Gorilla Biscuits

Does this band really need much of an introduction? Gorilla Biscuits are without a doubt one of the most influential hardcore bands ever, no debate. Hailing from New York City, they formed in 1987 and called it quits in 1991. In that time, their classic (and only) LP Start Today was released, which is a necessary listen for fans of melodic hardcore. That LP, only with their self-titled EP is really where their legacy lies. I can't really say anything else about them except "essential".

Members of Gorilla Biscuits were also active in a bunch of other classic bands, such as Youth Of Today, Project X, Warzone, CIV, Rival Schools, and Quicksand. Gorilla Biscuits have reunited a few times since their initial run. First off for a one-off show in 1997, and then in 2005 for a more formal reunion. They've been playing shows since then, and even released a new 7" in 2006 that was sold on tour containing new recorded material. Though their output is relatively small, their influence is immense, and they've garnered a legacy that won't soon be forgotten. So, do enjoy the classic Gorilla Biscuits.

Demo (1987)

1. No Reason Why

2. Big Mouth

3. Better Than You

4. Gorilla Biscuits

5. Do It Yourself

6. Finish What You Started

Gorilla Biscuits (1988)

1. High Hopes

2. Big Mouth

3. No Reason Why

4. GM2

5. Hold Your Ground

6. Breaking Free

7. Finish What You Started

8. Sitting Around At Home

9. Biscuit Power

10. Short End Of The Stick

11. Hold Your Ground 1

12. GM2 1

Start Today (1989)

1. New Direction

2. Stand Still

3. Degradation

4. Good Intentions

5. Forgotten

6. Things We Say

7. Start Today

8. Two Sides

9. First Failure

10. Competition

11. Time Flies

12. Cats And Dogs

13. Sitting Around At Home

14. Biscuit Power

Having A Great Time... Wish You Were Here (1991)

1. New Direction

2. Cats And Dogs

3. GM2

4. Hold Your Ground

5. Competition

6. Distance

7. High Hopes

8. Sitting Around At Hope

9. Big Mouth

10. New Song

11. Degradation

12. Things We Say

13. Better Than You

14. Start Today

15. Biscuit Power

16. Forgotten

17. Cowboy Song

18. Should I Stay...

Reunion Tour 7" (2006)

1. At The Matinee

2. Knee Deep In The Ocean Of Hate

Side By Side

Side By Side were a five-piece New York hardcore band that were only around between 1987 and 1988. They're often associated with bands like Youth Of Today and Gorilla Biscuits, since they share members. Along with the aforementioned, Side By Side were integral in developing the NYHC sound and Youth Crew movement. However, their recorded output was minimal relative to the others. In their time as a band, they only released one 7" and made two compilation appearances. The 7", You're Only Young Once... was released in 1988, and was one of the first albums put out by Revelation Records. It's an absolute classic, and a definite must-listen for fans of second-wave NYHC. It was reissued in 1997, which also included their compilation tracks, demo, and some live material. That's the version I have here, with the first seven tracks being the original EP. Enjoy.

You're Only Young Once... (1997)

1. Backfire

2. My Life To Live

3. Living A Lie

4. Look Back

5. You're Only Young Once

6. Friends

7. Side By Side

8. Dead Serious

9. The Time Is Now

10. Living A Lie

11. Side By Side

12. Violence To Fade

13. You're Only Young Once

14. My Life To Live

15. Dead Serious

16. So Fucking Blind

17. Violence To Fade

18. So Fucking Blind

19. Fuck Your Attitude (Warzone cover)

20. Good Clean Fun

21. Sick of Things The Way They Are

22. Side By Side

Gospel

Gospel were a four-piece post-hardcore/screamo/progressive band from New York that were around from 2004 to 2006, and briefly reunited in 2009. Their sole LP, The Moon is a Dead World is an absolute classic. The band are incredibly forward-thinking that features a lot of angular guitar work and progressive rock influence, as well as displaying some jaw-dropping musicianship (those drums, holy hell). I think it puts Gospel right up there with other greats such as Circle Takes The Square or Off Minor.

Unfortunately, they didn't last long after the release of their debut. They were in the process of another album, though they broke up before any actual recording could be done. However, there is a live recording of The Magic Volume of Dark Matter, which consists of material that may have made it to their next LP. Another shot at a follow-up came when they reunited in 2009. This time, two songs actually did end up getting recorded (I only have one of these though). Regardless, this was the end of Gospel, at least for now. Enjoy.

Gospel/Kodan Armada (2004)

1. Gospel - Congratulations... You've Hit Bottom!

2. Gospel - Ghost & Gun

3. Gospel - What Means Of Witchery

4. Kodan Armada - Coppers!

5. Kodan Armada - Death Wears A Necktie

6. Kodan Armada - Say Something

Lived Cassette (2004)

1. Opium

2. Paper Tiger

3. Yr Electric Surge Is Sweet

4. Ghost N' Gun

5. And Redemption Fills The Emptiest Of Hearts

The Moon is a Dead World (2005)

1. Congratulations... You've Hit Bottom!

2. Yr Electric Surge is Sweet

3. A Golden Dawn

4. Paper Tiger

5. And Redemption Fills the Emptiest of Hearts

6. Opium

7. What Means of Witchery

8. As Far as You Can Throw Me

The Magic Volume Of Dark Matter (2006)

1. The Magic Volume Of Dark Matter

Tango (2010)

1. Tango

1905

1905 were a four-piece screamo/hardcore band from Washington, D.C. that were around from 2000 to 2005. The band only released one album, Voice, though it has held up for years after. They utilize dual male/female vocals, much like a band like Circle Takes The Square. However, they aren't always just screamed. Sometimes they are sung in a borderline pop-ish fashion, and some songs are entirely sung and played on acoustic. The rest of their sound is what you'd expect from a D.C. hardcore band (intensive, abrasive, etc.), but it's those unique tinges that really make 1905 stand out. If nothing else, Voice is a very unique record, and I'd definitely recommend giving it a listen, just to see if it's something up your alley. Enjoy.

Demo (2002)

1. Voice

2. Side By Side

3. Control

4. Throw

Voice (2003)

1. Introduction

2. Control

3. Fall

4. Quote

5. Voice

6. Can't Change Everything

7. Side By Side

8. Missing

9. Go

10. Throw

11. You're Wrong

12. Silhouette

13. A Conversation

14. For Sale

Amanda Woodward/1905 (2004)

1. Amanda Woodward - A Fond De Cale

2. 1905 - Lingua Franca

Alpinist

Alpinist are a four-piece hardcore/crust punk band from Munster, Germany that formed in 2007. These guys play an incredibly dark and intense style of hardcore that borders on screamo territory at times. I don't know if they're still active, since they haven't put out any material in five years. However, their two LP's are absolutely killer. If that really is the end of Alpinist, they've left with a flawless discography. Plus, their members are now active in two of the best hardcore bands active today, which are Jungbluth and Svffer. Both of those bands are already up on the blog, so if you haven't heard them, definitely be sure to check them out as well. Enjoy.

Demo (2007)

1. Totgelaufen

2. Freighter

3. Freiheitszaeune

4. Listen!

5. Abgeschaltet

6. Old Habits Vs. Daily Struggle

7. 33-45

8. Eiche Rustikal

9. Despair

10. Restausverkauf

Alpinist/Finisterre (2008)

1. Alpinist - Wortlos

2. Alpinist - Kreise ziehen

3. Alpinist - Weisse Peder

4. Alpinist - Nachtlager

5. Finisterre - Casino aachen

6. Finisterre - Gruner + jahr

7. Finisterre - Asphalt

8. Finisterre - Depression

9. Finisterre - Ums ganze

10. Finisterre - Jijl

Minus.Mensch (2009)

1. Nighttime Poet Daytime Dead

2. Schalterhygiene

3. A is for Army of Slaves

4. Rost

5. 2te Klasse Bahnabteil

6. Amuse Yourself to Death

7. Delta Flood of Ignorance

8. The Charme of Dominating

9. From Groveling to Running in Less than A Second

10. This Song Will Not Save Your Life

11. Outro

Lichtlærm (2010)

1. Deliberate

2. Rogen

3. AIDT

4. Licht

5. Yarncarrier And Break

6. Neverest

7. Project Fatigue

8. The Cursed Word Open-Minded

9. Hak Nam

10. Lærm

Alpinist/Masakari (2011)

1. Alpinist - Abgerichtet

2. Alpinist - Subjection

3. Alpinist - Steps

4. Alpinist - Postmodern Problems

5. Alpinist - Unwanted Encore

6. Alpinist - Quelle Valeur Reste

7. Masakari - XVII. The Obscene Underbelly

8. Masakari - XIX. Void Manufacturing

9. Masakari - XVIII. Sleep

10. Masakari - XXII. Q. Culture? A. Resist

11. Masakari - XXIV. Trapped in the Mold

12. Masakari - XXI. Progress

13. Masakari - XXIII. Hexenhammer

14. Masakari - XX. Modulation

Bandcamp

True Love

True Love are a five-piece straight edge hardcore band from Detroit, Michigan that formed in 2013. These guys play a straight-up kickass style of hardcore that's quite reminiscent of American Nightmare. After two fantastic EP's a few years back, they've released their debut full-length on Bridge 9 this year. Grab everything below, this is high-energy hardcore at its finest. Enjoy.

A Floral Note (2013)

1. Intro/TLC

2. Midnight People

3. Out In The Streets Pt. 1

4. American Tears

5. Chained Melody

New Young Gods (2014)

1. Non Places

2. Long Lonely Time

3. Tomorrow Or After

4. A Wide Enough River

5. At The Top With All The Breaks

6. Night Shade

7. Those Days

8. A Serious Man

Heaven's Too Good For Us (2016)

1. Piece For A Piece

2. Your Side

3. Out In The Streets, Pt. 1

4. Kill For That

5. Midnight People

6. Young To Die

7. Where It Ends

8. Chained Melody

9. The One And Only

10. Out In The Streets, Pt. III

11. Meant To Take

12. Enouement

13. Stay True

The Pact (2018)

1. Outside Of Outsiders

2. Scene of The Crime

3. The Pact

4. Nothing Left

5. Change Or Die

6. The Other Way

7. Saudade

8. Care Of Cell

Homewrecker

Homewrecker are a five-piece hardcore band from Ashtabula, Ohio that formed in 2008. For the past few years, these guys have been killing it with one solid release after another. They play an intense, feedback-laden style of metallic hardcore with some thrash and grindcore influence thrown in the mix. They're an A389 band, so fans of bands associated with that label like Full of Hell or Young And In The Way should definitely take notice here. There's really not much else to say, if you want some kick-ass, heavy hardcore, it doesn't get much better than Homewrecker. Enjoy.

Portrait Of Nothing (2009)

1. Intro

2. Where You Stand

3. It Repeats

4. Forget

5. Bottom Of A Well

6. Gravedigger

7. Brain Biter

8. Portrait Of Nothing

9. Black Mud

Internal Morgue (2010)

1. Cemetery Man

2. Con Artist / Charlatan

3. Internal Morgue

4. Eyes of Anguish

The Love Below/Homewrecker (2011)

1. The Love Below - Uncomfortable

2. The Love Below - Rotten Fruit From A Shitty Tree

3. The Love Below - High Friends In Low Places

4. Homewrecker - Cemetery Man

5. Homewrecker - Internal Morgue

Worms & Dirt (2012)

1. Wreck

2. Worms & Dirt

3. Baseborn

4. Visions of Terror

5. Chained Hanged Victim

6. Pipe Dreams

7. Eyes Of Anguish

8. Charlatan

9. Beaten Freedom

Circle of Death (2014)

1. Forced Under

2. Circle Of Death

3. Born To Suffer

4. Illusions Of Peace

5. Authority Of The Mind

6. Skin The Pig

7. Punish The Ignorance

8. Silence The Weak

9. Unconscious

4-Way Split (2016)

1. Gatecreeper - Carved Into Stone

2. Homewrecker - Perpetrators Of Annihilation

3. Outer Heaven - Death Worship

4. Scorched - Autopsy Incomplete

Extinction By Design (2016)

1. Extinction By Design

2. Prophet Liar

3. Caged Existence

4. Path Of Terror

Hell Is Here Now (2018)

1. Burden of Self

2. One With Torment

3. Bound By Validation

4. Fade To Oblivion

5. Constant Eyes

6. Buried In Suffering

7. Land Of The Damned

8. Rope Of Skin

9. Growing From Nothing

10. Demons In Disguise

11. Final Rest

12. Perpetrators

Bandcamp

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Suffocate For Fuck Sake

Suffocate For Fuck Sake are a screamo/post-rock band from Sweden that's been around in some capacity since 2004. What they are best known for is their monumental 2008 LP Blazing Fires And Helicopters On The Front Page Of The Newspaper. There's A War Going On And I'm Marching In Heavy Boots.

In my opinion, this is one of the most screamo releases ever. There is so much to explore in this one album. For one, it's a concept album about a woman going through a series of mental breakdowns, and is eventually institutionalized. Instrumentally, the intensity of the narrative is explored through heavy climaxes and long build-ups, making for a truly immersive listening experience. In terms of comparisons, the screamo influence could be compared to bands like Louise Cyphre, City Of Caterpillar, or Envy. On the post-rock/metal aspect of things, bands like Isis, Mogwai, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor come to mind.

Years later, now in 2016, Suffocate For Fuck Sake have released the long-awaited follow-up to their debut opus. In My Blood picks up on a lot of where the band left off, with them continuing to construct these heavy-hitting titans of climaxes, and gorgeously crafted melodic softer parts. Like their first album, I can't recommend it enough. If you're a fan of expansive screamo and incredible musicianship, this band is an absolute essential. Enjoy.

Suffocate For Fuck Sake (2004)

1. Hospital / H / The Social Worker Dragon

2. Promenade

3. Le Gilet Fraternel

4. Lesra

Blazing Fires And Helicopters On The Frontpage Of The Newspaper. There's A War Going On And I'm Marching In Heavy Boots (2008)

1. Blue Lights And Sunshine

2. I Got Worried... I Was So Freaking Scared Of That Window, You Know

3. We Are Driving Through Darkness

4. Twentysix And Full Of Plans

5. A Japanese Flag

6. I Keep My Eyes On The Ground, Afraid Of Meeting Someone I Know

7. Empty

8. They Try To Cheer Me Up By Saying I Did Once Live A Functioning Life

In My Blood (2016)

1. Stina

2. I Am Your God

3. Sentence

4. Through The Gate

5. 33 Years Ago

6. Regrets

7. The Light

8. Carnage

9. Are You Happy With Your Life?

Bandcamp

iwontstopwonderinguntilyoustopbreathing

Yes, this could be the only band name that rivals iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook. This band, iwontstopwonderinguntilyoustopbreathing were a three-piece (sometimes two and even one-piece) screamo band from Lansing, Michigan. There is some clear Jeromes Dream worship (did the name not give it away?), which is an obvious indication of how good of a band this is. Unfortunately, their music is now nearly impossible to find. They put out a slew of cassettes at the beginning of the decade through Plastic Smile Records, which is unfortunately now defunct. Thus, a lot of their material is now not easily available. All I have is their self-titled EP (which is fantastic, by the way). I figured I'd share it here, and if anyone has anything else by them, it'd be amazing if you could send them my way. If not, please do enjoy their self-titled at least.

iwontstopwonderinguntilyoustopbreathing (2011)

1. Heavy Hearts

2. Smile

3. Untitled

4. As Pendulums Rest

5. Butterflies

6. Warmth

7. An Image

8. Universal

9. Angel

10. Black Sheep

11. Untitled

12. Heavy Hearts (Rehearsal)

13. Warmth (Rehearsal)

14, Separate Paths (Rehearsal)

15. As Pendulums Rest (Rehearsal)

16. Dead End (Rehearsal)

17. Untitled (Rehearsal)

Suffix

Suffix were a screamo band from Chicago, Illinois that were around between 2010 and 2011. I'm not sure if they started before or continued after that. They've got a really cool male-female vocal dynamic going on, with the two often alternating each line. Fans of modern "skramz" bands like Beau Navire and Innards will dig them. Their discography is incredibly limited, consisting pretty much only of one split and one EP. However, both are incredible and shouldn't be passed up. Also, members of Suffix went on to play in a bunch of other fantastic screamo bands, such as Itto, Lord Snow, and Coping. Enjoy.

No Matter How Fast We Run (2010)

1. Bannon's Fucking Dead

2. Dude, So Your Like Hebrew?

3. Brutal Knowledge

4. We're Nothing Without Our Hats

5. Nazi Zombies

6. Oh Hey Der Margie

7. The Suit You Live In

Suffix/Beau Navire (2011)

1. Suffix - Post-Rock Is For Lovers

2. Suffix - Get Pitted!

3. Beau Navire - Space Heaters

4. Beau Navire - Scattered Trails

5. Beau Navire - Sanctus Locus

Come At Me, Bro (2011)

1. Guys.... We're Gonna Need More Salsa

2. Gettin' Jangry

Bandcamp