Reviews

Band: Besieged Title: Atlantis Label: Blood & Ink Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. Balkanization 02. The Author 03. Guttersnipe 04. Written Promises 05. A Cold Winter Kiss 06. INRI 07. The Years Between 08. Moustache Pete 09. The Fall Of Man: The Rise Of Self 10. They Shake The Earth 11. Carved In The Walls 12. Atlantis Members/Duties: John: Guitar Tyler: Bass Mattie: Vocals Chris: Guitar Josh: Drums I had my eye out on Besieged since they were independent and put out their self-released EP. They had an interesting mix of metal vocals with a more melodic metalcore sound.… Continued →

Band: Anberlin Title: Lost Songs Label: Tooth & Nail Release Date: 11.20.2007 Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. The Haunting 02. Uncanny 03. Like A Rolling Stone 04. A Day Late (Acoustic) 05. Enjoy The Silence 06. Cadence (Acoustic) 07. Downtown Song 08. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out 09. Dismantle. Repair. (Acoustic) 10. The Promise 11. Naive Orleans (Acoustic) 12. Inevitable 13. The Unwinding Cable Car (AOL Sessions) 14. Creep (AOL Sessions) 15. Baby Please Come Home 16. Ready Fuels (Demo) 17. Driving (Autobahn) (Demo) 18.… Continued →

Band: Air Five Title: Write My Story Label: Audio Frenzy Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. Write My Story 02. I Wanna Go 03. I Will Carry You 04. Please Don’t Change 05. Here’s Me Letting Go 06. One and Only 07. Love You More 08. All I Need (10,000 Miles) 09. Hold My Hand 10. Open Season Members/Duties: Ben Peeples: Lead Vocals, Guitar Michael Segarra: Bass, Vocals Taylor Carroll: Drums, Vocals Air Five is another band that I just ran across while doing my endless scouring of the internet for new bands to cover.… Continued →

Band: For Today (http://myspace.com/fortoday) Album: Ekklesia Release date: April 1st, 2008 Label: Facedown Records (http://facedownrecords.com) Review by: DavidIVM I’ve already erased my opening line more times than you have fingers (I hope that’s the case, at least), because everyone knows that the opening line is where you “prove your stuff,” and this being my first review, I don’t want to fall on my face, but I know by the end of this, I’ll most likely end up with a bloody nose and a broken jaw. That’s all besides the point, because this CD, in my opinion, is a hard one to review.… Continued →

Artist: HAWK NELSON Album:…IS MY FRIEND! Special Edition Label: Tooth & Nail/BEC Release Date: April 1st, 2008 Review by: Tyler Hess edit: oops, forgot to rate it. Numbers are weird. B- with the DVD helping the curve. Track list: YOU HAVE WHAT I NEED FRIEND LIKE THAT TURN IT ON ONE LITTLE MIRACLE LET’S DANCE ANCIENT HISTORY SOMEBODY ELSE ARMS AROUND ME JUST LIKE ME NOT THE SAME WORDS WE SPEAK I STILL MISS YOU BONUS SONGS: ONE LITTLE MIRACLE (ACOUSTIC WITH AMY GRANT) FRIEND LIKE THAT (ACOUSTIC) ’BRING EM OUT DVD FEATURES: 4 music videos for: California, Zero, Friend like that, Bring ’em Out Making of Friend Like That video In the Studio Session with Amy Grant Video of the band skydiving Through the twists and turns of marketing and music elitists, I believe that through this album Hawk Nelson fans will truly understand what they are about musically and morally, both good and bad, and hopefully the band will have learned this as well by the time they are ready to make another album.… Continued →

Artists: Brand New, Colour Revolt Venue: ATS Auditorium (Dickinson College), Carlisle, PA Date: March 29, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson “When you go on tour for so long, sometimes you just get kind of sick of it. And it’s funny how few bands we really like touring with, how few bands we actually like as friends and want to keep in touch with. Colour Revolt were the first band that we actually enjoyed hanging out with, so they’re very dear to us and we love the chance to play shows with them.… Continued →

Artist: Sophia Album: My Morning; Migration Label: Independent Buy: Your Very Own IVM Store 1. Vanity, Remember the Peacock 2. Cry, the Seagull’s Greed 3. Mockingbirds After The Picture Show 4. Suffocating the Magpie 5. Providence 6. A New Song For This Vulture 7. Raven, Digging Up The Grave 8. Desertification 9. Sultans and Swans 10. The Dove’s Solemn Hymn 11. The Nightingale’s Darkest Night 12. A Flock of Geese Listening to this record, My Morning; Migration by Sophia, I have suddenly become aware that, in the grand scheme of things, I am much more important and influential than you are.… Continued →

Artist: Esterlyn Album: Lamps Label: Rooster Records Release Date: February 26, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Tie the Leaves 2. Kill Your Own Despair 3. We All Need 4. Seasons of Grey 5. This Mystery 6. Reveal Your Love 7. Emptiness 8. Back to the Start 9. Faster, Faster 10. Like the Rain 11. Lamps 12. About You The packaging to this CD is awesome. I’ve never seen a lyric booklet fit into the front quite like that before, and the artwork is equally fantastic.… Continued →

Artist: The Apathy Eulogy Album: Introduction: Walk North When Winter Hits Label: None (released independently) Release Date: February 23, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Mandelbrot 2. We Did This to Myself 3. These Aren’t Tears, They’re Atom Bombs 4. Impetuous Me 5. If I Take This Sitting Down Will You Promise to Leave on the Gloves? 6. To Be Read in the Morning Directly after You Wake As both the follow-up to last year’s Beauty for Ashes and the first of a three EP project to be released this year, Introduction: Walk North When Winter Hits comes out of your stereo like a brick to the face.… Continued →

Artist: The Comeback Tour Album: And Then He Dreamed… Label: None (released independently) Release Date: January 2, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Confusing Soup and Birthrights (Genesis 25) 2. False Dimitri (Genesis 27) 3. Here Stands Emanuel (Genesis 28) I’ve own many a concept album before, but never a concept EP. As the tracklist would suggest, And Then He Dreamed…, retells the interactions of Isaac’s two sons, Jacob and Esau, as told in the book of Genesis. “Confusing Soup with Birthrights” recounts how Jacob took Esau’s blessing in exchange for some stew.… Continued →

Artist: Ashes Ashes Album: Aries Label: EMT Entertainment Release Date: January 1, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. The Hammer 2. White Lights 3. Airplane 4. Get Steppen Boy 5. Castles 6. Sunlight Somewhere 7. Blue Alley Ways 8. Take Our Oceans 9. Invisible Children 10. Amphetamine I’m gonna be honest with you guys. Aires is one of those albums that’s just plain hard to review. From the chunky alternative rock guitars to “The Hammer,” to the funky dance sounds of “Airplane,” to the emo sing-along-ability of “Castles,” there’s just too much that could be said.… Continued →

Artists: Emery, Mayday Parade, As Cities Burn, Pierce the Veil, Cry of the Afflicted Venue: The Trocadero, Philadelphia, PA Date: March 7, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson As an old burlesque hall that has since been converted into a punk venue, The Trocadero Theater is one of my favorite places to see a show here in Philly, and hearing that As Cities Burn and Emery would be stopping by was such exciting news, my friend Reuben and I had plans to go months ago. I mention Reuben because the pictures you will soon see are his.… Continued →

Artist: Lanae’ Hale Album: Lanae’ Hale EP Label: Centricity Records Release Date: November 6, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Spring Again 2. Alive Again 3. Love Is Worth the Fight 4. Stay 5. Start Over 6. Quiet Place On listening to this EP, a few thoughts come to mind. One, Lanae’s sound is not as indie as her influences listed on MySpace would leave one to believe. Two, this is not a bad thing, because she’s got a great sound. “Alive Again” could easily end up playing on a new episode of Scrubs with its soft, artistically poppy feel.… Continued →

Artist: One Star Story Album: The Empty Room EP Label: Transatlantic Records Buy It: Amazon MP3 1. Say Anything 2. Tears Behind a Smile 3. So Long 4. Crushed Beneath the Wait 5. Simplicity of a Button 6. Love 7. Call It a Story (Bonus Track) There has never been a better time for One Star Story to unleash their music on the world. Gone are the days of 2003, when the only current female-fronted rock groups known to the average music listener were No Doubt, whose snarky and ska-influenced singles unfortunately pervaded the airwaves about that time, and newcomers Evanescence, whose music contained all the schmaltz that their post-grunge leanings suggested.… Continued →

Artist(s): Saravain, Ready the Way Album: Split EP Record Label: N/A Release Date: February 16, 2008 Websites: Saravain, Ready the Way Reviewed by: Cory This split EP is between Baltimore, Maryland’s Saravain and Richmond/Lynchburg, Virginia’s Ready the Way. Both bands are up and coming melodic hardcore bands, but they each take a different approach to the genre. Saravain focuses on clean vocals and catchy melodic hooks, while Ready the Way writes progressive guitar parts with screams and sporadic sung/spoken lyrics. While we normally don’t review secular bands here at IVM, it would be weird to review half of an album when both halves are equally important.… Continued →

Artist: Children 18:3 Album: Children 18:3 Label: Tooth and Nail Records Reviewer: Levi G 1. All My Balloons 2. LCM 3. You Know We’re All So Fond Of Dying 4. Search Warrant 5. Even Sleeping 6. Ditches 7. The City 8. Homemade Valentine 9. Samantha 10. Mock The Music 11. A Chance To Say Goodbye 12. Time and Wasted Bullets 13. Balloons Reprise 14. Final If punk rock was dead, it’s just been resurrected. Meet the (arguable) punk rock saviors, a sibling trio from Minnesota boasting a home schooled education.… Continued →

Band: As I Lay Dying Title: An Ocean Between Us Label: Metal Blade Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. Separation 02. Nothing 03. An Ocean Between Us 04. Within Destruction 05. Forsaken 06. Comfort Betrays 07. I Never Wanted 08. Bury Us All 09. The South Of Truth 010. Departed 11. Wrath Upon Ourselves 12. This Is Who We Are Members/Duties: Tim Lambesis: Vocals Nick Hipa: Guitar Jordan Mancino: Drums Phil Sgrosso: Guitar Josh Gilbert: Bass, Vocals I must first say that As I Lay Dying have been one of my favorite metal bands in the past few years.… Continued →

Band: A Thousand Times Repent Title: Virtue Has Few Friends Label: Tribunal Records Releases: 3/11/2008 Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. Curses! Another Shape-Shifting Wraith! 02. A Band Of Hunters Stalk In Edo 03. Take Me To The Witch Of The Waste… We Have Much To Discuss 04. That Was The Night Everything Changed… 05. So Much For Middle-Earth 06. Complete Relinquish. Utter Abandon. Members/Duties: Nate: Guitar Dowd: Guitar Chris: Guitar Jeremy: Bass Shannon: Drums Darsen: Vocals I just happened across these guys on Myspace sometime early last year.… Continued →

Band: Once Nothing Title: First Came The Law Label: Solid State Released: 1/15/2008 Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. The Intimidator 02. Avoid Me Like The Plague 03. Juliet Or At Least What’s Left Of Her 04. Gunfire Is The Sound of Freedom 05. The Dust Of A Town 06. My Sweet Medusa 07. Columbus Wasn’t Looking For America 08. Then There Were Nine 09. All My Heroes Are Cowboys 10. The Truth About Me Or Someone Like Me 11. Whiskey Breath 12. …And Then Came Grace Members/Duties: Todd Lowry: Vocals Josh Branas: Guitar Giuseppe Capolupo: Drums Steve Lucarelli: Bass David Burkes: Guitar Upon first listen I started the first song and then quickly moved to the second.… Continued →

Band: Ivoryline Title: There Came A Lion Label: Tooth & Nail Released: 2/5/2008 Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. Days End 02. We Both Know 03. Parade 04. All You Ever Hear 05. Be Still And Breathe 06. Remind Me I’m Alive 07. Left Us Falling 08. And The Truth 09. Bravery 10. Hearts And Minds 11. The Last Word Members/Duties: Scott Socia: Guitar Jeremy Gray: Vocals Wes Hard: Drums Robert Woodward: Bass Dusty Kittle: Guitar Ivoryline is one of the many new signings that the Tooth & Nail empire will be releasing upon the masses this year.… Continued →

Band: The Classic Crime Title: Acoustic EP: Seattle Sessions Label: Tooth & Nail Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 1. Seattle 2. Blindfolded 3. The Test 4. Wake Up (Shipwreck) 5. The Drink In My Hand (Live) 6. When The Time Comes 7. Far From Home Members/Duties: Matt MacDonald: Vocals Justin DuQue: Guitar Robbie Negrin: Guitar Skip Erickson: Drums Alan Clark: Bass The Classic Crime have decided to go against the norm and forego a true sophmore effort by releasing an acoustic EP. The band had already stated these songs didn’t fit the sound they normally presented so they needed to do it this way.… Continued →

Artist: The Black Noise Party Boys Album: Party All the Time Label: Holdfast Records Release Date: January 8, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Pity Party 2. Spend the Night Party 3. Pizza Party 4. Pool Party 5. Guitarty 6. Going away Party How many times can you use the word “party” in a tracklist? All of them, apparently. If one word could describe this record, it would be “guitars.” The Black Noise Party Boys deliver a nonstop southern metal blend with loud guitars, raw screamed vocals (think Every Time I Die), and a lot of chugga-chugga headbanging.… Continued →

Artist: Tree63 Album: Sunday! Label: Inpop Records Release Date: September 25, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Sunday 2. Becoming 3. World Undone 4. Alright 5. Foolishness 6. There Is a Kingdom that Cannot Be Shaken 7. Almighty Silence 8. Walking Home with You 9. Not as This World 10. New Creation 11. The Revolution Once, somewhere between 1995 and 2001, there was surge of CCM bands that were genuinely good. Jars of Clay, Newsboys, Third Day, DC Talk, Deleriou5?… they all rocked in a way that was spiritually empowered and musically creative.… Continued →

Artist: Jake Smith Album: Real Label: Rocketown Records Release Date: July 31, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Get Up 2. This Is Certain 3. What I Plan to Do 4. Breakdown 5. These Things 6. Real Love 7. Can’t Save Your Soul 8. I Don’t Know 9. Shady (Crazy) 10. Make Me Move 11. Run 12. Outtro Jake Smith is a man of versatile appeal. His cozy singer-songwriter tunes could easily travel from an independent coffeeshop to a larger radio-based prime-time-television-watching type audience. Smooth and soulful, his songs usually rest in a relaxed tempo with paino and heartfelt guitar work.… Continued →

Artist: We Shot The Moon Album: The Polar Bear & Cougar EP Label: The Militia Group Buy: Amazon MP3 1. Sway Your Head 2. Julie 3. The Water’s Edge 4. Ltfp 5. Welcome Home Jonathan Jones is almost certainly known to all of you, if you are at all like me. At the same time you were spinning Destination:Beautiful, you were probably spinning Composure. If piano-based indie-pop-rock is your thing, you’ve probably erected a cozy spot in your music collection for Waking Ashland to occupy.… Continued →

Artist: Advent Album: Remove the Earth Record Label: Solid State Records Release Date: February 12, 2008 Website I had to listen to this album quite a few times to get beyond the fact that three of the members of Advent were a part of one my all time favorite bands. (Note: This will be the first and last time Beloved is mentioned in this review.) What I found when I got past all the hype was a solid band who is looking to resurrect the Spirit-filled hardcore movement.… Continued →

Artist: Edison Glass Album: Time is Fiction Label: Credential Records Release Date: February 5, 2008 Reviewed By: Josh F Once upon a time there was a local band here on Long Island by the name of ‘Mannafest.’ And by the time I had heard of them, they had already been at it for years. Eventually, they changed their name to Edison, an appropriate name considering the evolution of sound that was taking place. As time went by, their talent became increasingly impressive, and we all knew what was to come.… Continued →

Artist: Admiral Twin Album: The Center of the Universe Label: The Pop Collective Release Date: October 16, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Good as Gold 2. In My Veins 3. Take Me Down 4. Smash It Up 5. Say Your Prayers 6. Get Well Soon 7. You Hung the Moon 8. Fear 9. Renegade Planet 10. Monument 11. The Best at Being Lonely 12. I Confess 13. Big Black Car 14. If Hell Is like You 15. Silence Charming pop-rock jams with a sensible indie twang ooze from this Tulsa, Oklahoma, three-piece.… Continued →

Band: Thieves & Liars Title: When Dreams Become Reality Label: Dreamt Music Released: 1/22/08 Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. The Dream 02. Betrayed By Blood 03. Road To Nowhere 04. Slavin’ Away 05. Run 06. Alone 07. Forgotten 08. When Dreams Become Reality 09. Good Times 10. Seven Long Years 11. Reconciled 12. The Author Of Dreams Members/Duties: Corey Edelmann: Guitar Joey Bradford: Bass, Vocals Kyle Rosa: Drums Thieves & Liars, a rock band out of the San Diego area, are here to show that rock ‘n roll is not dead but much the opposite.… Continued →

Artist: BadEnders Album: Driving Label: None (released independently) Release Date: August 31, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. New and Improved 2. Possum 3. Masquerade 4. Don’t Tell 5. Cry for Help 6. Cold Feet 7. Drywater 8. The Lights Indie/Rock/Experimental. Or so says MySpace. This four-piece out of Dallas, Texas, could be enjoyed by fans of such bands as The Appleseed Cast, Copeland, or Radiohead.  The vocals are spacey and can become ethereal when harmonized. The slower songs like “Possum” and “Don’t Tell” lace piano and acoustic guitars over the usual mildly distorted guitar.… Continued →