Farside

Farside were a four-piece punk/post-hardcore/emo band from Orange County, California that were around from 1989 to 2000. They released three full-lengths, two EP's, two demos (compiled as Scrap) and appeared on a handful of compilations. Trying to describe this band's sound is incredibly difficult, as they really don't fit into one category. The main takeaway is that they could write killer songs delivered with a ton of heart and energy, even with an ever-evolving sound. Sonically, they do owe some dues to bands like Hüsker Dü, who pioneered the catchy hooks, big, melodic chords, and an undeniable punk rock fervor. Toss that in blender with melodic hardcore influence from Descendents and Bad Religion, the early emo sound of Dag Nasty and Embrace, plus the off-kilter angularity of Quicksand and jangly full-chord sound of Big Star, and you're getting close what Farside did best. That's not to say they're just a slapped-together palate of sound, but a carefully studied band who bring in a slew of influence to make something bigger than the sum of its parts. It's rare to find a band where any album could be considered a classic (I'm partial to The Monroe Doctrine for its standout tracks, but Rigged as the most consistent). This band is incredibly underrated while having surprisingly wide appeal across a litany of genres and fanbases, so I do encourage anyone to check them out. Most of their releases (and all their full-lengths) were put out by Revelation Records. As a sidenote, as it inevitably comes up with this band, Zach de La Rocha was their guitarist for their second demo (Scrap tracks 6-10), though that doesn't outweigh the band's incredible legacy. Enjoy.

Keep My Soul Awake (1991)

1. Hero

2. Third Person Paranoia

3. Keep My Soul Awake

4. Boiling Over

Rochambeau (1992)

1. Worlds

2. Search For Ourselves

3. Rochambeau

4. Free Your Mind

5. Smarter Than Ever

6. Safe Or Sorry

7. Constant Reminder

8. Lost In Space

9. Nowhere Fast

10. Furute Days

Scrap (1994)

1. Duck And Cover

2. Search For Ourselves

3. Keep My Soul Awake

4. Take A Look

5. Payback

6. Future Days

7. Third Person Paranoia

8. Farside

9. Safe Or Sorry

10. Nowhere Fast

11. Sleepwalking

12, Smarter Than Ever

13. Hero (Acoustic)

Note: Compilation of first two demos

Rigged (1994)

1. Square One

2. Page

3. Nice

4. Buck

5. Audience

6. Gesture

7. Kill Me

8. Wait For Monday

9. Silver Anniversary

10. Someday Too Soon

Farside (1995)

1. 12/24/91

2. Lollapalooza

3. Turnip

4. Knox

5. Hardly Getting Over It (Hüsker Dü cover)

6. I'll Wait Today

Sense Field/Farside (1997)

1. Sense Field - Untitled

2. Farside - Save It For The Children

The Monroe Doctrine (1999)

1. Better Than Crying

2. I'm Not Shy, I Just Don't Like You

3. I Hope You're Unhappy

4. Seven-Day Constant

5. Statues Of Snow

6. My Man Harvey Milk

7. Moral Straightjacket

8. The Lonesome Ballad Of El Bobo The Cranky

9. Liz Hurley

10. The Fashionable Rebellion

11. Teach Me How To Die

12. Save It For The Children

13. Bled

14. This Pill Is Hard To Swallow

15. Too Much, Too Late

16. The Slowdance

17. Blue Highway

Compilation Songs

End Of A Year (Embrace cover)

Metal Man

Moral Straightjacket

Return of The Fly (Misfits cover)

Square One (Live)

Dark

Pretty Vacant (Sex Pistols cover)

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Disembodied

Disembodied were a five-piece metalcore band from Minneapolis, Maryland that were originally around from 1995 to 1999, then reuniting from 2008 to 2011, and again in 2017. As far as words like "overdue" and "influential" go on this blog, both feel like understatements when bringing up Disembodied. The sludgy, rhythmic dissonance and drop-tuned sound they produced throughout their original run is without a doubt some of the heaviest offerings hardcore-adjacent and extreme music have to give. With punishingly wounded yet ferocious vocals to boot, Disembodied really existed in a league of their own, and crafted something palatably visceral. With the adjective-ejaculate out of the way, this band is a must for fans of hardcore, especially ones that lean towards the Earth Crisis and Integrity side of things.

A few notes on their discography. All individual releases are included (as per usual), but they do have two compilations released in relatively recent years that captures most of their material in easy-to-access places. Psalms Of Sheol is an odds-and-ends compilation consisting of Existence In Suicide, The Confession, and various compilation tracks, all remixed and remastered. Transfiguration is a discography compilation consisting of Diablerie, If Only God Knew The Rest Were Dead, Oxymoron, and Heretic. Please do enjoy, I've been sitting on this post half-finished for a while now and am super happy to finally get it out, Enjoy!

Existence In Suicide (1995)

1. Scorn

2. Shattered

3. Asura

4. Invisible

5. Existence

The Confession (1996)

1. Feel

2. Confession

3. Expressionless

Diablerie (1997)

1. Anvil Chandelier

2. Forget Me

3. Devil's Grin

4. Nicotine

5. Deity

6. Eulogy

7. Dead Before Birth

8. Naked

9. Cascade

If God Only Knew The Rest Were Dead (1998)

1. Heroine Fingers

2. Bloodshed Rain

3. Dislocation

4. Gone

5. Burning Cupid

Oxymoron (1999)

1. Disembodied - Stigma

2. Disembodied - Obfuscate

3. Disembodied - Dine Alone (Quicksand cover)

4. Brother's Keeper - Losing Is My Favorite Sport

5. Brother's Keeper - Namedropper

6. Brother's Keeper - Twist Of Cain (Danzig cover)

Heretic (1999)

1. Cynic

2. 7 Stitches

3. Amaranth

4. Nemesis

5. Barbiturate

6. One For The Wicked

7. Godless

8. Scapegoat

9. Sticks & Stones

10. In The End

Psalms Of Sheol (2009)

1. Enochian Prayer

2. Epilogue

3. Scratch

4. Burning Cupid

5. Feel

6. Confession

7. Expressionless

8. Scorn

9. Shattered

10. Asura

11. Invisible

12. Existence In Suicide

13. Creeping Death (Metallica cover)

Transfiguration (2019)

1. Anvil Chandelier

2. Forget Me

3. Devil's Grin

4. Nicotine

5. Deity

6. Eulogy

7. Dead Before Birth

8. Naked

9. Cascade

10. Heroine Fingers

11. Bloodshed Rain

12. Dislocation

13. Gone

14. Burning Cupid

15. Stigma

16. Obfuscate

17. Dine Alone

18. Creeping Death

19. Cynic

20. 7 Stitches

21. Amaranth

22. Nemesis

23. Barbituate

24. One For The Wicked

25. Godless

26. Scapegoat

27. Sticks & Stones

28. In The End

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Split Lip

Split Lip were a five-piece post-hardcore/emo band from Indianapolis, Indiana that began in 1990 and "ended" in 1996. They've got an interesting history, with some major evolution occurring in the span of just a few years. Their early work had hardcore as its roots, but the chunky, aggressive riffs and political, straight edge ethos were counterbalanced with melodic, technical flourishes and more personal, introspective subject matter. The latter influence can be traced back to bands like Dag Nasty, Gray Matter and Three. Vocalist David Moore also played an integral role in their sound, with a quavering delivery that quickly become a staple of the emo genre. Following a handful of EP's and compilation trackks, their debut full-length, For The Love Of The Wounded was released in 1993, and is their crowning achivement of this early sound.

The follow-up, 1995's Fate's Got A Driver is where this band's history gets interesting. It marked a change in sound from their previous album, toning down the heaviness to utilize guitar arpeggios and melodic bass lines, further championing them as one of the most influential and underrated bands in emo. Not long after its release, the band decided to overhaul themselves entirely by changing their name to Chamberlain. They remixed and re-recorded the vocals on Fate's Got A Driver, which was then released again under the Chamberlain moniker. Following their debut, they took their sound into a country and roots-rock direction, far from the post-hardcore of their early days. Chamberlain broke up in 2000, and reunited in 2008. In 2009, they played a few shows as Split Lip (as the line-up is virtually the same in both bands) and are still active today as Chamberlain. They're worth a listen as well, but the Split Lip stuff is absolutely essential. Enjoy.

Split Lip (1992)

1. Cry Wolf

2. Unsolid Ground

3. Crest Fallen

4. Soul Kill

For The Love Of The Wounded (1993)

1. Anthem Boy

2. Sleep

3. Interlude

4. Crestfallen

5. For The Love Of A Wounded Woman

6. Vintage

7. Upright Motive Nine

8. Show And Tell

9. Divison Street

10. Box

11. Bonus Track

Union Town Demo Version (1994)

1. Union Town (Demo)

Archived Music For Stubborn People (1995)

1. Cry Wolf

2. Unsolid Ground

3. Crest Fallen

4. Soul Kill

5. Evolution

6. Unity (Operation Ivy cover)

7. Beds Are Burning (Midnight Oil cover)

8. Swan Street (Three cover)

9. For The Love (Live)

10. Anthem Boy (Live)

11. Sleep (Live)

12. Box

Fate's Got A Driver (1995)

1. Her Side Of Sundown

2. Drums And Shotguns

3. Yellow Like Gold

4. Chamberlain (Five Year Diary)

5. Uniontown

6. Surrendering The Ghost

7. Street Singer

8. The Simple Life

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Chamberlain

Das Oath

Das Oath were a four-piece thrashcore band that were around from 1999 to 2007. Two members were from New York while the other two wre from the Netherlands. This transaltantic band managed to stay incredibly active in the years they were together, with multiple tours and numerous releases to their name. They were the forerunners of the thrashcore revival in the early 2000's, with an unbridled energy, ripping through 60-second songs as frenzied and fast-paced as possible. To top it off, they were fronted by Mark McCoy, whose wild vocals made Charles Bronson one of the most essential powerviolence bands of the 90's. Das Oath are a band that demands speaker blow-outs, so turn it up and enjoy.

The Oath (1999)

1. Hit Parader

2. A Carefully Thought Out Bad Idea

3. Through The Crack Of Your Cage

4. We?

5. Buddy Fucker

6. Colostomy Grab Bag

7. Anomie Records Can Sit And Spin

8. Half Pregnant

Körper Kultur (2001)

1. If You Feel Like An Enemy Come Follow Me

2. Drama!

3. We Ruin Fun (Have Some)

4. Fishing in the Fissure

5. Leeches on the Beaches

6. Comfort Like Baseball Bats

7. Excuse You, I Only Speak Superpower

8. Electronic Battleship

9. A Letter to Heartattack

10. Bridges Over Rotterdam

Das Oath/Total Fury (2002)

1. Das Oath - I've Been Trying To Fuck My Life Up For Years

2. Das Oath - Say It Like A Sellout

3. Das Oath - Sunny Shores Of Beirut

4. Das Oath - All Signs Point To

5. Das Oath - Street Smart

6. Total Fury - No Choice

7. Total Fury - In My Hands

8. Total Fury - Your Specification

9. Total Fury - Clever Song

10. Total Fury - Untitled

Über Alles Collection (2003)

1. I've Been Trying To Fuck My Life Up For Years

2. Say It Like A Sellout

3. Sunny Shores Of Beiruit

4. All Signs Point To

5. Street Smart

6. We Are The Champions (Queen cover)

7. Bush Licked

8. Blue Light Special

9. If You Feel Like An Enemy Come Follow Me

10. Drama!

11. We Ruin Fun (For Some)

12. Fishing Is The Fissure

13. Leeches On The Beaches

14. Comfort Like Baseball Bats

15. Excuse You, I Only Speak Superpower

16. Electronic Battleship

17. A Letter To Heartattack

18. Bridges Over Rotterdam

19. Smell The Bacon

20. Hit Parader

21. A Carefully Thought Out Bad Idea

22. Through The Crack Of Your Cage

23. We?

24. Buddy Fucker

25. Colostomy Grab Bag

26. Anomie Records Sit And Spin

27. Half-Pregnant

Note: Compilation including all material released up to 2003

Das Oath (2004)

1. Kult Starts (Some)where

2. Great News From The Southpole

3. Awesome Rape

4. Quiet: Subtle Pretext Chiming In

5. Leaning Tower Of Pisa Crap

6. Blood Oranges

7. Comatose Life Of Wonderment

8. The Great Anything

9. Oh Gruesome Lunar Cycle

10. Disney Surgery

11. Get Out of Your Scene

12. Nobody's Married Me In Years

13. A Biggot Is A Spic

14. Harmonized

15. The Virtue Of Elitism

16. (Unlisted Track)

Mini-LP (2005)

1. You Will Never, Never, Never, Never Know Me

2. Quicktime

3. Stand Atop The Precipice And Give The Boulder A Tap

4. Tightened, Solidified, Cracking

5. Whim

6. Occupant/Applicant

7. Only Us Fakes Get All The Breaks

8. Don't Leave Anything Anywhere It Will Disappear

9. Mouldering

Das Oath (2006)

1. Reliquary

2. Scrapped

3. The Twinkle In An Eye About To Be Blackened

4. Tropical Malady

5. The Horror, The Delight, And The Unendurable Pointlessness Of Trying

6. Years Of Veneers

7. All The Songs Have Been Sung

Das Oath/Ampere (2006)

1. Das Oath - The Living End (The Jesus And Mary Chain)

2. Das Oath - Tourettes (Nirvana)

3. Das Oath - Wardance (Killing Joke)

4. Das Oath - Feel Like A Man (Negative FX)

5. Ampere - Bit Part In A Bad Movie (Born Against)

6. Ampere - Money Stinks (D.R.I.)

7. Ampere - Conspiring The Go-Go (Antioch Arrow)

8. Ampere - The Regulator (Bad Brains)

9. Ampere - Mr. Suit (Wire)

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Lava

Lava were a five-piece hardcore/emo band from Baltimore, Maryland that were around in 1992. They put out a 4-song 7" on Gravity Records, becoming the 2nd release ever put out by the label (following Heroin's 7"). Sonically, it bears some comparisons to their label contemporaries, such as Heroin and Antioch Arrow. Don't get me wrong, this is a solid EP in and of itself, those comparisons are just a good jumping off point to get an idea of what you're in for. Notably, this band is one of guitarist Tonie Joy's many projects (others include Moss Icon, Universal Order Of Armageddon, and The Great Unraveling). This is a cool historical document and a great 7". There also appears to be a demo cassette that was released on Vermin Scum, but I can't find any trace of it having made its way on to the internet. If anyone's got any info on that, please do send it over! Enjoy.

Lava (1992)

1. 101

2. God

3. News

4. Voodoo

Supine

Supine are a four-piece screamo band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that began in 2017. Following a few EP's, their debut full-length was released this year by No Funeral Records and I.Corrupt.Records.  No Altar For The Company Man is an all-out assault on corporate society and capitalism, exploring the personal struggles brought on by labour exploitation and the wealth gap. Their lyrical diatribes are set to the backdrop of dark, heavy riffs with subtle hints of melody in atmospheric breaks. The reverb-tinged production also makes these songs sound absolutely gargantuan, and they leave a lasting impact long after the album is over. It's undoubtedly one of the finest screamo albums to drop this year, and fans of heavy screamo such as Loma Prieta, Ostraca, and Portrayal Of Guilt have to check this out. Enjoy.

Of This Too I Will Surely Tire (2017)

1. Of This Too I Will Surely Tire

Dissonant (2018)

1. A Loss

2. A Cadence Hum

3. A Disconnect

Deluge Of Data, Recess Of Thought (2019)

1. Ennuye

2. Dissemble

3. Connecticut

4. Static

No Altar For The Company Man (2021)

1. Under Lock And Tesseract

2. Loose Diadems

3. Pontiacs & Conifers (I)

4. Pontiacs & Conifers (II)

5. Inherited Wealth

6. No Distinction For A Gear At Turn,

7. No Altar For The Company Man

8. Canned Laughter From A Neighboring Room

9. Dancing, Again

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No Funeral

I.Corrupt.Records

Militarie Gun

Militarie Gun are a five-piece punk band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2020. Initally, they started as a pandemic project by Ian Shelton, best known for his incredible powerviolence project Regional Justice Center. Since then, the line-up has expanded to include members of Drug Church and Modern Color. Together, they take their hardcore roots in a more melodic direction, blending influence from alternative rock giants such as Gudied By Voices and Built To Spill along with Rebolution Summer-era Dischord punk. Fans of bands such as Fiddlehead and Drug Church will certainly see the appeal here, though Militarie Gun do exist on their own wavelength. Their two-part EP All Roads Lead To The Gun was without a doubt one of the most unexpectedly pleasant surprises of 2021. This band is absolutely fantastic, and I cannot recommend checking this out enough. Enjoy.

Demo (2020)

1. A New Low For Progressive Society

2. Life In Decline

My Life Is Over (2020)

1. A New Low For Progressive Society

2. Dislocate Me

3. Kept Talkin'

4. Life In Decline

All Roads Lead To The Gun (2021)

1. Ain't No Flowers

2. Don't Pick Up The Phone

3. Fell On My Head

4. Stuck In A Spin

All Roads Lead To The Gun II (2021)

1. Big Disappointment

2. Disposable Plastic Trash

3. Background Kids

4. All Roads Lead To The Gun

All Roads Lead To The Gun (Deluxe) (2022)
1. Ain't No Flowers

2. Don't Pick Up The Phone

3. Fell On My Head

4. Stuck In A Spin

5. Big Disappointment

6. Disposable Plastic Trash

7. Background Kids

8. All Roads Lead To The Gun

9. Let Me Be Normal

10. Can't Get None

11. I Can't Stand Busy People

12. Pull It Out

Life Under The Gun (2023)

1. Do It Faster

2. Very High

3. Will Logic

4. My Friends Are Having A Hard Time

5. Think Less

6, Return Policy

7. Seizure Of Assets

8. Never Fucked Up Once

9. Big Disappointment

10. Sway Too

11. See You Around

12. Life Under The Gun

God SaveThe Gun (2025)

1. Pt. II

2. B A D I D E A

3. Fill Me With Paint

4. Throw Me Away

5. God Owes Me Money

6. Daydream

7. Maybe I'll Burn My Life Down

8. Kick

9. Laugh At Me

10. Wake Up And Smile

11. I Won't Murder Your Friend

12. Isaac's Song

13. Thought You Were Waving

14. God Save The Gun

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