The wait is OVER! After months of planning, collecting songs, reaching out to bands, putting together artwork, and probably annoying more than a few musicians with my emails (sorry guys đ), Indie Vision Music is proud to officially unleash Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 5!
Released October 23rd, 2026, this MASSIVE two-part digital compilation features 59 songs from an incredible assortment of independent musicians, longtime favorites, newcomers, and familiar faces from the underground music scene. Punk, pop-punk, hardcore, metal, emo, indie rock, alternative, post-hardcore, acoustic, and just about everything in between. If youâve ever found yourself arguing with a friend over whether a band is punk, emo, melodic hardcore, or some subgenre that only existed for six months in 2003, then congratulations. This compilation was made for YOU. đ
And the best part? Both parts are available right now as FREE / NAME YOUR PRICE downloads on our Bandcamp!
Yes, FREE. As in you can grab both parts without emptying your wallet, selling off your old Tooth & Nail CDs, or explaining another mysterious Bandcamp purchase to your significant other. Of course, if youâd like to throw a few bucks our way to help keep IVM running, that is always appreciated. đ
26 Years Later and Weâre Still Fighting From The Ground Up
For those who might be new around here, Indie Vision Music started back in the summer of 2000 as a little online webstore selling independent Christian music on CD, cassette, and vinyl. Long before streaming playlists, social media algorithms, and having practically every song ever recorded sitting in your pocket, there were those of us hunting down obscure albums through mail-order catalogs, message boards, little independent record labels, and word of mouth.
Some of you remember those days. The excitement of getting a package in the mail containing an album youâd never heard before. Reading liner notes from front to back. Thank-you lists, lyrics, stickers, flyers stuffed inside CD cases, and trying to figure out who all those other bands were that your favorite artist kept mentioning.
And donât even get me started on the amount of money some of us spent buying CDs simply because the album artwork looked cool. Sometimes that gamble worked out. Other times⌠well, letâs just say not every band was destined to become the next MxPx. đ
But thatâs what made it special.
There was a community built around discovering music, supporting bands, attending shows, sharing stories, and encouraging one another. It wasnât always about popularity, sales numbers, or being the next big thing. Sometimes it was about 30 kids packed into a church youth room watching a band play their hearts out like they were headlining the biggest festival on earth.
That spirit is what Indie Vision Music has always been about.
Through the webstore years, our early record-label adventures beginning in 2003, the webzine that followed, and even the second incarnation of IVM Records from 2017 through 2020, one thing has remained pretty consistent.
We love independent music, and we love the people who make it.
So Whatâs on This Thing Anyway?
Where do I even begin? There is SO MUCH MUSIC here.
Part 1 kicks things off with an absolutely fantastic new song from Splitcast called âArt Officialâ. These guys came out swinging, and I couldnât imagine a better way to open the compilation. The song tackles some pretty relevant themes surrounding creativity, technology, and the human element of making music. (And the magic of A.i. đđ)
From there weâve got Too Bad Eugene bringing the melodic punk rock with âNotsologicalâ, Gametime delivering âProve Itâ, Static Ultra hitting us with âCall It What It Isâ, and Brave Days contributing âCrisisâ.
Nate Parrish appears with âLetting Goâ, Dire brings the heaviness on âDestined To Burnâ featuring Altira, and bloke. delivers the incredible âDeath Of a Straw Manâ.
Light The Way shows up with âSteez Machinesâ, because honestly, what would an IVM compilation be without some ridiculously fun pop-punk? These guys have been keeping that spirit alive and I love them for it.
Things get especially heavy with Of Malice and âBETRAYERâ, featuring none other than Project 86. Lutherâs Hammer delivers âOvercomeâ, XIII Minutes brings âPitifulâ, and NMDS offers âSheep Among Wolvesâ.
Then there are some wonderful blasts from the past mixed with the present.
Pennylane contributes âThank Youâ, a reunion of sorts with a band that has been connected to the IVM story for many years. Slow Coming Day appears with âAll Good Thingsâ, reminding us why so many of us fell in love with that emotional melodic rock sound in the first place.
Empty Atlas delivers âGodspeedâ, Cold Streets brings âOver and Overâ, and Feeble Attempt gives us âAlong The Wayâ, featuring members of Dogwood and Gametime. Thatâs enough punk-rock connections to send some of you straight back to the early 2000s.
Also appearing on Part 1 are Doc Turbo, The Mynerz, Sower, Pipe Bomb, The Doe Of The Dawn, Nobodyâs Uncle, Chase Tremaine, Nate Goodlet, Samâs The Hero, Keith Settles, DRBY, and Humble Kings.
Thirty songs. One collection. And thatâs only HALF of it!
Part 2: Because Apparently 30 Songs Just Werenât Enough
If Part 1 wasnât enough to keep your headphones busy, Part 2 comes charging in with another 29 songs.
Brave Days returns with âLegacy Driveâ, Watashi Wa brings âI Amâ, and Static Ultra follows with âTie The Ropeâ. If youâre familiar with these artists, you already know thereâs some serious talent here.
Protect Your Heart contributes âLate Nightsâ featuring dontcare, while Mainframe brings âLight Dawnsâ. Audiophile delivers the ridiculously catchy âSay Lessâ, and Orion Walsh gives us âLetting Goâ.
One of the coolest things about putting these compilations together is bringing musicians from different eras into the same collection. A band you remember from the early 2000s might sit right next to a newer artist youâve never heard of, and suddenly youâve discovered your next favorite song.
Thatâs the whole point!
Unteachers contributes âHouseholds of a Cosmic Warâ, bringing their own unmistakable intensity. Take offers âAlways In My Heartâ, and No Lost Cause keeps things moving with âTrustâ.
Thereâs also Good Grief with âGood Enoughâ, The Wounds That Speak with âBloodsoakedâ, Har Adonai with âElectric Squaresâ, and Forever Unfolds with âCry Me a Riverâ.
Fury & Solace stretches things out with âThrough Many Milesâ, Aaron Reynolds gives us âFinding Goodâ, and The Forerunner delivers âGrippingâ.
Rounding out Part 2 are MelonCollie, Chives McAlister, The Caballerials, Inland Years, Nostalgia, Peter118, Silent Music, Strategic, ThirtyThreeOne, Rusty Vining, Joel Raisner, and Chris Bernstorf.
And hereâs something I really want to emphasize: Not every band on these compilations identifies as a Christian band.
Some are openly faith-based. Some have Christian members. Others simply make honest, compelling music that deserves to be heard. Indie Vision Music has always had its roots in the Christian underground, and that foundation hasnât changed. But Iâve never believed that great music, meaningful friendships, and genuine creativity need to be shoved into some tiny little genre box.
Music has a way of reaching people where they are. Sometimes itâs a lyric about faith and hope. Sometimes itâs a song about heartbreak, struggle, frustration, friendship, or finding your way through this crazy life. And sometimes itâs just a really great punk-rock song that makes you want to jump around your living room like youâre 17 again.
Just watch out for the furniture. Our knees arenât getting any younger.
In Loving Memory of Steven âSkellyâ Kelly
I also want to take a moment to share something very personal.
Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 5 is dedicated to the memory of my friend Steven Kelly, affectionately known to many of us as Skelly.
Steven passed away earlier this year, and his loss has been deeply felt.
He was part of the Indie Vision Music community dating back to the early days, and he was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the music, the bands, and everything I tried to accomplish through this little website and label.
Steven wasnât just a reader or someone who occasionally checked in. He was a friend. Someone who genuinely cared about people and believed in what this underground community represented.
We spent countless conversations talking about Christian hardcore, punk, metal, bands, records, and all the little things that probably wouldnât make sense to anyone outside this scene. He even helped me run the IVM booth at Cornerstone California back in 2007.
He loved bands like Officer Negative, Quick and the Dead, and Josiah/The Unfolding. He loved Jesus, he loved his family, and he loved the friendships formed through music.
I wish he could be here to hear this compilation. I know he wouldâve been one of the first people downloading both parts and telling everyone else to check them out.
Steven leaves behind his wife Heather and their two wonderful children. Please continue to keep them in your prayers.
If youâd like to help support his family, you can do so through their GoFundMe page.
This oneâs for you, Skelly. Thank you for the memories, the encouragement, and the friendship. Until we meet again, my friend.
#SkellyStrong
This Scene Is Still Alive. Donât Let Anyone Tell You Otherwise.
One thing that has become increasingly clear to me over the years is that independent music isnât disappearing. Itâs just changing.
The way we discover music is different. The way bands release albums is different. Physical media has given way to digital platforms for many listeners, and sometimes it feels like there are a million new bands competing for approximately twelve seconds of our attention.
But the heart of the scene is still there.
There are still musicians pouring their hearts into songs nobody has heard yet. There are still bands practicing in garages, playing tiny venues, loading their own equipment, and driving ridiculous distances for the chance to perform in front of a handful of people.
There are still independent labels, websites, podcasts, and passionate music fans trying to make sure these artists donât get overlooked.
And there are still those of us who believe a great song can change someoneâs day, lift their spirits, strengthen their faith, or remind them that theyâre not alone.
Maybe some of us are a little older now. Maybe the band shirts fit a little tighter. Maybe weâd rather watch a hardcore show from a comfortable spot near the back instead of getting kicked in the face up front.
But that doesnât mean weâve forgotten where we came from.
The memories may fade, but the songs never do.
A Huge THANK YOU!
I want to sincerely thank every single band and musician who contributed a song to this compilation. Whether weâve known each other for decades or just recently connected, you are all part of this extended IVM family and I appreciate you more than you know.
A special thank you goes out to Nate Parrish, who created the incredible compilation artwork and promotional videos. His creativity and generosity helped give this entire project a visual identity worthy of the music.
Thank you also to the independent labels, websites, writers, music journalists, and friends who continue to support this community. Small Step Records, Lost in Ohio, Resuscitation Records, Thumper Punk Records, The Charon Collective, UnoriginalVinyl, Facedown, Tooth and Nail, and so many others keeping the underground alive.
And to everyone who has visited IVM, commented on an article, downloaded a compilation, shared a song, bought an album, attended a show, or simply told someone about a band they discovered through this websiteâŚ
THANK YOU.
Seriously.
I started Indie Vision Music in 2000 because I loved independent Christian music and wanted to share it with other people. Twenty-six years later, I still get excited when somebody sends me a song Iâve never heard before.
That feeling hasnât gone away, and I hope it never does.
DOWNLOAD BOTH PARTS NOW!
Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 5 â Part 1
30 songs featuring Splitcast, Too Bad Eugene, Gametime, Static Ultra, Brave Days, Nate Parrish, Dire, Light The Way, Of Malice, Pennylane, Slow Coming Day, and many more.
https://indievisionmusic.bandcamp.com/album/fighting-from-the-ground-up-vol-5-part-1
Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 5 â Part 2
29 songs featuring Brave Days, Watashi Wa, Static Ultra, Protect Your Heart, Mainframe, Audiophile, Unteachers, Take, No Lost Cause, Har Adonai, and many more.
https://indievisionmusic.bandcamp.com/album/fighting-from-the-ground-up-vol-5-part-2
Both are available as NAME YOUR PRICE downloads, so grab them, share them with your friends, send them to that one person who still insists there hasnât been any good music since 2003, and most importantly, go support the bands themselves.
Stream their music. Follow their pages. Buy their merch. Attend their shows. Tell them their music matters.
Because it does.
And please, donât let these 59 songs be the end of the discovery process. Let them be the beginning.
26 years of Indie Vision Music. Still independent. Still discovering. Still fighting from the ground up.
God bless each and every one of you, and thank you for being part of this journey.
Brandon Jones
Founder, Indie Vision Music
Spreading Hope Through Independent Music Since 2000.
REMEMBER THE UNDERGROUND.