News
October 30, 2007
Yesterday, I had the awesome opportunity of doing an e-mail interview with Ben Crist of The Glorious Unseen. I know that e-mail is pretty impersonal, but he seems like an amazing guy. If you have visited TGU’s myspace today, you might have read this already, because Ben posted it there. This is my first interview ever, so constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Please point out mistakes. I tried to ask less commonly asked questions, and I hope I succeeded. So yeah, enjoy the interview.
1.)Could you introduce yourself and give some background on previous bands/musical endeavors, etc?… Continued →
October 29, 2007
REVIEW : Mahteo - The NuWave Republic
Artist: Mahteo
Album: The NuWave Republic
Label: Scotoma Artist Co-op
Release Date: August 14, 2007
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist:
1. Lucky
2. Montreal
3. To Manifest like Breath
4. Ahi Te Encontrare
5. New Love
The fact that the 80s are still trying to live on is, in my opinion, a rather confusing thing. At times it can be entirely thrilling, and at others it can be downright horrifying. Take the example of 80s cartoon shows being turned into modern movies. You’ve got TMNT, Transformers, The Incredible Hulk, and so forth.… Continued →
October 24, 2007
REVIEW : The Glorious Unseen- "Tonight the Stars Speak"
Band: The Glorious Unseen
Album: Tonight the Stars Speak
Record Label: Tooth and Nail Records/ BEC Recordings
Release Date: October 23, 2007
Reviewed by: Cory
Track List
1. Hear Our Prayers
2. Forever Holy
3. Meet Us Here
4. Tonight the Stars Speak
5. Wrapped Up in You
6. Oh Praise Him
7. Where Your Glory Dwells
8. Embracing the Call
9. Burn in Me
10. Close to Your Heart
I’ve probably waited for this album release for a good year and a half now. Ever since The Glorious Unseen was first introduced to us at IVM, I’ve been stoked for an album to come out.… Continued →
October 19, 2007
REVIEW : Long Live Logos - Mundus Vulti Decipi...
Artist: Long Live Logos
Album: Mundus Vulti Decipi…
Label: Pacific Records
Buy: IVM Store
1. Walk
2. The Darkness When I Close My Eyes (The Light When I Open Them)
3. Come On, Come On
4. Dark World
5. You Never Say What I Want To Hear
6. Hey Jesus
7. Grace
8. The Science of Blushing
9. Enough Said
10. All I Need
“The word “logos” in Greek has an extraordinary range of meanings — the heart of which is both “meaning” and “reckoning”. Hence, it may refer to a “word” or a “thought” or a spoken phrase or an idea or that which conveys something which, to the hearer, is meaningful and, thus, can move them.… Continued →
October 17, 2007
REVIEW : Palaris - The Pros and Cons of Redemption
Artist: Palaris
Album: The Pros and Cons of Redemption
Label: Blue Duck Records
Release Date: August 21, 2007
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist:
1. Long Walk Home
2. Thinking to Listen
3. Sandboxes and Sailboats
4. Iscariot
5. Masquerade
6. Ghost
7. Blindness for Belief
8. Time to Kiss the Ground
9. To Cameron, from Taylor
10. Life as a Game
Palaris are, at this stage in their career, one of those bands that I could see as an opening act and absolutely love. It’s happened to all of us with any number of bands, and while I only have this CD to go by, I am convinced that Palaris would be the same, had I seen them live.… Continued →
October 16, 2007
REVIEW : Falling Up- "Captiva"
Band: Falling Up
Album Title: Captiva
Label: Tooth and Nail Records
Release Date: 10/02/07
Review by: Nate
1. A Guide To Marine Life
2. Hotel Aquarium
3. Goodnight Gravity
4. Captiva
5. Helicopters
6. Maps
7. How They Made Cameras
8. Good Morning Planetarium
9. Murexa
10. Drago or The Dragons
11. Arc To Archtilles
12. The Dark Side Of Indoor Track Meets
Rating:
8.5 out of 10
Summary:
Here is a short and sweet review of what I think is one of the catchiest CD of the year.… Continued →
REVIEW : Soul-Junk - 1959
Artist: Soul-Junk
Album: 1959
Label: Quiver Society
Release Date: April 15, 2007
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist:
1. Psalm 1
2. Psalm 2
…you get the idea…
22. Psalm 22
23. Psalm 23
By a show of hands, who knew that Soul-Junk still existed? Apparently, this project has been around for a long time and is still going strong. Soul-Junk is arguably best known for 1956, which was released on 5 Minute Walk Records (Five Iron Frenzy, The W’s, Philmore). From that album came the song “Ill-m-I,” which Toby Mac covered on his second solo record, Diverse City.… Continued →
REVIEW : Emery- "I'm Only A Man"
Band: Emery
Album Title: I’m Only A Man
Label: Tooth and Nail Records
Release Date: 10/02/07
Review by: Nate
- Rock-N-Rule
- The Party Song
- World Away
- After The Devil Beats His Wife
- Can’t Stop The Killer
- Story About A Man With A Bad Heart
- Don’t Bore Us, Get To The Chorus
- What Makes A Man A Man
- The Movie Song
- You Think You’re Nickel Slick (But I Got Your Penny Change)
- From Crib To Coffin
October 8, 2007
INTERVIEW : Edison Glass
On August 3rd 2007, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting up with the guys of Edison Glass for a pretty lengthy interview outside the small and smoldering club “Ray’s Downtown Blues” in West Palm Beach, Fl. Two months and ten blistered fingertips later, I have finally finished typing the interview. Enjoy. Interview by: Julio D. Anta
Please introduce yourselves for those not present…
Joshua Silverberg: [Laughs] I’m Josh, I play guitar and sing.
James Usher: My names James, I play guitar.
Josh Morin: I’m Josh and I play the bass and sing.… Continued →
October 6, 2007
INTERVIEW : Brian Fletchner (Quiver Society, Pilgrims band, ex-Warlord)
Eric Pettersson, IVM: Please briefly introduce yourself.
Brian Fletchner: Well, thanks for the interest in what I am doing. I have a family and they are wonderful. I have friends that love me and inspire me. Music is very important in my life, and I am very happy that others find what I am doing worth paying attention to.
E: I thought it would be fun to start this interview off at the beginning historically and then work our way up. So let’s go back to the days of Warlord.… Continued →
October 1, 2007
INTERVIEW : Far-Less
Eric Pettersson, IVM: Let’s get started with your name and duties in the band.
Brandon Welch, Far-Less: Brandon Welch is my name. I play guitar and I am the lead vocalist in the band.
E: What are you guys up to right now?
B: We are waiting for our record to come out in October. We have a tour with Secret and Whisper and Glass Ocean coming up and a tour with He Is Legend after that. Other than that we are just hanging out.… Continued →
September 26, 2007
REVIEW : Spoken - Spoken
Artist: Spoken
Album: Spoken
Label: Tooth & Nail Records
Release Date: September 25, 2007
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist:
1. History Erased
2. Close Your Eyes
3. Not Soon Forgotten
4. Trading in This Troubled Heart
5. You’re the One
6. Brought to Life
7. Love Live the Dream
8. Start the Revolution
9. The Meaning of…
10. When Hope Is All You Have
11. The Answer
Screamo is, for the most part, dead. The fad has moved on, and trendy kids have gone their separate ways to pollute other genres.… Continued →
September 24, 2007
REVIEW : Pilgrims - The Joy of Sales Resistance
Artist: Pilgrims
Album: The Joy of Sales Resistance
Label: Quiver Society
Release Date: August 1, 2007
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist:
1. Theme Song
2. My Love
3. Martin (Violence Oh Violence, I Don’t See You, You’re Not in My Backyard)
4. It’s Easy to Fear What’s Far Off and Ignore Injustice across the Street
5. We Have Forgotten How to Practice Love When We Don’t Feel It
After doing my typical background research for a review, I wished I had been around for (or paid more attention to) the early days of Solid State.… Continued →
September 19, 2007
REVIEW : Finchley - Walking with Angels EP
Artist: Finchley
Album: Walking with Angels EP
Label: None
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist:
1. Walking with Angels
2. Prodigal
3. In the Wind
4. Struggle On
Having led the rock band Supervision for a few years, Ian Finch recently decided it was time to go solo. Coming from Liverpool, this is a man in good musical company. His songs are relaxing, even at their climaxes. Acoustic and soft electric guitars are blended together for a radio-ready feel that maintains indie accessibility. Finchley’s voice smoothly brings it together, and the piano laces work well to complete the sound.… Continued →
September 13, 2007
REVIEW : The Rocket Summer - Do You Feel
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
REVIEW : August Burns Red- "Messengers"
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 →
REVIEW : As Cities Burn, "Come Now Sleep"
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
REVIEW : Lórien - The Ghost in the Parlor
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
REVIEW : Everett - Destination EP
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
REVIEW : I Am Not I Am - Dear God, We Must Return Fire
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
REVIEW : Amen. The Animal - Pray Now Destroyer
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 22, 2007
INTERVIEW : Spoken
Spoken interview
August 18, 2007
By Eric Pettersson
Eric Pettersson, IVM: Can you start with your name and what you do in the band?
Matt Baird, Spoken: My name is Matt from the band Spoken, Matt Baird, I sing.
E: Your band’s been around for ten years?
M: Eleven years. February was eleven years. Started in 1996.
E: What keeps you going?
M: the desire to play music and to feel like I’m being obedient to God. We love music. We love it, and until I have that overwhelming feeling in my heart and soul that I’m done, I can’t stop.… Continued →
August 21, 2007
INTERVIEW : The Apathy Eulogy
The Apathy Eulogy interview
August 17, 2007
By Eric Pettersson
Eric Pettersson, IVM: Name and what you do in the band.
Rob Kelly, TAE: Rob Kelly, I play guitar, sing, and write the music.
E: So I heard you got into Alternative Press. Did they dig it?
R: Yeah, from what we heard. We didn’t get an official interview. We actually got mentioned as an unsigned band. They choose I believe it’s 8 bands a month that are notable unsigned bands, and they found us on Smartpunk which is our online vendor, and just asked us if we wanted to be featured.… Continued →
August 20, 2007
REVIEW : Purple Door 2007: Festival Review
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
REVIEW : Death Is Not Welcome Here - Freedom for the Broken
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
REVIEW : Fixed til Tuesday (I Am Terrified) - Aww Son EP
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
REVIEW : The Send- "Cosmos"
Band: The Send
Album Title: Cosmos
Label: Tooth and Nail Records
Release Date: 7/31/07
Review by: Nate
- Need
- Fairweather
- An Epiphany
- Blocking The Sun
- Begin
- The Fall
- Drown
- Santiam
- The Science Of The Sky
- Dawn And Dusk
- Say
- Fire Colors
- In Repose
August 2, 2007
REVIEW : Fairweather Fan - The Ghost of Honesty
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 30, 2007
INTERVIEW : Anberlin
I got the chance to interview Anberlin’s Stephen Christian (vocals) on the July 21st Miami, FL Warped Tour spot. Stephen is the most enthusiastic and humble guy I have ever interviewed. I hope you enjoy reading this interview as much as I enjoyed doing it. Interview by: Julio D. Anta
Can you state your name and what you do in the band?
Stephen Christian: I’m Stephen Christian and I sing in the band Anberlin.
How’s the Warped Tour been treating you so far?
SC: Unreal man, we’ve been meeting so many cool bands like Circa Survive, Coheed and Cambria, Kill Switch Engage and all these incredible bands all in one place.… Continued →
July 25, 2007
REVIEW : Mxpx "Secret Weapon"
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 →