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Reviews

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September 13, 2007

The Rocket Summer - Do You Feel

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Artist: The Rocket Summer Album: Do You Feel Label: Island Records/ The Militia Group Release Date: July 17, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Break It Out 2. So Much Love 3. Do You Feel 4. Save 5. All I Have 6. High Life Scenery 7. A Song Is Not a Business Plan 8. Taken Aback 9. Colors 10. Run to You 11. Hold It Up 12. Waiting 13. So, In This Hour… These days it seems the early artists on The Militia Group are all growing up… sort of.… Continued →

September 12, 2007

August Burns Red- "Messengers"

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Band: August Burns Red Album Title: Messengers Label: Solid State Records Release Date: June 19th, 2007 Review by: Nate 1. Truth of a Liar 2. Against The Ropes 3. Back Burner 4. The Blinding Light 5. Composure 6. Vital Signs 7. The Eleventh Hour 8. The Balance 9. Black Sheep 10. An American Dream 11. Redemption  Rating: Summary: Brutal? Why yes; I have some of that music for you. Just thrown on some of the newest CD from August Burns Red and you might understand the full meaning of brutal.… Continued →

As Cities Burn, "Come Now Sleep"

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Tracklist: 1. Contact 2. Empire 3. The Hoard 4. This Is It, This Is It 5. Clouds 6. New Sun 7. Tides 8. Wrong Body 9. Our World Is Grey 10. Timothy “Hearts aren’t really our guides, we are truly alone, cause God ain’t up in the sky holding together our bones.” Not what you might expect to hear from a band performing at Christian festivals and discussing God in their lyrics, but those are the very first words sung on As Cities Burn’s sophomore release on Solid State Records, “Come Now Sleep.”… Continued →

September 11, 2007

Lórien - The Ghost in the Parlor

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Artist: Lórien Album: The Ghost in the Parlor Label: None (released independently) Release Date: Fall 2006 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Praise the Stage and Love Only the Saved 2. You Got Me Down 3. A Dove amongst the Crows 4. Empty Words 5. Singing Isn’t Music 6. Shallow End Lórien? Is that European?… hmm, a quick Google search and, oh no. No, it’s something from J.R.R. Tolkien. Of course. Maybe this was their name’s inspiration, maybe not. Either way, hopefully this record isn’t quite as drawn-out action adventure as those films were.… Continued →

September 4, 2007

Everett - Destination EP

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Artist: Everett Album: Destination EP Label: Wooden Oxen 1. The Crown 2. Lay Down Your Arms 3. LaGuardia 4. The Anchor Dallas Taylor. One of the more revered names out of the class of “Recent Christian Heavy Music Frontmen.” Taylor fronted Underoath to a Solid State Records deal and one of the earliest Christian hardcore/new-wave emo records, The Changing Of Times, which paved the way for bands like Cry Of The Afflicted, Dead Poetic, and post-Dallas Taylor Underoath. After departing on somewhat uncertain terms, Taylor formed Southern rock band Maylene and the Sons of Disaster.… Continued →

September 2, 2007

I Am Not I Am - Dear God, We Must Return Fire

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Artist: I Am Not I Am Album: Dear God, We Must Return Fire Label: Tenfold Records Release Date: April 3, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. How the North Finally Won the Civil War 2. The Real Reason the South Lost the Civil War 3. The District 4. We Want Our Ashes Spread in Jersey 5. Vocabularies When Moses talked to God through the burning bush and asked whom he should tell the Israelites had sent him, God replied, “I AM.” With that in mind, “I Am Not I Am” is a poetic form of humility: “I Am Not Yahweh.”… Continued →

August 27, 2007

Amen. The Animal - Pray Now Destroyer

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Aritst: Amen. The Animal Album: Pray Now Destroyer Label: Tenfold Records Release Date: November 21, 2006 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Carlisle 2. The Sunrise 3. Open Sky 4. Southern Night Visions of War 5. Forget That Boy 6. The Name of the Game Is… As the CD opens with a launching scream of “Where did you go,” two thoughts come to mind. One, this band obviously likes He Is Legend (See: “The Seduction”). Two, they know how to wrap the heavy around the melodic.… Continued →

August 20, 2007

Purple Door 2007: Festival Review

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Purple Door 2007 August 17-18 Ski Roundtop, Lewisberry, PA Festival Review By Eric Pettersson The Purple Door festival this past weekend was, like every other year, unlike any other year. Beginning with Friday night, highlights included the second of the Mono Vs. Stereo New Band Showcase, The Apathy Eulogy. TAE is a five-piece acoustic band with a synth out of Baltimore, Maryland. Their fun sing-alongs (as well as keyboardist Mitch Ryan’s dance moves) have only improved from the last time I saw them. Immediately following, I ran over to the Main Stage to catch The Showdown beginning their set with “Temptation Come My Way.”… Continued →

August 10, 2007

Death Is Not Welcome Here - Freedom for the Broken

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Artist: Death Is Not Welcome Here Album: Freedom for the Broken Label: None Release Date: May 20, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Until the Last 2. Freedom for the Broken 3. Heaven Is Almost Here 4. Facing Today 5. Our Time Is Now “I am living proof that we are all in need,” croons out vocalist Stevo, with a lingering hint of a British accent. Teamed up with the rest of Death Is Not Welcome Here, soaring dual harmonized vocals lead this quartet into better written and more cohesive material, and less generic lyrics, but certainly keeping the same great message.… Continued →

August 8, 2007

Fixed til Tuesday (I Am Terrified) - Aww Son EP

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Artist: Fixed til Tuesday (now known as I Am Terrified) Album: Aww Son Label: None (Independently Released) Release Date: 2006 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Hul Kogan’s Seven Second Apocalypse 2. O’ How Constant 3. May Kills the Calendar 4. Red Basket Club 5. And Souls Sing These are the moments that I love writing for Indie Vision Music. Sometimes a CD will be sent my way, and I can scarcely think of a thing to say about, let alone a reason to listen to more than the first three tracks before taking it out of my player and throwing it into the woods, hoping to forget its memory forever (yes, there have been albums that have made me want to do this).… Continued →

August 6, 2007

The Send- "Cosmos"

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Band: The Send Album Title: Cosmos Label: Tooth and Nail Records Release Date: 7/31/07 Review by: Nate
  1. Need
  2. Fairweather
  3. An Epiphany
  4. Blocking The Sun
  5. Begin
  6. The Fall
  7. Drown
  8. Santiam
  9. The Science Of The Sky
  10. Dawn And Dusk
  11. Say
  12. Fire Colors
  13. In Repose
Rating: Summary: Not too long ago, Joseph Kisselburgh left his first band that led him to “Christian music fame.” He said goodbye to Falling Up and hello to The Send. His new project is something close to heart, seeing how he has been wanting to do this for a while.… Continued →

August 2, 2007

Fairweather Fan - The Ghost of Honesty

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Artist: Fairweather Fan Album: The Ghost of Honesty Label: Wounded Records Release Date: April 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Better Way to Make Mistakes 2. I Can Carry You 3. Dress Rehearsal 4. Of Life 5. What I Wouldn’t Give 6. Second Chance Summer 7. Watch Out for Strangers 8. Meaning of Haste 9. Unpleasant Forecast 10. The Ghost of Honesty In all honesty, the first few listens of this disc were not impressive. Another young band with semi-decent melodies and a desire to be catchy.… Continued →

July 25, 2007

Mxpx "Secret Weapon"

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Band: Mxpx Album: “Secret Weapon” Label: Tooth & Nail Records Release Date: 7-17-07 Reviewing any Mxpx record is always a difficult task for me. You see they’ve become an American staple, a band of longetivity and band I’ve been listening to since High School. Each album that releases and passes is a favorite of mine (well minus Before and Everything After which was a critical letdown) and an album that withstands the abuse my cd player inflicts upon it. This new one, “Secret Weapon” is no exception.… Continued →

July 23, 2007

Dizmas - Tension

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Artist: Dizmas Album: Tension Label: Credential Recordings Release Date: May 22, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Jealousy Hurts 2. Shake It Off 3. Play It Safe 4. If You Love Someone 5. See Daylight 6. Dance 7. This Is a Warning 8. The Voice Is Ghostly 9. Nothing at All 10. October 11. Until You Rescued Me 12. Sun Starting off with the same intensity, passion, and melodic ingenuity as their debut, On a Search in America, Dizmas tried a new approach for their second punch.… Continued →

July 8, 2007

Jeff Deyo - Unveil

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Artist: Jeff Deyo Album: Unveil Label: Indelible Creative Group Release Date: May 22, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Glory Rain Down 2. So in Awe 3. I’ll Forever Love Your Name 4. Unveil 5. Glory 6. Falling Down Like Rain 7. More in Love 8. Love of God 9. Nothing on Earth 10. You Are God 11. Fall on Me The other day I had a conversation in the car while listening to this album, when my friend commented that it must be hard to review a “worship CD,” because there’s this whole other category of things to look for.… Continued →

June 27, 2007

Everyday Sunday - Wake Up! Wake Up!

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Artist: Everyday Sunday Album: Wake Up! Wake Up! Label: Inpop Records Release Date: May 22, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1.  Let’s Go Back 2. Wake Up! Wake Up! 3. Take Me Out 4. Find Me Tonight 5. Apathy for Apologies 6. I’ll Get over It (Miss Elaineous) 7. What We’re Here For 8. Now You’re Gone 9. Tell Me You’ll Be There 10. From Me to You Joining the Flicker Records roster in 2002, Everyday Sunday released the instant hit, Stand Up.  Videos for “Lose It Again” and “Wait” could be seen frequently on Christian rock video programs such as TVU, and the buzz was flying.… Continued →

June 24, 2007

Building 429 - Iris to Iris

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Artist: Building 429 Album: Iris to Iris Label: Word Records Release Date: May 1, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Power of Your Name 2. Majesty 3. Singing over Me 4. You Carried Me 5. Amazed 6. Incredible 7. Waiting to Shine 8. Taken 9. New Season 10. Constant 11. Grace That Is Greater Iris: it’s the colored part of the eye surrounding the pupil. So to say “Iris to iris” is like getting even closer than just “eye to eye.” And that’s what Building 429 has focused their third and latest release on: seeing eye to eye with God in a closer way.… Continued →

June 18, 2007

Project 86- "Rival Factions"

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Band: Project 86 Album Title: Rival Factions Label: Tooth and Nail Release Date: 6/19/07 Review by: Nate
  • 1. Evil (A Chorus Of Resistance) 2. Put Your Lips To The TV 3. The Forces Of Radio Have Dropped A Viper Into The Rhythm Section 4. Molotov 5. Slaves To Liberty 6. Pull Me Closer, Violent Dancer 7. Illuminate 8. The Sanctuary Hum 9. Caveman Jam 10. Normandy
Summary of me: First of all, this is my first review on IVM so please bear with my opinions. I have been listening to Christian music for years and years… and it means crap when it comes to review.… Continued →

Ruth - Secondhand Dreaming

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Artist: Ruth Album: Secondhand Dreaming Label: Tooth & Nail Records Release Date: June 26, 2007 Review By: Julio D. Anta Tracklisting: 1. One Foot In, One Foot Out 2. Cross The Line 3. Secondhand Dreaming 4. Here To New York 5. Mr. Turner 6. Work It Out 7. Standing Still 8. Figure You Out 9. You Are 10. Love Me Like You Do 11. Always Yours 12. Well With Soul Year after year without fail Tooth & Nail Records quietly releases a great album with little to no advertising dollars spent.… Continued →

June 17, 2007

Maylene and the Sons of Disaster - "II"

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Band: Maylene and the Sons of Disaster Title: II Label: Ferret Records Release Date: March 20, 2007 Review By: Levi (a.k.a Matrixkitty) Track listing:
  1. “Memories of the Grove”
  2. “Dry the River”
  3. “Plenty Strong and Plenty Wrong”
  4. “Darkest of Kin”
  5. “Raised by the Tide”
  6. “Wylie”
  7. “Death is an Alcoholic”
  8. “Everyone Needs a Hasting”
  9. “Don’t Ever Cross a Trowel”
  10. “Tale of the Runaways”
  11. “The Day Hell Broke Loose at Sicard Hollow”
I’ve never been a really into the whole Underoath phenomenon, so when I heard that Dallas Taylor left the band and formed Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, I was less than excited.… Continued →

June 13, 2007

The Chariot- The Fiancée

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Artist: The Chariot Album: The Fiancée Label: Solid State Release Date: April 3, 2007 Review by: rand Tracklising: 1. Back To Back 2. They Faced Each Other 3. They Drew Their Swords 4. And Shot Each Other 5. The Deaf Policemen 6. Heard This Noise 7. Then Came To Kill 8. The Two Dead Boys 9. Forgive Me Nashville 10. The Trumpet I have never seen The Chariot live. Before you shoot me though, just know that Austin, TX never has Christian metal bands coming through it for some reason.… Continued →

June 12, 2007

Before Their Eyes - Self Titled

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Artist: Before Their Eyes Album: Before Their Eyes Label: Rise Records Release Date: May 15, 2007 Review By: Julio D. Anta Tracklisting: 1. City In A Snow Globe 2. The Nighttime Is Our Time 3. You Talk A Good Game 4. Crawling Towards Forgiveness 5. This Is Redemption, This Is Out Lives Washed Cleaned 6. Why 6 Is Afraid Of 7 7 The Journey Down South (Starts With A 2 Step) 8. Hope In Devotion 9. Shotguns Speak Louder Than Words 10. Close Your Eyes, It’s Okay To Rest Now Home to post-hardcore up and comers Drop Dead Gorgeous and The Devil Wears Prada come Rise Records newest signing.… Continued →

Seventh Star- The Undisputed Truth

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Artist: Seventh Star Album: The Undisputed Truth Label: Facedown Records Release Date: June 12, 2007 Review by: rand Tracklisting: 1. The Undisputed Truth 2. Now At Hand 3. World War Three 4. Cursed Creation (The Fall of Man) 5. Isaiah Six 6. For All The Saints 7. Seven 8. The World’s Solution 9. I Versus I 10. Overrun.Overgrown.Overthrown. 11. Chasing The Wind I don’t know why, but when I heard that Seventh Star was releasing a new album, for some reason I remembered them being a rap rock band.… Continued →

June 5, 2007

Derek Webb - The Ringing Bell

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Artist: Derek Webb Album: The Ringing Bell Label: INO Records Release Date: May 1, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. The End 2. The Very End 3. A Love That’s Stronger Than Our Fear 4. I Wanna Marry You All Over Again 5. I Don’t Want to Fight 6. Name 7. Can’t Be without You 8. I for an I 9. A Savior on Capitol Hill 10. This Too Shall Be Made Right You may remember Derek Webb from his work in Caedmon’s Call or from 2005’s Mockingbird, which he made available for free download last year.… Continued →

Between the Trees - The Story and the Song

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Artist: Between the Trees Album: The Story and the Song Label: Bonded Records Release Date: April 24, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. The Forward 2. White Lines & Red Lights 3. The Way She Feels 4. Words 5. The Greatest of These (A Little Love) 6. Darlin’ 7. A Time for Yohe 8. She Is… 9. Fairweather 10. The Fort 11. You Cry a Tear to Start a River Ranging from 18 to 21 years old, the five young men who comprise Between the Trees have established something well beyond their years, and this is just the beginning.… Continued →

June 1, 2007

Pistis In Him Alone - Darkness Only Is The Absence Of Light

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Artist: Pistis In Him Alone Album: Darkness Only Is The Absence Of Light EP 1. Wonderful Spirit 2. Contentment 3. Redemption 4. Adoration 5. Confidence By way of introduction, let me say that Pistis In Him Alone is the most intense worship band I have ever heard. That’s probably because they’re a German hardcore band. Pistis – a Greek word for faithfulness – (In Him Alone) disbanded in 2006 after six years together. But as they went headbanging into that good night, Pistis left us with their swan song EP, Darkness Only Is The Absence Of Light.… Continued →

May 24, 2007

The Wedding - Polarity

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Artist: The Wedding Album: Polarity Label: Brave New World Records Release Date: April 17, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. The Call 2. Say Your Prayers 3. I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead 4. Staring at the Light 5. This One’s for You 6. I-540 7. It’s Time to Rock (OK?) 8. Rebound 9. Schizophrenia 10. The Last Stand (Wake the Regiment 2) 11. Misery Loves Company 12. Southside 13. Revelation 14. Fireworks About two years ago I went to a small church show to see Kids in the Way play, and one of the opening acts happened to be a band called The Wedding.… Continued →

May 20, 2007

The Almost "Southern Weather"

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Band: The Almost Title: Southern Weather Release Date: 4.3.07 Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. Say This Sooner 02. Drive There Now 03. Dirty And Left Out 04. I Mostly Copy Other People 05. Southern Weather 06. Stop It 07. Amazing Because It Is 08. Everyone Here Smells Like A Rat 09. Never Say “I Told You So” 10. Call Back When I’m Honest 11. Everything That Makes Me Sick I had been wishing since the days of “Changing Of Times“, that Aaron would do a side project.… Continued →

A Plea For Purging "Quick Is The Word Steady Is The Action"

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Band: A Plea For Purging Title: Quick Is The Word; Steady Is The Action Release Date: 2007 Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. Resurrection Of The Beast 02. Quick Is The Word 03. Interlude 04. The Betrayars 05. Mystery – Great Babylon, Mother Of Prostitutes And All Abominations Of The Earth 06. Death Has Been Swallowed Up In Victory Members/Duties: Andrew Atkins: Vocals Aaron Eckermann: Drums Blake Martin: Guitar Lyle Paschal: Guitar John Wand: Bass A Plea For Purging is an up-and-coming metalcore outfit formed in 2005 in the music hub of Nashville, TN.… Continued →

Family Force 5 "Business Up Front...(Diamond Edition)"

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Band: Family Force 5 Title: Business Up Front, Party In The Back (Diamond Edition) Release Date: 3.20.07 Review By: JoshIVM Tracklisting: 01. Cadillac Phunque 02. Kountry Gentleman 03. X-Girlfriend 04. Drama Queen 05. Put Ur Hands Up 06. Love Addict 07. Earthquake 08. Replace Me 09. Lose Urself 10. Peachy 11. Supersonic 12. Numb 13. I Love You To Death (Bonus) 14. Face Down (Bonus) 15. Never Let Me Go (Bonus) Members/Duties: Solomon Olds (aka Soul Glow Activatur): Vocals, Guitar Jacob Olds (aka Crouton): Drums, Vocals Joshua Olds (Fatty): Bass, Background Vocals Nathan Currin: (Nadaddy): DJ, Keytar Derek Mount (Chap Stique): Lead Guitar I have previously reviewed the regular edition of this album which can be viewed here.… Continued →