Sophie's Floorboard

John Henry West were a five-piece hardcore band from San Francisco, California that began in 1992 and broke up in 1993. They released one 7" posthumously, which was one of Gravity Records earliest releases. Years later, a compilation emerged (released by the equally legendary Ebullition Records) containing additional material from demos and live shows (including their set from their 50th and final show). John Henry West were certainly a hardcore band first and foremost, delivering biting vocals and d-beat style drum patterns. However they went a bit beyond on that, particularly in the guitar work that showed splashes of melodic prowess, quite similar to what bands like Rites Of Spring and mid-era Hüsker Dü were doing a decade before. They sometimes get thrown into the "emo" category because of this influence, along with their associations to Fuel and Navio Forge (both definite influences in the genre) through vocalist Sarah Kirsch. Sharing a label with Heroin and Evergreen might also be a factor, but this is veering off topic here. Main point is John Henry West are an absolutely legendary band with an incredible 7" to their name, and thankfully their legacy has been cemented through the semi-recent compilation issue of their discography. Enjoy.

John Henry West (1994)

1. Ten Thousand Words

2. Shut Your Mouth

3. Bullet Proof

4. Sell Yourself

Door Bolted Shut (2011)

Disc 1

1. Ten Thousand Words

2. Shut Your Mouth

3. Bullet Proof

4. Sell Yourself

5. Avoiding

6. Holiday

7. John Henry West

8. Ammunition Aimed

Disc 2

1. Avoiding

2. Sell Yourself

3. Shut Your Mouth

4. John Henry West

5. Ten Thousand Words

6. Bullet Proof

7. Avoiding

8. Ten Thousand Words

9. Bullet Proof

10. Shut Your Mouth

11. Holiday

12. Sell Yourself

13. Ammunition Aimed

14. Avoiding

15. Ten Thousand Words

16. Bullet Proof

17. Shut Your Mouth

18. Sell Yourself

19. Holiday

20. John Henry West

21. Let's Hear It For JHW!

Closer are a three-piece screamo/post-hardcore band from Brooklyn, New York that began in 2016. They released their debut LP in early 2018 via Lauren Records, Conditions Records, and Middle Man Records. All This Will Be is an incredible testament to the band's versatility, carving out a sound that's instrumentally intricate while being emotionally intense. They make an excellent use of dynamics through their heaven-reaching crescendos, offbeat syncopations, and a variety of vocalists and vocal styles (from spoken word to yellfests). The band sounds super tight as musicians, it's crazy to think that this is their first official release, since they sound like seasoned vets. Every song brings a new idea to the table, and shows a wide range of influence from the screamo/emo/hardcore/post-hardcore world. Some bands to loosely compare them to would be Circle Takes The Square, Suis La Lune, Old Gray, Touché Amoré, Mahria, Foxtails, and I Hate Sex, though none of those really nail down the same sound Closer works with.

Another thing I personally love about this album are the numerous vocal chants/mantras (whatever you want to call them) that the band have mastered. Every few songs there's a repeated vocal line that just gets stuck in your head and bound to make you shout along long after the song is over, most notably on songs like "Hardly Art" and "Three Halloweens". This LP "slaps", as the kids are saying these days, and though I mention it a lot, I do truly mean this is highly recommended stuff, and I'm happy to have heard it before the year is out. Enjoy.

All This Will Be (2018)

1. -

2. Gift Shop

3. Hardly Art

4. This Year

5. Dust

6. Birdhouse

7. Three Halloweens

8. Rec Room

9. An Athema

Messes are a three-piece post-hardcore band from Somerset, Kentucky that began in 2011. They've progressed quite a bit since then, with a natural shift in sound. Early on Messes took heavy influence from the emo/screamo hybrid of bands like Merchant Ships, William Bonney, and The Reptilian. This sound is best exemplified on Don't Be A Let Down, their debut LP and the first release to tighten the screws on their production quality. It's a solid record through and through, and fans of the aforementioned bands will definitely dig it.

They recently dropped a new full-length, titled The Ever Closing Door is a marked departure from their early sound, but a welcome change because this record is absolutely incredible. Sonically, they blend elements of post-hardcore, post-rock, and indie rock and emo to build a very diverse album. I'm picking up some possible influence from bands such as mewithoutYou, The Appleseed Cast, Manchester Orchestra, Moving Mountains, Caravels, and Prawn, but it's really hard to pin down just one when every song offers up something new. Some tracks can hit hard (such as "Smelled Like A Halloween Mask" and "Lurk", two of the album's screamier tracks) while others leave room for atmosphere (such as "Parlor Trick" and the dynamic highlight "Teeth To The Limestone"). This is an album where every track could be touched upon, because they're all solid in both their writing and performance, and make for one hell of an engaging listen. This album absolutely blew me away, and I cannot suggest checking it enough. Enjoy.

This Is What We Woke Up To. (2012)

1. My Dad Calls It Riptide

2. We Prefer Kickflips

3. I Wish I Was As Pretty As You...

4. This Isn't The First Time That The Wind Blew Trash In My Face

The Sounds Your Basement Made (2013)

1. Slumber Party

2. All Of These Teeth

3. There's No Good Sharks?

4. Last Day Of Summer Camp

Don't Be A Let Down (2015)

1. Pushups

2. Thirteen Centuries

3. Skunk

4. Bible Belt

5. LDM

6. Cults

7. Bones

8. Cycles

9. Sleeping Bags

10. Haunt

Pass (2015)

1. Pass

Messes/Leaving (2016)

1. Messes - Wampire

2. Messes - Bags

3. Leaving - Catwalk

4. Leaving - The Box

The Ever Closing Door (2018)

1. Parlor Trick

2. Smelled Like A Halloween Mask

3. Lurk

4. the hollows

5. Two Glasses of Water

6. True Bruise

7. Wind Cut Bone

8. Teeth To The Limestone

9. Aim

Note: 50% of Bandcamp sales for this album go to Bethany House Abuse Shelter in Somerset, KY. Please consider purchasing it if you can, link to their Bandcamp can be found below.

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Trail Of Lies are a five-piece straight edge hardcore band from Syracuse, New York that began in 2011. They've made a name for themselves in hardcore thanks to some unrelentingly heavy, aggressive riffs that still have a groove to them, deep, guttural vocals, and a penchant for mosh-friendly breakdowns. There's definitely a lot of Hatebreed influence here, which is a selling point in and of itself. Both of their recent records, Strength Through Discipline and W.A.R. are worth checking out. I'm also missing most of the Demo (since I could only find the first two tracks). If anyone happens to have the rest, please send them my way! Enjoy.

Demo (2011)

1. Control System

2. Corruptive Mind

3. Soliders Of The Media

4. Aggressor

Note: Only tracks 1 and 2 available

Strength Through Discipline (2016)

1. Strength Through Discipline

2. Rise To Conquer

3. Ultradominance

4. Control System

5. Persistence

6. Aggressor

God Of Rage (Single) (2017)

1. God of Rage

2. Bottom Feeder

W.A.R. (2018)

1. Master Of My Destiny

2. Run

3. Next Generation

4. Ultradominance

5. W.A.R.

6. God Of Rage

7. Black Mirror

8. Fight For Victory

Clikatat Ikatowi were a four-piece post-hardcore/emo band from San Diego, California that formed in 1994 and broke up in 1997. They were one of many incredible bands to come out of San Diego around this time, many of which were Clikatat Ikatowi's labelmates on Gravity Records. Notable other bands included Heroin, Antioch Arrow, and Angel Hair. I've already gotten around to those bands, so this band is long overdue for a post on here. If any of the aforementioned bands/label are familiar to you, then you've got a decent idea of the sound Clikatat Ikatowi was working with. There's also a strong sense of Fugazi influence, particularly in the dynamics and rhythms, along with the pairing of high octane energy mixed with solid instrumental chops.

They pushed the boundaries of traditional hardcore to include odd time signatures, spastic drumming, serrated and angular guitar work (with an emphasis on octaves and dissonance), frantic bass lines, and desperate shouts in the form of vocals. This is jazzy, screamy hardcore at its finest. Another thing they are noted for is their drummer, Mario Rubalcaba, who was also a member of 411, Hot Snakes, Rocket From The Crypt, The Black Heart Procession and Off!. Clikatat Ikatowi are criminally underrated but undeniably influential, with their LP Orchestrated And Conducted By being an absolute essential. Enjoy.

Demo (1994)

1. Saxby's Gail

2. Meatho

3. Identity Crisis

4. Librarian

5. Off To Here

6. Transmission

7. Affirmation

Orchestrated And Conducted By (1996)

1. Too Simple

2. Affirmation

3. Ground Zero

4. Desert Oasis

5. Identity Crisis

6. Science Fiction Reality

7. DNA Timebomb

8. Transmission

9. Welcoming The Shift

Live August 29th and 30th, 1995 (1997)

1. Too Simple

2. Pleiades Of Dance

3. 8 Hours of Drama

4. An Ear

5. Trials And Tribulations Of Diane Smith

6. Iglomats

7. Science Fiction Reality

8. Rise And Shine

9. Feeding Of The Birds

10. Ramble On Candy Wrappers

11. Adjust The Picture

River Of Souls (1998)

1. Trials And Tribulations Of Diane Smith

2. The Feeding Of The Birds

3. The Appliance

4. Rise And Shine

5. Pleiadian Dance

6. Ramble On Candywrappers

Have a Nice Life are a two-piece experimental rock band from Middletown, Connecticut that began in 2000. The band consists of Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga. Since their formation, they have been sparsely active, but have garnered a cult following thanks to their incredibly unique style of music and magnum opus, 2008's Deathconsciousness. The band blends elements of post-punk, shoegaze, post-rock, industrial, drone, doom, and ambient music to create one of the darkest, depressing and most existential records of all time. In its near hour and a half run-time it explores a litany of expansive sounds, themes and emotions, making the final project a work of absolute genius. I consider it to be one of the most personally affecting works of art ever made, and (as cliché as it sounds) sitting alone listening to Deathconsciousness in a dark room is an experience (as pretentious as that sounds). By the culmination of the album in the final minutes of "Earthshaker", it's hard not to be truly moved, like standing on a mountain of solitude watching your life flash before your eyes. It's an album that stands on its own without any clear contemporaries, which is fitting considering the isolating nature of the music. The production and recording quality is another major contributor to the feel of this album, with it being recorded for less than $1000, giving it a lo-fi sound that still feels full, warm, and organic. It's truly cut from its own cloth, and there hasn't been a record before or since that can truly compare to it. Even the bands often cited as being its influencers (Swans, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Joy Division, My Bloody Valentine) don't really capture the same sounds that Have a Nice Life do on this album, and those are the titans of their respective genres. To cut this short and avoid further ranting, just listen to this album.

Their debut album was the sole occupant of a desolate island until 2014, when Have a Nice Life released their follow-up album, The Unnatural World. It follows a similar aesthetic to their debut, but with a significantly shorter run-time. It still reaches incredible heights, and puts the listener in a mood torn between life-affirming and death-approaching. Additionally, they have also released one EP (Time Of Land) and two compilations that contains b-sides and demos from throughout their career that were not included on their two studio albums. The two musicians comprising Have a Nice Life are also active in many other projects, most notably (and also recommended) Dan Barrett's Giles Corey, who released an incredible LP in between the two Have a Nice Life albums. Enjoy.

Deathconsciousness (2008)

Disc 1: The Plow That Broke the Plains

1. A Quick One Before the Eternal Worm Devours Connecticut

2. Bloodhail

3. The Big Gloom

4. Hunter

5. Telefony

6. Who Would Leave Their Son Out In The Sun?

7. There Is No Food

Disc 2: The Future

1. Waiting For Black Metal Records To Come In The Mail

2. Holy Fucking Shit: 40,000

3. The Future

4. Deep, Deep

5. I Don't Love

6. Earthmover

Voids (2010)

1. The Big Gloom

2. Waiting For Black Metal Records To Come In The Mail

3. The Future

4. Earthmover

5. Who Would Leave Their Son Out In The Sun?

6. Human Error

7. Trespassers W

8. Defenestration Song

9. I'm Doctor House

10. Sisyphus

11. Destinos

Time of Land (2010)

1. Wizard Of The Black Hundreds

2. Woe Unto Us

3. The Parhelic Circle

4. The Icon And The Axe

The Unnatural World (2014)

1. Guggenheim Wax Museum

2. Defenestration Song

3. Burial Society

4. Music Will Untune The Sky

5. Cropsey

6. Unholy Life

7. Dan And Tim, Reunited By Fate

8. Emptiness Will Eat The Witch

Voids II (2014)

1. Knife Throwing Contest

2. Basic

3. Death By Death

4. Swords To Plowshares

5. Telefony

6. Earthmover

7. Saving Throw vs. Paralysis

8. Quote

9. Deep, Deep

10. I Left And My House Burned Down

11. All Teeth (Afterlives cover)

12. Hunter

13. Feral Optimists

14. Stars And Air

Note: I'm not sure if this is an official release, but it contains a lot of the band's earliest material in one place, so here it is anyway

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So it's Halloween, and I figured a post to commemorate the spookiest of holidays was in order. Since the band most associated with this time of year is already on here (rhymes with Dispits), I figured the next best thing would be a band closely associated with them, but not discussed nearly as much. Plus, they take their name from one of the greatest movies ever made (Rosemary's Baby) and dressed like the ultraviolent characters in A Clockwork Orange, which definitely gives them bonus points.

Rosemary's Babies were a four-piece hardcore punk band from Lodi, New Jersey that began in 1980 and broke up in 1983. They played a brand of punk very similar to early DC bands such as Minor Threat and Bad Brains, with a hint of Circle Jerks thrown in the mix. Additionally, they were quite reminiscent of The Misfits, who the band were closely acquainted with (both were from Lodi and had a penchant for horror). Rosemary's Babies drummer was none other than Eerie Von, who was a photographer for The Misfits, and also did a lot of the overdubs on posthumous Misfits compilations along with Glenn Danzig. He was also a major member of Glenn's post-Misfits bands as a bassist, including all of Samhain and the first four (and most essential) Danzig records. To get back to Rosemary's Babies, they only released one 7" in 1983, titled Blood Lust. In 2004, a CD compilation was released including all but one track off of Blood Lust, in addition to other recorded tracks and live material. That's what I have below. So enjoy, and Happy Halloween!

Talking To The Dead (2004)

1. What I Hate

2. Talking To The Dead

3. Sex Maniac

4. One Dead Low-Life

5. I Vote Yes

6. Happy Song

7. Attack Of The 50ft Cowboy

8. Sounds Of Death

9. I'm Gonna Be Sick

10. You Just Don't Rate

11. Alice In Murderland

12. That's Alright, That's O.K.

13. Let's Molest 10yr. Olds

14. Fake Babies

15. Dead Zone

16. Small Minds, Think Small

17. Becky Bondage

18. Inferior

19. Blood Lust

20. The Green Hornet Theme

21. Fake Babies (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)
22. Alice In Murderland (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)

23. Talking To The Dead (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)

24. That's Alright, That's O.K. (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)

25. Small Minds, Think Small (live May 15, 1983 @ CBGB)

itoldyouiwouldeatyou are a 7-piece indie/punk/emo band from London, England that began in 2014. Following a string of singles and EP's, the band are finally gearing up to release their debut album, Oh Dearism this month. They've built a solid following through their charismatic sound, which blends the bright, twinkly guitars of midwestern emo with the energetic sensibilities of pop punk fused with some heavy lyrical depth. Sonically, they can be compared to bands like Say Anything, Joyce Manor, Mom Jeans., Brave Bird, Free Throw, and Midwest Pen Pals, or something along those lines. The two singles already released from their LP, "Gold Rush" and "Get Terrified" are fan-fucking-tastic, and hopefully a good indication of what a good and unique album it will be. It might be a little premature to say, but this band is probably going to blow up (as they have been rapidly for a while now). They're a new, fresh, talented and positive voice for the "scene" (take that as you will), and I'm not nothing but excited to see how far they're going to go. Enjoy.

We Have Not Yet Panned Out (2014)

1. Annabel Allum - What Do You Even Do All Day?

2. itoldyouiwouldeatyou - Foxes

3. itoldyouiwouldeatyou - Learning From American Mistakes

4. Annabel Allum - Tricks

All Unwritten Classics (Single) (2015)

1. All Unwritten Classics

2. Attention

Don't Cheer Up (2015)

1. For Starters

2. All Unwritten Classics

3. Learning From American Mistakes

4. Asking Directions

5. Word & Object

Elsie Shutt (Single) (2016)

1. Elsie Shutt

I Am Not Your Fault (2016)

1. Off Brand

2. Get Out Of Bed

3. All That Noise

4. Less Now

5. Letters

Get Terrified EP (2018)

1. Get Terrified

2. Divine Violence

3. Mourn

4. NALA - Off Brand

Don Martin Three were a three-piece emo/hardcore band from St. Augustine, Florida that were active from 1993 to 1996. Their output was typically small for a band of their nature ( with only one LP, a split, and an EP), but they made some crushing music in their time. They're an incredibly underrated "emocore" (for lack of a better term) band, playing with a similar spoken-word and arpeggiated guitar mix that made legends of Moss Icon, Indian Summer and Policy Of 3. Songs would build and fall, with the lows being serenely melodic and the highs being octave chord-bashing screamfests. I cannot recommend them enough for fans of the aforementioned bands, since they deserve way more attention than they get. Plus, that split is three tracks of pure perfection so I'd suggest starting there, but it's absolutely all solid. Enjoy.

Don Martin Three 7" (1995)

1. Katahdn

2. Inefficient Engine

Summer Ninety Six (1995)

1. Don Martin 3 - Transistor

2. Moonraker - White Christmas

3. Hope Springs Eternal - Drone

Don Martin Three 12" (1996)

1. Untitled 1

2. Untitled 2

3. Untitled 3

4. Untitled 4

5. Untitled 5

Gold Coast, Australia's finest screamo band Blind Girls are back and ready to blow minds with their upcoming LP Residue, due out November 13th. It's being released by Zegema Beach Records and the band themselves, with a physical release limited to 150 black 12"'s and 65 red cassettes. You can also catch them on their upcoming Japan tour, along with Sans Visage and Komusō (both also worth checking out). Pre-order info and tour dates can be found below. For now, I'm happy to share the second track from that album, titled "3am" today.

"3am" is a minute-long flurry of cathartic vocals, feedback squeals, and furious guitars. The band manages to pack so much into its short runtime, immediately hitting the listener with dissonant, almost mathcore-esque guitar work and powerful drumming. They briefly delve into this almost melodic, somewhat melancholic passage (you'll know it when you hear it) before jumping right back into the fray of dissonance and shrieks. The brief pause of feedback is a genius tension-builder, giving them a bit of space before rocketing into a unified, heavy riff for the latter half of the song. Blind Girls are absolutely at their top of their game here, hitting a lot of technical highs with the face of chaotic distress. The vocals, instrumentation, and even the production here are enough to indicate that this new LP is going to one of the craziest released this year. Fans of bands like Lord Snow and Loma Prieta should especially take note. You can hear two more released tracks below, with the full album stream coming out a day before its full release via Heavy Blog Is Heavy.

Open Mind / Saturated Brain - "The Ghost In My Eye"

Apathy And Exhaustion - "Exertion"

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Macseal are a five-piece emo/indie/math rock band from Long Island, New York that began in 2014. They play a unique style of emo incorporates the "twinkly" math rock guitar sound with a heavy focus on vocal melodies and lyrics, in the same vein as bands like Oso Oso or Modern Baseball. Thrown in the harmonies of Tigers Jaw and a shade of pop punk influence, and voila, you've got Macseal. They've put out a string of EP's thus far, with the most recent one Map It Out being released today by 6131 Records. Each release thus far has been solid, with a natural evolution in sound. Definitely recommended for fans of the aforementioned bands, or anyone who enjoys the occasional visit to the emo mecca of "twinkletown". Enjoy.

Macseal EP (2015)

1. Cats

2. Going Away

3. Gentle Giant

4. Applications

5. Kathy Bates Motel

6. 5:45 a.m. (Not Fun)

etc. (2016)

1. 5:45 a.m. (acoustic)

2. Applications (acoustic)

3. Kathy Bates Motel (demo)

4. 5:45 a.m. (demo)

5. Attractive Today (Motion City Soundtrack cover)

Yeah, No, I Know (2017)

1. Twilight Funzone

2. Harry

3. Next To You

4. Sandbox

5. These Things Happen

Map It Out (2018)

1. Sure Thing, Shelly

2. Golden Hour

3. Old Halls

4. Sleeping In

Boneflower are a three-piece post-hardcore/screamo/post-rock band from Madrid, Spain that began in 2015. Thus far they've released one EP and one LP, but have quickly become one of the most notable voices in the new music-with-screams scene. Sonically, they play with a post-rock foundation, utilizing dynamic rises and falls and melodic, reverb-laden instrumentation to create a massive, full sound. They cut through that with some sharp lead guitars, pounding drums, and vocals that range from screamed to sung to spoken word, and everything in between. Their debut album, Empty Rooms, Full Bodies explores a plethora of sounds and emotions, making for a very dynamic and versatile listen. The somber acoustic tracks "Sol" and "To pieces" stand in stark contrast to ragers like "Aching absence" or "Andromeda", while still maintaining a seamless record. Boneflower is highly recommended for fans of bands such as Moving Mountains, Old Gray, Trophy Scars, Pianos Become The Teeth, and Men As Trees, (or some hybrid of all the aforementioned). Enjoy.

I'll be the Bones, You'll be the Soul (2015)

1. Land and Sand

2. Unfading

3. Unexplainable

4. I'll be the Bones, You'll be the Soul

5. Neverending

Empty Rooms, Full Bodies (2017)

1. We're gonna die, we don't care.

2. Aching absence

3. King

4. City Lights

5. Sol

6. Andromeda

7. Love

8. Elocin (you're not alone)

9. To pieces

10. Nothing changes

11. Sunsets in the backyard

12. Purple dreams

MM + Seashells + Wanderers (2018)

1. MM

2. Seashells

3. Wanderers

Note: These are three separate singles that band has released in 2018. I included them all in one download for convenience's sake, but the files all contain individual artwork/album names

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Pool Kids are a four-piece emo/indie/math rock band from Tallahassee, Florida that began in 2017. Recently they signed to Skeletal Lightning (which are easily one of the best labels kicking around now), which was my introduction to their mastercraft. Their debut album, Music To Practice Safe Sex To came out in July, and if nothing else, it's safe to say it has won album title of the year. Thankfully the music delivers on that high standard in every way imaginable. It's a refreshing take on math rock-influenced indie/emo, featuring some insanely talented musicians and incredible songwriting. They know when to let loose on the fretboard frenzies and time signatures while staying distinctly melodic, and pull back to semi-standard chords and rhythm patterns when needed, which provides a nice blend of technical mastery and unique variation in songs. Each track is incredibly memorable and with its own emotional weight to it, even amongst obvious highlights like "Borderline" and "$5 Subtweet". They combine the technical capabilities of bands like toe. and Covet and mix them with the sound and energy of bands like Camp Cope and A Great Big Pile Of Leaves, or something like that. That's not a great descriptor of them, but it's the first one I came up with and this shit is hard to pin down to one sentence. To cut this short, this record is awesome, and if I were to go out on a limb I'd say this is the best album I've heard in the "emosphere" (that's a thing now) since what people call low self-esteem.... It'll be really exciting to see where this band goes, and happy that Skeletal Lightning picked them up. If it hasn't been made obvious yet, this is highly, highly recommended. Enjoy.

Music To Practice Safe Sex To (2018)

1. Overly Verbose Email Series pt. III

2. Borderline

3. Erso

4. $5 Subtweet

5. They Only Care About My Fills And Not My Feels

6. Five-Time 2nd Place Winner

7. I Know It's Only Fair

8. Patterns

9. Rick's Toy Box

Alright, here we go, finally getting around to the highly-requested Microwave. These guys are a four-piece indie/alternative/emo band from Atlanta, Georgia that got started in 2012. Thus far they've released two full-lengths and a handful of EP's. Sonically, they're reminiscent of bands like Manchester Orchestra, Taking Back Sunday, Motion City Soundtrack, Have Mercy, Balance & Composure, and Sainthood Reps, or something like that. Full disclosure I have not listened to them much, but give have to give them kudos for the variety in their songs. Even with casual listening of a few, they don't seem to fall into any formulaic traps, and every track offers something fresh. So yeah, they've been requested to death and I finally managed to pull together their entire discography, so please do enjoy.

Nowhere Feels Like Home (2013)

1. Never Again

2. Kansas

3. Filthy

4. Bright

5. The Devil And I

6. I-70

Swine Driver (2013)

1. Swine Driver

When The Fever Breaks (2013)

1. Labor Day

2. Grass Stains

3. The Fever

Stovall (2014)

1. Stovall

2. Grass Stains

3. Labor Day

4. Something Right

5. Mansion In The Sky

6. Trash Stains

7. Work It Out

8. Tar

9. The Last

10. The Fever

Head North/Microwave (2015)

1. Head North - The Bells

2. Head North - Redwood

3. Head North - Willow Tree

4. Microwave - Thinking of you,

5. Microwave - but not often,

6. Microwave - Something Right (Daytrotter Session)

Much Love (2016)

1. Roaches

2. Lighterless

3. Dull

4. Neighbors

5. Busy

6. Drown

7. Vomit

8. Whimper

9. Homebody

10. Wrong

keeping up (2018)

1. Georgia On My Mind

2. keeping up

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Soulside were a four-piece punk/post-hardcore band from Washington, DC that began in 1985 and disbanded in 1989. They were originally known as Lunch Meat before changing their name in 1986. They are one of the many classic punk bands to emerge from DC in the late 80's, and were of course affiliated with the legendary Dischord Records. Sonically, they took the energy of hardcore and fused it with melodic vocals and instrumentation, similar to what their contemporaries such as Dag Nasty, Embrace, Gray Matter, and Ignition were doing. They released three LP's and a 7", as well as an early split under their original name. Less Deep Inside Keeps was their debut album, while the Trigger LP, Bass 103 7", and Hot Bodi-Gram LP were all released on a single compilation in 1990, Soon Come Happy. Enjoy.

Getting Shit For Growing Up Different (1986)

1. Mission Impossible - Helpless

2. Mission Impossible - Now I'm Alone

3. Mission Impossible - Into Your Shell

4. Lunch Meat - Looking Around

5. Lunch Meat - No Need

6. Lunch Meat - Under The Glare

Less Deep Inside Keeps (1987)

1. Pearl To Stone

2. One Step Higher

3. Walking

4. Don't Let Me Down

5. You've Heard It Before

6. Over And Out

7. I Find The Other Side

8. In Days To Come

9. Dreams

10. X-Lion Tamer

11. Fresh Air

Soon Come Happy (1990)

1. Baby

2. Trigger

3. Name In Mind

4. Problems Faced When Traveling

5. War

6. K.T.T.K.

7. Pocket Hurts

8. Forgiveness

9. Bass

10. 103

11. Otherside

12. God City

13. What

14. Punch The Geek

15. Clifton Wall

16. New Slow Fucky

17. Pembroke

18. Hate Music

19. New Fast Fucky

20. Kill

21. Bad Show

22. A Love Supreme

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Dischord Records

Carson Wells are a three-piece post-hardcore band from Aberdeen, Scotland that began in 2009. Sonically, they're fairly remnisicent of classics like Unwound and Q And Not U, particularly in their idiosyncratic rhythms and dynamic song structures. They also incorporate some aspects of screamier bands like Sinaloa and Raein, through the impassioned vocal deliveries and washy chords. They've grown quite a bit in the near-decade they've been together, which their two latest albums Tread A Northern Path and this year's No Relic being particular standouts. Enjoy.

Carson Wells (2010)

1. Picasso on Contradiction

2. I've Got A Friend Who Likes Pirates

3. Feed 'Em To The Pigs 'Arold

4. Cohaagen

Wonderkid (2012)

1. Soul And Sword

2. Slim Charles

3. A Great Weight

4. Ten

5. Killing Me Won't Bring Back Your Goddamn Honey

6. Three Months in Canada

7. Don't Forget The Super 8

8. 2007

9. Home

Human Hands/Carson Wells (2014)

1. Human Hands - Exterior

2. Carson Wells - Cloud In The Shape Of A Shark

3. Carson Wells - Namib

Tread A Northern Path (2015)

1. Palmistry

2. Silent Breed

3. Northern Path, Southern Lens

4. Mosaic Of Sleepers

5. Final Throne

6. A Life Lapse In Passing

7. Mid Distance

8. Sobotka

9. Will I'm Nae

10. June

Live at Stuck on a Name, Notthingham 28/11/14 (2016)

1. Sobotka (live from SOAN, Nottingham)

2. Northern Path, Southern Lens (live from SOAN, Nottingham)

3. Mosaic of Sleepers (live from SOAN, Nottingham)

4. Palmistry (live from SOAN, Nottingham)

5. Will.I'm.Nae (live from SOAN, Nottingham)

6. June (live from SOAN, Nottingham)

No Relic (2018)

1. Art In Inconsequence

2. Native State

3. Pilot Light

4. Righteous Mess

5. Prez

6. Early Decay

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We Came Out Like Tigers were a four-piece screamo band from Liverpool, UK that began in 2008 and broke up in 2014. Though they only put out a small amount of work, they're best remembered as one of the most distinct and unique voices to come out of "screamo" in the past decade or so. They laid their foundation in the influence of bands like Funeral Diner, while adding layers of sound through a plethora of other influences. Most notably, they utilize the tremolo-picking and blast beats of black metal. They also show hints of post-rock influence in the song structures and some of the quieter moments. Additionally, a violin is featured fairly prominently on most of their tracks, which surprisingly fits perfectly, and adds an orchestral element to their already gargantuan sound. Their discography is small but virtually perfect, with their sole LP Agelessness And Lack being a standout. Enjoy.

We Came Out Like Tigers (2011)

1. You, You're Just Bone Structure

2. A Lesson In Solitude

3. Breathe In, Though You Barely Believe In It

4. Hannah

True Love, Always (2011)

1. Ravachol - Three

2. Ravachol - Equilibrium

3. We Came Out Like Tigers - The Sailor Does Not Pray For Wind, He Learns To Sail

4. We Came Out Like Tigers - Do Not Say Reduced To Tears

Agelessness And Lack (2012)

1. An Introduction

2. Sous Les Pavés

3. Remember Why You Are

4. These Terrors Are Dismantled By Friendship's Light

5. Inimical

6. Endure

7. Immutable

8. Take Pleasure In The Processes

9. If You Were Frightened, It's Because It Was Frightening

10. I Sing Of Sorrow & Joy

Ever-Crushed At Pecket's Well (2014)

1. Tribulation

2. To Ruin A Fine Tenor Voice

3. Concrete Blocks Of Empathy

4. Careworm

5. Entr'acte

6. We Have Not Reached Conclusion

Bandcamp

Another year another list. In keeping up with tradition, here's a compiled list of all the new releases posted on this blog from 2018. It's one last look back to catch up on any you might have missed or want to revisit before the year is out and we're starting all over again. This year has been an incredible one for music, with an insane amount of good albums coming out left and right. Let me know what some of your favourite releases from 2018 have been, and I'll have my usual Top 50 list out in a week or two. Also, since there's only so much I can keep up with, please let me know if there's any releases from this year that I haven't uploaded yet, and I'll try and get on them ASAP. Enjoy.

ALBUMS
American Nightmare - American Nightmare
American Pleasure Club - A Whole Fucking Lifetime Of This
Animal Flag - Void Ripper
awakebutstillinbed - what people call low self-esteem is really just seeing yourself the way that other people see you
Baptists - Beacon Of Faith
Basement - Beside Myself
Bearings - Blue In The Dark
Belmont - Belmont
Birds in Row - We Already Lost The World
Blind Girls - Residue
Boston Manor - Welcome To The Neighbourhood
California Cousins - Distant Relatives
Camp Cope - How To Socialise & Make Friends
Candy - Good To Feel
Can't Swim - This Too Won't Pass
Carson Wells - No Relic
Casanovas In Heat - Twisted Steel, Sex Appeal
Charmer - Charmer
Closer - All This Will Be
Cloud District - Don't Give Up, Skeleton
Crywank - Egg on face. Foot in mouth. Wriggling. Wriggling. Wriggling.
Cult Leader - A Patient Man
Culture Abuse - Bay Dream
Cursive - Vitriola
Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want
Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
Death Cab For Cutie - Thank You For Today
Death Grips - Year Of The Snitch
die Hoffnung - Elegies And Creation Songs
Donovan Wolfington - WAVES
Drug Church - Cheer
Elle - She
Fiddlehead - Springtime & Blind
Foxing - Nearer My God
Gillian Carter - ...The Earth Shaped Tomb
Good Looking Friends - Settle In, Decay
Gouge Away - Burnt Sugar
Graduating Life - Grad Life
Graf Orlock - Examination Of Violent CInema Vol. 1
Gulfer - Dog Bless
Harms Way - Posthuman
Homewrecker - Hell Is Here Now
Hop Along - Bark Your Head Off, Dog
Hot Mulligan - Pilot
It Looks Sad. - Sky Lake
itoldyouiwouldeatyou - Oh Dearism
Jesus Piece - Only Self
Joyce Manor - Million Dollars To Kill Me
Just Friends - Nothing But Love
Kid Feral - Live And Let's Die!
Listener - Being Empty : Being Filled
Messes - The Ever Closing Door
mewithoutYou - [untitled]
Mom Jeans. - Puppy Love
Moose Blood - I Don't Think I Can Do This Anymore
Night Birds - Roll Credits
nothing,nowhere. - ruiner
Octaves - Exact Change
Ostraca - Enemy
Petal - Magic Gone
Pianos Become The Teeth - Wait For Love
Pool Kids - Music To Practice Safe Sex To
Portrayal Of Guilt - Let Pain Be Your Guide
Real Friends - Composure
Respire - Dénouement
Reveries - Reveries
Saves The Day - 9
Self Defense Family - Have You Considered Punk Music
Sick Of It All - Wake The Sleeping Dragon!
Single Mothers - Through A Wall
State Champs - Living Proof
Super Unison - Stella
The Armed - Only Love
The Cardboard Swords - Once more, there is nothing left to figure out.
The Dirty Nil - Master Volume
The Sidekicks - Happiness Hours
The Story So Far - Proper Dose
The Wonder Years - Sister Cities
This Will Destroy You - New Others Part One
This Will Destroy You - New Others Part Two
Tiny Moving Parts - Swell
Trash Boat - Crown Shyness
Trophy Eyes - The American Dream
True Love - The Pact
Turnstile - Time & Space
Twitching Tongues - Gaining Purpose Through Passionate Hatred
Warm Thoughts - I Went Swimming Alone
Young Mountain - Lost Tree

EP'S/DEMOS/SPLITS/SINGLES/COMPILATIONS/ETC.
American Pleasure Club - Oranges b/w Daniels
Anatagonize - Demo
Beach Slang - Everything Matters But No One Is Listening [Quiet Slang]
Blacklisted - Slow Moments b/w I Should Have Been A Murderer
Boneflower - MM/Seashells/Wanderers
Candy - Studio F12 Demos
Code Orange - Only One Way
Code Orange - The Hurt Will Go On
Commander Salamander - Live
Commander Salamander - Off The Goop LP Promo
Converge - Beautiful Ruin
Crowning/Swallows Nest
Crowning/Marée Noire
Counterculture - I Think You Didn't
Dad Thighs - Easy Listening
Darkle - Pain Train
Envy - Alnair in August
Foxtails/Algae Bloom
Full Of Hell/Intensive Care
Ghost Spirit/Frail Hands
I Create - Veneer / Fear Of Due Season
It Looks Sad. - Light
Iron Reagan/Gatecreeper
itoldyouiwouldeatyou - Get Terrified EP
Joliette/Frameworks
Joliette - El Alphabiotista
Knuckle Puck - Shifted
La Dispute - Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega and Altair (10th Anniversary)
macseal - Map It Out
meth. - I Love You
mewithoutYou - [untitled] e.p.
Michael Cera Palin - "I Don't Know How To Explain It"
Microwave - keeping up
Modern Life Is War - Tribulation Worksongs Vol. 1
Modern Life Is War - Tribulation Worksongs Vol. 2
No Right - Unjustified
Oso Oso - gb/ol h/nf
Portrayal Of Guilt/Street Sects
Power Trip - Opening Fire: 2008-2014
Rained In - Demo
Remo Drive - Pop Music
SeeYouSpaceCowboy/Second Grade Knife Fight
Sick Shit - Demonstration
Sick Shit - Thick Spit
Sick Shit - Persevere
Sleep Debt - Sleep Debt
Snag/Swallows Nest
Spiritual Cramp - Police State EP
Spiritual Cramp - Television
Starkweather/Concealment
Stars Hollow - Happy Again
Terrible Love - Doubt Mines
The Dirty Nil - Surrender
The Front Bottoms - Ann
The Get Up Kids - Kicker
The Guiding Wave - To Dance Around Love
the sylvia north story - ii
the sylvia north story - iii
the sylvia northern story - iv
the sylvia northern story - v
the sylvia north story - vi
thisishowitendedintokyo - april(s)in
thisishowitendedintokyo - somehow soon!
toe - Our Latest Number
Touché Amoré - Green
Touché Amoré - 10 Years / 1000 Shows - Live at the Regent Theater
Tower of Silence - Tower of Silence
Trail of Lies - War
TTNG - Animals Acoustic
Worst Party Ever - The Year Of The Manatee
Worst Party Ever - Japan
WVRM - The Blood Of The Coven Is Thicker Than Water Of The Womb

Harriet The Spy were a four-piece post-hardcore/emo band from Kent, Ohio that began in 1993 and broke up in 1998. Sonically, they played with very loud, sharp, and angular guitars that jut out in every direction, while an energetic rhythm section keeps these songs pummeling along. The vocals range from screamed to spoken, and always tend to be lower in the mix, which hits a very minor lo-fi appeal. There's a definite influence from early Gravity bands such as Antioch Arrow and Heroin, in addition to the progressive hardcore rhythms of Universal Order of Armageddon, plus a touch of Sonic Youth and Big Black. They released a good chunk of material in their few years together, the most essential of which being their sole LP, Unfuckwithable, as well as Anthology of Selected Recordings, which includes most of their recorded material. Enjoy.

God Gave Us Music And The Courage To Sing (1994)

1. Retardo Y Retardo

2. I Hate America (But I Think I'll Stay)

3. Fucking Me Fucking You

4. Bloody Nose Please

5. Sneaking Peeks At The Will

6. The Jealous Wrath of Baby Jesus

7. Fluffed Up On Puff Balls

8. The Invasion Of The Rats

Harriet The Spy/Grain (1994)

1. Harriet The Spy - Credit Slips

2. Harriet The Spy - Sleeping Through The Money Shot

3. Grain - Nibble

4. Grain - Breathe

Thumbnail/Harriet The Spy (1996)

1. Thumbnail - Ambient Experiment 001

2. Thumbnail - Six Figures

3. Thumbnail - Letter To The Editor - That Gets Opened

4. Thumbnail - Discourse

5. Harriet The Spy - All The Strings

6. Harriet The Spy - Cold Cock A Dick

7. Harriet The Spy - Retarding Dimensionally

8. Harriet The Spy - Ninja Malfunction

9. Harriet The Spy - Enamel Fight

10. Harriet The Spy - We Don't Need The Glamorous Life

Three Studies For A Crucifixion/Harriet The Spy (1997)

1. Three Studies For A Crucifixion - No Refund Policy

2. Three Studies For A Crucifixion - Operation: Dandelion & Certificate Of Marathoid Behavior

3. Harriet The Spy - This Music Festival Sucks

4. Harriet The Spy - Bucky Beaver

Unfuckwithable (1997)

1. The Forgettable Fire

2. Untitled

3. Girls In Bikinis

4. Octohelpme

5. Paint My Atoms

6. Androidgeny

7. When The Shit Hits The Commodore 64

8. Cum Stomache

9. When We Saw Our Names Up In Lights...

Anthology Of Selected Recordings (1998)

1. Retardo Y Retardo

2. I Hate America (But I Think I'll Stay)

3. Fucking Me Fucking You

4. Bloody Nose Please

5. Sneaking Peeks At The Will

6. The Jealous Wrath of Baby Jesus

7. Fluffed Up On Puff Balls

8. Invasion Of The Cats

9. All The Strings

10. Cold Cock A Dick

11. Retarding Dimentionally

12. Untitled

13. Ninja Malfunction

14. Enamel Fight

15. We Don't Need The Glamorous Life

16. This Music Festival Sucks

17. Bucky Beaver

18. Laminant

19. Shitfire

20. Tenadic

21. Circle-A Indication

22. We Have the Codes We Can Tear Off Arms

23. $10,000

24. Exacto Life

25. Retarding Dimentionally

26. Enemal Life

27. Telescope

28. AE

29. Lights, Vomit, Sound, Action

30. Cum Stomache

31. Nopi

32. Excuse Me, Your Legs Are On Fire

33. Credit Slips

34. Sleeping Through The Money Shot

Harriet The Spy/Fat Day (1998)

1. Harriet The Spy - When Will Gentlemen Rule The World

2. Harriet The Spy - How We Got On Kill Rock Stars

3. Fat Day - Hip Hop!

4. Fat Day - Mod Rot!

5. Fat Day - Breakfast With Susan Graver!

6. Fat Day - Luh!

7. Fat Day - Quintland!

Synthetic Synthesis (1998)

1. Synthetic Synthesis

2. So Called Reality

Live 1998 (1998)

1. Harriet The Spy - The Forgettable Fire

2. Harriet The Spy - When Will Gentlemen Rule The World

3. The Party Of Helicopters - Reduced To Rubble

4. The Party Of Helicopters - Death Beckons With A Heavy Hammer

June of 44 were a four-piece post-hardcore/math rock band from Louisville, Kentucky that began in 1994 and disbanded in 1999. They played a few reunion shows earlier this year (2018). They came together as a supergroup of sorts, since every band member has been active with other notable projects. Guitarist/vocalist Sean Meadows was a member of Lungfish, The Sonora Pine, and HiM (not the one you're thinking of). Guitarist/vocalist Jeff Mueller was in Rodan and Shipping News, while bassist Fred Erskine came from the DC scene, and played in The Crownhate Ruin and Hoover. Drummer Doug Scharin played in Codeine, Rex, and HiM as well.

June of 44 are often compared to Slint, with the winding, dissonant arpeggios, narrative-style spoken vocals, and unorthodox rhythms. When they hit their peaks though, they really hit a high-point, letting out the uninhibited ferocity of a band like Big Black with the instrumentally interlocked mastery of Fugazi. With each new album the band evolved and matured, growing into a more experimental act by incorporating dub and post-rock (especially on the latter halves of their last two albums, which was probably a result of their side project HiM), as well as jazz and emphasized percussive elements. Enjoy.