News

Going way back into the vaults of IVM history a few of you might recall a female led indie pop-rock band called One Star Story. They had news and reviews on this site as well as appeared on multiple compilations. I just got a blast from the past when Vanessa (Rose) emailed me about her new project after more than 6 years away from making music. She was vocalist for One Star Story and now goes by the name of “Vanessa From Maine” on digital networks/streaming sites.… Continued →

Despite all the despair, hopelessness, fear, anxiety, death, destruction, and uncertainty that 2020 has thrown at us, we have all taken solace in our music and found hope through it. We are carried through the pain with messages of inspiration, songs of motivation, and songs that just plain electrified our souls. The following is a collection of albums, eps, and songs that were meaningful to me in 2020. Not all of the releases listed below are “Christian” but most of them rocked me to my core!… Continued →

So, it’s New Year’s Day. 2020 is a recently faded memory, but with the obvious enduring repercussions. Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Or affirmations, or commitments, or whatever else people are calling them nowadays? My wife (who is an artist) loves the New Year holiday. She sees it as a blank slate. A new chance to start over. Erase all the marks from the chalkboard (remember those?) or the whiteboard, or your Zoom screen and go again, taking all you’ve learned to try and do it better next time.… Continued →

I was going to write a little intro to this list of mine, but in the end I figured I’d just let it speak for itself. Alot of great music dropped despite all the year brought us and these are my top 20. Let me know what you think!     20. Everything In Slow Motion – “Influence”. (Rock/Hard Rock) Released 10/16/20 on Facedown Records. Influence was the band’s first release since the 2016 ep, Laid Low. While it didn’t feel like a whole lot of new ground was covered, that is a good thing, especially considering their sound.… Continued →

Abel had a good run on both Come & Live and Facedown’s indie imprint before releasing Make It Right independently. It was a fitting final album, seeing the band in their rawest form. “Fifteen Years” is a highlight track, one of urgency, pain, and longing paired with fear and remorse as seen through the eyes of a beggar. In its simplest form, it’s a reality for the urban homeless; in its deepest sentiments, it’s a parable akin to the woman at the well. … Continued →

Merry Christmas friends and readers. We made it! Can you believe that after all the chaos, death and destruction, and utter disappointment that 2020 is now classified as, that somehow we made it to a beautiful day like Christmas? We are reminded of our Savior’s Birth and the promise of redemption that would come through his death and resurrection. 2020 may suck royally but at least we all have each other, our families, our love, and God up above. Despite what has happened this year, it has been a teachable moment in time and we are reminded of not only our importance as believers living here on this Earth, but the whole reason for the season (sorry for the cliche reference, it is important).… Continued →

Former Ruins has released a surprise Christmas EP (technically some brief notice was given). Noah has covered a lot of Christmas releases already, so you might feel a bit overwhelmed. Further, the timing may seem inopportune. After all, today is Christmas, isn’t it? You’ve got better things to do than listen to music, and then you’ll shelve this for next year. But these are not your typical Christmas songs – they speak to the season of Christmas on the church calendar. They’re for today and beyond.… 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 →

Florida-based Wind Words has returned with his newest project, Minor Prophets, a collection of spoken word meditations. These Scripture-driven pieces recount the narratives of both popular and overlooked biblical accounts. This is a bit of a diversion from his debut, Digging Up Earth, but it carries the same level of passion. Minor Prophets by Wind Words… Continued →

Initially, this was one of my least-favorite tracks on the albums – but it’s a beautiful, Gospel-tinged track full of Scripture under a veneer of soulful piano.  … Continued →

Rock & Metal

• Bride – Here Is Your God
• Chase Tremaine – Fear Not Want
• Fallstar – Waiting
• Messenger – In to Win
• Northern Flame – Twisted Reality
• Steve Taylor & the Danielson Foil – Ecstatic Delight
• Then It Ends – Kingdom (Alternative Version)
• Words – Trees (Live) (EP)

Pop & CCM

• Chris August – Ghost
• Conrad – Hidden Places
• Crossroads Music – Come In From The Cold
• Darla Baltazar – Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
• Eniola Abioye – MARBLED MOSAIC.
• John Ward – Graves and Graces
• Jordan Feliz – Say It
• Josh Sellers – Far Away
• Lovelite – Mmxx (EP)
• Mike Donehey – Better
• Stephen Stanley – No Hopeless Soul
• walk in love.

… Continued →

Indie rock/Post hardcore act Yours For Mine release new song! FFO: Meadows, Eaves, and Idle Threat.

The year was 1990. I’d heard lots of buzz about this new “goth rock” band Dead Artist Syndrome. Even Roger Martinez from Vengeance Rising had been sporting their t-shirt at gigs. For those who don’t know, DAS was the first goth band to release an album on a Christian label. While being the first is always a good thing, it wasn’t the fact that they were an early representative of the subgenre that made them interesting. It was that they were so darn good at it.… Continued →

Here are my favorite releases of the year by category.

Rock & Metal

• Anberlin – Tear Us Apart
• Ben S Dixon – Psalm 46 Lord of Hosts
• The Chariot – Long Live (10 Year Anniversary)
• Heliocentric – Antithesis
• Living Scars – Hallelujah
• Signum Regis – Flag of Hope (EP)

Pop & CCM

• Adam Lamb – For Me
• Altared – Awakened
• Amng Wlvs – Voice of Hope
• Anae – You Can Find Me
• Cody Johns – Relentless (EP)
• Connor Flanagan – Fire of My Father
• Doobie Powell – Heartbeat
• Edgar Sandoval Jr – last few months
• Haiva Ru – Wildflowers
• Judah & the Lion – Pep Talks Live
• Jon Webster – Selah
• NEEDTOBREATHE – Who Am I (Acoustic)
• Tauren Wells – Famous For (I Believe) – Collection
• UNSECRET – No Sanctuary

Electronic

• Bryson Price – Demons Flee
• Jack Izaak – Still N Listen

Folk & Singer/Songwriter

• Charlie Peacock – Skin and Wind is a Mind Bend
• Future Divine – Nightmare Into Day
• Jon Foreman – Fear (EP)
• Thomas Toole – Time and Space
• Whale Bones – The Doors Are Locked, the Blinds Are Closed, I Am Not Home

Hip Hop & R&B

• Angie Rose – Not A Monster
• Jesse Francis – Frontier
• JSteph – Phase II: The Remixes (EP)
• King Chai – Godmix 2
• LZ7 – Gettin Wild
• Tru-Serva – Blessings on the Way (Remix)
• Tobe Nwigwe – CINCORIGINALS

Worship & Gospel

• Ashton Barber – Inheritance
• Ben&blake – Faith Alone
• Calvary Worship Live – Never Gonna Let Me Down
• Celtic Worship, Praise Gathering – It Is Well
• Chris Beland – Morning and Evening Hymns
• Curt Vernon – One I Thought You Couldn’t Change
• Emmanuel Worship – Songs of Quarantine
• Fount + Flame – Pull Me In
• Grace City – Holy Ghost (We Say Yes)
• Harvest City Church – Greatest Miracle (Live)
• Hillsong UNITED – (in the meantime) [Vol.

… Continued →

We (actually Fusse) have fixed the commenting feature on Indie Vision Music website and it works once again. It has been down for over a week with tons of comments going nowhere. Please return today and leave your comments below the posts that interest you. More content coming in the days ahead including a special look back at “The Top 25 Christian Rock Albums of 1995” that I’ve been slowing working on for a few months now. Thanks everyone!… Continued →

There are so many different types of Living Sacrifice fans. People who started listening from the beginning, and those who joined somewhere along the way. Fans who praise their experimental phase, those who prefer the -core era, and those who swear by the traditional metal era. Heck, I even know one guy who claims they only released one album (he’s a thrash fan), and all the others were recorded by imposters! The band has certainly seen a number of different phases, most easily broken down into two main categories (metal and -core) with a few other splinters.… Continued →

Scales of Motion’s latest release was eerily-prophetic. It’s a song strewn with gnomic phrases like “This whole year has been one long November”. Stylistically, it feels like a classic emo song, reminiscent of Mineral or early Cool Hand Luke. Check it out below. Hard Rains by Scales of Motion Lyrics: Take me down to the edge of the river To watch the banks be reshaped as it flows. When I was young, all of life was a blanket. Now I sleep shivering in the cold. There will come hard rains, And they may wash away The things you thought you’d always know.… Continued →

Michael Bridges, a long time member of our Christian Music and Rock Scene has embarked on a journey to release a special docuseries all about his involvement in the scene, where its gone, and and what is has meant to him. Sure to be shocking, compelling, and altogether interesting. Check out the trailer below and view the special gofundme to help get this project off the ground, right here. This really reminds me of an Anthony Bourdain (RIP) style series in the most honest way and it definitely has my interest.… Continued →

Rock & Metal

• Andrew Stanton – Entrance Music
• Boiling Point – Come All You Weary
• Diamonds to Dust – Decisions (EP)
• Fallstar – King Lazer
• Fight The Fade – In Love. in Hope. in Peace. (Deluxe)
• Neal Morse – Jesus Christ the Exorcist (Live at Morsefest 2018)
• Phil Keaggy – Keaggy, Blazier & Lunn (An American Garage Band)
• They Came Running – Movement 1: Dawn – They Came Running (EP)
• Two Dimensional – Superman // Between You & Me
• Winona Avenue – December Night

Pop & CCM

• Drew Poole – I Love You I Love You
• Emily Brimlow – Nickel
• Freedom Heart – Lost and Broken
• Grace Graber – Heart For Me
• The Gray Havens – See You Again / / Autumn Sessions
• Heart + Soul, Vito Vasquez – Made In Heaven
• I AM THEY – I AM They Song Session
• joan – partly cloudy (EP)
• Joe Bae, Philip Shibata – Unravel
• Joseph – NYE (Violents Remix)
• Kios – Stay With Me (EP)
• More Than Rubies – Forgiveness
• Mountaintops – Wherever I Go (Ambient Version)
• Paul Cardall, Thompson Square – My Heart Beats for You
• Pyramid Park, Andy Lowe – Day and Night (Andy Lowe Remix)
• Timothy Li – Leaving

Electronic

• Chris Howland – Dive In
• Jack Izaak – I Have A Dream
• LEVV – I Am (Loving Awareness Mix)

Folk & Singer/Songwriter

• Cory Breth – Tangerine Sunsets
• The Dailys – Fill This Cup
• Jon Foreman – Love (EP)
• The Pharaoh Sisters – In Distress
• Praytell – Come Whatever
• Ray Nugent – Take a Drink
• Whale Bones – Sow Your Heart in Me

Hip Hop & R&B

• Aklesso – My Life is a Beautiful Mess
• Andy Mineo – Happy Thoughts (EP)
• Antoine Bradford – Seasons Change
• Cellus Hamilton, BlessThePen, Trubl3 – The Row Men
• Dillon Chase – Every Piece Matters
• Flame – Oh Yeah (Original Radio Edit)
• Guvna B, Madison Ryann Ward – Watching over Us
• I-Von – Hands to the Plow
• Jon Keith – Rose
• Jude.

… Continued →

No Lost Cause just dropped a new version of “Hope For The Hopeless” featuring smooth, warm, and well placed horn parts throughout. This is the best that No Lost Cause has ever sounded. The song will appear on the upcoming album, “Take 2” which will release on Thumper Punk Records next year. You can download this song, just click the description on the YouTube video. For Fans of The O.C. Supertones, Five Iron Frenzy Suburban Legends, The Insyderz, Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, etc.… 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 →

Rock & Metal

• Anberlin – We Are the Lost Ones
• Brotality – Prisoners of The Abyss
• Heliocentric – Never Again
• Killdevil Theory – Die Another Day
• The Midnight Wedding – Enforcers
• Talkie – anna

Pop & CCM

• Alyssa Jordan – I’m With You
• Beach Chapel – Jerusalem
• The Brilliance – Tell Me I’m Dreaming
• Chasing Daylight – Heartbreak
• Common Courier – Let Go
• I AM THEY – Scars (Acoustic)
• I AM THEY – Tremble Acoustic
• J.Prosper – Never Let Go
• JJ Heller – I Have Enough
• John Gabriel Arends – God Is Moving Like a River
• Josh Sellers – All in My Head
• Shana|Lana – Goodbye Babylon
• Tom Read – Stabal Session (Live)

Electronic

• LoudWorship, Swedish Revolution, Retro Mars – You Say (Lauren Daigle Version)
• Trampolines – The Blessing

Folk & Singer/Songwriter

• hadassa morais – Love Letters
• Jon Foreman – Doubt (EP)
• Jonathan Gabriel Masters – Park
• Karissa Frampton – Memos
• TJ Harris – Walk Love

Hip Hop & R&B

• Adriel Cruz – Punk (EP)
• Bryann T – Kingdom Muzic Family: The Remnant
• Courtney B – The Evolution of Courtney B
• davecreates – Ascension
• Hyper Fenton – Darkest Hour
• IMRSQD – Fox Glacier (EP)
• Jalen Williams – Thank God, Show Love
• Jekasole, Scootie Wop – N Luv
• JohnLion.,

… Continued →

Underground hip-hop leaders Illect Recordings (home of Sivion, Terem, James Gardin and many others) are running holiday sales currently on physical merch (12″ Vinyl, 7″ Vinyl, CDs, Cassette Tapes & more). A few new items are included in addition to a couple re-stocks. There are also pre-orders, from tomorrow, for the Sivion x DertBeats Vinyl LP. Stock is expected to arrive in a few weeks from Europe. The official release date will be 6-8 weeks later but fans who pre-order the vinyl will be the first to have it.… 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 →

Continuing with the (former) IVM band news is a sweet little drum cover of “Broken Youth” (Homeplate) by Paul Hyde of the band Grandpa Loves Rhinos. Check out the drum cover below this post. Grandpa Loves Rhinos “Searching in the Sarchasm” and Homeplate “Derby City” EP available now from your digital network of choice and on CD.… Continued →

The pop-punk duo known as “Homeplate” are returning after just a few months from the release of their incredible debut EP, “Derby City”, to record MORE NEW MUSIC. That’s right friends, the guys will reconvene in the studio soon to lay down some new tracks for another EP. If you enjoyed “Derby City” as much as I did, you’re in for a real treat. No word yet on whether a label will pick these guys up and release future tunes but stay tuned. For now, pick up Derby City EP on CD from IVM or your favorite digital network.… Continued →

A classic Tooth & Nail pop-punk band, Hangnail, that everyone will claim is an underrated band who definitely should have been “bigger” (whatever that means) in their time is seeing a most triumphant return to the music realm. With hands held high in applause, we welcome these posi-pop-punk gentlemen back and we welcome their brand of uplifting, spiritual punk rock with our arms wide open (cheesy Creed pun, sorry). You can pick up or stream “Christmas Hymns” on your favorite Digital Network, December 4th, through long time label home, Tooth & Nail Records.… Continued →

Rock & Metal

• Awaken – The Veil
• CHPTRS – When You Came Along
• CLOUDLAND – Lights
• Faintheart – Growing Pains (EP)
• Kevin Max – Revisiting This Planet
• The Lasting Hope – Lead Me
• Mike Mains & The Branches – Briggs (Cinematic Version)
• No Lost Cause – Hope For The Hopeless (2020 Version)
• The Reversalist – Falling Embers
• VERIDIA – Crushed Velvet
• Weathered – Everything All at Once

Pop & CCM

• 21:03 – Never Let Me Down
• Bien – Megaphone
• Cristabelle Braden – My Story Now (Lo-Fi Remix)
• Daulton Hopkins – I Melt With You
• DC Talk – Trying to Find A Life
• Feikje Douwina – This Time (EP)
• Gabriel Conte – Belong
• Jacob Hilton – A Voice Shouting (Féz Remix)
• Jessica Love – Stronger
• JJ Weeks Band – JJ Weeks Band
• John Michael Howell, Ashylnn Rose – You Will Love Again
• Jordan St.

… Continued →