One Step Closer

One Step Closer are a five-piece hardcore band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that began in 2016. In the short span of time they've been around this band has evolved quite a bit. Beginning with a fairly rough, straight-forward hardcore demo, they gradually embraced more melodic elements through a series of EP's, all the while still maintaing the passion and desperation of any good hardcore band. This culminated in the release of their debut full-length, This Place You Know. Released in September of this year, these 10 tracks are absolutely crushing. They're pulling sounds from bands like Bane, Verse, or Have Heart and playing them under the influence of Sunny Day Real Estate, with some latter-era Title Fight thrown into the mix. A good comparison would be to the classic Turning Point (a band OSC fittingly cover), who moved in a similar trajectory, from traditional hardcore origins to emo and alternative influence, broadening their sound with dynamics, melody, and a wider emotional palette. That's not to say One Step Closer is just a hodge podge (can't believe I used that word) of sounds already heard, but that they're a well-crafted, extremely tight-knit group that's studied a litany of influence and blended them into something truly unique and hard-hitting, with incredible instrumentals and relatable lyrics to boot. This Place You Know was released by Run For Cover Records, and a description that came to mind when trying to explain this album was Run For Cover-core. If you're at all familiar with the label, this will make perfect sense to you, and should be incentive enough to check this out if you haven't already. This is a fantastic record from one of the best up-and-coming bands, so please do enjoy.

O.S.C. Demo (2016)

1. Speak Out

2. True And Fake

3. My Choice

4. Broken Ties

5. O.S.C.

One Step Closer (2017)

1. Sunset

2. Solitary

3. The Division

4. Introspect

5. Moving Forward

6. Blossom

Promo (2017)

1. Portrayal

2. Lifetime

3. Viewpoint

From Me To You (2019)

1. The Reach

2. Dusk

3. Day Dream

4. From Me To You

5. Portrayal

6. Imagination of Being

Promo 2020 (2020)

1. Lead To Gray

2. Broken (Turning Point cover)

This Place You Know (2021)

1. I Feel So

2. Lead To Gray

3. Leave Me Behind

4. Home For The Night

5. Pringle Street

6. Hereafter

7. Time Spent, Too Long

8. Autumn

9. Chrysanthemum

10. As The City Sleeps

Songs For The Willow (2023)

1. Dark Blue

2. Turn To Me

3. T.T.S.P.

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Run For Cover

Dead End Path

Dead End Path are a six-piece hardcore band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, that formed in 2009. They're a Triple B Records band, which should already give you a good indication as to their sound and contemporaries. They've got a hefty Discharge influence (not the d-beat part though), some very guttural vocals, and guitar breakdowns that just chug "mosh pit". Are you looking for music to wildly swing your limbs to? Here you go. That sounds sarcastic, but its not (for the most part). Dead End Path are a hardcore band, no bullshit in the mix. And that's got to be respected. Thanks to Jacob Shumaker for the help with this one, and enjoy.

Demo 2009 (2009)

1. Deliver Us...

2. Only Begotten Son

3. Day To Day

4. Turn Cold ft. Alex Russin

Death Walks Beside Us (2010)

1. Stay Up, Stay Alive

2. Ain't Hard To Tell

3. No Paradise

4. Born Into The Grace

5. Devil's Son

Blind Faith (2011)

1. Blind Faith

2. Never Had Heaven Ever

3. Requiem

4. End on End

5. Cathedral Bones

6. Death & Birth Of A Ghost

7. Unease

8. Between I & I

9. Skeleton Key To The Cemetery

10. Faith/Void

America's Hardcore Vol. 2 (2012)

13. Sistine Calling

Off The Board: A Studio 4 Family Compilation (2013)

16. Nowhere Together

Note: Full comp here

Seance & Other Songs (2014)

1. Seance

2. Procession Light

3. Misery Kids

4. Hymns & Psalms

5. Tunnel Dark

6. Aspirate About The Chapel

7. Six Or Seven Stitches

8. Loss

9. Glass Just Raining

10. Adorn

11. Through The Church Yard

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