Praise

Photo by: Farrah Skeiky

Praise are a five-piece melodic hardcore band from Baltimore, Maryland that formed in 2009. Thus far, they've released three full-lengths and a handful of EP's, mostly through React! Records and their latest LP through Revelation. I just have to say, I have been sorely missing on this band for years now. This is so up my alley that I'm kicking myself for not having checked them out sooner. In the most basic terms, they pay homage to the huge, bright distorted and chorus-laden work of Hüsker Dü with heavy influence from DC acts such as Embrace, Dag Nasty and One Last Wish that first incorporated melodic elements into hardcore. It's an incredible blend that still manages to sound truly modern, with some top-tier musicianship to boot. That's unsurprising, given that this band includes members of Turnstile, Angel Du$t, Mindset, Give, and a ton of other incredible projects. I cannot recommend this enough, I highly, highly suggest checking it out if you're as late to the punch on this as I am. Enjoy.

Growing. Changing. Healing. (2010)

1. Caught In A Cycle

2. I Believe

3. Peace Is The Solution

4. Healing

Two Songs (2011)

1. Afraid To Ask

2. Autumn

Lights Went Out (2014)

1. Accept

2.Safe Place

3. Lights Went Out

4. To Be Me

5. Reach Deep

6. Write It Down

7. Give Me The Pain

8. Afraid To Ask

9. Restless Minds

10. Weight

Leave It All Behind (2016)

1. Makes No Sense

2. Crash Into My Life

3. Settle Down

4. Leave It All Behind

5. Song For You

6. Walk To The Edge

7. We All Fall Down

America's Hardcore Volume 4 (2017)

3. Return To Life

All In A Dream (2022)

1. All In A Dream

2. Return To Life

3. Hotline To Memory

4. Suddenly Human

5. Peace Of Mine

6. Limited Sense Of Possibility

7. Eyes In The Dark

8. Life Unknown

9. Keep Hanging On

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Another Breath

Another Breath were a five-piece melodic hardcore band from Fulton, New York that were around from 2003 to 2011, with a one-off reunion show occurring in 2018. Across three releases (and a demo that I'm missing) the band brought vigor and earnestness to their tried-and-true sound, which incorporated anthemic vocals and an instrumental energy that makes it hard to sit still. If you're familiar with the melodic hardcore of the 2000's, this band will be undeniable to you. This may be way off, but they sort of sit somewhere between Kid Dynamite and American Nightmare. Not Now, Not Ever is my personal favourite from them, so that's probably the best jumping off point (literally and figuratively). Enjoy. 

Not Now, Not Ever (2004)

1. Racing A Fading Image

2. Token

3. Rotting

4. Clio

5. Passing The Torch

6. Surfacing

7. 17 Minutes

8. Truth In The Television

Mill City (2006)

1. Jailbreak

2. Marla

3. A Tragic Hero

4. Coward

5. Sincerity

6. I'm Pro-You-Shutting-The-Fuck-Up

7. Diesel And Gunpowder

8. Organized Crime

9. Spineless

10. Orange

11. Coming Home

12. Off With Your Head

13. Anchors

14. Walls Without Windows

15. Catharsis (The Conclusion)

The God Complex (2009)

1. No God

2. Sin Eater

3. Nausea

4. I Want To Live

5. The God Complex

6. Belly Of A Whale

7. Dogtown

8. Weight

9. Mayko

10. I Am The Messiah

11. Eleventh Hour

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Boxcutter

Boxcutter are a three-piece screamo band from Toronto, Ontario that formed in 2022. They put out their debut EP that same year. It's a raw recording in the best sense, capturing the band's cutting guitar and pounding rhythm section in its most organic essence. They often tread the light between melody and abrasion, with an insanely heartfelt vocal delivery and incredible lyrics to boot. It's an incredible document that I think captures the appeal of screamo, which is found in its vulnerability and kinetic energy. I don't know if that makes any sense, but this band is not to be missed and I highly recommend giving them a listen. Enjoy.

it's more like embracing (2022)

1. the surface of lake ontario lies below the bottom of lake erie

2. navier stokes would have a field day with this one

3. at 6:45am i saw your ghost by my bedroom window

4. quetiapine is a beautiful name for a girl

5. a girl is a knife

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Treehouse Of Horror

Treehouse Of Horror are a three-piece emo/screamo band from Toronto, Ontario that formed in 2021. Following a single demo, their debut EP came out in October of last year. This band plays an energetic style of twinkly emo, with tons of tight instrumental interplay amidst the expected clean noodley bits.  The dual vocals are also a major highlight as an additional dynamic layer, and as they often veer into screamo territory with some impassioned execution. It's a solid EP I'd definitely recommend checking out if you're a fan of bands like Grown Ups, Hightide Hotel, CSTVT, or Merchant Ships, and look forward to what this band does next. Enjoy.

See you next Tuesday - Demo (2021)

1. See you next Tuesday - Demo

Songs We Wrote (2022)

1. See You Next Tuesday

2. Catnip

3. Joan Of Arc

4. Sadgasm

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Constatine Sankathi

Constatine Sankathi were a four-piece screamo/hardcore band from Kalamazoo, Michigan that were active from 1994 to 1996. Their discography consisted of a split, two EP's and numerous compilation appearances (including two Food Not Bombs benefit comps). This was later all included in a single release that came out a few years after they broke up. It's not a word I like to throw around often, but "underrated" or at the very least "underappreciated" do come to mind when thinking of this band. Their limited output is absolutely fantastic, with a sound that could be gut-wrenching and chaotic in its climaxes and almost serene in its more melodic breaks, even incorporating some Indian Summer-esque guitar arpeggios. On top of all that, they would occassionally infuse brass instrumentation into the fold, and did so in an oddly fitting way. Highly recommended for fans of the underground emo/hardcore scene from the 90's in general, this will hit hard. Enjoy.

Bev. Clone/Constatine Sankathi (1995)

1. Bev. Clone - No Reason

2. Bev. Clone - Camp

3. Constatine Sankathi - Esoteric

4. Constatine Sankathi - Canoe

Who Killed The Killed Kid (1995)

1. I Am An Android

2. Husniyah

3. Thanks For The Candy

Baby Unicorn Tripped Over A Rock And Hurt Its Throat And Then Vomited (1996)

1. Listening Palms

2. Painting My Entire Body Black

3. Day

4. Rising Sun

Discography (1998)

1. Husniyah

2. I Am An Android

3. Esoteric

4. Canoe

5. Classical

6. Skies Are Home

7. Thanks For The Candy

8. In December

9. Listening Palms

10. Paint My Entire Body Black

11. Day

12. Rising Sun

13. Classical Part 2

14. Thanks For The Candy Again

15. Some Kind Of Wonderful

16. Cold Air Falls

17. Forget Everything I Told You

18. Fully

19. Husniyah

20. Waxing The Boat

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Ambassador 990

Ambassador 990 (sometimes written as Ambassador 9 Ninety) were a three-piece emo/hardcore band from Columbus, Ohio that were active around 1997 and 1998. They released an EP, split, and one LP in their short time together. Sonically, they played a dark, desperate offshoot of hardcore that incorporated frenzied octave chords, dissonance, and anxious rhythms, with wounded, howling vocals. They most likely took influences from bands such as Drive Like Jehu or Unwound, so if you're into that or bands like Shroomunion and Merel, this is a project that will definitely appeal to you. Enjoy.

Ambassador 990 7" (1997)

1. Serpentor

2. Marifold

3. Static

4. Frequency

Ambassador 990/The Makeshift Conquest (1997)

1. Ambassador 990 - Contour

2. Ambassador 990 - Foundry

3. The Makeshift Conquest - Take Over

Ambassador 990 (1998)

1. Dress Like Your Favorite Rockstar

2. Nothing in Return

3. Inner Circle And Circus

4. This Years Dedicated Sucker

5. The Artist Formerly Known As... "Good"

6. Pagan Love Song

7. Survey Says, You're A Dickhead

8. Ryan Stole My Girlfriend

9. Brainwashed At Birth

10. This Is The End

Please Inform The Captain This Is A Hijack

Please Inform The Captain This Is A Hijack were a six-piece post-hardcore band from California that were active from 2000 to 2003 (approximately, there's very little info on this band out there). They released a self-titled EP during their time together and posthumous LP a few years later. The most notable member of this band was Sarah Kirsch, who was active in a ton of other bands throughout the 90's including Fuel, Navio Forge, John Henry West, Bread And Circuits,  Pinhead Gunpowder, Torches To Rome, and many more. Though this project does take a lot of its cues from Dischord acts as the aforementioned also do, Please Inform The Captain This Is A Hijack really stands on its own. It's overtly political in its lyricism, and instrumentally its angular, aggressive, melodic, and experimental. The LP in particular makes heavy use of samples from various sources, making for this expansive, almost outlandish listen, not unlike The Shape Of Punk To Come. Going off that, I also wouldn't be surprised if this band also took heavy influence from Nation Of Ulysses. Highly recommended (particularly the EP), enjoy.

Please Inform The Captain This Is A Hijack (2003)

1. Your Good Thing Is About To End

2. Apocalypse Theme Park

3. Postcards From The Future

4. Robot Rampage In Luxury World

5. Ice Monkey

6. Transnational Vampire Killers

Defeat Or Humiliate The United States Of America (2006)

1. We Train These Robots

2. The Ants Will Eat Rome

3. The Molotov Cocktail Hour

4. Angry Sleepers (pt. 1)

5. Sooner Than You Think

6. Karma Collection Day

7. Waiting For The Snow

8. Defeat The Humiliate The United States Of America

9. In The Service Of The Capital

10. The Days Move Along With The Regularity

11. The Asymmetric Enemy

12. A Completely New Weapon

13. Party While You Can M.F.er

14. Who Are These Guys?

Norfair

Norfair are a four-piece screamo band from Grand Rapids, Michigan that formed in 2021 and put out their debut self-titled EP earlier this year,. It was primarily released as four tracks, but a deluxe/bonus track whatever the hell version you want to call it does exist with three additional songs I surmise were recorded prior to this EP. I have to say, this is the good shit right here. The Spirit Of Versailles and Jeromes Dream inspiration citations is evident right out the gate with the chaotic discordance and rumbling octave riffs. Adding to that are some of the most tormented and agonizing vocals I've heard in a while, particularly the howls on the back half of "Rowan Warber Was Killed By Big Pharma". 

The band takes a breather on the nervously tender clean guitar arpeggios of "Lying In A Stream Of Dead Light", which harken back to Indian Summer. They close out the EP with "Woosah!", the culmination of everything previously built up to it. The band also makes use of film samples on a number of cuts, notably Gummo and Donnie Darko (I'm not sure what the others are, but fucking fantastic choices on those two). I'm really digging this, it takes familiar sounds and delivers them with feverish execution. Obviously this is highly recommended, enjoy.

carter has a baggie full of drugs (2021)

1. carter has a baggie full of drugs

I Open My Card, and in it? A Death Threat (2022)

1. I Open My Card, and in it? A Death Threat

Norfair (2023)

1. Asan Song

2. Rowan Warber Was Killed By Big Pharma

3. Lying in a Stream of Dead Light

4. Woosah

Norfair (Bonus Tracks) (2023)

1. Asan Song

2. Rowan Warber Was Killed By Big Pharma

3. Lying in a Stream of Dead Light

4. Woosah

5. Carter Has A Baggie Full Of Drugs

6. Jenken

7. Put Your Dick Away, Walter 

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Saturdays At Your Place

Saturdays At Your Place are a three-piece emo/indie band from Kalamazoo, Michigan that got started in 2021. They released their debut full-length that same year, which was followed up earlier this year with an EP released via No Sleep Records. Always Cloudy is a collection of bangers from start to finish, and liking it this much was a genuine pleasant surprise for me. They bring an energy to each well-crafted track, utilizing poppy melodies and vocal harmonies, alongside some really fun guitar interplay that bounces between a twinkly styling and big, distorted chords. These aren't direct comparisons, but if you're into bands including Free Throw, Hot Mulligan, Arm's Length, Charmer, or Ben Quad, you will absolutely love this. Even if you're not familiar with those, I'd implore anyone interested in the poppier side of emo to give this a shot. Enjoy.

Something Worth Celebrating (2021)

1. First Of All

2. Mood Swings

3. Existential Shred

4. Coffee Cups

5. One Track Mind

6. Never Sweater

7. Desk Van

8. To The Moon

9. Getting Better

For Tortus (My Cat)

1. For Tortus (My Cat)

Always Cloudy (2023)

1. Future

2. Fetch

3. Tarot Cards

4. Hospital Bed

5. It's Always Cloud In Kalamazoo

6. Eat Me Alive

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Rika

Rika are a four-piece emo/indie band from Vienna, Austria that formed in 2009, debuting with a split with Everton. Since then, they put out a fantastic split with Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), an LP, and single, the latter three all through Count Your Lucky Stars. There were mentions of new material coming back in 2019, but unfortunately nothing has surfaced as of yet. It's honestly a travesty that it took so long to get to this band, as this some really solid stuff from the "revival" era or whatever of emo. Early on they show their roots in the usual suspects (Mineral, etc.) with bright guitars, slow-paced tracks, heartfelt lyrics, and winding song structures that often build into cathartic crescendos. By the time that their LP rolled out, they had extrpolated that sound to incorporate pianos, organs, and a healthy dose of reverb, adding a whole other layer to their still-melancholic sound. Enjoy.

Rika/Everton (2009)

1. Rika - Harbor

2. Rika - Cardboard City

3. Rika - Rosehip

4. Everton - Geneva

5. Everton - Bluebird

6. Everton - H'Punch

Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate)/Rika (2012)

1. Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) - We Were Not Small Or Great or Grown

2. Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) - It's A Fate We Can't Escape. Someday We Will All Pass Away.

3. Rika - Skutner

How To Draw A River, Step By Step (2013)

1. Restless

2. Port Dover

3. Mute

4. See-Through

5. Safety Points

6. Ultramarine Blue

7. October

8. Retrospect

9. Treasure

10. Departure

Tired Hands/Solace (2015)

1. Tired Hands

2. Solace

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