Dead Swans

Dead Swans were a five-piece melodic hardcore band from Brighton, England that were active from 2006 to 2013, with a few reunion shows played in 2016. Since then they're hasn't been any activity that I'm aware of, though vocalist Nick Worthington is currently active with Still In Love, who just released their first LP this year (which also just got featured here). When I was working on that, I realized the major oversight on my part that Dead Swans had yet to make it on here. In all honesty, they're a band I never listened to a ton but certainly enjoyed, as they were one of the premier "melodic hardcore" bands that bridged the 2000's and 2010's (no pun intended, as they were also a Bridge Nine band). They crafted a dark and raw pummelling brand of hardcore that you could say is in a similar vein as American Nightmare, Carry On, and More Than Life, but they're a distinct entity to hold their own, and Nick's scorching vocal delivery and poetic lyricism certainly hold their weight. They're also great with the gang vocals, and who doesn't love a good gang vocal? Anyway, if you're new to this band they're well worth your time, Sleepwalkers is the obvious starting point as its their only LP. Enjoy.

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Demo (2007)

1. Tin Heart

2. Preferring The Worst

Southern Blue (2007)

1. Into Dust

2. Lines Of Separation

3. Dead Until Dark

4. 20/07/07

5. The Hanging Sun

Architects/Dead Swans (2008)

1. Architects - We're All Alone

2. Architects - Broken Clocks

3. Dead Swans - In The Half Light

4. Dead Swans - Swallow

It's Starting (2009)

1. Thinking Of You

2. Ivy Archway

3. Fix Me (Black Flag cover)

4. When You Sleep (My Bloody Valentine cover)

Sleepwalkers (2009)

1. Thinking Of You

2. Ascension

3. Ivy Archway

4. Swallow

5. So Far You've Only Made Things Worse

6. 20.07.07

7. Winter Overture

8. Hide And Seek

9. ...And It Seemed So Bright

10. Montpellier To Home

11. Today, Tonight, Tomorrow

12. Tent City

Anxiety And Everything Else (2012)

1. I've Been Trying To Leave

2. Summer Of Hate

3. Dead Until Dark

4. Keep Them Shut

5. Since Day One

6. You Can Only Blame Yourself

7. Southern Blue

Before And Through (2016)

1. Tin Heart (Demo)

2. Preferring The Worst (Demo)

3. Ascension (Demo)

4. Sleepwalkers (Demo)

5. Montpelier To Home (Demo)

6. Preferring The Worst (Live)

7. In The Half Light (Live)

8. 20.07.07 (Live)

9. The Hanging Sun (Live)

10. Southern Blue (Live)

Note: Compilation including demos and live tracks

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Still In Love

EDIT: This is what happens when I'm out of practice and draw up like 8 posts in one go.  So I managed to forget to upload the links for this post, and of course have now only discovered that after it was already up and I sent my laptop in for a repair. By early next week I should have it back and can get these uploaded, sorry for the delay there!

Still In Love are a five-piece melodic hardcore band from London, England that formed in 2024, comprising former members of Dead Swans, Brutality Will Prevail, and Bring Me The Horizon. Following a pair of EP's last year (which were compiled on a single release this year), their debut LP Recovery Language came out in September of this year via Church Road Records. The album features thick, distorted riffs and vigorous drums that throttle out the occasional blast beat, echoing the blends of heavy music with a melodic edge a la something like Blacklisted. Nick from Dead Swans is also behind their searing, cathartic vocals, so if you're a fan of them this is certainly something work your time to check out. Enjoy.

Withdrawal Symptoms Pt. 1 (2024)

1. Self Portrait

2. The Peace Of Exhaustion

3. Homecoming (relapse)

Withdrawal Symptoms Pt. 2 (2024)

1. It Will Never Be Enough

2. Small Organ

3. Sober

Recovery Language (2025)

1. Tell The Truth

2. Nervous Impulse

3. Preserve & Cherish

4. Feathered Nest

5. Inherit

6. The State Of Things To Come

7. You Have To Let It Go

8. Pillar Of Strength

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Comeback Kid

Comeback Kid are a five-piece melodic hardcore band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that formed in 2001. Since then they've released two albums and maintained a relentless touring schedule, becoming one of the most well-known and celeberated bands the genre has had to offer in the past 20 years or so. Thus, I don't know how much of an introducion this band really needs, but to give you a super abbreviated version of their history, they started off as the side project of another band called Figure Four, recorded a demo in 2002 that lead to their debut in 2003. They took Comeback Kid on full-time, signed to began touring, ended up signing to Victory Records and released their sophomore album, Wake The Dead in 2005, produced by Bill Stevenson. Both of their first two albums are considered bona fida classics, but this one especially is highly regarded, and often considered one of the many high points 2000's melodic hardcore had to offer. The title track often finds its way into conversations regarding "greatest hardcore songs of all time", alongside the likes of "Firestorm" and "Start Today". As ridculous of a conversation that can be, this album and this song do deserve a mention.

Following Wake The Dead, the band underwent a major line-up shift with the departure of vocalist Scott Wade. Founding member and rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Andrew Neufield eventually takes over as the band's lead vocalist, with Casey Hjelmberg taking over his previous position for a couple years, eventually leaving in 2012. Stu Ross (of Misery Signals) joined in 2012, who is holding the rhythm guitar/backing vocals down for the band to this day. To back up a bit, with Neufield as vocalist they release Broadcasting... in 2007, not skipping a beat from their previous two albums, and actually garnering quite a bit of attention outside the hardcore scene in the process. Since then they've undergone a few other line-up changes, with Neufield and lead guitarist Jeremy Hiebert being the two remaining founding/consistent members. The band have consistently been releasing blood-pumping music, with a steady stream of albums and a handful of EP's suggesting they show no signs of slowing down. They're one of the biggest names in hardcore, chances are you've at least heard of them, and if not I implore you to listen to them yesterday. Admittedly they're not one of my personal favourites, and I never fell in love with them the way I did Modern Life Is War or American Nightmare, but again, those first few albums I can come back to anytime and remain impressed by. Since I didn't mention it specifically Symptoms + Cures is also as solid as they come, but beyond that I haven't really listened to anything enough to properly comment. However, going back to these first four records for this post has inspired me to give those later albums more tries. Wake up the dead. Enjoy.

Demo '02 (2002)

1. Without A Word

2. All In A Year

3. The Operative Word

4. Step Ahead

5. Playing The Part

6. Give And Take

Turn It Around (2003)

1. All In A Year

2. Give And Take

3. Die Tonight

4. Changing Face

5. Playing The Part

6. Always

7. Step Ahead

8. Operative Word

9. Biting Tongue

10. Something Less

11. Never Fade

12. Without A Word

13. Lorelei

Wake The Dead (2005)

1. False Idols Fall

2. My Other Side

3. Wake the Dead

4. The Trouble I Love

5. Talk Is Cheap

6. Partners In Crime

7. Our Distance

8. Bright Lights Keep Shining

9. Falling Apart

10. Losing Patience

11. Final Goodbye

Broadcasting... (2007)

1. Defeated

2. Broadcasting...

3. Hailing On Me

4. The Blackstone

5. Industry Standards

6. Give'r (Reprise)

7. One Left Satisfied

8. Come Around

9. In Case Of Fire

10. Market Demands

11. In/Tuition

Through The Noise (2008)

1. False Idols Fall

2. Die Tonight

3. Broadcasting...

4. Partners In Crime

5. Changing Face

6. Industry Standards

7. Defeated

8. All In A Year

9. Step Ahead

10. Talk Is Cheap

11. The Trouble I Love

12. Hailing On Me

13. Our Distance

14. Lorelei

15. Wake The Dead

16. Give'r (Reprise)

17. Final Goodbye

Note: Live Album, recorded in Leipzig, Germany on November 23, 2007

Symptoms + Cures (2010)

1. Do Yourself A Fvour

2. Crooked Floors

3. G.M. Vincent And I

4. Because Of All

5. The Concept Says

6. Balance

7. Symptoms + Cures

8. Manifest

9. Get Alone

10. Magnet Pull

11. Pull Back The Reins

Die Knowing (2014)

1. Die Knowing

2. Lower The Line

3. Wasted Arrows

4. Losing Sleep

5. Should Know Better

6. I Depend, I Control

7. Somewhere In This Miserable...

8. Beyond

9. Unconditional

10. Didn't Even Mind

11. Full Swing

12. Sink In

Rain City Sessions +1 (2015)

1. Wake The Dead

2. Should Know Better

3. All In A Year

4. Losing Sleep

5. The Concept Stays

6. Lower The Line

7. Territorial Pissings (Nirvana cover)

Outsider (2017)

1. Outsider

2. Surrender Control

3. Absolute (feat. Devin Townsend)

4. Hell Of A Scene

5. Somewhere, Somehow

6. Consumed The Vision (feat. Chris Cresswell)

7. I'll Be That

8. Outrage (Fresh Face, Stale Cause)

9. Blindspot

10. Livid, I'm Prime

11. Recover

12. Throw That Stone

13. Moment In Time (feat. Northcote)

Beds Are Burning (2018)

1. Beds Are Burning

2. Little Soldier

Heavy Steps (2022)

1. Heavy Steps

2. No Easy Way Out

3. Face The Fire

4. Crossed (feat. Joe Duplantier)

5. Everything Relates (feat. JJ)

6. Dead On The Fence

7. Shadow Of Doubt

8. True To Form

9. In Between

10. Standstill

11. Menacing Weight

Trouble EP (2024)

1. Trouble In The Winners Circle

2. Disruption

3. Chompin' At The Bit

4. Breaking And Bruised

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The Banner

The Banner are a five-piece hardcore band from Bloomfield, New Jersey that formed in 1999. Over the course of full-lengths and a few EP's and splits, the band have evolved a ton sonically, all while being one of the most consistent and perhaps even underappreciated hardcore acts of the past two decades or so. They've got an affinity for the macabre, which comes across in their lyrics and visuals. That darker sensibility makes this perfect for some colder-weather listening. 

If you're looking for a starting point, Each Breath Haunted is quintessential mid-2000's melodic hardcore listening, akin to bands like American Nightmare or Blacklisted. Its follow-up, Frailty is arguably their best, with a much heavier, almost hellish quality to it. Greying and the split with Old Wounds takes that metalcore sound and descends a step further into despair by incorporating elements of black metal. Whatever your poison may be, these are three incredible albums perfect for this time of year. I can't speak much on their earlier stuff as I'm not too familiar with it, but it's all here in all its glory if you're interested. Enjoy.

Posthumous (2003)

1. Outgunned

2. Rattlesnakes

3. The Screaming

4. Marked For Life

5. Trial By Fire

Your Murder Mixtape (2003)

1. Zombie Onslaught

2. Skies Go Black

3. Sometimes They Come Back

4. Die Fighting

5. Apocalypse

6. I Found Your Diary

7. Black Duct Tape

8. Red Devil

9. Night Of The Rope

10. September Song

11. Bloodlust (Ink & Dagger cover)

Dead Wrong Vs. The Banner (2004)

1. Dead Wrong - 8:46

2. Dead Wrong - Silent Screams

3. Dead Wrong - No Love

4. The Banner - No Surrender

5. The Banner - Black And Blue

6. The Banner - Sometimes They Come Back

Each Breath Haunted (2005)

1. Devilhawks

2. Venom And Hope

3. I'll Be Happy When You're Fucking Dead

4. An Allergy To Sun

5. Soverign Of The Black Pit

6. Black Hood

7. An Allergy To Silver

8. Hell On A Horse

9. Interlude

10. Muddweller

11. Coffin Nails

12. Tragedy

13. I Am Legend

Frailty (2008)

1. Welcome Fuckers

2. The Wolf

3. Leechbath

4. The Hellbound Heart

5. On Hooks

6. IWIWD

7. Sphrenia

8. Funerals

9. Dusk

10. I Am Legion

11. Ratflesh

12. The Father And The Wayward Son

Born To Ruin I: The Way Is Shut (2013)

1. Wolvesblood

2. Lilth

3. Negative Zone

4. Night (Zola Jesus cover)

Greying (2014)

1. The Dying Of The Light

2. Circle Of Salt

3. Crippling Despair

4. Sunlight

5. Unbaptized

6. A Quiet Corner

7. Send Me Down

8. VIII

9. She Upon The Black Wolf

10. Bones To Dust

11. Sunset

Only The Dead Know Jersey (2015)

1. The Banner - Witchburner

2. The Banner - Rat King

3. Old Wounds - The Secret Song At The Center Of The World

4. Old Wounds - It Can't Rain All The Time

Love Like Blood (2016)

1. Love Like Blood (Killing Joke cover)

2. Send Me Down (Heretics In The Lab Remix)

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Initiate

Initiate are a five-piece hardcore band from Orange County, California that formed in 2016. They put out a demo that same year, with was followed by a full-length in 2018 and an EP in 2020. I first heard them earlier this year, with the release of their sophomore album Cerebral Circus, which dropped back in April via Triple B Records. It's been on replay ever since, as this album packs an energetic punch, with a litany of catchy and memorable moments across its 10 tracks. The band lays their groundwork hardcore influence, somewhere between Carry On, No Warning, and the start-stop riffage of a NYHC band. 

That doesn't really do them any justice though, as what they bring to the people is this vibrant and melodic take on hardcore that sounds truly unique to them. I may be way off here, but there's a slight nod to 80's glam metal in the riffs and grooves (particularly the shredding on "No Burden Of Guilt"), which make this record near-impossible to sit still to. The vocals are absolutely searing, with anthemic lyrics that rattle around in your brain while after the record's over. They're also not afraid to pull in more melodic elements head-on, with the soaring hook on "The Surface", the dreamy guitar bit on "Amend", and the Cranberries-esque closer "Transparency", which fully embraces the melodic qualities hinted at in the previous tracks. Suffice to say, this is one of my favourite hardcore releases in recent years and I highly suggest checking this out if you haven't already. Enjoy.

Demo 2016 (2016)

1. Intro

2. Idle

3. What's Mine

4. Step Down

5. No Cost

Before Long... (2018)

1. Begin Again

2. Won't Give In

3. Gilded

4. False Perception

5. Nothing More

6. Nasty Woman

7. Before Long

8. At Least

9. To My Friends

Lavender (2020)

1. Intro II

2. Lavender

3. Myopia

4. What You Sow

5. Beverly

6. One In The Same

Cerebral Circus (2023)

1. Waste Your Life

2. Alone At The Bottom

3. Fool

4. Amend

5. Interlude

6. Fire Starter

7. Your Own Means

8. The Surface

9. No Burden of Guilt

10. Transparency

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Praise

Photo by: Farrah Skeiky

Praise are a five-piece melodic hardcore band from Baltimore, Maryland that formed in 2009. Thus far, they've released three full-lengths and a handful of EP's, mostly through React! Records and their latest LP through Revelation. I just have to say, I have been sorely missing on this band for years now. This is so up my alley that I'm kicking myself for not having checked them out sooner. In the most basic terms, they pay homage to the huge, bright distorted and chorus-laden work of Hüsker Dü with heavy influence from DC acts such as Embrace, Dag Nasty and One Last Wish that first incorporated melodic elements into hardcore. It's an incredible blend that still manages to sound truly modern, with some top-tier musicianship to boot. That's unsurprising, given that this band includes members of Turnstile, Angel Du$t, Mindset, Give, and a ton of other incredible projects. I cannot recommend this enough, I highly, highly suggest checking it out if you're as late to the punch on this as I am. Enjoy.

Growing. Changing. Healing. (2010)

1. Caught In A Cycle

2. I Believe

3. Peace Is The Solution

4. Healing

Two Songs (2011)

1. Afraid To Ask

2. Autumn

Lights Went Out (2014)

1. Accept

2.Safe Place

3. Lights Went Out

4. To Be Me

5. Reach Deep

6. Write It Down

7. Give Me The Pain

8. Afraid To Ask

9. Restless Minds

10. Weight

Leave It All Behind (2016)

1. Makes No Sense

2. Crash Into My Life

3. Settle Down

4. Leave It All Behind

5. Song For You

6. Walk To The Edge

7. We All Fall Down

America's Hardcore Volume 4 (2017)

3. Return To Life

All In A Dream (2022)

1. All In A Dream

2. Return To Life

3. Hotline To Memory

4. Suddenly Human

5. Peace Of Mine

6. Limited Sense Of Possibility

7. Eyes In The Dark

8. Life Unknown

9. Keep Hanging On

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