Author: Loyd Harp

Indie artist Seth Davey (ex-Attalus) is releasing a brand new single this Sunday, June 7th. The track is called “Dance in the Dark”, and it is the title track from Davey’s upcoming album. There will be a Kickstarter for the release, which will go live on Friday, June 5th. Fans can check out the Kickstarter here: Dance in the Dark: A Rock Opera Or sample the song below:… Continued →

Portland punks Teeth for Eyes (featuring ex-members of Crux, Government Hate Mail, Cicero, and Empty Tomb) have released a new live album. The 11-track album was recorded live at Kelly’s Olympian in downtown Portland earlier this year and features tracks from both of their albums, as well as a new song from a forthcoming split release with The Blamed. The album is available on CD or digital download, directly from the band at their Bandcamp page: https://teethforeyes.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-kellys… Continued →

This band signifies much of what was great about the mid-00s emo movement. The Last Broadcast’s sound drew from influences as diverse as punk, post-hardcore, lo-fi indie rock, and even baroque pop. I know very little about this band, unfortunately, but here’s what we do know. They released an independent CD (burned by the band members themselves) in 2003, consisting of 7 tracks. Then they released a 4-song EP entitled Matthew, through Lansing, Michigan-based Selah Records, who also put out releases from Anathallo, Bloodlined Calligraphy, and Anah Aevia.… Continued →

M.C. GeGee (born Gina Rodriguez, now Lopez) was a Christian rapper from Dallas, Texas, who began her career in 1990, potentially making her the first female Christian rapper. She began rapping shortly after her brother, famed holy hip-hop pioneer, D-Boy was killed. While the details of D-Boy’s (Danny) death are still somewhat mysterious, it is postulated that he was either killed deliberately by the gang members he was trying to reach, or at least that he was caught in the crossfire. As best as we can tell, he was gunned down by gang members who didn’t like that he was leading kids out of the drug-influenced lifestyle.… Continued →

Cryptic Embrace is a somewhat mysterious black metal band from England. Very little is known about them, and I’m not sure if they’re still making music or not. Their history goes back at least to 2013, when they released the album Passion of the Christ and the EP Risen from the Crypt, both issued by the German label No Sleep till Megiddo. What I really like about this band is how they mix the early/raw sounds of traditional black metal (like early Mayhem or Horde) with some experimental sounds borrowing from ambient and dungeon synth.… Continued →

DISPRAISED ANNOUNCES SELF-TITLED FOURTH ALBUM — OUT MAY 11 After nearly a decade of relentless output and evolution, Dispraised is set to release their self-titled fourth album, Dispraised, on May 11 via Thumper Punk Records. Marking a defining moment in the band’s trajectory, the album captures both a culmination of years of growth and a bold reset for what lies ahead. Formed in 2017, Dispraised has spent close to ten years carving out a distinct voice in the underground punk and heavy music scenes. In that time, the world has shifted dramatically—politically, socially, and technologically.… Continued →

Indie Vision Music: For those who are uninitiated into the Nobody’s Uncle experience, tell us about the project. Where are you based, and how long have you been making music as Nobody’s Uncle? Nobody’s Uncle: Nobody’s Uncle is the pseudonym I use for this one-man, indie rock passion project of mine. My sole aim is to create gospel-centered alternative music that connects others with the Kingdom of God and magnifies the name of Jesus. I was born and raised in small-town Michigan where there was (and still is) plenty of time for melancholic rumination.… Continued →

From the press release: “Burnt Toast Vinyl and Lost in Ohio are proud to announce the first-ever vinyl pressing of Fall Sounds by Velour 100, due Fall 2026, in time for the album’s 30th anniversary. “In 1995 at Eastern Michigan University, two people made a record: Trey Many (drummer for 4AD’s His Name Is Alive) and Amon Krist (an art student and daughter of celebrated folk singer Jan Krist). Warren Defever recorded it, bringing the same atmospheric instincts that had made His Name Is Alive one of the most singular acts in the 4AD catalog.… Continued →

This brilliant alternative rock band formed in Santa Barbara, California in the 1990s. They released one full-length album Way Before the Flood and a follow-up EP 5 Years, 50,000 Miles Davis, before changing the band name to Model Engine and releasing one more album, The Lean Year’s Tradition. All three releases came out through 5 Minute Walk and/or SaraBellum Records (the latter an imprint of 5MW). The band’s sound was unique. They played an earthy, rootsy form of alternative rock but also had some progressive tendencies–more so later on as they morphed into Model Engine.… Continued →

Paradox formed in 1986 in San Antonio, where they were active through the end of that decade. They were one of the most influential unsigned Christian metal bands at the time, along with Apostle, Soldier, and a handful of others. The band played a killer version of traditional heavy metal complete with dark, heavy riffs, and pristine vocals with the occasional high-pitched wail. My first exposure to the band was actually this track, which was featured on the Underground Metal compilation on Regency Records. If you were into Christian metal in the 1980s, these compilations were a huge lifeline for discovering new bands.… Continued →

Pensive was a short-lived but brilliant and unique emocore band from West Virginia, active in the second half of the 1990s. The band ended when half of the members wound up in Zao. Shortly thereafter the remaining members joined Brett Detar in The Juliana Theory. These are some serious credentials for a band that has remained fairly unknown/obscure. The music might have had similarities to the members’ other projects, but it was distinct as well. It was an unusual mix of clean guitars and clean singing interspersed with distorted guitars and raspy screams.… Continued →

Our scene has been the breeding ground of scores of quirky independent labels, each with its own personality, so to speak. Daniel Smith’s (of Danielson Famile) Sounds Familyre is a great one in which to put your goggles on and go on a deep dive of their full catalog. The Singing Mechanic is Vincent Voss, and we know don’t a ton about him, other than the obvious: he’s a mechanic who sings (literally). He also plays a mean piano. What? Piano-driven indie rock? You heard that right.… Continued →

The name A.G. McIntosh may not be familiar to many of our readers, but those who have been following the punk underground for a while might have seen his name on a couple of different compilations. He had an entry in 2022’s Songs We’ve Been Trying to Tell You About Vol. II from Jesus Freak Hideout, and 2023’s Valley Churches United Benefit Compilation via Thumper Punk Records. And while the Houston native has enlisted the help of Kris Klein (Squad Five-0), ironically, he has shifted away from punk for his new material focusing on a singer-songwriter based rock approach with lyrics that are both introspective and reflective.… Continued →

Hot take: Crashdog was the most punk band the Christian scene ever produced. In fact, there are only a handful that would rival them for the title. But when we factor in a number of elements: sound, lyrical focus, longevity and impact, they come out as the clear winner. There are at least two different iterations of the band. The first one featured Spike Nard (actually Tim Davis) on vocals, Andrew Mandell on guitar, Brian Grover on bass, and Greg Jacques on drums. This version recorded the band’s first two albums Humane Society and The Pursuit of Happiness, until Greg Murphy took over on drums for Mud Angels.… Continued →

I’ve made a somewhat comical observation that in independent Christian music, it’s the metal bands who give us the best material for Easter. I guess it’s something about our Savior dying a cruel death, then rising again victoriously to win our salvation–that message just goes better with loud, aggressive music. Believer was quite possibly the best and most original thrash band to come out of the Christian scene, forming in Pennsylvania in the late 1980s. They released a cassette demo in 1987 and contributed a track for the legendary East Coast Metal compilation the following year.… Continued →

When you read about, or hear talk of “Spirit-filled hardcore,” this is what they’re talking about. Where were you when you first heard Strongarm? Do you remember? For me, I think it was on the first Helpless Amongst Friends compilation. I was blown away by so much on that comp. The raw aggression. The lyrical strength and (what seemed like) commitment to the Lord. There was a passion behind the music and the lyrics that deeply resonated with me as a young 20-something in the 1990s.… Continued →

Sally Grayson, American post-punk meets alternative country artist who lives in Germany, has just released a brand new single. She said of the track, “Amidst all of the world’s sorrows, I’m releasing a beautiful love song at the beginning of spring to help people escape into a moment of beauty and remember the amazingness of human connection.” Check the song out at her website here: https://www.sallygrayson.com/to-be-loved-press… Continued →

The name Saviour Machine evokes a wide variety of reactions: love, confusion, controversy, and about a dozen others. My friend George reveres them as his favorite band of all time. Others find them dense and difficult. Still others enjoy the dark mysterious sounds as well as the lyrical approach. The band formed in California in 1989, and soon after issued a demo CD of gothic metal replete with classic metal riffs and dramatic vocals. Their label debut released in 1993 for Intense Records and still featured an even combination of gothic rock and heavy metal.… Continued →

Third wave ska hit the Christian scene hard in the mid- to late-90s. There were dozens of bands in the chrindie scene fusing punk, ska, reggae, and alternative rock in different measures. San Jose’s Freeto Boat was one of such bands, but their brand leaned heavily on the punk side of ska-punk. It was almost like punk with horns at times, especially on their debut album Hindsight 20/20. By the time the sophomore album End of the Beginning hit, they pretty much dropped the ska influence altogether, opting for a primitive hardcore punk sound.… Continued →

Scott Blackwell was a well-connected producer and DJ who brought house music to CCM, and played a huge role in the advent of Christian-themed electronic dance music. He founded N*Soul Records and later Myx Records, both of which saw releases in subgenres like house, techno, rave, breaks, and more. Besides his important roles in the Christian music industry, he’s also worked with mainstream artists as diverse as Joe Diffie (country), Debbie Gibson (pop/top 40), Book of Love (synth-pop), The Gap Band (funk). Blackwell has more than 150 credits to his name in production, remixes, songwriting, and so forth.… Continued →

I was completely unfamiliar with Nobody’s Uncle when the band reached out for coverage. It’s always mildly harrowing to get a request for a review of an independent artist you’re not familiar with. While there are sometimes some pleasant surprises, there are also plenty of duds. Either artists that aren’t that effective at what they’re trying to do musically, or simply those whose music doesn’t connect with you on a personal level. Fortunately for us, Mercy Diorama falls into that “pleasantly surprising” category. Nobody’s Uncle is a one-man band from Michigan, and although technically a solo project, the artist prefers the anonymity of a band name.… Continued →

This one-man grindcore act from Ecuador was incredibly active for 3 short years. Comprised of José Barragán, the band released three projects from 2006 to 2008. The first was a 7-song EP Redemption of the Flesh, first released independently in 2006, then re-issued in 2007 through Eirene Records, and then reissued digitally in 2018 through Bearded Dragon Productions. The other two were split releases with other bands. One was the 6-Way Sin Decomposition Split with 5 other Christian grind bands. And the second one was a 4-way split with 3 non-Christian gore-grind bands that I won’t say more about here.… Continued →

Blenderhead was an indie rock/punk/post-hardcore/math rock band from the Pacific Northwest and active throughout the 1990s, disbanding in 2001. They were one of the coolest and hardest to peg bands to come out of the 90s Christian alternative scene. It was this innovation and genre-blending that made them unique, but also perhaps limited their fanbase, always being just slightly out of reach for the average listener. While much of Christian punk in the 90s was either in the pop-punk vein or moving towards hardcore, Blenderhead dabbled in a range of angular, dissonant sounds, all the while maintaining a sense of cohesion.… Continued →

Glae’s latest EP is their 6th release overall (including 4 full-lengths and 2 EPs). The one-man band has made already made a significant impact on the deathcore genre, pushing beyond the limitations of what is typical in that particular scene. Black Cloud pushes those limits even further, and somewhat ironically inches them closer to traditional death metal, with some grindcore-like fragments as well. There are definitely still some deathcore hallmarks, particularly in the crunchy guitar tones and use of pinch harmonics. But structurally, the songs are much more interesting than what is typical for the genre: breakdown/pig squeal/breakdown/etc.… Continued →

Tooth & Nail post-hardcore/emo-core outfit Idle Threat have just released a new video, and it is incredible! See for yourself . . .… Continued →

Guardian (or rather Gardian as they first spelled it, or even Fusion as they named themselves to begin with) started out in the 1980s as a traditional heavy metal band and had morphed into a hybrid hard rock/alternative/groovy blues project by the time they finished in the early 2000s, changing their sound dramatically throughout their existence, though always in hard rock territory. However, along the way, they recorded quite possibly the best (or at least one of the best) glam metal releases ever put out by a Christian band (yeah, I said what I said–of course they’d have to contend with Stryper, Zion, Holy Soldier, Angelica and Whitecross for the top spot).… Continued →

New Zealand folk/roots rock artist Derek Lind released his first album Mixed Blessings in 1986, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that I first heard his music. In 1993, R.E.X. Music, who had mostly been known for metal releases and a handful of alternative artists, began a sublabel dedicated to acoustic and folk music, Storyville Records. So Lind’s third album, 1990’s Slippery Ground was repackaged for distribution to the U.S. Lind’s association with Storyville, and the label’s existence, was short. 1994 saw the release of Stations, this time exclusively through his label Someone Up There, but this time the release saw distribution in the US as well as his native New Zealand.… Continued →

Melodic death metallers Exousia hail from Mexico. They have been making music together since at least as early as 1999 when they released their debut Serpiente de Bronce through their native label Alcance Subterraneo Producciones (who also put out releases by Deborah, Encryptor, Uzias, and others). The band released two more studio albums across the next four years, often incorporating elements of gothic metal, thrash, and black metal, though still staying true to melodic death metal for the most part. They also released two different DVDs featuring live concert footage and other video content.… Continued →

Richard Nicholson was a relatively important figure in independent Christian music in the 80s and 90s, but sadly too few American listeners are familiar with his work, largely because of his British origins. So let’s start with a little history lesson. He first became known through his work with new wave/punk act Giantkiller, who released three influential albums in the 1980s. Sadly only one of those reached American shores, 1981’s Valley of Decision (or Whose Side You On? as it was known in their native UK).… Continued →

Quickly rising as one of the most important deathcore bands in the Christian scene, southern California’s (Un)worthy returns with a new 4-song EP, their 7th EP since 2019 (not counting 3 singles), but only their 3rd release on CD. A couple of things stand out quickly about this offering. Firstly, it’s a concept EP focusing on the story of Jonah, with each of the four songs representing different aspects of Jonah’s journey. Secondly, while other releases from the band have been just from two members (Dennis Woods and Jordan Jiminez), the band has expanded to a full 5-piece outfit this time.… Continued →