No Trend

No Trend were a noise rock/post-punk band from Ashton, Maryland that were around from 1982 to 1988. The first incarnation of the band was a four-piece, comprised of members who came into the band with a punk/hardcore background. Despite this, they were intentionally antagonistic towards the DC scene they existed in the periphery of, wanting to eschew the subculture that had grown out of it. They set out to make music that they wanted to make, with no creed or agenda, and it shows. For their early material, Flipper and Saccharine Trust are often cited as loose comparisons, though No Trend really did occupy a space of their own. Teen Love was their debut, a 7" they self-released (as they would for the majority of their material). This was followed up by a full-length, Too Many Humans. These are the best introductions to the band, as they immediately throw you into the misanthropic, nihilistic world they created. Through driving bass lines, pummelling drums, and trebly feedback-laden guitars, vocalist Jeff Mentges delivered shrieks, screams, and the occasional spoken word. It makes for an impactful listen, and highly recommended to anyone looking for raw, unbridled negativity. 

Following these early years, the band experienced a line-up overhaul, with Mentges being the only original member left for by their second album. 1985's A Dozen Dead Roses was a major shift from the overt, noisy and hardcore-adjacent sound they were founded on. Though there are still flashes of that, they expanded their sonic palette to include elements of funk and jazz, while keeping the bass as the driving force behind these songs. Instrumentally, their palette is widened to include synths and saxophones, and the guitars are laden with chorus, taking on a more traditional lead role with a litany of classic rock-esque solos. A handful of tracks were also done as collabs with Lydia Lunch, which were also released on a separate EP. Overall, I absolutely love this album, as much as their early work, because it maintains that desperate, pessimistic aggression while exploring a new, genuinely unique avenue.

By 1986, the band had now rounded out as 12-piece to include strings, horns, and synths as mainstays of their sound. They continued on this wave of hybrid experimentation into their next full-length, with more layers of instrumentation and a cleaner sound. This record was put out by Touch And Go, their first to not be self-released. It was followed by another album slated to be released in 1989, but was shelved until 2001. More, as it became, completed their full heel-turn into deconstructionist jazz-funk, with their cleanest sound to date, but too Beefheartian avant-garde to ever come close to a traditional rock outfit. 

No Trend were a one-of-a-kind band with an equally intriguing legacy. There's a few great articles that came out around the reissue of Too Many Humans / Teen Love, which I suggest checking from Bandcamp, The Washington Post and Tidal for more information. If you're new to this band, the aforementioned reissue is probably your best bet for a starting point. Enjoy.

Teen Love 7" (1983)

1. Mass Sterilization Caused By Venereal Disease

2. Cancer

3. Teen Love

Too Many Humans (1983)

1. Family Style

2. Blow Dry

3. Reality Breakdown

4. Kiss Ass To Your Peer Group

5. Fashion Tips For The 80's

6. Do As You're Told

7. Too Many Humans

8. For The Fun Of It All

9. Mindless Little Insects

10. Happiness Is...

Teen Love 12" (1984)

1. Mass Sterilization Caused By Venereal Disease

2. Cancer

3. Die

4. Teen Love

5. Untitled

When Death Won't Solve Your Problem (1985)

1. Two Seconds Til Non Existance

2. Die

3. Cancer

4. Mass Sterilization Caused By Venereal Disease

5. Too Many Humans

6. Fun Of It All

7. One Last Dream

8. Killing Me

9. Heartache

10. Mindless Little Insects

11. Blow

12. Teenlove

Heart Of Darkness (1985)

1. Your Love

2. Tear You Apart

3. The Curse

4. Who's To Say

A Dozen Dead Roses (1985)

1. Karma Nights

2. Your Love

3. Tear You Apart

4. Never Again

5. All Of Nothing

6. Good Day Mrs. Hamm

7. For The Fun Of It All

8. The Curse

9. Heartache

10. Who's To Say

Tritonian Nash-Vegas Polyester Complex (1987)

1. One Under Parr

2. Copperhead

3. Without Me

4. Fred Reality

5. Space Disco

6. Cry Of The Dirtballs

7. Angel Angel Down We Go

8. Overweight Baby Boom Critter

9. Choc-O-Jet

10. Freak

11. Bel-Pre Rising

The Early Months (1995)

1. Cancer

2. Hanging Out In Georgetown

3. Kiss Ass

4. Family Style

5. Reality Breakdown

6. Human Garbage

7. Purple Paisleys Make Me Happy

8. Mass Sterilization

9. Teen Love

10. Turn Away

11. Cancer

12. Blow Dry

13. Polyester Man

14. Kiss Ass

15. Teen Love

16. Mass Sterilization

17. Hanging Out In Georgetown

18. Death

19. Punker

More (2001)

1. Intro

2. Fuzzy Dice

3. Sorry I Asked

4. Spank Me (With Your Love Monkey, Baby)

5. Last On Right, Second Row

6. Bel-Pre Declining

7. No Hopus Opus

You Deserve Your Life (2018)

1. Cancer

2. Hanging Out In Georgetown

3. Kiss Ass

4. Family Style

5. Reality Breakdown

6. Human Garbage

7. Purple Paisleys Make Me Happy

8. Mass Sterilization

9. Teen Love

10. Death (Live)

11. Punker (Live)

Too Many Humans / Teen Love (2020)

1. Family Style

2. Blow Dry

3. Reality Breakdown

4. Kiss Ass To Your Peer Group

5. Fashion Tips For The 80's

6. Do As You're Told

7. Too Many Humans

8. For The Fun Of It All

9. Mindless Insects

10. Happiness Is...

11. Mass Sterilization Caused By Venereal Disease

12. Cancer

13. Die

14. Teen Love

15. Untitled

16. Cancer (demo)

17. Mass Sterilization Caused By Venereal Disease (demo)

18. Teen Love (demo)

19. Hanging Out In Georgetown (demo)

20. Kiss Ass To Your Peer Group (demo)

21. Family Style (demo)

22. Reality Breakdown (demo)

23. Human Garbage (demo)

24. Purple Paisleys Make Me Happy (demo)

25. Do As You're Told (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

26. Fashion Tips For The 80's (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

27. Mindless Little Insects (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

28. Reality Breakdown (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

29. Teen Love (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

30. Cancer (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

31. Family Style (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

32. Blow Dry (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

33. Kiss Ass To Your Peer Group (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

34. Mass Sterilization Caused By Venereal Disease (live at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, 1983)

35. Do As You're Told (live at Cathay de Grande, Hollywood, 1983)

36. Fashion Tips For The 80's (live at Cathay de Grande, Hollywood, 1983)

37. Mindless Little Insects (live at Cathay de Grande, Hollywood, 1983)

38. Reality Breakdown (live at Cathay de Grande, Hollywood, 1983)

39. Cancer (live at Cathay de Grande, Hollywood, 1983)

40. Family Style (live at Cathay de Grande, Hollywood, 1983)

41. Kiss Ass To Your Peer Group (live at Cathay de Grande, Hollywood, 1983)

42. Teen Love (live at Cathay de Grande, Hollywood, 1983)

43. Mass Sterilization Caused By Venereal Disease (live at Cathay de Grande, Hollywood, 1983)

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

Vicious Cycle

Vicious Cycle were a four-piece hardcore punk band from Sudbury, Ontario that were around from 2005 to 2010. They released three EP's, one LP, and a single in that time. I'm aware I say this far too often, but Vicious Cycle are truly a criminally underrated band that put out one of the finest albums hardcore has to offer in the past 15 years. Their first few releases were pure OG hardcore, with an meshed influence of bands including Zero Boys and Poison Idea. By Pale Blue Dot, they were able to craft one of the most intensive and energetic records I've ever heard. It's one I find myself returning to time and time again, thanks to its raw, guttural intensity, unique production, and incredibly memorable songs. It's equal parts Minor Threat and Fugazi with a garage rock garnish. This was "forward-thinking" at its finest. That visceral aggression is maintained throughout, only taking occassional detours with some noisy, atmospheric interludes. Alexisonfire's George Pettit even makes an appearance on here. Highly, highly recommended, enjoy.

Vicious Cycle (2006)

1. Germ

2. Dog On A Leash

3. Self Abuse

4. Assembly Line

5. Vicious Cycle

6. Brain Damaged

7. Aged And Confused

I'm Watching You (2007)

1. Annoy

2. Bent

3. Terminate

4. Boring Face

5. Negative Space

6. I'm Watching You

Neon Electric (2008)

1. Hail The Bouncer

2. Neon Electric

3. Nothing Special

4. Stepping Back

Killed By Trash 2 (2009)

1. I Hate Cops

Pale Blue Dot (2009)

1. No Escape

2. Blur

3. The Waiting

4. Black Dot

5. In Tranquility

6. Death

7. Vertigo

8. Gamma Ray

9. Heaven Or Hell

10. For Carl

11. Pale Blue Dot

12. Rebirth

13. Farewell

Numbers b/w 'Over The Edge' (2010)

1. Numbers

2. Over The Edge (Wipers cover)

Spotify

Apple Music

Facebook

Korea Girl

Korea Girl were a four-piece indie pop/emo band from San Jose, California that formed in 1996 and broke up in 1999. In that time, they released one 7" and one album, both of which were put out by Asian Man Records. Though they didn't last long, they did leave this fantastic and incredibly underrated LP behind. These songs are distinct and varied, ranging from melancholic slow burns to catchy choruses to dissonant alt. rock. They play with mostly clean, chord-driven guitars, though do dabble in light bouts of distortion. The band also featured two vocalists, who could both hold their own independently, but also come together for some incredibly elevated harmonies. Not to make direct comparisons here, but it wouldn't be surprising to find out this band was influenced by the likes of Mazzy Star, Velocity Girl, Pavement, and Superchunk, so if that's up your alley, do not miss this often overlooked album. Enjoy.

Reunion (1997)

1. Reunion

2. Launched

Korea Girl (1997)

1. B-Side

2. Under The Sun

3. Reunion

4. Upside Down

5. Peon

6. Pariah

7. Li'l Bunch

8. Serpentine

9. Conversations

10. Atomic Skies

11. Wile E.

12. Prozac

13. Democracy & Kings

14. Hey Akane!

15. Prozac (Drummed) (Bonus Track)

16. Li'l Bullhorn (Bonus Track)

17. Upside Down (Bonus Track)

18. Peon (Bonus Track)

19. Wile E. (Bonus Track)

Note: Bonus demos included on the 1999 reissue

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

Dæphne

dæphne are a three-piece emo/indie band from Boston, Massachusetts that formed in 2014. Though I can't find any info on an official break-up, they haven't been active since 2017. In that three-year period, they put out a demo, album, and EP, which hits the quota for a midwest emo band. They crafted these super sad jams, with clean guitars meandering through melancholic scales, with somber, confessional vocals drifting atop. This band also managed to shift dynamics seamlessly, with crescendos hitting big highs with a coating of distortion, bringing in some shoegaze-y aspects to their sound. Personally, their demo is probably my favourite release, but that's partially because it was the only thing I had heard before going back through the archives and discovering they released more.  Regardless, this is highly recommended, enjoy.

Family Vacation Demo (2014)

1. Winona Ryder

2. What Summer Felt Like Behind Your Bedroom Door

3. Driving Down A Country Highway Blasting Weezer

4. Miscalculating Future Experiences

Full Circle (2015)

1. Get Better

2. Tiny Flame

3. If This Is Living The Dream, Then I Want To Wake Up

4. Sharpness Is The Game I Play

5. Peach

6. Biding Time (For A Haunted Mind)

7. Jump Right Into My Nightmare, The Water's Warm

8. Plum

Pondhopper (2017)

1. Apple

2. Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?

3. Poster Girl

Bandcamp

Facebook

Ice Hockey

Ice Hockey were a five-piece screamo band from the Quad Cities (region of cities split between Iowa and Illinois) that were active from 2013 to 2018. They released an EP and two albums, along with a few misc. tracks. The band played a distinct brand of screamo that blended its more chaotic elements with melancholic melody, with seering vocals atop rhytmically complex instrumentals and noodle-heavy guitars. On their final record, A Brief History Of Time they also began incorporating keyboards and synths, which added an entirely new uniquely atmospheric layer to their already-established incredible sound. It's emotional and explosive, what more do you need? If you're a fan of bands including Off Minor, Ten Grand, or The Kodan Armada, do check this out. Enjoy.

The Way It Is Now (2013)

1. September

2. Bugcatcher

3. "Do You Know Mark Warm?"

4. East Lansing

5. Solar Myths And Autumn

The UAW Hall (2013)

1. The UAW Hall (The Ballet cover)

In The Air Tonight (Live) (2014)

1. In The Air Tonight (Live) (Phil Collins cover)

Wavefunction Collapse (2015)

1. Rock Island

2. The Great Flood Of '83

3. Davenport

4. September

5. Bugcatcher

6. "Do You Know Mark Warm?"

7. East Lansing

8. Solar Myths And Autumn

A Brief History Of Time (2017)

1. Collapse

2. Johnny Dakota

3. Oceanography

4. Mark Warm II

5. Loudhailer

6. Diffusion

7. In Vacuo

8. Non-Essential Personnel

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

Twitter

Facebook

The Red Scare

The Red Scare were a four-piece post-hardcore/screamo band from Knoxville, Tennessee that formed in 1997 and broke up in 2001. They released two albums and a handful of splits, including one with Orchid. They played a chaotic yet technical blend of screamo/emo/hardcore, inspired by bands such as Portraits Of Past, Shotmaker, and Heroin. They incorporated these duelling guitars, driving bass riffs, and frenzied rhythms with some fantastic drumming, all the while the vocals are screaming to the brink of collapse. Capillary Lockdown is probably my favourite from them, and encapsulates the aforementioned sound. Their swan song, Strangers Die Everyday is a noticeably more experimental effort, with a wider array of dynamics and a metallic sheen to the instrumentals and production. It's still definitely worth a listen for the sake of uniqueness and intrigue, and really leaves you wondering where this band have gone had this not been in it. Highly recommended, enjoy.

Jet Set / Epiphany #2 (1998)

1. Jet Set

2. Epiphany #2

Hail Mary/The Red Scare (1999)

1. Hail Mary - Crcuifixate

2. The Red Scare - Earache

Pankration/The Red Scare (1999)

1. Pankration - Your Ugliness Becomes You

2. The Red Scare - Full Steam Ahead

Capillary Lockdown (1999)

1. Automate Insection

2. Device For Annihilation

3. Jetset

4. 12 Years Past

5. Post Meridian

6. Crushing Blows

7. Inertia/Distance To Empty

The Red Scare/Orchid (2000)

1. Orchid - Lucky 13

2. Orchid - Intelligable Audio

3. Orchid - She Has A Cold, Cold Heart

4. The Red Scare - Sequenced For Explosion

The Red Scare/True North (2001)

1. The Red Scare - Send Me An Angel

2. True North - It's 3 A.M., Do You Know Where The Ballot Box Is?

3. True North - Single Fin Mentality

Strangers Die Everyday (2001)

1. Risking Your Life With A Capital R

2. Smoky Mountain High

3. Strangers Die Everyday

4. Cranial Masses

5. Kodaliths

6. Asphyxial Eclipse

7. Iron Curtain

8. Five Months In Poland

Spotify

Apple Music

Instagram

Render Useless

Render Useless were a three-piece emo/hardcore band from Victoria, British Columbia that were around from 1994 to 1998. They put out a handful of releases, all of which and more were later compiled on a discography at the tail end of their short-lived tenure. In those few short years, the band did end up evolving quite a bit. On their very first EP, they played an energetic, more straight-forward style of melodic hardcore, perhaps as a nod to bands such as Fuel with the quick, palm-muted chunky guitars and desperate but catchy vocals. From then on, they began to experiment with the more dark, twisting and winding sounds emerging from underground post-hardcore/emo (whatever you want to call it) scenes, bringing in elements of rhythmic instability, dissonance, and harsher vocals. Fans of bands such as Indian Summer or Ordination of Aaron will definitely take interest here. Enjoy.

Render Useless (1995)

1. Grow

2. Waterhead

3. Compromise

4. Desperation Days

If That Was An Election Then I'm A Vietcong (1996)

1. The Republic Of Freedom Fighters - Year Of The Rat

2. Render Useless - The Second Flight Of Icarus

The Relationship Between A 1/4 Note And A 1/8 Note (1997)

1. Bravery In A Sea Of Cowards

2. Iotosoahpw

3. Fork In The Road

4. Attention All Shoppers

Render Useless/Miracle Of 86 (1998)

1. Render Useless - Generation Gap

2. Render Useless - True Colours

3. Miracle Of 86 - Guard Rail

4. Miracle Of 86 - Left Of Center

Discography (1998)

1. 3 AM Tuesday

2. Fork In The Road

3. The Second Flight Of Icarus

4.True Colours

5. Generation Gap

6. Bravery In A Sea Of Cowards

7. Run Away Mr. Fox

8. Clique

9. Becoming Anti-Human

10. Attention All Shoppers

11. Inside Of The Opposite Side Of A Hiding Place Window

12. Typical

13. The Heads Of Ostriches

14. Grow

15. Ben's Song

16. Roving Male

17. Compromise

18. Intimidation

19. The Weave

20. Waterhead

21. Hardline

22. Cranked

23. Desperation Days

24. Intergalactic Transmission

Dead History

Dead History are a five-piece post-hardcore band from Minneapolis, Minnesota that formed in 2017. The band is compromised of members who have been active for years in a multitude of bands, including Reach, Gratitude, and Picturesque, among others. They've put one album thus far, which was a self-titled record released in 2021. Despite its recency, it could easily be mistakened for being 20 years older than it actually is. This band harkens back to the post-hardcore and alt rock of yore, with influences from bands such as Quicksand, Texas Is The Reason and Swervedriver on full display. The guitars sound massive, and are coated in so much distortion and reverb that they border into shoegaze territory when not shimmering in the more melodic parts. Vocally, they're raw and guttural but catchy, keeping the same balance as the instrumental's riff-heavy energy. Enjoy.

Dead History (2021)

1. Pushing Friction

2. High-Wire Act

3. Empty Eyes

4. The Shallow End

5. Back To The Center

6. Sleep Safe

7. Telmex

8. Where Do We Hide?

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Mt. Oriander

Mt. Oriander is the latest project from Keith Latinen, who you most likely know as the founder of Count Your Lucky Stars and as a member of Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate). With this new solo project, he's released an EP and LP thus far (both with CYLS, of course). Sonically, this does bear a fairly close resemblance to his previous work, with melancholic, clean arpeggiated guitars inspired by the likes of Mineral, large crescendos and his distinctive quivering vocal delivery. It's a sound that he has mastered, and this project definitely scratches the itch on the void left by E!E!(IWALE) without feeling reductive or repetitive. Enjoy.

This Is Not The Way I Wanted You To Find Out (2021)

1. It's Always Been Wankershim

2. If I Fail To Return, Cast It Into The Bugross Sea

3. Dream Ruby Glitch

4. I'm Never Going To Say My Lines Faster Than Jamie Taco

5. Nothing After Nothing Came Bursting Out

Deck The Halls (2021)
1. Deck The Halls

Then The Lightness Leaves And I Become Heavy Again (2022)

1. The Dark Parts Of The Map Are Places You Have Not Yet Visited

2. What We Have Is You

3. We Measure Our Distance In Time

4. If This Is Sadness, I Don't Like It One Bit

5. A Drawing Of A Bird That You Have Never Seen Before

6. We Should Get Out Of Here Before Something Goes Terribly Wrong!

7. You Were Part Of Me When We Came Here

8. If Only Something Would Go Right For A Change

9. Rare Frog Coin

10. Lillput Steps

11. We Are Not In This Alone

12. You Don't Have To Keep Trying Anymore

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

Instagram

Facebook

"...And Its Name Was Epyon"

"...and its name was Epyon" are a three-piece screamo band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2018. They released two EP's and a split within a short amount of time a few years back. Admittedly I missed them then, but am damn glad to have heard them since, because this is some amazing stuff. This band plays a dark, winding brand of screamo that blends melody and tension, alongside some of the most cathartic vocals imaginable. I don't even want to make comparisons, I just suggest checking out this short but very sweet discography. Enjoy.

"...and it's name was Epyon" (2018)

1. War In The Pocket

2. Dark Histories

3. Return To Forever

Meditations In Affinity: Cultivation (2019)
1. Nerver - General Erosion Of Morale

2. "...and it's name was Epyon" - Side Seven

3. People's Temple Project - 2:16

4. Apostles Of Eris - The Kobodera

Visit To A Grave (2019)

1. Granada

2. Side 7

3. Zudah

4. Living Dead Division

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

Facebook

Twitter