Burned Out Bright

Burned Out Bright were a three-piece hardcore/emo band from Houston, Texas that were active approximately from 2000 to 2003. They harnessed a handful of styles in their short tenure together, mixing the skippy, noodly elements of emo with the rise-and-fall and syncopated dynamics of post-hardcore, all conveyed through the passionate, raw delivery of screamo with interspersed sung/screamed vocals. Their output was minimal but certainly impactful, with a split, a posthumous EP, their final live set, and a demo. Members of this band went on to form Fire Team Charlie (highly recommended) and The Walls You've Built. Enjoy.

Demo (2003)

1. The Coin Lied

2. In Memory

3. Rise Over Run

4. We Awake Disheartened

Die, Emperor! Die!/Burned Out Bright (2003)

1. Die, Emperor! Die! - Six Feet Beneath My Heart

2. Burned Out Bright - Gold Metal For Charlie

10+25+03 The End. (2003)

1. Rise Over Run

2. Gold Medal For Charlie

3. Untitled

4. The Coin Lied

5. In Memory

6. This Isn't The Tenka-Ichi-Budokai (I Hate Myself cover)

7. We Awake Disheartened

Burned Out Bright (2004)

1. Crossing The Fine Line

2. Unit: 01

3. Finally At Ease

4. Sunrise, And The Day To Come

5. House Of Dust

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

Spotify

Apple Music

Bridge Nine

Instagram

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

Bandcamp

Instagram

Facebook

Spotify

Apple Music

Osceola

Osceola were a four-piece screamo/hardcore band from Washington, DC and Baltimore, Maryland,  that were around from approximately 2007 to 2009. This name might be slightly familiar because they put out a fantastic split with Suis La Lune in 2009 and were part of a great four-way split including Lautrec, Boy Problems, and The Reptilian the year prior. They released a few other splits and an EP in their brief few years, but it wasn't until now that I've really given their full body of work a proper listen with this discography release that dropped in 2023. It's got all their recorded material in one convenient place, and thus makes the best starting point if you're new to them. They're pretty raw, with a chaotic attack that blends melody, dissonance and syncopation behind shouted/screamed vocals, like a weepier At The Drive-In. If you're into L'Antietam or Age Sixteen, this will be up your alley for sure. Enjoy.

Discography (2023)

1. Smile

2. A Place To Die

3. Dendrophilia

4. Overlooked

5. Untitled

6. Intro

7. Drone

8. Don't Taste Me Bro

9. Malax

10. Experiencing

11. Human Frustration

12. Translucent

13. Temporary

14. Deadbeat

15. Final Attempt

16. Unfinished

Bandcamp

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

Spotify

Apple Music

Instagram

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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Website

Instagram

Facebook

Marschak

Marschak were a five-piece screamo/post-hardcore band from Moscow, Russia that were active from approximately 2001 to 2009. They put out two albums, which vary fairly significantly in sound. Their self-titled is a raw and melancholic take on screamo, with desperately pained vocals, midtempo rhythms and washy guitar chords. Conversely, Relict is leaner and more technical, encroaching post-hardcore territory with its wiry, angular, syncopated guitars and shouted vocals, not to mention the inclusion of acoustic guitar segments. Both are solid releases, which one to start with is really based on your preferred cup of tea. I'm partial to the self-titled, if only for its bare viscera, but appreciate the experimental nature of Relict as well. Enjoy.

Marschak (2003)

1. Мой Новый День

2. Апраксия

3. Gilles De Tourette Syndrome

4. Изолят

5. Меня Не Было Здесь

6. Разговор C Самим Собой

7. Не Быть Человеком

8. Октябрь, 23

Relict (2009)

1. Час Прощания

2. Левиафан

3. Обещание На Рассвете

4. Эра

5. Апологет

6. Нет Никаких Нас

7. Хуршеда

8. Гротеск

9. Бутафория

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Apple Music

Thirdface

Thirdface are a four-piece hardcore band from Nashville, Tennessee that formed in 2018. They come through with raw, relentless blistering energy, with noisy, wiry guitars and rhythms that refuse to be pinned down. The vocals are absolutely scorching as well, with lyrical themes worth paying attention to. Their sound is this fantastic abrasion that feels like a culmination of disparate influences, which makes for something strangely unique but also distinct. Their debut LP Do It With a Smile was one of the strongest offerings of its year, and its recent follow-up Ministerial Cafeteria might even be a step up from it. If you're remotely interested in hardcore, this band absolutely has to be on your radar if they're not already. If you're still not sold, listen to "Villians!". Enjoy.

A Demonstration Of Righteous Aggression (2018)

1. Impetus

2. Gossip

3. Take It Back

4. No Relief

5. Fantasy

6. Local

Do It With A Smile (2021)

1. Customary

2. Local

3. Chosen

4. Grasping At The Root

5. Buck

6. Ally

7. Villains!

8. Legendary Suffering

9. No Requiem For The Wicked

10. Interlude

11. No Hope

12. No Relief

Ministerial Cafeteria (2024)

1. Mantras

2. Meander

3. Midian

4. Sour

5. Pure Touch

6. DOV

7. Bankroll

8. Stalkwalk

9. Beneviolent

10. Artifact Of Darkness

11. Trap Revealed

12. Purify

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

Instagram

Facebook

Filth

Filth were a five-piece hardcore/crust punk band from the East Bay, California that formed in 1989 and disbanded in 1992, with reunion shows occurring in 2010. They released one EP and two splits, with the Blatz split later being re-released to include both bands full discographies. Thus, sometimes you'll see Destroy Everything as a compilation, but everything's included on their individual original releases here. Even with their minimal output Filth proved to be highly influential, with their throat-scorching vocals, brash dual guitars that occasionally slip into some semblanc of melody. Lyrically, they can be both life-affirming and vitroilic, calling out hypocrisies and injustices seen outwardly while on a quest of self-expression and individual freedom. You may incidentally already be familiar with one song of theirs, since pg.99 cover "The List" (originally included on their City Of Caterpillar split, though now often included on reissues of Document #8). Enjoy.

Live The Chaos (1990)

1. Today's Lesson

2. Lust For Glory

3. Hate

4. Freedom

Shit Split (1991)

A Touch Of Blatz

1. Blatz - Homemade Speed

2. Blatz - Lullaby

3. Blatz - Chuck

4. Blatz - Berkeley Is My Baby (And I Wanna Kill It)

5. Blatz - Cockroach Cafe

6. Blatz - California

7. Blatz - Dolly

8. Blatz - I Don't Care About You

9. Blatz - Fuk Shit Up

Destroy Everything

1. Filth - The List

2. Filth - You Are Right

3. Filth - Night Of Rage

4. Filth - Filth

5. Filth - Violence As A Solution

6 Filth - Scarred For Life

7. Filth - Banned From The Pubs

This Is Why We Are The Drunks (1992)

1. Submachine - Suicide Drive

2. Submachine - Laughing

3. Submachine - Beer Song

4. Filth - Buttshits

5. Filth - Dear Fuck