Screamo? Because that's a thing right?

[Muma 97]

I was reluctant to make a post along these lines because I feel they're such obscure and strange 'genres', but they're also something a fair few of the bands I listen to have in common and associate themselves with. I feel I also made it to share one specific release, and if you happen to be in this scene at all then i'm sure you will have heard of it. I'm admittedly late on the bandwagon but before I delay it anymore the release it by Old Gray and it's their newest album, An Autobiography.

 

Their bandcamp is >>here<< and they've been so kind as to put it up for free! (no excuses)

 

For a lot of English music I tend to focus a lot more on the lyrics (um, maybe because I can actually understand them) but that aside, these guys had me with their first song and there was no going back for me after that

I've been digging a grave with the parts of my brain that still work.
They're burying me with my dead dreams, my dead dreams.

cue depressing shit ahead

 

That aside, i'm not great at describing music and selling it from that point of view, musically I have no clue what i'm talking about and with this kind of music I feel it's a little like marmite for a lot of people. You either love it, or hate it. This is clearly for those of the former. All I can say is have a listen and you'll probably know where you fall.

 

The album name is has more truth to it than first meets the eye, click on each song and you get background from the person who wrote the song and you realize exactly how personal this is, and how much heart and soul has been put into the music. I like lyrics that are ambiguous a lot of the time and you can make that song personal to you. The first time I listened, I didn't realize it was an option and I warped the songs to what was going on in my head. But having that background feels more intimate and you can truly appreciate the song at its fullest.

 

 

I'm not sure what else to say apart from this kind of hurt my chest while listening to some of it, but try it out! I haven't seen many people on this forum post much about music like this (or bands that I've heard of anyway), and I feel like it's going to be a release that sticks with me for a while so i'd love to know what you guys thought of it, even if you didn't like it.

[digi 192]

Screamo crap used to be my thing in middle school.

I can't stand it now, but I guess some of it's okay once in a while.

 

The few screamo bands I like now, are bands that no one knows about sooo

:x

[Pandabear 414]

There is no such thing as screamo. At least not in the sense people use it. Most non knowledgeable people just label any type of metal that uses screams/growls as screamo. They tend to be noobs to metal so it's not surprising. Personally I like all the subgenres of metal. From post-hardcore to metalcore, deathcore, symphonic, death metal, thrash metal, technical metal, black metal, grindcore, etc. I'm a metal head so I listen to those genres on a daily basis. And I do enjoy bands who have well written songs lyric wise regardless of the genre. I'll give the band you mentioned a try.

[Muma 97]

I guess, I don't really know what else to call it though. And i'm pretty sure it's not metal so...
Skramz? I've heard that being thrown around a lot too and it seems to all come back to 'screamo'. I'm kind of confused but I was at a loss at what to call this topic tbh. If you have any other suggestions though, or you feel something else suits it better then PLEASE let me know

Like I said i'm at a bit of a loss... > < I was just really feeling this album and I kind of wanted to share it I guess, for better or for worse...

 

>>another band which seem to have tagged themselves as screamo but are AWESOME anyway<<

 

@digi: La Dispute seem to have noted themselves as screamo too, what genre would you call them?

[Pandabear 414]

 

Yeah, there’s no such thing as skreamz either. It’s likely people are just having fun with the people who label music screamo. 

 

Checked out both bands and they’re post-hardcore with influences borrowed from other genres. Old Gray has some indie and post-rock influence in their music in addition to the post-hardcore. I thought they were okay. Vocals didn’t really do it for me. Both the cleans and screams are really rough. The lyrics are little bit better. They did have some interesting lines, but overall they still need polishing. Their songs had interesting sections I did enjoy. It’s always good to hear post-hardcore bands that don’t sound bland and completely weak. It’s the same problem that plagues metalcore.

 

If you like this type of sound you might like Alexisonfire. They are what post-hardcore should be.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SVZB2sWye0

 

Early Thrice was pretty post-hardcore influenced too. They’ve evolved over time but are still one my favorite bands.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIHtFDpLFqw

 

 

And these guys might not be post-hardcore, but if you want amazing lyrics give them a listen. They’re rock/alternative although they are known for having a vocalist who screams, but not in the metal type of way. They’re also one of my favorite bands and Jesse lacy, their vocalist, is one of my favorite songwriters. Lyrics are dark/honest and after their second album they resemble a lot of metaphysical poetry. Lots of paradoxical/deep content and the use of conceits. Recommend their last 3 albums.

 

Brand New - Sowing Season

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye09Th7KZn4

 

Brand New - In A Jar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgyyDNZwEBg

 

 

[sai 868]

Deleted those for you.

[RoseOfHizaki 131]

I dont mind screamo so long as it fits in with the music on offer. I wont be negative and say I dislike the genre as I listen to a fair few screamo bands from all over the globe -. Japanese, American and Aussie though while most of the time i dont listen to screamo bands by default, I listen to bands which incorporates screams/screamo into their music, be it metalcore or deathcore.

 

Variation is the spice of life after all. and incorporating different elements of different genres into a song makes for interesting listening.

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

I like a lot of bands that fall into this umbrella, even though we should have stopped pretending it was a genre in 2006. I tend to like metal-core with clean choruses, with a few exceptions (such as August Burns Red, for example).

 

Lately I've been slowly getting into more aggressive sub genres that mix death-core and black metal, like Black Dhalia Murder, A Black Rose Burial, etc, but I only like those in small doses, if, and only if, there is some sort of hook to keep me interested.

[RoseOfHizaki 131]

Funeral For a Friend were just an amazing post-hardcore/Screamo band when they first came out. Their album 'Casually Dressed & Deep In Conversation' really set the highest standard for british post-hardcore/screamo bands and most Brits would say there hasn't been a band that has outdone that particular album.

 

F4AF were extremely influential for the british music scene back in the day and many british bands drew inspiration from them but Unfortunately the band hand a change of direction after releasing such a powerful album and 'went soft' on a discovery to expand their sound.

 

I believe a track off the album is also used on a driving game, either one of the Gran Turismo or Need For Speed Games.

 

 

Tracks to look out for are:

 

Escape Artists Never Die

Juneau

Bend Your Arms To Look Like WIngs

Red Is The New Black.

 

----

 

Escape Artists Never Die & Red Is The New Black are definitely some of my all time favorites. The entire album is worth a listen to. their next album 'Hours' is decent effort but lacks the same raw energy but still a good energy. 

 

 

Since the band has had quite a few line up changes, they're slowly going back to dabbling into a heavier sound again. It has some heavy rifage but all their tracks sound the same but yet its their heaviest album since Casually Dressed & Deep In Conversation.

 

 

F4AF are not for everybody and since most of you arent British you wont really understand what ive really said about this band setting standards as you guys probably have a lot better bands in your country. When it comes to British music - we dont have that many decent heavy metal bands compared to most other countries and thats something we've always struggled with since we left the 80s behind.

 

I think Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin. Queen, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath & AC/DC we're probably a few of the most iconic british bands to come out of the 80s otherwise theres not really that much talent.

[Muma 97]

Checked out both bands and they’re post-hardcore with influences borrowed from other genres. Old Gray has some indie and post-rock influence in their music in addition to the post-hardcore. I thought they were okay. Vocals didn’t really do it for me. Both the cleans and screams are really rough. The lyrics are little bit better. They did have some interesting lines, but overall they still need polishing. Their songs had interesting sections I did enjoy. It’s always good to hear post-hardcore bands that don’t sound bland and completely weak. It’s the same problem that plagues metalcore.

 

If you like this type of sound you might like Alexisonfire. They are what post-hardcore should be.

 

I know what you mean about the vocals in Old Gray anyway, but i've grown to love that kind of unpolished screaming xP La Dispute are a lot more listener friendly imo, and 'Such Small Hands' is probably one of my favorite songs tbh, but I always end up listening to the whole album as everything just flows into one nicely.

On another note YESSSS BRAND NEW ARE AWESOME and thank you, because I don't listen to them half as much as I should do, so hopefully I will ACTUALLY get some of their music to listen to, because I always seem to forget them. Also alexisnotonfire really caught my attention there. Another name i've heard thrown around but never really listened to. And his voice sounds rEALLY similar to someone and I can't put my finger on it

 

F4AF are not for everybody and since most of you arent British you wont really understand what ive really said about this band setting standards as you guys probably have a lot better bands in your country. When it comes to British music - we dont have that many decent heavy metal bands compared to most other countries and thats something we've always struggled with since we left the 80s behind.

 

and I will listen to that album in due time but FELLOW BRIT! And I kind of feel you about the British music scene, but I never used to pay much attention to music growing up, so Visual Kei was the first kind of music I really got into > <

 

And speaking of British music, these guys are from the UK and were a supporting act for The Amity Afliction, and for being relatively unknown imo they REALLY BLEW ME AWAY, not so mention all the dudes are cool guys as we got to speak with them after. I think they would probably be post-hardcore/melodic hordcore?? I'm trying to get to grips with genres okay guys and their lyrics really speak to me, and their album 'Life Gone Wrong' is a really solid first album and I had it on repeat for a few days after I got it (which is impressive for me as my temperament regarding music changes frequently and i'm not really one for playing the same song over and over). Their lyrics loosely remind me of Northlane, an Australian hardcore band whose lyrics particularly on their Discoveries album, tends to reflect a lot of the things in my head and just allow me to become lost in thought and take a break from everything.

 

I don't know how to put videos in posts but here's a link to where you can listen to the whole album by Landscapes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRH0ptKygRQ

 

UPDATE: ohh, so you just post the whole link to get the video to show up?? Now how to get the spoiler things.... xD

[RoseOfHizaki 131]

I listened to capital gold religiously while growing up. Always with those classics from elvis, The Small Faces, The Kinks, T-Rex, Beach Boys, Queen - Bands/Artists from that era.

 

Though I didnt really get into heavy metal until my early teens otherwise I was an extremely huge Queen fan for most of my youth. over the years my tastes have expanded greatly as my Lastfm page will say.

 

I listen to loads of different music.

[Kaye 296]

Laughing at screamo as a genre but I know enough people still doing so.

 

Aside from that, I think most of my favorite bands kind of fall under this umbrella? Japanese or not, every kind of "core" band fits here.

 

It's become so difficult to find really interesting and good ones though. Or maybe I'm just too picky in my choices.

[RoseOfHizaki 131]

I find crabcore more funnier to laugh at.

[ficsci 50]

^ Holy shit, I gotta check it out XD

 

Yah, there are a lot of flying shit on flames on what is "screamo" or even what is "emo" online. A lot of people (read: a lot of hipsters who feel like they have the authority to define things, and by a lot, I mean a really small minority) argue that screamo is actually a lot older than you think and should be assigned to only a few very old, very obscure bands that also fall under emo. But then you also might get confused on the difference between "screamo" and "emocore". But since most people now use the word to explain something else all together... I'd say fuck tags.

[Asakusa 95]

Alexisonfire ftw