Tag: michigan

July 31, 2024

June 27, 2024

May 3, 2024

Song of the Day: The Insyderz - Oh Lord, You're Beautiful

One of the “Big Three” in Christian ska, The Insyderz formed in Detroit, MI in 1995 out of their Salvation Army worship band. Like their counterparts in The O.C. Supertones and Five Iron Frenzy, the band featured a mix of third wave ska, punk rock tempos, and worshipful lyrics. Unlike their counterparts, The Insyderz were the first of the group to release an entire album dedicated to ska-core worship songs. For their second album, the aptly-titled Skalleluia!, the band assembled a setlist of mostly modern praise and worship songs and turned them into ska anthems.… Continued →

April 23, 2024

March 25, 2024

September 8, 2023

Song of the Day: Memorium - A New Dawn

Let me get my opinion out of the way right off the bat–there is not enough good, quality Christian doom metal. The list gets even shorter when it’s as unique and well-executed as this track is. Memorium is the braindchild of Duane Keith, label-owner and -founder at Vision of God Records and its subsidiary, Christian Metal Underground. The band is just a two-piece: Duane on drums and vocals and Mike Shinn on bass and guitar. Sadly the band is currently on hiatus. “A New Dawn” comes from a 3-way split with The Arbiter (from Hungary), and Lucifer’s Doom (from Brazil).… Continued →

September 4, 2023

July 10, 2023

REVIEW : Sally Grayson - The Darkness in Me

While I was first introduced to Sally Grayson formally in 2020, during the covid-quarantine era, it turns out that I had already heard versions of her music many years prior. She’d fronted Black Swift (based in Germany where Grayson transplanted) for a number of years, but long before that she was in Michigan-based (her native homeland) Standbye, an emo/indie rock band by whom I owned a CD. All that to say that while Sally’s name may not be familiar to the masses, she’s been making credible musical art for well over two decades now.… Continued →

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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December 17, 2022

December 16, 2022

September 14, 2022

INTERVIEW : New Band Spotlight: Voluntary Mortification

While I’d been hearing their name pop up here and there on the internet, I was fully introduced to Voluntary Mortification’s music when I caught them opening for As Lions and Lambs here in Indianapolis. Shortly after that press manager, Mason Beard got in touch to request an interview. I got the lowdown on all things Voluntary Mortification, including the origins of that interesting band name, when I caught up with guitarist Jacob Kanclerz, and vocalist Conner Luttig. IVM: Tell me a little about the band name.Continued →

March 2, 2022

December 17, 2021

Song of the Day: Fable - Foreshadowing the Reincarnate

One of the very few true “screamo” bands in the Christian scene (not just melodic hardcore/emo-core), Fable only released 6 songs in their entire career–4 on their 7″ Give Us the Night (through the legendary Takehold Records), 1 on the hardcore compilation A Testament to Broken Walls, and 1 on a split with secular screamo band Mara’akate. Band members were only 15 when they started playing together in their hometown of Holland, MI, but they quickly made a huge impact in the underground scene. Unfortunately they fizzled out too quickly and left us with only these 6 songs.… Continued →

November 1, 2021

Song of the Day: Bloodlined Calligraphy - America's Next Top Model

Blo0odlined Calligraphy was a hardcore/metalcore band hailing from Michigan that featured a female vocalist> They went from Selah to Strike First to Facedown Records in a matter of 3 years. Vocalist Ally also plays piano, but this SOTD is straight up heavy. I remember Jaddeus from RadioU’s hxc show playing this son on his show & I have dug it all these years. Also check out Isaac is the Champ.
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August 18, 2021

Song of the Day: Kenny Marks - Next Time You See Johnny

Kenny Marks is an epic singer/songwriter IMHO & I have owned several of his heartfelt discography over the years. He first came to my recognition with his song The Party’s Over back when my generation had cassette tapes. Then he came out with the phenomenal LP Another Friday Night. Every single last song on it was mind blowing & I was hooked. Today’s SOTD is actually the 3rd part of a 4 part song series on a relationship that started with Growing Up Too Fast & ends with Fire of Forgiveness which is what his story is all about.… Continued →

July 30, 2021

Song of the Day: Velour 100 - Toledo

I’m a sucker for all things shoegaze, including music that often falls under the wider umbrella of dream pop, madchester/baggy, indie pop and some forms of Britpop and space rock. While shoegaze had a limited representation amongst Christian artists, there were a few who really excelled in the genre. Ypsilanti, Michigan’s Velour 100 was one such artist. Led by Trey Many (who had honed his skills in the mainstream His Name is Alive and Liquorice; also a member of indie rock supergroup Lo-Tom), and rounded out by vocalist Amon Krist (daughter of renowned folk artist Jan Krist) on the debut, the band employed a trio of lead vocalists for their more accessible and also edgier sophomore effort Of Color Bright.… Continued →

July 23, 2021

Song of the Day: Besieged - The Years Between

How often have you gone back to listen to an album that was more than 10 years old, only to find it didn’t hold up as well as you thought it would? A sloppy guitar part here, or a bad mixing job there, or even just song ideas that didn’t really work as well in hindsight? I first heard Atlantis in 2007 when I was asked to review it for Uprise Zine (if you remember that publication, give me a shout!) While I definitely remember liking it, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it sounds 14 years after its release.… Continued →

January 2, 2021

Song of the Day: B.U.C.K. - Next

Starting this new year off right with some fun ska music from B.U.C.K. (building Up Christ’s Kingdom) aka Buck Enterprises. This Detroit, MI six piece band released a few albums before disbanding. I remember writing a college paper on ska & B.U.C.K would be classified as 3rd wave ska. Their 1998 self-titled release featured more horns than the second & featured a cartoon character which appeared to be skanking in a raincoat while holding up a checkered black & white ball which are the normal colors for ska music.… Continued →

December 28, 2020

April 12, 2020

January 10, 2020

Memorium release new lyric video + free single

Doom metal band Memorium (Vision of God Records) have released a new lyric video, which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/memoriumdoom/videos/751655828689493/UzpfSTM4MjUyODIxNTE0Nzc3MjoyODA3MDEzMzg2MDMyNTY0/. The single, which features a cool take on doom–classic doom (think early Candlemass or Cathedral) mixed with death-doom (My Silent Wake, My Dying Bride)–is also being offered as a free download here: https://visionofgodrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-new-dawn?fbclid=IwAR2UlU-R5YGgfVFwP4ey7buNjEXWO1Nw4ZylD0GdoBvNOFvsvcn17aJpSbkContinued →

November 2, 2018

REVIEW : Desiring Dead Flesh - That Suuck'd

For those who don’t know, Desiring Dead Flesh are a 3-piece hardcore punk band from Michigan, entirely made up of family members Bryan (vocals, father), Adam (drums, son), and Ravyn (guitar, daughter). Yep, just drums, guitar and vox—no bass or anything else. This is raw, fast punk rock. While it would be tempting to think this is simplistic, that would be missing the mark. The rhythms are much more complex, angular, and asymmetrical to be simple. Raw, yes, but not simplistic. What’s interesting is how difficult it is to find a point of comparison.… Continued →

March 31, 2017

September 7, 2010