Gulch

Gulch are a five-piece hardcore band from Santa Cruz, California that have been around since at least 2016, thought its members have been active in tons of local bands prior. They came together to create some of the most unhinged and unpredictable hardcore in recent years, taking on a blend of metallic hardcore and death metal influence to create chaos in its purest form. Burning Desire To Draw Last Breath is a virtually perfect EP, and a good jumping off point to get into one of the most explosive bands around. From the looks of their live shows, they are front runners in setting the bar for hardcore this decade, so I am more than pumped to see what they do next. Enjoy.

Demolition Of Human Construct (2017)

1. Lie, Deny, Sanctify

2. Eco-terror

3. Monolith

Burning Desire To Draw Last Breath (2018)

1. Contemplate/Enact

2. Flesh Pursuit

3. Burning Desire To Draw Last Breath

4. R.S.A.

5. E.P.T.S.

6. Gruel For The Beast

2019 Promo (2019)

1. Cries of Pleasure, Heavenly Pain

2. Self-Inflicted Mental Terror

Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress (2020)

1. Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress

2. Cries Of Pleasure, Heavenly Pain

3. Self-Inflicted Mental Terror

4. Lie, Deny, Sanctify

5. Fucking Towards Salvation

6. All Falls Down The Well

7. Shallow Reflective Pools of Guilt

8. Sin In My Heart

Sunami/Gulch (2021)

1. Sunami - Step Up

2. Sunami - Die Slow

3. Gulch - Bolt Swallower

4. Gulch - Accelerator

Bandcamp

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

Amber Inn

Amber Inn were a four-piece emo/hardcore band from Sacramento, California that were around from 1994 to 1998. They were foundational in the dark and dynamic Dischord-influenced hardcore scene that's now better known as "emo". Taking their cues from Fugazi, and along with contemporaries Indian Summer, Amber Inn ripped through songs of octave-chord and dissonant messes, shouted vocals, heavy bass, tense rhythms, and the loud/quiet Slint sound. They were one of the earlier Ebullition Records bands, and one of the many flagship bands that label put out. Their sole LP, All Roads Lead Home is one of the greatest documents in 90's emo, and was later re-released to function as a discography album, including all their released material (which was mostly put out on 7"'s). Enjoy.

All Roads Lead Home (2000)

1. Leave With Dignity

2. Shouldering Reflex

3. A Thousand Spotlights

4. Sandpaper My Eyes

5. The Inherent Purity Of Rain In May

6. This Is Not An Entrance

7. Salvage Mission

8. The Sky Is Blue

9. Life Instantaneous

10. Through The Blinds

11. Out Like Irsay

12. Serenity In Hand

13. Wednesday Streak

14. Winter She Whispered

15. Hint Taken

16. Dead Calm

17. Martyr Complex

18. With Regrets

19. Flamingo Stance

Harrison Bergeron

"Come back and make up a goodbye at least, let's pretend we had one." Would the year be complete without a reminder of your inconsolable loneliness? Absolutely not, thus we end up back here on Valentine's Day with another lonely hearts club band. Since 2013, this dismal day has been spent with the screamiest of bands and Sunshine-iest of quotes to pour all your empty sorrows into. It's a day to reflect on the absolute nothingness that has continued to fester since all of this got started. This year's saddition is Harrion Bergeron, which I have sorely neglected in posting thus far, but thankfully "Darkness Washed Over The Dude" was meant to be this year's sadgasm anthem. I'll also include all previous entries in the comments if rock bottom wasn't low enough.

Harrison Bergeron were a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania screamo/emo band that were around from 2005 to 2006. They played a blend of classic screamo in the vein of Saetia and Neil Perry, with a hint of midwestern emo, making them semi-comparable to Make Me. They later went all-out in the emo vein, with members of Harrison Bergeron later playing in seminal bands Street Smart Cyclist and Boy Problems. Thought they never received tons of attention, their sole EP Dead Bergeron has been consistently passed around the webs of the internet, never letting it die out, and for good reason. This is a collection of fantastic tracks full of raw, unhinged goodness. I'm not even sure if it was ever officially released, but thankfully it's emerged more intact than your shattered heart, and meant to be played at full volume on this despised day. Just remember, things won't get better. Don't enjoy.

Dead Bergeron (2006)

1. Undead and Undone/To The Basement

2. Instrumental

3. Like Lightning, Six Billion Strong

4. Darkness Washed Over The Dude

5. Kick It To The Curb

6. Speak On It

The End Of The Century Party

The End Of The Century Party were a four-piece screamo/hardcore band from Tampa, Florida that began in 1993 and broke up in 1999. They released one LP and a handful of 7"'s, which is pretty standard for a band in the scene they were kicking around in (which is the same scene that birthed Palatka. They were one of the earliest examples of emoviolence, a sound blended hardcore (and what would later become "screamo") with powerviolence influences, making their songs incredibly short, sharp and spastic outings. All their material was compiled on a discography release in 2004, which is what's below. Enjoy.

Discography 1993 - 1999 (2004)

1. Isn't It Perfectly Fucking Delightful To Be So Goddamn Certain

2. Crash Course In Fatherhood

3. Ask My Exorcist Or School Psychiatrist

4. Become A Part, Come Apart

5. The Only Reason You Say You're A Vampire Is Because Werewolves And Frankenstein Don't Get Laid

6. Swear The Barrel

7. Devolution Defined

8. With Breakfast In The Morning

9. People Aint No Damn Good And Shit

10. Everything Stops

11. 102

12. Always On The Outskirts, Enthusiastically Missing The Point

13. Circles Gather

14. With No Regard

15. They Built A City Out Of Radish Dust

16. Knocked Into Place

17. Clean Shot

18. Filed

19. I'm Your Pusher

20. So Long

21. Hope Me Blind

22. Childhood Hopes (Of Self Defense)

23. Older Than Dead

24. Convenience Store Regular

25. Let Me Go

26. Only Attempt

27. Preserving Shit

28. Spermy

29. Centralized Knowledge

30. Numb

31. So Long (Demo)

32. Only Attempt (Demo)

33. Centralized Knowledge (Demo)

Home Is Where

Home Is Where are a four piece emo/indie band from Palm Coast, Florida that have been around since 2017. Above all, they a testimony to emo's constant relentless revitalization. This band takes its cues from early midwest/revival and skramz bands (with some notable The Brave Little Abacus influence) and blends it seamlessly with elements of folk (harmonica included). Their energy is fantastic, songwriting is top notch, and they bring a newness to a nostalgic familiarity that reminds you why you got into this genre in the first place. Thanks to Nick for introducing me to these guys, and enjoy.

alabama / henry (2017)

1. alabama / henry

our mouths to smile (2019)

1. alabama

2. venison

3. alsace-lorraine

4. dob bylan

5. cicada summer (we were on the roof when the ufo's came)

the scientific classification of stringrays (2020)

1. the scientific classification of stringrays

I Became Birds (2021)

1. L Ron Hubbard Was Way Cool

2. Long Distance Conjoined Twins

3. Sewn Together from the Membrane of the Great Sea Cucumber

4. The Scientific Classification of Stingrays

5. Assisted Harakiri

6. The Old Country

dissection lesson (2022)

1. Home Is Where - names

2. Home Is Where - creationish (feat. Pierce Jordan)

3. Record Setter - a world without you

4. Record Setter - plain english

The Whaler (2023)

1. Skin Meadow

2. Lily Pad Pupils

3. Yes! Yes! A Thousand Times Yes!

4. Waiting For Sport

5. Everydays Feel Like 9/11

6. 9/12

7. Daytona 500

8. Chris Farley

9. Nursing Home Riot

10. Floral Organs

Bandcamp

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Instagram

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

Bandcamp

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Breakwater

Breakwater were a four-piece hardcore/emo band from Vancouver, British Columbia that were around from 1994 to 1996. They utilized the loud/soft melodic/chaotic dynamic in the vein of Indian Summer (and originated with Slint), to give you an idea of the post-rock/hardcore blend they were working with. As expected, their discography is incredibly limited but overall very solid, with "Five" being a definite highlight. Enjoy.

Demo (1995)

1. Two

2. Four

3. One

4. Five

5. Seven

Five (1995)

1. Five

2. Seven

Closure/Breakwater (1996)

1. Closure - Servant To Silence

2. Closure - The Children's Crusade

3. Breakwater - Eleven

Compilation Songs

One

Twelve

Short Fictions

Short Fictions are a four-piece emo/indie/punk band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that began in 2015. This is admittedly an entire new band for me, as I just got done listening to their latest LP, Fates Worse Than Death and felt an immediate post on them was obligatory. This was an incredible listen that features this energetic, melodic noodly midwest emo sound with the expansive catchy epics of early TWIABP. Plus you've got some fantastic vocal layerings and screamy undertones to boot. They change it up enough to keep it engaging, with each song hitting as hard as the last, with some strong lyric/songwriting and impressive musicianship to boot. This is guaranteed to be getting a lot more listens, followed by the inevitable delving into their back catalogue. Fates Worse Than Death is available on their Bandcamp for only $1, so if you are able to send some love their way, please do. Enjoy.

Demo (2015)

1. the buick is a deathtrap

2. year of the boar

Lights Ascending Out of Gloom: a Collection of Short Fictions and Poetry (2016)

1. My Somber Vacation

2. The Buick is a Deathtrap

3. Abject of Your Affection

4. Year of the Boar

5. I'm Not Depressed

6. The Disappeared

7. Teeth Falling Out of Nightmares

The Heart Is A Kaleidoscope (2017)

1. Mercury

2. Ellen (a Song About a Book)

3. The Heart Never Stops Beating

4. I'm Not Depressed

5. against all this, Youth (Song for Matthew)

There's a Dark Shadow on the Flames of the Burning Sun Pt. I (2018)

1. I Hate Everything in My Life and I Never Won't

2. In an Airplane Crash at the Peak of Mount Kilimanjaro

Fates Worse Than Death (2019)

1. Fates Worse Than Death Pt I: I Don't Want to Wait Out the Apocalypse with Anyone but You

2. Fates Worse Than Death Pt II: Anthropocene

3. Cities Under Water

4. Nothingness Lies Coiled at the Heart of Being (It’s Such a Good Feeling)

5. Really Like You

6. I’m Proud to Know You, You Are Special (Goodbye, Ryan)

7. Living In Places Like These Can Be Bad For Your Health (Can’t Live Here Anymore)

8. Property of Pigeons

Every Moment Of Every Day (2022)

1. You Will Never Be The Best At Anything You Try (Surely Not)

2. Don't Start A Band

3. Forever Endeavor

4. Heather

5. The Great Unwashed

6. To Leave Forever Or Die Alone In South Oakland

7. Crushed Cigarettes (A Herculean Effort For Naught)

8. Don't Pinch Me I'm Dreaming

Oblivion Will Own Me and Death Alone Will Love Me (Void Filler) (2023)

1. Self Betterment in a Time of Loneliness

2. Reno Nevada, January 2020

3. I Cannot Possibly Perceive the Least Kinship Now Between the Dead Girl and Myself Which Makes Most of My Days Inevitably DrearyTYER

4. Wasting

5. I'm Going to Kill Myself with a Gun

6. To Loved Ones Lost in Pursuit of Foolish Passions

7. Max

8. Anymore

9. Oblivion Will Own Me and Death Alone Will Love Me

10. Pittsburgh (interlude)

11. (Don't Let Me) Love You

Bandcamp

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Glass Beach

Glass Beach are a four-piece band from Los Angeles, California that began in 2016. They released their debut LP last year on Run For Cover Records, which has sparked a ton of attention that continues to grow. They truly embody the "post-emo" tag, which (in this case) can be said to be some kind of  emo jazz synth pop punk hybrid. The band has crafted a seamlessly unique and innovative sound, taking a myriad of influences from unexpected places to create a strangely cohesive, catchy and creatively genre-bending albums in recent years. There's far too much to really delve into here, except that it's a highly recommended listen that I think a lot of people will find something to like in. Enjoy.

the first glass beach album (2019)

1. classic j dies and goes to hell, Pt. 1

2. bedroom community

3. (forever?????????)

4. bone skull

5. neon glow

6. cold weather

7. calico

8. glass beach

9. (blood rivers)

10. dallas

11. (rat castle)

12. planetarium

13. soft!!!!!!

14. yoshi's island

15. orchids

Bandcamp

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Run For Cover