Articles

Earlier this year I shared a list of the best albums of 2020 so far from A to Z. Now I’m back to share my list of the best songs of 2020 from A to Z! Once again the letters Q, X, and Z gave me some trouble but I was still able to put together a great list of songs for you. Be sure and check out the playlist of all the songs and runners-up at the bottom!… Continued →

There’s a recurring debate about who the first Christian rocker was. It’s very often touted that Larry Norman was the “godfather of Christian rock.” And if we mean by that that he was the first artist to really capture the essence of the genre with a wide influence, you’d have a pretty decent argument. However, if we’re talking about who was first, it wasn’t him. Not by a long shot. Larry’s first Gospel album dropped in 1969, after an impactful encounter with the Holy Spirit led him away from a substantial career in famed rock group People!… Continued →

This is a big year not only for music, anniversaries, but also Indie Vision Music in general. Yes, my friends, this year is the 20th Anniversary of the website/store/label and everything IVM means to me. I thought of a few different things I could do for the anniversary but due to time constraints and well, this pandemic which has completely changed EVERYTHING about our daily lives, I decided to keep it simple. I have put together this little write up on what I consider to be 20 of my favorite albums of that monumental year in music history.… Continued →

Listen: Amazon Music | Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube Lyrics:… Continued →

British Christian reggae artist Ben Okafor was born in Nigeria. Experiencing life as a victim of the Nigerian civil war, and even serving temporarily as a child soldier, Okafor was able to relocate to England in the late 70s where he began a career as a reggae artist. His early works were even produced by Bob Lamb (UB40). Musically, Ben’s music has always had an interesting mix of influences from traditional roots reggae (Ben’s clean guitar playing is noted throughout his lengthy discography) to lovers rock (AKA pop-reggae), but also including folk and world elements–all of which are impacted by his diverse cultural and geographical background.… Continued →

Listen: Amazon Music | Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube Lyrics:… Continued →

Listen: Amazon Music | Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube Music Lyrics:… Continued →

This band holds a special place in my heart. I’ve been a fan since 2001 or so when I first heard “Foreign Concepts” from Men of Israel Records. They were big time self promoters and got their music into my ears. I bought their early albums for sale in my store back in the day. The band was out from Israel touring the country and stopped in to play this store here in Orange County, CA. where I was putting on “I’m Your Biggest Fan Vol.… 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 →

With a name like Knuckle Sucker, one may not be quick to think that they would be a faith based band, but they sure are and unabashedly so! FFO: Loose End, Pocket Change, Preach it Ray Ray!, Relient K, Slick Shoes, and MxPx.

One of my all time fave releases, Lemonade, was from a band released by the defunct R.E.X. Music. Forming circa 1993, the 4 band members had changed their name from Leaderdogs to add For The Blind. They blew Christian indie music lovers away with an industrial/hard rock hybrid with iconic songs such as Yellow & Black Attack (no, not the Stryper album!), Better Ways, Ripple & Supersaturated. They followed up with The Resurrect Me EP that included other the greats Pollinate & Lie You Buy. Then, boom, that was it.… Continued →

Facedown Records indie rock band Weathered’s first & latest single Quick Tempered from their upcoming album lyrical content is simply some of the most profound lyrics that I’ve seen in a while. They seem to align with my favorite Bible verse that I have tattooed on my arm. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Here are the lyrics up until the bridge.… Continued →

Rackets is the best shock rock band imho with loyal fans called Therapy Patients. Led by vocalist Kandy Kane (Kiffany), they have definitely had a controversial impact on the Christian music industry & have been repeatedly listed as sounding akin to Marilyn Manson. Starting out in 1994, they formed under the name Human Soup. Many years have passed & they have released recent music more akin to their first 2 albums. The first was released under the moniker of A Violent System with this new one back to Rackets & Drapes.… Continued →

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube Lyrics:… Continued →

Rock & Punk… Continued →

When Seventh Angel’s debut album The Torment came out, I was an instant fan. I was a huge thrash fan in my teenage years, and their unique take on it–lots of acoustic interludes, and darker chord progressions–appealed to me. A couple of years later, the band followed up with Lament for the Weary. I must admit that at first I didn’t get it. It was much slower than any thrash I’d ever heard, and I hadn’t discovered doom yet as a genre, so I didn’t have a frame of reference for slower tunes.… Continued →

The following list is a mix of new independent bands and recent bands releasing music in the past year. Unlike other “lists” in Christian Music that wallow through the sea of sameness, this list embarks on a journey to share good music that doesn’t suck. Read below for MY list of the 30 greatest indie bands of 2020. Leave your cynicism and snobby pseudo journalistic opinions at the door. This isn’t a definitive list and is simply some of my current faves and recommendations. Drop your current faves in the comments below.… Continued →

So I had a chance to meet these guys while I was recording a sound byte from their record label owner for my online radio station a few years ago at Audiofeed Festival in Central Illinois. Wow, has their style changed. I would have classified As We Are’s (stylized sometimes as AsWeARe or just plain AWA) sound as pop punk, but with a rock twist a few years back when they came out with their self-titled EP. The 3 member band consists of drummer Caden (drums), vocalist/guitarist Dale & bassist Eli.… Continued →

When it comes to black metal, true fans will generally argue that the more raw, the better. And the more underground too. And there’s not much more rare, raw, and underground than Flaskavsae. The band was spearheaded by the mysterious “E” and most of their releases were in limited runs of a few hundred copies. I happened across the band when I was running a distro about 15 years ago specializing in underground metal, hardcore and indie rock (among other things). Their sound, though bleak, brings in bits of atmospheric layers, and at times, downright noisy textures.… Continued →

So this track is one of my favorite songs of all time. There are a couple different versions out there, but the one off We Are Not Ashamed is my go to. I remember hearing this song for the first time circa 1993 on a University of Illinois indie Christian rock/metal show whose DJ introduced me to greats such as Living Sacrifice, Reflescent Tide, The Clergy amongst many others at the time. Lust Control’s background can be found on many other sites, but what I liked about this specific song is the in your face lyrics & the romping punk music.… Continued →

Attention friends, family, and loved ones. This is the statement on the ending of the IVM Record Label and what to expect from this website in the future…. Please read on. The site will operate the same way it has the last 20 years.… Continued →

Listen: Amazon Music | Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube Music Lyrics:… 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 →

Mad at the World went through at least three distinct phases throughout their history, which impressively spans across 4 decades: synth-pop/new wave, hard alternative rock/metal, and retro rock/alternative. We’ve already featured a song from their synth-pop era, and here’s one from their hard alternative phase, but one that interestingly enough hints at their retro phase that would be unleashed in 2 more albums’ time. Both of the songs I’ve chosen from the Rose brothers have spoken words of encouragement to me when I needed them. Let’s face it: 2020 has largely been crap.… Continued →

While I haven’t been posting about it the past few months like I was earlier in the year, I’ve been continuing to update the New Release Sampler playlist on Spotify every month with new songs. I felt like taking some notes while I was putting the finishing touches on it today though and thought I’d share them readers. So here are the 55 new songs I picked out from September 2020 that I think that you should hear. 1. ’68 – Bad Bad Lambo Love is Ain’t Dead has been one of my most listened to new releases this month.… Continued →

I’ll just come out and say it, “Deathbed” is quite possibly the best “Christian” song that has been written in the past 15 years. That is quite a statement to make and I’ll tell you why. First of all, bands who can create an 11 minute “epic” song with constant peaks and valleys all the while captivating the listener with a heavy dose of heart tugging melodrama, you know they are doing it right. I don’t know what it is and maybe that’s just me being a sentimental, sappy fool, but when I give this track a listen, I am left with a tear(s) streaming down my cheek.… Continued →

It’s hard to believe this release is nearing 20 years old. Although I’ve been hearing about it for years, I only recently acquired a copy for myself, and it sounds just as innovative and fresh now as it must’ve done when it first dropped. I’m not sure how many industrial music fans we have at IVM, but this is the real deal. It’s not metallic industrial, nor dance stuff, just harsh, sonic, rhythmic experimentations. And what really caught me off guard was how much this album infuses ambient sounds.… Continued →

Listen: Amazon Music | Apple Music | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube Music Lyrics: … Continued →

When listening to music, do you ever get the feeling you’re hearing something deeply personal, and you’re not really sure if you should be listening in? Of course, recorded music is made to be heard. It’s marketed for consumption. But there are some songs that just seem so intimate it’s like you’re accidentally listening to a private conversation. “Days End” from Brandtson’s debut strikes me that way. I was equally excited and perplexed when I first heard about this new band (in the late 90s). Six Feet Deep had been a staple in the Spirit-filled hardcore scene–passionate and preachy as that genre was known for, when the members changed the band name and style, replaced by the new “emo” tag (at the time, anyway).… Continued →

Beloved (US) released this absolutely flawless cover of U2’s classic song, “Like a Song”, last month. It is without a doubt, one of my favorite cover songs by an artist we write about and quite simply one of the best songs of 2020. To be honest, I wasn’t as familiar with this U2 song as much as their other more famous tracks but nonetheless the band put their own unique spin on it and blew it out of the water. It’s not only lyrically poignant but the sound quality of this one song is on par with anything a major label artist would release in 2020.… Continued →