I Hate Myself - 10 Songs (1997)

Fits into the unusual tradition of the band or album as subversive love-letter to a style: Monster Magnet to metal, Ween to country, Royal Trux to rock n roll, I Hate Myself to emo. There’s the eye-roll of the band name and song-titles, but also the genuine embrace of the components of emo: the screams, the emotional builds, the unusual guitar-lines. 10 Songs is tongue-in-cheek but they’re not gonna mock you for enjoying it, they believe what they’re doing themselves

A

spotify

Yaphet Kotto - The Killer Was In The Government Blankets (1999)

Raw! Energetic! Um... guitars! Double screams for double the core in emocore! Time-signatures! Influence! Relevance!

B

buy

Suis La Lune - Heir

1. With Wings of Feathers and Glue

2. September Gave Us Awkwardness, October Gave Us Nothing

3. The Greatest Actors Keep on Acting Offstage

4. Can't Believe I Spelled it Out to You

Suis La Lune is an emo band from Sweden. Their sound is hard to describe, encompassing shoegaze and slowcore influences in melodic passages (that kind of sound like Sunny Day Real Estate?) contrasted with chaotic, yet melodic screamo parts. Probably the 'prettiest' sounding band of this genre... and that's saying something. One of my favourite releases.

Download

Envy - A Dead Sinking Story

1. Chain Wandering Deeply

2. Distress of Ignorance

3. Evidence

4. Color of Fetters

5. Unrepairable Gentleness

6. Go Mad and Mark

7. A Conviction that Speeds

8. Reasons and Oblivion

9. A Will Remains in the Ashes

Envy is a Japanese screamo band that includes elements of post rock and hardcore punk. Envy's sound is crushingly heavy and hopeless - emphasised by their low-key, melodic and beautiful passages. A Dead Sinking Story is their best album, released in 2003 and defining a style that was subsequently mimicked by the west. Nevertheless, nothing quite compares to Envy's grapple on the sound, complimented by the character of Japanese vocals - sometimes screamed, other times spoken. Simply one of the most passionate and well-crafted albums ever, any fan of heavy music should listen to this.

Download

Matsuri - Endship

Matsuri is a screamo (/skramz lolz) band from California. It's always hard to describe bands like this without sounding like an asshole, but they make some of the most passionate and spirited music I have ever heard. Combining 90s screamo/emo and post-rock sounds in a thoughtful and innovative way, Matsuri has put together one of my favourite full-lengths. Totally underrated, DIY-as-fuck - unfortunately these guys broke up recently, but we are left with Endship and some other great records.

Download

Purchase

open your chest / breathe out your soul / cling to your lungs / love what you hold

Parents - Parents II EP (2011)

1. XXIV 0:45

2. XV 1:43

3. XVIII 0:35

4. XVI 1:36

5. XIII 1:53

6. XXI 0:53

7. XXIII 0:42

8. XXII 2:49

Get their EP

Like them on Facebook and check out their shows and merch