The Banner

The Banner are a five-piece hardcore band from Bloomfield, New Jersey that formed in 1999. Over the course of full-lengths and a few EP's and splits, the band have evolved a ton sonically, all while being one of the most consistent and perhaps even underappreciated hardcore acts of the past two decades or so. They've got an affinity for the macabre, which comes across in their lyrics and visuals. That darker sensibility makes this perfect for some colder-weather listening. 

If you're looking for a starting point, Each Breath Haunted is quintessential mid-2000's melodic hardcore listening, akin to bands like American Nightmare or Blacklisted. Its follow-up, Frailty is arguably their best, with a much heavier, almost hellish quality to it. Greying and the split with Old Wounds takes that metalcore sound and descends a step further into despair by incorporating elements of black metal. Whatever your poison may be, these are three incredible albums perfect for this time of year. I can't speak much on their earlier stuff as I'm not too familiar with it, but it's all here in all its glory if you're interested. Enjoy.

Posthumous (2003)

1. Outgunned

2. Rattlesnakes

3. The Screaming

4. Marked For Life

5. Trial By Fire

Your Murder Mixtape (2003)

1. Zombie Onslaught

2. Skies Go Black

3. Sometimes They Come Back

4. Die Fighting

5. Apocalypse

6. I Found Your Diary

7. Black Duct Tape

8. Red Devil

9. Night Of The Rope

10. September Song

11. Bloodlust (Ink & Dagger cover)

Dead Wrong Vs. The Banner (2004)

1. Dead Wrong - 8:46

2. Dead Wrong - Silent Screams

3. Dead Wrong - No Love

4. The Banner - No Surrender

5. The Banner - Black And Blue

6. The Banner - Sometimes They Come Back

Each Breath Haunted (2005)

1. Devilhawks

2. Venom And Hope

3. I'll Be Happy When You're Fucking Dead

4. An Allergy To Sun

5. Soverign Of The Black Pit

6. Black Hood

7. An Allergy To Silver

8. Hell On A Horse

9. Interlude

10. Muddweller

11. Coffin Nails

12. Tragedy

13. I Am Legend

Frailty (2008)

1. Welcome Fuckers

2. The Wolf

3. Leechbath

4. The Hellbound Heart

5. On Hooks

6. IWIWD

7. Sphrenia

8. Funerals

9. Dusk

10. I Am Legion

11. Ratflesh

12. The Father And The Wayward Son

Born To Ruin I: The Way Is Shut (2013)

1. Wolvesblood

2. Lilth

3. Negative Zone

4. Night (Zola Jesus cover)

Greying (2014)

1. The Dying Of The Light

2. Circle Of Salt

3. Crippling Despair

4. Sunlight

5. Unbaptized

6. A Quiet Corner

7. Send Me Down

8. VIII

9. She Upon The Black Wolf

10. Bones To Dust

11. Sunset

Only The Dead Know Jersey (2015)

1. The Banner - Witchburner

2. The Banner - Rat King

3. Old Wounds - The Secret Song At The Center Of The World

4. Old Wounds - It Can't Rain All The Time

Love Like Blood (2016)

1. Love Like Blood (Killing Joke cover)

2. Send Me Down (Heretics In The Lab Remix)

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