Song of The Day

Charity Empressa is essentially a solo project of Eric Campuzano (The Prayer Chain, Lassie Foundation, Stranger Kings, ex-Starflyer 59, Cush) with a revolving cast of support and collaborators. While the list of those giving input is lengthy, among them are Troy Daughtery (Hoi Polloi, Duraluxe), Wayne Everett (Prayer Chain, Lassie Foundation, ex-Starflyer 59, solo), Frank Lenz (Fold Zandura, solo, ex-Starflyer 59), Andrew Prickett (Prayer Chain, My Brother’s Mother), Herb Grimaud (the violet burning, Raspberry Jam, Stranger Kings), Josh Hagquist (ex-Dogwood, The Beautiful Mistake), and many others.… Continued →

Tony Silcock is the brainchild behind the EDM Psalmistry. He leads a British organization called Youth Initiative. I miss the 90s & this musical genre is one of the reasons why. Bands such as the World Wide Message Tribe & Joy Electric were getting airplay & films featured EDM & industrial soundtracks. I would compare this band to mainstream The Chemical Brothers. Listening to this now, the productions seems dated, but is still worth a listen to periodically. There are 4 albums, but check out Armchair Rebellion.… Continued →

Puerto Rican hxc Clear Convictions is at it again with a brand new single that released a couple days ago. The new album Endure should be released in the next few months. Check out the band’s earlier discography & this excerpt from an early interview “‘Clear Convictions’ comes around because that’s how we see our lifestyle. As Christians, we believe by faith and that faith becomes true and alive , something that you can feel inside, it is like having an ear and true relationship with the Creator.… Continued →

Straight-edge hardcore band Subsist came to us from central Illinois. The band contained believers, but never set out to preach. Their lyrics focused more on the straight edge lifestyle (i.e., abstaining from drugs, alcohol, and indiscriminate sex), rather than a Gospel presentation. They released an EP (Lessons in Brokeness) for Pennsylvania-based Akeldama Records in 1998, and then a full-length (The Rhythm Method), which the band released themselves in 2000. The band showed significant growth in their songwriting and technical prowess between the two releases.… Continued →

AAMS is a post hxc band from Germany. They appeared to have disbanded in 2015 but resurfaced again recently on some compilations. I like their screamo smashup with the keys that early TDWP & With Shakings Hands do also. Anyways, Enjoy.    … Continued →

I love ska music so much I wrote a paper back on it in college. I think it’s because I love the bass lines & the horns make it sound so happy! Anyways, this Californian band released 1 full lengths & 2 EPs. Enjoy & maybe there will be a 5th wave!   … Continued →

Today’s Song of the Day post is a little bittersweet. It’s a great song but comes with unfortunate ties to a region so devastated by Hurricane Helene. The song is titled “Appalachia” and is about life living in that region of the country around the beautiful Appalachian mountains and the many towns along that path. This rings oh so true… “And for those of us who daily struggle…daily struggle with the past. The best medicine is the gospel and a whiskey glass”. I figured the song, the band, and this post were relevant due to the many struggles of the residents right now, particularly in North Carolina and Tennessee especially.… Continued →

Wisconsin: most known for cheese curds, dairy farms, glacial lakes, and the Green Bay Packers. It’s also home to pop-punk band Alakrity (nowadays known as At the Wayside). We’re digging deep into the band’s archive for this track. “For the Good of Getting Better” comes from their debut release, 2007’s You Are Here EP. The track features sugary-sweet melodies and fast tempos, the two main hallmarks of the genre. The song also features some really cool vocal harmonies and lots of start-stop rhythms and tempo changes.… Continued →

Have you ever wanted to hear more music like Burlap to Cashmere? City of Refuge created music that sounded like a cross between Jars of Clay & Burlap. They started in a college dorm room & created a worship song called Amaze Me & went from there. Appears they did a few more singles & another full length called Clear in 2006 that I did not even know about. Anyways, the band still has a Youtube channel & a Soundclick page if you want to know more about them.… Continued →

Here I am back with some more country, but think about the song title & listen to the lyrics & of course sing along to the whoa’s!  Anyways, I thinks the group is from Canada & they started their Youtube channel in January 2024. I found them through christiancountry.net an offshoot of christianrock.net … Continued →

One of the finest acts of the Jesus Music era, The Crimson Bridge formed in 1970. While the origins of the band were in the Gospel vocal group The Spurrlows, The Crimson Bridge’s sounds and influences were much more diverse. Sure they dabbled in the typical folk music sounds of the Jesus Movement, but they also added jazz-funk, prog rock, and psychedelic rock on their debut (and only) album, eponymously titled and released in 1972 on then-fledgling Myrrh Records. “Comin'” is the third track on the album and focuses on the return of Jesus.… Continued →

This LA band has released a plethora of singles over the past few years with the latest at the time of this write up being The devil you know. I’m not sure if the band falls within the “Christian” category anymore as the actual music video depicts mannequins without clothes. I personally like the following lyrics as we as humans fall down & need to strive to get back up on our feet again. I might lose on every single try But I’m not afraid to roll the dice One more time… Continued →

I have always liked this song with its straight to the point lyrics. I remember having a conversation with my friend Ravn Furfjod who was excited as I was when the album got remastered through Nordic Mission Records. GROMS stands for God rules over my soul. Check out the lyrics below. I am the Lord  I am calling you  Death isn’t finished   Rise from your sleep!  Judgement day has come!   You will be delivered  If your name is written in the Book of Life … Continued →

This beast of a tune dropped in 2017, from Melech, a side-project of two members of Pantokrator (with Ricke Gustafsson handling all instruments and Karl Walfridsson on vocals and lyrics). The Swedish melodeath duo tread similar waters as their counterparts, but emphasize the melodic aspects of death metal even more strongly. I’m highlighting the English lyric version of the song here, but there is also a Swedish version. “Befriare” is Swedish for “liberator” and refers to the freedom Jesus won through his atoning sacrifice and resurrection from the dead, and yet also points to the hope of future resurrection for all who die in the Lord.… Continued →

This controversial acoustic punk artist is a one man band named Derek Zanetti. He can be compared to Destroy Nate Allen which is a fun act to see live. Beware, the song does use the A word towards the song’s end, but it talks about Christians who do not act like Jesus called us to act. The song literally challenges the listener to think about the opposites of who we can be. Most of us interact with people every day. Who do you want to be known as?… Continued →

The new Netherlands Slechtvalk hits hard. If you have never heard of this band think Holy Blood vs Crimson Moonlight. The name is Dutch for the bird peregrine falcon by the way. The band will release their long awaited “At Death’s Gate” on October 31, 2024. While checking out this new track, recollect this 2000 Viking metal worship song.      … Continued →

This industrial/rock/metal band has been making music since 1996 and has created a slew of albums with varying degrees of electronic elements in their sound. Some albums have had an inclination towards straight industrial, whereas others more hard rock/alternative metal. “So Inspired” is from the band’s early era, dating to 1998 and was included on a number of compilations from both Blacklight Records and Flaming Fish Music. There are a couple of different versions of the song available. This version is taken from the I Wear the Mask album.… Continued →

“Unblack” metal can be hard to classify. Many do not like the term, but Vardoger could fall under that style of music. The band has gone over numerous personnel changes since its start in 1994. Check out the song lyrics which elude to the struggle of pressing on for the prize that Philippians 3:14 talks about. And by the way, let us remember those affected by the 9/11 attacks. Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to work on all of our hearts that we may call on Jesus when we struggle with the various sins that can take their toll on our relationship with YHWH.… Continued →

Controversial deathrock artist Eva Ortiz has a complicated past & present, but decided to become a Christian for a few years. Panting for Love was the first song I heard from her on a “Christian” show from the college I was attending at the time while I was still in the military in Columbia, South Carolina. Eric Clayton (Saviour Machine) produced the album & the industrial rock band Audio Paradox provided the instrumentation. Both these releases were from 1999 also. AP are probably known most for this song’s appearance on the Flaming Fish Records compilation Electro Shock Therapy.… Continued →

The Christian indie scene suffered a great loss last week, losing notable drummer Geoff Riley, known best for his immaculate time-keeping skills in the band Puller. The band was formed by Mike Lewis (ex-For Love Not Lisa, secular grunge/post-hardcore band), and hailed from Oklahoma. Mike posted the news of Geoff’s death, and some very poignant thoughts about Riley’s life and artistic contributions to the independent music scene via Instagram. Because it can’t really be said any better than this, I’m linking the post and including the entire text here: Geoff Riley Instagram Announcement “Hearing the news of my friend and music partner Geoff Riley passing is an overwhelming devastating loss.… Continued →

Most know Tommy Walter aka Abandoned Pools from the Tooth & Nail release. However, he released lots of music beforehand with the mainstream band Eels & the moniker actually stemmed from 2 other names before it involved into AP. This SOTD was actually the 3rd single released from the album of the same name. Abandoned Pools is currently working on their 6th release & their Kickstarter project started August 6th, 2024.  … Continued →

This sure to be controversial song is from a rapper who has released a lot of tunes over the past few years. Per the Holy Culture site, “Isaiah Robin is an artist whose heart is solely for God. He makes music to lift you Spiritually and bring you closer to the Lord. Lyrics filled with revelation he writes as he is led, a true disciple of our Lord & savior Yeshua Hamashiach.” Check out these thought provoking lyrics below & also his media including his podcast.… Continued →

The Christian punk/indie/whatever scene isn’t limited to the United States. I can think of relevant bands from literally every inhabited continent, which is a truly wonderful thing. Punk band Homonovux call Mexico home, specifically the Yucatan region. They’ve released two EPs since forming a few years ago. Their musical inspiration comes primarily from 90s punk rock (new school punk, skate punk, and a little bit of pop-punk too), but their lyrical inspiration is the message of salvation. This point is made very clear on their Bandcamp page (https://homonovux.bandcamp.com/… Continued →

This disbanded Finnish metal band released 1 EP Energystorm & this SOTD on a compilation which also featured HB, Essence of Sorrow, & a few others that I have seen around the Christian circles. Appears the band consisted of siblings & a couple of friends. Check out the live version also.   … Continued →

Yep, this SOTD is a country gospel song on a punk/metal website.  But, the message in this song is exactly what we need to hear. God is there always including when we sin & mess up. He is quick to forgive & is always wanting us to come back to Him. Listen to the song lyrics as they are straight to the point. Also here is a great Bible verse. Hosea 6:1-3 “Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.… Continued →

Alternative/folk/pop duo Say-So comprised married couple Jim and Kim Thomas. They had actually been making music together for over a decade when their eponymous debut was released in 1997 for Organic Records. The album featured a fresh take on folksy, rootsy, alternative pop-rock that was ‘light’ enough to appeal to fans of CCM, yet unconventional enough to appeal to listeners with more alternative-leaning tastes. The band’s sound sat comfortably with artists like Sixpence None the Richer (especially their earlier material), Rich Young Ruler, and Five O’Clock People.… Continued →

Ian Barnett aka ASAP Preach is a Texan Gospel rapper. Per his bio “even when “I get weak myself, God is always using me to reach others, Jesus gave his life for me, so it’s only right I give my life to him.” Check out this gem. … Continued →

MMF is a crossover catchy metalcore band from the mainstream into the “Christian” scene. Usually you see vice versa. They have been working on new material & have seen lots of radio play in recent years. Also, Matty Mullins released 2 worship albums & also has stepped up to replace long time Anberlin vocalist Stephen Christian. Their latest release Necessary Evil is heavy, but these 2 songs of the day elude to our Christian faith. Check out the following lyrics &  their whole catalog. I know how it feels to feel alone  The king of my own fears, I never leave the throne   And I’ve been searching for a place inside my soul   Where all my demons can’t find me when I go   “Pull it together, ” they say   So I keep hoping for better days    I’d be lying if I said that I was fine   Cause I feel pain sometimes that I cannot describe   So do I raise my fist and curse up at the sky    Or do I close my eyes and realize, that’s just life? … Continued →

Oregon’s Northlander is an offshoot off one of my fave metalcore bands Fallstar. In fact, think of Fallstar if they did a rock ballad & you have this band, which is not a bad thing at all. Chris’ voice is so unique that you can easily pick him out of the tons of metalcore bands out there. Fallstar is also releasing singles & working on a new release to be put out this fall. Check out their new songs Watermelon Blood & Rooftops.   … Continued →

This rarity hit Christian rock charts in 1996 per an e-book I recently bought that covers Christian rock radio from 1983 until 2002 when the chart first started. It has become my pastime to review all the music that has evolved into what we have today. I had never heard of this band and the music imho is unmemorable. From my search, it looks like the record label only released 2 projects with the other being an AC artist. This SOTD is the one that went to radio & reminds of the quirky bands that Christian rock had to offer in the late 90s/early 2000s.… Continued →