News

The brand new, debut EP from Chives McAlister just dropped yesterday via Small Step Records. Small Step is on quite a roll lately with so many great releases in 2023! Go check out the label and definitely give this new Chives McAlister EP a listen because it rules. Take a step backwards and give Names Without Numbers, Dona Luzi, Chainstay, Light The Way, and newest signees Sam’s The Hero, all a listen as well because they absolutely will make even the gloomiest of days that much brighter.… Continued →

Legendary east coast punk/post-hardcore band JOEY’S LOSS that many had never heard much of outside of their home state of TN. and some small Indie Vision Music promotions, are potentially staging some sort of return. Just what this means is unclear at this point and I’m not going to speculate but I do have a special appreciation for their musical output two decades ago. 20 years of “Unwelcome Travelers and Other Brave Men” is next year and could this be something to celebrate in a live setting?… Continued →

Early Christian rap is a thing of beauty. Similarly to mainstream rap, early examples–though they give insight to the development of the genre–often suffer from simplistic lyrics, weak production, and/or rapping styles that are now outdated and sound lazy by today’s standards. However, we must remember that the genre took decades to develop. In fact, the early 90s were a tough era for the style. It had started to become mainstream and risked disappearing into a subgenre of pop music until it was rescued by gangsta rap and alternative rap a few years later, pushing the genre to new styles and heights, though not without controversy.… Continued →

This song is a cover of a pop punk band called S.O.K. which I am guessing was the band’s former name. I looked for this song for years as was a great pop punk tune. The lyrics reference the weight of sin that can be broken by asking forgiveness & following Jesus. … Continued →

This is outside the realm of music (well except for that dope 80’s song in the opening) but then again it is Faith AND ENTERTAINMENT With an Independent Perspective, am I right? Anyway, Sony Pictures just dropped a shivering teaser video for “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” (watch it below). It looks to be a chilly, COLD new film set to freeze those poor folks in New York City in a film that will certainly be a highlight of everyone’s 2024 (unless we’ve blown each other to smithereens and we are walking a real life post-apocalyptic scene which in turn might terrify rather than excite).… Continued →

Small Wars return with a new digisingle titled “The Devil and Better Angels” which will drop on November 17th through Fair Vaux. They are recommended for fans of Face to Face, Alkaline Trio, Samiam, and I would say a little Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner, and even Hot Water Music. The band’s debut full length will release in 2024 via Fair Vaux and distributed through Steadfast Records. If you enjoyed their last 2 releases then I am sure you’ll be very interested in what new stuff this band brings to the table.… Continued →

An underground indie pop-punk band I’ve been following since the Punk Never Dies days called Sam’s The Hero, has just announced they have signed with Small Step Records and will be releasing their label debut single on November 17th. You might have heard them on Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 3 so get ready to stage dive off your bed to the sweet melodic pop-punk sounds of Virginia’s own Sam’s The Hero. More to come soon.… Continued →

Wage War. DTGL-era Underoath. Confide. These are but a few of the names that readily spring to mind when I listen to Spiritwalker’s debut release, “Heretic”, which dropped this past July. The independent release is extremely well written and well produced, easily standing shoulder to shoulder with other well-known bands of the genre that have been at it for years. The project, based out of Asheville, NC, is the sole effort of one man, Brandon Marlowe.   The album is unashamedly direct about matters of faith, touching largely on where our hope and purpose lies, expressing the frivolity of seeking such things here and focusing our gaze to God, where we’re found in the fulness of all these things.… Continued →

This punk rock supergroup features ex-members of Crux, Empty Tomb, Cicero, and Gov’t Hate Mail. So you can see why I was excited about hearing this disc. The EP contains 7 songs, clocks in around 17 minutes, and comes as a pro-CDr in a standard jewel case with a single panel insert with credits and no lyrics. Musically what we have here is no frills punk rock and roll. It’s not quite as spastic as Crux, and doesn’t have the hardcore/thrash leanings of Empty Tomb. When comparing to its members previous projects, it’s probably closest to Gov’t Hate Mail, but just slightly heavier than that project.… Continued →

Impending Doom announced today that they will be independent be releasing a new ep titled “Last Days”, which is set to drop on 11/20/23. The EP will consist of 3 songs: “Eternal”, “In The End”, and “Spit”. “Eternal”, the first single from this offering, dropped yesterday and can be found at the usual streaming services. Additionally, the band also release new merch today. You can find that, as well as keep up with all the most current news on the band HERE.… Continued →

Mainframe are back with their first new collection of songs since 2019. This new album is titled “Good Hearts” and it will see a release on 11/24/23 through bandcamp and all digital networks. The first single, the title track, goes live this coming Friday! Go pre-order the new album right here via Bandcamp in digital format. You get 2 instant songs with preorder. This digital release also includes a cover of “While The Nations Rage” by the late great musician and artist, Rich Mullins. Just a heads up, the song that is on “Fighting From The Ground Up 3” is not a Rich Mullins cover song.… Continued →

Lacey Sturm took to social media earlier today, announcing the release of her sophomore album, “Kenotic Metanoia”, which is set to drop just 2 weeks from today on November 17th. Pre-orders are available HERE.… Continued →

Names Without Numbers are excited to announce that they will be releasing a very special 20th anniversary edition of their album “Running Marathons / Chasing Ambulances” on White Vinyl (limited to 100 copies)! The album has been completely remastered and new reimagined artwork by Matt Traxler (Steadfast Records/Brandtson). The Vinyl drops officially on November 24th but you can pre-order now over on their bandcamp page. This is the album that featured the song “Waking From The Coma” which appeared on a compilation I put together called “I’m Your Biggest Fan Vol.… Continued →

Pillar recently posted on Facebook thanking everyone for their patience and letting us know that an announcement is forthcoming. Over the past year or so, the band has expressed a desire to do another tour (or at least a batch of shows). What does everyone think? Shows? New album? Both?… Continued →

This punk/new wave band from Alaska released one 4-song EP via 7″ vinyl in 1980, entitled Beat the Cynics for their native Unregulated Records. The band was contemporary with other punk acts at the time who had already started shifting their sound to either new wave or post-punk. The Cynics don’t sound too far off from The Buzzcocks, The Clash, The Stranglers, and at times is reminiscent of the funky approach of Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Yes, their sound is remarkably British, considering how far they were geographically from that region.… Continued →

For those that missed the news. Indie Vision Music just released a hot new digital compilation titled “Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 3” featuring over 60 songs from a variety of artists and bands all over genre spectrum. You can download and stream over on Bandcamp right here or check it out below this post. I have also created a special Spotify playlist with all the songs that are available on that platform right here (or listen below). Look for Vol. 4 in early 2024!… Continued →

When I first heard “Demimonde”, I was immediately thrown off. Was it a demo, maybe? Maybe it wasn’t mixed yet? The roughness and natural reverb feels distant and uncomfortable. But as I continued to listen, things soon felt “normal” once again. Then, later in the track, things get all echoey again. Enter a conceptual world, a world where love and lust are at war, secret lives intertwine with the normalcy or the family unit, and the choice to use your dignity as currency is ever available.… Continued →

Life often moves in cycles; sometimes those cycles repeat, while other times the seasons are delineated more clearly. American Arson has been an IVM favorite since its inception, and many readers are familiar with Evan Baker from Good Luck Varsity even further back. While there’s always been a core of rock, pop punk, and post-hardcore at play, American Arson’s independent EPs were all adorned in unique personalities and moods. And when the band signed with Facedown Records to much acclaim, their sound continued to shift even further.… Continued →

Protect Your Heart just released a really cool new music video for the killer song “Embers”. Video can be found below this post. You may have heard this song on the recent Indie Vision Music compilation “Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 3” available right here.… Continued →

Metal band DIRE will return with their brand new release “Crush The Head” on 11/29/23. News on this release will come shortly. Get ready!… Continued →

Too Bad Eugene just announced a new song titled “Shaking My Fist at Clouds” which drops on November 24th via People of Punk Rock Records. The band also announced that they have a new album on the way in 2024! This personal favorite always creates fun, melodic punk rock with loads of smooth BGVs, thoughtful, spiritually engaging, singing out loud at the top of your lungs, and did I say FUN? I am already looking forward to 2024 (if we’re still a functioning society by then, lol?).… Continued →

MxPx are back with another music video off their latest album “Find A Way Home”. The song is “Undone” and you can check out the music video below. This is such a great song too by the way!… Continued →

Lugsole was a noisy indie rock band from Birmingham AL with hints of post-punk and emo in their sound. Despite a significant number of releases–both independent and label-issued–they remained a fairly obscure act, whose fans were either music critics or diehard independent music aficionados. Recorded output begins in 1995 and ends in 1998, and in those four short years, they managed to release three cassette demos (two EPs and one full-length), a split 7″ with Dear Ephesus, an EP on compact disc via Daddy-O Records (who also released the first Dear Ephesus recordings), and a 3-way split CD with mainstream acts The Paper Chase and E-Class.… Continued →

Elijah Herrell’s forthcoming EP is titled Casualties, and it’s an appropriate way to describe the population of those faithful to Christ who deal with same-sex attraction. It’s a position of being caught in the middle – too religious and objective for the left; too weak or messy for the right. Many struggle in silence and carry the weight on their own, sometimes their whole lives. Others, of course, deconstruct and renounce their faith. And while there are plenty of albums in the recent years that lean toward this latter approach, Herrell offers a needed and honest perspective.… Continued →

American Arson have returned strong this year with a bunch of songs off their upcoming album “Sand & Cinder, Tide & Timber” due out November 3rd on Facedown Records. This latest titled “Arrowheads” is a perfect representation of the glorious punch and delivery that American Arson have to offer through their music. There is something awe inspiring and utterly magnificent about this band. Everything from their songs and artwork to the songwriting and vocals just strike me as unique, a cut above the mundane. This is another bright spot for the killer independent label that Facedown Records remains.… Continued →

Shorthanded have just released a brand new 3 song single/EP titled “Loco Lucky”. Listen to the title track below and comment with your thoughts. These songs are extremely well done and really quality stuff. I love this pop punk vibe. Make sure to listen to the last 3 songs they released over the past year. That’s 6 new songs from a band thought to be lost to the sands of time. Way to go Shorthanded! Follow: shorthanded_rocks on Instagram.… Continued →

I was alerted to this band The Caballerials by a friend and must say that their brand of pop-punk is anything but boring. Fun emotionally charged pop-punk with a heavy 2000’s vibe that’ll please fans of Home Grown, FenixTX, Blink-182, Man Alive, Ace Troubleshooter, and even Olivia The Band. Like the Olivia The Band these guys also reside from the state of Hawaii and create some pretty meaningful yet entirely fun new music. Check out their latest EP “Waxed Curbs and Suburbs” below via Spotify or pull it up on your favorite digital network.… Continued →

It might seem strange to cover an album that’s already several years old – yet not old enough to warrant any significant anniversary milestone. It might seem even stranger to do so the same week the artist in question is releasing a new song. But I’ve inevitably found myself enraptured in Zane Vickery’s debut album, perhaps even more deeply than when I first discovered it. Sure, songs like “Weighted” and “Scales” stood out to me from the start. But time progresses, we grow older, and the chasm between who we are and were seems to ever widen.… Continued →

Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis” meets The Assembly Line’s “Tonight” on “You Will Find”, the first track off Joseph Cutshall’s latest release. While Stay Close is branded as folk rock, there’s something a bit more intricate at play here – hints of 90s and 2000s singer-songwriters, subdued ambience of acts like The Frozen Ocean, and even more standard indie fare in general. Don’t expect a mostly-acoustic, Americana-flavored release. This is a record adorned in dynamics, evident from its first notes. Neither so is the record fixated on any singular subject for too long – a true theme might like wrestling in the valleys between sight and certainty that we call faith.… Continued →

One of the larger, more legendary cyphers in Christian hip-hop, L.A. Symphony came to us from where else but Los Angeles. They emerged in the late 90s with a few 12″ singles and a full-length album on member Flynn Adam Atkins’ own independent label Eartube Empire, via which Flynn had also released a full-length solo album earlier. The group’s breakthrough came in the form of 2003’s The End is Now for Gotee Records. I had the privilege of booking/hosting the group for a youth event in Atlanta in the mid-2000s.… Continued →