Tag: 2020s

SoCal rapper Peace 586 (born Rene Vasquez) has been hitting the hip-hop game hard since the late 80s (first as M.C. Peace), as a member of the seminal and innovative Freedom of Soul, and through numerous collaborations with artists like S.F.C., Jon Gibson, Scott Blackwell, J.C. and the Boyz, and many others. He went solo following the break-up of Freedom of Soul and released his first solo album in 1996. As impressive as that is, what’s even more impressive is the fact that he’s still been active as recently as 2023, releasing a full-length solo album on his own label.… Continued →

As you’ve undoubtedly already read elsewhere, and seen all over the chrindie corner of the internet, Michael Knott died earlier this week. Much has been written about the man, the music, the iconic artist, so I don’t intend to re-tread any of that ground here. This is a Song of the Day post after all. Nonetheless it does seem fitting to use this week’s SOTD column to feature more of Knott’s work. He wrote and recorded so many incredible albums from the 1980s through the 2020s that it’s hard to pick a “best” or even a “favorite.”… Continued →

Nautical-themed indie rock band Rusty Shipp are working on a new album. The band will be releasing Volume II of the Cosmic Innuendo story arc, following on from Volume I, entitled The Dark Side of the Ocean. There is a wide swath of reward packages ranging from $5 to $500, and from simply obtaining a copy of the album to actually recording with the band! An exciting addition at the $15 level includes a digital copy of a bonus live album recorded at AudioFeed 2023.… Continued →

Let me get my opinion out of the way right off the bat–there is not enough good, quality Christian doom metal. The list gets even shorter when it’s as unique and well-executed as this track is. Memorium is the braindchild of Duane Keith, label-owner and -founder at Vision of God Records and its subsidiary, Christian Metal Underground. The band is just a two-piece: Duane on drums and vocals and Mike Shinn on bass and guitar. Sadly the band is currently on hiatus. “A New Dawn” comes from a 3-way split with The Arbiter (from Hungary), and Lucifer’s Doom (from Brazil).… Continued →

This album came out last October, but I was only recently made aware of it when guitarist/vocalist Craig Phillips reached out for coverage, just before moving to Eurasia to work overseas. Although released on Roxx Records, Where the Wondering Got Us is a distinct departure from the label’s usual heavy metal roster. On the contrary, Puddleglum have a sound that revels in reminiscence of the 1990s. It’s what one might call ‘slacker rock.’ It’s fairly simplistic alternative rock, or maybe just rock and roll. The songs, musically speaking, feel lazy though not necessarily in a bad way.… Continued →

NoiseArt Collective is essentially David Schmidt, an Australia-based experimental artist who creates “industrial-tinged synth rock with goth undertones.” From that base, he branches out, dabbling in various forms of experimental, electronic based rock music from extreme metal (synth-based) to noisy hip-hop to weirdo/freakout pop music. The project is incredibly prolific, releasing multiple albums per year. In fact, since the project’s genesis in 2017, they’ve released over 30 recordings, including one recording of Schmidt reading his own poetry. When a band has this much material, it’s hard to choose an appropriate introduction point for the new listener.… Continued →

Many fitting tributes have been written about the one and only, the mighty drummer/musician/song-writer/animal rights activist Ted Kirkpatrick. So much has been said about his life, his music, and his impact that I can’t really add much here. Ted’s incredible musicianship is impossible to overstate. He was revered even by the most ardent anti-religion folks, for his musicality alone, including folks like King Diamond and Marty Friedman. While I never got to meet Ted, I did have the chance to see Tourniquet live once. It was their first tour with Luke Easter as the new lead vocalist.… Continued →

Rapper Braille (born Bryan Winchester) has been making hip-hop since at least 1998, first as a solo artist and then additionally as a member of Lightheaded (featured in an earlier Song of the Day), Acts 29, and most recently the worshipful project Beautiful Eulogy. The Portland-based rapper has released just under a dozen albums, including independent releases, a Japanese import, and a collaboration with Symbolyc One, not including his work in the aforementioned cyphers. Although I’d heard of him through his association with Syntax Records, it was his 6th album Box of Rhymes where I was first introduced to his music.… Continued →