Tag: 80s

The Awakening was a progressive pop-rock/AOR band from Canada, active in the 1980s–not to be confused with the goth/industrial band from South Africa. This Awakening was poppy enough to be CCM-adjacent (in fact, this is probably the poppiest SOTD I’ve ever featured), but yet had a slight progressive/alternative edge that set them apart from other bands. The band released three albums, culminating in their excellent Into Thy Hands (Reunion Records, 1988). It featured 12 tracks of progressive pop goodness, not too dissimilar to 80s-era Yes. Lyrics were filled with encouraging but never preachy biblical references.… Continued →

Golf Slang is a new side project of Jamey Bozeman of the band Luxury. Gold Slang takes on some of that 80’s new wave influence, incorporates modern sounds and conveniences and makes a song that just about anyone can appreciate. It’s really low key, chill, and something to knock off the shoes, kick back, and relax in a nice, oversized chair. If you like what you hear below, make sure to pre-order the new 5 song EP “How I Lost My Voice” right here via their label home – Velvet Blue Music, and on Cassette or CD.… Continued →

This obscure little band, while relatively unknown, has ties to some more connected acts. They only released one 4-song 12″ EP before breaking up and/or morphing into other acts. The most well-known member was Robert Vaughn, previously of RV and the Hubcaps, and who went on to play with Gloryhouse, Southside Blades of Eden (Broken Records), and most notably Robert Vaughn and the Shadows. RV and the Shadows was essentially the New Presidents line-up with a different name and slightly more mainstream style. Where The New Presidents dabbled in new wave and post-punk, The Shadows went full into power pop.… Continued →

One of the most beloved and respected bands in the traditional heavy metal scene, Apostle was a slight anomaly in that they never released an album on a record label. Formed in 1983 in Jacksonville, FL, the band released a total of 5 independent full-length albums (not to mention EPs and compilations) all while remaining an unsigned band. Apostle opened for Christian metal stalwarts Whitecross on a national tour, and also had a song featured on East Coast Metal for Regency Records, in 1988, where I first heard the band.… Continued →

We’re digging deep into the archives for this one. For those not familiar with electro-funk, it was an underground genre in the 1980s that bridged electronic dance music and hip-hop. In fact, in many ways it was a predecessor to the proliferation of rap music. The genre was known by a variety of names: electro-funk, techno-funk, and simply electro (not the goth/industrial version from a few decades later). In the mainstream scene, some of the most well-known names were Newcleus, Shannon, Egyptian Lover, Afrika Bambaataa, and some of Midnight Star’s mid-80s material.… Continued →

When Bloodgood’s lead guitarist left the band to go solo, fans of the 80s metal stalwarts weren’t entirely sure what to expect. We probably assumed more heavy metal–at least that’s what I expected. And while there is certainly some hard rock (almost glam metal) at times, The Other Side was much broader in scope. The album showcased Zaffiro’s excellent guitar work, as we’d already become familiar with through three albums with Bloodgood: Bloodgood (1986), Detonation (1987, often hailed as the band’s finest effort), and Rock in a Hard Place (1988).… Continued →

This quirky alternative rock band released one independent EP and one full-length for Broken Records (also home to Undercover, The Holidays, Adam Again, etc.). While their normal material was interesting, to my ears the most compelling thing they recorded was a song for the Broken Christmas project, called “Born in a Stable.” While technically a Christmas song, it does a great job of pointing to Jesus’ purpose for coming to save us, by tracing the story of Jesus’ life and ministry all the way up to the empty tomb.… Continued →

It’s time for some industrial! But not the guitar-heavy metallic brand. The November Commandment (or often Nov*Com) were doing EBM/electro before it was trendy–or even before it was called that. Hailing from Sweden, the band emerged with an independent cassette in 1988 called Complete Structure. The tape featured a minimalist sound driven by synthesizers, not too unlike Coil and some of Wire’s more experimental material. They released another cassette in 1991, this time a 5-song EP. The band made their appearance in the consciousness of American fans via the fantastic SLAVA compilation, Voice of the People, co-released through Blonde Vinyl Records.… Continued →

A really great newer indie rock band by the name of Spoken in Tongues have just dropped their brand new Covers ep titled “Ghosts” through bandcamp/digital networks. You can download the EP right here at Bandcamp. Spoken in Tongues are an impressive indie band rooted in everything from 80’s new wave, and 90’s underground indie music with post hardcore tendencies. It’s a diverse set of sounds and if you know the players on this release, you’ll understand instantly just why it is that they stand apart from the rest.… Continued →

Ronnie Martin known for his work in Joy Electric, Ronald of Orange, Brothers Martin, Dance House Children, and more, is here with his new solo song (under his own name) titled “From The Womb Of The Morning, The Dew of Your Youth Will Be Yours”. That is one heck of a mouthful of words to belt out but it’s truly a great song. Check out the track below and download or stream on your network of choice including Bandcamp here via his label home, Velvet Blue Music.… Continued →

Wonderfully noisy, and delightfully obscure, The Lonely Now only released 3 full-length recordings in their short career: —Captive, 1986, Narrowpath Records (cassette only) —Original Intention, 1987, Narrowpath Records (cassette, LP) —Honest Tear, 1990, Narrowpath/Refuge (cassette only) While all of their releases are somewhat difficult to obtain, ironically their final album–the only one with national distribution through Refuge–is the most difficult. It was released through the same agreement as debuts by The Crucified, Breakfast with Amy, and The Swoon. In fact, founding member Greg Sostrom (AKA Greg Strange) was the owner of Narrowpath Records.… Continued →

San Diego-based rock band Robert Vaughn & the Shadows released their classic album Love & War in 1987. As fate would have it, it was the final release on Exit Records (home of Seventy Sevens, Vector and Charlie Peacock), and its partnership with Island Records. Due to the unfortunate demise of the label, the album never saw a CD release (only LP and cassette). While the master tapes were tied up in red tape for decades, Randy Layton of Alternative Records recently worked out a deal to obtain the original masters.… Continued →

It’s amazing how one can listen to music for years, decades even, and still find an obscure gem from days gone past that was missed out. Vancouver’s Cannon Heath Down only released one album: 1987’s Heart-Throb Companion (and a cassette demo 2 years later). The self-produced album was only released on LP, and its stellar take on indie pop will appeal to fans of The Ocean Blue, Morrissey, Game Theory, Riverside, The Mighty Lemon Drops, etc. The album fetches top dollar too, as I’ve seen copies listed at triple digits.… Continued →

Veil of Ashes was a college rock band from Oakland, California, who debuted with the critically-acclaimed album Pain on Graceland Records (an imprint of Frontline) in 1989. While they had started out as a post-punk outfit with goth leanings, most of that influence had faded by the time their debut hit. A second album The Young and the Reckless: The Regression of Veil of Ashes was released on Blonde Vinyl in 1992, but it was actually a retrospective release of earlier demos. That same year the band shortened their name to Veil and released their final studio album (before taking a long hiatus and re-forming in the late 90s) Mr.… Continued →

Depending on how you define the term, Resurrection Band was arguably the first Christian heavy metal band. While their debut album was released in 1978, their earliest demo recordings date back to as early as 1973. While many fans and critics will argue, “they’re not heavy metal, just hard rock,” this outlook unfortunately judges the past by current standards. Metal has moved on and splintered into a hundred different and more extreme subgenres. However, in the 1970s, their brand of bluesy hard rock would definitely have been considered heavy metal at the time–just as bands like Van Halen, Aerosmith, Kiss and others were.… Continued →

4•4•1 burst onto the SoCal new wave scene in 1984, releasing their debut album on Royal Commandment Records (soon to be re-named Blue Collar Records). The band formed in 1983 in Los Angeles County, diligently rehearsing in the garage of bassist/keyboardist Glenn Holland’s parents. They recorded a 4-song demo and subsequently sent out copies to area youth pastors. The unconventional move proved successful as they caught the attention of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, a large church that hosted lots of concerts for Christian new wave and early alternative bands.… Continued →

First things first–merry Christmas everyone! It’s been a challenging year, and many of us are ready to see the back of it. I always post my Song of the Day picks on Friday, so I was pleased to the lucky draw for Christmas Day! Of course, it had to be a Christmas song, and there are lots of good ones to choose from, even from our niche scene. For those unfamiliar with Adam Again, they have deep roots in the Christian music scene. They started out in the California scene of the 1980s through Broken Records and later Brainstorm Artists.… Continued →

Don’t you hate it when an amazing band releases one stellar album and then disappears off the map leaving virtually no trace whatsoever? That’s more or less what happened to Minnesota’s The Swoon. This intelligent, artsy, literate (one of the band’s song titles is a Dante reference) band made up one third of Christian jangle-pop’s ‘holy trinity’ (also including The Throes and The Walk). Their debut album was released on Narrowpath Records, in conjunction with Refuge (the obscure indie label also released such classics as debuts by Breakfast with Amy and The Crucified), and was made up of two earlier cassette-only demos, ben son, ben son Beatrice and Neverland, the latter of which was produced by Charlie Peacock.… Continued →

I’m not sure how most IVM readers feel about new wave and synth-driven music. It’s extremely nostalgic for me, having grown up in the 80s. The 1980s also comprised the decade where contemporary Christian music came into its own as a marketable industry. While you could argue the merits of that, or against them, it’s a simple fact. But where there is ‘progress’ or marketability (read: money), there will also always be an undercurrent–an independent protest against the mainstream. Marc Plainguet–and his alter egos Gadget and Crazed Bunnyz–were spearheading lo-fi and experimental synth-driven music in the underground tape-trading scene.… Continued →

Power pop was (is?) a strange phenomenon. Despite the big hooks, melodic overtones and just enough of a punk edge to keep things interesting, it never really caught on in a huge way. Although it’s made inroads into new wave and, more recently, indie pop, the leaders of the subgenre still remain fairly underground, with a few notable exceptions (Cheap Trick and The Romantics are among the few artists with major radio hits). It should be no surprise then, that in Christian circles, artists in the style were even fewer.… Continued →

My song for the day is from a newer indie-pop artist by the name of Teddy At Night. Teddy (Boldt) played drums for bands like Wavorly, Family Force 5, and more recently For King & Country, as well as many others. On his first solo endeavor as singer/songwriter, his songs take on more of a pop sheen, sprinkled with a heavy dose of 80’s like synth driven new wave. These are songs for the broken-hearted, the lovers, and the seekers. These beautifully composed pop inspired takes are interwoven with a certain level of professionalism mixed with Teddy’s unforgettable vocal delivery.… Continued →

Mad at the World has had a very interesting and diverse career as a band. They started out doing somewhat dark synth-pop on their self-titled debut (in the vein of Depeche Mode, New Order, Clan of Xymox), then added guitars to their new wave sound for Flowers in the Rain. By their third album, they ditched the synths and morphed into a full-fledged alternative rock band with metallic influences. This carried on for three albums (Seasons of Love, Boomerang, and Through the Forest).… Continued →

After releasing last year’s opus Young in My Head, Starflyer 59 are already back. The veteran indie rock band have just released a new single, “This Recliner” and boy oh boy is it good! Fueled by inspiration from the best of his 80s new wave AND shoegaze influences (The Church, Psychedelic Furs, Jesus and Mary Chain, et. al.), the man truly knows how to write a pop song. Sometimes I think his skill lies in brevity. Rather than dragging stuff out, founder Jason Martin always leaves you wanting just a little bit more.… Continued →

Family Force 5 have returned to the music scene with a vengeance and are here to take over the pop spectrum with their heavy dose of HOT 80’s dance like anthems with modern sensibilities. That’s not all though because the group is now a duo of the brothers Josh and Jacob Olds under the name FF5. This new EP “El Compadre” combines the best elements of their “Dance Or Die” record and turns it up to 11. Everything you loved about past Family Force 5 material is now clearly evident in this new creation.… Continued →

LEDGES' debut album is an ambitious release that proves they're not afraid to take risks.

Author's sophomore release takes the best of "Of Brighter Days" and tops it off with synths and 80s influence for an album that's full of energy and technicality.

Here is my “deluxe” review list for 2017 – 20 great albums paired with 17 EPs you shouldn’t overlook. This year, we saw strong releases from veteran acts and new groups alike, and they certainly weren’t confined to one genre. Hopefully you can find a new artist through the list below – and please let me know your opinions in the comments! *Denotes IVM Artist Albums 1.*’68 – Two Parts Viper This abrasive return to form by one of our generation’s most iconic rock duos manages to top their previous release, with a succulent mix of rock, grunge, hardcore, funk, and plenty of passion.… Continued →

CPR Band (a Petra-related project) have released their album “Back to the Rock II” on their website. “Back to the Rock II” is a continuation of Classic Petra’s 2010 album “Back to the Rock”, featuring 9 re-recorded Petra songs and an Aerosmith cover. CPR Band (not to be confused with the Thumperpunk Records band CPR) is a comprised of Petra members Greg X Volz, John Lawry, Louie Weaver, and Ronny Cates, as well as Kirk Henderson of Pieces of Eight. It all started when a friend of Louie’s approached him one day and said, “Louie, I believe God wants you guys to do another CD.… Continued →

South of Royal debuts a hazy and bright worship EP saturated in synth-rock and 80s influences.

Members of Guardian and Whitecross are teaming up to record a new EP and play some shows. You can help them out on Pledgemusic.… Continued →