Author: Timo Cuoco
May 8, 2023
This metal band has a no holds barred evangelism message & do not waver the Christian label. This tune is like a lyrical theme song to every Christian band’s message. Check out these lyrics & the reason behind the song.
What better place than here
What better time than now
Every tongue will confess
And every knee shall
Bow
We preach a message of love
They shake their fists in the air
Our light shines in the darkness
It’s no wonder they’re scared
I can hear them curse His name
I feel spit hit my face
Religion shoved down their throats
They never experienced grace
This crowd is our congregation
And this stage is our pulpit
Others think this is noise
We’re praising God with heavy worship
Other Christians can’t seem to get it
They’ve shut themselves off from the truth
They won’t reach out to the least of these
But this is what I was called to do
Let them feel Your love
See Your face
Hear Your Word
Know Your name
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May 6, 2023
Song of the Day: Andrew Carlton and the Swing Doctors - Swing Thing
There was a swing revival for a brief time in the late 90s. The W’s were probably the most well known, but there was also Denver & the Mile High Orchestra & One Eighty. If you like retro swing, try Ralph Carmichael. There was also (can you believe it?) a swing praise disc. Andrew would go on & release pop music in the early 2000s.
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May 3, 2023
Song of the Day: Autumn's Descent vs Relesser - Burden vs Resistance
Asche is a busy man in the music industry. I have seen him play multiple times. AD has hard rock & gothic overtones & just released the song Every Waking Moment at the time of this SOTD. Relesser has more synth overtones & recently released When the World Falls Apart. Check both bands live if you get the chance.
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May 1, 2023
Song of the Day: Left Out - Wasted vs What Money Didn't Do
This band was a side project from Bryan Gray of The Blamed. I actually met Jeff Locke whom Bryan referred me to who gave me this awesome 3rd hard copy that you can now find on The Blamed’s website.
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April 29, 2023
Song of the Day: Exiting The Fall - Lazarus
Some members of this metalcore band are actually in a recent band on Tooth & Nail records that’s been releasing new music called Valleyheart. And you gotta love every band that defines themselves as spirit filled hardcore! Check out these lyrics
You’ve created a gap only searching for what you cannot see,
yet you still lack the balance of faith and reality.
Hear Him speak: “I Am what is and what will always be!
I Am the I Am. I fill the gap in between.
I Am the I Am.… Continued →
April 27, 2023
Song of the Day: Beautiful Eulogy - Exit Dial Tone
This Christian hip hop group is comprised of seasoned rappers: producer Courtland Urbano, Braille, & Odd Thomas. Check out these thought provoking lyrics
We are in this world not of it, not to be scared and run from it
We shine light in the darkness, that’s why He left us here
Calling out to all the exiles, the Lord will not forsake you
His kingdom can’t be shaken, hold strong the end is near
We are the light of the world, so, shine on
Hey, I thought we won the battle but it really looks like we losing it
What we do seems insignificant, so limited in our influence
They don’t listen to our message, we scream and yell it, they say it’s irrelevant
It’s the greatest story ever told but a television ain’t telling it
So often they just mock our faith and it makes me wanna hide my face
Why we sitting on our hands with no plans like we got time to waste?… Continued →
April 25, 2023
Song of the Day: DJ Tekoa - The Flowers Fade
This EDM artist hails from North Carolina & his songs can be found on several EDM stations around the globe. This my fave of his. Appears he also just released a new one so go check him out.
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April 22, 2023
Song of the Day: Chatterbox - Epignosis
This release was a side project of Jeff Belew who has been in a slew of music endeavors over the years. The music is industrial metal & is a classic in the genre. Guest vocals in this SOTD is Mark Salomon. Pic is Jeff & Scott Albert aka Celldweller aka Circle of Dust.
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April 20, 2023
Song of the Day: Global Warning - Chasm
This band has put out some decent music over the years. They are one of the few bands that has been around since the late 90s whose website is still active (although it doesn’t appear to have been updated in a while). They even have a page dedicated to their songs that charted on Christian rock radio. Check em out If you like the hard rock sound.
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April 18, 2023
Song of the Day: Lordchain: In This Place vs Life Aside
Lordchain is a hard rock band that has released tons of music over the years, but formed in 1990. Their latest released in 2022. In This Place was the first I heard from them, but Life Aside is my fave. Check out the lyrics & maybe you can relate also. No matter how dark this life may get, Jesus is always there waiting for us to return to HIM with open arms.
Sitting in this darkness
I think about my wasted life
Every time I’ve failed you
I sit around and cry
How could I let you down?… Continued →
April 15, 2023
Song of the Day: Project Aegis - Angel in the Ashes
This power metal supergroup consists of members from Theocracy, Aldaria & Vandroya. Expect to hear some powerhouse vocals & some serious shredding. Matt Smith apparently started this project as a way to help different charity groups as each song’s proceeds went to a different charity. Enjoy.
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April 13, 2023
Song of the Day: Reliance - No Matter What
This Arizona skatepunk band reminds me of when punk was huge in my life. I don’t believe they have released any new music since 2019. Here’s to hoping we hear more!!!
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April 11, 2023
Song of the Day: Nouveaux - All That Glitters
This Michigander band seemed to span the bridge between grunge, 80s metal & modern rock. They only released 2 LPs, but their music actually found its way onto CCM radio back in the early 90s. Check out all the songs in their discogs as they are all good. Their vocalist Paul Alan also released a pop rock solo album. Also, check out the YouTube instrumental for this SOTD so you can sing it at your local karaoke bar!
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April 8, 2023
Song of the Day: Shop 11 Phoenix - Execution
Hailing from Cali, this punk band released 1 EP, 1 LP & a split with Hanover Saints. They were on Bettie Rocket Records when I heard them. This fast SOTD is my fave.
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April 6, 2023
Song of the Day: Jimmy P Brown II - Entertaining Angels
Jimmy is none other than the vocalist for thrash groove band Deliverance & a few others. His solo work fell under the name Eraserhead & was kinda confusing, but pretty sure that was just the name of the LP. He has recently released another EP Novella which I believe will be 2 parts & the 2nd is up for pre-order now. Here is his cover of a Newsboys song.
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April 4, 2023
Song of the Day: Safe Haven - Chasing The Sun
These 3 brothers & a friend band from California burst onto the scene in 2003. I had seen them on compilations, but when this SOTD came out, I immediately thought this is very catchy. It later appeared on one of the God’s Not Dead movies. Check out the album review on this site that posted September 14, 2012.
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April 1, 2023
Song of the Day: Lovelike Violence - Alien
This girl fronted modern rock band has been making music for a few years now. Their latest release Paper Bags from 2022 has already released a few songs as singles, but this opener is most def a worship song. Check out these lyrics & enjoy.
Father
Oh father
Father
I’m yours
Forever
Hold me in your hands
Take me home
Take me home
… Continued →
March 29, 2023
Song of the Day: Gary Chapman - Heal Me
Pulling from my childhood, Gary’s The Light Inside was a constant in my CD player. I know he’s country, but he also rocks w/ Floodgates & other tracks Finally, Sweet Glow of Mercy & album opener Where are the Broken Hearts? are 90s staples. He was formerly married to Amy Grant which was pretty big news back in the day. Check him out as he has done multiple endeavors over the years. And, he is NOT the Gary Chapman who wrote the Five Love Languages.
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March 27, 2023
Song of the Day: Narcissus - The Commons
This early Christian metalcore band has roots in a few other musical endeavors. including (Inhale Exhale whom I saw live), Not Beneath (which did a Living Sacrifice cover) & Symphony in Peril. I did see Narcissus live also & this song is a rarity from them that came from the rerelease of Becoming Leviathan. They did play Furnace Fest 2021 & from what I gather might be releasing some new music at some point. Enjoy from the archives!
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Song of the Day: Jupiter James - John the Mad Man
This band mixed the sounds of doom versus indie rock. Band members ended up later working with bands The Emergency & Maps. Check the band out at Velvet Blue Records. Also check out Lloyds review of the band’s song Overload exclusively on this site.
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March 22, 2023
Song of the Day: Toxic Church - The Keeper
This techno industrial one man band released music in the early 90s. Delvin Cavalier (aka Dalvin on some sites) almost released his LP w/ Michael Knott’s Blonde Vinyl Records before the label folded. The good news is that the knottheads site is still up & running for us music investigators to review. I have spoken w/ Delvin a long time ago on social media, but I don’t believe he is doing anything in music recently. Enjoy this tune that appears to sample the film The War of the Worlds.… Continued →
March 20, 2023
Song of the Day: Fearless - Tale W/ No End
This power metal song is very catchy. Hailing from Brazil, they released 1 EP & 1 LP. Their vocalist Daniel Vasconcelos Pereira de Andrade can be found on YouTube covering such songs as Petra’s Beyond Belief also if you want to review. Just search Dan Vasc. It also appears he auditioned for Dragonforce’s vocalist in 2010. Enjoy
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March 18, 2023
Song of the Day: Pete Stewart - Spinning
Pete has been in the CCM music industry for years. Most know him from grunge band Grammatrain whose Lonely House LP is one of my fave. He also sang for The Accident Experiment which was a side project of Payable on Death’s Marcos when he temporarily left the band. Pete also worked with Mike Tait’s solo work. This SOTD comes from Pete’s first solo album which garnered several CCM radio airplay. He also served as the engineer/mixer for Mackelmore’s The Heist LP which had the annoying Thrift Store rap song.… Continued →
March 15, 2023
Song of the Day: Illuminandi - The 40th Day
This cool band has appeared on a few compilations & have released a couple LPS since 1998. Appears they changed their name recently. Their style of music tends to lean to the gothic/folk genres, but they are all over the place reaching from extreme metal to prog rock. Just listen to their drum rolls & cello in their discography. Czterdziesta Doba is the Polish name of this song btw.
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March 13, 2023
Song of the Day: Don't Know - Helium
Early Tooth & Nail bands were awesome-what the heck happened? The label has a wide variety of artists back in the day whose sounds were not heard of really in the CCM industry. Hence we have Don’t know: a hybrid of funk, punk & metal that sounds akin to Primus or Mr. Bungle. Members of this band have a very long discography with other bands such as Blenderhead, 90 Lb Wuss, Roadside Monument, etc… Check em out & their reviews on Amazon!
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March 11, 2023
Song of the Day: Reality Check - Plastic
Reality Check was considered alt rock back in the day, but would probably just fall under the wide net of modern rock by today’s standards. They had a different sound than most & used rap as part of their music, but they didn’t sound rapcore. They disbanded after their 2nd LP before changing their name to Luna Halo which I saw live during that phase. The band had 8 members at 1 time also which doesn’t sound like it. Vocalist Nathan Barlowe has continued in the music industry & has even written songs for Taylor Swift & invented an instrument called The Phantom & tours with Keith Urban.… Continued →
March 8, 2023
Song of the Day: Andy Hunter - Wonderful
Andy has been involved w/ a few projects over the years along w/ multiple remixes & his music can be heard in both video games & move trailers. Most recently he has done several Presence albums that work with an app & involves spending time w/ God (kinda like a devotional). Anyways, this has been my fave song from him for years.
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March 6, 2023
Song of the Day: Eowyn - Beautiful Ashes
Yep, Eowyn is part of her real name. I almost had the chance to interview her back in my college days (I did speak with her husband, but ended up graduating before I could schedule it.) She has a very unique voice which can be compared as a cross between Amy Lee & Lacey Sturm & maybe even Tiffany Arbuckle. Anyways, check these lyrics out & her whole catalog. Here’s to hoping we hear more from her.
You’re beautiful
Though you’re ashes you’ll not waste away
So beautiful
Let your eyes see life with scars not decay
When the darkness overwhelms you
And you feel like no one cares
Do not fear
There is a god who loves you
And he is taking your hands
… Continued →
March 4, 2023
Song of the Day: Vigilantes of Love - Struggleville
Bill Mallonee has been making music for many years. V.O.L first LP Jugular released in 1990. Their music is a cross between “alternative rock” & Americana & their name came from a New Order song. Like several bands in the Christian market, they caused controversy for the lyrics for the Love Cocoon song which caused them to be dropped from the Christian bookstores which held on until only circa 2005 anyways. The funny thing is that the song was actually first released on their Jugular record!… Continued →
March 1, 2023
Song of the Day: Ledger - Into My Arms
In case y’all didn’t know, Jennifer Carole Ledger is the English girl drumming for longtime band Skillet who became a US citizen in 2021. She has a very distinct voice & released an EP a few yeas back. I have always thought this is her best song as it showcases her vocal range & has some very encouraging lyrics as seen below.
When did the scars over your heart
Become your hiding place
When did the stars become so dark
You couldn’t find your way
The light inside your eyes
Is fading out
But I’m not gonna
Give up on ya now
Don’t be afraid
I know you think
You’re on your own
But you’ll be okay
You don’t have to
Go through it alone
Fall into My arms
Fall into My arms
So let me see the hurt underneath
I’m not a stranger to pain
‘Cause I believe in what you can be
I’ll never turn away
… Continued →