News

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 →

Trying something new and testing a feature out. I have begun an IVM SMS Text List through a company called Simple Texting (via WordPress). Right now you can text the word INDIE to (855) 737-1974 and you’ll be able to join the list. I’ll try to keep it short and simple. Mostly news about IVM site activities and maybe some band news from time to time. Basically, news items we want to push out into the world and onto your screens. This is a trial run so I’ll see how it goes.… Continued →

I bet you didn’t see that coming did you? Yes sir (or ma’am or whatever), Nate Parrish is BACK and with a vengeance, a most righteous, glorified vengeance of the melodic punk rock n’ roll variety. He is releasing his first new single of 2022 titled “God Knows” which features David Bunton of the great band – The Showdown (Get Snake Bit) lending his vocal talents. You might not know this but David also was a melodic punk band years ago before The Showdown so this pairing is absolutely perfect!… Continued →

Squad 5-0 are back, oh yes, they are back. A little teaser was posted on the Daddio Records social sites (follow them) showing something new is coming (Solid Gold) February 1st along with a little snippet of what should be considered – NEW MUSIC!. Check out the teaser below (if you have Facebook). Follow Daddio Records here. Are you excited for a new generation of Squad 5-0 with that same great beat and abrasive guitar assault? I assume this is pretty much the same lineup as their last 2 albums before the hiatus began.… Continued →

Rock & Metal

• Homeplate – Welcome to Breitenstei

Pop & CCM

• Branan Murphy – This World Is Not My Home (The Remixes) (EP)
• Xander Sallows, Sam Bowman – fake strong (EP)

Electronic & EDM

• God’s Warrior – MYSTYRY

Folk & Singer/Songwriter

• Georgia Costolo – Sodom’s Sins (EP)
• Karissa Frampton – EXPOSING MY HEART

Hip Hop & R&B

• 116 – We Are Unashamed (EP)
• Dante Raddd – Interstitials (EP)
• Hooseki – FMF2
• Lil Yelli – Nothin Better
• Zee – Spiritual Sniper

Worship & Gospel

• Aisea Taimani + Minor Islands – Live & Direct (Live at the Art Boutiki)
• Andy Cherry – Invocation (Live)
• Brandin Reed – Brandin Reed and Friends (Live)
• Jonathan David Helser – The Land I’m Livin’ In — DAY ONE (EP)
• WorshipMob – Our Desire

Instrumental & Other

• Tommee Profitt – The Remixes (Vol.

… Continued →

If you’ve been around the Christian punk/metal/hardcore/indie scene for any amount of time, you will likely have heard the name Burrito. Not his real name, of course–the man David Villalpando was a legend in the underground scene. Sadly, the man that many called a friend passed away this week from covid-related illness. For those who didn’t know him, it is difficult to overstate his impact on the scene. From a musical standpoint, while none of his projects ever achieved mainstream success or financial prosperity, they were always on the bleeding edge of innovation.… Continued →

A legend, long time musician, songwriter, scene supporter, and a Faithful servant of the Lord – David “Burrito” Villalpando, just passed away yesterday. The man who may have been controversial at times for his direct and often times bold, in your face message, was a Faithful servant of the Lord all the way up until the very end. I had chatted with him a few times over the years and followed his social accounts for continuing posts and updates. He had been a part of some very early Christian hardcore, metal, and punk bands during the 80’s like Moral Majority, and The Warning, and went on to start several other bands through the next decade including the band Eightball Cholos, 44Evergiven, and Grace for the Fallen.… Continued →

Rock & Metal

• Skillet – Dominion

Pop & CCM

• Casting Crowns – Healer
• Kevin Quinn – It’s About Time (EP)
• Me+mad – are you there?

Electronic & EDM

• Jeremy James Whitaker – cling and remember (EP)

Folk & Singer/Songwriter

• Drew Holcomb, Ellie Holcomb – Coming Home: A Collection of Songs
• Megan Brown – Open Up Your Mind (EP)

Hip Hop & R&B

• A Mose – Road to purpose
• Brett Raio – Chapters
• Joey Vantes – Music To Drown To
• Phrv – The Coloured Tape
• Puntin – Defeating the Odds

Worship & Gospel

• Equippers Revolution – Truth (EP)
• Heart of God Church – XYZ (EP)
• Life Church Music – In Peace or Pieces (EP)
• planetboom – You, Me, The Church, That’s Us – Side A
• REVERE – Unscripted: Behold (King of Glory)
• Vineyard Worship – Sacred Space

Instrumental & Other

• Tommee Profitt – The Remixes (Vol.

… Continued →

Indie Pop Singer-Songwriter-Drummer extraordinaire – Teddy at Night, just dropped his new song titled “Mr. Celsius” and it’s a total bop and/or banger as the kids would say. Check out the song below and make sure to follow all his socials.… Continued →

Jonathan Caro (Bloodshed, Stairwell) and Jeff Jacquay (Unashamed, Rainy Days, and Stairwell) have a fun new project called “The Concrete Slabs”. They just released their first song over on a newly created bandcamp page right here and it’s called “Post Meridiem”. Make sure to chip in some dough and grab this awesome new song. More to come I’m sure.… Continued →

One visit to the Close Your Eyes facebook page and it’s clear to see that there is activity on the band side of things. Quite possibly we are looking at some sort of legit return and/or anniversary celebration for their 2 albums. What does that mean? A tour? New Music? New Merch? Return of old Vocalist? What do you want to see more of from Close Your Eyes in the future? What is your favorite song of theirs?… 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 →

San Diego based pop-punk band Summer Years which features a couple ex-members of Mainsail, just dropped their debut EP titled “You Can’t Live There Forever” and you can find it on all digital networks and streaming platforms now. A music video for the song “Small World” off this new EP can be seen over on ChorusFM here. There is a certain splash of unrelenting nostalgia dripping through every note of the band’s songs and their infectious blend of melody and punk rock energy will surely win over a whole new spectrum of fans.… Continued →

Dallas Taylor and the boys in Maylene And The Sons of Disaster have surprised everyone by posting some info regarding new music and a music video that will drop soon. According to sources here and here, there is even a pic of Dallas Taylor with former Underoath bassist/guitarist, Octavio Fernandez. No exact word yet on when this new music video (or new music itself) will drop, but we will try and keep you updated. Praise God that Dallas is recovering well and that we will be able to hear his massive, thunderous voice once again.… Continued →

Homeplate’s new EP, “Welcome To Breitenstein” got pushed back a week and is now dropping on January 18th through all Digital networks. This is one EP that you DON’T want to miss! It’s going to rule the scene in 2022 without a doubt. Go give them a follow here and their label here. Make sure to order your physical Homeplate merch right here.… Continued →

The now classic 2000 era Project 86 album, “Drawing Black Lines”, is available for purchase on Vinyl via the band’s own bandcamp page. There are two different color options, and it looks absolutely amazing. Randy, Alex, and Steven are a part of this and secured the rights to the vinyl re-release so it adds an extra layer of coolness. Get your copy right here before it sells out for good.… Continued →

Rock & Metal

• Love Like Gravity – Break the Silence

Pop & CCM

• Adam Watts – The Devil & the Light
• Adelaide – What Really Matters

Electronic & EDM Folk & Singer/Songwriter Hip Hop & R&B.

• Eddie Clark – Soul Talk
• J. Will – My Brothers Keeper II
• Jordan Copas – Focus
• LLC Flame – child. (EP)
• Mike Teezy – Pressure (EP)
• outr.cty – FOTO DUMP, Vol. 1
• PNTDXTR – Extraterrestrial (EP)
• Reece Lache – All Love
• RmvChosen – New Vessel

Worship & Gospel

• AR Base – Love, Soul & Fire (EP)
• Celtic Worship – Morningtide
• Eleven32 Music – Goodness (EP)
• Futures – Hills & Horizons
• Greenhouse Worship – Heaven on Earth (EP)
• Humility and Hunger – In The Dark (EP)
• Mountaintops – All I Am is Yours (EP)
• Passion – Burn Bright (EP)
• River Valley Worship – Attention (A Devotional Project) (EP)
• Still Morning – War Zone (EP)

 Instrumental & Other

• Charlie Peacock – Blue For You (EP)
• Poor Bishop Hooper – Book IV (Instrumentals from EveryPsalm)
• Tommee Profitt – The Remixes (Vol.

… Continued →

If you’ve followed my writings for any amount of time, it’s not hard to discern my love for all things shoegaze, dream pop and the like. One of the best in the game was the mysterious LN. I was never quite sure if it was a band, or a solo project masquerading as a band. Sure, it was fairly well known that Gary Murray (who later recorded as Gary Murray and LN, and then just as Gary Murray) was the principal of the band, but not as clear who else was involved or at what level.… Continued →

Rock & Metal

• Anberlin – Under A Dying Sun
• Buried Above – Buried Above
• Final Surrender – Frogs in a Pan
• Manafest – I Run With Wolves (EP)
• Sad Astronauts – Adult Fears

Pop & CCM

• The Afters – Where Heaven Touches Earth: Live at The Grove
• Ben Lawrence – BEN
• Brian Morykon –  Known
• Hannah Schaefer –  Crown (Deluxe)
• Jacob Stanifer – Full Circle (Deluxe)

Electronic & EDM

• God’s Warrior –  Happy Soul

Folk & Singer/Songwriter

• Chris Beland – What I Believe
• The Crossing – ‘Til We Meet Again
• Jameson McGregor – after the dust clears (EP)
• Paul Whitacre –  hard to dream (EP)
• Sandra McCracken,  Liz Vice

Hip Hop & R&B

• Alvin Cedric – Alvin Cedric (EP)
• ASAP Preach – Heaven Bound
• BigBreeze –  It Could Of Been Different
• BritYah – Kingdom Is Near
• BrodieDaVinci –  Snowed In (EP)
• CS LIT – Deleted 6 (EP)
• D-Rock – Blessed Up EP
• Da Young Disciples – Pressure
• Eliyah Monroe –  Long Lost But Found
• F.

… Continued →

I don’t know why it took me so long, but recently a very simple thought has helped me out immensely in my spirituality and my walk with Christ. It’s simply this: choose love. That’s it. When I am tempted to sin, choose love instead. When I want to be selfish, choose love. When I want to do something that would only please or elevate myself and not others, choose love. Mike Stand was singing about it decades ago. And of course, the ultimate trump card here is Jesus himself.… Continued →

Just like that fabulous 1983 Star Wars sequel that people pretend not to enjoy because of a cute bundle of Ewoks, Nate Parrish will return but without cuddly little ewoks of course, in fact I don’t think there are any real Star Wars parallels to be drawn. I mean he is a wreck in the most loving reference but space action is kind not punk rock, or is it? Anyway, in 2022 Nate is returning with some of his best music yet. He was gracious enough to let me listen to a couple unmixed/unmastered songs and from what I heard, my fandom has increased by more than 1% (which is quite telling because it was already at 99.99 %).… Continued →

That most excellent pizza loving, video game playing, pop-punk giving, easy-core teasing band – HOMEPLATE, are back with a brand new EP titled “Welcome to Breitenstein” which will release via their new label home, Small Step Records. The EP drops on January 4th (a Tuesday like old times!) and is a rollicking good time for those that have the insatiable appetite for quality pop-punk music without all the nonsense and politics. When the scene becomes devoid of FUN, Homeplate bring it just like a steaming hot plate of pizza pie!… 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 →

Harvest Bloom is a Christian modern rock band that I interviewed during my college days. I love this song & a few others including Devil’s Poison & hope you do also. … Continued →

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 →

Lacey Sturm just posted a deeply poetic, and incredibly powerful new song titled, “Awaken Love” which can be heard below this post via YouTube. What are your thoughts? I could listen to this on any day, through any mood, and in practically any season.… Continued →

Los Angeles, CA. based pop-punk band – Protect Your Heart, have returned with not just a new song but also a NEW Music video to accompany the track. This one is on FIRE so give it a listen and spread the word. So dang catchy, am I right? Anyone else getting a Cove era Saosin vibe with a splash of State Champs in here?… Continued →

Insane new thrash/groove metal inspired band – Testimony of Apocalypse, have dropped their new song “Truth Vs. Lies” that you can listen to right below this post. I also placed the recent lyric video for their first official song, “Redemption”, that now has a lyric video. Be sure to follow the band here and pick up more music from the band and label here.… Continued →

Righteous Vendetta are returning in a big way with their new song/ep/album (which will it be?). Current title is “No Vacancy” and the release date is January 7th 2022. Who else has been wanting this band to return in a big way?… Continued →

I remember when I first heard this song. It was on the Tooth & Nail Songs from the Penalty Box compilation, amidst other songs ranging from pop-punk to hardcore and everything in-between. But Blindside was hard to peg. It was heavy and raw, and kind of hardcore, but not really. There was a mild rap influence in the delivery, but it wasn’t really rapcore either. Post-hardcore hadn’t really occurred to me as a category yet. The band put the song on their debut, self-titled, full-length album and a year later released a second–both albums on Tooth & Nail/Solid State.… Continued →