Fall Of Efrafa

Fall Of Efrafa were a five-piece post-metal/crust punk band from Brighton, England that were active from 2005 to 2009. In that time, they released a trilogy of albums all based around Richard Adam's 1972 novel Watership Down. Thus, not only are these concept albums, but this is a concept band. They use the novel's concepts and mythos to explore the cyclical rise and relationship of theocracy, dictatorship, and oppression in humanity, to give you a very basic overview of the band's themes. Lyrically, they aren't directly narrative and only use the novel as a point of reference, so it's not necessary to be familiar with, but it does enhance your experience. This is especially true in the case of the Lapine words, which is a language invented by the author and used by the rabbits in the book. There's an incredible animated film from 1978 based on the novel that may or may not be available in full on YouTube, which is worth your time to watch if you haven't read or don't plan or reading the novel.

The primary trilogy consists of three albums: Owsla, Elil, and Inlé were released over a four-year period and compiled in their entirety as The Warren Of Snares. Sonically, this band is very hard to pin down, but I'll give you a quick rundown of each entry. Owsla is the most bombastic and crust-oriented, with heavy use of d-beat and harsh, guttural vocals. Elil is cinematic and tension-building, with extensive instrumental interludes taking influence from post-rock. They conjure up a dismal atmosphere reminiscent of the apocalyptic landscapes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Inlé takes influence from sludge and doom metal whilst still being melodic and forlorn, with the vocals being their most cathartic. Though they all do this, this album in particular blends the heavier moments with skeletal, atmospheric passages. It makes for a fantastic closer to this trilogy, only to reveal in its final seconds that it (spoiler) links back to the start of Owsla, repeating the endless cycle.

This band is incredible and one I've wanted to share for a long time, so I'm super happy they're finally making it on here. I highly recommend checking this band out, they present a plethora of sound that makes this body of work an epic, in the truest sense of the word. Enjoy.

Owsla (2006)

1. Intro

2. Pity The Weak

3. A Soul To Bare

4. Lament

5. Last But Not Least

6. The Fall Of Efrafa

Elil (2007)

1. Beyond The Veil

2. Dominion Theology

3. For El-Ahrairah To Cry

Down To Agony/Fall Of Efrafa (2007)

1. Down To Agony - Donde Arderemos

2. Down To Agony - Giran Las Saetas

3. Fall Of Efrafa - No Longer Human

Tharn (2008)

1. Dominion Theology

The Burial (2009)

1. The Burial

Inlé (2009)

1. Simulacrum

2. Fu Inlé

3. Republic Of Heaven

4. Woundwort

5. The Sky Suspended

6. The Warren Of Snares

The Warren Of Snares (2010)

Disc 1: Owsla

1. Pity The Weak

2. A Soul To Bear

3. Lament

4. Last But Not Least

5. The Fall Of Efrafa

Disc 2: Elil

6. Beyond The Veil

7. Dominion Theology

8. For El-Ahrairah To Cry

Disc 3: Tharn

9. Dominion Theology

Disc 4: Inlé

10. Simulacrum

11. Fu Inlé

12. Republic Of Heaven

13. The Burial

14. Woundwort

15. The Sky Suspended

16. The Warren Of Snares

Owslafa (2021)

1. Pity The Weak (Demo)

2. A Soul To Bear (Demo)

3. Last But Not Least (Demo)

4. The Fall Of Efrafa (Demo)

5. Simulacrum (Live)

6. Dominion Theology (Live)

7. The Burial (Live)

8. Last But Not Least (Live)

9. The Fall Of Efrafa (Live)

10. The Warren of Snares (Live)

Note: First demo and final live performance

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Svalbard

Svalbard are a four-piece post-hardcore/post-metal band from Bristol, England that began in 2011. Right from the get-go, I'll admit that I have slept on this band for far, far too long. They are a name I've seen pop up for ages, and for no good reason always put off checking them out. That has most definitely changed recently, and it's been a disservice to myself that I did not listen to this band sooner, as they check all the boxes of what I'm looking for in a sound-bending hardcore/metal band. I actually started with When I Die, Will I Get Better? as I recall seeing a ton of praise for that record last year, and absolutely fell in love with it. From there I went back to their first few EP's, and while they are vastly different from where the band would end up, are still incredibly solid efforts with a sound that is absolutely up my alley. Now in hindsight the many years of recommendations for this band make sense, as they encompass all things I love about extreme music. The honest, brutal aggression, the catharsis, the technical capabilities, the chemistry of a band to meld a vast array of sounds into a singular, tight unit, Svalbard does it all and does it well. From their hardcore/post-rock origins to their current (I guess you could call it "post-metal") sound, this band has not missed a beat in developing new, creative ways to play amongst each other while producing anthems and epics for us to experience.

I've said it before, but I hate making direct comparisons of one band to another (though I do it a lot), so don't take it necessarily as x sounds like y, rather; fans of y may also like x, if you know what I mean. Having said that, fans of Deafheaven, Oathbreaker, and Converge need to pay attention here, as this could easily be one of the most talented and definite hardcore acts to emerge out of recent years. I apologize profusely for putting this off for so long, and enjoy.

Svalbard (2012)

1. So Much For Meritocracy

2. The Damage Done

3. Anything Goes, Nothing Stays

Gone Tomorrow (2013)

1. Melting Hands

2. Never Look Back

3. Pick Up The Pieces

4. Leave It

Flightless Birds (2013)

1. Flightless Birds

2. For What It's Worth

Cover Buzz (2013)

1. Let It Die - War In The Head (7 Seconds cover)

2. Pariso - Straight Hypocrisy Images (Witch Cult/Weekend Nachos cover)

3. Svalbard - This Is The End (Victims cover)

4. Mine - Everybody Hates Me (Tear It Up cover)

Pariso/Svalbard (2014)

1. Pariso + Svalbard - Floating Anchors

2. Pariso - Howl of The Forest

3. Pariso - Underground Notes

4. Pariso - Helios, The Demise

5. Pariso - Delirium

6. Svalbard - Ripped Apart

7. Svalbard - Grayscale

8. Svalbard - Allure

9. Svalbard + Pariso - Faceless

One Day All This Will End (2015)

1. Perspective

2. Disparity

3. The Vanishing Point

4. Expect Equal Respect

5. Unrequited

6. The Damage Done

7. Unnatural Light

8. Lily

Discography 2012-2014 (2016)

1. Ripped Apart

2. Grayscale

3. Allure

4. Floating Anchors

5. Faceless

6. This Is The End

7. Flightless Birds

8. For What It's Worth

9. Melting Hands

10. Never Look Back

11. Pick Up The Pieces

12. Leave It

13. So Much For Meritocracy

14. The Damage Done

15. Anything Goes Nothing Stays

The Tidal Sleep/Svalbard (2017)

1. The Tidal Sleep - Are You OK?

2. Svalbard - Open The Cages

It's Hard To Have Hope (2018)

1. Unpaid Intern

2. Revenge Porn

3. Feminazi

4. Pro-Life

5. For The Sake Of The Breed

6. How Do We Stop It

7. Try Not To Die Until You're Dead

8. Iorek

When I Die, Will I Get Better? (2020)

1. Open Wound

2. Click Bait

3. Throw Your Heart Away

4. Listen To Someone

5. Silent Restraint

6. What Was She Wearing?

7. The Currency Of Beauty

8. Pearlescent

The Weight Of The Mask (2023)

1. Faking It

2. Eternal Spirits

3. Defiance

4. November

5. Lights Out

6. How To Swim Down

7. Be My Tomb

8. Pillar In The Sand

9. To Wilt Beneath The Weight

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Jazzbrunch

Jazzbrunch are a screamo/post-hardcore/post-metal band from Sweden that got started this year. This is a fantastic new project that features members of two other incredible bands, namely Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket and Totem Skin. They released their debut EP a while back, which features two sprawling compositions of dynamic exploration and intensity, courtesy of the screamo/post-hardcore influence that really cuts through.

"Idiocracy" is a dark, and hard-hitting introduction, which builds monuments to dark clouds amdist a flurry of drums, tremolo-picked guitars, reverb and distortion. The latter track, "An Invitation to an Enormous Disappointment" takes a slightly more melodic approach, but still thrashes through some heavy crescendos before the waves break for the mid-section of the track, which features sparse drumming, atmospheric guitar work, and gentle plucks of piano keys below an incredibly passionate vocal delivery. The song ends with an incredibly symphonic conclusion, which on one hand is a fantastic wrap-up to this EP, but on the other leaves you ready for way more material from these guys.

Fans of the aforementioned bands will undoubtedly love this, as it sounds like an amalgamation of the two, with the sounds of Envy and Suffocate For Fuck Sake thrown into the mix. Their self-titled debut EP is out now via Zegema Beach Records on 7", and is limited to 200 copies. Order info can be found below. Enjoy!

JAZZBRUNCH (2019)

1. Idiocracy

2. An Invitation to an Enormous Disappointment

Order the 7" here:

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Suffocate For Fuck Sake

Suffocate For Fuck Sake are a screamo/post-rock band from Sweden that's been around in some capacity since 2004. What they are best known for is their monumental 2008 LP Blazing Fires And Helicopters On The Front Page Of The Newspaper. There's A War Going On And I'm Marching In Heavy Boots.

In my opinion, this is one of the most screamo releases ever. There is so much to explore in this one album. For one, it's a concept album about a woman going through a series of mental breakdowns, and is eventually institutionalized. Instrumentally, the intensity of the narrative is explored through heavy climaxes and long build-ups, making for a truly immersive listening experience. In terms of comparisons, the screamo influence could be compared to bands like Louise Cyphre, City Of Caterpillar, or Envy. On the post-rock/metal aspect of things, bands like Isis, Mogwai, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor come to mind.

Years later, now in 2016, Suffocate For Fuck Sake have released the long-awaited follow-up to their debut opus. In My Blood picks up on a lot of where the band left off, with them continuing to construct these heavy-hitting titans of climaxes, and gorgeously crafted melodic softer parts. Like their first album, I can't recommend it enough. If you're a fan of expansive screamo and incredible musicianship, this band is an absolute essential. Enjoy.

Suffocate For Fuck Sake (2004)

1. Hospital / H / The Social Worker Dragon

2. Promenade

3. Le Gilet Fraternel

4. Lesra

Blazing Fires And Helicopters On The Frontpage Of The Newspaper. There's A War Going On And I'm Marching In Heavy Boots (2008)

1. Blue Lights And Sunshine

2. I Got Worried... I Was So Freaking Scared Of That Window, You Know

3. We Are Driving Through Darkness

4. Twentysix And Full Of Plans

5. A Japanese Flag

6. I Keep My Eyes On The Ground, Afraid Of Meeting Someone I Know

7. Empty

8. They Try To Cheer Me Up By Saying I Did Once Live A Functioning Life

In My Blood (2016)

1. Stina

2. I Am Your God

3. Sentence

4. Through The Gate

5. 33 Years Ago

6. Regrets

7. The Light

8. Carnage

9. Are You Happy With Your Life?

Fyra (2021)

1. From The Window

2. 15 Missed Calls

3. All Our Memories

4. Alone

5. The Surface

6. Hope

7. Cosmopol

8. Behind The Door

9. To Fall Apart

10. Here

11. Small Comments

12. Quiet

To Rest In The Trust, That Creates The World (2025)

1. To Rest In The Trust, That Creates The World

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Heaven In Her Arms

Heaven In Her Arms are a five-piece screamo/post-hardcore/post-rock band from Tokyo, Japan that formed in 2004. Two full-lengths and numerous splits and EP's later, Heaven In Her Arms are definitely one of the most notable Japanese hardcore bands. Perhaps the other one of most note is the one that everybody knows (and for good reason), Envy. HIHA and Envy are definitely quite similar, in more ways than just geographical location. They both craft immense songs that balance atmosphere with gripping intensity and emotional passion. There's definitely a very prominent post-rock influence, with tremolo-picked guitars, massive crescendos, and spoken monologues, but where they really peak is their dark and heavy climaxes, which are topped by some animalistic screaming. This band is highly recommended, especially if you're looking for more progressive and experimental screamo/post-rock. Pretty much all of their song and album titles were originally in Japanese, but most have English translations floating around the internet, which are below. So if you wanted the titles in Japanese, sorry about that. Thanks to the people that mentioned them in the cbox who reminded me of this amazing band, and enjoy.

Demo (2004)

1. Light To The Hope

2. Just To Find The Answer

3. Untitled

4. Owareta Kokoro

5. Bikasareta Omoi

Heaven In Her Arms (2006)

1. A Secret Signal... Here Is...

2. Akai Yume

3. Get Out!! (Live)

4. A Secret Signal... Here Is... (Remix)

5. Akai Yume (Remix)

Heaven In Her Arms/Tomato Steal (2006)

1. Tomato Steal - You Can't

2. Tomato Steal - Love O.G.R.2003

3. Tomato Steal - C.C.K.C.257

4. Heaven In Her Arms - Tessen to Kanaria

Koenji (2007)

1. Heaven In Her Arms - The Old World Is Behind Us & The Jailors Speak Of Freedom (Ampere cover)

2. Killie - Giugno (La Quiete cover)

Erosion Of The Black Speckle (2007)

1. Manifesto

2. Filled Up With A Bruise

3. Intersection Arrangement

4. Iron Wire And A Canary

5. A Sublingual Tablet

6. Correlative Sign

7. Get Out

8. The Balance Drowned In A White Rub

9. Partiality Of Luminosity Eight

10. Recursive Dependency

11. Red Dream

12. Erosion Of The Black Speckle

Duplex-Coated Obstruction (2009)

1. Wound Dehiscence

2. 39/40

3. Rusty Trace

4. Moon Get Distorted By Cornea

Paraselene (2010)

1. 46x

2. Anamnesis Of Critical

3. Morbidity Of White Pomegranate

4. Jade Vine

5. Echoic Cold Wrist

6. Halcyon

7. Butterfly In Right Helicoid

8. Veritas

Heaven In Her Arms/Aussitôt Mort (2011)

1. Aussitôt Mort - Une défaite à la piaule

2. Aussitôt Mort - Supraliminaire

3. Heaven In Her Arms - Lost Title/Inversion Operation

Heaven In Her Arms/Yumi (2012)

1. Heaven In Her Arms - White Night Recrystallization

2. Yumi - Empty Circle

Heaven In Her Arms/COHOL (2013)

1. Heaven In Her Arms - 黒い閃光

2. Heaven In Her Arms - 繭

3. Heaven In Her Arms - 終焉の眩しさ

4. COHOL - 不毛の地

5. COHOL - 木霊

6. COHOL - 疎外

白暈 / White Halo (2017)

1. 光芒の明時 / Ray of Light at Dusk

2. 月虹と深潭 / Abyss of the Moonbow

3. 赦された投身 / Forgivable Drown

4. 終焉の眩しさ / Glare of the End

5. 枷 / Chain With Fetters

6. 円環を綯う / Entangled Torus

7. 幻霧 / Turbid Fog

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Deafheaven

Deafheaven are a band from San Francisco, California, that formed in 2010. The band mainly consists of vocalist George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy, who formed the band and have been its sole constant members, though they do have a full current line-up formed. They're currently signed to Deathwish Records.

Deafheaven are a bit of a genre-bending band. They include elements of black metal, screamo, post-rock, shoegaze, and post-metal, which makes for a very unique and very interesting sound. They make excellent use of tremolo-picked guitars, blast beats, crescendos, and lengthy song structures to create a mass of sound to back George's passionate, scorching, vocal delivery. I suppose a point of discussion that often arises about these guys is how they, along with others (Liturgy seems to one of particular note), are part of this new wave/scene of American black metal that dismisses some traditional aspects of it in favour of a new, experimental aesthetic (though I guess this was more focused two years ago, around the time of Deafheaven's debut album and Liturgy's sophomore album). These guys are something people should definitely check out if they haven't already, so voila.

Demo (2010)

1. Libertine Dissolves

2. Bedrooms

3. Daedalus

4. Exit:Denied

Libertine Dissolves b/w Daedalus (2011)

1. Libertine Dissolves

2. Daedalus

Roads To Judah (2011)

1. Violet

2. Language Games

3. Unrequited

4. Tunnel Of Trees

DW Live Series 8: Live At The Blacktop (2011)

1. Violet (Intro)

2. Libertine Dissolves

3. Unrequited

4. Language Games

5. Exit:Denied

Deafheaven/Bosse-de-Nage (2012)

1. Deafheaven - Punk Rock/Cody (Mogwai covers)

2. Bosse-de-Nage - A Mimesis Of Purpose

Sunbather (2013)

1. Dream House

2. Irresistible

3. Sunbather

4. Please Remember

5. Vertigo

6. Windows

7. The Pecan Tree

From The Kettle Onto The Coil (2014)

1. From The Kettle Onto The Coil

New Bermuda (2015)

1. Brought to the Water

2. Luna

3. Baby Blue

4. Come Back

5. Gifts For The Earth

Ordinary Corrupt Human Love (2018)

1. You Without End

2. Honeycomb

3. Canary Yellow

4. Near

5. Glint

6. Night People

7. Worthless Animal

Black Brick (2019)

1. Black Brick

10 Years Gone (Live) (2020)

1. From The Kettle Onto The Coil (Live)

2. Daedalus (Live)

3. Vertigo (Live)

4. Language Games (Live)

5. Glint (Live)

6. Baby Blue (Live)

7. The Pecan Tree (Live)

8. Dream House (Live)

Infinite Granite (2021)

1. Shellstar

2. In Blur

3. Great Mass of Color

4. Neptune Raining Diamonds

5. Lament For Wasps

6. Villain

7. The Gnashing

8. Other Language

9. Mombasa

Lonely People With Power (2025)

1. Incidental I

2. Doberman

3. Magnolia

4. The Garden Route

5. Heathen

6. Amethyst

7. Incidental II (feat. Jae Matthews)

8. Revelator

9. Body Behavior

10. Incidental III (feat. Paul Banks)

11. Winona

12. The Marvelous Orange Tree

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