Song of The Day

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.   … Continued →

Elim Hall was ahead of their time in so many ways. It’s a real shame that they are just a blip on the radar screen of indie rock nowadays, as their preeminence is hard to over state. One of the earliest alternative rock bands to be signed to a major label in the CCM market, their only label release was snappy, melodic, memorable, and well-produced (somewhat surprisingly by Gary Chapman, along with veteran Jesus rocker Tim Marsh). This Canadian band wrote incredibly catchy, somewhat complex (for pop music) songs that were primarily in the power pop realm, but infused with touches of new wave and at times a punk-like urgency.… Continued →

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   … Continued →

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 →

I first heard of this LA punk band when I was running distro in the early 2000s. They had an EP out on The Legion (short-lived label that only released 3 titles), which I began stocking, and then they put out another release on the upcoming Clumsy Records (also home to Combat Junkies, The Stivs and a few others). I had the chance to catch them live at Cornerstone 2002, which was a fantastic show! In fact, that year was a great year for punk at the festival, as I also saw Huntingtons, The Remnants, One Bad Pig, World Against World, and Headnoise that year among others.… Continued →

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. … Continued →

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!   … Continued →

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 →

We’re digging deep into the archives for this one. Azitis was a psychedelic rock band from Sacramento, originally formed as “Help” in 1966, but they had to change the name for legal reasons because of a British band by the same name. The band’s name was taken from the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done on earth ‘azitis’ in heaven.” Having come up through the late 60s garage rock scene, by the time they recorded their debut, there was a plethora of original material to choose from.… Continued →

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.    … Continued →

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 →

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 →

Greg Minier, the famed guitarist of The Crucified (and later of grunge/alternative/metal project Applehead) released a solo EP of straightforward thrash metal (the yin to The Crucified’s crossover yang), under his last name. The mini-album contained 7 songs and featured Greg playing all the instruments as well as handling the vocal duties. I remember talking with several metalheads at the time and we all agreed it was unfair for the Lord to bless some individuals with so much talent, while others of us got so little!… Continued →

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 →

This rockabilly band released a couple of albums on Grrr Records back in the 2000s. They remind me of a cross between The Comancheros & Ruby Joe’s Sinking the 8 Ball. Anyways, enjoy. … Continued →

This rarity is a southern rock band from a division of Pamplin records called Mercystreet. I had this cd back in the day. They play southern rock that sound akin to Three Crosses. It seems they came out w/ one more single after this one off called Rise Above which reminds me a tad of Soundgarden. Vocalist Dan Safer also appears to have more in media w/ him even appearing on the NBC show The Voice..   … Continued →

Hailing from the tri-state area of West Virginia/Pennsylvania/Ohio,this metalcore band only released one cassette demo and one split CD with emocore band Pensive. What is interesting about that split–that is, besides being a spectacular release from two very good and rather unique bands–is that both bands featured members that would soon after go on to join the more well-known Zao. Pensive featured Brett Detar and Martin Lunn, as well as other members who joined Detar’s later band The Juliana Theory. Seasons in the Field featured Russ Cogdell on guitar, and future Zao screamer Dan Weyandt.… Continued →

Getting their name from The Pixies, this band was all over the place with their indie rock sound. There’s at least one song from every album that I have enjoyed over the years. Check em out.   … Continued →

Furthermore was an indie hip hop band from Tooth & Nail records. They were very accessible to those who were into rap & rock. Check em out.   … Continued →

This folk-punk band was formed as a sort of atypical worship band. Their purpose was to create “authentic church music devoid of hype.” Hailing from Pittsburgh, the band features members of Last Hope and Timbre, its roots firmly embedded in the punk scene. Their one and only album was self-released in 2010, but saw a digital re-release in 2019 via Zap Records (home of 2 Minute Minor, Voice of the Mysterons, October Bird of Death, and others). I reviewed the album in 2019, here, and really enjoyed it.… Continued →

So apparently this band is releasing new music & there are other articles here on IVM on it.. Saw Orion back in July & TT him for a brief time. Pretty standup guy. Anyways, enjoy.   … Continued →

Hearkening way back to 1990, Rob was actually in Petra for a brief stint. He recorded several solo albums & worked with Margaret Becker & Kansas. Most of this stuff is int he AC realm, but this SOTD has really stood out to me. Think about how faith works in our everyday lives & focus on areas where we can see God really working in our lives. Susie works in a restaurant Dreams all day ’bout the things she wants Like security And somebody to hold her tight Now five years back she was on a roll She came to Jesus, He saved her soul But she fell away When things didn’t go just right Now she’s wondering ‘Bout that empty feeling in her life Once you taste the truth Nothing else will satisfy You might have to go through fire You might have to walk through water You might have to stand Where nobody else has stood You might have to go through fire But that can bе good Billy worked in a factory Till he lost his sight back in ’83 In an accident Somеbody else’s fault Now anybody could understand How that could make you a bitter man But he’s not that way He’s thankful for what he’s got He says “What I’m looking forward to I don’t need these eyes to see I’ve got a treasure up in heaven And it’s waiting there for me!”… Continued →

Dr. Onionskin has a long and somewhat interesting history. Born Shane Ries, he had a brief career in the 80s in mod and power pop bands (a fact I only recently discovered), but first came into CCM prominence with the oddly effective project Hymn Jim’s Gospel Gems (1995), which fused traditional hymns with dance music. He re-branded a year later as Dr. Onionskin and changed styles to acid jazz, releasing the quirky, instrumental and semi-brilliant Split Pea Soup. Then in 1996 he changed styles again, though still building on jazz-electronica fusions, and emerged with Bully and oh my gosh, what a record!… Continued →

Gerwin Koudijs aka Tresice is an EDM artist from the Netherlands. I have been following his career for many years & one can even find him on Twitter! I played this song under the moniker of DJ Whosoever when used to DJ live with Nuklier Productions. His music is starting to be a rarity as he generated a lot through the old mp3.com platform … Continued →

This catchy song is an outstanding pop punk classic. They hail from South Carolina in the same town as Islander & unfortunately dropped off the “Christian” band label. Also check out The Jellyrox which is a side project from their lead vocalist. … Continued →

Love this song. So heavy & so meaningful. The band goes by just Forerunner now & I play them on my Ripper Radio show. Check out these lyrics. Why do I always give in, turn to the things that torment my soul, when will I finally submit, and give You all I am, Lord break me and rip these chains that always hold me down, tears from my eyes as I can’t resist, I am once again, once again, being taken away in the wrong direction, Lord take me away from this bondage, from this bondage, I don’t want to be a slave to this world, I want to run away from the pain but I can’t, I do not need you, I do not need you any more, I need to stand my ground, and look you in the face, I need to stand my ground, and put you in your place, I need to stand my ground, my King is here, and look you in the face, He lives in me, I need to stand my ground, whom shall I fear, and put you in your place, my King is here as I point to my chest, He is alive in me, no more will I succumb to darkness I am set free, my chains are broken, I am set free, because my Savior went to the cross and died for me [x2], I am released from this bondage, and the enemy tried to bury me, but I won’t, I won’t, back down, and I will look him in the face, no, you weren’t from the bottom, you were sent from Hell, you sent to bring me down [x2] and now I send you back to hell.… Continued →

90s alternative. People either love it or hate it. Despite the excesses of the genre, or the just plain slackness of it, I still love it. 3 Car Pile-Up was never going to win any awards for their musical contributions–unless it was maybe the high school talent show. Their one and only album is raw, somewhat sloppy, and even kind of juvenile in its approach to both music and lyrics. However, that is exactly what I love about it. If you can’t relate to the lyrics of “Dweeb” then I’m not sure you actually lived through American Christianity in the 80s/90s: When I was in grade school, my friends made fun of me They used to call me stupid names, like “Jesus Boy” or “Freak” But I knew come Sunday, that I’d be number one ‘Cuz I knew all my verses, and I would get some gum I’m a dweeb!… Continued →

Disciple is a mainstay in modern rock. They have been around since 1992 & even did some arena rock before they went to blues & rapcore & settling on hard rock. I have seen them twice, once w/ their By God album & the most recent last July. I would definitely recommend seeing them live. Here are my personal 3 faves.          … Continued →

Bringing it back to the early 90s with this one. They only released 2 LPS, but man were there tons of great songs ie Bad Place, Don’t You Run, Heaven’s on my Mind, Story just to name a few. They also crossed over onto CCM radio which was a feat imho. Vocalist Pagano released a couple of LPs after the band disbanded also. … Continued →

This will be confusing, but appears there are 2 Christian rappers that call themselves Double M. One is an Egyptian that you can find more about on Reverbnation & this one that has done a few songs I have enjoyed over the years. This one came out circa early 2000s & is really hard to find much about him. Appears he made 3 LPs in his run. I have always loved this song’s lyrics so listen closely.   … Continued →