Code Orange

Code Orange Kids (now known as just Code Orange) play a unique brand of sludgy hardcore, though you could use numerous labels to attempt to describe their sound. In terms of band comparisons, maybe Converge, Blacklisted, Cursed, and Punch, or something. Regardless. Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania, these guys have been taking the hardcore scene by storm. They're fresh out of high school, recently signed to Deathwish, and are currently touring with Defeater and Touché Amoré, to put things into perspective. All hype aside, you still have a fucking amazing band, regardless of any of that. They blew me away from the get-go. I saw this video last summer, and have been hooked ever since. They are easily one of the best bands around now (IMO), and easily one of the greatest live bands I've ever seen. Scratch all that other shit out on your bucket list, seeing them is priority. If they're in or around your area, I highly suggest you GO. And you know, buy shit as well. 

Below is their discography to date, from their first demo to their recently released split with another great band called Full of Hell. I think I read somewhere that they have an even earlier demo, but I still haven't been able to track it down, or confirm that it is even in the vein of this sound. Found it, and it's definitely them, just with a heavier punk influence. Apparently they genre-hopped for a while. They'll also be released a full-length later this year. AOTY? Possibly. Yes. Here's their discography as of now:

Tour Demo 2009 (2009)

1. Head High, Skull Thick

2. Starving Sisters

3. Defeated

4. I Am The Law

Demo 2010 (2010)

1. Coasts
2. Thrones
3. Skinless//Boneless
4. Violence
5. Low
6. Roots

Embrace Me//Erase Me CS (2011)

1. I (Foundations Stand Still)

2. II (Embrace Me)

3. III (Erase Me)

CYCLES (2011)

1. CYCLES (The Days Get Longer)

2. Walls (We Lose Each Other)

3. Salvage//Fold

4. Give (The Rats, They Want You)

     5. Take (The Soil Is Calling)

Full Of Hell//Code Orange Kids (2012)

1. Full Of Hell - Fox Womb

2. Full Of Hell - Damp Reeds In A River, Dry

3. IV (My Mind Is A Prison)

4. V (My Body Is A Well)

Covers Vol 2 (2012)

1. Web In Front (Archers Of Loaf cover)

Note: Covers comp put out by Casa de Diversion, remainder of comp can be found here

Love is Love // Return to Dust (2012)

1. Flowermouth (The Leech)

2. Around My Neck // On My Head

3. Sleep (I've Been Slipping)

4. Liars // Trudge

5. Colors (Into Nothing)

6. Nothing (The Rat)

7. Roots Are Certain // Sky Is Empty

8. Choices (Love is Love)

9. Calm //Breathe

10. Bloom (Return to Dust)

Tigers Jaw/The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die/Code Orange Kids/Self Defense Family (2013)

1. Tigers Jaw - Fake Death

2. The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - Beverly Wyatt

3. Code Orange Kids - VI (Worms Fear God // God Fears Youth)

4. Self Defense Family - Holy  Trend

I Am King (2014)

1. I Am King

2. Slowburn

3. Dreams In Inertia

4. Unclean Spirit

5. Alone in a Room

6. My World

7. Starve

8. Your Body Is Ready...

9. Thinners Of The Herd

10. Bind You

11. Mercy

Forever (2017)

1. Forever

2. Kill The Creator

3. Real

4. Bleeding In The Blur

5. The Mud

6. The New Reality

7. Spy

8. Ugly

9. No One Is Untouchable

10. Hurt Goes On

11. dream2

Only One Way (2018)

1. Only One Way

The Hurt Will Go On (2018)

1. 3 Knives

2. The Hunt (feat. Corey Taylor)

3. The Hurt Will Go On (Shade Remix)

Underneath (2020)

1. (deeperthanbefore)

2. Swallowing The Rabbit Whole

3. In Fear

4. You And You Alone

5. Who I Am

6. Cold.Metal.Place

7. Sulfur Surrounding

8. The Easy Way

9. Erasure Scan

10. Last Ones Left

11. Autumn And Carbine

12. Back Inside The Glass

13. A Sliver

14. Underneath

Under The Skin (2020)

1. bleeding in the blur (live)

2. who i am (live)

3. autumn + carbine (live)

4. (bugs)

5. ugly (live)

6. only one (live)

7. (quarantine)

8. down in a hole (live)

9. (peace)

10. dreams 1 + 2 (live)

11. (dr3am)

12. sulfur surrounding (live)

13. under the skin (live)

14. hurt3 (live)

The Above (2023)

1. Never Far Apart

2. Theatre Of Cruelty

3. Take Shape

4. The Mask of Sanity Slips

5. Mirror

6. A Drone Opting Out Of The Hive

7. I Fly

8. Splinter The Soul

9. The Game

10. Grooming My Replacement

11. Snapshot

12. Circle Through

13. But A Dream...

14. The Above

Website

La Dispute

Bear with me here, I've never done this before. What better way to start this then with the best band ever?

La Dispute are a five-piece "post-hardcore" band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, formed in 2004 but have only really been active since 2006. Common influence citations include mewithoutYou, At The Drive-in, and Saetia, as well as contemporaries Pianos Become The Teeth, Touché Amoré, etc. One can rant on for hours about their music, but I think it speaks for itself. Besides, does this band really need an introduction?

Though if you are new to this band, check out "Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair", "Searching For A Pulse/The Worth Of The World", and "Wildlife" first. Without further ado, I give you their discography (to date):

Vancouver (2006)

1. Future Wars
2. A Word Of Welcome And Warning
3. See You In Vancouver
4. To Withstand The Force Of Storms
5. He Is Here, He Is Not Afraid
6. The Surgeon And The Scientist
7. Fairmount
8. Untitled

Untitled 7" (2008)

1. Only Everything Below
2. Shall Never Lose Its Power

Hardcore, Punk, Etc. 2008 (2008)
14. Said The King To The River (Demo)

Here, Hear. (2008)

1. one
2. two
3. three
4. four

Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair (2008)

1. Such Small Hands
2. Said The King To The River
3. New Storms For Older Lovers
4. Damaged Goods
5. Fall Down, Never Get Back Up Again
6. Bury Your Flame
7. Last Blues For Bloody Knuckles
8. The Castle Builders
9. Andria
10. Then Again, Maybe You Were Right
11. Sad Prayers For Guilty Bodies
12. The Last Lost Continent
13. Nobody, Not Even The Rain

Here, Hear. II (2008)

1. five
2. six
3. seven
4. eight

Winter Tour Holiday CD-R (2008)

1. Twas The Night Before Christmas

2. First Snow In Silent Grand Rapids

Here, Hear. III (2009)

1. nine
2. ten
3. eleven
4. twelve

Searching For A Pulse/The Worth Of The World (2010)

1. Touché Amoré - I'll Get My Just Deserve
2. Touché Amoré - I'll Deserve Just That
3. La Dispute - How I Feel
4. La Dispute - Why It Scares Me

Never Come Undone (2011)

1. La Dispute - Sunday Morning, At A Funeral

2. Koji - Peacemaker

3. La Dispute - Last Blues

4. Koji - Biomusicology

Wildlife (2011)

1. a Departure

2. Harder Harmonies

3. St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Blues

4. Edit Your Hometown

5. a Letter

6. Safer In The Forest/Love Song For Poor Michigan

7. The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit

8. a Poem

9. King Park

10. Edward Benz, 27 Times

11. I See Everything

12. a Broken Jar

13. all our bruised bodies and the whole heart shrinks

14. You and I in Unison

Conversations (2012)

1. Interview

Note: This is an hour-long interview with Jordan discussing Wildlife backed by various recordings done by Chad (similar to the Here, Hear. series). This was included in a package they sold on the Wildlife tour with all the proceeds going to an organization called 826michigan.

Violitionist Sessions (2012)

1. a Departure

2. nine

3. a Broken Jar

Note: This is a live in-studio session they did back in April, but released in August. Additional information, videos, and an interview can be found here. The version of 'nine' on here is glorious.

Rooms Of The House (2014)

1. HUDSONVILLE MI 1956

2. First Reactions After Falling Through the Ice

3. Woman (in mirror)

4. SCENES FROM HIGHWAYS 1981-2009 - 2009

5. For Mayor in Splitsville

6. 35

7. Stay Happy There

8. THE CHILD WE LOST 1963

9. Woman (reading)

10. Extraordinary Dinner Party

11. Objects in Space

Maida Vale Session 2011 (2014)

1. a Departure (Live @ the BBC)

2. Sad Prayers for Guilty Bodies (Live @ the BBC)

3. Edit Your Hometown (Live @ the BBC)

4. Why It Scares Me (Live @ the BBC)

Maida Vale Session 2014 (2014)

1. Extraordinary Dinner Party (Live @ the BBC)

2. HUDSONVILLE, MI 1956 (Live @ the BBC)

3. First Reactions After Falling Through The Ice (Live @ the BBC)

4. Woman (in mirror) (Live @ the BBC)

Whatever Nevermind (2015)

6. Polly (Nirvana cover)

Note: Full comp here

Tiny Dots (2016)

1. A

2. B

3. C

4. D

5. E

6. G

7. a Departure

8. For Mayor in Splitsville

9. Woman (in Mirror)

10. St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Blues

11. a Broken Jar

12. Objects in Space

Thirteen (2016)

1. Thirteen

Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair (10th Anniversary) (2018)

1. Such Small Hands
2. Said The King To The River
3. New Storms For Older Lovers
4. Damaged Goods
5. Fall Down, Never Get Back Up Again
6. Bury Your Flame
7. Last Blues For Bloody Knuckles
8. The Castle Builders
9. Andria
10. Then Again, Maybe You Were Right
11. Sad Prayers For Guilty Bodies
12. The Last Lost Continent
13. Nobody, Not Even The Rain

Panorama (2019)

1. Rose Quartz

2. Fulton Street I

3. Fulton Street II

4. Rhodonite And Grief

5. Anxiety Panorama

6. In Northern Michigan

7. View From Our Bedroom Window

8. Footsteps At The Pond

9. There You Are (Hiding Place)

10. You Ascendant

Well, that was a much more infuriating and tedious endeavor than expected. These guys are an absolutely amazing band (as you know), so please support them as much as you can. Buy a record, go to a show, grab a shirt, whatever.

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If you like La Dispute, you might also like: Touché Amoré, Pianos Become The Teeth, Caravels, Balance And Composure, Title Fight, Native, Hot Cross