Author: Timo Cuoco
January 20, 2024
I have listened to many instrumentals over the years. There are not too many that land on radio. Prog’s Fourth Estate’s song here did back a long time ago If I can recall through the 7Ball Magazine’s charts. I still think Whitecross’s guitar solos are so talented. But, alas I wanted to share this band as their member Dave Beegle is still going strong all these years later. Check him out on Bandcamp. And Everdown’s track is just plain awesome!
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January 17, 2024
Song of the Day: System Failure - Cry To Heaven
This “metal/hxc core” band hits hard. I first heard about them through a darn good comp called Battle of the Bands released by Rugged Records back in ’99. Appears they were from Nebraska & disbanded in 2003. They stood out from other bands as the bass guitar stands out & you can understand the vocalist mostly. Check em out. I have also added live distorted footage from another great song of theirs called All Is Silent.
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January 15, 2024
Song of the Day: Arkport - Let Me Love
Female vocalist led Arkport released their only LP back in 2000. Most who have heard of them would know them from the 2nd Ronnie Martin’s (Joy Electric) label Plastiq Music 2nd compilation that featured great synthpop bands such as Norway or Fine China. Arkport isn’t really a synthpop band though. They create dreamy atmospheric pop music. This SOTD was played on a really great online station ran by Dan Preston called Freerock1 whose site is still accessible. Enjoy & take a breather with this one.
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January 13, 2024
Song of the Day: Bottlerockit - See You in Space Tonight vs Duddle a Duh
This British band completely flew under my huge “Christian” music radar. I discovered them through a British website/radio station called CrossRhythms that basically houses tons of Christian artists bios. Anyways, the band reminds me of quirky music akin to Canada’s Hokus Pick or even Believable Picnic or Rhubarb. Great band names I know :). Anyways, the first SOTD was released as a single from their 2nd LP & the 2nd is the first song of their 1st LP. They released a 2nd LP before changing their name to Audiogene.… Continued →
January 10, 2024
Song of the Day: One Day Less - Blinded
From 2004’s release Broken, this song has always reminded me of the story of Saul with the scales that fell off his eyes. He realized his past mistakes & changed his name to Paul & the rest is history. Check this band out along w/ their song Picture Painted.
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January 8, 2024
Song of the Day: 39 Stripes - Incredible
This band from Florida released a few CDs over the years. A few of their songs were on CCM radio, but this SOTD has always my fave. Our God is incredible no doubt. Sometimes it does not feel like He would love us at our worst, but yet He does. Praise be to him forever & always. This is the type of worship song I wish was on CCM radio currently.
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January 6, 2024
Song of the Day: Elder - Suddenly Religion vs Sugar Medicine
This band was pretty cool back in high school. One of those you like their sound or hate em. Here is a couple of their songs from 2 different albums they released under the Elder name. Instead of giving y’all tons of info on them-check their background here at this sire. https://downthelinezine.com/cue/four_living_creatures And, they totally are from this town I moved to recently I just found out!!!
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January 3, 2024
Song of the Day: Morella's Forest - May Sigh vs Water's Overhead
Here is another deep cut from 90s alt shoegaze female led Morella’s Forest. Maybe someone knows if this one became known by another name? The other is my 2nd fave song song from them following their superb cover of ‘Til Tuesday’s Voices Carry. Enjoy!
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January 1, 2024
Song of the Day: Afewloosescrews - Sunshine Nomad
Starting off the year with another Afewloosescrews deep cut. This one’s production isn’t all that decent, though, so beware. It does, however, show how far one of my original favorite punk bands had come by the time there were signed by Alarma! Records. Anyways, enjoy!
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December 30, 2023
Song of the Day: DOC - To Da Dome vs Nimisilla Park - Outpour
So I have been listening to gospel hip hop for many years. I remember having this rap group Pullin’ No Punches as a kid. It sported the marvelous collab w/ Bride & the reworking of the God Gave Rock & Roll 2U song. DOC was an abbreviation for Disciples of Christ. There were several 90s hip hop artists that abbreviated their names such as ETW’s End Time Warriors, SFC’s Soldiers for Christ, PID’s Preachas in Disguise, CROW’s Constantly Right Overcomes Wrong, etc… Anyway’s fast forward to 2016 & w/a name change released Welcome to Nimisilla Park.… Continued →
December 27, 2023
Song of the Day: The Bell Jar - Hurt People Hurt People
The Bell Jar is comprised of 3 friends, 2 of whom were in the original Showbread line up. You can definitely hear Showbread’s influence on TBJ’s sound. Josh Porter aka Josh Dies is a music genius imho. Check out his Church of Agony project as well & his site. This SOTD is a reminder that hurting people hurt people so try & be kind as Jesus would.
https://www.joshuasporter.com/
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December 25, 2023
Song of the Day: World Gone Cold - Opposites Attract
This band is a supergroup with members of P.O.D, Demon Hunter, Disciple, Attack Attack & Inhale/Exhale. I have seen all bands except for Attack & Beartooth is on my bucket list. This song has been on various Christian/Mainstream music charts for the past 6 months or so. This song is so darn catchy dont’cha think so?
& Merry Christmas!
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December 23, 2023
Song of the Day: The Psalters - Magnificat
Let’s mix it up with some Celtic folk punk music akin to The Crossing or a toned down Ballydowse. They are like Jesus People USA to a degree in that they are a Christian community. I ran into another community like their in Charlotte NC when I lived down there several years ago. Anyways, this pretty song is obviously worship & I love what vocalist Scott Krueger’s view that “our Christian walk is supposed to affect every aspect of our lives. So as artists, we want to have that shape our art.”… Continued →
December 20, 2023
Song of the Day: Prone - King of Hypocrites
California’s nu metal band Prone released one 2006 EP. They also have a girl drummer which is different. Check em out & good luck with finding the full EP as I have tried to track it down for years. Also, here is a great site that I use & this link has a bunch of verses that deal with hypocrisy. My fave verse on the subject is 1 Peter 2:16.
https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-hypocrisy/
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December 18, 2023
Song of the Day: Convicted - Outcry vs Hope For the Dying - Orison
Hope for the Dying is a symphonic metal band which had its roots in metalcore. They formed under the moniker Convicted in 2003 & released 3 EPs/demos until 2007 when they changed their name. Seriously, If you haven’t heard their stuff check em out. I haven’t heard anything new since their awesome 2016 release Legacy so here’s to hoping they release new music at some point.
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December 16, 2023
Song of the Day: Your Pain, My Victory - Your Words Are Stronger Than You Think
This band released one demo in 2008. Appears they were labeled as spirit filled hardcore & were from Sacremento, Cali. Check this rarity out.
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December 13, 2023
Song of the Day: Freshmen 15 vs Wavorly - Social Humiliation vs Madmen
Pop punk Freshmen 15 was an early incarnation of the modern rock Wavorly. Freshmen’s music is very hard to come by, but Wavorly had a pretty good run on Christian rock radio. Check out how much their sound changed.
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December 11, 2023
Song of the Day: Saved by Grace: What it Takes To Feel Normal Again
Spirit Filled Hardcore was a label put on early Christian metal micro genres. Saved by Grace fell into the metalcore portion. Members also played in Hopesfall & Eighteen Visions, both of whom I’ve seen live.
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December 9, 2023
Song of the Day: WideAwake - Everyday Rockstar
This Christian modern rock band started in Washington state & relocated to Texas. They created 4 LPs & got their start on True Tunes record label. Here is also a live recording of the same SOTD, but also check out the title track to Bigger Than Ourselves & Misfits from their Thread album.
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December 7, 2023
Akissforjersey are back!
AKFJ is a post hardcore/metalcore band that hasn’t released much new music since 2014 until now! You might remember them for Oh, Infamous City or II that I saw working their way around “Christian” metal radio shows back in the day. A video was also made for War from their 2014 release New Bodies. Check out this new one & also their prior discography along with their reimagined work.
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December 6, 2023
Song of the Day: Big Dog Small Fence - Rikki Fake
Remember when punk & ska music collided in the 90s? There were all these comps & tons of labels had a punk or ska band or both on their labels. N’ Soul was primarily a dance label & this L.A. band also included a member of Pax217. The demo appears to have been released in ’98 the same year as the N’Soul one. Check it out.
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December 4, 2023
Song of the Day: Strangers in the World -Stranger
Straight from obscurity is a rock band named Strangers in the World who appears to have released one LP called Transformation. I have 4 songs of theirs & I do remember a Myspace account of their backs int he day before that site went caput. Check it out if you like indie modern rock bands.
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December 2, 2023
Song of the Day: Blah -145
Blah (fka Childhood) was a punk rawk band from California that released 2 LPs on Rescue & Bulletproof after a couple demos. Bulletproof housed a plethora of great bands back in the 90s.This tune has a rockabilly sound akin to Ruby Joe & appears is drawn from Psalms 145.
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November 29, 2023
Song of the Day: D.O.N. - Burnin' Down the House
So my very first SOTD was from one of my fave bands DighayZoose. D.O.N. aka Degradation of a Nation was comprised of dudes who were also in Prophets on Vacation, DHZ & their later incarnation Hot Pink Turtle. DON is obviously hxc punk/thrash. Check out the webzine Christian tape underground f& Matthew Hunt’s Youtube channel for more hard to find Christian music.
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November 27, 2023
Song of the Day: Hopesfall - Shines Through
Hopesfall heralds from Charlotte, NC where I used to live. This screamo was pretty popular at the time & this tune has been a fave of mine over the years. Their style changed & I think most got into them after the Frailty record released. Check out these lyrics:
Love broke me
Trials are in vain
I press on not knowing what there is to gain
In all that I’ve failed
I have come to realize Your truth shines through the pain
Enjoy.
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November 25, 2023
Song of the Day: Hearken - Filthy Rags
I do these song of the days to hopefully spread the Christian music that I like & have accumulated out into this big world. Some of this music has almost been buried into obscurity as such as this band Hearken. They are a Texan death metal band.
Here’s the Bible passage where the lyrics come from.
Isaiah 64:6-7 KJV
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.… Continued →
November 22, 2023
Song of the Day: Abide In Me - Deer, Oh Dear
Abide in Me is one of those early screamo bands I found out about from RadioU’s metal show hoster by Jaddeus Dempsey. He had a plethora of bands I have never heard of before & this is one of them. This was the era of Myspace & Purevolume which I am pretty sure the band had pages on. It appears the band was from Louisiana per perusing Facebook & Twitter. Seems to be the same band as they call themselves spirit filled hardcore. Check em out.… Continued →
November 20, 2023
Song of the Day: No Lost Cause - Slow It Down vs The Crowd
Thumper Punk’s No Lost Cause is a skatepunk/ska band. They have been around for almost 15 years now which is crazy how time flies by. Slow it down is my theme song when I am working & realize I totally forgot where time went that day. A good reminder to spend time with the Lord before the day gets too crazy. The Crowd is about doing what is right instead of going along with, well, you know.
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November 18, 2023
Song of the Day: Foregone - Hubris
This South Carolina band has gone over a few personnel & band names. You might know them as Collision of Innocence or Hands of Elohim. This latest incarnation is a side project & ventures into the metal genre. Check it out.
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November 15, 2023
Song of the Day: Ace Troubleshooter - Mothra (But For Grace)
Minnesota’s Ace Troubleshooter was a pretty cool pop punk band back in the day. They were very close with Relient K & vocalist John played bass with RK & RKs drummer Dave played in Ace. Check out this catchy this SOTD & those of us into Godzilla & other kaiju will did the title (although I have no clue as to why it’s included).
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