Tag: Christian music

The long running classic hardcore/punk/thrash band - The Blamed, just dropped some of the most amazing sounding covers of The Crucified these ears have ever heard. The band have without a doubt paid proper tribute to one of the greatest thrash-metal-punk bands to have emerged from the Christian music underground in the past 40 years a truly pioneering band that has spawned countless side projects and inspired younger generations to pick up their instruments and proudly proclaim the gospel in the decades that have followed. That band is of course The Crucified and another classic band The Blamed which actually features the drummer from The Crucified, Jim Chaffin, who continues to play with The Blamed to this very day and has picked up double duty in playing the classic beats but with a new take. These 4 songs are just the perfect presentation of a covers release done right. They take these older songs, add new flavors done only in the vibe The Blamed knows how to do while keeping the sound somewhat the same if that makes sense. The guts of these originals is there but the guitars and bass have that sound only The Blamed know how to do. It's like Frail, Again, and The Church is Hurting People meets The Pillars of Humanity (album) and Self Titled (The Crucified). The buddy experience gone wild! I love this ep and even the guitar solos are fast and furious and well placed. I love a good guitar solo and they sound incredible here. Let's talk about the vocals for a second. I haven't heard a more "Frail" esque sound in years but they've brought it back on this ep. "The Church is Hurting People" had slightly classic vocals but here is where it shines and they've come into their own while sharing that classic take. It makes sense really because you can tell how much The Crucified influenced the sound of The Blamed and as a result only The Blamed could have paid such careful attention to detail while going off on these 4 songs and paying such beautiful tribute. Now I'm a The Crucified fan, I'm a Stavesacre fan but we wouldn't have the latter without the former. The Crucified and Mark, Greg, Jeff, and Jim in particular deserve a hefty award for the years of influence on our music scene at large and for drawing together believers and unbelievers alike. I imagine an Olympic hand shaking between countries while making the analogy with the sacred and secular combining together in holy matrimony (if only it were that simple). When I was in high school, I was at the tail end of the band's final run as a band when I discovered Pillars and Self Titled. I loved them a lot and their music spoke to me in ways that other bands in the metal realm couldn't. I even decorated my school binder with Crucified logo and graphics and had a custom tshirt made at a print shop with the self titled album cover on front to profess my undying devotion to the Lord and the music of The Crucifed (weren't the 90's great?). What the "Christian" scene and sub culture doesn't do right (among other things) is pay tribute to the classics that have come before and paved the way for future generations. We have the rock n roll hall of fame for all mainstream popular rock, rap, etc artists to receive their credit but in Christian circles especially the Nashville machine, many are forgotten once their light fades and the bulbs burn out. It's a travesty and one that needs to be rectified. Thankfully a band like The Blamed have done an enormous amount of justice in giving credit where credit is due and embracing a classic band and really all of us as well. Thank you to The Blamed and thank you most of all to The Crucified for over 40 years of influencing countless generations of young people (and us old fogies as well) including myself. Hifives and hugs all around. Thank you Thumper Punk Records as well and David in particular for throwing your weight behind this project, you did an amazing job! You can find The Blamed "What If" Ep (make more please!) on all digital networks and streaming sites including at the Thumper Punk Records bandcamp: https://thumperpunkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/what-if

25 Years of Indie Vision Music: Blood, Sweat, Tears, and Perseverance I began this write up back in June of this year and it has taken me more than half the year to finish it. It has been a crazy and chaotic year with everything that has taken place in my personal life. Much of it was good and surprising and some other parts have been well, rather stressful. Now as we approach Christmas I am met with my home in escrow, another home to move into, planning a wedding in April 2026, and the passing of my late grandmother on December 23rd.… Continued →

Mikee Bridges who is the founder of the popular west coast classic Christian alternative music festival of the 90’s and early 00’s called “TOM FEST“, is back in full force with the first ever Tom Convention which in it’s most purest form will be the go to convention for all things Christian underground and alternative punk of the 80’s through 90’s and beyond, for hopefully many years to come. Mikee Bridges has a long personal history of music involvement beyond just the Tom Fest circuit, fronting, singing, playing guitar in bands like Sometime Sunday, Tragedy Ann, Twin Sister, and much more.… Continued →

In celebration of these incredible what we now term as “Classic” alternative, rock, (or whatever you want to call it) releases, I am reposting this article in celebration of 30 years of wonderful music that originated out of the Christian music scene. Let’s take a look back and maybe find a new favorite that’ll keep you comforted during these current turbulent times we live in. I have updated the article to include 30 Releases (instead of the original 25 from 5 years ago in celebration of 30 years).… Continued →

There has been an ongoing silence on the latest happenings in the Christian music realm and it’s not by accident, it’s pure engineering. So much so that we’ve decided (well me actually) to amp up the fun by diving head first into the world of “Reels” and short streaming clips as evidenced by some recent posts on Instagram and Facebook. While not as cutting edge and China-centric as say TikTok or as private as a Snap (not that kind of private and also, do people still use this app?),… Continued →

Hopeful. keep getting better and better, am I right? This is on par with anything the major labels have to offer and I can say that without any hint of cynicism or sense of irony and I say it in full confidence. No one is paying me to dig the sounds of Hopeful., I just legitimately enjoy this band and I think all of you will too. It’s rock music without all the sub-genres and unnecessary tags. Just great music. Check out this music video for their brand new single “Fractured Soul” below or by visiting YouTube at this link.… Continued →

We are proud to present a music video for the brand new Light The Way single, “Lazybones”. Watch it below right here on IVM (or on our YouTube channel @indievisionmusic. This fun and hilarious new video captures the heart of the song perfectly and shows this pop-punk band at the top of their game. The band’s captivating and what one can only describe as their absolute BEST new album drops on November 8th via Small Step Records. You can pre-order the new album “Expel” on Vinyl and CD right here.… Continued →

Today I am going to spotlight a killer new post-hardcore/post-metal heavy yet melodic band called “Descriptor“. They recently released a new song titled “Deathwork” and it is beautifully heavy, really great and hits me in all the right places. The vocalist can sing with the best of them and whoever is doing the screamed parts does it to the best of his abilities. Very passionate, hopeful, and heart piercing stuff. Imagine HANDS meets Least of These meets My Epic meets La Dispute meets Touche Amore.… Continued →

Young Oceans are back with a brand new song for 2024 titled “Somehow”. Check out the song below this post and let us know what you think. Visit youngoceans.com… Continued →

for KING & COUNTRY return with a special cover of “Place In This World” and it actually features Michael W Smith whose song this is a cover of. Very cool. The band is gearing up for the film “Unsung Hero” based off their song of the same title. Here is a synopsis.. “Based on a remarkable true story, Unsung Hero follows David Smallbone as he moves his family from Down Under to the States, searching for a brighter future after his successful music company collapses. With nothing more than their seven children, suitcases, and their love of music, David (for KING + COUNTRY’s Joel Smallbone) and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives.… Continued →

New Release Today has started “NRT Books” and their first release is “Mixtape Theology” which is a 330+ book that takes a look at 90’s Christian Music and Culture, all the cheese but also that much cherished message and what made it so great. If you’ve been following Mixtape Theology on X (formerly Twitter) you’ll sense a knack for humor and that hint of sarcasm while seeing all the fun and memories many of us hold dear. This sounds like a really great book and one I’ll be ordering for sure.… Continued →

Switchfoot recently released a 20th anniversary re-recording of their classic album “The Beautiful Letdown” and have now just put out a beautiful NEW video update of their song “Meant to Live” (Jon Bellion Version). Check out the music video below this post or at our website. Catch the band on “The Beautiful Letdown 20th Anniversary Tour” beginning at the end of this month.… Continued →

If there was ever a band to perfectly represent the depths to where “Christian Music” can go in regards to talent, songwriting, and even with longevity, that band would be The Choir. The band themselves have been together in one form or another for nearly 4 decades now, and making creatively connecting music for almost the same amount of time. The band is still working on NEW music and just recently put their “Patreon Sessions” collection of recent songs up on all digital networks. There is also a brand new cover of The Psychedelic Furs classic – “Heaven”.… Continued →

Merry Christmas, Friends! I’m going to type up some thoughts on bands that should most definitely reunite in 2023 to 1) Play an anniversary set, 2) Re-Release a classic album on either vinyl, tape, or cd with bonus features (and band commentary) and 3) Throw some new and/or unreleased tracks at us that we most definitely need to hear. Thoughts and ideas can be found below…. Oh, and Tim Taber if you’re reading this, I hope you’ll consider the words below and incorporate them into future plans with Transparent Productions here in Orange County and Southern California in general.… Continued →

My wife recently showed me an emotional TikTok from a Nathan Sheridan which told of his story in the armed forces, getting married young, pursuing his dreams in music while sticking strong to his Faith in God. It featured this new song titled “Something Worth Singing About”. This excellent new song with a hopeful message firmly rooted Faith and love, is out now wherever you stream/download your music. It is also featured on this Indie Vision Music playlist right here. If you’re on TikTok, search up Nathan Sheridan and look for the recent video with most views.… Continued →

Audiofeed Festival returns this year (in just a couple of weeks actually) and I’m here to fill you in on all the great music and community you will experience. Audiofeed Festival has come to fill the void that Cornerstone left when it ceased to exist a decade ago. The creators of Audiofeed took a stand, brought along some experience and a diverse taste for remarkable independent music and further seek to share that undeniable influence with a new generation of music goers. Times have changed in the past decade but the one constant thread running through is that everyone still appreciates good music and are thirsting for something of substance.… Continued →

Well, we just returned from a wild week at Great Wolf Lodge here locally in So Cal. We spent countless days at the water park and even Knott’s Berry Farm as well as spending precious time with my wife and children. We even had our oldest son Brayden stop by for a bit on last Thursday. Overall, was a great time spent with family and unforgettable memories were had. My wallet still aches but well, what did I expect lol. I have some pics/vids up on my private Instagram so check it.… Continued →

The somber yet soothing sounds of Benjamin Daniel and his music, are woven into the fabric of Indie Vision Music and our community here that has been built back up post-2016 “rebirth”. If you don’t know who he is or what his music sounds like then do yourself a huge favor and pull up “Benjamin Daniel” on your favorite digital network (or here) and give it a listen. He just launched an IndieGoGo campaign to fund the new album, “Shelterheart”, which you can read all about right here.… Continued →

Much loved, well regarded indie rock darlings, Bleach, are back to play a show on July 17th 2021 at Journey Church in Brentwood, Tennessee. It is being billed as “Journey Fest” and other groups playing include Copperlilly, Him and Her Worship, Betsy Lane, and Aaron Bucks. More info can be seen below or visit this link.… Continued →

The online, quarantine-like “Fest” featuring a ton of great Christian rock, metal, punk, Post Hardcore, Indie, etc. bands, is now archived online via YouTube. You can watch Day 1 and Day 2 right here at IVM, below. This epic event is almost 10 hours total worth of engaging new music. Powerful stuff and unique for this music scene. Check it out below. Oh and our buddy Nate Parrish is one of the performing artists on Day 1. What did you think and did you have any favorite artists who performed?… Continued →

So maybe a handful of people actually tuned into the Grammy Awards last night to feel the full brunt of relevance that awards shows have actually turned into (sarcasm). Well surprisingly enough but not really, considering the mass appeal (and star power) coming from one such winner in the “Contemporary Christian Music Album” category at the Grammys last night. That’s right, Kanye West took home the top prize in that category for his album “Jesus Is King”. It’s a tough thing for any artist to break into an industry/music scene that isn’t of the same comfort zone that they are usually use to so congrats to Kanye for shaking things up.… Continued →

Michael Bridges, a long time member of our Christian Music and Rock Scene has embarked on a journey to release a special docuseries all about his involvement in the scene, where its gone, and and what is has meant to him. Sure to be shocking, compelling, and altogether interesting. Check out the trailer below and view the special gofundme to help get this project off the ground, right here. This really reminds me of an Anthony Bourdain (RIP) style series in the most honest way and it definitely has my interest.… Continued →

for King & Country have just released their Christmas album titled “A Drummer Boy Christmas” featuring a bunch of songs that are classics redone in their style as well as some originals. Click here for their youtube channel to watch a series of lyric videos for the album which serve as a film of sorts. Click below for their tour dates to finish out the year as well as a music video.… Continued →

I am sending this post out there into the webiverse to gather songs for a new spotify playlist I just created. It is (tentatively) being called “The Best Christian Cover Songs” and is a play off Christians who cover popular (and not so popular) songs. Please list artist name covering a song and song title below this post in the comments section so I can take your suggestions and add them. What you see now on Spotify is just me recalling stuff off the top of my head.… Continued →

World renown singer/songwriter and DC Talk member – Kevin Max, has been putting together a very special tribute to Larry Norman album. You can contribute and be the first to get your hands on it right here (plus watch some videos and get more insight behind this very special album). Here is what Kevin Max says, “Revisiting This Planet will be produced by my friend John Mark Painter of the group Fleming and John. My friend John has been producing my own solo albums for the last 5 years.… Continued →

I don’t know what it is but maybe today’s dark and stormy skies along with a heavy downpour elicits a moody yet introspective response to music. A song such as “Handshake” really makes you stop and think. I still believe after all these years that the band Black Eyed Sceva (and later known as ‘Model Engine’) were brilliant songwriters, Jeremy Post in particular. There was something magical in their music and the way they conveyed these emotions through song. They may not have been widely known or celebrated as “Rock stars” but their music was incredibly important to me.… Continued →

Indie Vision Music is proud to present 2 new playlists that are appearing in addition to 2 other more recent (and continually updated) Spotify Playlists. These are all just for fun and to attract new followers so IVM can finally take over the world and put the first Christian band on Mars. Well not really but it’s still fun, right? Check out the new “Christian Metal and Hard Rock” Playlist, “Christian Emo and Indie Rock”, “Christian Pop-Punk and Punk Rock”, and our really cool “Weekly New Release Sampler”.… Continued →

It has been announced that Matt Carter (on behalf of Tooth & Nail Records) has re-launched the “Labeled Podcast”. Matt Carter is a member of Emery as well as Matt & Toby plus a founding member of Bad Christian. He is working to bring these stories of past and current Tooth & Nail bands to life through the podcast platform and this time for fans, there are incentives. That’s right, the Podcast now has a Patreon campaign where fans can actively be a part of the podcast creation and process.… Continued →

The long running, “legends in the making” Christian band known as The Altar Boys who have survived for decades and somehow come out on top with their best album ever, “No Substitute”. The group has just offered a behind the scenes glimpse of just why it is they returned with this new album after a nearly 25 year absence from new recorded music. The fact that their music has endured for different generations and continued to influence youth who are now adults with families of their own is testament to the power of music and Faith.… Continued →

10 years ago seems like it has passed within an instant. Some of these albums listed below are forgotten hits and some are still being played today. This list are my recommendations and mine alone. Feel free to disagree with my selections. Check out some of these now “classic” albums from the year 2008, below. The Best of 2008: 10 Years, A Look Back. Brave Saint Saturn as #1?… Continued →