Dispensing Of False Halos

Dispensing Of False Halos were a five-piece screamo band from Des Moines, Iowa that were active from 2001 to 2003. This project was formed by members of In Loving Memory and Eclipse Of Eden. They released one full-length, alongside a demo, EP and split with Calling Gina Clark. Most of their output not included on their sole album was compiled a year after they broke up and released as Growing Up, Giving In (which is what's included here). The band's dynamic fold incorporats heavy, dissonant, metallic riffs, shrill screams and noodling clean arpeggios. Though not necessarily comparable, if you're into Textbook Traitors, Forcefedglasss, or The Apoplexy Twist Orchestra, this might be up your alley. Enjoy.

With Prayers And A Scalpel (2003)

1. With Prayers And A Scalpel

2. Here's A Noose

3. All It Would Take

4. Choking Back Your Future Regrets

5. Now Repeat

6. Detesting Your Lies

7. Snap Shot Memories

8. It Was Always Said

9. Teeth On Asphalt

Growing Up, Giving In (2004)

1. If I Was Erased

2. Most Fragile Days

3. The Final Day

4. Saving Me, From Me

5. It Does Not Not Hurt

6. Which Way To Transparent Blue

7. Dale Earnhardt Song

8. It Does Not Not Hurt (demo)

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Closet Witch

Closet Witch are a four-piece grindcore/mathcore band from southeast Iowa that formed in 2014. They got their start by releasing a pair of self-recorded EPs, and have since continued with a steady stream of releases, all containing their distinct blend of abrasive, chaotic grind and raw, and visceral energy and emotion. Their sole LP, 2018's self-titled album is a must-listen for fans of the more chaotic side of aggressive music, it's tangibly explosive output from a band that's made a known for themselves being high-impact. They released a full discography as well a few years back (that included everything released up until then), so if you don't want to go through each release, that's your best bet. Enjoy.

Demo (2014)

1. Great River Medical Center

2. Secane

Ergot (2015)

1. Great River Medical Center

2. Teen Rot

3. Once Desolate Now Omega

4. Hospital Violence

5. Gimme Gimme Gimme (Black Flag cover)

Black Salt (2015)

1. Black Salt

2. Ode To Queen Doris

3. Once Upon A Time

4. Secane

5. Love From,...

6. Territorial Pissings (Nirvana cover)

National Hero/Closet Witch (2015)

1. Closet Witch - Black Tongue

2. Closet Witch - Bug Bites

3. Closet Witch - Your Grace

4. National Hero - A Better Place

5. National Hero - Hort (Spazz cover)

Euth/Closet Witch (2016)

1. Euth - Violent Reprieve

2. Euth - Blind Rotters

3. Closet Witch - Funeral Regrets

4. Closet Witch - Civil Necessity

5. Closet Witch - Nekhbet

Cokburner (2017)

1. Cokburner

Closet Witch (2018)

1. Blood Orange

2. Moonstomp

3. Eyelids Of Horus

4. Brother

5. It Doesn't Feel Free

6. Rule By Bacon

7. Spell Of Giddiness

8. Wind Whispers

9. Your Grace

10. Daylillies

11. Personal Machu Picchu

12. Great River Medical Center

13. Lost And Unidentified

Neckbeard Deathcamp/Closet Witch/Racetraitor/Haggathorn (2020)

1. Neckbeard Deathcamp - Spit Shine

2. Neckbeard Deathcamp - Ok Boomer

3. Closet Witch - A Happy Kettle

4. Closet Witch - Ace of Cups

5. Closet Witch - Abstinence, But Not

6. Closet Witch - The Squash Rotting

7. Closet Witch - Solar Lullaby

8. Racetraitor - Part One: Sarcophagus

9. Racetraitor - Part Two: Subordinate

10. Racetraitor - Round Lake

11. Haggathorn - Awakening

Complete Discography (2020)

1. A Happy Kettle

2. Ace Of Cups

3. Abstinence, but Not

4. The Squash Rotting

5. Solar Lullaby

6. Arlington Cemetery (Demo)

7. Abstinence, But Not (Demo)

8. The Squash Rotting (Demo)

9. Blood Orange

10. Moonstomp

11. Eyelids Of Horus

12. Brother

13. It Doesn't Feel Free

14. Rule By Bacon

15. Spell Of Giddiness

16. Wind Whispers

17. Your Grace

18. Daylillies

19. Personal Machu Picchu

20. Great River Medical Center

21. Lost And Unidentified

22. Cokburner

23. It Doesn't Feel Free

24. Daylillies

25. Rule By Bacon

26. Funeral Regrets

27. Civil Necessity

28. Nekhbet

29. Black Tongue

30. Bug Bites

31. Your Grace

32. Black Salt

33. Ode To Queen Doris

34. Once Upon A Time

35. Secane

36. Love, From...

37. Territorial Pissings (Nirvana cover)

38. Great River Medical Center

39. Teen Rot

40. Once Desolate, Now Omega

41. Hospital Violence

42. Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie (Black Flag cover)

43. Great River Medical Center (Demo)

44. Secane (Demo)

Mellification (2021)

1. June 11th, 2006

2. Dogs Running

Chiaroscuro (2023)

1. Intro

2. Constantly Problematic

3. Haunting

4. and Releasing (feat. Frankie Furillo)

5. My Words Are Sacred (feat. Dylan Walker)

6. Infinite Imbalance (feat. Stu Clines)

7. You, Me And My Venus In Decay (feat. Dan Lee)

8. Side 1 Outro

9. Arlington Cemetery

10. Well Fed Machine

11. We Met On The Park Boundary Trail

12. Funeral Flowers

13. To The Cauldron (feat. Stu Clines)

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Sender Receiver

Sender Receiver are a four-piece grindcore band originally from Knoxville, Iowa that were around from 2006 to 2008. When they reformed in 2010, they had relocated to Detroit, Michigan. In their initial run, they released one EP, a split, and a sampler. There was word of new material being recorded after they reunited, but nothing ever came of it. Regardless, we're left with this minimal but noteworthy discography, with its crowning achivement being Plague Notes. It explores all the bombastic and chaotic aspects of extreme music that leaves a lasting impact in its 4 and half minute runtime, and doesn't need any more than that to do it. Highly recommended, enjoy!

Summer Sampler (2006)

1. The Human Torch Was Denied A Bank Loan

2. I Guess We Wont Starve As Long As We Have That Old Oak Tree

3. Shut Up, Incest Is Cute

Sender Receiver/The Muzzler (2007)

1. Sender Receiver - The Sudden Realization

2. Sender Receiver - Putting The Sensual Back In Non-Consensual

3. Sender Receiver - This Pillow Tastes Like I'm Choking

4. Sender Receiver - This Could Be The Very Reason Keith Richards Cannot Be Killed By Conventional Warfare

5. The Muzzler - The Loose Cannon

6. The Muzzler - Pass The Buck

Plague Notes (2007)

1. Putting The Sensual Back In Non-Consensual

2. This Pillow Tastes Like I'm Choking

3. The Ocean Is No Place For A Squirrel

4. The French Have To Unhinge Their Jaws To Express Emotion

5. This Could Be The Very Reason Keith Richards Cannot Be Killed By Conventional Warfare

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Ten Grand

Ten Grand were a four-piece post-hardcore/screamo band from Iowa City, Iowa that were around from 1998 to 2003. Up until 2001, they went by the name The Vidablue, until selling the rights to another band of the same name and changing theirs to Ten Grand. They were quite prolific in their time, releasing 3 LP's in 3 years, along with a slew of early material (some of which is included on the compilation What I Should Have Said Vol. 1) Unfortunately, the band came to a sudden end in 2003 with the death of their singer/guitarist Matt Davis. More info on the band can be found here if you're interested.

Sonically, the band played a spastic and frenzied version of hardcore that played with dissonance, dynamics, and insane rhythms. Instrumentally, they perfected the duel-guitar clash, and knocked out songs that keep you on edge while giving some dynamic breathing. Essentially, if you took the Dischord and Gravity Records rosters and threw them together, this is the sound you'd get. Enjoy.

Vida Blue (1999)

1. The Vidablue - What Difference Does It Make?

2. The Vidablue - Do Not Question Brain-O

3. The Vidablue - Midwinter

The Vidablue/Quatro (1999)

1. The Vidablue - Broken Jaw Factory

2. Quatro - Best Actor Award

3. Quatro - Slow Jammin' Earl

The Khayembii Communiqué/The Vidablue (2000)

1. The Khayembii Communiqué - The Des Moines Tapes

2. The Khayembii Communiqué - Better Times Are Left Dead

3. The Khayembii Communiqué - Lacking

4. The Khayembii Communiqué - The Death Of An Aspiring Icon

5. The Vidablue - Engine Down

6. The Vidablue - Me And Spike Lee

7. The Vidablue - The Dukes Are Trying To Corner The Market

8. The Vidablue - I Survived The Chair

What I Should Have Said Vol. 1 (2000)

1. The Vidablue - What Difference Does It Make?

2. The Vidablue - Do Not Question The Great Brain-O

3. The Vidablue - Midwinter

4. The Vidablue - The Detective

5. The Vidablue - Before The Action Commences

6. The Vidablue - Drop Dead

7. The Vidablue - Miette

8. The Vidablue - East Dearborn

9. The Vidablue - The City Sucks Tonight

10. The Vidablue - A Broken Jaw Factory

11. The Vidablue - '87 Yankees

12. The Vidablue - Industry

13. The Vidablue - Industry (Remix)

14. The Vidablue - So The Pitate Says

15. The Vidablue - Engine Down

16. The Vidablue - I Survived The Chair

17. The Vidablue - X 7

18. The Vidablue - I Claim This Land In The Name Of Taz

19. The Vidablue - Grave? Shovel! Let's Go.

20. The Vidablue - Bike Dance (No Scrubs)

Our Miracle Point Of Contact (2000)

1. The Vidablue - I Know It Works

2. The Vidablue - Making A Building

3. The Vidablue - I Claim This Land In The Name Of Taz

4. The Vidablue - Monocle

5. The Vidablue - Typhoid Mary

6. The Vidablue - Industry

7. The Vidablue - 1-2-3 Pregnant

8. The Vidablue - My Heart Goes Out To Me

9. The Vidablue - Three Cheers For Cause And Effect

10. The Vidablue - Why Am I Bleeding?

11. The Vidablue - H-E-Double Hockey Sticks

The Comprehensive List Of Everyone Who Has Ever Done Anything Wrong To Us (2002)

1. The Beginning

2. The Face I Make While You're Crying

3. Never Let Your Girlfriend Go Camping With That Guy She Met In Pottery Class

4. Grave? Shovel! Let's Go.

5. It's Not A Party Unless You're Doing It With Someone Else In The Bathroom

6. Thank You Ma'am, May I Have Several Thousand More?

7. Billy Ray Valentine, Capricorn

8. The Payload Theme Song

9. To The Library And Step On It

10. Bikedance (No Scrubs)

11. Ending

Note: Originally released in 2001 under The Vidablue name, reissued in 2002 under Ten Grand

Mike Lust/Ten Grand (2002)

1. Mike Lust - Coke Fader

2. Ten Grand - Sometimes You Say The Wrong Thing... When You're Stupid (Scary Movie 3)

This Is The Way To Rule (2002)

1. Hands Off The Merch

2. Wedding Song for Steve and Angie

3. R E S P E C T Me

4. Let's Wreck the Van

5. I Will Seriously Pay You to Shut Up

6. Scary Movie 4

7. Get Out Of My Dojo

8. This Isn't Heaven, This Sucks

9. Fuck You Guyses Teams

10. Now You Got What I Got

Song of Zarathustra

Song of Zarathustra were a screamo/hardcore band from Sioux City, Iowa that began in 1997 and broke up in early 2003. They also took a brief hiatus beginning in 1998 and ending in 2000. They were a fairly prolific band, with a discography spanning numerous releases, and still stand as a unique band in their hardcore/screamo hybrid sound. They brought the traits of the genre, including intensive vocals, mesh of dissonant and octave chords, dark bass lines and rolling, heavy drums to the table, but with an energy that's distinctly their own. Having said that, fans of bands such as Antioch Arrow and Swing Kids will probably hear some of Song of Zarathustra's influences seep through. The band also utilized an organ in some songs (moreso in their later releases, when they really came into their own sound), which brings a whole new element to the table not commonly heard in songs like these. On a side note, Tad Kubler was their guitarist for a while, who went on to play in The Hold Steady post-Song of Zarathustra. Enjoy.

Song Of Zarathustra (1997)

1. One Strike At Romance

2. Murder In La-Jolla

3. Save Our Ship

4. Science, Science

5. Ramirez-Lira

Song Of Zarathustra/Johnny Angel (1998)

1. Song Of Zarathustra - Recommend For Digestion

2. Song Of Zarathustra - Black And Blue Award

3. Johnny Angel - Mercks

4. Johnny Angel - Yearbook

Song Of Zarathustra Vs. Spread The Disease (1998)

1. Spread The Disease - Cyst Of The Unborn

2. Spread The Disease - Black Eyed

3. Song Of Zarathustra - Theme For Bastard Children

The Birth Of Tragedy (2000)

1. Intro

2. Mess Of Zero

3. With Hands That Bleed

4. The Great Longing

5. The Evening Beat

6. Deep Yellow And The Burning Red

7. The Birth Of Tragedy

8. Science, Science

9. Cry Of Distress

10. The Stillest Hour

11. Machinist Union

12. Outro

Bote des Zorns (2001)

1. Inaccurate Accuracy

2. Half Mass

3. Quantity At Hand

4. Messenger Of Heat

2 Song EP (2001)

1. A Poisonous Movement

2. Lude Boy

A View From High Tides (2002)

1. We Scholars

2. Shakes In Pain

3. Find A Grave

4. Pill Catcher

5. Half Mass

6. A Poisonous Movement

7. Inaccurate Accuracy

8. The Messenger Of Heat

9. Tame

10. Time Passing

Near And Far Vol. 2 (2003)

1. Racebannon - Waltz Of El Diablo, Part I

2. Racebannon - Satan's Kickin' Yr Dick In, Part IV

3. Racebannon - Waltz Of El Diablo, Part II

4. Racebannon - Satan's Kickin' Yr Dick In, Part V

5. Song Of Zarathustra - Establishing An Introduction, Part I

6. Song Of Zarathustra - All Cries Of Accidents, Part II

7. Song Of Zarathustra - A Plan To End All Plans, Part III

Stars Hollow

Stars Hollow is a fictional town in Connecticut three-piece emo/screamo/indie band from Ames, Iowa that formed in 2015. They play a brand of emo with bright, math-y guitar work and screamy, melancholic vocals. They're pretty comparable to early Tiny Moving Parts, with the fantastic songwriting to boot. Their most recent EP, Happy Again is one of my favourite emo releases in recent history. This thing is solid front to back, with some fantastic instrumental play and solid lyrics. Plus, I'm a sucker for conceptual track listings. Highly, highly recommended. Enjoy.

I'm Really Not That Upset About It (2016)

1. Embarrassed

2. Mattering

3. Cicada

4. Drinking Buddies

5. Cloud Envy

4-Way Split (2017)

1. Stars Hollow - Participation Award

2. Stars Hollow - Good For Nothing

3. Catholic Werewolves - Galesburg

4. Catholic Werewolves - The Kids

5. Internet Dating - Bottle Kids

6. Internet Dating - Jove

7. Employer - Mandatory Viewing

8. Employer - (R)

Happy Again (2018)

1. It's not that

2. you won't be happy again

3. ,

4. you just won't be the same

5. as you were before.

Tadpole (2019)

1. Tadpole

I Want To Live My Life (2021)

1. I Want To Live My Life

2. Stuck To You.

3. Until I Bleed Out.

4. Out The Sunroof.

5. With Weight.

6. ...

7. Through The Windshield

8. Beside You.

9. At The Bottom.

10. But Better.

In The Flower Bed (2024)

1. The Clothes I'll Be Buried In

2. Thorns

3. Acne Scars

4. Sickening

5. In The Flower Bed

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In Loving Memory

"What a loss to spend that much time with someone, only to find out that she's a stranger". Just like the endless supply of Eternal Sunshine quotes, there is no shortage of bands to commemorate today. Though skramz is for lovers, there is no happy here. Exactly four years ago today, this little tradition began, where each Valentine's Day a band is posted to sadgasm to. It started with The Saddest Landscape, then it was iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook, then You And I, then Love Lost But Not Forgotten, and this year (as you probably already guessed), it's In Loving Memory. We started from the bottom, and have continued to sink lower into a pit of self-imposed loneliness, depression and despair.

In Loving Memory was a six-piece screamo band from Des Moines, Iowa that lasted from 1998 to 2001. Though I usually like to give more background to a band, anything that needs to be said about them has already been documented to perfection in this blog post on Iowa Hardcore. It provides a full, detailed account of the band's members, history, and also includes links to their discography. I'm just going to touch upon their sound. The band played a frantic and frenzied form of hardcore/screamo that was influenced by all this genre's legends, including Saetia and Jeromes Dream. They also shared a guitarist with The Spirit Of Versailles, another classic band. They also had two vocalists providing dual male/female vocals, which was a major factor in this cathartic chaos that they created. Their lyrics were personal, albeit brief snippets of poetry that leave the listener to fill in the blanks with their own reflections.

 In Loving Memory's recorded output was very small, with only two splits and one full-length (titled As Years Pass And Feel Like Seconds) being put out, and one of those splits featured tracks also on the full-length. Those are available over at Iowa Hardcore, which is the blog link I provided earlier, so full credit where credit is due. What I have here is the proper release of their full discography, which was put out in 2012 by Init Records. These recordings have been remastered, so the quality's a lot better, and you can really hear the complete chaos this band had to offer. Keep this shit on repeat today, cry if you like, indulge in your lonely estate and just know by next year it won't get better. Happy V-Day. Enjoy.

A Discography (2012)

1. This Is Ours

2. Who You Enthrall

3. Moments Like These

4. Open The Door For Me

5. The Choice Has Always Been Yours

6. There's So Much To Say

7. I Burned It Down

8. Caught Up In The Most Simple Of Things

9. Remember

10. Tonight I Scream

11. Song #1

12. Song #2

13. Song #3

14. Song #4

A Gentler Sun (2023)

1. A Gentler Sun

2. Crawling To Falling

3. In My Name

4. Great Day That Dawns

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