Snapcase

Snapcase are a five-piece straight edge hardcore band from Buffalo, New York that formed in 1991.

They originally began in 1989 under the name Solid State, before switching to the Snapcase moniker in 1991 after a number of line-up changes. Their line-up continued to be ever-changing in their early years, with the only constant member being Daryl Taberski, who originally played bass before taking over vocals in 1992. By 1993, their line-up had mostly solidified, with the only major change being the departure of long-time bassist Bob Whiteside in 1999, with Dustin Perry taking over as their bassist to this day. The band first broke up in 2005, playing a final show that featured almost all of its previous members. They reunited in 2007 for a few shows, and since 2010 have been playing shows sporadically.

They put out four studio albums in their initial run as a band, each with a noticeable progression in sound. Their debut, Lookinglasself is a raw offering of aggressive, metallic hardcore with heavy chugging riffs and the use of a phaser on some tracks, something they would continue to make great use of on subsequent releases. Along with Earth Crisis and Strife, two of the greatest bands of their era, they released the landmark live split The California Takeover in 1996. 24 years later, all three bands would return for it's follow-up on the aptly-titled The Return Of The California Takeover. To rewind a bit, Snapcase released their second album in 1997, Progression Through Unlearning. This is arguably their magnum opus, and for good reason. The band brought an unprecedented energy to this record, with great riffs that play off each other and Taberski's vocal delivery really coming in to its own. It features some of the band's best known songs, including "Caboose" and "Harrison Bergeron", and is probably the best starting point for new fans. Its follow-up came in early 2000, with Designs For Automotion. Though still in the realm of what they were doing on their previous record, they do come through with a slightly cleaner and more melodic sound (I use that word very loosely here). They also begin to introduce some post-hardcore influence, which would become very prevalent on their final album. 2002's End Transmission is a concept album revolving around an Orwellian dystopia. Sonically, it's a pretty major departure for the band, with sharp, angular riffs taking the place of the thick, chuggy ones, and effects-laden lead guitars coming to the forefront. The vocals take on a more sung-shouted sound compared to the previous scream-shouts, and influence from alt metal/post-hardcore bands like Quicksand or Deftones. The following year's Bright Flashes contained songs recorded during the End Transmission sessions, including a few covers. Snapcase are an insanely underrated band, who I cannot recommend enough and highly suggest checking out. When it came down to bands who had to be posted before we hit the 1000 mark, they were one of the bands at the top of the list. So, please do enjoy.

Snapcase (1991)

1. Break The Silence

2. The Voyage

3. Die Laughing

4. Undertow

Comatose (1992)

1. Comatose

2. Crown of Thorns

Lookinglasself (1993)

1. Drain Me / Filter

2. Incarnation

3. Deceived

4. Looking Glass Self

5. No Bridge

6. Covered

7. Another's Life

8. Fields Of Illusions

Steps (1995)

1. Cognition

2. Steps

3. Windows

4. Run And Fall

The California Takover... Live (1996)

1. Strife - To An End

2. Snapcase - Filter

3. Earth Crisis - Inherit The Wasteland

4. Snapcase - Windows

5. Earth Crisis - Ecocide

6. Strife - The Essence

7. Snapcase - Incarnation

8. Strife - Lift

9. Earth Crisis - Forced March

10. Snapcase - Steps

11. Strife - Calm The Fire

12. Earth Crisis - Firestorm

Progression Through Unlearning (1997)

1. Caboose

2. Guilty By Ignorance

3. Harrison Bergeron

4. Priceless

5. Zombie Prescription

6. Killing Yourself To Live

7. She Suffocates

8. Weak Tyrant

9. Vent

10. Breaking And Reaching

Violent World: A Tribute To The Misfits (1997)

Never Give In: A Tribute To Bad Brains (1999)

1. She (Misfits cover)

5. I (Bad Brains cover)

Note: Compilation tracks released separately, included in one demo

Snapcase Vs. BoySetsFire (1999)

1. Snapcase - Energy Dome

2. Snapcase - Truth Hits Everybody

3. Boysetsfire - Unspoken Request

4. Boysetsfire - Channel

Energy Dome (2000)

1. Energy Dome

2. Ambition Now

3. Bleeding Orange

Designs For Automotion (2000)

1. Target

2. Disconnector

3. Bleeding Orange

4. Typecast Modulator

5. Are You Tuned In?

6. Twentieth Nervous Breakdown

7. Energy Dome

8. Ambition Now

9. Break The Static

10. Blemish

11. Box Seat

End Transmission (2002)

1. Coagulate

2. Cadence

3. The Beat

4. Believe, Revolt

5. Ten A.M.

6. First Word

7. New Kata

8. A Syntehsis Of Classic Forms

9. Aperture

10. Exile Etiquette

11. Interrogation

12. Litmus Test

13. ID / Hindsight

Bright Flashes (2003)

1. Believe/Revolt (Relocation Blueprint)

2. Dress Rehearsal

3. Blacktop (Helmet cover)

4. Skeptic

5. Ten A.M. (Good Morning, Mr. Coelecanth)

6. New Academy

7. Mountain Song (Jane's Addiction cover)
8. Depth of Field

9. Freedom Of Choice (Devo cover)

10. Gates Of Steel (Devo cover)

11. Makeshift Tourniquet

12. Exile Etiquette (Only British People Can Fly)

The Return Of The California Takeover (2021)

1. Earth Crisis - Forged In The Flames

2. Earth Crisis - Constrict

3. Snapcase - Incarnation

4. Snapcase - Zombie Prescription

5. Strife - Waiting

6. Strife - Stand As One

7. Snapcase - Drain Me

8. Snapcase - Caboose

9. Strife - Lift

10. Strife - Force Of Change

11. Earth Crisis - To Ashes

12. Earth Crisis - Born From Pain

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