Reviews

There used to be a fairly well-known release formula for SF59. Step one: release full-length album. Step two: release EP of similar material within the following year (or even later that same year). While the formula has been tweaked over the years, it still more or less holds. Whereas She’s the Queen was the counterpart to Silver, Miami functions that way for Young in My Head. Although there are some stylistic—and more noticeably, lyrical—differences, any of these songs probably could have been on Young in My Head.… Continued →

Wide Awake is a quintessential fall album. It’s rife with alt-country flavor, down-to-earth lyrics, and bit of dust and grit to polish things off. The album serves as Cory Breth’s third major release to date, and, while fall is already turning to winter in parts of the country, the timing of its release couldn’t be much better. It’s earthen, raw at times, but Breth’s lyrics are laced with hope and truth. There’s an equal mix of proclamations of faith and ruminations on life that keep things from feeling too cliché or forcedly-Christian; nonetheless, faith is an essential part of this album and Breth’s lyrics pull back the curtain of ambiguity in a way that other artists simply don’t.… Continued →

With Zephyrus, The Oh Hellos close out their four-EP project spanning several years. It’s exciting and a bit sad all at once seeing the project come to an end, especially with a lengthy gap between the first and latter halves of the project. Much like the consecutive releases of Notos and Euros, Zephyrus follows Boreas closely and shows the band at a higher degree of mixing and mastering. And while Thrice’s Alchemy Index took a similar four-disk approach, it felt more experimental and diverse.… Continued →

'Influence' has been hailed as the most-anticipated release in Facedown Records History. How does it hold up to this bold claim?

Boreas is far from a gentle, stereotypical winter-themed release. It has been tested by negative-degree temperatures. It has been refined in a viking furnace. It sees the Heaths adorned in makeshift bear pelt armor ready for battle. The Oh Hellos may have been in hibernation, but they've woken up roaring. 

I remember my first encounter with John Lucas – his eponymous A Thousand Cathedrals feels like it’s from a different era now, as he’s has gone from an under-the-radar act to boasting almost a quarter-million monthly listeners on Spotify. Though he plays only a handful of shows a year, his music is making the rounds. And frankly, it’s not heard to see why. Kovasckitz (his proper last name) has a certain gift when it comes to songwriting. His amorphous brand of folk, Americana, and chamber pop never has quite the same flavor between releases.… Continued →

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." -Psalm 147:3 Spirit Filled Post Hardcore act, Idle Threat. have released their Tooth & Nail debut "Nothing Is Broken For Good" full of passion, heart, and faith. RIYL: My Epic, Household, Paperweight, Arms for Elephants, and Trainwreck-era Boy's Night Out

Enchanting. It’s a word that sums up only a few truly moving albums; ones that shine lyrically, consist of artisan songcraft, and thrive off a powerful emotional response. I won’t mince words – Former Ruins offers all of this and more. Levi Dylan Sikes crafts cascading songs with The National-esque vocals and captivating folk and alt-country arrangements. It’s a solo project, but much in the same way The Winston Jazz Routine was; these songs are full, emotive, and daringly forward in their lyrical content. Undeniably, I care about lyrics more than the average person.… Continued →

Kevin Schlereth is a certified dude. His existence strides the line between nomadic and genius. He sports a bushy mustaches and wears dad hats and red shorts. Along with compatriot Jay Costlow, and with the rest of the Schlereth clan in tow, this musical collective is rarely in stasis (save for the past few months). They’ve become known for their relentless touring, seemingly-endless connections, and tight-knit, living room performances. Musically, the experience is a bit singer-songwriter and a bit indie rock. Lyrically, the crew draw their influences from New Testament Scriptures.… Continued →

Roemer is a stripped-back acoustic/indie folk project. If you’re anything like me, folk has to be some really special to catch my attention—a quirky vocal style, effective use of harmonies, skilful playing, or best of all hard-hitting and/or poignant lyrics. If it has one or more of those, I’m more likely to pay attention. Straight Bars and Guns was written from an outsider looking in. Much like myself, Roemer is an American citizen living abroad. He in Berlin, me in the south of England. Being an American who doesn’t actually live in the United States gives one an interesting take—neither more nor less accurate, just different.… Continued →

In spite of its title, Imbalances feels balanced lyrically, melodically, rhythmically, and spiritually. It's an incredibly impressive album that feels so fresh and unique compared to most modern bands. It's artful but not pretentious. McCaw speaks with both wisdom and humility. The songs flow dynamically but it always feels natural. If you're a fan of complex bluesy prog-rock then this album definitely deserves a listen.

Mo(u)rning is a very middle-of-the-road release. Its pop sensibilities give it a bit of a vanilla flavor - you probably won't dislike it, but it won't be your first pick, either. It's inoffensive; its subject matter is commonplace.

It'd be an understatement to say A Line in the Sand is highly-anticipated. Many IVM readers have supported the band since their inception, and our vicarious connection here has culminated to something truly exciting. This is the kind of album we deserve from American Arson - one that balances the best of their catalog with a insatiable hunger for growth. It's a lyrically-bold album which never obfuscates what it's trying to say. And while it takes a few listens to take everything in, A Line in the Sand is an ambitious debut LP that will not disappoint. 

I’ve reviewed 3 different releases from Shadow Puncher (for 2 different publications), and one of the things I’ve noticed is the diversity of sounds and influences on each project. While the one-man band from Norway functions within the death metal genre, each release has a different feel. The earliest material had a strong thrash influence, then moved into a djent-heavy sound. This EP is the first to utilise keyboards in a prominent way, thus adding a progressive element. After a 1-minute ambient keyboard intro, “One End of Heaven” rips into the speakers with brutal rhythms, blastbeats and plenty of time changes.… Continued →

This is without a doubt, the BEST release of 2020 (so far) and the best music I've heard in the past 5 years. How can I make such a bold claim? Well my taste is really just objective and entirely my own but everything about "I'm a Wreck" screams quality. From the production and full sound heard throughout the entire full length, to the graphic art of cover and included designs, to the songwriting, lyrics, substance, and overall vibe of this record. I can't believe I'm saying this but Nate Parrish has created one album that will be tough to beat in the years ahead. You wan't explosive, in your face, heart on the sleeve, roots rock n' roll with a strong punk undercurrent, then this album is for you.

Two Years in the making, Prescott, AZ's own Spirit Filled Skate Punk act, Reliance, have returned with an 8 song release full of scripture based anthemic sing alongs! FFO: Pennywise, Millencolin, Lagwagon, and other 90's era skate punk

A little over a year ago, I wrote a review for “Heart Attack” by new(er) nu metal band, Relent. Recently, the band has re-released the ep on Rockfest Records and so, I thought I’d re-review the re-release. Without looking back to the review done last March, let’s revisit “Heart Attack”, including the newly added tracks. I will say that since the initial review done last March, my love and excitement for the ep hasn’t waned a bit; it has longevity. For an album, much less an ep, to maintain its excitement and “go-to” factor after a year says something.… Continued →

RIYL: Attalus, The Classic Crime, Cool Hand Luke, classic Emery

DENS have released a behemoth of a concept album that solidifies them as one of the hottest upcoming bands on the Facedown roster.

Second to Safety's second album presents an intricate narrative in the form of nine genre-defying tracks.

High energy melodic, synth pop punk goodness! FFO: Veronica, Eleventyseven (early), Karate High School, Yellowcard, Nofx, and Green Day!

To brush my bangs to the side, or not to, that is the question. For some, emo means The Jazz June, but for others, it means Hawthorne Heights … ad infinitum. While emo is a genre that is difficult to define, I would say that Chase Tremaine combines emo, indie, and pop—think Mae or Number One Gun. Unfall begins with “Matter,” which makes a good first impression with its wonderful guitar and a chorus that immediately gets stuck in your head. Throughout, Tremaine demonstrates his ability to structure songs, as made evident by “Humanizer” and “Unfallinlovewithable,” though I felt like certain tracks (e.g.,… Continued →

Huntingtons are back with their first new album of recorded material in 17 years—their 8th full-length overall. This time around the band comprises Mike Holt (vocals/bass) Jonathan “Cliffy” Walker (guitars/vocals) Josh Blackway (guitars/vocals) and Chris Eller (drums). While the band has been known for its admiration for the Ramones, the first thing that struck me about Muerto, Carcel o Rocanroll is how much less obvious their worship for the leather-clad New Yorkers is this time. There are a few nods to them, most notably on ‘You Don’t Have to Go,’ and ‘I Don’t Wanna Die Alone’ (which reminds me a bit of ‘Poison Heart’ from Mondo Bizarro), but there’s clearly been some development of their sound in their 17-year hiatus.… Continued →

  It’s wild when a new band appears in the music scene and blows away the competition. That’s the case with What’s Your Damage? Generating powerful old school punk that harkens back to a classic ’70’s style. What’s Your Damage? is drawn into the top slot by the ultra talented vocalist, Quinn. Her style mirroring that of a young Debbie Harry, albeit with a trace of a flat tone, and it instantly commands attention. What’s Your Damage? self-titled debut album is brief, 8 tracks and just shy of a quarter hour, but it’s the songs that make this a big release.… Continued →

Every so often a reviewer decides to review an album purely out of appreciation for the album that they just heard, and in the case of Humble Feet‘s debut album, that certainly holds true. For those unfamiliar with them, Humble Feet is an acoustic husband-wife duo. Their music is highly melodic, orchestral, and deeply rooted in Scripture. In fact, the couple have served as missionaries overseas, and all of the music for their debut was written while in the field. The album opens with “Quench”, a light and airy acoustic folk song.… Continued →

It wasn’t long ago that GFM announced an acoustic ep, set for release on December 1st. With the release date being just about a week out, I thought I’d tap out a quick review on it. I was fortunate enough to have caught the band’s recent show at the Space Coast State Fair in Melbourne, FL. The show was great and sitting right there on the merch table were copies of the acoustic ep, available a few weeks ahead of the scheduled release date. Needless to say, I picked one up.… Continued →

With the development of the black metal genre into an ever-splintering family of subgenres (symphonic black, atmospheric black, blackgaze, folk black, traditional/harsh), there’s been a lot of room for diversity. However, and probably as a result, those artists who take the traditional sound have become fewer and fewer. Hailing from Chile Anima Mortuum take their stylistic nods from Venom and Bathory (instead of Emperor or Pyramids), and seem keen to keep the traditional sound alive. Morbid Temple is a newly released 4-song demo, and it does not disappoint.… Continued →

Glass Age's debut EP is an exciting resurgence for the gentlemen of Abandon Kansas.

Although bands like My Epic, Abel, The Ember Days, and Ascend the Hill have been incorporating elements of post-rock, ambient, and experimental pedal usage into their sound for ages, it’s the sort of thing that was bound to cross into the mainstream eventually. There’s something about the emotional experience of cinematic passages and insurmountable crescendos that made this style perfect for charismatic and mega church worship. Such has been the trend for modern worship for the past few years – pathos preceding ethos. There are naturally many exceptions, but suffice to say, there is something very marketable about this type of music.… Continued →

“Damn” is the only curse word you’ll hear on Kanye West’s latest album.* Jesus Is King is gospel rap, and not only in the usual sense. With the help of the Sunday Service Choir and Fred Hammond, the gospel influence is potent; although rhymes and beats are present, the latter are especially minimal. Opening track, “Every Hour,” includes no rapping at all and reminds me a little bit of Tonéx. Lyrically, the album is forthright in its expressions of Christian faith. Bible verses are referenced in “Selah” in such a way that would make even Goliath dizzy, while “Water” mentions Jesus’ name 16 times.… Continued →