Sinema

Sinema are a five-piece post-hardcore/screamo/emo band from Denton, Texas that formed in 2023. They've put out one EP, one split, and one album up to this point. I was recommended this band recently by Jack and wanted to thank him for that, because this is some fantastically eclectic stuff. Sonically, they're a seamless blend of influences, with vocals as stylistically disparate as clean, screamed, and growled; their heavy riffs chug out dissonance inflections, while the more melodic moments feature midwest emo arpeggios and even some post-rock elements. It's a throwback to the MySpace sounds of 20 years ago, but assimilated into something distinctly modern. I've find myself listening to this quite a bit lately, and they've quickly become one of the newer bands I'm most excited about, they're working with a unique energy here. Give them a try, After The Flatline is my personal favourite of theirs, as it leans towards the more emocore side of their sound, but the album and split are worth a shot as well. Take this with a grain of salt, but if you're into bands including Alexisonfire, You And I, Thursday, and Saosin, check this out. Enjoy.

After The Flatline (2023)

1. Stutter

2. ...And You Already Forgot

3. Hard To Get By

4. Speak Your Mind

5. I Can't See Through The Mirror

Consider It Your Fault (2024)

1. Sinema - The House Always Wins

2. XheartworksX - Oh, Gone From Me

Fear Of The Fall (2024)

1. 01

2. On A Broken Edge

3. Tears On The Moon

4. 02

5. Weather To Believe

6. Don't Just Stand There

7. I Hold On Twice

8. At Least, Be Human

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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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Tears Of Joy

Tears Of Joy are a five-piece hardcore band from Tacoma, Washington that formed in 2022. Earlier this year, they released their debut self-titled demo EP. At its core, this thing is noisy and abrasive, with maximized distortion, dissonant metalcore riffage, and a furious vocal delivery. They really change things up with moments like "Annie Interlude", an incredibly noisy, electronic-and-percussion driven track with an insane interpolation of "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" that they somehow make work. It's one of the most unique things you'll probably hear this year, and its perfectly bookended by the EP's other pulverizing tracks.  If you're a fan of bands including, Trapped Under Ice, Trash Talk, Candy, or Converge, this band is not to be missed. Enjoy.

Tears Of Joy (2023)

1. Tears Of Joy

2. Bastard

3. Annie Interlude

4. S.A.P.

5. Hole In My Head

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Curl Up And Die

Curl Are Up And Die Are a four-piece metalcore band from Las Vegas, Nevada that formed in 1998, broke up in 2005, and reunited in 2019. The band went through a number of line-up changes in their early years, and were at one-time a five-piece. As a result, their sound changed and evolved quite a bit. Their early material is a lot scrappier, with sharp shifting riffs and very throaty vocals, if that makes any sense. They signed to Revelation Records in 2001, and released their debut full-length the following year. Sonically, it contained quick, thrashy bursts of dissonance and a more guttural, visceral vocal howl. It wouldn't be a surprise if this band was paying close attention to things like early Converge and Botch. They released a series of two EP's in which they really hit their stride as a band, both of which I highly recommend starting with if you're new to this band. 

Their final album, The One Above All, The End Of All That Is was released in 2005 and is decidely more matured and nuanced in sound. It's got massive riffs, and hits heavier with a slower pace, taking it's time to blend in more melodic elements and build up its tracks. The energy is still there, just used sparingly to really drive home the effect. It's an incredible record and one of metalcore's more underrated, so do yourself a favour and check that out as well. Enjoy.

Demo (1999)

1. Watch Your Face

2. How About I Eat Your Kids

3. Worn

4. Wanted Shit

Demo 2.0 (2000)

1. Hella Vegas Kids Say Hella

2. If I Wanted Shit Out Of You I'd Squeeze Your Neck

3. Kissing You is Like Licking an Ashtray

4. The Only Good Bug Is A Dead Bug

5. How About I Eat Your Kids

6. Bullet (demo)

7. Hardcore Since 10

The Only Good Bug Is A Dead Bug (2000)

1. And Then The Robots Were Killed

2. Absolute Denial Of The Ultimate Nullifier

3. Hella Vegas Kids Say Hella

4. Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Select, Start

5. Proclaimed Bat Hunter

6. Nest Of The Face Hugger

1998 (2001)

1. If I Wanted Shit Out Of You, I'd Squeeze Your Neck

2. Watch Your Face

Unfortunately, We're Not Robots (2002)

1. We

2. Are

3. All

4. Dead

5. 100 M.P.H. Vomit Dedicated to Jon

6. On the Run from Johnny Law Ain't No Trip to Cleveland

7. Ted Nugent Goes AOL

8. Total Pandemonium

9. Doctor Doom, a Man of Science, Doesn't Believe in Jesus, Why the Fuck Do You

10. You'd Be Cuter If I Shot You in the Face

11. Make Like a Computer and Get with the Program

12. Your Idea of Fascism and Global Intervention Makes Me Puke

13. I Lost My Job to a Machine

14. Kissing You Is Like Licking an Ashtray

15. Rich Hall (Runner Up in a Carson Daly Lookalike Contest)

We May Be Through With The Past... (2003)

1. I Hate Almost Every Person I Come in Contact With

2. Damn Girl, That Shit Is Deep Like the Ocean

3. China Part Breakdown

4. .. - ... .- ..-. ..- -.-. -.- .. -. --. - .. -- . -- .- -.-. .... .. -. .

5. Utah: The Whoopie Cushion of America

6. I Don't Give a Shit If I'm in Outer Darkness, I'll Make Friends

But The Past Ain't Through With Us (2003)

1. Nuclear Waste? Bring That Shit. (We Want A State Full Of Radiated Super Heroes)

2. If This Band Thing Doesn't Pan Out We're Joining the Army

3. .. - ... . - ..-. ..- -.-. -. - .. -. --. - .. -- . -- . - -.-. .... ..

4. God Is in His Heaven, All Is Right With the World

The One Above All, The End Of All That Is (2005)

1. An Uncomfortable Routine

2. Antidepressants Are Depressing

3. Ultra Carb Diet Carpooling Stupid Fucking Life

4. The One Above All, The End of All That Is

5. Instrumental

6. Black Out

7. There Ain't No Can't in American

8. Zero MPH Fallover

9. There Is Never Enough Time to Do Nothing

10. I'm Trying To Fly To The Moon

11. Blood Mosh Hips Hair Lips Pills Fuck Death

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The Power & The Glory

The Power & The Glory were a four-piece metalcore band from Atlanta, Georgia. They began around 1996 as a five-piece under the name Downpour, and put out two releases. Admittedly, they're just alright. In the early 2000's and changed their name to The Power & The Glory. This is where things get really good. Under this moniker, they released one album. Call Me Armageddon. It came out in 2004 as a Deathwish release, and was produced by Kurt Ballou with artwork done by Jacob Bannon. This album is absolutely fantastic, and recalls the technical riffs and hard-hitting impact of bands such as Converge, with elements of crust punk and grindcore mixed in. Highly recommended and underrated, enjoy.

No Lie Can Live Forever (1998)

1. Without Within

2. Strangers

3. Strong Embrace

4. Dying

Footsteps Over Our Heads (2000)

1. Silent Truths And Poisons

2. Interlude

3. Last Chance For A Slow Dance

4. Interlude

5. Victor

6. Interlude

7. God Forbid

8. Footsteps Over Our Heads

9. The Ghost Of Antonious Black

10. Brides Are For Burning

11. Interlude

12. My War (Black Flag cover)

11. Outro

Call Me Armageddon (2004)

1. God & Gold

2. V Is For Vulture

3. Call Me Armageddon

4. FKNTHNDR

5. FKNLTNN

6. High Winds & Heavy Seas

7. Motherfuck John Wayne

8. The Girl Who Stole The Eiffel Tower

9. East (There Is Such A Lot Of World To See)

10. Year Of The Fear

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Drowningman

Drowningman are a five-piece metalcore/mathcore band from Burlington, Vermont that were around from 1995 to 2002. They reunited between 2004 and 2005 for a tour and new album before breaking up again. They played a few reunion shows in 2014, and offically reformed in 2021, with their first new material in over 15 years being released this year. Throughout their tenure, they've gone through quite a few lineup changes, with vocalist Simon Brody being the one constant member. They've also worked with a ton of great labels, including Hydra Head, Revelation and Equal Vision. 

Sonically, Drowningman came off the heels of metalcore pioneers like Unbroken and Deadguy, with heavy, dissonant riffs, agile rhythms, and throat-shredding vocals. They often paired with this with a keen sense of melody, even early on at their heaviest. It wouldn't be surprising to find out they were big on post-hardcore acts like Unwound or Refused, as those angular, melodic aspects do encroach in their sound quite a bit. If you're looking for a place to start, I think their debut Busy Signal At The Suicide Hotline is probably their best, though I do also have an affinity for the EP's How They Light Cigarettes In Prison and Still Loves You. Highly recommended stuff, they are an absolute classic of their respective genre. Enjoy.

Weighted And Weighed Down (1997)

1. Weighted And Weighed Down

2. Static Mouth

Busy Signal At The Suicide Hotline (1998)

1. Condoning The Use Of Inhalants

2. High School Slow Dance

3. Busy Signal At The Suicide Hotline

4. Sadder Than Saturday

5. Mail Order Kidney

6. Trouble Breathing

7. Supermarket Riot

8. Clothesline

The Dillinger Escape Plan/Drowningman (1999)

1. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Jim Fear

2. Drowningman - My First Restraining Order

How They Light Cigarettes In Prison (2000)

1. Black-Tie Knife-Fight

2. Radio Turned To The Sounds Of Hearts Breaking

3. A Quick Prayer To The Patron Saint Of Dirty Rest Area Bathrooms And Clean Getaways

4. How They Light Cigarettes In Prison

Rock And Roll Killing Machine (2000)

1. When People Become Numbers

2. Last Weeks Minutes From The Meeting Of The Secret Society Of Your Friends Who Actually Hate You

3. The Truly Dangerous Nature Of A Man Who Doesn't Care If He Lives Or Dies

4. Rock And Roll Killing Machine

5. Code Breaking Hearts

6. My First Restraining Order

7. This Years Most Fashionable Sense Of Weakness

8. If God Loves A Winner He's Going To Want To Fuck Me In A Minute (Born To Break Even)

9. Angels And Defenses

Still Loves You (2001)

1. The More I Get To Know You Less I Like You

2. The Unbearable Burden Of Always Being Right

3. Weighted And Weighed Down

4. Living With The Awful Truth That We're Not As Cool As We'd Like Other People To Think We Are

5. Surveillance Footage Highlights

Learn To Let It Go (The Demos) (2004)

1. Weighted And Weighed Down

2. Dial

3. Static Mouth

4. Your Eyes Look Like Candy

5. Red

6. Kiss The Canvas

7. Where The Heart Is

8. Wellwisher

9. Contagious

10. Open Book Test

11. Kerosene

12. Burning Buildings

Don't Push Us When We're Hot (2005)

1. Yeah, You're Pretty But Do You Think You'll Really Get Away With It?

2. John Cougar Mellancamp Is The White Devil

3. Dude Status; Revoked

4. Today's Special: Still Beating Hearts

5. White People Are Stupid

6. Drowningman Dance Party, Bring Your Own Bodybag

7. "Dear God, Life Is Hell"

8. The Last Honest Man Sells Out

9. Major Disappointment Reporting For Duty

10. Luck, Love, Life Time Guarantees And Other Things Assholes Believe In

Black On Black: A Tribute To Black Flag (2006)

6. Loose Nut (Black Flag cover)

Later Day Saints (2022)

1. Navigating Grief And Loss In A Pre-Apocalyptic Landscape

2. It Will End In Cops

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Acme

Acme were a four-piece hardcore/metalcore band from Bremen, Germany that were around in the early 90's (1993 and 1994, at least). They put two 7"'s between the aforementioned years, and a discography compilation of both them in 1996. Despite their minor output, it's easy to hear what made this band so special and influential. The discordant riffs, athletic drumming, guttural vocals, would all become standards of American metalcore greats that came out in the latter half of the decade such as Converge and Botch. Highly recommended, enjoy.

...To Reduce The Choir To One Soloist (1996)

1. Blind

2. Attempt

3. Injection

4. Ordinary

5. Cathode

6. Basterdiser

7. Repress

8. Attempt

9. Repress (Live)

Disembodied

Disembodied were a five-piece metalcore band from Minneapolis, Maryland that were originally around from 1995 to 1999, then reuniting from 2008 to 2011, and again in 2017. As far as words like "overdue" and "influential" go on this blog, both feel like understatements when bringing up Disembodied. The sludgy, rhythmic dissonance and drop-tuned sound they produced throughout their original run is without a doubt some of the heaviest offerings hardcore-adjacent and extreme music have to give. With punishingly wounded yet ferocious vocals to boot, Disembodied really existed in a league of their own, and crafted something palatably visceral. With the adjective-ejaculate out of the way, this band is a must for fans of hardcore, especially ones that lean towards the Earth Crisis and Integrity side of things.

A few notes on their discography. All individual releases are included (as per usual), but they do have two compilations released in relatively recent years that captures most of their material in easy-to-access places. Psalms Of Sheol is an odds-and-ends compilation consisting of Existence In Suicide, The Confession, and various compilation tracks, all remixed and remastered. Transfiguration is a discography compilation consisting of Diablerie, If Only God Knew The Rest Were Dead, Oxymoron, and Heretic. Please do enjoy, I've been sitting on this post half-finished for a while now and am super happy to finally get it out, Enjoy!

Existence In Suicide (1995)

1. Scorn

2. Shattered

3. Asura

4. Invisible

5. Existence

The Confession (1996)

1. Feel

2. Confession

3. Expressionless

Diablerie (1997)

1. Anvil Chandelier

2. Forget Me

3. Devil's Grin

4. Nicotine

5. Deity

6. Eulogy

7. Dead Before Birth

8. Naked

9. Cascade

If God Only Knew The Rest Were Dead (1998)

1. Heroine Fingers

2. Bloodshed Rain

3. Dislocation

4. Gone

5. Burning Cupid

Oxymoron (1999)

1. Disembodied - Stigma

2. Disembodied - Obfuscate

3. Disembodied - Dine Alone (Quicksand cover)

4. Brother's Keeper - Losing Is My Favorite Sport

5. Brother's Keeper - Namedropper

6. Brother's Keeper - Twist Of Cain (Danzig cover)

Heretic (1999)

1. Cynic

2. 7 Stitches

3. Amaranth

4. Nemesis

5. Barbiturate

6. One For The Wicked

7. Godless

8. Scapegoat

9. Sticks & Stones

10. In The End

Psalms Of Sheol (2009)

1. Enochian Prayer

2. Epilogue

3. Scratch

4. Burning Cupid

5. Feel

6. Confession

7. Expressionless

8. Scorn

9. Shattered

10. Asura

11. Invisible

12. Existence In Suicide

13. Creeping Death (Metallica cover)

Transfiguration (2019)

1. Anvil Chandelier

2. Forget Me

3. Devil's Grin

4. Nicotine

5. Deity

6. Eulogy

7. Dead Before Birth

8. Naked

9. Cascade

10. Heroine Fingers

11. Bloodshed Rain

12. Dislocation

13. Gone

14. Burning Cupid

15. Stigma

16. Obfuscate

17. Dine Alone

18. Creeping Death

19. Cynic

20. 7 Stitches

21. Amaranth

22. Nemesis

23. Barbituate

24. One For The Wicked

25. Godless

26. Scapegoat

27. Sticks & Stones

28. In The End

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