Revelation is the ninth studio album by American Christian rock band Third Day, released on July 29, 2008.

The album features guest appearances from Chris Daughtry, Lacey Mosley of alternative metal band Flyleaf, and pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph.

Revelation has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), signifying shipments of over 500,000 copies.

Third Day, intending to "shake things up", made some significant changes to its management prior to the production of Revelation.

Benson decided he wanted to work with Third Day after Chris Daughtry drew his attention to Mac Powell's vocal ability.

[1] Third Day were initially uncomfortable at first working with Benson, as the band's achievements in the Christian music realm meant nothing in the world of mainstream record production.

[2] With Revelation, Third Day aimed to give their fans a record with their southern rock sound while being more creative.

[6] The opening track "This Is Who I Am" is a southern rock song seen by reviewers as demonstrating the band's confidence and security in their musical style.

[8][9][10][11] The first single from the album, "Call My Name", is a pop rock song,[8] while "Run to You" is a mid-tempo ballad set in 68 time.

[8] "Otherside" has a "bluesy" and southern rock sound with an accompaniment from pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph.

[9] "Ready" has a distinct energetic sound closer to past ballads made by Third Day, and "Take It All" is an adult contemporary song combining electric and acoustic guitar work with lyrics emphasizing spiritual surrender.

The album cover is of Salvation Mountain with the song titles of Revelation composed on it, "to send [Third Day's] own message of God's love to the world".

[6][8][9][11] Andree Farias of Allmusic gave the album four out of five stars and commented that "Revelation finds Third Day trying new things, but not to the extent that they sound like a different band".

He described the album's sound as "muscular" and "anthemic ... unquestionably populist, yet the closest Third Day has come to replicating the Southern-fried goodness of Time".

[6] Deborah Evans-Price of Billboard magazine described the album as "one of the best of the year"[10] and praised Mac Powell's vocals as "possessing just the right amount of gritty intensity combined with sweet Southern charm"[10] and as "equally effective on tender ballads like "Let Me Love You" and such hard-charging rockers as "This Is Who I Am".

[10] Matt Conner of CCM Magazine gave Revelation four-and-a-half out of five stars, opining that "The production on Revelation showcases a seasoned band working with a new-yet-veteran producer in Howard Benson ... And the results are perhaps the band's best work to date"[11] and praising the guest appearances by Chris Daughtry and Lacey Mosley.

[11] Russ Breimeier of Christianity Today commented that "I've heard lead singer Mac Powell and the others say that they put more blood and sweat into their tenth studio album than any previous effort.

That's a good thing in that the album easily holds your attention from one lean song to another, but it deprives Third Day the opportunity to delve into longer instrumental jams or deeper lyrics about the conversations we share with God during the darker times in life".

[9] Graeme Crawford of Cross Rhythms gave the album nine out of ten stars and opined that "the newly slimmed down band deliver a quality record that all Third Day fans will enjoy"[13] and that it "should be investigated by anyone with even a passing interest in rock music".

[13] John DiBiase of Jesus Freak Hideout gave Revelation four-and-a-half out of five stars and commented that "If the album doesn't grab the listener from Powell's soulful southern drawl and an accompanying acoustic before "This Is Who I Am" breaks wide open, closer attention to the words and themes that permeate the album should bring to light what is actually one of the strongest records so far this year" and stated that "Revelation is an honest, emotional, vulnerable, beautiful, and delicious southern rock record";[8] however, he also stated that "only fault [of Revelation] may be that its greatest strengths double as a minor weakness".

1 on the Hot Christian AC chart; it became Third Day's eighth chart-topper on the latter, tying the record held by MercyMe.

[35] It was their best week to date in both sales and chart position; their previous career high was when their 2005 album Wherever You Are debuted and peaked at No.