Closet Witch

Closet Witch are a four-piece grindcore/mathcore band from southeast Iowa that formed in 2014. They got their start by releasing a pair of self-recorded EPs, and have since continued with a steady stream of releases, all containing their distinct blend of abrasive, chaotic grind and raw, and visceral energy and emotion. Their sole LP, 2018's self-titled album is a must-listen for fans of the more chaotic side of aggressive music, it's tangibly explosive output from a band that's made a known for themselves being high-impact. They released a full discography as well a few years back (that included everything released up until then), so if you don't want to go through each release, that's your best bet. Enjoy.

Demo (2014)

1. Great River Medical Center

2. Secane

Ergot (2015)

1. Great River Medical Center

2. Teen Rot

3. Once Desolate Now Omega

4. Hospital Violence

5. Gimme Gimme Gimme (Black Flag cover)

Black Salt (2015)

1. Black Salt

2. Ode To Queen Doris

3. Once Upon A Time

4. Secane

5. Love From,...

6. Territorial Pissings (Nirvana cover)

National Hero/Closet Witch (2015)

1. Closet Witch - Black Tongue

2. Closet Witch - Bug Bites

3. Closet Witch - Your Grace

4. National Hero - A Better Place

5. National Hero - Hort (Spazz cover)

Euth/Closet Witch (2016)

1. Euth - Violent Reprieve

2. Euth - Blind Rotters

3. Closet Witch - Funeral Regrets

4. Closet Witch - Civil Necessity

5. Closet Witch - Nekhbet

Cokburner (2017)

1. Cokburner

Closet Witch (2018)

1. Blood Orange

2. Moonstomp

3. Eyelids Of Horus

4. Brother

5. It Doesn't Feel Free

6. Rule By Bacon

7. Spell Of Giddiness

8. Wind Whispers

9. Your Grace

10. Daylillies

11. Personal Machu Picchu

12. Great River Medical Center

13. Lost And Unidentified

Neckbeard Deathcamp/Closet Witch/Racetraitor/Haggathorn (2020)

1. Neckbeard Deathcamp - Spit Shine

2. Neckbeard Deathcamp - Ok Boomer

3. Closet Witch - A Happy Kettle

4. Closet Witch - Ace of Cups

5. Closet Witch - Abstinence, But Not

6. Closet Witch - The Squash Rotting

7. Closet Witch - Solar Lullaby

8. Racetraitor - Part One: Sarcophagus

9. Racetraitor - Part Two: Subordinate

10. Racetraitor - Round Lake

11. Haggathorn - Awakening

Complete Discography (2020)

1. A Happy Kettle

2. Ace Of Cups

3. Abstinence, but Not

4. The Squash Rotting

5. Solar Lullaby

6. Arlington Cemetery (Demo)

7. Abstinence, But Not (Demo)

8. The Squash Rotting (Demo)

9. Blood Orange

10. Moonstomp

11. Eyelids Of Horus

12. Brother

13. It Doesn't Feel Free

14. Rule By Bacon

15. Spell Of Giddiness

16. Wind Whispers

17. Your Grace

18. Daylillies

19. Personal Machu Picchu

20. Great River Medical Center

21. Lost And Unidentified

22. Cokburner

23. It Doesn't Feel Free

24. Daylillies

25. Rule By Bacon

26. Funeral Regrets

27. Civil Necessity

28. Nekhbet

29. Black Tongue

30. Bug Bites

31. Your Grace

32. Black Salt

33. Ode To Queen Doris

34. Once Upon A Time

35. Secane

36. Love, From...

37. Territorial Pissings (Nirvana cover)

38. Great River Medical Center

39. Teen Rot

40. Once Desolate, Now Omega

41. Hospital Violence

42. Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie (Black Flag cover)

43. Great River Medical Center (Demo)

44. Secane (Demo)

Mellification (2021)

1. June 11th, 2006

2. Dogs Running

Chiaroscuro (2023)

1. Intro

2. Constantly Problematic

3. Haunting

4. and Releasing (feat. Frankie Furillo)

5. My Words Are Sacred (feat. Dylan Walker)

6. Infinite Imbalance (feat. Stu Clines)

7. You, Me And My Venus In Decay (feat. Dan Lee)

8. Side 1 Outro

9. Arlington Cemetery

10. Well Fed Machine

11. We Met On The Park Boundary Trail

12. Funeral Flowers

13. To The Cauldron (feat. Stu Clines)

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Exhibition

Exhibition are a five-piece hardcore band from Buffalo, New York that formed in 2020. Since then, they've dropped a demo, EP, and a full-length, which just came out this year on Triple B Records. The Last Laugh absolutely rips; it's 10 tracks comprised of tight, high energy, thrashy NYHC-inspired hardcore. The riffs are solid, the lead breaks shred, and the band plays with such intense ferocity that its near-impossible to sit still while listening to this. Highly recommended,  this is just a solid album through and through that manages to sit comfortably with both new and old school hardcore sensibilities. Enjoy.

Demo (2020)

1. Losing Control

2. Exhibition

3. The Last Laugh

4. Livin' In The Past

You'll Be Next... (2021)

1. Bottom Feeder

2. Adapt Or Die

3. Give It Up

4. Chaos Unfolding

The Last Laugh (2023)

1. Exhibition

2. Losing Control

3. Can This Last Forever?

4. Predator

5. Bottom Feeder

6. Your Way Back

7. Crucified

8. The Last Laugh

9. On The Run

10. The Fire

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Sunami

Sunami are a five-piece hardcore band from San Jose, California that formed in 2019. In a very short span of time, they've become one of the forerunners of modern hardcore (specifically beatdown with elements of d-beat), establishing a name for themselves through some wild, mosh-frenzied shows. Sonically, they do genuinely hit hard as fuck with their call-to-arms breakdowns, but deliver them with a sly wink, acknowledging the insanity of their over-the-top exuberance. Not much else to say, check out live sets by these guys, they're putting on some of the most insane shows in hardcore right now. Thus far, they've released a demo, EP, and a split with the incredible Gulch (RIP). They've got an LP coming at some point via Triple B, so get ready for that too. Enjoy.

Demonstration (2019)

1. Sunami Style

2. Weak Die First

3. Contempt Of Cop

Sunami (2020)

1. Gate Crasher

2. Mind Your Business

3. Y.A.B.

4. Feds Within

Sunami/Gulch (2021)

1. Sunami - Step Up

2. Sunami - Die Slow

3. Gulch - Bolt Swallower

4. Gulch - Accelerator

Promo (2022)

1. Six

2. I Don't Care

3. Fake Blood

Sunami (2023)

1. Y.S.A.B.

2. Dirty Work

3. 10 Toes Down

4. No Heart

5. Six

6. Think About It

7. Contempt Of Cop

8. Defraud

Coast To Coast (2025)

1. Pain of Truth - Shattered Past

2. Pain of Truth - The Enemy

3. Sunami - Doubt

4. Sunami - Fence Walker

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Spy

Spy are a five-piece hardcore punk band from the Bay Area, California that formed in 2020. Thus far, they've put out two EP's and a split of straight-forward, raw hardcore, with stomping ferocity, gnashed breakdowns, and throat-shredded vocals delivering lyrics with charged sociopolitical statements. Highly recommended stuff, especially if you've been coming up with other incredible bands such as Gel, Scowl, Sunami or Restraining Order. Enjoy.

Service Weapon (2020)

1. Violent Majority

2. Running Out Of Space

3. Bootlicker

4. Service Weapon

Habitual Offender (2021)

1. Afraid Of Everything

2. Obtained Under Duress

3. Exceptional American

4. Habitual Offender

5. Labor Dispute

6. Negative Mind Power

Spy/Maniac (2022)

1. Spy - Clobbered

2. Spy - 1-800

3. Maniac - Last Rites

4. Maniac - Rapture

Satisfaction (2023)

1. No Redeeming Value

2. Surveilled

3. Carceral Attitude

4. Koniec

5. Do What I Can

6. Pay No Mind

7. Not For Me

8. Wrong Place Wrong Time

9. Big Man

10. Hidden In Plain Sight

Seen Enough (2025)

1. On The Brink

2. Stay In Your Lane

3. Dim

4. Void Of Passion

5. Overlord

6. Quit The Act

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Me And Him Call It Us

Me And Him Call It Us were a three-piece (later four-piece) mathcore band from Atlanta, Georgia that formed in 2003 and broke up in 2007. They put out two full-lengths in their initial run, with a decent amount of demos and unreleased material being shared by the band posthumously. On their debut, the band unleashes explosive, charged shrieks of ear-splitting noise, alongside heavy, choking riffs with shots of sharp dissonance, all delivered in unbridled blast-beat chaos and neck-snapping syncopation. With fuel only lasting for short bouts, the album is broken up by ambient, atmospheric interludes that are more impending doom than sweet serenity. The follow-up, Loss, takes the sound founded on their debut and widens their dynamic range, with elements of more "conventional" powerviolence, grindcore, and screamo being apparent in the mix at times. Both projects are definitely worth your time, especially if you're a fan of bands such as The Sawtooth Grin, Ed Gein, or As The Sun Sets. Members of Me And Him Call It Us also went to form some incredible bands, most notably Dead In The Dirt and O'Brother. Enjoy.

The (C:) Drive Of Love Stories (2004)

1. Number One

2. There Is No Question Mark Button On This Computer

3. I: The Hollow Anchor's Despair

4. Innocent Bystanders Watched In Horror As Peter Jennings Drew His Murder Weapon

5. II: The Suspense, Prorogation, And Finally Descent Of Edwin Daunterbury

6. Infrared Light; Don't Talk To Me About Quantum Physics

7. III: The Pale Ghost At Sea And The Fingers Aquiver

8. A Rotten Set Of Bagpipes Can Make A Fantastic Mini-Skirt If Sewn Properly

9. IV: May The Tide Companion Thee To Shore 

Loss (2006)

1. Sarsaparilla

2. Cut-Throat Cardiac Arrest

3. "Mayday! Mayday!" Cried The Captain

4. Just Can't Function No More

5. The Anticipation Is Killing Me

6. ...Into Troubled Waters I Sink

7. Headache

8. Innocent Bystanders

9. P.S. I Love You

10. Loss

11. The Sea Swallowed Us Whole

12. My Heart Beats In Blast Beats

13. That Ghost Is Breathing Again

14. Encirclement Of The Dancing Scarecrows

Me And Him Call It Us/The Blue Letter (2006)

1. Me And Him Call It Us - The Weight

2. Me And Him Call It Us - Frostbit

3. Me And Him Call It Us - Seasick

4. The Blue Letter - March Of The Romans

Friends Applaud; The Comedy Is Over (2012)

1. Sincerity Is A Hard Thing To Come By These Days

2. Greener Grass

3. The Worst Part

home demos (2020)

1. stay (demo)

2. the weight (demo)

3. charcoal (demo)

4. seasick (demo)

5. pallbearer (demo)

6. frostbit (demo)

Meadow Drive Sessions (2020)

1. Pallbearer

2. Charcoal

3. The Interim

4. Leaden Strides

5. Stay

6. Tragedy

Loss 1.0 (2022)

1. cut-throat

2. anticipation

3. mayday

4. sarsaparilla

5. headache

6. peter jennings

7. p.s.

8. blast beats

9.  can't function

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Aviator

Aviator are a five-piece post-hardcore band from Boston, Massachusetts that formed in 2009. They were incredibly prolific for nearly a decade, putting out a ton of releases alongside two fantastic full-lengths, both via No Sleep Records. In recent years they haven't been active, though they haven't officially disbanded. It is a massive failure on my part to have left this band slip through the cracks for so many years now, as their sound is right up this blog's alley, and they were most active in its heyday. This band blends the more technical, rhythmic and melodically meandering aspects of post-hardcore acts with the raw, visceral heart-on-your-sleeve delivery of melodic hardcore. They draw influence from classics such as At The Drive-In, mewithoutYou, Bear vs. Shark and Piebald (made clear in their choice of covers), which adds a wide array of vocal and instrumental dynamics to their hardcore-influenced base. If you're a fan of bands like Touché Amoré, Defeater, La Dispute, Caravels, More Than Life, Goodtime Boys, Octaves, and so many more that were kicking around in the early 2010's, Aviator absolutely has to be on your radar. It's not a direct comparison in terms of sound, but in terms of modern elevation and emotional resonance. Enjoy.

Demo (2010)

1. Second Chances

2. Winter Blues

3. Know More

4. Cutting Ties

5. Grace

My Fictions/Aviator (2010)

1. My Fictions - Kept Myself Awake

2. My Fictions - Dreamt Myself An Architect Built Myself Some Walls

3. Aviator - I'm Sick Of Standing In The Same Place

4. Aviator - The Definition Of A Dead End

I'm Not The Lonely One (2011)

1. Acceptance Is Denial

2. Denial Is Despondency

3. Despondency Is Unhappiness

4. Unhappiness Is Loneliness

5. I'm Not The Lonely One

Aviator/Spirit Fangs (2012)

1. Aviator - A Thousand Monkeys

2. Aviator - A Thousand Typewriters

3. Spirit Fangs - Hand Over Heart

4. Spirit Fangs - Bloodrivers

January MMXIII (2013)

1. Solemn Mountain (Live)

2. A Thousand Typewriters (Live)

3. Forms (Les feuilles mortes) (Live)

4. A Thousand Monkeys (Live)

5. I'm Sick Of Standing In The Same Place (Live)

6. Harvest Words (Live)

Billy Pilgrim Has Come Unstuck In Time (2013)

1. Billy Pilgrim Has Come Unstuck In Time

Covers (2013)

1. Sleepwalk Capsules (At The Drive-In cover)

2. They Don't Understand Us At The Academy (Piebald cover)

3. Entrance Of The Elected (Bear vs. Shark cover)

4. Be Here Now (As Tall As Lions cover)

5. Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up (LCD Soundsystem cover)

Native Wildlife/Glass Lungs/Killing Thing/Aviator (2014)

1. Native Wildlife - Most Accidents Happen Close To Home

2. Glass Lungs - Tiltawhirl

3. Killing Thing - Weathered

4. Aviator - So I Say To Her, I Say This (I Says)

Head In The Clouds, Hands In The Dirt (2014)

1. Pipe Dreams

2. Weathervane

3. There Was A Light (It Went Out)

4. Dig Your Own Grave And Save

5. Forms (les feuilles mortes)

6. I Hold Myself In Contempt

7. Bipolar Vortex

8. Head Noise

9. ...But I Won't Be There

10. Fever Dreams

[Untitled] (Demo) (2014)

1. [Untitled] (Demo)

High Hopes (2015)

1. High Hopes

Heaven's Gate b/w Death's Door (2017)

1. Heaven's Gate

2. Death's Door

Loneliness Leaves The Light On For Me (2017)

1. I Wanna Make Movies, Heather

2. Nasonov Pheromone

3. Ad Nauseam

4. I Wouldn't Leave Here If You Paid Me

5. Looks Deep Enough From Here

6. End Scene

7. One Year Warranty

8. I Wouldn't Live There If You Paid Me

9. Safety Coffin

10. Does It Make A Sound?

Bummer Summer: Compilation 2018 (2018)

11. Introvertebrate

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