Versera

"The perfect ending to this piece of shit story" For the unininitiated, since 2013 this is a day to celebrate forlorn discontment, a day where yearning gives way to utter despondence. Every living creature dies alone, and you're no different. There's links to previous entries at the end of all this if you choose to deepen that wound while turning your tears into lube. Cry alone, die alone. Happy Valentine's Day.

Versera was a four-piece screamo band from Southern California that formed in 2022, played a final show in Deecember 2023 and then a "reunion" show in December 2024, who can keep up with any of it anymore. Anyway, this is another band whose name has been floating around for a while, but took me until recently to finally give them a listen (thanks again Jack for the rec). Especially since after All the poems I wrote about you ended, I knew I had my next V-Day entry selection. This is cathartic and dynamic, with highly distorted melancholic frenzies giving way to clean and lean arpeggios. Their LP from last year is also fantastic, amping up the lo-fi chaotic qualities of their debut EP. I still prefer said EP, but really both are worth your time, as is the split with the also-great onewaymirror. For a point of reference, if you're into iwrotehaikus..., Beau Navire, The Spirit Of Versailles, Orchid, or мища, check this out. You'll still be and feel alone, but maybe slightly less so. Don't enjoy.

All the poems I wrote about you (2023)

1. Je Déteste Ton Abscence

2. We Met At A Place We Both Hate

3. Rome Wasn't Built In A Day, But Maybe If They Had Cofee

4. Just Wait Till Summer

5. We Were Oblivious

onewaymirror/Versera (2023)

1. onewaymirror - Pirate Songs/Milo Joins The Army

2. onewaymirror - Frontlines: And The Stories I'll Take To My Grave

3. onewaymirror - Love Is All That Their Weary Hands Could Hold

4. onewaymirror - (Bonus Track) Feels Like A Change

5. Versera - Anakin vs Fogel

6. Versera - Yea Yea Whatever

7. Versera - How's Life In Oaxaca

8. Versera - Shirtless

Calliope (2024)

1. S.F.Y.R.J.E.C.H.E.D

2. Dried Up Flower Bouquets

3. Interlude

4. Full Circle Moments Will Lead Us Back Into Each Other's Lives Sooner Or Later

5. "Chiavlry is not dead..." Prince Rios Remarks

6. Skip To 0:33 If You Hate The Blues

7. Sorry Lincoln

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Previous Installments

 

2013: The Saddest Landscape

2014: iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook

2015: You And I

2016: Love Lost But Not Forgotten

2017: In Loving Memory

2018: Kite Flying Society

2019: The Khayembii Communiqué

2020: Harrison Bergeron

2021: The Last Forty Seconds

2022: The Apoplexy Twist Orchestra

2023: Vowel

2024: Toru Okada

onewaymirror

onewaymirror are a four-piece screamo/emoviolence band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2022. This band's name has been cropping up a lot over the past few years, which is unsurprising given how prolific they've been. I finally took the time to give them a listen and they did not disappoint. At their most ferocious this is dark, chaotic, surging, and abrasive stuff, the kind of music that always sounds on the brink of collapse, with enough breathing room to allow for more melodic, dynamic moments. To give you a loose idea, if you're into Jeromes Dream, Love Lost But Not Forgotten, Reversal Of Man, Letters To Catalonia, or In/Humanity, this might be up your alley. I'd suggest starting with the self-titled album, but their most recent EP (released via the ever-reliable Zegema Beach) is also incredibly solid. They've gained an insane amount of traction as frontrunners of the genre this decade, and I look forward to what they have in store for 2025. Enjoy. 

Retrospect (Demo) (2023)

1. Retrospect (Demo)

Demo EP (2023)

1. But Once The Snow

2. For Those We Scream

3. you could try...

4. See You Soon

onewaymirror/Versera (2023)

1. onewaymirror - Pirate Songs/Milo Joins The Army

2. onewaymirror - Frontlines: And The Stories I'll Take To My Grave

3. onewaymirror - Love Is All That Their Weary Hands Could Hold

4. onewaymirror - (Bonus Track) Feels Like A Change

5. Versera - Anakin vs Fogel

6. Versera - Yea Yea Whatever

7. Versera - How's Life In Oaxaca

8. Versera - Shirtless

A Tale Of Two Cities (2023)

1. Burial Etiquette - Hyperviolent Ballet

2. Burial Etiquette - Safe Haven

3. onewaymirror - As I Lay Dying

 4. onewaymirror - Forever Fell Short

onewaymirror (2023)

1. Rock Bottom Has A Basement

2. Better Read Than Dead

3. Biting The Hand That Feeds Me

4. Letters Write The Stories, Paper Sets The Stage

5. The People, The Internet

6. No I'm Not A Thief, I'm A Goddamn Minister!

7. If You're Me, Then Who's This Asshole?

8. There's Only Two Things Certain In Life, Death And Taxis?

Live Songs (2023)

1. Rock Bottom Has A Basement (10/7 at Back To The Grind Cafe)

2. Better Read Than Dead (10/13 at The Haven)

3. Biting The Hand That Feeds Me (8/11 at The Dogpark VFW)

4. Letters Write The Stories, Paper Sets The Stage (8/12 at M.O.M.S.)

5. The People, The Internet (10/7 at Back To The Grind Cafe)

6. No I'm Not A Thief, I'm A Goddamn Minister! (9/23 at The Eagle Rock Community Center)

7. If You're Me, Then Who's This Asshole? (10/13 at The Haven)

8. There's Only Two Things Certain In Life, Death And Taxis? (9/23 at The Eagle Rock Community Center)

onewaymirror/Gxllium (2024)

1. onewaymirror - Let's Make The Most Of This

2. onewaymirror - She's Only Yours For A Minute

3. Gxllium - Who Pooped?

4. Gxllium - If Hector Was  Beaver

5. Gxllium - The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs

Two Songs CD (2024)

1. Fendi "Fuck You" Glasses

2. Untitled

Everything Wants Me To Write In Cursive (2024)

1. Everything Wants Me To Write In Cursive

2. This Is My Way Of Saying Hello

3. Fourth Song

4. First Song

5. The Difference Between Said And Done

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Sinema

Sinema are a five-piece post-hardcore/screamo/emo band from Denton, Texas that formed in 2023. They've put out one EP, one split, and one album up to this point. I was recommended this band recently by Jack and wanted to thank him for that, because this is some fantastically eclectic stuff. Sonically, they're a seamless blend of influences, with vocals as stylistically disparate as clean, screamed, and growled; their heavy riffs chug out dissonance inflections, while the more melodic moments feature midwest emo arpeggios and even some post-rock elements. It's a throwback to the MySpace sounds of 20 years ago, but assimilated into something distinctly modern. I've find myself listening to this quite a bit lately, and they've quickly become one of the newer bands I'm most excited about, they're working with a unique energy here. Give them a try, After The Flatline is my personal favourite of theirs, as it leans towards the more emocore side of their sound, but the album and split are worth a shot as well. Take this with a grain of salt, but if you're into bands including Alexisonfire, You And I, Thursday, and Saosin, check this out. Enjoy.

After The Flatline (2023)

1. Stutter

2. ...And You Already Forgot

3. Hard To Get By

4. Speak Your Mind

5. I Can't See Through The Mirror

Consider It Your Fault (2024)

1. Sinema - The House Always Wins

2. XheartworksX - Oh, Gone From Me

Fear Of The Fall (2024)

1. 01

2. On A Broken Edge

3. Tears On The Moon

4. 02

5. Weather To Believe

6. Don't Just Stand There

7. I Hold On Twice

8. At Least, Be Human

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She Died Real Pretty

She Died Real Pretty were a five-piece screamo/emoviolence band from Derry, New Hampshire that were around from 2005 to 2006. They only put one EP, which came with a bonus CD-R that consisted of demos, both of which are included separately below. They almost released a split with iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook, which you can read more about a find a rip of over at This Endless Breath. Sonically, they played the kind of frantic and throat-scorching screamo that will appeal to fans of bands like Orchid and Usurp Synapse. Since they disbanded, one of their guitarists has remained active, going on to play in Alessa and New Forms. There was also renewed interest in this band last year, when their track "Industry Sets In" was prominently included as a sample on Don Toliver's "Tore Up". Enjoy.

Carpe Diem Is Dead (2006)

1. Can Your Mother Sew?

2. Nails, Get The Nails

3. Death Of A Modern Eden

4. Donny Moore Vs the Timberlane Superfan

5. Requested Anethesia

Fucking Dead (2006)

1. Never Again In The World

2. Industry Sets In (Original Cut)

3. Donny Moore Vs the Timerlane Superfan (demo)

4. Requested Anethesia (demo)

5. Nails, Get The Nails (demo)

6. Nails, Get The Nails (recroded at Rj's)

7. They Never Warned Us About the Robots

8. Nocture (Original Cut)

9. Industry Sets In (recorded at Rj's)

10. Nocture (recorded at Rj's)

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Friends Unseen

Friends Unseen were a five-piece emo/indie band from Umeå, Sweden that released a single two-song 7" in 1998 via Subjugation Records. Other than that what's included with this record, there's really no other information out there on them. One of their members was also in Separation and The International (Noise) Conspiracy, but those are far cries from the sound heard here. These two tracks are slightly overdriven, lo-fi and melancholic, with impeccable vocals. You guys are going to love this, that's all I have to say to implore you to give this a listen. Enjoy.

The Usual Dilemma / Drowning Act (1998)

1. The Usual Dilemma

2. Drowning Act