Love Like... Electrocution

Love Like... Electrocution were a six-piece screamo band from Adelaide, Australia that were active from 2002 to 2005. They first released an EP, which was eventually included in full on their only full-length, a self-titled album put out that same year. Besides that, their only released material was a demo and tour split. They toured quite a bit in Australia, but never beyond that. Members of this band were also in St. Alban's Kids. Sonically, this band brought an insatiable energy to every song, with a unique blend of emoviolence and post-hardcore elements. It was chaotic, but the guitars wind around each other with technical precision, matching the dynamic that their two vocalists also brought to the table, with blends of screams and straight singing all in the mix. If you're a fan of bands including Kodan Armada, Spirit Of Versailles, or Hot Cross, definitely check this out, or at the very least their self-titled record. Enjoy.

She Was Red Hot (2002)

1. With Horses In Her Eyes, She Spat Like A Wildcat

2. Hunger Like Numb Toes On An Oslo Sidewalk

3. Das Plague (French For Germans)

4. This Charade Has Lasted While Past The Curtains Fall

5. The Tropics Of Cancer, Capricorn And A Smashed Face

6. The Graduate Walks With A Distant Gait

Love Like... Electrocution (2002)

1. We Only Fuck To Black Sabbath Vol. 4

2. Tips For Avoiding The Clap. 1. I Wouldn't Piss On A Scorpion If It Was On Fire

3. Das Plague (French For Germans)

4. With Horses In Her Eyes, She Spat Like A Wildcat

5. The Truth Of The Matter Is I Am Satan And On The Guitars We Have The Devils. This Is Devil Music

6. Hunger Like Numb Toes On An Oslo Sidewalk

7. The Tropics Of Cancer, Capricorn And A Smashed Face

8. I Might Have Shed a Tear for Him, but He's No Depardieu

9. This Charade Has Lasted Well Past The Curtains Fall

10. We've Built Our Tombs. Now Were Sleeping In Them

11. The Graduate Walks With A Distant Gait

Demo (2004)

1. Love Always, Your Dearest Klaus Kinski

2. We've Built Our Tombs, Now We're Sleeping In Them

3. Upon Recovering, From My Last Bout Of Governmentality

4. In Bed For Months With Sat. Night Fever

5. Domicile Conjugal (Up And Down, In And Out)

6. Drowning, In A Sea Of Pressed Shirts & Conscientious Suntans

Love Like... Electrocution/This Night Creeps (2004)

1. Love Like... Electrocution - Love Always, Your Dearest Klaus Kinski

2. Love Like... Electrocution - Drowning, In A Sea Of Pressed Shirts & Conscientious Suntans

3. This Night Creeps - Channel Surfed Our Way to Epilepsy

4. This Night Creeps - Surfboards In Indian Country

5. This Night Creeps - [Noise!]

Barrow

Barrow were a four-piece post-hardcore/screamo/post-rock band from Greensboro, North Carolina that formed in 2009 and ended in 2015, with a final reunion show taking place in 2017. They released two full-lengths, a split, and demo in that time. This band's sound is pretty hard to pin down, as it was incredibly dynamic, layered, and above all, cathartic. As a rudimentary description, they blended the heavy, rhythmtic lurching of post-hardcore acts with the chaosa and impassioned vocals of screamo, all between intermittent breaks of lush, reverb and delay-heavy guitars and melodic singing borrowed from post-rock. It's a sound that could appeal to a wide spectrum of fans of bands as varied as Apart, Caravels, or Moving Mountains. Barrow also made incredible use of their two vocalists, who played off and with each other so naturally, making everything sung or screamed absolutely magnified. This band was incredible, and worth finally getting around to share on here. If you're new to this band, my suggested starting point would be Being Without. Members now play in Rotting In Dirt, who are absolutely worth checking out too. Enjoy.

Demo (2010)

1. Monochromatic

2. Sundown

Being Without (2011)

1. Where I Was

2. Monochromatic

3. Stretching Arms, Shaking Hands

4. In Blight And Boast

5. The Undertow

6. An Absent Crown, My Diadem

7. Sundown

8. Ashen, Pallid

Though I'm Alone (2013)

1. Fox Ears And Silence

2. A Dead Hum, Echoed

3. Wither

4. Old Time

5. Fed (Choking, Retching)

6. Clawhold

7. Dogwood

8. You Can Probably Find It In Norfolk

9. God's In His Heaven - All Is Well

The Office Sessions (2014)

1. Barrow - Resembool

2. Oddczar - Purple Hearts

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Jade Dust

Jade Dust are a five-piece hardcore punk band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 2021. Following a demo, they put out two fantastic EP's last year, both of which I somehow managed to miss until now. This band is fantastic, and call back to one of my favourite eras in punk (as you probably can tell), the late 80's to early 90's DC scene including bands like Swiz, Ignition, Marginal Man, Shudder To Think and Dag Nasty. Though the influence there is apparent, Jade Dust manage to make that sound distinctly modern, while still emulating the energy of those legacy acts, making for melodic hardcore in its truest, most bare-bones definition. Their last EP was a co-release between Extinction Burst and the legendary Ebullition Records, which is just another example of this band being the best of both worlds. Enjoy.

Demo Winter 2021 (2021)

1. Jammaastyr

2. Stay

3. Signal Towers

4. Lie And Wait

5. Fucking Nightmare

Jade Dust (2022)

1. Signal Towers

2. Margin of Error

3. Embrace The Hours

4. Jammaastyr

5. Stay

6. Learn To Scream

Wild Geese (2022)

1. Wild Geese

2. Lie And Wait

3. Waking Nightmare

4. Phoenix

5. Empty Tomes

6. Levitate

7. Weightless

8. Absolution

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Take It To Heart

Take It To Heart are a five-piece hardcore from Orange County, California that formed in 2019. They've released two EP's thus far. This band hits hard, with fast-paced, intensive, personal melodic hardcore. It's in a vein that would appeal fans of bands such as American Nightmare, Bane, and Carry On. Take It To Heart are distinctly modern, but with an influence instantly recognizable as pulled from the finest of 2000's hardcore. Highly recommended, enjoy.

The Brighter Side (2020)

1. Intro

2. The Difference Between (Me And You)

3. Despondent

4. Shattered Hearts

5. Where The Land And The Skyline Meet

Hymns For The Hopeless (2022)

1. Ghostwriting A Catharsis

2. Letting Go

3. No Love No Trust

4. So Long Partern

5. As Flowers Wilt

6. Suicide Pact

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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)

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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)

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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

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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

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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

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