This Machine Kills

This Machine Kills were a screamo band from Goleta, Santa Barbara, California that were active from approximately 1997 to 2003 (sources vary). They were pretty prolific in terms of releases, with an LP, EP, and multiple splits released over the span of just a few years. Most of you are probably familiar with this band due to their excellent three-way split with Raein and Yaphet Kotto (as well another split with Yaphet Kotto), but their LP Death In The Audoban Ballroom is also worth a listen, especially if you're a fan of In Love With Jetts/The Lady Is A Cat-era Antioch Arrow. And, I can't go without mentioning this, their vocalist was none other than Steve Aoki, better known now as an internationally recognized DJ. Before all that, he was active in the hardcore scene, fun little fact for ya there. I'm missing the Bury Me Standing and JR Ewing splits, so if you have those, let me know! Enjoy.

Demo (1998)

1. Guilty As Fuck

2. Culture Of Protest

3. My Generation

4. Agent Provocateur

5. Collaborator Put Down

6. Everything

On The Move (2000)

1. The Revenge Of John Africa

2. Culture Of Protest

3. Three Hundred & Sixty Degrees

4. Anger Lined With Cement

Envy/This Machine Kills (2000)
1. Envy - A Red Wound Picture

2. This Machine Kills - Forty One Bullets

Death In The Audobon Ballroom (2002)

1. Cracking The Mask

2. Bending The Erotic

3. Giving Testimony

4. Our Histories Have Burned Holes In Your Flag

5. Running With All These Names

6. Breakdown

7. Hearts And Minds

8. Death In The Audobon Ballroom

9. And The Weight Of That Silence Alone Will Choke Us

Yaphet Kotto/This Machine Kills/Envy (2003)

1. Yaphet Kotto - The Fall

2. Yaphet Kotto - Tracing

3. Yaphet Kotto - Momentary Loss Of Breath

4. This Machine Kills - Define Silence

5. This Machine Kills - Carpet Of Gold/Carpet Of Bombs

6. This Machine Kills - Our Histories Have Burned Holes In Your Flag

7. Envy - A Far-Off Reason

8. Envy - Signal

9. Envy - An Adventure Of Silence And Purpose

10. Yaphet Kotto/This Machine Kills/Envy - Untitled

Lumber Lung

Lumber Lung were a four-piece emo/hardcore band from Santa Barbara, California that were active from 2009 to 2012, though you would never guess it from listening to them. Their sound harkens back to the burgeoning underground emo scene in the early 90's, so much so that they could be mistakened for a band from 1994. They sound like contemporaries to their influences, which was most likely bands such as Still Life, Evergreen, Portraits Of Past, Julia, and Merel. If you think discordant, angular guitars pioneered by DC post-hardcore acts, melancholic melancholic chord washes, and a desperate mix of sung and screamed vocals, you have a loose idea of what this band sounds like. 

I know that sounds dismissive, as this is a tried and true sound, but their self-titled album is legitimately fanatastic. Not only is the production on it a little cleaner than you may be used to, but the songs themselves are unique in their catharsis and delivery, and I really do highly suggest anyone even remotely interested in this sound to check it out. Members of this band later played in Jade Dust, Apparition, and Become. Enjoy.

Demo 2010 "The Exuberance of a Robust People" (2010)

1. Watershed

2. Time Bandits

3. Vomit A Little In Your Mouth

4. Contrails

5. Best To Keep Moving

Lumber Lung (2011)

1. Seward Park

2. Watershed

3. Best To Keep Moving

4. Receiver

5. Warm Arms

6. Trajectory

7. Contrails

8. Time Bandits

9. Vomit A Little In Your Mouth

2012 (2012)
1.output

2. mineral

3. miles

4. born 2b wild

5. puddle of mud

6. no breakfast

7. shelter

8. lace up

Bandcamp

Facebook

Embassy

Embassy were a four-piece hardcore/emo band from Santa Barbara, California that were around from 1993 to 1996. With one split, an EP, and LP to their name, Embassy remain one of the most underrated bands in 90's emo. They are comparable to splitmates Indian Summer and bands such as Heroin, who took the hardcore template and turned it into something more melodic and melancholic. Embassy stand out for their distinct dual vocals that can alternate between harsh, cathartic screams and whisper-thin spoken word segments. Eight Songs (sometimes referred to as self-titled) is easily one of the most essential albums from this era, but unfortunately doesn't get brought up nearly enough, and it's a total failure on my end that I hadn't posted it sooner. Enjoy.

Embassy (1994)

1. Whispers Of No Small Intent

2. The Many Faces Of

3. Rachael Pomea

Indian Summer/Embassy (1994)

1. Indian Summer - I Think Your Train Is Leaving

2. Embassy - Stepping By

3. Embassy - Said

Eight Songs (1995)

1. Beyond Bridges

2. Baby Blue Day Dream

3. Whispers Of No Small Intent

4. Behind Closed Doors

5. Beauty In The Sky

6. Departure

7. Training Wheels

8. Flowers Bloom

Compilation Songs (1994-1995)

Blackness (Eucalyptus, 1995)

Sometimes Warmth Rushes Through My Body (Hand Made Words, 1995)

His Years (Ghost Dance, 1994)

How Can You (Ghost Dance, 1994)