Sophie's Floorboard: 2024

Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Thirdface

Thirdface are a four-piece hardcore band from Nashville, Tennessee that formed in 2018. They come through with raw, relentless blistering energy, with noisy, wiry guitars and rhythms that refuse to be pinned down. The vocals are absolutely scorching as well, with lyrical themes worth paying attention to. Their sound is this fantastic abrasion that feels like a culmination of disparate influences, which makes for something strangely unique but also distinct. Their debut LP Do It With a Smile was one of the strongest offerings of its year, and its recent follow-up Ministerial Cafeteria might even be a step up from it. If you're remotely interested in hardcore, this band absolutely has to be on your radar if they're not already. If you're still not sold, listen to "Villians!". Enjoy.

A Demonstration Of Righteous Aggression (2018)

1. Impetus

2. Gossip

3. Take It Back

4. No Relief

5. Fantasy

6. Local

Do It With A Smile (2021)

1. Customary

2. Local

3. Chosen

4. Grasping At The Root

5. Buck

6. Ally

7. Villains!

8. Legendary Suffering

9. No Requiem For The Wicked

10. Interlude

11. No Hope

12. No Relief

Ministerial Cafeteria (2024)

1. Mantras

2. Meander

3. Midian

4. Sour

5. Pure Touch

6. DOV

7. Bankroll

8. Stalkwalk

9. Beneviolent

10. Artifact Of Darkness

11. Trap Revealed

12. Purify

Rainmaker

Rainmaker are a four-piece screamo/post-hardcore band from Eslöv, Sweden that formed in 2012. Though not officially disbanded, they haven't been particularly active since 2018. Their discography is quite small, consisting of just a demo, a full-length (put out by Dog Knights Productions), and a split with the excellent Italian band Øjne. Sonically, they fuse the forlorn catharsis of screamo with the more hard-hitting and technical elements of post-hardcore, with passages indebted to post-rock (with guitars awash in reverb and delay). This band is incredibly dynamic, going through a litany of sound and emotion in the span of just 8 tracks on their LP, and a single fantastic contribution to their split. I wish we got more output from them because this is legitamately great stuff, but for now we're lucky to have just this. Enjoy.

One More Winter (2013)

1. Farewell Swallows (Demo Version)

2. An Unopened Letter (Demo Version)

Alienation (2013)

1. Abolish...

2. Still Waters Run Deep

3. Relinquish Your Grip On The Rope, You Won't Fall

4. Rather Die Young, Than Die Young At Heart

5. Farewell Swallows

6. Silence

7. Falling Off The Sky

8. ...Alienation

Rainmaker/Øjne (2015)

1. Rainmaker - Le Poids Des Ombres

2. Øjne - Da Qualche Parte, Nel Momento Giusto

Sunday, 17 November 2024

Crippling Alcoholism

Cripping Alcoholism are a five-piece noise rock/post-punk band from Boston, Massachusetts that have been around since at least 2022. They've released two full-lengths thus far, with their latest With Love From A Padded Room having really caught my attention. This is some good, unique stuff here. It's a reverbating echo chamber of despondency, its misery incarnate. These tracks wallow in cold synths, chorus-laden guitars, distant drums, and baritone vocals with lyrical subject matter that explores the trenches of addiction, self-hatred, organized religion, and vengeance. For as dark and gothic as they get, they still manage to work in surprisingly strong hooks (like on "Liquid Jesus" and "Fatherweight Kid"). It's one of the most intriguing albums I've heard this year, and worth checking out if you're a fan of bands as varied as Type O Negative, Swans, The Cure, Have a Nice Life, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and Chat Pile. Enjoy.

When The Drugs That Made You Sick Are The Drugs That Make You Better (2022)

1. Beloved

2. Sandpaper

3. Group Home

4. Slumber Party

5. Your Body As A Gulag

6. Trash Bride

7. Please Stop Hurting Me, I'll Tell You Anything

8. Hungry Time

With Love From A Padded Room (2024)

1. I'll Pay More If You Let Me Watch

2. Red Looks Good On Him

3. Lipstick With No Lips

4. Ottessa

5. Liquid Jesus

6. Evil Has A Babyface

7. Sav

8. Rough Sleepers

9. Featherweight Kid

10. Satan Is The One

11. Templeton

12. Mob Dad

Filth

Filth were a five-piece hardcore/crust punk band from the East Bay, California that formed in 1989 and disbanded in 1992, with reunion shows occurring in 2010. They released one EP and two splits, with the Blatz split later being re-released to include both bands full discographies. Thus, sometimes you'll see Destroy Everything as a compilation, but everything's included on their individual original releases here. Even with their minimal output Filth proved to be highly influential, with their throat-scorching vocals, brash dual guitars that occasionally slip into some semblanc of melody. Lyrically, they can be both life-affirming and vitroilic, calling out hypocrisies and injustices seen outwardly while on a quest of self-expression and individual freedom. You may incidentally already be familiar with one song of theirs, since pg.99 cover "The List" (originally included on their City Of Caterpillar split, though now often included on reissues of Document #8). Enjoy.

Live The Chaos (1990)

1. Today's Lesson

2. Lust For Glory

3. Hate

4. Freedom

Shit Split (1991)

A Touch Of Blatz

1. Blatz - Homemade Speed

2. Blatz - Lullaby

3. Blatz - Chuck

4. Blatz - Berkeley Is My Baby (And I Wanna Kill It)

5. Blatz - Cockroach Cafe

6. Blatz - California

7. Blatz - Dolly

8. Blatz - I Don't Care About You

9. Blatz - Fuk Shit Up

Destroy Everything

1. Filth - The List

2. Filth - You Are Right

3. Filth - Night Of Rage

4. Filth - Filth

5. Filth - Violence As A Solution

6 Filth - Scarred For Life

7. Filth - Banned From The Pubs

This Is Why We Are The Drunks (1992)

1. Submachine - Suicide Drive

2. Submachine - Laughing

3. Submachine - Beer Song

4. Filth - Buttshits

5. Filth - Dear Fuck

Saturday, 16 November 2024

King Slender

King Slender a four-piece screamo/post-hardcore band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that formed in 2016. Following a number of releases, their debut full-length finally came out in 2023. This is pretty fantastic stuff, with angular discordant guitars and lean octave chords pounded out with shimmers of melody cutting through the chaos. They've got a tangibly ripping energy and great production quality to boot as well. If you're a fan of bands inlcuding We Were Skeletons, The Saddest Landscape, or Portraits Of Past, this is definitely worth a listen. Enjoy.

Demo (2016)

1. Twelve

2. Snowball Wit

3. Drunk At The Water Park

King Slender (2017)

1. Bubble Buster (Tell Your Friends)

2. New Funeral

3. Gold Bags

4. Forever Circling

Steve Blank Has Come To Conquer Boulder (2018)

1. Steve Blank Has Come To Conquer Boulder

Brian Dailey's Olympic Karate (2019)

1. Honeycombers

2. Marifa Tomei

3. Stargate, DE

4. How Many Lizards You Got?

Gold Days (2023)

1. Clock Museum

2. Double Dribble

3. True Sin

4. Adult Water Ice

5. Half Priced

6. Stint

7. Adversarial

8. Crucible

9. Keys

Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Vs Self

Vs Self are a three-piece screamo/emo band from Apple Valley, California that formed in 2018. I know I'm late to the game with this band, since they've garnered a pretty strong following within the past few years. Their skeletal approach of drums, one guitar, and two vocals really works in their favour, as there's this melancholic, atmospheric spaciousness amidst the instrumental noodling that makes these songs stand out, with lyrics that really cut straight to the point. Their sadly relatable and anthemic, suited for both bedroom and live show scream-alongs. I'm sure most are at least tangentially aware of this band by now, but if not, enjoy.

Demo (2019)

1. Worthless

2. Leave Everything

3. Ti Esrever

4. Wake

Everything Seems Better Now (2020)

1. Homesick

2. Waves

3. Promise

4. Heartache

5. Leave Everything

6. Desert

7. Worthless

8. Yesterday by The Beatles: or Imagine by Yoko Ono as performed by John Lennon

9. Ti Esrever

10. Still

11. Wake

12. Mourn

Despair (2020)

1. Despair

Vs Self/Knumears (2022)

1. Vs Self - Maudlin

2. Vs Self - LJP.HTPaPSTLBM

3. Vs Self - Departures

4. Vs Self - Steep

5. Knumears - Harrison Bergeon Saved My Life

6. Knumears - I Love You Now I Love You Never

7. Knumears - Threehundredsxityfive days in a week

8. Knumears - Stuck At Sea With My Paddles On The Shore

Catalyst/Vs Self/Knumears/Party Hats (2024)

1. Catalyst - Yesterday's Apology

2. Knumears - No Count

3. Vs Self - Tide And Swell

4. Party Hats - Today's For Sale

Kittyhawk

Kittyhawk are a four-piece emo/indie band from Chicago, Illinois that were initially active from 2011 to 2016 before reuniting in 2019. This is another band that can be filed under "posts I thought I did years ago". Kittyhawk have released one EP, an LP and a handful of splits. A few years back, they released a compilation which includes all their recorded material (aside from their LP). Speaking of which, it was released by Count Your Lucky Stars, so if you're a fan of those shimmering clean guitar arpeggios, breathy poppy vocals, and dynamic build-ups, this is likely a band you're already familiar with. If not and you like Joie De Vivre, Dowsing, Dikembe, Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), you're going to love this. I haven't returned to them in a long time and it was a genuine joy to hear this album again. Enjoy.

Kittyhawk EP (2012)

1. The First One

2. Older/Wiser

3. Science Fiction

4. He Travels In A Suit

5. Partial Paradigm

Kittyhawk/Prawn/Droughts/Frameworks (2014)

1. Kittyhawk - Daily Dodger

2. Kittyhawk - Food Fight

3. Prawn - Nerves

4. Prawn - Laki

5. Droughts - Deaf Grin

6. Droughts - Financed Furniture

7. Frameworks - Presomnal

8. Frameworks - Preamble

Hello, Again (2014)

1. Contact

2. The Petravicz Estate

3. Sunny Day Renter's Insurance

4. Vaudeville

5. Jude II

6. Welcome Home

7. Self v. Former Self

8. Hans Christian Andersen

9. Zodiac

10. Seasonal Abjective Disorder

11. Better Homes

12. Better Gardens

13. Tourisme

Sundae Bloody Sundae (2014)

1. The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - Fat Heaven

2. Rozwell Kid - The Weather (Spirit Night)

3. Kittyhawk - Soft Serve

4. Two Knights - Benji's Cool Times Summer Jamz

Mikey's Favorite Songs (2021)

1. The First One

2. Older/Wiser

3. Science Fiction

4. He Travels In A Suit

5. Partial Paradigm

6. Silver Bells

7. The Green

8. The Rot

9. The Red

10. The Daily Dodger

11. Food Fight

12. Soft Serve

13. You Keep Me Hanging On

Edaline

Edaline were a four-piece emo/post-hardcore band from Santa Rosa, California that were around from 1996 to 1999. They released an EP, an LP, and a live album. Sonically, they incorporate dynamic vocals, cathartic climaxes, octave chords/mathy noodling guitars, prominent bass lines, and surprisingly technical drum work. It is what you'd expect out of a vastly underrated 90's emo band, but the tight musicianship and incorporation of almost jazzy elements and varied instrumentation (acoustic guitars, pianos, saxophones) do make them stand out. I hadn't heard of them until recently and they struck me as noteworthy, so give them a try if you've never heard of 'em. Their debut EP is probably your best bet as a starting point, but it's not like there's a ton of material here to work through. Enjoy.

Old City Scenes (1997)

1. Comastar

2. Elevator

3. This Ride

4. Vintage Postcards

5. Spring

6. Broken Ferris Wheel

I Wrote The Last Chapter For You (1999)

1. Andrea Gail

2. Crisis In Silence

3. Stranded

4. This Fabricated Town

5. Southern Pacific

6. Drain It (The End Result)

7. Crescent Moon Eyes

8. Thinking Of View

Live At The Bottom Of The Hill (1999)

1. Elevator

2. Southern Pacific

3. Andrea Gail

4. Stranded

5. Comastar

6. This Fabricated Town

7. Drain It (The End Result)

8. Broken Ferris Wheel

9. Comastar

10. Elevator

11. Spring

12. Vintage Postcards

13. Broken Ferris Wheel

14. The Fly Song

Note: Tracks 1-8 live songs, 9-14 are the Old City Scenes EP

Spotify

Apple Music

Falling Forward

Falling Forward were a five-piece emo/post-hardcore band from Louisville, Kentucky that were active from 1991 to 1995. They put out 3 EPs and one split, all of which were compiled and remastered last year, released as the anthology available below. This band is best known for basically being proto-Elliott, with three of their members going on to form that band when Falling Forward disbanded. There is a bit of a sonic throughline, though this is a lot punchier and scrappier than the more matured, airy sound of their later band. The melodic vocals are choruses are there, but with heavier, more hardcore-leaning guitars and pounding drums. Enjoy.

Let These Days Pass: The Complete Anthology 1991-1995 (2023)

1. Drought

2. Sire

3. Third Cross Salute

4. Character

5. Days On File

6. Lane

7. Intonation

8. Sigh

9. Silhouette

10. Natal

11. Wrap Around Suit

12. The Great Union Divide

13. Christensen Spring

14. Twenty-Nine Sixteen Magazine

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

Morning Dew

Morning Dew are a two-piece screamo/emo band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that formed in 2015. They've released two projects of raw, trebly, impassioned, and chaotically melodic skramz with fantastic dual vocals and self-effacing lyrics. If you're a fan of bands such as William Bonney, Innards, and Father Figure, this is for you. Enjoy.

Gulp (2017)

1. Let Me Know You're Alright

2. Tonight

3. Honestly Honesty Hurts

4. Quoting Oceans

5. We Will Meet Again, Lucifier

6. Tangelolo's

7. I Hop On Everything I Splash

8. Subclavian Notch

Pulp (2023)

1. Suture Kit

2. Poinsettia (You Haunt Me)

3. Our Cuts Speak So Loud

4. Like A Frog, I Wish I Could Croak

5. Sin

6. (D.R.E.A.M.) Death Rules Everything Around Me

7. The Geography Of Grief

Thursday, 24 October 2024

This Machine Kills

This Machine Kills were a screamo band from Goleta, Santa Barbara, California that were active from approximately 1997 to 2003 (sources vary). They were pretty prolific in terms of releases, with an LP, EP, and multiple splits released over the span of just a few years. Most of you are probably familiar with this band due to their excellent three-way split with Raein and Yaphet Kotto (as well another split with Yaphet Kotto), but their LP Death In The Audoban Ballroom is also worth a listen, especially if you're a fan of In Love With Jetts/The Lady Is A Cat-era Antioch Arrow. And, I can't go without mentioning this, their vocalist was none other than Steve Aoki, better known now as an internationally recognized DJ. Before all that, he was active in the hardcore scene, fun little fact for ya there. I'm missing the Bury Me Standing and JR Ewing splits, so if you have those, let me know! Enjoy.