There was this smaller band that released an album/ep forever ago that I felt sounded like a new Beloved album. Of Military and Mathematics - Wake (From This Dream) It is impossible to find, can't remember how I got it but I've held onto it for dear life ever since.
I feel like I've spent the last 15 years trying to find bands that sound like Beloved and How to Start a Fire-era FSF with little success. I guess Comrades might be the next closest thing.
There are two Labeled podcast episodes about Beloved that have accompanied this announcement. One with Dusty, one with Josh. Both very insightful. But the clips of the songs reminded me how unique sounding they really were. Such an excellent band. It was also funny hearing how their UK tour (which ended up being their final tour) contributed to breaking the band. Seeing them and Dead Poetic in 2004 was actually my first ever live show and a really formative experience for me. Their rough time was a highlight of my teenage years. Ha!
Just imagine if Beloved had stayed together long enough to exist in the age of A Day to Remember, lol. Probably could've been one of Tooth & Nail's biggest bands, alongside Underoath.
New release from Facedown. This one was a real surprise. Nice to see they're still moving in a more melodic direction as a label in addition to their heavier bands.
Dusty said something very similar in that Labeled podcast, and I definitely think it would've been possible. They just quit when the bubble was bursting. Such a big "what if" moment. Hearing Josh say that he was open to anything beyond those reunion shows, even new music, melted my heart. He mentioned hearing some new riffs from Matt that excited him. I've got a good feeling about this reunion becoming permanent further down the line.
I've heard the name Classic Case so many times over the years, thanks to Glassjaw probably, and never realized Josh was part of it! I'm so dumb lol. I need to check them out.
I really like their album Dress to Depress. One of those bands I forget exist but when I'm in the mood it really hits the spot.
That Furnace Fest announcement inspired me to go back and listen to the last Life In Your Way album. My goodness, the last minute and a half of this song is so relentlessly heavy.
I wish another album would have come out of their reunion, it felt like it was about to happen a few years back then they just disappeared.
Probably the fewest Christian related bands/musicians on my end of year list compared to a decade ago, but I always post it here so there you go. Let me know if I've missed any good 'Christian music' releases from the last few months - I got a new job in September and it's severely cut my internet time so I've not been as active in this thread over the last three of four months. Also let me know what you think and what your favourite releases were!
Solid list. Going to check some of these out! Still playing catch-up myself but some of the Christian music releases were Staryflyer 59, Empty, The Drowned God, Norma Jean, Death Therapy, and John Van Deusen. Still tightening up my top list, but favorites were HEALTH, The National, Holy Holy, Twilight Sad, Jimmy Eat World and Refused.
love seeing John Lucas at #1!! Maggie and Sigrid are also in my top 10 :) Kings Kaleidoscope and Penny & Sparrow (who I guess are more tangential to the scene than actually like worship music) are the only two relevant to this thread that I’ve been very into that you don’t have listed
Citizens is my #1 of the year. In addition to that, As Cities Burn, Jeremy Casella, My Epic, Jess Ray, Josh Garrels, Kings Kaleidoscope, Penny & Sparrow, John Van Deusen, Wolves at the Gate, Norma Jean, Kanye, nobigdyl., Starflyer, Empty, Death Therapy, Psallos, Comrades, and Andrew Peterson’s Christmas re-release... this has been a really strong year for Christian music IMO. Haven’t even checked out John Lucas. Need to fix that. Talked to him for a while at a show he played with Aaron Stone and actually bought the record but hadn’t listened yet.
I always enjoy reading your stuff and I too have Sigrid and John Lucas at top five. Copeland and My Epic I also really loved and it's cool seeing Lucy Rose on a list. I only heard that album once, but she has one of my favorite songs All That Fear.