Wow, someone’s hangry. I read on the internet that ANEURYSM is a post-hardcore noise rock band from Boston. Indeed, that is what this sounds like. Very anthemic and upset, party rock for the post-hardcore set. This would probably sound better if I was on PCP.
Beer-soaked skate-punk thrash from Columbia, SC—fast, reckless, and self-aware enough to be hilarious. High-velocity riffs collide with party chant vocals, weaving in skate references, thrash swagger, and the occasional lyrical face-plant. Like SLAPSHOT crashing a backyard ramp session—rowdy, sweaty, and way past curfew.
Hardcore punk project coming from Providence, with deep, melodic ‘core roots merging with breakdowns from time to time. Sufficient execution, with deep, guttural vocals that are on point, and yet most tracks sound and feel like they are the very same (perhaps melodic hardcore all sounds the same to me), with a formula of steady, fast cadences, followed by an impasse or breakdown, and then some soft vocals giving entrance to guttural screamo again and again. A good ball of sound, but perhaps less repetition could help.
The kids these days have done a really solid job categorizing the different eras of emocore, and while I’m not really sure which generation this sound falls into, I am a sucker for the proto-screamo, dissonant chord, artsy form of the genre like BOYS LIFE, CAR VS. DRIVER, and INDIAN SUMMER. KING SLENDER also scratches that itch, sounding very much like early PIEBALD before they started incorporating melody into their music. I know that the Midwestern noodly emo sound has held the spotlight for quite some time at this point, but this style has always been the “true” emo in my opinion. This is a fantastic record, and you need to check it out if you’re into the aforementioned bands.
Following the band’s debut LP Brand Managers of the Mid-Atlantic from last year, NORTHEAST REGIONAL fires off three post-hardcore/power punk tracks on this latest 7”. The group comes to us from Richmond, VA by way of Washington, DC, and is the brainchild of vocalist and guitarist Jeff Byers. The group was formerly a studio-based effort with lots of credited musicians, but a steady lineup has since formed and the group has been found on stage with local acts like DARKER THAN and the ARMORS. For their sound, Byers sites inspiration from groups like the HIVES, OSO OSO, MENEGUAR, and brings it back to his regional roots “[with] LUNGFISH’s ‘less is more’ songwriting approach.” The songwriting and ethos of the band seem to be a mélange of mistrust of capitalism, a good gym routine, and heavy, fast guitar riffs, producing song titles like “Agencies” and “Isometrics.” If you’re looking to reminisce on the RVA punk sound of bands like STRIKE ANYWHERE and the riffy metal- tinged mood of DC’s DARKEST HOUR, look no further than NORTHEAST REGIONAL.
One interesting thing about post-hardcore is that it often comes from places that aren’t otherwise giant hubs for bands or music (relatively speaking, of course). Hailing from Baton Rouge, SPIRITISTE offers up ten tracks of emotional hardcore on their newest release. There are for sure some strong tracks here, including lead single “Transagion Prayer” and closing track “A Sheep’s Last Defense.” Not the most consistent from track to track, but putting out a full-length screamo/post-hardcore record is a tall task, so some inconsistency comes as no surprise. Perhaps it is consistent, and that’s actually kind of the rub? How do you make ten tracks feel important when the approach to each track feels the same? But in this scene, it can also be a cardinal sin to veer from the formula that makes this type of music what it is, so perhaps there’s no way to win here beyond smaller offerings. Clearly, I don’t know. Good on these Louisiana folks for doing the dang thing either way.
