovered by MercyMe frontman Bart Millard, The Afters signed to INO Records and when their debut disc began to create a buzz, Columbia Records inked the band and helped propel their career to the next level, setting the stage for “Never Going Back to Ok.” “I feel like we all came in feeling more experienced as musicians,” Havens says of the band’s approach to the new disc. “We had more song ideas to pull from being out on the road. We discovered who we were as a band. I think being together nearly every day for a couple of years, we really developed our sound and I couldn’t be happier with this album.”

Fuqua agrees. “We really took our time writing this record. We really believe in every single song. That was really important to us.”

The band credits Christian music veteran Dan Muckala with helping them create a sophomore album that is even stronger than their acclaimed debut. “He would push us to write better songs,” says Havens of their producer. “He challenged us in ways that we’ve never been challenged before. I feel that that is a really big difference on this record. I think he took a lot of ownership on this record because he really loved the music as well and spent a lot of time working on it with us.”

“Never Going Back to Ok” again features all the components that made The Afters previous collection a hit--the memorable melodies, compelling lyrics, skilled musicianship and Havens’ engaging lead vocals. Yet as Havens stated, the band was challenged to step it up on this new release and with one listen, it’s obvious they not only met, but exceeded that challenge. Whether on pensive ballads such as “Ocean Wide” or potent tracks like “Keeping Me Alive,” the band demonstrates the chops they developed over the past three years of relentless touring.

“It is definitely a lot more diverse than our last record,” says Havens. “There are songs that rock harder than anything we’ve ever done before and then there’s songs that are softer and more emotional than we’ve ever done before. I think the selection is much broader. I hope this is one that people will really enjoy.”

On the lighter side, there’s “MySpace Girl.” “That’s definitely out of the ordinary for us,” Fuqua says of the song, which was inspired by the true story of their bass player who met a girl at an In and Out Burger in California, found her via MySpace, and wound up marrying her. “It’s kind of a tongue and cheek song. It’s a really fun song.”

Whether singing about a romance that sprouted at a burger joint or exploring the complexities of life’s most vulnerable moments, The Afters never shy away from exploring every facet of life and our amazing journey. “We are wanting to transform and figure out what life is all about,” says Dodd. “That transformation process can be a good thing. It’s just a matter of allowing God to step in and take the reins.”