News

Contrary to what the band name suggests, They Sang as They Slew was not a metal or hardcore band, actually quite far from either. If you hear similarities to the indie rock of Luxury, it’s because half of the band came from Luxury while they were on a break from touring–namely guitarist Jamie Bozeman and bassist Chris Foley (both of whom are Orthodox priests in their day job). I hope some fans recognize the band name from the epic battle scene in Lord of the Rings (the book, not the movie).… Continued →

It’s so great to have Gary Murray and co. back to making music again after almost a decade of quietude. Gary had to retreat for a few years beginning in 2014 while taking care of aging parents and other personal matters. Monkeys & Spoons certainly reflects that solitude, as well as the grief of losing someone you’ve had close. While the album cover nearly depicts contents of jazz fusion or post-rock (both Koinonia and strangely, Talk Talk are evoked by the artwork), don’t be led astray there.… Continued →

This very catch SOTD hearkens from way back in the day & had been released on Narrowpath Records. I first heard the song on a compilation & had to track them down thereafter. They even have a Facebook page which is interesting as a lot of these bands faded into existence in the early days of the internet. Check them out. … Continued →

One of my favorite up and coming record labels called Small Step Records is a community of sorts and a breath of fresh air in a scene of sameness and monotony. The founder Paul Hyde is also a member of the band Grandpa Loves Rhinos which joins Homeplate, Light The Way, and now… Last Chance Marie! They are also another great punk rock band and have a solid sound that isn’t a copy of anyone. If you want good production along with a certain rawness only punk rock can bring you, then check out the music of Last Chance Marie.… Continued →

Craig’s Brother drop yet another song off their upcoming new album “Easily Won, Rarely Deserved” that comes out in a few weeks via their new album home – People of Punk Rock Records. This new song is titled “Violent Faith” and is played in that same great fast melodic punk style the band has become world renown for. Listen below and stream or download at your favorite Digital Network. Let us know your thoughts on the new stuff. … Continued →

I always enjoyed the music from Precious Death. Their albums “Southpaw” and “If You Must” are just plain great classics, groove metal mixed with a little hardcore. They were unique, bold, and not afraid to share their thoughts and feelings through the music they created. Unashamed about who they were and what they believed. There was one last album in 1996 before they went on hiatus. Now they are back, over 25 years later. According to their Facebook page, they’ve been working on a new album and as of this January, the writing had begun.… Continued →

For the first time in over 20 years, the long lost classic Watashi Wa album, “What’s In The Way”, is available once again but in digital format. Go check it out on your favoriting streaming networks or on Spotify (See below). What’s your favorite song off this album? … Continued →

So here alas is another rarity. I don’t remember where I got this song from, but I always found it catchy. Seems to be modern rock/grunge back circa the early 2000s from Minnesota.  I found them listed on an old Tripod site that listed other Minnesota bands: punkers Angry Atom & Children 18:3 along with IVM bands Names Without Numbers & The Roosevelts. Maybe someone knows more about them? … Continued →

Rock & Metal Pop & Alternative

• Bien – Color of Heaven EP
• Kevin Max – FANTASY

Electronic & EDM Folk & Singer/Songwriter

• David Curtis – Arrows EP

Hip Hop & R&B

• Aklesso, Foolie Vision – Sonus, Vol. 1
• the Apologist – The Debate Tapes, Vol. 1
• Benji – songs that i don’t want to die on my computer EP
• Bigg2timez – Psalmz Of 2timez Book 1
• Child of the Light – Round 3: Taste and See
• CieMie – 17
• CS LIT, San Andreas – Solar Raise
• isaacxhopes – WHO SHOULD I BE EP
• Joseph Madigan – Alignment EP
• JunSix – Sheepovergoats
• Kemvr – GALLERIA EP
• Mainetoowavy!

… Continued →

Satellite Circle (in the Christian industry) was a short-lived 90s rock band that switched their name to Metropolis before fading into obscurity. Satellite Circle was around the time of Dear Ephesus & Metropolis was on the same label as These 5 Down & Paul Q-Peck (Originally w/ One Bad Pig) & was produced by Dez Dickerson from Prince. Hope y’all like this throwback. … Continued →

If you’re of the opinion that only melodic music can be godly, then you might want to navigate your browser elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you see the possibility of the Spirit working and moving in the new, the avant garde, the experimental, and the downright weird, then Ganglia just might interest you. Sometimes stylized as GÅNGLÎÅ, this one-man project was started by David Smittcamp in Los Angeles in the late 1990s. He took the already experimental genre of grindcore (lightning-fast tempos and ultra-short songs fused into an extreme form of hardcore and metal), and flipped it on its head by utilizing only electronic instruments.… Continued →

The Stand was a 90s power pop band that played on the CCM radio scene when Petra, Wayne Watson, Hoi Polloi, Out of the Grey, Point of Grace, The Winans, Whitecoss were all on the same playlist. It was a way cool time in the scene as you could the radio friendly songs from hard rockers right along next to CCM mainstays. I found out when I got older the formats varied across the USA & I was pretty blessed to have a modern CCM station near me.… Continued →

Steadfast is an obscure pop punk band from Canada it appears. One fan remarked on my Youtube page that they changed their name to Out of the Monetary after this release at some point   … Continued →

This German symphonic unblack metal band has been musically compared to Emperor & Dimmu Borgir whom I personally have never listened to. From what I gather they used the Endtime record label which has worked with Drottnar, Bloodwork, Crimson Moonlight & Dalit. I happen to really dig symphonic unblack metal more than other heavy genres such as thrash, deathcore or death metal so this track resonates with me. Anyways, enjoy & hope your Saturday is going awesome!      … Continued →

Update: I’ve added all the new albums I can find as of November 18th. After realizing how few albums I’ve purchased on CD this year I decided it was time to correct that and set out to make a list of all the 2022 albums and EPs I could find on CD. And thanks to a little help from the members of the IVM Facebook group I now have a list of over 100 releases from 2022 that you can purchase on CD and/or vinyl! So do yourself (and the artists!)… Continued →

Rock & Metal

• Amongst the Giants – Desolate Minds EP
• From Shadows to Light – Glow

Pop & CCM

• Zach Williams – A Hundred Highways

Electronic & EDM Folk & Singer/Songwriter

• Allen Odell – Full Hearts, Empty Places
• Allie Murphy – Better Things EP
• Fox & Honey – Together EP
• Ian Yates – Between The Joy And The Sorrow – Part 2
• Jess Ray – BORN AGAIN
• Zane Vickery – Where Is Your Faith: Volume One EP

Hip Hop & R&B

• Austin Ryder – A Beautiful Death
• Christon Gray – Jacob (Deluxe)
• Gil Gatsby – I’ll Name This Album Later
• Kieran the Light – Confident EP
• Military Mindset Productions – RAMBO KNIFE EP
• Social Club Misfits – Everyone Loves A Comeback Story
• Speez – Godspeed 2
• R-Scar – Metanoia
• Triple O – Everything Left Unsaid
• WHATUPRG – New Hollywood

Worship & Gospel

• Avalon Worship – Worship
• Cody Carnes – God Is Good!

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I’m not surprised there was Christian punk and new wave already being made in the 1970s. Contrary to popular belief, believers have always found new and innovative ways to express their faith creatively. It’s the broader public of the faith community that is often slow to accept change, not the artists themselves. This is why I am, in fact, surprised that a Christian record label was publishing Christian punk in the 1970s. It seemed the church in the UK was more open to avant garde presentations of the Gospel than in the US.… Continued →

HolyName have just returned in the most triumphant way possible. This self-described “preachcore” is everything our music scene has been missing. The band just dropped “Creed” featuring Eric of xDeathstarx (you listen to the song, below) I think people who are fans of the heavy music genre and sub genres are seeking to find answers and balance to our world. Music like this not only encourages a search for encouragement and spiritual nourishment but it also inspires the listener, makes you think, makes you rock out, and ultimately leads the listener to fall on his or her legs to pray and seek worship with the God who made us new in his image.… Continued →

A little-known artist by the name of “Kid Again” (Project of Aaron Newberry formerly of The Tide, and Sons of God/SONS), that is relatively unknown to many but is incredibly deserving of all the appreciation and applause that will come his way. Aaron Newberry is a talented singer-songwriter that writes emotional, and introspective music, that seeks for hope that we are all reaching for while connecting with the listener in a rather simplistic, yet completely surrounding the senses. This is music that escapes categorizing & labels and chases away genre norms.… Continued →

This cd that this song came from was nearly impossible to find. I finally was able to upload it so it wasn’t lost forever. If I find any songs elsewhere on YouTube then it probably wouldn’t be relevant to my channel as it’s dedicated to obscurity in the vast “Christian” realm of music. The man in the picture is my grandpa on my channel who passed away in his 90s & is an homage to him as I was able to obtain the last picture of him.… Continued →

Jeff Hansen is the man behind one man “unblack” metal band Geistkrieg. It’s German name translates to something like spiritual war. He also worked on P!g3on. Anyways, this song sounds so cool & you can read the lyrics on his Bandcamp page here. https://jeffhansen.bandcamp.com/track/peculiar-compulsion  … Continued →

Naos Project aka Naos was a nu-metal band in the mid 2000s. They are pretty obscure & I have very few songs from them. This song came from a CDR album & was also listed on the old mp3.com site. They have another song called You that’s really good also. From what I have gathered over the years is that they changed their name to The Heroine & dropped the nu-metal vibe. for a more southern rock tone. I did come across a San Antonio Herald article on a very brief history of the band, but not including due to the language included.… Continued →

I am proud to introduce you all to this really great and encouraging new bible-based website called I Am A Wall. You can find the site at iamawall.com. Here are a few words about the site from its founder, Kim: “Each musician takes on a chapter in the bible to study. He or She then creates a song from what the Lord says to the individual. Iamawall is simply a documentation of what the musician creates. The web page catches and showcases the beauty of the Lord’s heart and meets each person where they are in their walk with Him.… Continued →

This 5-piece band from Norwalk, CA started as a metalcore band but morphed into something heavier and more technical with an interesting mix of death metal, grindcore, and the odd jazz passage. The band only released two demos. The first was a 5-song tape called “Soldiers of the Cross.” In 2006 they released their more known, somewhat ironically titled “Death Gospel” (Gospel set to death metal, get it?) cassette, featuring 4 songs. Then the band was never to be heard of again. However, just this year an independent secular metal label from Riverside has re-released the demo as a cassette-only release, with three bonus tracks.… Continued →

Rock & Metal

• Terraphobia – Rise
• Wolves At The Gate – Eulogies (Live Sessions) EP

Pop & CCM

• Alexander Pappas – AMERICAM DREAM
• Ben Fuller – Who Am I
• Blanca – The Heartbreak And The Healing
• Lauren Preuss – Give Me What I’m Missing! EP
• Ruelle – Somebody Else EP

Electronic & EDM

• Matthew Parker – Last Life EP

Folk & Singer/Songwriter

• David Benjamin Blower – Innocence & Experience
• Tyson Motsenbocker – Milk Teeth

Hit Hop & R&B

• BigGucciDame – Addictions & Afflictions EP
• Gavin the HotRod – DEFATING THE TYRANT
• Ilish – Anticipation EP
• Stevie Rizo – From HIM to Hymn

Worship & Gospel

• Anchor Hymns – Be Unto Your Name EP
• Bethel Music – Simple
• Christ For The Nations Worship – The Roof Project EP
• Harborside Music – The Meeting Place (Live)
• Keith & Kristyn Getty – Christ Our Hope In Life And Death
• Perimeter Worship – Perimeter Worship
• Providence Worship – True and Better EP
• The Psalms Project – Volume 5: Psalms 39-46
• Reality SF Music – Shelter EP
• TEMITOPE – MARUN
• 29:11 Worship – Say It Again (Live) EP

… Continued →

I don’t write much on Hip Hop on here, but this song is very catchy. Elzakiah is based out of Fort Wayne, IN & appears he only released 4 songs. … Continued →

Saw this band at Kingdom Come Fest a few months ago now. They are a hard rock/post hxc band, but this song is particularly heavy. By the time y’all read this, this SOTD would have hit radio. Turn it up! It gets heavier about 3/4 thru, just letting y’all know! … Continued →

Zane Vickery broke onto the scene last year with his debut album, Breezewood, an album of mythic proportions where the real and fantastical coalesce in parable fashion. It’s an album of love, loss, and lessons that assumes the posture of piano-driven indie pop. Now, he’s following the album up with a collection of decidedly-different songs – both musically and lyrically. Where is Your Faith?: Volume One is, per the title, part of some larger body of songs yet to come. Self-contained, it’s fairly concise. It sits at four songs of which two (“Is There Room Enough for Me” and “I Never Left”) were released as singles.… Continued →

Pillar is a band I really got into while I was stationed in the military. My friend & I weren’t to so many shows I lost count. I remember seeing Pillar w/ EastWest & The Benjamin Gate in Greenville, SC. I didn’t get into their stuff much after Where Do We Go From Here save a few songs. Fireproof is just a staple int heir career, but Simply has lyrics that I have not forgotten over the years. I’ve made it so hard on myself, turning my back on how you felt Seeing a lie that led me on, leaving a love that did no wrong That’s what it took for me to say That you simply love Despite all the stupid things I’ve done It’s hard to remember That you simply love Even though I know not what I’ve done It’s hard to remember That you simply love I’ve tried to do all this on my own Not thinking once of what you’ve shown All that I’ve done has blinded me To everything that you have for me I want you to know that I finally see I don’t know why I can’t understand I don’t know why I can’t comprehend … Continued →

This is an indie pop band from Ohio that changed their name to Euovia after a band member left. This song has always got me as is darn catchy. I think to sum them up is their Bandcamp page saying. We create music for you.  You are not alone in this messed up world. And I say Amen to that! … Continued →