Toru Okada

"Constantly talking isn't necessarily communicating". Once again, we descend into the depths of despair once a year, same time same place, on February 14th. As everything becomes lonelier, we pick one band to invest our woes in, and this year is a solid one. If you want more sad orchestras, all previously installments are listed at the end.

Toru Okada were a six-piece screamo band from Austin, Texas that were active from 2003 to 2006. They put out a self-titled full-length, two splits and a few demos. These early demos are what compromised 8 Songs, a compilation initially released in 2004 before being re-released in 2019. It was followed by 10 Songs, which contained the same tracks plus the two cuts off the Olive Tree split. I prefer the former version, which to me is their definitive release, so that's what's included here.

The influences often cited along with this band are I Hate Myself, Portrait, The Khayembii Communiqué, and The Spirit Of Versailles, which are apt points of reference, though they truly do stand on their own. They bring in a healthy dose of melodrama to their melancholic, arpeggiated clean guitars, with quick dynamic shifts breaking into cathartic climaxes on the brink of breaking chaos. The dual vocalists provide a whole other dynamic layer, often layering upon each other and varying between scream, sung, and quite often spoken. Lyrically, more often than not they are suited for the introspective melancholy of days like today.

As a fun side note on an unfun day, their guitarist and main songwriter from 2003 to 2004 was Alejandro Rose-Garcia. He's also an actor, appearing in a few episodes of Friday Night Lights (he's the Swede, for those who have seen it). He's ever better known now as the immensely talented one-man band Shakey Graves, which you're undoubtedly familiar with if you've ever perused the "Popular" section of Audiotree's Youtube channel. Nothing ever works out, it only gets worse, don't enjoy as you'll be back here this time next year.

Toru Okada/Die , Emperor, Die! (2003)

1. Toru Okadu - Our Great Cities

2. Die, Emperor, Die! - Dear Friend (Never Give Up)

Toru Okada (2004)

1. ...So He Could Hear His Footsteps

2. Shadowless Nights

3. Saccharine Leaves

4. A Graveled Street

5. Ruined Tongues

6. Kiss Me Through The Computer Screen

7. Lights Out

8. Emonologue

Toru Okada/Olive Tree (2005)

1. Toru Okada - Long Questions

2. Toru Okada - The Second Floor

3. Olive Tree - The Bird's Song

4. Olive Tree - The Lone Islands

8 Songs (2019)

1. Shadowless Nights

2. Fields Burned Golden

3. Ruined Tongues

4. Saccharine Leaves

5. Kiss Me Through The Computer Screen

6. A Graveled Street

7. So He Could Hear His Footsteps

8. Our Great  Cities

Bandcamp

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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

Silver Scooter

Silver Scooter were an emo/indie band from Austin, Texas that formed in 1995 and disbanded in 2001. For most of their duration they were active a three-piece, but added a second guitarist before their final album. They released three full-lengths, a few EP's, and two splits, one of which was with Cursive. This band brought a strong sense of pop sensibility to the their midwest emo-influenced sound, with clean, melancholic guitars, winding bass lines and loud/quiet dynamics. That vocals especially were very poppy with sticky sweet melodies. Songs like "Pumpkin Eyes" could have even been alt rock radio hits if given a bit more exposure. If you're looking for a place to start with this band, their earlier material leans a little more raw, which includes The Other Palm Springs and the Cursive split, my personal favourite releases by them. By the time you get The Blue Law, they had gravitated away from the distorted emo and leaned into a clean, reverby sound, with acoustic guitars and synths being incorporated in a borderline dream pop soundscape. Enjoy.

Cup And String (1996)

1. Cup And String

2. Whatever Happened To Me

Biting My Nails (1996)

1. Biting My Nails

2. Come Around

3. Returning

1353 (1996)

1. Ball Of Yarn

2. Long Fence

3. Allergic To Love (Eric's Trip cover)

The Other Palm Springs (1997)

1. Tractor Pull

2. Regret Sets In

3. Good Man Down

4. Riverbed

5. Catching Fish

6. Pumpkin Eyes

7. Beating

8. Long Fence

9. Clarkston, WA

10. Solid Glass

11. 10 PM On Saturday Night

12. Pretty When We Land

13. Brain & Heart

14. Intruder Inside

A Tribute To The Phone Calls (1998)

1. Tribute To The Phone Calls

2. In Between Days (The Cure cover)

Silver Scooter/Cursive (1998)

1. Silver Scooter - Sunlight

2. Silver Scooter - Bob's BBQ

3. Silver Scooter - D.

4. Silver Scooter - Holding The Flare

5. Cursive - Returns And Exchange

6. Cursive - Pulse

7. Cursive - Tides Rush In

Tiara/Silver Scooter (1998)

1. Tiara - Swingset

2. Silver Scooter - Morning View

Orleans Parish (1999)

1. Tribute To The Phone Calls

2. Sleight Of Hand

3. Should've Stayed

4. Cancer & Wide-Eyed Looks

5. New Orleans

6. Deliver Me Driver

7. So Long

8. If Nonsense Only Knew

9. Sand Dollar Relief

10. Dinosaurs

11. Cup & String

12. Morning View

Goodbye EP (2000)

1. Goodbye

2. Amateur Actors

3. It's Not Real

4. Run (New Order cover)

The Blue Law (2001)

1. Goodbye

2. Blue Law

3. Albert Hall

4. The Long Way

5. Black Stars

6. Dirty Little Bar

7. Terrorism Lover

8. The Lonely Singer

9. Remembering

10. On The Mark

11. Voice Of Authority

12. Crash

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Scratch Acid

Scratch Acid were a four-piece noise rock/post-punk band from Austin, Texas that were initially around from 1982 to 1987. They released two EP's and one album of their distinct abrasive and wild sound, marked by sharp, distorted and dissonant guitars, with pulsing rhythms and vocal yowls. They've been incredibly influential in their own right, and along with bands such as Big Black and the Butthole Surfers, took the punk foundation and pushed its boundary with chaotic noise. Scratch Acid are also fairly known for its members, who would go on to be in a ton of major bands after. The most notable of these is The Jesus Lizard, whose line-up included half of Scratch Acid, as well as Rapeman and Ministry.

Touch And Go Records put out a compilation of all their recorded material in 1991. They are a quinessential Touch and Go band, despite only one of their original releases being put out by the label. I included both the compilation and individual releases below. Scratch Acid also reunited in 2006 and 2012 for live shows. Enjoy.

Scratch Acid (1984)

1. Cannibal

2. Greatest Gift

3. Monsters

4. Owner's Lament

5. She Said

6. Mess

7. El Espectro

8. Lay Screaming

Just Keep Eating (1986)

1. Crazy Dan

2. Eyeball

3. Big Bone Lick

4. Unlike A Bapist

5. Damned For All Time

6. Ain't That Love

7. [untitled]

8. Holes

9. Albino Slug

10. Spit A Kiss

11. Amicus

12. Cheese Plug

13. [untitled]

Berserker (1987)

1. Mary Had A Little Drug Problem

2. For Crying Out Loud

3. Moron's Moron

4. Skin Drips

5. This Is Bliss

6. Flying Houses

The Greatest Gift (1991)

1. Cannibal

2. Greatest Gift

3. Monsters

4. Owner's Lament

5. She Said

6. Mess

7. El Espectro

8. Lay Screaming

9. Crazy Dan

10. Eyeball

11. Big Bone Lick

12. Unlike A Bapist

13. Damned For All Time

14. Ain't That Love

15. [untitled]

16. Holes

17. Albino Slug

18. Spit A Kiss

19. Amicus

20. Cheese Plug

21. [untitled]

22. Mary Had A Little Drug Problem

23. For Crying Out Loud

24. Moron's Moron

25. Skin Drips

26. This Is Bliss

27. Flying Houses

28. The Scale Song

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Exhalants

Exhalants are a three-piece post-hardcore/noise rock band from Austin, Texas that have been around since 2017. Despite my infrequent post schedule these days, I wanted to quickly throw out a recommendation for one of the best albums I've heard in the past few months, which is none other than Atonement. This band embodies the space left by bands like Unwound and Drive Like Jehu, while continuing the lineage of Big Black to Whores. Toss in elements of Hoover, Slint and Unsane to round off the namedropping. I can't recommend this enough, as Atonement is an album that absolutely belongs to the year 2020, for better or worse.

Democore (2017)

1. Unshut

2. Cauterize

3. If Only

4. Ballot Regression

5. Red River Shoot Up

Exhalants (2018)

1. Latex

2. Cauterize

3. Ego Death

4. Public Display of Failure

5. False (St)art

6. If Only

7. Bow Yr Head

8. Unshut

9. Punishers

10. And I'll Take You To A Quiet Place

Pinko/Exhalants (2018)

1. Pinko - Hex The Body

2. Pinko - Roseom Rauderdam

3. Exhalants - Cowards

4. Exhalants - ADMF

Atonement (2020)

1. The Thorn You Carry In Yr Side

2. Bang

3. Passing Perceptions

4. Definitions

5. End Scenes

6. Richard

7. Crucifix

8. Blackened

9. Lake Song

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The High Cost Of Playing God

The High Cost Of Playing God are a four-piece metalcore band from Austin, Texas that have been around since at least 2019. They recently dropped a four-track EP with notable influence coming from early era Converge (as the band name would suggest). They pull off this sound flawlessly while keeping it fresh and avoid the trappings of direct derivativeness. Definitely recommend for fans of classic 90's metalcore. Enjoy!

The Leech (2019)

1. The Leech

The High Cost Of Playing God (2020)

1. Judge, Jury, Executioner

2. Sanity

3. Better Method

4. Release

Bandcamp

Glassing

Glassing are three-piece post-hardcore/post-rock/blackgaze band from Austin, Texas that have been around since 2015. They put out their most recent LP, Spotted Horse in May of last year, and this could very well been my most slept-on release of 2019. This album is immense, with so many sonic highs and lows with a seamless dynamic range. Influences come from all sorts of places, notably post-hardcore and black metal (particularly the tremolo picking and blast beats) for the more aggressive parts. They can just as easily take a melodic, atmospheric post-rock to the more ambient parts of songs and entire tracks. Take "A Good Death" as an example, with its slow build, ethereal shoegaze-esque vocals in the middle, and its finale of cathartic screaming and athletic drumming.

I'm not too sure what else to say except this band has blown me away with the clear musical inclination they show, and their ability to build epics through a litany of source material. Not to much the clear instrumental prowess and absolutely flooring vocal deliveries. This is blissful heaviness at its finest, and I only wish I had heard this sooner. Enjoy.

Light and Death (2017)

1. Life Wrecker

2. Human Height

3. Safe Hate

4. Jorogumo

5. Heavy Donor

6. Swathe And Spume

7. Berlunga

8. Memorial

Spotted Horse (2019)

1. When You Stare

2. Sleeper

3. Lobe

4. Coven

5. A Good Death

6. Bronze

7. Follow Through

8. Fatigue

9. Way Out

10. The Wound Is Where The Light Enters

Twin Dream (2021)

1. Spire

2. Burden

3. Absolute Virtue

4. Faint

5. Twin Dream

6. Godless Night

7. Doppler

8. Among the Stars

9. Where Everything Is Still

10. True North

11. At Long Last

Dire and Sulk (2022)

1. Dire

2. Sulk

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Portrayal Of Guilt

Portrayal Of Guilt are a four-piece hardcore/screamo band from Austin, Texas that formed in a year I am unaware of, thought presume it was quite recent. Earlier this year, they put out their debut EP with the help of Deathwish, which is an absolute must-listen. They blend the dark, aggressive sensibilities of blackened hardcore with the chaotic catharsis of bands like pg.99. These three tracks are incredible, and Portrayal Of Guilt are definitely a band to look out for, because I'm sure they're going to be making some waves. They're also on tour now, so check their dates to see if they're passing thru yr hood. I can't recommend this enough. Enjoy.

S/T (2017)

1. Humanity Is Frail

2. The One

3. Mourning Ahead

Spiritual Cramp (2017)

1. Spiritual Cramp (Christian Death cover)

Portrayal Of Guilt/Street Sects (2018)

1. Portrayal Of Guilt - The Nihilist

2. Street Sects - In Contempt

Chamber Of Misery (Pt. I) (2018)

1. Chamber Of Misery (Pt. I)

Let Pain Be Your Guide (2018)

1. Daymore

2. Among Friends

3. A Burden

4. Let Pain Be Your Guide

5. Your War

6. Chamber of Misery (Pt. II)

7. Life Holds Nothing

8. The Hunger

9. Death Is Gentle

10. Until We're Dust

Suffering Is A Gift (2019)

1. Self-Inflicted

2. Scarcity

3. Dissolution

4. Moral Decay

5. A Futile Light

6. Merciless

Portrayal of Guilt/Soft Kill (2019)

1. Portrayal of Guilt - Sacrificial Rite

2. Soft Kill - Tin Foil Drip

Portrayal Of Guilt/Slow Fire Pistol (2020)

1. Portrayal Of Guilt - The End Of Man Will Bring Peace To This Earth

2. Slow Fire Pistol - Heart Of Discernment

We Are Always Alone (2021)

1. The Second Coming

2. Anesthetized

3. A Tempting Pain

4. It's Already Over

5. Masochistic Oath

6. They Want Us All To Suffer

7. Garden Of Despair

8. My Immolation

9. We Are Always Alone

Portrayal Of Guilt/Chat Pile (2021)

1. Portrayal Of Guilt - Touched By An Angel

2. Chat Pile - Brutal Truth

CHRISTFUCKER (2021)

1. Intro To CHRISTFUCKER

2. The Sixth Circle

3. Sadist

4. Fall From Grace

5. Dirge

6. Bed Of Ash

7. The Crucifixion

8. Master/Slave

9. ...where the suffering never ends

10. Possession

Devil Music (2023)

1. One Last Taste Of Heaven

2. Untitled

3. Burning Hand

4. Where Angels Come To Die

5. Devil Music

6. I (One Last Of Heaven)

7. II (Untitled)

8. III (Burning Hand)

9. IV (Where Angels Come To Die)

10. V (Devil Music)

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Pop Unknown

Pop Unknown are a five-piece emo/indie band from Austin, Texas that were originally around from 1999 to 2002, though they have played reunion shows in 2009 and 2014. Notably, their original drummer was Gabe Wiley formed Mineral, who started this band just after their initial break-up. However, Pop Unknown made a name for themselves, putting out some fantastic music of their own, mostly through Deep Elm Records. They expanded on the underground "emo" sound that had evolved through the 90's, and added in some progressive punk influence of their own. This band has been getting a ton of requests, so I figured I'd finally throw them on here. Keep in mind there are some splits, compilation tracks, and a demo missing, but both full-lengths and their EP are here, as well as one compilation appearance (which is beyond amazing, I might add). Enjoy.

The Emo Diaries - Chapter 2: A Million Miles Away (1998)

1. Writing It Down For You

Summer Season Kills (1999)

1. Follow You

2. This Guy's Ready For Bed

3. Your Own Personal Wedding

4. Ink & Paper

5. Tipping The Scale

If Arsenic Fails, Try Algebra (1999)

1. Head In The Sand

2. Half Of Ninety

3. An Offering

4. Last To Know

5. Lonely Here With Me

6. Tattoo Your Image (On The World)

7. Fallen Star

8. Hanging On A Thread

9. Perfect In Venice

10. Oh Hay

11. Forward Rewind

The August Division (2002)

1. Another Holiday

2. The Invisible Complex

3. As God And Everest

4. Hydroplane

5. Whatnot

6. B-Sides

7. Morphine

8. Contact

9. The Next Big Thing

10. In Spite Of

11. Still In Monochrome

12. Outro

Writing It Down For You EP (2003)

1. That Was Then

2. First Crush Untitled Track

3. Alexander Supertramp

4. Sunday Gone

Note: Thanks to Michael. Misc. tracks from various releases