that's punk » emo http://thatspunk.net/blog scene love & unity forever! Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:00:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Limits & Lines – “Winter” EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2012/01/limits-and-lines/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2012/01/limits-and-lines/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:00:08 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2631 Limits & Lines. wow. just wow. this San Diego band came out of nowhere, with an EP with which they establish themselves as utterly and completely amazing. it sounds a bit like Vulture Culture and It’s Just Vanity, but leaning more on the alternative and pop side of things. just download this right away, because it’s perfect.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2012/01/limits-and-lines/feed/ 0 Spraynard – Funtitled http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/10/spraynard-funtitled/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/10/spraynard-funtitled/#comments Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:00:08 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2627 here’s another full length. wow. Snowing disbanded, but Spraynard are carrying the torch, and it’s burning. it’s definitely burning. because Spraynard set my soul on fire.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/10/spraynard-funtitled/feed/ 0 Spraynard – Split With Paramedic! http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/10/spraynard-split-with-paramedic/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/10/spraynard-split-with-paramedic/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 23:00:42 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2624 there’s just not enough Spraynard in the world. but here’s some more, for whatever it’s worth. play it loud. experience the feeling of crashing without ever hitting the ground. just pure adrenaline. a pure rush – of joy. I’m going to quit before I get even more pretentious here. Spraynard are amazing. be happy. Spraynard. «let’s cross our fingers and hope that we survive every time that we feel empty inside. and if you can’t remember how to survive, we will be your life support».

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/10/spraynard-split-with-paramedic/feed/ 0 Spraynard – Cut and Paste http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/10/spraynard-cut-and-paste/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/10/spraynard-cut-and-paste/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:00:48 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2620 picking up where I left with Spraynard – this is their first full length album. and it’s extraordinary. full fucking throttle all the way, and heartfelt like few others. «keep holding on to everyone that makes us happy» – Spraynard make me happy.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/10/spraynard-cut-and-paste/feed/ 0 Spraynard – Split with Break the Habit http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/09/spraynard-split-with-break-the-habit/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/09/spraynard-split-with-break-the-habit/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:00:26 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2614 yes. I *am* still alive. barely. but alive. and here’s more Spraynard. they still fucking rule so hard, so I’m still posting them. sing along forever. I love Spraynard.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/09/spraynard-split-with-break-the-habit/feed/ 0 Spraynard – Split with Captain, We’re Sinking http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/09/spraynard-split-with-captain-were-sinking/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/09/spraynard-split-with-captain-were-sinking/#comments Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:00:32 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2607 that’s punk is very infrequent with its updates these days, but when there actually is an update, you can expect pristine quality. and I’m picking up right where I left you – with Spraynard. they are *that* awesome. these three songs are from a split they did with the band Captain, We’re Sinking. it blasts off with the vocals spitting «it’s a nice day for a walk in the past», which is extremely fitting, given that you will already have the first track if you downloaded the demo. the other two tracks are new though. and just as good! feel the energy, and let the warmth flood your body and take you to a better place.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/09/spraynard-split-with-captain-were-sinking/feed/ 0 Spraynard – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/09/spraynard-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/09/spraynard-demo/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:00:26 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2604 I’m taking time off my busy schedule to share one of my favourite bands at the moment. I am talking about Spraynard. they play some truly amazing stuff. there’s some Ergs-ish punk rock, some American Steel-ish orgcore, but most of all it’s Snowing-ish emo. in fact, Spraynard are from Pennsylvania as well, so I’m thinking it’s not completely coincidental just how much like Snowing Spraynard actually sound. but similarities aside, Spraynard are Spraynard. and despite that they obviously owe The Lawrence Arms some of their riffs back (who doesn’t), they manage to stand out. there’s a million bands with gruff vocals, catchy power chords and so on. you all know what I’m talking about, right? the whole gritty but pretty sound. and what makes Spraynard stand out is due to their biggest strength – the feeling you get when you listen to them. this is per se not anything unique. this is actually the same exact reason Snowing stand out. but fuck it. Spraynard aren’t inventing nor re-inventing the wheel. they are playing some stellar punk rock, full of angst. buy it here: http://www.spraynard.net/

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/09/spraynard-demo/feed/ 1 Quiritatio – Yana http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/07/quiritatio-yana/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/07/quiritatio-yana/#comments Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:35:32 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2585 earlier this month I was lucky enough to be at Quiritatio’s reunion. it was a glorious affair! a simply put fantastic gig. at which I was also able to obtain one of the represses of the Yana 7″. if you don’t know about this, it’s an old release, from 2006, long since sold out, and later repressed. so to coincide with their reunion, here’s an MP3 copy of Yana! if you know Quiritatio, you know this is amazing. if you don’t know Quiritatio, *get* to know them right here and now. the lyrics tell the story of Yana, and the music tells the story of Yana and Quiritatio both.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/07/quiritatio-yana/feed/ 0 Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – Home After Three Months Away http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/07/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-home-after-three-months-away/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/07/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-home-after-three-months-away/#comments Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:00:11 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2577 it was only yesterday you got your last e! e! fix, but you are dying for some more, right? well, here’s today. here’s more. here’s more melancholic twinkling; here’s more depressingly yelped lyrics; here’s more e! e! and it’s a little different from their previous output. it’s still meticulous word choices delivered by closed lips, as pointed out in the first track. it’s still brooding and depressing in every which way. but it’s more poignant. there are fewer instrumental parts. there are no four-six minute sadness exhibitions. but it still has that brooding quality. it still sounds like crying in slow motion; it still sounds like e! e! nostalgic and melancholic music as well as lyrics that read like intricate short stories with dense symbolism. the lyrics seemingly have no real message or plot or motive. instead, they document memorable occasions or feelings. «the end of this trip birthed us with uncertainty of what to do next» perfectly summarizes the effect the lyrics have. each song is a trip, and each song leaves you with uncertainty. but know this for certain – you need to download this as soon as possible.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/07/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-home-after-three-months-away/feed/ 0 Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – SXSW Promo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/07/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-sxsw-promo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/07/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-sxsw-promo/#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:00:23 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2578 it’s been a busy summer. and I’m supposed to be refreshing a deep and secret corner of my mind – the one that deals with matrices and trigonometry. but instead I’m updating that’s punk for once. it needs this update. come August, I’ll hopefully have way more time to post here, so I can shorten that damned queue. anyway… this is a new Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) song. new as in new to this blog and maybe to you, but not as in newly released. if you know e! e! you’ve already pressed the download button and don’t give a shit about my opinion about this track. if you haven’t heard e! e! before, you should probably consider hitting that download button straight away, because this is golden. e! e! are at heart an unashamed Mineral worship band. but a body needs more than a heart to function, so there’s plenty of other organs dedicated to make e! e! an interesting band in their own right. albeit an interesting band highly comparable to Mineral. is that such a bad thing? shamelessly ripping off Mineral is a good thing in my book. because that means brooding compositions with lots of feedback, pretty and imaginative guitar twinkling, off-key emotive vocals, creative drumming and bass lines that are increasingly rewarding to devote attention to, and melancholic and cleverly brooding and delivered lyrics. there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be like Mineral if you are a good band, and e! e! are a *really* good band. this song will wash over you again and again.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/07/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-sxsw-promo/feed/ 0 Dominic – Dominic http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/06/dominic-dominic/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/06/dominic-dominic/#comments Sun, 26 Jun 2011 12:00:22 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2567 Norwegian screamo champions Dominic are back! and they’re marching forth in their easily recognisable style. anthem-y compositions carried by melodic guitars, and frantic cymbals-reliant drumming with a loud snare, with shouted and screamed vocals that somehow manages to come off as both passionate and catchy (as opposed to just contrived and annoying). Dominic have it all figured out. this is a two song 7″, and so there isn’t a whole lot more to write for a Dominic superfan like me. they do what they’re supposed to do – blow me the fuck away with epic instrumental parts that kamikaze into shouting and desperation clothed by a heavy fucking mess. don’t get me wrong though, it’s not *that* heavy or messy. in fact, I’ve seen a lot of reviewers reacting negatively to Dominic being too “soft” to be this or that [fairly average but for some reason insanely popular on the Internet] band. well, I doubt Dominic tries being either of those bands. nor do I think Dominic are trying to be tough guy hardcore and have crush chugga-chugga breakdowns. this is purposefully melodic and pretty music. Dominic play bleak and misanthropic, but gorgeous music. check this out as soon as you can! buy it from http://apocaplexy.blogspot.com/2011/05/preorder-dominic-st-7-lentic-waters-st.html if you can.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/06/dominic-dominic/feed/ 0 My Own Pine Box – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/my-own-pine-box-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/my-own-pine-box-discography/#comments Fri, 27 May 2011 15:00:04 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2552 this is a band I should I have posted *ages* ago. (back when I posted Agna Moraine’s Autobiography.) My Own Pine Box are a quite unique band. despite not being popular at all back in the day, they play a sort of mellow and pretty emo that everyone loves nowadays. it’s generally quite upbeat with intricate guitar work and vocal harmonies. essentially this is a very common style of emo that has been played to death, and there are hundreds of bands doing it. however, few of them do it with such poising grace as My Own Pine Box. unlike, let’s say, Cap’n Jazz, they are a poignant, and have a uniform motion. but they still have a floating quality, and are generally very chest-tap-friendly. most songs are around two minutes long. they go very well together, but have definite unique qualities. if I had to compare them to any other bands I might pick Agna Moraine’s Autiobiography. they sound quite like a much more mellow continuation of that stuff. in any event My Own Pine Box has a fairly unique take on the emo genre, one that I find difficult to pinpoint. just check it out for yourself.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/my-own-pine-box-discography/feed/ 0 Beau Navire – Life Moves http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/beau-navire-life-moves/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/beau-navire-life-moves/#comments Tue, 24 May 2011 11:00:47 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2549 Beau Navire’s curse is that they’ll always be compared to their members ex-bands. and that’s quite simply because Beau Navire often sounds like the beautiful dwelling of iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook crescendoing into Loma Prieta. if that description is appealing to you, you’ll love Beau Navire. if it sounds like shit, you’ll hate Beau Navire. obviously and thankfully there’s more to Beau Navire than that, but that’s definitely an okay way to describe the fundamental sound here. but like haikus, Beau Navire has a distinct atmosphere that separates them from everyone else. and even though the core sound is so easily described, each individual track has its own unique identity. Beau Navire do something completely different but equally amazing on each and every song. so despite that the core sound is in all fairness simple enough, let me assure you that the song structures are not. each song feels like a magical journey of emotion and passion, each journey different than the previous. I can’t pick out “the best songs”, because this whole album is a journey in itself. everything belongs together. everything needs to be precisely like this. everything is perfect.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/beau-navire-life-moves/feed/ 0 Traluma – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/traluma-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/traluma-discography/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 13:00:58 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2537 Traluma were a relatively obscure band that existed from 1995 and up until their bassist’s death in 1999. they are sort of hard to describe, which is quite fitting, since it’s fairly difficult to really pick up and justly appreciate just how awesome some of the stuff that’s going on with this band is. they’re not like everyone else. they’re not like *anyone* else. Traluma sort of have two “bottom layers”. one is sort of dexterous math rock with twinkly guitars and an eerie feeling comparable to maybe the more hypnotic tracks by Owls, Fugazi and Lungfish. the other is like Gauge or Still Life’s From Angry Heads With Skyward Eyes. a raw emo sound with distorted punk rock riffs and raspy vocals. these two starting points often mend together as well. and like that Still Life record does, Traluma break habit to give way for some of the most beautiful music you’ve ever heard, completely transcending the eerie math rock hypnosis, or the the forceful punk rock drive, or the whatever, to let their devastatingly honest self shine at its most vulnerable, creating some absolutely magic moments in the process. and they do this like Still Life, Indian Summer, Jeromes Dream et. al. do it. i.e. they do not overuse their vulnerable qualities. a lot of bands do this and end up coming off as formulaic at best, contrived at worst. these truly inspirational moments work best when saved for just the right time. this discography consists of three seven inches (one of which a split with a really cool band called Nobuhjest) and one twelve inch. this is everything Traluma ever released, and it’s perfect. absolutely perfect.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/traluma-discography/feed/ 0 Lumber Lung – Lumber Lung http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/lumber-lung-lumber-lung/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/lumber-lung-lumber-lung/#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 16:00:49 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2525 some of you will remember Lumber Lung completely blowing me away a little while ago. welp, this is their LP! it has all of the songs that appear on the demo, and four completely new tracks. and… I don’t know what to say. this is just perfect. just… buy the LP here: http://lumberlung.wordpress.com/music/ – *now*! lyrics are on that site as well. and just… get this. it’s amazing. if you like emo, you will probably like this, as it is probably one of the best emo LPs *ever*. just… wow.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/05/lumber-lung-lumber-lung/feed/ 1 Dahlia Seed – Different Versions, Alternate Mixes http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-different-versions-alternate-mixes/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-different-versions-alternate-mixes/#comments Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:00:37 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2498 this is that’s punk’s last card. it’s different versions of five songs. two from Valentine Kid’s Litter, two from Survived By and one from Please Excuse All the Blood. all of which are well worth listening to – so download this! unfortunately “this” concludes the Dahlia Seed marathon. but what a band! what tunes! download it all if you haven’t yet. so good.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-different-versions-alternate-mixes/feed/ 0 Dahlia Seed – Please Excuse All the Blood http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-please-excuse-all-the-blood/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-please-excuse-all-the-blood/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2011 22:00:55 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2493 after the tour in autumn of 1996 Dahlia Seed split up. this the last record they ever put out. it didn’t come until 1999 though. so it’s a posthumous release with unreleased material. the release contains songs from throughout most of their career. from tracks from the ten inch which can be downloaded in its unmixed state here, to the last three recordings they did. and with some stuff in between. including a few live tracks. if you’ve downloaded the other releases, you already have some of this. but it’s well worth getting nonetheless. perhaps especially for their three last songs, which serves as extremely rude teasers, just pointing at you and laughing. “hey check it out we made these three amazing songs [well, actually, one of them is a Voivod cover] but we’re not a band any more so you won’t get any new albums, nyya-nyya-nyya-nyya-nyyaaaaaaa-nya.” how præposterous! get this. oh, and even this is Dahlia Seed’s last record, that’s punk still has one more card up its sleeve.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-please-excuse-all-the-blood/feed/ 0 Dahlia Seed – Live Brownies NYC 25th August 06 1996 http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-live-brownies-nyc-25th-august-06-1996/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-live-brownies-nyc-25th-august-06-1996/#comments Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:00:13 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2488 having posted both albums, I’m nearing the end of the Dahlia Seed marathon. but there’s still some stuff left! among this stuff is this live record. this time we’re in 1996 on Dahlia Seed’s last tour. they exclusively play songs from Survived By, except for “Statement of Purpose”, which you should know from the CBGBs concert. that song was actually released on a split 7″ with another ’90s emo band named Garden Variety, and you can – SPOILER ALERT – look forward to seeing it on that’s punk, albeit on a different release. spoiler finished. so. this is a soundboard recording, and it sounds… good. good enough to warrant a listen at least. good enough to make me curse myself for not seeing this band live. so get this, and curse yourself. enjoy!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-live-brownies-nyc-25th-august-06-1996/feed/ 0 Dahlia Seed – Survived By http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/2482/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/2482/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 23:00:59 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2482 in the summer of 1995, Dahlia Seed recorded their second album, which would be released in 1996. all of the band was living in NY – except for the vocalist, who were residing in WA. (take note that by the time Survived By was to be recorded, Dahlia Seed had a new guitarist, as one of them left the summer of ’94. take further note that by the time Saved By was released in spring of ’96, that guitarist had left (in the middle of a US/Canadian tour, consequently ruining said tour for the band) and been replaced by yet another one.) that’s a pretty long way apart. nonetheless, the album got written, albeit without the entire band being in the same room while it was done. and, luckily, they were also recorded that summer, in Philadelphia. this album is by many considered the quintessential Dahlia Seed album. I don’t know why this is more quintessential than Valentine Kid’s Letter, although I’ve noticed that a lot of people don’t consider the latter a “proper” album because it’s made up of a couple of spread out sessions… personally, I view them both equally “quintessential” in terms of Dahlia Seed records. this packs an equal amounts of punch, when compared to Valentine Kid’s Litter. this album is absolutely beautiful and give Valentine Kid’s Litter a run for its money. you have no choice – you have to download this. absolute classic, by all standards. from the beautiful opening track to the heart-breaking though just as beautiful closer – a fantastic album. oh, and by the way, this album has a re-recording of one of the tracks on the practice tape, “Archway Out”.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/2482/feed/ 0 Dahlia Seed – Live CBGBs NYC 20th August 1994 http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-live-cbgbs-nyc-20th-august-1994/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-live-cbgbs-nyc-20th-august-1994/#comments Wed, 23 Mar 2011 23:00:50 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2480 in 1994 and early 1995, Dahlia Seed toured extensively. I’ll be documenting this as well here on that’s punk. the first concert I’m posting is around thirty-five minutes long. they play a few songs from Valentine Kid’s Litter, and a few songs that will be released in the future. and a few songs plus a few songs equal nine songs , which in turn equals a pretty good documentation of Dahlia Seed as a live band. as everyone knows, listening to a live recording isn’t half as good as actually being there. but hey it’s the recording or nothing. they won’t be performing live again any time soon, unfortunately. so this isn’t even the next-best thing. this is the best thing! which means you need to check it out. it’s a very powerful performance in rather nice recording quality.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-live-cbgbs-nyc-20th-august-1994/feed/ 0 Dahlia Seed – Valentine Kid’s Litter http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-valentine-kids-litter/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-valentine-kids-litter/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:00:58 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2478 it’s 1994, and we’re fucking there. from the very first note we’re there and then some. Valentine Kid’s Litter packs a significantly larger punch than either of the previously posted recordings. over the course of 1993-1994, they recorded two-three demo tapes. when they presented them to Theologian Records, the label wanted to put it out as an album. and so they did. that was a smart move if ever I saw one. because quite frankly, this release is amazing. even if it is evident that it’s made up of different recordings with different quality, it’s just so packed with emotive and cathartic moments that I think no one cares. the vocals are pretty, then suddenly they’re shouting bloody murder. and the music follows in a highly organic matter. it’s like Fugazi. the lyrics are often in tact with the music, open and emotionally charged. the vocalist wrote most of them, and when looking back she described quite a few of them as silly or stupid. I guess that’s how you know you’ve written really good emo lyrics. when you can look back and have a hard time understanding what you were thinking. when you look back and say, wow, how I’ve grown since then. emo music at its best, in my humble opinion, is when it documents the now – that special place and time. anyway, you owe it to yourself to give this a listen. it’s just a really heavy ’90s rock album with twelve fucking great songs.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-valentine-kids-litter/feed/ 0 Dahlia Seed – 10″ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-10/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-10/#comments Sat, 19 Mar 2011 23:00:55 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2476 it’s 1993 and Dahlia Seed have added a second guitarists, letting their vocalist focus more on vocalist duties. this is an unmixed version of their first proper record. and with that release, we’re getting extremely close to the beforehand mentioned “there”. where is there? the Dahlia Seed everyone knows and loves at their peak. the recording quality makes both the vocals intelligible and the music in general a bit more pleasant to listen to. you can really appreciate the musicianship some more, when you can actually tell what’s going on without anything being compromised by a poor recording quality. not that the previous posts have been *plagued* by awful recording quality… this just sounds nicer. two of the songs from the first demo are re-recorded for this, giving them a more justified recording quality. the melodic yet aggressive music is well cathartic. the vocals are dreamy but not distant. actually, they are ever-present. you’ll want to download this…

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-10/feed/ 0 Dahlia Seed – Practice Tape http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-practice-tape/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-practice-tape/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:00:53 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2474 with the second Dahlia Seed post, it’s still 1992. there’s a swap of bassists, and there’s a new addition to the band. and many would argue that it is this addition that will set the band apart from any other bands. to some extent this is true. their new vocalist would go on to become instrumental to this band’s success. but let’s pay tribute where it’s due; the whole band has changed up quite a bit. for better. and even though the recording quality hasn’t peaked yet, resulting in unintelligible vocals, the guitars are getting there and then some. the new vocalist also plays guitar on this recording, giving them a more melodic sound than on the demo. the dreamy guitars as well as vocals drastically alter the band’s sound, without actually changing it much at all. if you liked the demo, you will probably love this. if you weren’t feeling the demo, give this a go. it is much more representing of the legendary band Dahlia Seed would eventually become. while Dahlia Seed are not quite there just yet, this is a monumental step on the way.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-practice-tape/feed/ 0 Dahlia Seed – 1st Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-1st-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-1st-demo/#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:00:12 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2472 I suspect some – if not most of the trusty readers of that’s punk are familiar with Dahlia Seed. but I suspect that not that many are as familiar as I aim to make you with them! yes, that’s right. Dahlia Seed marathon! and the obvious place to start is with their very first demo. Dahlia Seed started the summer of 1992, in the northern New Jersey suburbs. although probably mostly known as a four-piece or a five-piece, they actually started out as a three-piece. and this is that three-piece’s 4-track demo. it’s rough in both recording and musical style. somewhat comparable to their contemporary Empty Set (which would later go on to be named Chewbacca Kaboom, and later still Sunny Day Real Estate). recording quality-wise, this sounds as good as a 4-track from the early ’90s can sound. musical quality-wise, this is really good, albeit not the quintessential Dahlia Seed recording by any means. if you have no idea what Dahlia Seed sounds like, they play a rather pretty style of emo that in addition is really aggressive and simply charged with emotion. this is a nice place to start with the band, if you can handle the sound quality, which as an emo fan… chances are you do. check this out!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/dahlia-seed-1st-demo/feed/ 0 Oriana Raeo – Oriana Raeo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/oriana-raeo-oriana-raeo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/oriana-raeo-oriana-raeo/#comments Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:00:30 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2466 this is sensitive and wimpy screamo. and while all screamo is inherently sensitive and wimpy, this is especially sensitive and wimpy. the guitar hooks are sort of like a soft and pathetic Kaospilot. sometimes, when at their softest, the guitars are almost like City of Caterpillar, focused and deliberate. on top of this are hoarse heart- and voice-breaking screams that sound like Age Sixteen meets The Spirit of Versailles. the rhythm section of the band, the drums and bass, are absolutely central to creating the moods swings that really makes Oriana Raeo an extremely interesting listen. at times it’s so bleak and empty that I can’t not pull up a comparison to Quiritatio. especially on the bleakest of songs, “Staring Into Nothing”, the album’s longest track (being over four minutes). the whole album is barely over ten minutes long, but those ten minutes are utterly miserable and tear-y. it’s perhaps best described simply as “Staring Into Nothing”. this is exactly what listening to Oriana Raeo feels like.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/oriana-raeo-oriana-raeo/feed/ 0 syn*error – verlustgeschäft http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/synerror-verlustgeschaft/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/synerror-verlustgeschaft/#comments Mon, 07 Mar 2011 23:00:40 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2458 you all know syn*error. if you don’t, you really should. there’s a bunch of stuff by them down there somewhere. a split with What Price, Wonderland? among other treats. this is their newest experiment, and the term experiment is key. from the very first track you know this is going to be different than previous instalments of syn*error. their self-titled 7″ was primarily made up of really loud emo/screamo with some intricate less loud parts, thus resulting in a somewhat eclectic but determined sound. five years ago syn*error were a explosive emo/screamo band with quiet-loud dynamics, soaring guitars, distorted octave chords, screaming, etc. but for 2011′s verlustgeschäft, they’ve shook things up. this time they have obvious influences from ’80s harDCore. where syn*error previously dabbled with the ’90s emo sound, they have now seemingly moved a century back. this does however not mean that syn*error have taken a step back or stagnated. on the contrary. they’ve evolved their sound into something completely new. if I were to compare it to modern bands, then it sort of sounds like a mix between End of A Year and Adorno. however this album has just too much bloody uniqueness to it. you can’t just say “if you like blah and blah you’ll like this”. this album has several funk/hip-hop songs that sort of sound like Incubus’ glorious “Magic Medicine” – that’s not normal for an emo album, is it? furthermore, this album has truly epic emo tracks that may or may not have ’70s punk rock/’80s alternative bridges with almost BritPop guitars, before going to what to me sounds like Norwegian emo (the birds are spies – they report to the trees, rest of my life, etc), before suddenly going into trance-inducing blues-y or funk-y guitar solos to bring the tune to sometimes a sudden halt, and sometimes fading away elegantly. this album just takes a pile of influences from all sorts of music from the ’80s and ’90s and shape it into some sort of emo rocker with funky “Magic Medicine” interludes. syn*error have seriously changed their sound up. and it fucking works. it fucking works. download this at once. it can be bought from http://www.kids-in-misery.net/pages/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=301 or here http://bisaufsmesser.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16229&zenid=4d988b78f10127f2845a0ff70671ac0c – so do that too if you have the cash.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/03/synerror-verlustgeschaft/feed/ 0 Lumber Lung – Demo 2010 http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/lumber-lung-demo-2010/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/lumber-lung-demo-2010/#comments Sat, 26 Feb 2011 23:00:27 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2453 this band blew me away. instantly. this demo is five songs that together are sixteen minutes long. in those sixteen minutes, Lumber Lung manages to establish themselves as one of the most interesting emo bands since… well, since the ’90s really. and “the ’90s” is exactly how this sounds. it sounds a bit like Lumber, Don Quichote, Symptom of Isaac, and Dahlia Seed – but mostly it just sounds like Lumber Lung. it’s heavily influenced by the directness of ’90s emo. and by that, I mean that Lumber Lung waste no time. they are to the point and acute. but like the bands I mentioned, they are also inherently melodic. this is aggressive music; jangly and noisy. however, it’s also beautiful. and one of the most successful and authentic takes on ’90s emo I’ve ever heard by a modern band. they’re putting out an LP later this year, and you need to save up for that – because this band is just… wow. just download this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/lumber-lung-demo-2010/feed/ 1 Panthalassa – 2011 Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/panthalassa-2011-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/panthalassa-2011-demo/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:00:05 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2445 Panthalassa started out in 2010 in Seattle, Washington. in December they recorded this demo here. and guess what – it’s great! I always like getting to hear new bands. double so when the band is so good. Panthalassa are noisy and chaotic like Phasma Phasmatis, poetic and creative like Lizards Have Personalities and FUNKY like Daniel Striped Tiger. now there’s a mix I’d happily listen to again! I hope to hear more from Panthalassa than this seven minute demo. check this out!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/panthalassa-2011-demo/feed/ 0 The Whoopass Girls – The Whoopass Girls http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/the-whoopass-girls-the-whoopass-girls/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/the-whoopass-girls-the-whoopass-girls/#comments Sun, 06 Feb 2011 23:00:41 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2418 The Whoopass Girls have grown up a bit, leaving most of their carefree insanity behind, adopting a much more nuanced and sensitive sound. and while their first release was enjoyable in its own right, this is another story completely. melancholic and minor-driven ’90s emo like Christie Front Drive, September and Cap’n Jazz. while less experimental and unpredictably insane, this release is just as interesting in its own way. this release has seven songs, and is a little more than twenty-five minutes of emo greatness. passionate and hypnotic and *highly* recommended.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/the-whoopass-girls-the-whoopass-girls/feed/ 1 Snowing – I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/snowing-i-could-do-whatever-i-wanted-if-i-wanted/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/snowing-i-could-do-whatever-i-wanted-if-i-wanted/#comments Sat, 05 Feb 2011 23:00:29 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2411 I know I’m a little late, so if you’ve already gotten this album, you have probably made up your mind about it, so just ignore this, I guess. the rest of you may however proceed promptly. Snowing are a band you should be at least vaguely familiar with though, due to me posting their other stuff here. if you aren’t – go check those posts out. if you are – go on yet some more. I’m going to be completely honest about this album. initially I was disappointed. I found the songs too same-y, and generally deemed it underwhelming. because of these things, I am sure glad I haven’t put it up until now. because now I get it. now I see what this shit is all about. I’ve had a ginormous “oic what u did thurr” moment, and now I can fully appreciate and get behind «SOMETIMES I GET DRUNK AT NIGHT». at first I didn’t think Snowing really “worked” in a longer medium. welp… that was completely wrong. Snowing are *better* in album format. John Galm goes all the fucking way. this album is the equivalent of drunken rambling and hungover remorse all at once. furthermore, this is one of the more personal records you’ll ever hear. there is nothing pretentious about this. it’s a guy spilling his guts to some real happening rock music. where American Football are nostalgic in its depression, Snowing are just fucking depressing. yet there’s something oddly comforting about a man willing to blurt out his personal life and all of his perceived shortcomings on a rock album. there’s something beautiful about the realisation that even though your dad died, and his dad died, and you’re eventually gonna die – you’re alive. that is the essence of this album – to me. no one wants to be alone, no one wants to die, no one wants to suffer. Snowing, I think, reflect that perfectly. I get it John. thanks. you can order this here: http://countyourluckystars.bigcartel.com/product/pre-order-snowing or here: http://squareofopposition.bigcartel.com/product/snowing-i-could-do-whatever-lp-preorder – if you have the necessary funds ($10).

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/snowing-i-could-do-whatever-i-wanted-if-i-wanted/feed/ 0 Saetia – A Retrospective http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/saetia-a-retrospective/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/saetia-a-retrospective/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:00:29 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2410 chances are that if you have any interest in screamo, you already know Saetia. if you are less than twenty-five, chances are in fact that you even discovered screamo via Saetia. although they weren’t my entry band, they were definitely one of the early birds. by the way, if you’ve ever heard someone say that Saetia are “new jack shit” or otherwise a band for “new jacks” and otherwise not remarkable – just point and laugh. there’s a reason Saetia have become the band that gets people into screamo. there’s a reason everyone knows who Saetia are. said reason being how fucking great Saetia are. Saetia existed during the late ’90s and were never extraordinary or even mention-worthy popular compared to the post-mortem hype they have received (aka the screamo curse). this album has their entire recorded output (plus five live tracks), and is the definite album to get. (also the original vinyl are ridiculously overpriced on auction sites and trade boards, so it’s really the only choice you have unless you are really, really into collection expensive vinyl.) there are seventeen (again, plus five live tracks) tracks on this album, and it’s over fifty-five minutes long. Saetia actually have some rather lengthy tracks for the genre – which benefits their style. they sort of mix two things into an almost oxymoron. there’s a very melodic and pretty side to Saetia, but there is also a spastic and noisy rapid-bursts hardcore side to them. these sides are frequently joined as one, with vocals that generally vary between a whimper and almost full out shrieking. call it screamo, call it emo, call it chaotic hardcore, hardcore or just simply punk rock. Saetia are a great band no matter what hype term you throw at them. so check this out right now. the members went on to form Hot Cross, Off Minor, and various other bands that were great but not *as* great as Saetia. at least not in my humble opinion. but the bands I mentioned (which are the more high-profiled ones) are well worth checking out as well.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/saetia-a-retrospective/feed/ 0 rest of my life – what we lack in size, we make up for in devotion http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/rest-of-my-life-what-we-lack-in-size-we-make-up-for-in-devotion/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/rest-of-my-life-what-we-lack-in-size-we-make-up-for-in-devotion/#comments Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:21:56 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2409 after a shake-up in staff and a change in label (to RhinoProd), rest of my life is back. imagine The Appleseed Cast mixed with Explosions in the Sky, with a hint of The Shyness Clinic. now eliminate any dead space in the tracks, make the highlights endlessly more gigantic – and you might have the faintest idea what this record sounds like. this is the closest I have ever gotten to A Bunny’s Caravan’s Draining Puddles, Retrieving Treasures. rest of my life have created a genuinely compelling album that is intriguing from start to finish. it floods you with emotion and overwhelms you with its intellectuality. rest of my life truly prove to be equal amounts heart and brain, with songs that are so precise and delicate one would think they were carefully plotted by maths geniuses – except that they are at all times just about ready to burst with emotion, often lead by the cascading climaxes of washing guitars. all instruments are in perfect harmony, and the mix does extraordinary at making this devastatingly clear to the listener. the washing guitars wrap in a drummer’s dexterous and forceful command, and everything is emphasized by the imaginative and pleasantly soft yet appropriately present bass lines. this delightful mix go on to crescendo into the most heart-warming heartbreaks as often as they fall to their knees, hinting modesty and humbleness in between all their ambition and taste for glory. as a consequence of the exploring and unafraid nature of rest of my life, they have forged an album that becomes properly well-rounded and thus an exciting listen from start to finish. overall, this is something as rare as a perfect record. it’s marvellously intelligent – and let me tell you, it is well refreshing for an album to be genuinely intelligent, as opposed to just quirky – and emotionally charged to the brims. lyrically the album parallels itself musically. the lyrics are questioning, seeking and critical, «gaining brains [while] maintaining heart», further enhancing the well-roundedness of the album. it would seem like rest of my life have been heading in this direction; carefully working their way towards this album. if this is their climax, I can’t do anything but applaud them. if there is more to come, I hope my heart can take it. you can buy this from http://www.cdon.eu if you like it, and I would strongly suggest getting the CD. it has a lovely cover that goes well with the feel of the album itself. p.s. this album features a new version of the glorious Manual Circuit song “Bohemen”!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/02/rest-of-my-life-what-we-lack-in-size-we-make-up-for-in-devotion/feed/ 5 This Ship Will Sink – You Are Precisely My Cup of Tea http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/this-ship-will-sink-you-are-precisely-my-cup-of-tea/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/this-ship-will-sink-you-are-precisely-my-cup-of-tea/#comments Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:00:39 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2400 This Ship Will Sink’s second EP showcases an even more eccentric form of hardcore, with way more screamo influences. the metal is still there though. the core sound has not been all too much tampered with, and it’s still very much recognisable. but(!!!), different enough to *be different*. these songs are something new and fresh, unlike their previous EP. so check this out, and learn how This Ship Will Sink managed to advance their sound without abandoning it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/this-ship-will-sink-you-are-precisely-my-cup-of-tea/feed/ 0 The Assistant – We’ll Make the Roads By Walking http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/the-assistant-well-make-the-roads-by-walking/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/the-assistant-well-make-the-roads-by-walking/#comments Sun, 09 Jan 2011 23:00:16 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2386 in 2003 came The Assistant’s second lengthy affair [album]. it’s significantly more metal than the previous album. a bit like After School Knife Fight. there were parts on the previous posted album that sounded like this album, but as a whole this one is far heavier. there are fast grindcore parts and devastating hardcore breakdowns, all of which totally destroy, but there are also some intricate melodic content in here. it’s just hidden far more than the in the songs featured on the previous post. most of this is extremely heavy technical screamo/metal. the song lengths have also changed noticeably. the previous post had twelve songs, and those songs were in total around four minutes shorter than the eight songs on this album are in total. the longest song is as much as 8:35 long. and you’ll find no ambient parts in the middle, or lengthy intros or outros. just devastation and madness. this album destroys all. get it!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/the-assistant-well-make-the-roads-by-walking/feed/ 0 The Assistant – The Assistant http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/the-assistant-the-assistant/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/the-assistant-the-assistant/#comments Fri, 07 Jan 2011 23:00:14 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2385 as mentioned, I’ll be talking a little bit about The Assistant. they were a late ’90s/early ’00s screamo band, based in New Jersey. this band started up shortly after the disbanding of You and I, and features members of said band. the members of The Assistant in turn went on to form other bands, such as This Ship Will Sink, who I’ll – you’ve guessed it – talk about later. much like In First Person (who started out around five years after), they employ several vocalists. often at least two people are screaming at the same time. sometimes three. and with all these people screaming their guts out about walls and greed, it gets messy as all hell. the guitars are intricate and melodic like with You and I, though less heavy, and mostly faster. too say that The Assistant is a faster You and I is not a fair way to sum them up, but it’s an okay way to introduce them to you. their sound is far more complex than that though. The Assistant is a truly violent mix of gritty synth, blistering riffs, despairing screams, loud feedback, hard drumming… and the occasional blink-182-like fantastically catchy, beautiful power chord masterpiece that “Five Year Old Mentality” is. then comes the progressive instrumental track “Route 18″, in which there are no words (apart from the few you can make out, behind all the ambiance), but so much else, that it speaks for itself. this track sounds desolate, lonely and longing. in much ways it sounds like the opposite of the previous track. these shifts happen all the time, and still, this album flows together amazingly. oh, how wonderfully well this album flows together. each track is sewn together perfectly. just like each part of each track is sewn together perfectly. everything is perfect. get this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/the-assistant-the-assistant/feed/ 0 In First Person – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/in-first-person-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/in-first-person-discography/#comments Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:00:08 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2370 featuring members of You and I, A Petal Fallen and The Assistant (who I’ll be getting back to, actually…), In First Person were a fairly technical screamo band, notable for having three vocalists that often sung/shouted/screamed at the same time. with vocals and guitars all over the place, In First Person have a by its very nature chaotic and explosive sound. but there’s also something extremely controlled and well-planned about these songs. In First Person have a precisely layered sound, much comparable to the You and I album, though with a heavier backbone making their sound comparable to Pg.99. this is their discography, consisting of a full length album named Lost Between Hands Held Tight, which was out on Paramnesia Records, though sold out probably years ago. in addition to this album are two splits. one with Storm the Bastille and one with the Canadian band Titan. there are a total of twelve tracks, and it clocks in at 42:22. that’s forty-two minutes of dark and heavy modern screamo/hardcore. where early/mid ’90s screamo often was extremely chaotic, even comparable to noise music at times, this modern approach to the genre is more often metallic and dark. everything from Orchid to Quiritatio reflects this. the first mentioned with grindcore sympathies, the second with their epic crescendos and sludge-tinge. In First Person are also by all means a modern “screamo” band. combining metal, hardcore and screamo into a grand sound that’s at times chaotic, but mostly it feels like it’s very thoughtfully and carefully composed. there’s just so much stuff going on in these songs, that it can hardly be chance that makes it all come together so consistently and thoroughly. In First Person plays calculated and perfected music. they are though by no means robots. in fact, they sound like they are throwing every piece of themselves into each and every song, with misanthropic lyrics. so if you like modern “screamo”, get this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/in-first-person-discography/feed/ 0 You And I – The Curtain Falls http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/you-and-i-the-curtain-falls/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/you-and-i-the-curtain-falls/#comments Mon, 03 Jan 2011 23:00:43 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2277 The Curtain Falls was You And I’s last release. it’s 22:02, a fairly perfect amount of time to blow everyone away. this is perhaps their least popular release. even band members reject it as shoddy, unrehearsed and badly produced.. all of which are fuel for my love for it. I am really fond of their “old stuff”, i.e. the previous post, as well, but The Curtain Falls is definitely my favourite by this band. although the old tracks had a consistent sound, and many interesting hooks, it lacked the great amount of direction and ambition presented on The Curtain Falls. it also – and this might be a bit contradicting – feels more improvised. it feels like it’s capturing a magic moment in place and time. like it doesn’t care. The Curtain Falls is a mess, so you don’t really hear layers. instead, you get what is in my opinion a perfect fusion of elements. each and every instrument are interacting with each other very closely, and very skilfully. the songs are more progressive, with focus on explosions and climaxes as opposed to the overwhelming and brutal approach found on the self titled compilation. on this album, You And I are still comparable to Indian Summer (the jazz samples no doubt help fuse this comparison), but they are in many ways very dissimilar in both sound and approach. You And I have a much more blatant screamo sound on this album. then comes the occasional stunningly infectious guitar line, that will just blow your mind. if you found anything remotely enjoyable about the previous post, this album is definitely for you. if you didn’t get it, this is probably just as well a place to get introduced to You And I, because this is You And I at their very finest. this is amazing.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/you-and-i-the-curtain-falls/feed/ 0 You And I – You And I http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/you-and-i-you-and-i/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/you-and-i-you-and-i/#comments Sun, 02 Jan 2011 23:00:01 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2271 if you have not heard You And I before, you are indeed in for a treat. they were an emo band, active in the late nineties. they employed rather unusual song structures, and surprisingly melodic and tuneful hooks. they basically put layers of pretty twinkly guitars and clean vocals alongside or on top of an almost metallic rhythm section, churning out heavy as fuck hardcore riffs and crushing drum patterns. on this album (which came out in 2003, and collects all of their releases sans the last one), the boldness of the riffs makes it almost difficult to distinguish the tracks, because they all have these heavy hardcore riffs. this is where the layers of melodic intricacies become helpful. they are what essentially distinguish the tracks, whilst the insanely heavy drive that surrounds it is what provides consistency. the mix of these two extremes are what constitutes You And I’s unique blend of the different elements of emo/hardcore, and their intense energy. sometimes it sounds like a screamo version of Indian Summer. other times it sounds like Sons of Abraham. with a reasonable amount of feedback, You And I’s guitarists plough their way through droning doom riffs, gentle and catchy punk rock riffs, clever noise parts, blistering – almost grindcore – thrashing, and more “typical” screamo riffs. over this you have screaming bloody murder, and the occasional clean singing. the drums somehow actually manage to keep up with all the crazy stuff the riffs manage to do, and also dictates the tempo beautifully, almost single-handedly (well, I guess double-handedly and double-footedly?) making the breakdowns. what separates You And I’s quiet parts from Indian Summer’s are that they usually have sort of upbeat drums during them. they are subdued and calmer, but not downbeat or lacking altogether, like they so often are in Indian Summer’s quietest riffs. this maybe makes You And I slightly less in touch with the polar extremes, but they still manage to create fantastic dynamics. their sound is altogether very unique, and if you add the unorthodox sound structures to the consideration, You And I are an immensely impressive as well as interesting band. so check this out! this compilation album also contains five live tracks at the end, and clocks in at ~78 minutes, so it might me a little overwhelming at first – even if it is instantly enjoyable. you should give it a few spins to digest it properly. it’s really worth it, because this band rules.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2011/01/you-and-i-you-and-i/feed/ 0 Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson – lost songs http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson-lost-songs/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson-lost-songs/#comments Thu, 30 Dec 2010 23:00:27 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2365 the guys in Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson found an old pc with some old songs on. what better way to end the year, than with a post with this. Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson came into my life several years ago and blew my mind. and though they never disappeared from my life, new recordings didn’t surface. this made me a little sad. then earlier this year came their gloriously triumphant second album. I never imagined they could follow up their début with an album that was equally as amazing. my mind was blown all over again. and though equally amazing as the début, it was wonderfully refreshing and new. the two albums have the same qualities, but different sounds. so while I was overjoyed to hear the new album, at the same time I was a bit saddened that they had buried their old sound. but that’s only natural. they couldn’t make another album like the first. it would be really boring. and you can’t put a leash on creative minds anyway. so what I got was what I got. a wonderful *new* album. it pleases me, then, to no end to present to you these lost songs. they are in that wonderful “How Is Annie” sound I fell in love with. bands like Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson themselves, A Bunny’s Caravan, that second rest of my life record, Manual Circuit, Twist About Fireplace, Monzano, and Build Nest, Sleep. they all had something magical in common. something “How Is Annie”. since then, both How Is Annie and Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson have grown. I do not in any way resent this. I applaud it. diversity makes it that much more interesting. and I would still say that How Is Annie has a special sound to it, albeit not as obvious as it were. but this is the sound I initially fell in love with. this is what grabbed me and refused to let go. this is sentimentally valuable to me. it takes me back to when I was first exploring all of these bands. these lost songs are the sound of nostalgia to me. to you, they might be the sound of something else entirely. nonetheless, this is how I choose to conclude the year. and it’s most satisfying.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson-lost-songs/feed/ 0 Beau Navire – Demo Cassette http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/beau-navire-demo-cassette/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/beau-navire-demo-cassette/#comments Sun, 26 Dec 2010 23:00:23 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2351 Beau Navire play what they call “My Bloody Valentine hardcore” on this – a demo cassette from 2009. it’s their first release, and it consists of seven songs divided into two tracks (side a and b). this is “soul punk” in the vein of iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook. Beau Navire are incidentally also from the Bay Area, and have one ex-member of haikus. so if you are into haikus, you *will* be into this. this just hits right home with me from the very first second. this absolutely beautiful style of soulful and tender screamo is impossible to not be moved, or somehow else affected by. this picks up “soul punk” where haikus left off, and takes it to new heights; in new directions. Beau Navire are the best band right now. you need to know “what the fuss is about”. because, honestly, you’ll probably either really love or really hate what they are doing. personally I absolutely love it. hopefully you will as well. let Beau Navire teach you how to love. put away your white belts and learn how to cry again with Beau Navire.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/beau-navire-demo-cassette/feed/ 0 Indian Summer – Hidden Arithmetic http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/2194/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/2194/#comments Fri, 24 Dec 2010 23:00:38 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2194 even though I open my presents on Christmas Eve, that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about those of you who open them on the morning of Christmas Day. this post is for you. and hey, I eat my father’s accomplished turkey on Christmas Day – so it’s a special day for me too. today’s present is Indian Summer’s Hidden Arithmetic. it’s a live album that exists in multiple editions. some have two concerts, and some have just one. this is the latter edition, which has Indian Summer Live in the Blue Universe. (the one with two concerts also has Live at Pitzer College.) it’s released on both LP and CD. said LP is the definite emo record. the defining emo record. digital copies are the second best thing, so I highly recommend you purchase an LP via the download link, if you can afford it. this is the centrepiece of any emo collection ever. this is emo incarnate. GET THIS.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/2194/feed/ 0 Indian Summer – Science http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/indian-summer-science/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/indian-summer-science/#comments Thu, 23 Dec 2010 23:00:37 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2193 in Norway we open presents on Christmas Eve. this is your present from that’s punk. if you have heard Indian Summer before, chances are they are at the very least *among* your favourite bands of all time. if you have just barely heard a song or two, and didn’t *really* listen – or, if you haven’t heard them at all – consider this your initiation. Indian Summer existed between 1993 and 1994 in Oakland, California. they mastered the dark and brooding atmospheric elements Slint employed, and built up their songs into a massive and intense explosion, sort of reminiscent of Rites of Spring, but less acute and more explosive. they sound like an overwhelming mix of the beforehand mentioned bands, Codeine, Native Nod, Still Life, Moss Icon and Seam. Science is their discography. it collects all of their studio recorded songs. nine of them in total. it passes the half hour mark, with songs lasting from anything from one and a half minute to well over seven minutes. one of the things that will make you want to listen to this album over and over is that Indian Summer were true masters of dynamics. the most tranquil parts have calmly picked guitars and soft whispering. as a total contrast, the louder parts are come crashing down on the world, with out of control screaming, guitars being trashed, drums being battered to death and so forth. all of the parts were connected though. each and every up and down was connected. and all of it was intense, nervous and emotional. this band didn’t just contribute to emo, or breathe life into it. Indian Summer are the band that shaped and perfected emo with the pure skill that went into these compositions. a skill that thankfully only gets rivalled and beaten by the sheer intensity and rawness. Indian Summer are emo in its truest form. download this. and have a great Christmas Eve! the compilation has been pressed on numerous occasions, and one of the pressings can be bought via links inside the download site.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/indian-summer-science/feed/ 0 Brendan Stephens – The “For Kim” EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/brendan-stephens-the-for-kim-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/brendan-stephens-the-for-kim-ep/#comments Tue, 30 Nov 2010 23:00:57 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2292 for those not familiar with Brendan, I can mention that Brendan started Perfect Future (and had even written the songs for the album before starting the band), which faithful that’s punk users will remember as awesome. they are downloadable a little bit further down. this is however an entirely different story. this is Brendan’s EP for his sister Kimberley, who got in a near fatal car crash while Brendan was on tour. there is more to the story than that, which can be read in the download link. this is essentially Brendan’s apology for being on tour when this incident occurred, and deciding to keep pressing on with the tour instead of going home. he has never forgiven himself for this. as you’d probably reckoned by now, this is a very close and personal record. Brendan spends a little over twenty minutes on ripping his heart out. it’s no secret that a lot of great art comes from pain, and the pain and honesty alone makes this record well worth listening to. however, the music itself is also well worth listening to. it’s confrontational and emotional dark miserablemo comparable to The Gloria Record’s first EP and Mineral, but with a lot of folk rock influence. especially the grandiosity and howling guitars of “Phone Call” brings The Gloria Records/Mineral comparisons. on “Morphine Overdose” one could say the same about the guitars, but the marching band drums makes it more comparable to instrumental progressive rock bands such as 1099. Brendan has made five truly beautiful songs, and this EP is a gem in every which way. get it.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/12/brendan-stephens-the-for-kim-ep/feed/ 0 Guidelines – Rules of the Sife http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/guidelines-rules-of-the-sife/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/guidelines-rules-of-the-sife/#comments Mon, 29 Nov 2010 23:00:22 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2303 if you enjoyed Guidelines’ demo, then rejoice. for there’s more. this is their EP, Rules of the Sife. it has four of the five songs on the demo in a re-recorded format, with a much higher recording quality. there are also four brand new songs on here, all of which fit nicely into the repertoire. this sounds sort of similar to Age Sixteen and The Kidcrash(‘s newer material), and when they shout «NOTHING/HOLDS US/FOREVER/NEVER/NOTHING/NO/THING», you can’t help not getting into it. this is actually mad good and then some. this is fucking cool. this band makes one and two minute songs sound like epic mammoth songs. I’m not too fond of the kick drum. it has some sort of muffled quality that makes it sounds like someone is having a party next door. there. that’s the only negative thing I can think of. and I didn’t even notice it properly until the last track. the rest is skram perfection. listen to it!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/guidelines-rules-of-the-sife/feed/ 0 Guidelines – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/guidelines-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/guidelines-demo/#comments Sun, 28 Nov 2010 23:00:41 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2302 out of Montclair, New Jersey come Guidelines. they started out as a side project for the members who were all active in other bands. but after a while, Guidelines ended up being their main priority. the band is on a hiatus as of right now due to one member moving away from New Jersey, but as far as I know they will be back together next summer to play shows. this is in any event their first demo. and it’s rocking. the soaring guitars, punchy drumming and heartfelt screams sort of remind me of Age Sixteen, even. the only downside of this demo is that the vocals are quite inaudible due to the not all too good recording quality. but it’s thankfully not super bass-y, or just howling sounds like they put a toy microphone outside during winter. you *can* hear what’s going on. which is nice, ‘course. the lyrics are kind of hard to get, seeing as you only hear the occasional word clearly. so head over to http://www.myspace.com/guidelinesongs to read them. and download this, because it’s a refreshing new screamo band for sure. they are by all means just that, a modern screamo band. but they are not tediously bland or instantly forgettable. instead they manage to impress me. so definitely keep an eye out for Guidelines.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/guidelines-demo/feed/ 0 As We Draw – Lines Breaking Circles http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/as-we-draw-lines-breaking-circles/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/as-we-draw-lines-breaking-circles/#comments Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:00:12 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2309 people are absolutely in love with “post rock” and “post metal” these days. the first term means “rock instrumentation used for non-rock”, and gets thrown at absolutely every band ever that has crescendos or layers and prefers twinkles over riffs. (ironically enough these are all *rock* bands…) whilst the latter gets thrown at every band that sounds even remotely like Isis or Cult of Luna. As We Draw sound probably more than “even remotely like” those two bands, so I guess they are a “post metal” band. what that actually means, I’m uncertain of. what I do know is that As we Draw are a French band that make great music. their sound is above genre limitations, but they are perhaps best placed in the sludge category, with some accompanying screamo influence. sort of like Kollwitz, but brighter and more positive-sounding. that’s one of the differences that set As We Draw apart from other bands. their sound ultimately yields a positive energy. if this was not their intention, then I’m sorry, lads. but this album makes me happy. the uplifting and levitating flow of the album is really well executed. there are some dark moments in there – some Cult of Luna – where the guitar tone changes, the tempo slows down and the sound gets thicker. but the main portion of this is fairly bright and mid-tempo, a bit comparable to newer Envy. at times I’m even compelled to make At the Drive-In comparisons, given the good amount of dexterous and inventive things As We Draw manage to pull off. anyway, this is mostly mid-tempo and bright. but it’s not immediate for that reason. this is still patient and progressive metal. even the shorter two-minute songs are quite demanding. Lines Breaking Circles will need your full attention, in order for you to harvest a full appreciation of what goes on in here. so when you have a forty minute time period, spend it on As We Draw’s epic first album. the link also has links to purchase the album on LP and CD. that way you can enjoy it on your turntable instead, if that is desirable. no matter what format you decide to get – just get it!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/as-we-draw-lines-breaking-circles/feed/ 0 Phasma Phasmatis – Phasma Phasmatis http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/phasma-phasmatis-phasma-phasmatis/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/phasma-phasmatis-phasma-phasmatis/#comments Fri, 19 Nov 2010 23:00:19 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2135 here is a particularly dark and depressing screamo band from Miami. Miami, Oklahoma actually. they toured with She Notes the Chariots, a band that also can be downloaded from that’s punk if you “look around”. with track titles such as “an infinite static universe”, one could not accuse Phasma Phasmatis of not aiming high. there’s a brilliance here, as well as a sense of doom being on your doorstep. two bands that I don’t find entirely weird comparing Phasma Phasmatis to are The Spirit of Versailles and Jeromes Dream. there’s an acute sense of apocalypse in the guitars – like with Jeromes Dream, and there’s a sense of high pitched madness in the vocals – like with The Spirit of Versailles. they play at a slower tempo than Jeromes Dream, but the start-stop rhythms are there, and the distorted guitars sound remarkably like Jeromes Dream’s. in any event, this is a really cool album, that’s well worth checking out. so get it!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/phasma-phasmatis-phasma-phasmatis/feed/ 0 Polina – EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/polina-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/polina-ep/#comments Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:52:06 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2121 Polina are a math screamo band from Canada. they remind me of Tera Melos, though with screaming and less tempo shifts, and probably a little less dexterity as well. this is definitely cunningly technical though. these guys are very much apt at playing their respective instruments. they use this very much to their advantage, cramming a lot of clever stuff into very few minutes. it is also well worth mentioning that they manage this without the EP sounding rushed or like a cut and paste project. it all fits together nicely. so if you are feeling in the mood for well crafted and clever screamo, get this!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/polina-ep/feed/ 0 A Shadow of Doubt – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/a-shadow-of-doubt-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/a-shadow-of-doubt-demo/#comments Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:00:38 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2261 if you are into thrashy 31G screamo with awesome sounding snare drums, then A Shadow of Doubt are for you. some keywords include screaming, distortion, feedback and hammering. this demo contains five songs that finish in 8:45. and though there are some calmer parts – the apocalyptic devastation on the last track being the part most worthy of mention, the bigger portion of this is extremely rapid. somewhere in between Swing Kids and (a more fast and less heavy) Rue Morgue, we have this great band. get this!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/a-shadow-of-doubt-demo/feed/ 0 Ache:Emelie – Ache:Emelie EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/acheemelie-acheemelie-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/acheemelie-acheemelie-ep/#comments Tue, 16 Nov 2010 12:09:43 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2119 in between the ferocious Portrait and the longing I Would Set Myself on Fire for You are Ache:Emelie, conveying both things at the same time, albeit with a violin, and not a viola. heartfelt screams, intense riffs and hard drumming. Ache:Emelie are in many ways an archetypical 2000s screamo band. yet they stand out in any crowd, with their unique way of blending the violin into the beautiful though destructive dissonant screamo sound they excel at. check out this band!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/acheemelie-acheemelie-ep/feed/ 0 Snowing – Summer Tour Tape http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/snowing-summer-tour-tape/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/snowing-summer-tour-tape/#comments Sun, 14 Nov 2010 12:03:28 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2117 if you weren’t saturated by the demo, here is a tour tape by Snowing. the recording quality is unfortunately more than noticeably worse. luckily, the quality of the songs make up for the lack of recording quality. Snowing disappoint no one with two new memorable jams. the second one is almost six minutes long, and has a nothing short of epic instrumental part with really intense riffs. hearing these two songs gets me so pumped for a full length, you have no idea. Snowing is fucking great. get this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/snowing-summer-tour-tape/feed/ 0 Snowing – Fuck Your Emotional Bullshit http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/snowing-fuck-your-emotional-bullshit/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/snowing-fuck-your-emotional-bullshit/#comments Fri, 12 Nov 2010 23:00:26 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2107 fans of Street Smart Cyclist and Audio Recording Club among others are probably overjoyed with the arrival of Snowing, which is another band in this family. they have every right to be so. because this is more of what I previously dubbed sugarrushcore. however this is “next-level” and then some. the upbeat parts sound like a mix of Audio Recording Club and The Promise Ring. and when the guitars are at their most dexterous, it sounds a bit like Monument and Algernon Cadwallader. but – what really sets them a million miles apart from “Kinsella-worship bands” is the diversity. Snowing do the whole “go mad” thing that Street Smart Cyclist did. but they also do amazing blistering Four Minute Mile parts. and they also have grand and epic tendencies that push to the surface sporadically throughout this demo, in which the guitars become a flood of distortion. (think Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate)’s “An Idea Is a Greater Monument Than a Cathedral”, The Pine’s “Running on Empty”, or any Cerulean song ever.) this is most obvious on “Important Things (Specter Magic)” and “Pump Fake”, the two best tracks, in my humble opinion. they mix a lot of extremely different styles with such ease and elegance, it’s almost unbelievable. add Audio Recording Club-esque lyrics with a spotless delivery – by vocals that are absolutely fucking perfect, and quite reminiscent of I Hate Myself at times – to the already more than promising mix, and you’ve got yourself a band that will stand the test of time. Snowing is completely unique, and must be heard.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/snowing-fuck-your-emotional-bullshit/feed/ 0 Adoor – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/adoor-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/adoor-discography/#comments Thu, 11 Nov 2010 23:00:44 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2246 this post has sort of been planned for years. I’m extremely pleased to have it ready now, even if it did take quite a while. Adoor were a Norwegian screamo band, active between 2004 and 2006 in Oslo. they did “a handful” of shows, and put out a CD-R called I Travel Alone. this discography consists of that, plus some unreleased tracks and some tracks recorded live at a rehearsal. this is fifty-five minutes of gut wrenching screamo, kind of similar to Funeral Diner and Welcome to the Plague Year. their sound is definitely unique though. so much that these soaring guitars and vivid screams are in fact mamma, jeg blör’s main influence. and I’m sure other Norwegian bands will state Adoor as a clear influence on their work. their grasping atmospheres and catchy riffs justify it by miles. “Toetag Time in Teenville” sounds like a screamo Beyond the Fences. Adoor are fucking awesome. get this.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/adoor-discography/feed/ 1 Perfect Future – Perfect Future http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/perfect-future-perfect-future/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/perfect-future-perfect-future/#comments Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:00:56 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2213 out of Frostburg, Maryland comes the sncl/cyls band Perfect Future, which you were briefly introduced to them in the last post – their split with Reaching Away. they sound like they are combining a nigh plethora of influences into a careful thought out melting pot. the vocalist is a heavily into Dungeons ‘n’ Dragons, so this is definitely a thinking (wo)man’s band. ;-) the split was from 2010, and this album is from 2009 – so it actually pre-dates the split. that’s right, that’s punk are time criminals. anyway… Perfect Future prefer slightly lengthy (three to five minutes) long compositions in which they take you on an eventful journey. the three piece definitely puts all they have into their performance, in which eclectic emo unfolds like never before. while you can put this album on and immediately go “hey..!”, and start bobbing your head to the occasional noodle-y goodiness, but to fully enjoy this, offering a little more concentration is worth it. because it is the tiny nuances and the humble yet astonishingly skilful transitions that sets this little apart. it’s the blues riff and guitar solo on “Father Time”, the fragile promise on “Make Fun”, the longing guitar on “Palate” and “Roses & Roses & Roses”; it’s all the little things and the way they interact together that really make this album so darn interesting. in terms of overall “sound”, I’ve seen Perfect Future compared to a lot of things. but never has anyone I’ve seen (except for myself) made comparisons to Hot Cross, Saetia and What Price, Wonderland?. but I still stand by those comparisons. while far more humble-sounding and diverse, it’s extravagant and in your face like Saetia. it’s also technical and harmonically pleasing yet very raw – like Hot Cross. finally, the What Price, Wonderland? comparison is based both on lyrics and vocals, and also the way they are clearly dissonant and abrasive, but have a rather thrifty employment of distortion and noise. their music is actually fairly accessible. so this is easily accessible and enjoyable, but very deep. there is lots of satisfaction to go and get, if you are willing to lend more than one ear to this album. once you have your revelation, you will realise that this is fucking awesome, and well worth the time. so download it. and buy it from http://www.cylsrecords.com/ if you’re in the US, or http://sncl.collective-zine.co.uk/ if you’re in Europe. if you’re elsewhere, I do not know what the cheapest place to order from is. you probably do though, so pick it up! oh, by the way, the end is amazing.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/perfect-future-perfect-future/feed/ 0 Perfect Future & Reaching Away split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/perfect-future-reaching-away-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/perfect-future-reaching-away-split/#comments Sun, 31 Oct 2010 23:00:31 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2184 The Pine/Reaching Away month is over. but that’s punk is not. so now let’s kick start November! and to smooth out the transition from 100% The Pine/Reaching Away to 0% The Pine/Reaching Away – here is a split between Perfect Future and Reaching Away. let’s begin with talking about Perfect Future, since their song is on side a. they are a hard band to describe. they have some sort of Saetia thing going on when they’re at their noisiest, but are more appropriately compared to the likes of American Football on the more mellow parts. there’s an overall Hot Cross-feel to it as well. sort of technical, but very raw at the same time. their song is well over five minutes long, and really diverse. and they do all sorts of stuff in this little amount of time. and they do it all really well. their song alone is worth buying the split. but not to worry, Reaching Away follows through and then some, with their absolutely beautiful “bOken bRones”, making both sides of the split worth equal play time. Reaching Away still sound wise and insecure all at once. they sound like they’ve experienced the worst and gotten through it, and are now trying to heal their wounds. like with Perfect Future, it’s sort of hard to explain. Reaching Away has – like The Pine – a totally unique sound that is way more interesting and fascinating to listen to than read about, so I suggest you just download this, to be perfectly honest. http://sncl.collective-zine.co.uk/ still has copies of the 7″ left as well, so you should really go get it. It comes with a CD with music videos for both songs.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/11/perfect-future-reaching-away-split/feed/ 0 The Pine – The Pine http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-the-pine-2/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-the-pine-2/#comments Sat, 30 Oct 2010 22:00:08 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2157 October is still going, and so is that’s punk. so here is another The Pine post. unfortunately this post marks the end of The Pine month. but what a way to go out! the recordings on this album date as far back as 1999 – one tiny year after their inception. it contains five songs that would eventually be remixed/remastered for the self titled LP, and three completely unreleased songs. three completely amazing songs that makes this just as much a “must have” as the rest of their discography, in my opinion. I’ve done fifty CD-Rs with a special white surface in hand-folded origami covers – that come with four different design colours – that are printed in a modern printing office onto high quality 120g paper, that I give away for £4 for new ears to get a chance to witness this magnificent album. your eyes should be pleased as well, because it’s fairly nice packaging. so get that if you are into it. if not, you should still definitely download this. and if you can’t afford to spend £4 on the nice packaging, the download link includes the cover art so you can print and fold it yourself.

click here to buy
click here to download it

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-the-pine-2/feed/ 0 Reaching Away – Push Away the Moon http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/reaching-away-push-away-the-moon-2/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/reaching-away-push-away-the-moon-2/#comments Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:00:53 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2031 we have finally come to the bitter sweet end of The Pine month. and we’re ending on a high note, with Reaching Away’s beautiful full length album Push Away the Moon. Reaching Away sounds like the insecurity of a teenager combined with the wisdom of an old man. the whole album is ominous and dark to the very core. on the surface it is a collection of memorable songs that excellently captivates the listener with its haunting atmosphere and stunning intensity. but the album works on an entirely different level as well. it digs into the listener and overwhelms it with sadness and darkness. Push Away the Moon is simply an extraordinary accomplishment. if you enjoyed the demos, you will definitely enjoy hearing Reaching Away in a consistent album setting, where they work so incredibly well. get this! by the way, this includes two of the songs that were on the demo in a rerecorded form – namely the beautiful “No Hope for Healing”, and the dark “The Worst In Me” (simply named “2″ on the demo). so download this! and buy from http://sncl.collective-zine.co.uk/ or http://reachingaway.bigcartel.com or wherever else you can find it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/reaching-away-push-away-the-moon-2/feed/ 0 Reaching Away – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/reaching-away-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/reaching-away-demo/#comments Mon, 25 Oct 2010 22:00:53 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1924 while I have posted every album by The Pine, The Pine month is far from over. we still have a few days to go. so I present to you: Reaching Away. The Pine went on a hiatus in 2005, and up until just recently everyone feared we had heard the last of them. in many ways I guess you could say we have. but in some ways, The Pine still lives on through Reaching Away. albeit with a different drummer and a different expression. they started up in the summer of 2009, and by 2010 a demo had surfaced. this is said demo. it’s 10:50 long and consists of three tracks. the perhaps biggest change from The Pine is that Reaching Away is acoustic guitar driven, producing a much more soft sound. the middle track is without drums as well, and serves as one of those almost droning stand out songs that The Pine occasionally played to mix things up. the other two songs are more upbeat. it’s sad and melancholic like The Pine, with a mellow twist. it’s almost country-tinged, with its soft strumming and upbeat drumming. and even though the lads have grown up and all that jazz, the vocals are to some degree their easily recognisable selves. the vocals are – like the whole band – noticeably different from The Pine, but in the same spirit, and with the same heart. this is a continuation and evolution of The Pine’s magical sound. this is a worthy heir to the throne. and it’s a perhaps even darker and sadder heir, that sings «life’s weight blinds you» with the saddest voice on top of the saddest orchestra. it’s Reaching Away. get this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/reaching-away-demo/feed/ 0 The Pine – Acoustic http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-acoustic/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-acoustic/#comments Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:00:07 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1906 if you thought we were done with The Pine… you were wrong! [pause to make a sigh of relief now] there’s thankfully more. this is an acoustic set released on a CD-R in 2005. they play songs from their first 7″, their first 12″, Homeless Life and Lead Blocks for Feet, as well as a Three Shades of Dirty cover. ten songs in total. it’s well over forty minutes long, and lets us experience The Pine in a completely different setting than we are used to. they essentially prove that their music would probably work in any setting ever (paging The String Quartet?). the intimacy suits the songs great. even clap-alongs work! so enjoy this curiosity.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-acoustic/feed/ 0 The Pine – Don’t Need Regret http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-dont-need-regret/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-dont-need-regret/#comments Mon, 18 Oct 2010 22:00:13 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1903 Don’t Need Regret is The Pine’s last album, and I don’t think you should expect to see any more. it continues the jangly and noisy Dinosaur Jr.-esque sound of Days Slipping By. on their most noisy and feedback-heavy they even sort of sound like Build Nest, Sleep, which is always a great thing. while the Dinosaur Jr. comparison is done the most justice on the heavy hitting “No You”. the songs are extremely tight, and Don’t Need Regret as an album works extremely well. one feels that the songs are in the perfect order, and that The Pine have carefully chosen when to pick up the pace, when to break it down… it feels like every bit of feedback, every hit on the snare… it feels like absolutely each and every little detail is carefully planned out and perfectly executed. this is probably The Pine at their very best, to be completely honest. their last album in many ways sound like what they have been working towards all their career. this is just one of those albums that are perfect in every way. “Dead Boat” has got to be the most perfect way to go out as well, with all its longing, desperation and sadness it’s the epitome of depression; the very idea of depression manifested in a song. the whole album is utterly emotionally devastating. the album has a wholeness – a sense of being complete, incomparable to any other album I have ever heard. “Dead Boat” ends exactly like the first track “Don’t Need Regret” begins, ensuring that not only does the album come off as incredible consistent – you can actually put this on repeat indefinitely and it will always feel consistent. the album never ends. the feeling never ends. this album is perfect.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-dont-need-regret/feed/ 0 The Pine – Splits and Compilation tracks http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-splits-and-compilation-tracks/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-splits-and-compilation-tracks/#comments Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:00:11 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1895 I’m assuming you’ve listened so much to Days Slipping By that you know it by heart by now. so I will grace you with the next The Pine download. this is a collection of all their tracks from splits and compilations. it starts out with their contribution to Wayfarers All, and follows with the two songs from their split with The Saddest Landscape. those three tracks are from 2004. then there is their song from the This Is Your Life compilation, and then finally their track from their split with La Quiete. those are from 2005. so that’s five songs in just over fifteen minutes, collecting all of their splits and compilation tracks. we’re back to the treble-heavy sound, with recording quality that is pretty equal on all tracks, though perhaps slightly lower on the last track. the sound levels were all over the place, so I’ve edited the files a little bit. “Desperate and Lonely” is a little louder (it’s also the track in the highest bitrate) than the rest, and there are some minor differences. but believe me, it’s a lot more pleasant to listen to now than before I made the changes. between “Desperate and Lonely” and tracks from the split with The Saddest Landscape, it would drop like seven dB. so enjoy this collection! it’s five classic The Pine tracks. by letting the guitars really ring out, they form a wall of sound that tucks in the jangly drums and the ever-present bass. and it’s simply brilliant. in the middle of everything is of course the absolutely perfect vocals. and when you’re listening to the 5:20 long piece of perfection that is the last track, it’s obvious that if the world were falling apart, The Pine would be playing in the background. get this

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-splits-and-compilation-tracks/feed/ 0 The Pine – Days Slipping By http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-days-slipping-by/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-days-slipping-by/#comments Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:00:32 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1893 let’s move on to Days Slipping By and 2004 (note: sometime in 2003, they had a change of drummer). it’s more of the distorted open chords, battering drums, light bass and wavering vocals we all know and love. it’s still The Pine. so this means a unique emo sound, that’s unconventionally dark and sad for being this melodic and upbeat. this is also their most diverse album thus far, I’d argue. a more experimental and curious side of the band is presented. and they’ve managed to succeed in developing the sound without neither ruining it, nor stagnating. from the very first track, “No Tomorrow”, this album is a demonstration of power by The Pine. they have developed their sound to be more broad and diverse. it’s as driving and compelling to listen to, but they experiment far more with different noises, and I think I’m not completely off if I say that I think the tempo is a bit lower. but either way, Days Slipping By absolutely fucking destroys. emotive hardcore done so incredibly right. put it on repeat until I put up the next album.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-days-slipping-by/feed/ 0 The Pine – Lead Blocks for Feet http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-lead-blocks-for-feet/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-lead-blocks-for-feet/#comments Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:00:09 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1877 we’re now in 2003, and The Pine travelled home after their tour and recorded ten songs for a new album which got put out some months post recording. that recording was called Lead Blocks for Feet and is now up for download here on that’s punk. this endeavour is a healthy mix between the styles of Homeless Life and the self-titled release. it has intertwined forceful guitars washing over clashing cymbals like the first two tracks on “Homeless Life”, but also that thick mix of the distorted electric guitars and the comfortable-sounding bass guitar racing the drums as if both parties’ life were at stake. and on top of all that are of course are the significantly unique vocals, almost crying every word out, whether it be miserable or beautifully optimistic. this album also holds the most stripped down The Pine track as of yet, with “Letters”. on the other end of the scale, Lead Blocks For Feet ends with The Pine at their perhaps rawest and most chaotic. furious and melodic, like Hüsker Dü. there is no contemplating this. you *need* to download this album.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-lead-blocks-for-feet/feed/ 0 The Pine – Homeless Life http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-homeless-life/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-homeless-life/#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:00:56 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1869 and so our story continues… in 2002, The Pine recorded the Homeless Life 7″, and put it out within a month after its recording session. it consists of four songs. some of which follow in more or less the same path of the 7″ and 12″, some of which are quite different. it’s only ten minutes long, but then again these near ten minutes are of the very highest quality, and will no doubt be stuck on repeat until the next post. it starts out with a comforting bass, and then it crashes into an emotional turmoil. all the distortion and feedback are only rivalled in intensity by the tragic lyrics, and their flawless delivery. “Homeless Life is a song about «when times are running low and all you can do is cry, but the tears don’t care and the words aren’t there». the next track follows the same idea with sparse but heavily charged lyrics, and crashing drums and noisy guitars, signalling the end of the world or something worse. track three is more reminiscent of the 7″/12″ tracks, but still has that really loud and powerful sound of the previous two, before ending on a softer note, quite reminiscent of The Man I Fell in Love With and Christie Front Drive. the fourth and last track is back to basics. upbeat and melodic head rush emo about a girl (or at least we all like to think it always is about the girl). the track is drastically different from the other three tracks, but isn’t out of place at all, and actually acts like a perfect complement and closer track. get this, and hold your breath, because there might be more.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-homeless-life/feed/ 0 The Pine – The Pine http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-the-pine/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-the-pine/#comments Thu, 30 Sep 2010 22:00:06 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1867 welcome to October 2010 here on that’s punk. October is a special month for me, and I think it might just be for you too. in 1998 the world graced us with The Pine, one of the most magnificent emo bands of all time. they are comparable to The Hated, Evergreen, Lumber, Tribute, Cerulean and Don Quichote – all of which are comparisons they live up to and then some. their easily recognisable sound consists of a murky mix of emotional and touching eerie greatness. it’s quick paced and highly melodic riffs that are dictated by upbeat and jangly drumming, and with a brilliant safety net in the evenly paced though gentle and soothing bass. it’s mostly upbeat and thrashing, but every now and then The Pine take it down. they have some beautiful downbeat tracks that stand out very easily on this album – and yet they still fit in. many bands fall in one of two traps when it comes to lengthy albums. either they make all songs too alike, or they make them so different that there is no clear direction on the album. The Pine manage to tread that difficult middle-ground, not being afraid of mixing it up, and not fucking up the mixing up. in the middle of all this musical godliness are the highly distinctive vocals. high-pitched and probably what most would call “whiny”. but the whiny vocals are in no way nagging or pompous. instead, they serve as a perfect fit to the emotive nature of the band’s music. The Pine initially surfaced as a three piece. their drummer was their vocalist at first, but he couldn’t really hear himself over the banging drums. so they added a fourth member – a drummer – and the drumming vocalist became a guitar playing vocalist. they recorded their first seven inch, changed their bassist, and recorded their first twelve inch. the label that was supposed to put out the LP never came through though. so what happened instead was a change of drummer, some new recordings, and a new LP tracklist. this label actually came through, so the 12″ was actually released, the band and the label splitting the expenses 50/50. this is their self titled CD from 2003, which collects their self-titled 7″ from 2000 and their self titled 12″ from 2001. confused? don’t be. just download it. this is The Pine month, baby. (this is all sold out stuff, so go to eBay and pray you might find something.)

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/10/the-pine-the-pine/feed/ 1 Kråkesølv – Trådnøsting http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/krakes%c3%b8lv-tradn%c3%b8sting/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/krakes%c3%b8lv-tradn%c3%b8sting/#comments Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:34:04 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=2043 pretty much from its inception, Kråkesølv has been a wonder band in the Norwegian music scene. when I first saw them live they were a modest but truly great emo band with an affection for feedback and jangly guitars on one hand, and an affection for poppy vocal harmonies and instantly recognisable chord progressions on the other hand. we all expected these guys to go have some sort of mainstream appeal due to that latter hand. and we all know they were good. but I don’t think anyone – let alone the band – expected the kind of success they have achieved. we’re talking about a small diy band based in the North of Norway (in Norway, most bands with any overly serious intention of living of their music move to the south and the capital, where most of Norway lives), that got a Norwegian Grammy award nomination. and how? by touring a lot, and by putting out their album by themselves (with some help from a distribution company called Diger). in other words: by hard work. this is the album that put them in everyone’s ears and on everyone’s lips. this is Trådnøsting. and though I fear this album will appeal 99% to Norwegians, and maybe Danish and Swedish people who understand some Norwegian, I will strongly encourage you right now to check it out even if you are English, Russian, German, what the fuck ever. music knows no language barrier. sadly, lyrics do. so a lot of you will never truly get how extremely well written these songs are. however, you can experience how well crafted the chord progressions are, how hypnotising the instrumental parts (the end of “Hjørnebrikke” is perfect) can be, and how wonderful it is when they on a seldom occasion give up their tight control of everything, and it just explodes. my only problem with this album is that sometimes it might be a little too skilful. they run a tight shift, resulting in tight riffs. this works out. but it’s maybe a little flat and contained. at times I catch myself thinking, what if they just thrashed this part? what if they just went nuts here? what if there was a wall of feedback and screaming here? but I guess that’s just not what Kråkesølv are about. and it might be just as well, because this is something quite special. also, there *are* some feedback here. there are some “moments of weakness”, where the temptation of jangling a bit gets too big, and they just give way for that little piece of feedback on “Skredder”, or that little bit of perfection that sounds like French screamo – wtf – on “Blanke Føtter”. this is a mix between BritPop like Muse, Norwegian folk rock like Halvdan Sivertsen, and American emo like American Football (listen to the fantastic album closer “Kastes” for a great example on how to do American Football-esque emo without being a Kinsella rip off/tribute/worship band). this is fucking great. get it if you haven’t already been blessed with this little music wonder. if you are in Norway you no doubt know where to buy this album. if you’re not from Norway, check http://www.krakesolv.no/ – and the lads will probably give you a helping hand.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/krakes%c3%b8lv-tradn%c3%b8sting/feed/ 0 Discovery Of A Life Long Error – Creature E.P. http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/discovery-of-a-life-long-error-creature-e-p/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/discovery-of-a-life-long-error-creature-e-p/#comments Sat, 18 Sep 2010 22:00:22 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1858 we weren’t quite done with Discovery Of A Lifelong Error with the last post on that’s punk… because in 2008 Creature E.P. was released. it featured a second guitarist called Marc. this version of the EP has some tracks extra though, not all of which include Marc. anyway, on this EP Discovery Of A Lifelong Error shows more composure. not saying that shit is *calm*. not at all. but the songs are longer, and not as acute. it’s still badarse fucking screamo though, so GET IT. this EP includes two songs you already have, just so you know it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/discovery-of-a-life-long-error-creature-e-p/feed/ 0 Discovery Of A Lifelong Error – You Can Learn A Lot From A Pair Of Black Lungs… http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/discovery-of-a-lifelong-error/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/discovery-of-a-lifelong-error/#comments Fri, 17 Sep 2010 22:00:49 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1857 in 2006 Discovery Of A Lifelong Error were formed outside of Sacramento, California. they played their first shows in early 2007, and released their first CD in April. this is that CD. and it’s filled with spastic fucking thrashers. hard and fast and noisy like Bravo Fucking Bravo, unpredictable like The Locust, and overall exotic like The Blood Brothers. sudden changes in vocal style, smooth shifts of focus, and abrupt changes in meter are frequent. the main style of vocals are this hostile high pitched scream that pierce your eardrums greatly. the lyrics share the apocalyptic nature of The Blood Brothers, as well as the eccentricity. lines like «this stallion is a living breathing hearse» are not uncommon. the guitarists play all sorts of wacky chords and scales, but make sure that it all fits together at the end of the day. which is really nice. because you never get the feeling that this band are just showing off. they are focused and precise in their relentless thrashing. this band rules. check them out. the last track is quite amazing.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/discovery-of-a-lifelong-error/feed/ 0 El Spectre – Demo 2010 http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/el-spectre-demo-2010/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/el-spectre-demo-2010/#comments Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:00:28 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1847 El Spectre are a Western Mass screamo band, and this is their demo from August. it’s sort of between Noisy Sins of the Insect, Lizards Have Personalities and Oh, Apollo! they vary between beautiful instrumentals parts with perfect twinkling guitars, and jangly upbeat parts with screams, soaring guitars and crashing cymbals. El Spectre are also noteworthy in that they have pretty short songs, but manage to be really epic in those time spans.this is fucking great, and you should definitely download it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/el-spectre-demo-2010/feed/ 0 Trampoline Dreamers – Hate Patterns http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/trampoline-dreamers-hate-patterns/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/trampoline-dreamers-hate-patterns/#comments Tue, 14 Sep 2010 22:00:38 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1845 New Zealand isn’t the most prominent source of mid-west emo (go figure). but here you have some. the loud and treble-y guitars play chord progressions that are so precise and catchy that Trampoline Dreamers could probably have been a Britpop band if they really wanted to. but instead, the upbeat drumming, screaming guitars and reverb-heavy vocals sound like a mix between west-coast bands like Evergreen and The Pine, east-coast bands like Ethel Meserve and Texas is the Reason, and mid-west bands like Braid and Boys Life. The Promise Ring is also a name that will no doubt ring a bell for Trampoline Dreamers. anyway, enough of the name dropping. Trampoline Dreamers fuzz their way through nine colourful and cheery jangly emo tunes. get this!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/trampoline-dreamers-hate-patterns/feed/ 0 Agna Moraine’s Autobiography & RentAmerica split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/agna-moraines-autobiography-rentamerica-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/agna-moraines-autobiography-rentamerica-split/#comments Mon, 13 Sep 2010 22:00:23 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1840 this post concludes the Agna Moraine’s Autobiography discography, and showcase them at their probably most melodic and detail-attentive. the guitar sound is quite mellow, allowing the twinkling to blossom. but they still manage to go into chaotic energy crashes every now and then. this is the essential last piece of your Agna Moraine’s Autobiography. but it’s also an introduction to another glorious ’90s emo band. RentAmerica are just as known for their emotional (and quite confusing) live performances, that included a lot of blast beats, crying, guitars flying around and very loud shouting (they did not use a microphone, supposedly deeming it elitist), as they are or their music. which is probably just as emotional (and confusing), if not even more. this is pure fucking emo violence. blast beats, feedback, shouting, screaming. it’s five minutes of complete and utter chaos. this band destroys in a similar vein of Honeywell, and you need to check them out. so even if you weren’t a fan of Agna Moraine’s Autobiography (impossible!), you need to download this to check out RentAmerica.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/agna-moraines-autobiography-rentamerica-split/feed/ 1 Agna Moraine’s Autobiography – Agna Moraine’s Autobiography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/agna-moraines-autobiography-agna-moraines-autobiography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/agna-moraines-autobiography-agna-moraines-autobiography/#comments Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:53:18 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1838 here is – as promised – more Agna Moraine’s Autobiography. this is their self titled seven inch. it’s only four songs, so it’s less than ten minutes long. which is unfortunate, seeing as this is by all means close to the epitome of ’90s emo. beautiful and intricate guitars with gentle vocals and contained drumming eventually crash into a wall of sound and emotion. Agna Moraine’s Autobiography have cut their wrists, and from the slice they’ve given you a piece of life. download it and listen to it!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/agna-moraines-autobiography-agna-moraines-autobiography/feed/ 0 Agna Moraine’s Autobiography – Demo Tape http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/agna-moraines-autobiography-demo-tape/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/agna-moraines-autobiography-demo-tape/#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:00:14 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1829 I want to share with you one of your favourite quintessential ’90s emo bands. this seven song demo tape is only just over fifteen minutes long, but Agna Moraine’s Autobiography manages to say a lot. their members have been in bands such as Constatine Sankathi, bev.clone and h.t.m.l., so these guys are seasoned emo veterans. with loud distorted guitars, shouting, screaming and a furious rhythm section, these guys hide most of their melody and beauty underneath a thick layer of chaotic and dissonant emo. you’ll find something worth paying attention to throughout this demo tape whether you are more a fan of dissonance or of melody, because Agna Moraine’s Autobiography fuses the two into what should be a rather conflicting sound, but ends up being just right. and carefully sprinkled around in the various tracks is some pure chaos, and some beautiful bits with heartfelt vocals and carefully played guitars that create the absolutely perfect nerve for emo. some of these songs appear in re-recorded versions on other releases… which will be up on that’s punk shortly! so start up with this download, and eagerly anticipate the next.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/09/agna-moraines-autobiography-demo-tape/feed/ 1 Et Tu Brute – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/et-tu-brute-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/et-tu-brute-demo/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:08:26 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1527 continuing our grave robbery series, here’s a band that existed c.a. 2004-2006. in 2004 they put out this demo, showcasing a by all means highly promising screamo band. the recording quality is supreme (especially for a demo). this Massachusetts mammoth band frequently border on the ridiculously epic; the ridiculously well pulled off epic. the only slightly dissonant and very melodic and pretty ethereal guitars are directed by the focused and firm drums that carry the songs, not just a little inspired by the heavy layered progressive rock sound portrayed by bands such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Mono, both of which are admitted influences on the band. they do no shame to the progressive screamo sound, most famously carried out by City of Caterpillar. and Et Tu Brute are not the kind of band that plays long arse boring build-ups, only to display thirty seconds of glimmering brilliance, and call it “crescendos”. their build-ups are longing and beautiful, and they aren’t completely crescendo-reliant, more than once favouring sudden explosions, taking the listener by surprise. I only wish this demo exceeded its four tracks by several more, equally well-crafted tracks. unfortunately this is all that’s left from one of the definite highlights of this sound. you really don’t want to miss this. download it at once!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/et-tu-brute-demo/feed/ 0 The Lady Is Not For Burning – Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/the-lady-is-not-for-burning-slave-girls-from-beyond-infinity/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/the-lady-is-not-for-burning-slave-girls-from-beyond-infinity/#comments Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:43:47 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1524 if you got the previous post by The Lady Is Not For Burning, you probably either love them or hate them by now. if you love them, here’s 23:55 more of their epic well-composed screamo. if you hated them – well… there’ll be a new post shortly. ;-) this release has somewhat better recording quality, which I guess helps the message along. the beautiful guitars thrive on the clean production, and the stomping drums and soft bass are undoubtedly benefiting from it as well. this is a largely overlooked and mostly forgotten band that deserves a little revival, so check this out. you might find a new favourite band here. for fans of iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook, Rue Morgue, Elements of Need, Jeromes Dream and everything between said bands. this is fucking great. get it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/the-lady-is-not-for-burning-slave-girls-from-beyond-infinity/feed/ 0 The Lady Is Not For Burning – 9 Songs http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/the-lady-is-not-for-burning-9-songs/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/the-lady-is-not-for-burning-9-songs/#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:49:17 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1501 today we at that’s punk are digging up screamo graves. The Lady Is Not For Burning were a New Jersey band that perished a couple of years ago. they left some songs though! and here’s nine of them. the brutality and intensity of Usurp Synapse, Rue Morgue and The Spirit of Versailles meets the ambitiousness and atmosphere of Welcome to the Plague Year, Indian Summer and Funeral Diner. The Lady Is Not For Burning play unpolished and raw screamo, with periodic melodic guitar interludes, and loud screamdowns.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/the-lady-is-not-for-burning-9-songs/feed/ 0 Everyone Everywhere – A Lot of Weird People Standing Around http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/everyone-everywhere-a-lot-of-weird-people-standing-around/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/everyone-everywhere-a-lot-of-weird-people-standing-around/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:00:49 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1476 the first time I put this on, my reaction was merely “wow”. the melodic and melancholic twinkling guitar American Football perfected is sped up two times and contrasted by a distorted guitar that mostly play sweet and enticing riffs, though sometimes engaging in some twinkly action of its own. in addition to this, there are upbeat drums and carefree bass lines. that’s right. the bass guitar manages to convey “carefree” with its comfortably soft lines. the mix is extremely pleasant on the ears, a bit like Football, etc., Snowing and the cheery parts of Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson’s newest album (mainly thinking about “Scientists Now Think This City Is Overdue” now). on top of the mix are completely no frills vocals, that in no way attempts the extravagant, but actually blossoms in all its modesty. the whole record is in fact just that: modest. there are no grand openings or violent endings. pomposity is the antonym to Everyone Everywhere. the humbleness of this record is also its strongest trait. it is what it is. and it’s fucking spot on. everything is perfect. you simply need to download this. and you can buy this 7″ from http://evilweevil.bigcartel.com/product/everyone-everywhere-a-lot-of-weird-people-standing-around if you want, and get more info on the band on http://www.myspace.com/everyoneeverywhere – where you can buy more stuff as well.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/everyone-everywhere-a-lot-of-weird-people-standing-around/feed/ 1 Belle Epoque – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/belle-epoque-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/belle-epoque-demo/#comments Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:38:49 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1469 those of you who have heard A La Dèrive remembers Belle Epoque and their unique sound fondly. the guitars are twinklling softly, like the ’90s mid-west emo bands, but only for so long. because Belle Epoque constantly catches you off-guard with bursts of loud, aggressive and passionate bursts. relying more on the element of surprise than pleasing crescendos, Belle Epoque are a band that is full of twists and turns, all of which are equally pleasing. going from a Symptom of Isaac resembling drive with upbeat tom-driven drums, clean guitars and spoken/rambling vocals – to semi-distorted Mineral-guitars at double speed and screaming – to this – to that, they constantly change the rules as they see fit. this is a fortunate thing, because Belle Epoque’s music is highly dynamic and extremely animate thanks to this. I highly recommend the living and breathing force Belle Epoque to absolutely everybody even remotely into emo. get this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/08/belle-epoque-demo/feed/ 0 The Tie That Binds – Slowly Sinking Heroes http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/the-tie-that-binds-slowly-sinking-heroes/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/the-tie-that-binds-slowly-sinking-heroes/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:00:41 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1463 previously this blog has had the pleasure of sharing both of The Tie That Binds’ magnificent albums. now I present the killer tracks you’re missing, the Adding Machine 7″ and a few compilation tracks. it’s seven tracks, and twenty-eight minutes long. this is the The Tie That Binds we all know and love. upbeat and melodic ’90s emo influenced by Jawbreaker and Samiam. there are no frills to The Tie That Binds’ music. just intricate melancholic and melodic guitars building up suspense, getting joined by precise upbeat drumming and wailing vocals. despite being very simplistic and direct in their approach, The Tie That Binds convey a surprising amount emotional distress. this is emo that tears your heart apart. get this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/the-tie-that-binds-slowly-sinking-heroes/feed/ 0 Seasons’s First Rain – Season’s First Rain http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/seasonss-first-rain-seasons-first-rain/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/seasonss-first-rain-seasons-first-rain/#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:00:46 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1435 initially noticeable obvious changes from the Spray Paint the Sun split to this self titled album include the higher bitrate, but the arrangements are still minimalistic, relying just as much on atmosphere as melody. the stabbing jagged edge of the guitar carries the melody, but doesn’t mind dropping it every now and then – hard to the floor. the curious drums keeps the momentum thriving forward, and put together with the guitar it makes this sound sort of like deathrock without the prominent bass guitar – at least at times. while I personally preferred the sound induced by the lower bitrate on the split, this has its advantages as well, perhaps best illustrated by the playful guitar interlude on “Потоп”, and how it wraps the drums in for the rest of the song. Season’s First Rain also show a new side of themselves, with a little happy, upbeat rhythm on “Во имя прогресса”, where the mix works great. “Малое завещание” is the track that’s most akin to what they put on the Spray Paint the Sun split. a driving force, carried forward by the harsh screams. in any event, check this psychedelic screamo band out! because they are really original and interesting. at least to my ears.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/seasonss-first-rain-seasons-first-rain/feed/ 0 Season’s First Rain & Spray Paint the Sun split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/seasons-first-rain-spray-paint-the-sun-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/seasons-first-rain-spray-paint-the-sun-split/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:00:48 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1430 I’m sure you all remember Spray Paint the Sun very fondly. so I’m sure you won’t mind getting studio recordings of four of the tracks from the live album posted earlier on that’s punk – including my favourite track “Больше чем шум”? of course you don’t mind. it’s so good! for those of you who don’t remember them, Spray Paint the Sun are a Russian emo band that cites influences such as Policy of 3 and Indian Summer, but also newer bands such as Sailboats and June Paik. Spray Paint the Sun are noisy as all hell breaking loose at the same time, but periodically they calm down, and the guitars masterfully interact with each other, almost sounding as if they are trying to find a way to outsmart one another. in the background, the spastic drums make sure the music is perceived as vivid and flowing. the bass gives a softer sound, and adds another dimension to the songs. the Indian Summer influences are clear when listening to the rhythm guitar and the bass guitar, carefully making their way forward. the lead guitar on the other hand is far more aggressive and impatient, rushing from note to note at all times. but I guess I’m going sort of in the opposite direction of what I’m supposed to, because Season’s First Rain are in fact the band that appears first on the split, with five great tracks. their recordings are significantly more lo-fi (Spray Paint the Sun tracks being >1500kbps, compared to Season’s First Rain’s ~900kbps half), but undeniably glorious – with its Evergreen-like qualities. the bitrate suits the songs very well, adding more reverb and ensuring seamless transitions – as well as a complete blending of the instruments, making it sound like one holy entity. with a distinctly sad and depressing sound, Season’s First Rain remind me somewhat of Saetia, but they are much more sparse in their arrangements. sparse though noisy, with the clashing cymbals, rambling guitar and loud high-pitched screams. a band with their own sound, well worth checking out. they create their own unique atmosphere with their original approach to screamo, and their side goes very well with the quite different Spray Paint the Sun side of the split. while similarities no doubt exist, these two bands are completely different – but equally awesome. get this!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/seasons-first-rain-spray-paint-the-sun-split/feed/ 0 I.Witness – Secret Handshakes http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/i-witness-secret-handshakes/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/i-witness-secret-handshakes/#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:00:14 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1422 this is the 2010 summer demo collection of I.Witness. it’s six songs and nigh twenty minutes. like the other I.Witness demo on that’s punk, the quality is surprisingly adequate. with songs ranging from 0:43 to 6:01 in length, I.Witness display both the traditional hardcore style adopted on All Roads Lead Southeast as well as the more brooding screamo style. thus this taster should satisfy fans of both the older material in addition to fans of the All Roads Lead Southeast. on Secret Handshakes, I.Witness bridges the gap between the two sounds, and further develop them into something new entirely. this is their most diverse collection of songs yet, as well as the perhaps best. “Непринятые Звонки”, “Маяки”, and “В Круге Первом” being my personal favourites of this band thus far, with lead riffs akin to Optimus Prime’s, a marvellous energy and emotionality comparable to Rites of Spring and One Last Wish, and sensational song structures à la Slint and Moss Icon. with this release, I.Witness feel like natural successors to the revolution summer bands. the guitars are heavy as shit in massive quantities. get this. now.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/i-witness-secret-handshakes/feed/ 0 damezumari – 2004-2007 http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/damezumari-2004-2007/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/damezumari-2004-2007/#comments Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:03:46 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1408 damezumari is a phrase from the board game “Go”. it essentially means “you are fucked”, i.e. you’re in a situation that’s extremely difficult to get out of. damezumari are naturally a screamo band. I don’t know the exact date I found this band, but someone put up a “bands that sound like I Hate Myself” compilation. obviously, I checked it out. I wasn’t disappointed. you won’t be either, if you download this 2:22 collection of songs. like I Hate Myself, damezumari has a sound that is impossible to pigeon hole. reminiscent of ’90s emo like Still Life, 1.6 Band and Indian Summer, but modernised and comparable to their contemporary bands, e.g. the birds are spies, they report to the trees and Sinaloa. the hoarse yells over frantic melodies comes off as a very sincere and searching. the latter feeling further enhanced by the questioning lyrics, delivered by the quirky vocals. the main theme in damezumari’s songs is doubt. the songs are fragile and shivering with angst and helplessness, struggling not to cave in to depression; struggling to survive. at no point does damezumari’s music become annoyingly whiny or self-indulgent. it always maintains an aura of believability and honesty. the music is warm like rest of my life, spastic like the birds are spies, they report to the trees and wondering like Indian Summer. though the guitars are at times heavily distorted, and the lyrics are at times highly vague – there is nothing unclear about the beauty inherent in damezumari’s songs. there is obvious a lot of effort put into the song writing. and if we assume that «without effort there is no meaning» from “gravity is a choice” to ring true, rules of logic would indicate that with effort comes meaning. you need to hear this band. this is vulnerability in the form of music. check it out. and buy merchandise from http://damezumari.com/ – which also includes links to some of the people carrying their records.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/damezumari-2004-2007/feed/ 0 June Paik – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/june-paik-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/june-paik-discography/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:34:25 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1406 the German four piece June Paik play music firmly rooted in the intense and aggressive screamo sound, but stray from “the basic formula”. when at their very loudest, June Paik are comparable to their countrymen Louise Cyphre, as well as the legendary American band Jeromes Dream. the band themselves put Canadian screamo forward as their main influences, and the brooding heavy Union of Uranus do indeed come to mind when listening to June Paik. the thick guitar tone and the dark qualities are ever present in June Paik’s often lengthy songs. but what really separates June Paik from other bands in the genre, are that they are far more dynamic as well as richly layered than most of the other bands. – and this despite only consisting of four members. beautiful Indian Summer octaves hinting at something glorious and sentimental in the background of an ugly droning monotonous passage, that eventually exits into what can only be described as musical Armageddon. June Paik’s crushing climaxes sound like the destruction of all that is beautiful – and nothing is as beautiful this. it doesn’t take many minutes of this discography to figure out why June Paik are frequently referred to as “apocalyptic screamo”. June Paik are emotional apocalypse. sounding more desperate, lost, anxious and dejected with every tone. June Paik are the sound of heartstrings being pulled (bear with me, for sake of symbolism). for a good portion of their discography they masterfully build up suspension, release it all in an intense crash, and then pick up all of the shattered fragments that are left, and rebuild the suspension – aiming for the skies, once again. most bands that attempt this go in the exact same trap. they are predictable, repetitive, boring and unoriginal. June Paik are the opposite of all of this. their compositions never cease to amaze, nor surprise. the inherent predictability of crescendo-based progressive music is completely eliminated by the subtle changes of mood, the seamless transitions between emotions, and the indescribably clever atmosphere. there are also a fair share of these totally unexpected abrupt and angst-ridden explosions, as well as equally unexpected murky sudden halts, that leave only a depressing and endless feeling of loneliness and darkness. June Paik are an amazing band that deserves all of your attention. download this. and buy most of it from http://www.reactwithprotest.org – their label’s site.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/june-paik-discography/feed/ 1 I Hate Myself – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/i-hate-myself-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/i-hate-myself-discography/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:00:20 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1374 I don’t know how I am even supposed to begin writing this block of text. is it even necessary? does I Hate Myself need an introduction? definitely not. they do deserve one though, although I hardly think anything I could ever write would do them one tenth of justice. DILEMMA! gah. I Hate Myself were an emo band from Gainesville in Florida. they were active in 1996 to 1998, but one of their LPs were recorded and released several years post this. they recorded a bunch of stuff in their active period, all of which is included in this discography. most of their stuff can be bought from http://www.noidearecords.com/bands/ihatemyself.php – so do that as well. I Hate Myself are known, remembered and loved for a number of things. for being the wimpy boys that were playing shows tough guy bands, and their tough guy crowds, in which they’d speak their mind out against their macho bullshit community… for their ironic band name and satirical song titles… but most of all, I Hate Myself will forever be known, remembered and loved for one single reason: their sincere music. their recordings – particularly the early ones – are considered highly original and innovative in the screamo genre. but I Hate Myself did not play typical screamo. they are nothing like Honeywell, and nothing like Orchid. thus the “screamo” tag might be unfitting at best, or at worst: completely wrong. because I Hate Myself actually play creeping, quiet and soft music, most of the time. the guitars twinkle in a sparse manner, sounding like sad stars falling in slow motion. the drums follow discretely. the soft bass further enhances the mood. and the vocals weep along. the intricate nature of the music, and attention to detail makes them sound far more like Moss Icon, Still Life and Fugazi, than “screamo”. but then all of a sudden, they cut through with loud and angry bursts. dissonant riffs, crashing drums and piercing screams. and suddenly the screamo tag is fitting after all – if only for a short while. the clever lyrics and dark music both encompass frustration, hopelessness, helplessness, sadness, etc. overall, I Hate Myself are probably one of the most miserable bands to ever record music along with Codeine. but – like Codeine – they are also one of the most talented. the lyrics are brilliant. the constructions, allegories and twists… this band is proficient well past most others. not only do they have some of the most emotive, intense and sad music, but their lyrics reflect it and enhances it ten thousand notches. some times it paints depressing pictures of broken lives, filled with allegories and metaphors – sometimes it’s just so simplistic and straightforward that it gets fragile and sad beyond compare. (“The Lightning Says” being the ultimate example.) the end result is the culmination of every downhearted feeling that ever existed. this culmination naturally affects the listener in some way. the music reaches out and touches people. and it never leaves the system. once you’ve been exposed to I Hate Myself, you will never forget the experience. the feeling of being rendered void on the inside. they are just so skilled and talented, that it’s almost unbelievable. fantastic composers through and through. if you don’t believe me, then listen to this thirty song/two hour discography, which includes two short but sweet live sets. clever satire and raw honesty join hands, and we get one of the most interesting as well as talented bands of all time. imagine the powerlessness of Codeine coupled with a cathartic release of hate and despair. download this!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/i-hate-myself-discography/feed/ 0 Caitlyn Bailey – 2009 Luzon Tour EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/caitlyn-bailey-2009-luzon-tour-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/caitlyn-bailey-2009-luzon-tour-ep/#comments Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:00:58 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1382 it’s been well over a year since I first posted Caitlyn Bailey. if you don’t remember them – or never got to know them – they are a Filipino train wreck of a screamo band, and they are very determined in their calling, namely destroying everything that comes their way. this EP is chaotic, dissonant and ugly. just like punk rock should be. they don’t fuck around, so I won’t either. download this if you like: rapid fire drumming, heavy thrash riffs, screaming, and a filthy, bloody fucking mess. if you can appreciate a melodic mess, that’s a plus as well.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/caitlyn-bailey-2009-luzon-tour-ep/feed/ 0 Lizards Have Personalities – Snows of Kilimanjaro http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/lizards-have-personalities-snows-of-kilimanjaro/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/lizards-have-personalities-snows-of-kilimanjaro/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2010 22:00:30 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1378 the skram worshippers Lizards Have Personalities are already back with another effort, and now they are a trio instead of a duo. though the follow-up came sooner than at least I expected, it’s more than welcome. formed initially as a potential joke screamo outlet, they soon got serious. seriously skram. these guys won’t get disappointed or sad if you compare them to random late ’90s/early ’00s screamo band, considering their obvious skram worship. they might be a serious band, but they are definitely a humble band, that wants to pay their respects to the legends of the skram past. however, they still want to sprinkle their own flavour over their sound. and they are extremely successful with that on this record. on their début, they were far more generic skram. they sounded almost like a tribute band. but no one cared, because they were so fucking great. they were residing between Saetia and I Hate Myself, and pulling off the sound excellently. on Snows of Kilimanjaro, something has changed. they have matured a great deal, and in such a minor time span! it’s almost unbelievable. other influences becomes audible. the guitars Funeral Diner and Neil Perry, their Suis La Lune flirt “C’était hier l’été…voici l’automne”, and the chaotic approach of Orchid and Ampere are some of those influences. lyrically though, the same qualities are present. they are still bordering both the cliché and the ridiculous. screaming «my memories hung themselves/staring up at the moon for too long/remembering how you said we’d take the world by storm» with a straight face might seem impossible, but Lizards Have Personalities not only scream it, they mean it. their lyrics – however absurd and over the top they might be – come off as believable and honest. musically this album is as stated previously different to the previous album. one of the biggest of those differences is the more chaotic and fast approach taken here, as opposed to the slower In All Honesty. this album is far more to the point, with most of the songs making it to around 2:30. the one notable exception though is the title track which stretches to 9:46. this track is reminiscent of the songs from the first album, being a mid-tempo heavy screamo song with great licks and a long build-up, that eventually ends up climaxing into a satisfying end of the album. Snows of Kilimanjaro displays a wide variety of influences, and it might sound like Lizards Have Personalities have found their very own sound, instead of merely mirroring their influences as best they can. a fantastic album that you really should take the time to check out.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/lizards-have-personalities-snows-of-kilimanjaro/feed/ 0 It’s Just Vanity – Here’s What You Remember from A Coma http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/its-just-vanity-heres-what-you-remember-from-a-coma/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/its-just-vanity-heres-what-you-remember-from-a-coma/#comments Thu, 01 Jul 2010 22:00:26 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1371 earlier on I posted It’s Just Vanity’s first record, The Strangers EP. if you would recall, I bragged about that record so much, one would think It’s Just Vanity had hired me as their PR person. they hadn’t. and I am infinitely pleased to inform you that starting today, It’s Just Vanity are giving away their new record for free. but only for a week though, so act fast. time is of the essence in this dire matter. and believe you me, it is dire. It’s Just Vanity plays the dreamy, angst-y and melancholic sort of emo perhaps best compared to The Shyness Clinic. and like Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson and Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), It’s Just Vanity are master conveyors of emotion. their new record is completely stunning and utterly amazing. mixing the emotionally charged ’90s Midwest emo sound with nothing short of explosive progressive rock crescendos into full blown brilliance, this band is simply outstandingly good at what they do. Here’s What You Remember from A Coma is glorious and gracious beyond compare. one of the tracks are appropriately titled “Forgive Me, I’m Blowing Your Mind”, and It’s Just Vanity: let me – on behalf of every emo fan ever – forgive you for blowing all of our minds with this mind blast of a record. whilst many albums have certain phases and/or elements that are highly enjoyable, this album is just fifty minutes (and some more) of highlights. a thoroughly accomplished record from start to finish. it grabs your attention from the first tone, and then refuses to ever let it go, even holding it for hours, days if not weeks after you’ve first listened to it. it’s impossible to shake the feeling It’s Just Vanity’s second release gives. this delivers one of the most emotional experiences any music has ever done. download this album, then buy it. please. P.S. this album is up for free forever, apparently. good on them! round of applause for the boys, please.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/its-just-vanity-heres-what-you-remember-from-a-coma/feed/ 1 The Kidcrash – Snacks http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/the-kidcrash-snacks/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/the-kidcrash-snacks/#comments Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:22:44 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1365 it’s 2010 and people still whine about The Kidcrash being called Kidcrash. but more importantly, it’s 2010 and (The) Kidcrash are still an active band that puts out first class emo. (Snacks was first out in 2009 though.) if you don’t know who The Kidcrash are, then you must be very little interested in the skram, or extremely unlucky. the main things to know about this band are that they started out «in 2000, used to sound different, have toured the U.S. three times, [E]urope once, and love to make friends”. oh and another thing, their music is marvellous. from the very first noodle to the last, The Kidcrash play a fairly unorthodox style of scream, at least for an American band. The Kidcrash could just as well have been from Norway, France or Italy. they largely favour concord over discord, with fairly clean guitars and soft drums. they are not as explosive or aggressive as typical Antioch Arrow influenced American screamo bands like Jeromes Dream, nor like the most popular ’00s skram bands (Saetia, pg.99, Hot Cross, etc). they are far more melodic, with noodle guitars that are far more easily compared to American Football than Ampere. on Snacks, they aren’t even screaming any more. the vocals are sort of like Daniel Striped Tiger’s, shouting more than screaming. this is an overall softer effort than their previous one, Jokes. softer but not less intense. so check out this great record if you like harmonic and well crafted modern screamo (without screaming), and not just explosive bursts. download this! it’s as if Daniel Striped Tiger started a French screamo band. also – you can buy Snacks and everything else by this band from http://www.denovali.com – in several different editions.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/07/the-kidcrash-snacks/feed/ 0 Seeing Means More – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/06/seeing-means-more-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/06/seeing-means-more-discography/#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:00:35 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1363 if you recall, I mentioned that Fight Fair features some members of Seeing Means More. this is Seeing Means More. they started out in 2002 as a traditional screamo band influenced by Indian Summer and Funeral Diner. they broke up shortly thereafter, and then reformed in 2003 with a new sound, far more aggressive. due to a growing interest in other forms of hardcore music, Seeing Means More ended up incorporating a heavier sound, screamo fused with hardcore and metalcore – a sound that later became to some extent synonymous with popular ’00s screamo. along with Takaru, Seeing Means More represented something more immediate than City of Caterpillar’s exploring crescendos, and something heavier and more metallic than Orchid. but at the same time the epic build ups of “Bernadetti Protti”, that eventually come crashing down into a devastating metalcore finisher suggests that evidences of both City of Caterpillar’s and Orchid’s influence can be found throughout this discography. their love for intricate melodic hooks and spoken vocals can be attributed to the Indian Summer influence. the end result is somewhere between the spastic, melodic and wonderfully artistic sound of bands such as The Spirit of Versailles and In Loving Memory – and the more direct and intense sound of bands like Loma Prieta and Comadre. all with sprinkles of Indian Summer, pioneers of the perhaps definite emo sound. check out this solid thirty minute discography. you won’t regret it! particularly not after listening to the depressing sagas that are the two last tracks, ending this discography as not only proof of what Seeing Means More were, but also hints for what Seeing Means More could have been.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/06/seeing-means-more-discography/feed/ 0 Grown Ups – Songs http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/grown-ups-songs/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/grown-ups-songs/#comments Mon, 31 May 2010 16:04:33 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1212 from reflecting screamo to light-hearted emo. Grown Ups are somewhere between Small Brown Bike, Latterman, The Get Up Kids, Street Smart Cyclist, Algernon Cadwallader and Castevet. this is upbeat and pleasant emo, probably best enjoyed on fairly high volume, a hot summer night. with clean and nice guitar riffs, raspy vocals and quick drumming, Grown Ups sound far from grown up with their approach to catchy tunes and their youthful tales of reaching for happiness. you’ll want this. I think this was a pure digital release, so I don’t know of anywhere to buy it in physical format. you can however get their new album, More Songs. buy links on their MySpace – http://www.myspace.com/ihategrownups – so check that out as well.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/grown-ups-songs/feed/ 0 calculator – these roots grow deep… http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/calculator-these-roots-grow-deep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/calculator-these-roots-grow-deep/#comments Mon, 31 May 2010 07:32:14 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1210 the 200th artist (I think) to be introduced here on that’s punk is calculator, an American diy band formed in 2007, who just recently released this collection LP. it collects every release up until now, and adds a few songs extra. they play modern American screamo in the vein of Age Sixteen and Merchant Ships. that means very emotionally charged and intense vocals over (usually) clean guitars that build up, explode and come crashing down along with insanely precise drumming, followed by a soft and melodic bass guitar. the philosophical and melancholic atmosphere is helped greatly by lyrics that are always seeking and thinking. this is a mature and reflected screamo band that are well worth checking out. download this! and buy from their bigcartel at http://calc.bigcartel.com/ – if you can. they definitely need the cash to support touring etc.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/calculator-these-roots-grow-deep/feed/ 0 Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) & Football, etc. split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-football-etc-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-football-etc-split/#comments Sun, 30 May 2010 18:43:24 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1208 four songs by Football, etc. not enough for you? I feel the same way. so here’s another one! and with it, have a new Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) track as well! could life possibly be any better than this? that’s punk users should be familiar with both of these bands, but if you aren’t – I guess this is a great place to start, because you’ll get a taste of both. the sadly soothing melodies and heartbroken vocals that makes Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) one of the most miserable bands to ever record and put out music, and the depressing musical apprehension that is Football, etc. both bands are ’90s emo revivalists, and a sure bet if you’re into bands like Mineral, Jejune, Evergreen, Crash and Britany, and anything in between those. if you aren’t (you should!), you might still want to check this out, because both bands bring their own new and completely original flavour to the table. I can safely recommend this as a first stop to someone who has never heard emo before, and I can safely recommend this to someone who is into emo as well. get it! and buy it from http://www.cylsrecords.com (US) – or from http://sncl.collective-zine.co.uk (EU) – , it’s worth it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-football-etc-split/feed/ 0 Football, etc. – First Down http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/football-etc-first-down/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/football-etc-first-down/#comments Sun, 30 May 2010 18:29:18 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1206 often compared to Rainer Maria, Jejune, Evergreen and Lumber, this is one of the finest of the new proud-to-be-emo bands. now signed to the equally eager emo revivalists over at Count Your Lucky Stars, Football, etc. is a damn fine band. despite their name, they do not sound much like American Football or other Kinsella-bands. and despite their numerous football referencing titles – they are definitely about football. this is something significantly less complicated. it’s sad, frustrated and angst-ridden emo music with nonchalant vocals. this melancholic trio is a must hear! download this! then it can be purchased at shows, or via PayPaling $5 to lindsaym.minton@gmail.com. for international prices and questions, check their MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/footballetc – and they’ll probably help you out.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/football-etc-first-down/feed/ 0 The Third Memory – The Third Memory http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/the-third-memory-the-third-memory/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/the-third-memory-the-third-memory/#comments Sun, 30 May 2010 14:48:26 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1201 a fairly long time ago I posted a split between the Norwegian screamo band, Dominic, and the French screamo band, The Third Memory. this is the latter’s self titled album (which includes one of the tracks from the split). active for four-five years before breaking up, The Third Memory are nothing short of screamo legends. “everyone” knows these guys, their DIY ethics and their heartfelt music. this record surfaced last year, and probably should have been uploaded to that’s punk ages ago. why? because it’s really good. *really* good. their last.fm biography says it all. this is nothing short of a «french screamo band that will tear your face off». while they weren’t all that heavy on the Dominic split, things are a little more heavy on their full length album. but The Third Memory is still not a *heavy* band. they are aggressive, intense and direct – but not heavy. while they have a fairly stereotypical mix and general sound, for a French screamo band, it’s noteworthy that the comforting soft spots often do not crescendo into a progressive rock climax, like so many newer emo/screamo bands try to achieve. The Third Memory do not crescendo; they explode. download this French screamo explosion. then you can buy it from this: http://www.desormaisrec.blogspot.com/ French distro, if you like it (you will!).

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/the-third-memory-the-third-memory/feed/ 0 Teleport me, Johny – EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/teleport-me-johny-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/teleport-me-johny-ep/#comments Sat, 29 May 2010 16:46:22 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1198 Eastern European hardcore has establish itself here on that’s punk, but Estonian screamo is a first. and a welcome one at that! this four song/fifteen minute EP introduces these diverse and eager débutants, that sometimes thrash their riffs at blistering speeds, and sometimes let their guitars weep with bleeding intensity… and sometimes both at once. this is yummy dynamic crescendo screamo perfection with plenty of wimpy emo guitars yielding tons of glorious feedback and sugar sweet octaves, while the drums circle and the vocal chords get torn. get this!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/teleport-me-johny-ep/feed/ 0 Stavros – Contemporary Dictionary http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/stavros-contemporary-dictionary/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/stavros-contemporary-dictionary/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 16:15:45 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1186 in the winter of 2002, the secretive affair known as Stavros recorded their album Contemporary Dictionary. with a sound perhaps best described as acoustic emo. this is the emo cousin of Mom & Johnson Loneliness missed the 12th loveboat. it has a more immediate and desperate sound, occasionally similar to that of The Loneliest Cowgirls’ self titled début, but with better recording quality and a less abrasive approach. the instrumentation vary between a sole acoustic guitar, and a more vivid sound with multiple guitars and percussion – even a violin makes its appearance.. some times it’s dreamy and pretty, with Sigur Rós moments. other times it’s anxious and painful – almost comparable to Catena Collapse, but with a more laid back atmosphere. summa summarum it’s something between Mom & Johnson Loneliness missed the 12th Loveboat, The Loneliest Cowgirls, Catena Collapse and maybe Daniel Johnston. this is not for everyone, but it’s definitely for someone. maybe you?

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/stavros-contemporary-dictionary/feed/ 0 Oh, Apollo! – End EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/oh-apollo-end-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/oh-apollo-end-ep/#comments Tue, 25 May 2010 08:09:12 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1176 for all of you nostalgic and sentimental Oh, Apollo! fans out there – here are their last three recordings. musically, this is a continuation of what was started on Kingdoms, then continued on Twin Peaks. Oh, Apollo! has perfected their sound by now, and is ending their career at the top. they are going down in style, with an honest document of who they are. spending three years contributing to the DIY scene and making a community in the Bay Area, their eventful journey has now come to an end, and this is End EP – the perfect document of that end. jangly, messy but pretty. this is their maybe finest material, and I highly recommend you get it. all of these songs appear on a cassette split with Lost In Bazaar, which you can get here: http://dyinghorse.com/distro/ – for only $2.25!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/05/oh-apollo-end-ep/feed/ 0 Vulture Culture – Cassette http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/vulture-culture-cassette/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/vulture-culture-cassette/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:41:27 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1112 Vulture Culture are a band that I know absolutely nothing about. there exist pretty much no information on them anywhere. but their album is a) for free download and b) good. no scratch b – this is *perfect*. the composition style favours haunting atmospheres that build up to beautiful and completely breath-taking climaxes. with some rather lengthy songs (particularly the opening track), this band aims for something grand. and they achieve something very much grand by exploring different musical territories in a progressive and searching manner. these tracks display high composing skill, in the dynamic way they crawl up on you. with highly distinct vocals, soft and pretty melodies and well crafted highs and lows, Vulture Culture are a band that manages to sound vastly different from any other band out there, with their pleasant softness and prominent mood. this is highly ambitious and even more successful. if I were to describe this record with one word, it would be “slumber”. Cassette feels like an eerie slumber; a state of constant euphoria. this album cannot be overrated. download this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/vulture-culture-cassette/feed/ 0 Celeste – Morte(s) Nee(s) http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/celeste-mortes-nees/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/celeste-mortes-nees/#comments Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:21:38 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1105 “WOW” is the first thing that comes to mind when I press play on the new Celeste album. the line between screamo and black metal isn’t there any more. this is furious modern black metal of the absolute highest quality. but then enter the vocals, the sound alters slightly, and we’re back in that ever so lucent screamo/black metal border territory. while Celeste certainly are comparable to their countrymen Daïtro and Amanda Woodward, there’s something entirely different about them. if you take screamo and black metal – two already ugly as fuck genres – and fuse them together, you get the raw, dissonant and filthy mess of insanity that is Celeste. away with the typical dynamics of modern screamo, welcome loud and suffocating monotony, and an end result that is thicker than doom metal and more atonal than sludge. a depressing 41 minutes of nihilistic and misanthropic melancholy that will blow you away if you haven’t heard this band before (in which case I’d recommend you download the rest of their discography as well, available further down). on the other hand, if you have heard them before – you probably know what to expect. this album isn’t a giant leap in terms of musical style, by any means. it’s rather yet another step towards perfection. and let me assure you – Celeste are getting so close, it’s scary. scary, like the enraged wrath that unfolds onto the listener through this hateful album. it shows no mercy, whatsoever. you need to get this. and like the like the rest of their stuff, you can order it at their record label Denovali.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/celeste-mortes-nees/feed/ 0 1.6 Band – The Checkered Pasts of All Kings Present http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/1-6-band-the-checkered-pasts-of-all-kings-present/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/1-6-band-the-checkered-pasts-of-all-kings-present/#comments Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:24:56 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1099 in 1989 what would later become one of the quintessential emo bands of the ’90s formed in Long Island, NY. by 1991 they had “settled down” (i.e. began touring regularly and sporting a stable line-up) with the band name 1.6 Band. this is a band name that means a lot to a lot of people. if the name doesn’t ring any bells for you, you need to download this as soon as possible. existing from 1991 to 1993, they put out three 7″s and an LP. the songs appearing on said records are available on a discography CD, Broke Up, released in 1995. but here we are – in 2010, and 1.6 Band are probably more popular than ever. a lot of the emo giants of the ’90s have enjoyed a resurrection via the Internet, and 1.6 Band are not an exception. it certainly didn’t hurt that they reunited last year. yes – this is actually an entirely new 7″! well, not “new” new… but 21st century new, at least. The Checkered Pasts of All Kings Present is a 12:12 long 7″ with much of the same tongue in cheek not-really-crooning over jazzy and spastic ’90s emo. playful experimenting with scales and rapid changes in tempo and style altogether, somewhat comparable to Daniel Striped Tiger. these guys are highly skilled – but what makes this worth listening to is the first and foremost the intensity! so whether you’ve slept on this band, never heard of it, love it but didn’t know about the reunion, – you need to download this. N.B. word of advise: stay away from the FLACs! they crash both my tag editor and my media player. I don’t know what’s up with them. but the 320kbps MP3s sound very good, so get those. then order the 7″, if you like the songs. it’s really cheap ($5 ppd in USA). buy link is in the download link.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/1-6-band-the-checkered-pasts-of-all-kings-present/feed/ 0 Some Mistakes – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/some-mistakes-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/some-mistakes-demo/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:13:08 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1079 with a crisp guitar tone that has a way of getting inside your head, a rhythm section that almost sounds like it gets heavier each and every second, and an emotive and sincere vocal performance, Some Mistakes largely favour a heavy sound over quick half minute burst songs. Some Mistakes are a band that shows that you needn’t move at a great pace to move with great purpose. they ultimately reside somewhere between ’90s screamo bands like Elements of Need, and more recent screamo bands, like Mesa Verde (which can be downloaded further down if you are interested), that incorporate more intricate progressive rock elements in their composing. hints of heavy ’90s hardcore/screamo bands like Unbroken and You and I are also detected, along with subtle touches of Modern Life is War and American Nightmare/Give up the Ghost. the end result reminds me of a more hardcore than metal version of Quiritatio, and a less lengthy Fall of Efrafa. anyway, the demo is just over ten minutes long, but makes one hell of an impression in those ten minutes. their anger and passion can be felt throughout the entire thing, as it almost makes its way out of the speakers. the sheer volume, power and passion this band has managed to put into the recordings are overwhelming to the point of it almost crushing you, into the broken souls they sing about in their songs. I am *not* the product of dysfunction and unhappiness, but these songs almost make me feel like I am. the great never ending sadness that these tales tell are breathtakingly painful, but it’s nothing compared to the manner in which the band tells them. that’s what makes this band so special; what makes these songs completely unique, and utterly amazing. you need to hear this band. these three songs are beyond spectacular, and so well crafted as well as performed that this demo is simply bursting with blistering emotional confession and breakdown. note that like quite the few other bands I’ve downloaded from bandcamp (1099′s latest album which can be downloaded further down is one of them), the FLAC copies are nothing but white noise in my standard media player, Amarok. it does work in some other players, like VideoLan Client. so if you use Amarok or any other media player that utilizes the Xine engine, you might consider downloading this in Ogg Vorbis instead. it still sounds extremely good. the recording quality of this demo does not take anything away from the songs or compromise them in any way, thankfully. because these songs are nothing short of fantastic, and they deserve to be heard. hear them!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/some-mistakes-demo/feed/ 0 forte – forte ’09 http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/forte-forte-09/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/forte-forte-09/#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 07:11:48 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1064 this oddball sludgy screamo psychedelia insanity is forte, an Ukrainian… screamo band? at least *tendencies* towards screamo are to be found. but honestly the band I would compare them to first of all is MEHE, posted below, despite the fact that they sound nothing like them. but forte – like MEHE – are for the most of the time highly hyperactive and very eccentric – in a manner (not sound) that resembles The Locust. but this is a screamo band. sometimes they go into these Envy-like riffs and climaxes, and sometimes they do these Lungfish/Fugazi-ish calm but focused passages. they build it and tear it down… loudly. this Ukrainian band has me puzzled, to be honest. this over twenty minutes long record covers so much ground in those over twenty minutes. simply astonishingly diverse, with a detailed and interesting layered sound. complex and translucent, this is a band that I urge you to check out as fast as possible. pay especial notice to the beautiful album closer. it’s perfect.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/04/forte-forte-09/feed/ 0 Dominic – Running With Scissors http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/03/dominic-running-with-scissors/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/03/dominic-running-with-scissors/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:36:59 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1052 this is an album that should’ve been up ages ago. the reason it hasn’t been? simple. up until recently, I only had the 10″. now I got the CD from my friend Rune at http://www.notanotherrecordlabel.com/ – which you should definitely check out. the distro is beyond solid, and he’s always looking to hook you up with cool shit. this record is released on Dead Letter Records, but I don’t know how alive they are these days. their site is down, but I guess maybe you could message them on MySpace? I think Rune is a surer bet. anyway, this is – as the title implies – another Dominic record. it’s called Running With Scissors, and was released in 2004. so it pre-dates the s/t by two years, making it the earliest Dominic release on this blog. it’s five songs and about fifteen minutes. it showcases Dominic at their very most impatient. full of eagerness and hopefulness, they set out to create some of the most emotionally charged moments you’ll ever be lucky enough to experience. if you’ve heard this band before, you know what you are getting into. they have a highly distinct sound. instantly recognisable, instantly worthy of appreciation. get this. (then get the rest of their stuff, if you haven’t already.)

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/03/dominic-running-with-scissors/feed/ 1 Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – When the Sea Became A Giant http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/03/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-when-the-sea-became-a-giant/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/03/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-when-the-sea-became-a-giant/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:12:26 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1003 I’m happy to say that this posts completes the e! e! discography here at that’s punk. this was their first release ever, and is well out of print. so for those of you who have been looking for this and those of you who didn’t even know of its existence – here you go! and to those of you who haven’t yet been exposed to this magical journey that is Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), please proceed to download this (and the other posts of this band). e! e! sounds like someone carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders whilst constantly stepping on needles, partly to be reassured that he’s still able to feel anything at all – and partly because no matter where he treads there are no safe spots to be found. this band is damned depressing. but they are depressing without being cliché or stupid. and that by itself is a strong feat. if you can’t stand “whiney” music, you might just do yourself the favour of staying away from this. if however you are open to this kind of stuff, stuff like Mineral and American Football, you will like this. I like this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/03/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-when-the-sea-became-a-giant/feed/ 0 The Tie That Binds – Slowly Sinking Under http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/03/the-tie-that-binds-slowly-sinking-under/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/03/the-tie-that-binds-slowly-sinking-under/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:26:19 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=1001 I present to you The Tie That Bind’s début. so if you missed out on these guys the first time, this is the time to pick them up. and if you remember the first The Tie That Binds album I posted, then you no doubt remember it fondly enough to pick this up. it’s fairly reminiscent of their second album, though with a slightly different line-up. imagine if Evergreen and The Pine were catchy enough to play the Warped Tour. like if they’d fused a bit with Taking Back Sunday. throw in some Jawbreaker and you are already in possession of a fairly accurate description of The Tie That Binds. sounds pleasant, right? well it is. if I had to compare them to just one band though, I think I might have landed on gods reflex. because like gods reflex, The Tie That Binds have that very emotional approach mixed with the upbeat and catchy song structures and great rock guitars with plenty of little solos. so check this out. you won’t regret it!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/03/the-tie-that-binds-slowly-sinking-under/feed/ 0 Polara – Inacabado http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/polara-inacabado/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/polara-inacabado/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:23:16 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=999 unfortunately my Portuguese hasn’t improved any since the previous post. has yours? meh. you should be able to enjoy this anyway. duelling melodic guitars that rapidly exchange the listener’s focus with perfected lines of power chords and sugar sweet picking, with a pleasant rhythm section consisting of bass lines softer than the softest of duvets and an easy on the ears drum kit with lots of toms and nice fills. finally to top it off there are vocals that blend comfortably in with all of the other equally vital ingredients of Polara, making this album just as safely a bet as the previous one. this might even be better – at least to my ears. I’d like to make a bold comparison to Sugar, with their “cleanly distorted” guitars and unmatchable sense of melody. this is simply brilliant. and for all of you who were slightly annoyed by the occasional low quality recording on the previous album, rest assured – this album is much more consistent in terms of audio fidelity. so audiophiles, come on in you as well. I present to you twelve delightful emo songs from the Brazilian masterminds Polara. enjoy!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/polara-inacabado/feed/ 0 Polara – Tempestade Bipolar http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/polara-tempestade-bipolar/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/polara-tempestade-bipolar/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:36:51 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=995 now over to one of those bands that I know absolutely nothing about sans the fact that they make great music. these guys have uploaded their music for free on last.fm, and so I thought I’d do the users of that’s punk a favour by uploading it here as well. and believe me, this is a favour you’ll appreciate. Polara are an emo band from Brazil, a country we haven’t explored thoroughly enough on this blog. actually, I think that the only other band from Brazil that makes an appearance is DDT punkrock. so let’s welcome Polara to the party! they play a sort of Cap’n Jazz-esque emo with tons of energy. the songs are one or two minutes of uplifting guitars and harmonic vocals. this is punk rock that just shines of feelgood and joy. some of the songs are rather lo-fi, but most have more than satisfactory recording quality. and the musical quality is dependable on each track. for the most part, this is uncomplicated punk rock with guitars, shouting and upbeat drumming. some tracks experiment outside of that scope, but the tracks that I like the best are the ones that are just rocking out. so check this out for some great happy emo. and if anyone could direct me to where to buy their stuff in Europe or how to get in touch with them, let me know!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/polara-tempestade-bipolar/feed/ 0 Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – What It Takes to Move Forward http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-what-it-takes-to-move-forward/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-what-it-takes-to-move-forward/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:54:17 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=992 with twinkling very Penfold-esque guitars and soft drums and bass this band’s sound is extremely reminiscent of Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson, particularly their first album. what sets them apart from them though is that their love affair with Mineral and the other greats of ’90s emo is far more apparent. though these guys have definitely picked up on the modern progressive rock trend, they aren’t as planted in it as Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson are – though they do move into these pleasing American Football affairs from time to time. I’m not going to compare the bands in terms of quality, because this is highly subjective. that’s for you to decide, which one you prefer. I will however say that they hit different moods, but are to me fairly equally satisfying experiences. e! e! are generally a far more bleak and dismal affair. the lyrics are easily compared to Mineral’s, generally not filled of metaphors or overly complex wordings – but somehow there is something poetic and deep about them. this is no doubt caused by the culmination of the lamentable delivery, the melancholic atmosphere and the simply depressing words about hearts being torn out and lungs giving out. lyrically, this is simply a very consistently sad record. and the music definitely reflects that, if it isn’t the lyrics that are reflecting the music – because let me assure you, it is a depressing affair of soft nervous drumming, harmonic bass lines, and twinkling clean guitars building up into weeping minor chords and feedback with frail vocals shouting words of greater torment and pain over furious crisp drums. if you have forgotten what anxiety feels like, this is the album I’d recommend you to pick up. this record expresses grief and sorrow like few others. so check it out. and if you like it, you should pick it up from http://www.cylsrecords.com/ – because these guys deserve every buck they get. so help keeping both e! e! and cyls afloat by picking up this CD, because it really is fantastic. the artwork (I have the Japanese version) is great also. artsy, but great. pick it up! if you’re from Europe, you should consider getting it from http://sncl.collective-zine.co.uk to save some bucks on shipping.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-what-it-takes-to-move-forward/feed/ 0 Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson – Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson-youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson-youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:13:38 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=935 in 2005 the world was exposed to one of the most exciting début albums ever, not to say one of the most exciting albums ever period. Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson hit the ground running, and impressed many people in doing so. the album had one foot in the emo genre with their delightful ’90s emo picked guitars and the occasional screamed vocals drew comparisons to acts such as City of Caterpillar on one hand, but then The Gloria Record on another level. Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson’s other foot stood balanced and firm in the progressive rock genre with their progressive and clever compositions. patient like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and climactic like Sigur Rós. in addition to these foots, Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson naturally had arms. one of which was a bit longer than the other, the dreamy ambient one. the other somewhat shorter arm was just as important though, the electronica arm. together, these four limbs crafted a somewhat introverted and philosophic kid who wore his feelings on the outside of his skin for everyone to see. and now Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson are back. with what is easily one of the most anticipating albums of the year, they face a great challenge in following their majestic début album (which also is up for download here somewhere down the list, by the way). what better way to take on the challenge then, but to produce one of the most ambitious releases of all time? none. released as a 32-paged book that comes with multiple colour variations of the cover and with a written text inside that varies from version to version, as well as many pretty pictures and beautiful colours, and on two CDs – this is definitely something more than just a second album. check out the cover. that picture as well as two more are included in the download. and here is two random pages in the book as well. and two more for good measure. and finally – a picture of the CD. and while they look lovely like that, I cannot stress how much you should definitely invest money in this album if you can afford to, because it’s rather cheap for a 32-paged book – and it’s so definitely worth it. you should probably buy it even if you don’t like the music – because it really is that good. and it feels nice to know they’ve put so much effort into this magnificent packaging. it just goes to prove that this band is interested in offering something different, something consistent and thorough. this will be a long post, demonstrating what a fatal flaw the design choice of one paragraph per post… but there are two discs, so I arrogantly divide this into two paragraphs to make it at least slightly easier to read.

like this… so now – to the music. because that is what truly matters. to me at least. while the book and the pictures inside of it gets me excited in its very inviting presentation, it is essentially worthless to me without the music to back it up. don’t get me wrong, I like pretty pictures – and if you are into that stuff you should as mentioned pick up the book even if you’re not into the music – but my relationship with pictures is mostly «hmm… that’s pretty… hmm… that’s also nice…» – it rarely goes way past that level of enthusiasm. so to me, the book is a compliment to the music – not a necessity. but it adds another level of ambition, and it’s so awesome that they are so dedicated to delivering a product that is flawless in each and every way, that you should really stop reading this and head over to http://www.howisannierecords.com and pick up your very own copy of this. actually I’m willing to bet that if you have heard this band before, you have probably already ordered a copy purely based on the début. if you however are in some kind of doubt – click the download button, and continue to read on. this album is a perfect album. or should I say these albums? because it’s divided up into two albums, “Puzzle” and “The Detective”. actually I’m not even sure I want to call it albums either. yerp. it’s official! we need a new term to do these glorious objects d’art proper justice. anyway – to compare this object d’art to the début is sort of hard, I guess. the reason being simply that both of the releases’ songs are so closely knitted together. the songs on the first release belong there, and putting them on this one would be wrong. and so, even comparing them gets a bit weird to me. but what I can say right of the bat is the obvious lack of electronic elements, the complete lack of programming, which might perhaps lend this album a more organic and timeless quality to it. there are also more vocals evident on this, something that sets them effectively apart from most of the ambient progressive rock bands who tend to be nearly or completely instrumental. Gjermund, the main vocalist, has a very mellow voice that blends in with the soft pieces of the compositions effortlessly and elegantly. and occasionally Torbjørn, the second to main vocalist, gets the opportunity to scream until his lungs give out here, just like he did on the début. these two vocalists are distinctly different from each other, and serve distinctly different yet equally important purposes. what great fortune this band has struck upon with two so gifted though different vocalists! or rather, what great fortune we – the fans – have struck upon, finding this band. this is generally the feeling that rushes through my body whilst listening to this. what great fortune! whenever the guitars twinkle and twinkle into a shining climax that is utterly useless to even try to compare to anything else ever, it’s another reason for me to rejoice. whenever the cello graces the soundscape by taking control, as if it’s running off a cliff, forming wings just before the take-off, it’s another reason to rejoice. the band describes the songs as sorrowful hymns somewhere inside the 32-paged book, but to me this album is joy embodied in the form of music. it’s essentially happiness inside of a book. with seven members, Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson creates a lot of happiness, and a lot of noise. several layers of noise even. some mellow noise, some crisp noise and some harsh noise – all pretty noise. with twinkling minor chords, sparkling major chords and extremely intense drumming not contrasted but complimented by soft and harmonic bass lines and cello – this band creates an angst-ridden playground, in which they bend and break the nerves with every opportunity that are presented for them. claustrophobic build-ups that lead into open and wide but focused and aimed climaxes. this object d’art is what you get if someone dumps every potential human emotion in an ocean of emotionally charged, dynamic and beautiful noise. take the picture now, because it doesn’t get more perfect than this exact moment. download. buy. http://www.howisannierecords.com

click here to download ]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson-youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson/feed/ 0 It’s Just Vanity – The Strangers EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/its-just-vanity-the-strangers-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/its-just-vanity-the-strangers-ep/#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:53:29 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=930 when someone from a band contacts me and says something along the lines of “hey I saw you posted e! e! and thought you might like our stuff”, I feel fairly confident I’ll like it long before I get the chance to listen to it, and thoroughly look forward to the moment when I actually find a chance to do so. and thankfully It’s Just Vanity didn’t disappoint one bit. but if you are expecting them to sound like e! e!, you might be surprised at the more Small Brown Bike-y approach. it’s more Deep Elm/Drive-Thru driven than e.g. e! e! is, but at times it still draws comparison to stuff like Mineral, when it’s at its softest and the guitars twinkle and so on. they generally favour melodic riffs over intricate picking most of the time but are definitely masters of both arts. they also utilize some solid rock solo picking with just enough distortion to make it sound right. it’s sort of reminiscent of an emo band paying the occasional homage to classic rock. anyways, you should all check this band out if you like very melodic and catchy emo like Small Brown Bike and don’t mind twinkly passages like those of Mineral. it’s good. maybe especially the epic six minute closer. download this! you can even get it in FLAC if you want. :)

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/its-just-vanity-the-strangers-ep/feed/ 0 Street Smart Cyclist – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/street-smart-cyclist-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/street-smart-cyclist-discography/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:35:19 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=926 we’re moving from Kazakhstan to Pennsylvania, and to the gentlemen of Street Smart Cyclist, who more than enjoy comparing themselves to Boys Life and Cap’n Jazz. these comparisons are legitimate though, seeing as this band definitely belongs in the sort of wuss rock category with twinkly guitars, shouting, upbeat drumming and the feeling of being a kid running around at full speed in the living room doing whatever as long as you do it really really fast and it annoys your parents. it’s sugarrushcore. some of the tracks are even acoustic, but they still manage to convey the energetic approach inherent in this band. what all of this means is that you need to download this discography and rock out.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/street-smart-cyclist-discography/feed/ 0 Carina Rossa – Demos http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/carina-rossa-demos/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/carina-rossa-demos/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:11:36 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=924 today we continue our exploration of Kazakhstan’s musical affairs with Carina Rossa and their creeping and haunting atmospheric guitars and intense screams – and complete lack of drums on three of the four tracks presented on this little demo collection. it’s intimate, ghostly, chilling and well worth a listen. download this and give it a go! there’s also a video of the band performing a track included in this post, so check it out.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/carina-rossa-demos/feed/ 0 Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – Year of the Rabbit http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-year-of-the-rabbit/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-year-of-the-rabbit/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:31:33 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=922 the first time I ever heard of this band, I saw one of the members’s shout in I think Mineral’s shoutbox or the shoutbox of one of their songs on last.fm. he said something akin to “yo… so there’s this mid-west emo revival thing going on in Michigan and thereabouts”, and he linked to some bands – including his own, this band. so I checked them out because… you know… they like Mineral, what could go wrong? well anyway, it turns out I made the right choice. because this band completely blew me away! it’s sort of Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson but without the electronica and ambient noise parts, so it’s a much more purely bred style of emo. it’s progressive and fairly grand, but still it’s far simpler than Youth Pictures, and consequently distinctly different, despite sharing many key traits. the songs flow beautifully, and the energy these guys provoke is reason enough for exulting. the sensitive and emotional vocals compliment the equally sensitive and emotional guitars that along with the commanding though soft drums and bass lines make up the dreamy and longing melodies that force me to – without any qualms at all – compare this 7″ to the glorious February/M.D. 7″ by none other than Mineral. yes. it’s that fucking good. e! e! sings “wear your heart out”, and I encourage you to wear your ears out by listening to this record. it’s oop, but you can catch other e! e! stuff at http://www.cylsrecords.com – and you should. this Michigan emo really makes an effort to bring back that soft, intricate, melodic and to a certain degree popular style of ’90s emo portrayed by bands like Mineral and American Football. hints of Knapsack, The Get Up Kids and gods reflex are to be found, particularly in Keith’s voice. the end result sounds a lot like the Norwegian emo orchestra Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson mixed with some of the newer and fresh American emo bands, e.g. Castevet and Joie de Vivre (who both are on the label that is to the extent of my knowledge started by the members of e! e!). do yourself a favour and check out this band!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/empire-empire-i-was-a-lonely-estate-year-of-the-rabbit/feed/ 0 Lizards Have Personalities – In All Honesty http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/lizards-have-personalities-in-all-honesty/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/lizards-have-personalities-in-all-honesty/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:39:44 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=916 this band might be ten years too late, or it might have come at the perfect time to bring both nostalgia and a breath of fresh air at the same time to screamo. with a sound situated somewhere between Saetia and I Hate Myself and other screamo dinosaurs, it’s somewhat strange to have your first release in 2010. but it might just be the perfect time for this band to emerge. soft guitars twinkle and sparkle into raw and dissonant almost metal riffs. the vocals and lyrics are do not to escape their ’90s/early ’00s screamo influences. instead they hug them tight. and just like Saetia, Lizards Have Personalities operate on the very verge of bringing the lulz – yet somehow manage to just avoid it. if only barely. this in itself is quite the amazing feat though. dealing with these kind of lyrics and vocals you have to make sure to not go over the top, but how do you do that when it’s already so ludicrously over the top? I don’t know. but I’m glad that Lizards Have Personalities can scream «while staring at the ceiling, I was overwhelmed by the feeling – I am certain that I am alone» with a straight face, without me rofling. I am very much pleased that the deeply personal and semi-poetic lyrics maintain a notion of believability. because this is indeed awesome music. comparable to the beforehand mentioned dinosaurs and perhaps slightly to I Would Set Myself on Fire for You. it’s dynamic and ambitious screamo. get it!

click here to dow

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/lizards-have-personalities-in-all-honesty/feed/ 0 mapadelmundo – demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/mapadelmundo-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/mapadelmundo-demo/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:26:16 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=910 Kazakhstan is a country that most of us western folk don’t really know much about, save from what we were taught from Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan – and something tells me that it’s slightly inaccurate. so what better way to broaden your all too narrow horizons then, but downloading this marvellous Kazakh screamo band? none. if you are from Kazakhstan or thereabouts and consequently probably not half as ignorant to it as we to the west might be, or if you are from the west and the promise of a broadened horizon simply isn’t enough for you to check these guys out – then rest assured all of you. the music is actually awesome. what a coincidence, heh. this is a filthy mess of noise. raw and untamed screamo. loud drumming and hard guitars with insane howling on top. the sound ranges from tight death punk to twinkly guitar-driven interludes to wild sprinting screamo almost akin to mamma, jeg blör… in terms of crudeness. so if you are a tender soul, I advise you to tread carefully. you stand at risk of having your brains blown out and your heart ripped apart. this stuff leaves an everlasting mark. get it! it even has a Mineral reference in there!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/mapadelmundo-demo/feed/ 0 Castevet – Summer Fences http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/castevet-summer-fences/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/castevet-summer-fences/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:13:21 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=908 if you managed to catch the Castevet upload some posts down from this, you are already familiar with this band and so you have already clicked on the download link without even bothering to consult my write up as to what they sound like. and that’s a good move, because if you liked the original post, you’ll like this as well. all three songs from the demo are on this album – and so are five other magnificent tracks. but for those of you not yet acquainted with Castevet, the reason you should bother with this album is the freshness and intensity it offers. in the previous post I compared them to American Football and The Appleseed Cast’s skill but with Cap’n Jazz and Small Brown Bike’s raw energy, and some little hints of each of the soft, intricate and mesmerising ’90s emo bands. this band essentially sounds like it’s aiming at representing a perfect blend of everything that was good about emo in ’90s. that is a highly ambitious task, though one which they fortunately largely succeed in. lyrically, this band is sparse though clever, singing about inadequacy, apathy and the feeling of everything being in vain. the well beyond dreamy melodies fit these often melancholic lyrics perfectly. downhearted lyrics followed by downbeat build-ups, interludes or conclusions is an ingenious formula. and whenever Castevet seizes the opportunity to break out of this pattern, in favour of blistering melodies and optimistic lyrics about breaking out of the pattern ones life is about to become, all of which characterized by a sugar rush influenced approach to harmonies – it’s even more brilliant. they even sound quite the bit like Age Sixteen at these particular moments – and it’s amazing. this album is amazing. download it! and buy it from http://www.cylsrecords.com – where it to my knowledge is priced at $10, which is well worth it. even the cover of this album is great (it has a deer on it!), so there are as far as I’m concerned no excuses. you need to own this.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/castevet-summer-fences/feed/ 0 Teens – Teens http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/teens-teens/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/teens-teens/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:16:15 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=871 from the very first chord it gets apparent that this band’s name is very well fitting. though it’s acoustic guitars, you’ll have to be robbed of any form of imagination if you aren’t able to picture this with distorted electric guitars and fast drumming – and voilà, you have your archetypical teenage high-school punk rock band. it’s something sort of optimistic and carefree about the chords. it puts you in a good mood. however, this band is so much more than that. there is something dark and ultimately incredibly sad to these tunes recorded in the cold New Jersey winter. the screamed vocals, minor chords and intense feeling of melancholy makes for a serious atmosphere. this has to be experienced. so if you are into Henry Bemis Is A Superhero – get this. if you haven’t heard HBIAS, then get this – then get HBIAS. this whole acoustic screamo thing seems to be blowing up here on that’s punk… and I don’t mind, because this is really amazing stuff. emotional and gripping lo-fi acoustic guitar driven screamo. download it!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/02/teens-teens/feed/ 0 Cadre – These Restless Heads http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/cadre-these-restless-heads/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/cadre-these-restless-heads/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:23:42 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=859 Cadre’s music sounds every bit as ambitious as their name. I wonder if anyone in this band listens to Funeral Diner? (see what I did thur? I made a joke about how obvious it is that they listen to Funeral Diner. lulz. not hating though. I like Funeral Diner as well.) but seriously, I honestly think this demo showcases an extremely promising band. the songs are crafted in an ambitious manner like none other. this band seems to aim at bringing back a bit of that grandiosity of Funeral Diner’s music and Orchid’s lyrics. so it’s a bit like Ampere and Wolves. especially in the “all hell breaks loose” bits, which are used wisely sparsely throughout the demo, often after a powerfully constructed build up that essentially sounds like very melodic drone somewhat sped up into a dissonant and distant harmony. unfortunately, the recording quality of this demo is questionable at best. it ruins a great portion of the experience – at least for me. I’ve got nothing against the tactic of lo-fi recordings, but this recording is just poor. so here’s to hoping this band re-records these songs and maybe records a few new ones as well? because I want more.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/cadre-these-restless-heads/feed/ 0 Henry Bemis is a Superhero – The Jessica Tape http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/henry-bemis-is-a-superhero-the-jessica-tape/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/henry-bemis-is-a-superhero-the-jessica-tape/#comments Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:09:51 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=841 Henry Bemis is a Superhero doesn’t waste time. a second album already? yes indeed. and it screams from the very first second to the last. it screams hello this is me, this is who I am and this is how I feel. does shouting make music more honest? I don’t know. but it definitely helps. these tunes are great. screaming and catchy (acoustic guitar) chord progressions recorded in a charming lo-fi quality. folk punk with emo lyrics and vocals straight from the heart. this is well worth a download and a listen, so download and listen!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/henry-bemis-is-a-superhero-the-jessica-tape/feed/ 0 Age Sixteen – Summer 2009 Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/age-sixteen-summer-2009-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/age-sixteen-summer-2009-demo/#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:29:15 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/age-sixteen-summer-2009-demo/ it’s winter/spring 2010, so maybe posting Age Sixteen’s summer 2009 demo is a bit overdue? or maybe it will catapult us into summer 2010? I don’t know. I’m posting either way. if you have heard this band before, from this blog or otherwise, I trust that you know what to expect, both in terms of style and in terms of quality. if you are not familiar with this band, I guess I have to pull out the American Suis La Lune card again. because they really do sound a lot like Suis La Lune with the clean guitars and screaming. but thankfully, they add their own touches. they’re not completely ripping off SLL; they are merely wearing their influence proudly on their sleeves. while this demo doesn’t even come close to the full length album posted below when it comes to recording quality, it does certainly get its point across. the vocals benefit from being low in the mix, thus forcing the screams to be louder than loud to be heard. the guitars throw in a great deal of feedback, and the somewhat distorted sound makes everything sound rawer and perhaps even more intense than it would sound cleanly recorded. either way, this just gives you everything it has to give, thus claiming the right to be heard. hear this! you will not regret it. buy it from their MySpace, along with their other records. it only costs like $2.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/age-sixteen-summer-2009-demo/feed/ 0 She Notes the Chariots – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/she-notes-the-chariots-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/she-notes-the-chariots-discography/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:05:00 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=831 though never particularly successful in their time together, She Notes the Chariots sure recorded a lot of awesome songs. I can’t comment on their live show, but if it’s even the slightest bit close to being as interesting as their discography, I would definitely go see this band. with their multiple vocalists and totally awesome guitars (similar to Oh, Apollo!’s first album sans the metalcore), these guys shred. hard. and the tracks are unusual compositions, with no clear pattern or anything. they seem mostly to aim for a dark atmospheric and aggressive setting in which total destruction of everything takes place. sort of. they are sort of what I like to call fairly modern screamo… however looking at the calendar, I realise that this is 5-10 years old, and so is most of the other “modern screamo” I listen to, so I guess I’m old and this type of screamo is old. anyway it’s sort of comparable to Saetia, Noisy Sins of the Insect and Oh, Apollo! though completely unique in their style, and well worth listening to. so download this. check it outtttt.


click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/she-notes-the-chariots-discography/feed/ 0 Henry Bemis is a Superhero – Five Love Songs to Kill Yourself To http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/henry-bemis-is-a-superhero-five-songs-to-kill-yourself-to/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/henry-bemis-is-a-superhero-five-songs-to-kill-yourself-to/#comments Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:05:59 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=824 more lo-fi emo-tinged country/folk from Ethan of The Sky Looks Pissed and The Loneliest Cowgirls. similar to the acoustic sessions by Die! Emperor, Die! this album consists of (ironically enough) six heartbroken and suicidal acoustic jams about a girl. «I hate him! and I hate you! and I hate every song that I wrote about you» – well I love the songs you wrote about her, Ethan! thanks for being in pain, so I can enjoy your recordings. this is essentially acoustic screamo. wtf? download it. it’s amazing.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/henry-bemis-is-a-superhero-five-songs-to-kill-yourself-to/feed/ 0 The Trigger Quintet – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/the-trigger-quintet-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/the-trigger-quintet-discography/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:20:56 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=793 if you liked Die, Emperor! Die!, then you’ll be pleased to know that here’s more semi-obscure ’90s emo from Texas. though perhaps more accurately compared to Parades End and Three Letter Engagement, The Trigger Quintet are highly interesting however you look at it. emotive howling vocals and octave chords galore. there’s also a great deal of explosions consisting of melodic riffing in unison, with upbeat drumming and soft bass lines, then suddenly stop; twinkling guitars; then it explodes again. it’s basically very pleasant on the ears. this is everything that ’90s emo should be. there’s an element of chaos, yet melodic sensibilities. as a result, “Slept for Seven Days” sounds like a prototype for modern screamo. this is a very short (just barely over fifteen minutes long), though very impressing discography that you can’t go wrong with if you like any form of emo.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/the-trigger-quintet-discography/feed/ 0 Quiritatio – As The Dead March, Birds Will Fall From Heaven http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/quiritatio-as-the-dead-march-birds-will-fall-from-heaven/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/quiritatio-as-the-dead-march-birds-will-fall-from-heaven/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:49:50 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=786 if you downloaded the first Quiritatio album I posted somewhere below, you will remember this band as a fusion of gloomy metal, intricate mathcore and screamotive hardcore. this was some of the darkest and most depressing and angry screamo ever heard. only people from the north of Norway can play screamo like this. only someone who go through periods of the year without any light whatsoever can ever make music this authentically unhappy. the only thing that could be compared to this sadness, are the sad, sad news that were to be found on my MySpace some time ago. Quiritatio had broken up! I guess it was somewhat unsurprising due to the vocalist quitting some time ago, but still… it made me downhearted. but thankfully at least one good (great) thing came out of this – their new album is finally available to the public. not as a CD or on a vinyl, unfortunately, but via blogs like this one. so I am proud to present you As The Dead March, Birds Will Fall From Heaven! I’m a huge fan of Quiritatio’s first album, so I was really hoping this didn’t let me down. I had very high hopes for this. so I put it on… and OMG IT’S FUCKING AMAZING WTF THIS IS AMAZING OMG OMG OMG. if this isn’t one of the best and most creative bands in screamo history, I don’t know shit about shit. out of all the technical and atmospheric arpeggio-characterized modern screamo, this is a milestone with no parallel whatsoever. I have goosebumps. I feel like I’m being blown away. like literally. BY A FUCKING EXPLOSION. this album destroys everything that has ever existed ever. download this album. there are no excuses. DOWNLOAD THIS ALBUM.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2010/01/quiritatio-as-the-dead-march-birds-will-fall-from-heaven/feed/ 0 Castevet – I Know What A Lion Is http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/12/castevet-i-know-what-a-lion-is/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/12/castevet-i-know-what-a-lion-is/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:58:22 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=768 imagine the skilled American Football math emo with Cap’n Jazz’s raw energy. now throw in The Appleseed Cast’s grandiose sense of harmonies and carefully building up songs… then finish it off with small touches here and there of Small Brown Bike, whose vocals share a lot with Castevet’s. the intricate twinkling of the guitars also draw comparisons to Mineral, Texas Is the Reason, Cross My Heart, Knapsack and so on – but while those bands are mostly mid-tempo, Castevet are usually either running around like a crazy carefree three year old high on sugar (Cap’n Jazz), or carefully placing one foot in front of the other, keeping their balance perfectly (The Appleseed Cast). and no matter the approach, they always make damn sure to succeed. hard. this is a highly interesting and promising Chicago emo band with no boring tunes whatsoever. check them out. you won’t regret it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/12/castevet-i-know-what-a-lion-is/feed/ 0 I Create – All We Are Is Now http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/i-create-all-we-are-is-now/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/i-create-all-we-are-is-now/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:50:21 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=751 I Create’s second album is as pure and emotive as Make the Years. but it’s in most terms a really different album. gone is most of the ’90s/’00s hardcore, as well as most of the ambient nature of the compositions on Make the Years. there are still elements of it though, and it does at times have a sort of epic feel, but in no way is it comparable to the dynamics and crescendos of the début. this albums is far more pure bred ’00s screamo. there *are* climaxes and so forth, but the songs do in no way depend on them. the cryptic lyrics and introverted style of these songs flow more hypnotising by, like water. listening to this album is like watching streams. beautiful.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/i-create-all-we-are-is-now/feed/ 0 I Create – Make the Years http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/i-create-make-the-years/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/i-create-make-the-years/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:21:21 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=749 starting out with well executed gang shouts, passing into a familiar ’90s/’00s style of hardcore in between Tragedy, Unbroken and Modern Life Is War, to take three well known examples. but it quickly enough breaks down to allow some twinkly guitars and soft bits that eventually climax in a loud and precise technical phase with distorted though melodic and twinkling guitars reigning together with complex drumming and emotive screaming that’s sort of reminiscent of I.Witness, though more screamo than crust, but definitely still dark and very much serious. I Create creates (GET IT? omg that was good) captivating dynamics comparable to what some of the instrumental ambient rock bands do. they don’t rely on it though, like, say, 1099 does. but there are however still a focused crescendo-oriented greatness to these songs. they are not humble in any way. they sound really ambitious, to be honest. and they earn the right to be ambitious through their excellent craftsmanship! the astounding dynamics throughout this record are only rivalled by the way the songs ooze of unity and solidarity. these songs sound like they come from the heart, and that’s where music should stem from. so take the time to listen to this album, because I Create have earned the right to it. you are in a constant state of debt to them, until you find the time to give these great songs a chance. I promise it won’t be a waste of time. in fact, they will make time stand still.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/i-create-make-the-years/feed/ 0 The Revolt – The Revolt http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/the-revolt-the-revolt/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/the-revolt-the-revolt/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:17:39 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=747 The Revolt are a fairly hard and brutal band from the chills of North Norway. desperate screaming, psychedelic guitars and a straight up brutal rhythm section are among the things this band has to show for themselves. playing their ear-bleeding fast hardcore that almost passes into grindcore, they hammer through this album with style. their progressive hardcore style has earned them a spot in everyone’s hearts. let them into yours as well, so they can rip it apart and eat the bits only to puke them up in the world’s different corners. this band rules. if you get a chance to see them live, do it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/the-revolt-the-revolt/feed/ 0 Age Sixteen – Open Up Finders, Please http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/age-sixteen-open-up-finders-please/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/age-sixteen-open-up-finders-please/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:42:05 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=737 Age Sixteen are back with another Suis La Lune-like screamo album. the previous post concerning this band was a tour sampler, but this is a full album. it’s more fast and clean guitars, screaming and very dynamic and complex rhythms, all of which come together in a beautiful melodic mess. since most of the songs are around two minutes and Age Sixteen are a band with very much to tell you, it gets a bit chaotic when they are trying to tell you so much in such a short time. but it doesn’t make it feel rushed, it only adds a chaotic feel to the otherwise very melodic and approachable soft tunes. because despite generally playing lightening fast, Age Sixteen manage to still convey many very different feelings throughout this album. the guitars change between weeping, roaring in anger and sophistically reflect on situations and opportunities gone lost, just as much as the disguised but not empty words that are sung, shouted, screamed and silently spoken. while showing (direct or indirect) influence from everything from Rites of Spring to Indian Summer to the more obvious Suis La Lune, Age Sixteen has made one of the most interesting and fulfilling things you could ever spend twenty minutes of your life on. actually, you’ll probably end up spending hours of your life on this. I also highly recommend you pick up the CD on their MySpace, with its beautiful cover. you’d be supporting the band, and this is definitely a band worth supporting. their hauntingly beautiful take on emotive hardcore is stunningly impressive. get this!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/age-sixteen-open-up-finders-please/feed/ 0 Quiritatio – Forgive and Forget http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/quiritatio-forgive-and-forget/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/quiritatio-forgive-and-forget/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:12:50 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=691 Quiritatio are situated deeply in the Norwegian hardcore scene – which is easy to tell. at least sometimes… because despite the undoubtedly typically depressing Norwegian core Quiritatio manage to stand out by being a thoroughly unique band that add lots of twist to the perfected formula of Orchid-like vocals, flying guitars and technical rhythm section. their misanthropic Cult of Luna-esque gloomy (yet hopeful – in the end) tales (whose influence can be spotted on the newest Dominic album posted beneath this post) are epic journeys throughout many a musical influence, most importantly various metal influences. the metal influence is highly noticeable, to put it kindly. not only in the immediate obvious, such as the low growling guitars as well as some guttural vocals, but also in the long, progressive and highly technical melodic structures. all of this diversity leads to a comparison to The Spectacle being somewhat necessary. but it doesn’t really matter matter who Quiritatio gets compared to. all you need to know is that they are great and you need to listen to them.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/quiritatio-forgive-and-forget/feed/ 0 Dominic – Nord http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/dominic-nord/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/dominic-nord/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:09:56 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=685 whenever I’ve mentioned Dominic I’ve always stressed how this band is so incredibly unique and different. and I will continue to do this, because there is no one like them, and I can’t wait to see them live again later this month. this is a band who has been together “forever”, yet they don’t have all that many releases to their name. that’s because they’ve toured all over Europe probably a thousand times. but fortunately for us fans, whenever they decide to actually release something – it’s always near perfect. their highly distinct form of screamo is always very welcome in optic or analogue formats. both of which are purchasable from http://www.denovali.com/dominic/ by the way, and I recommend everyone to hit that up. notice how thorough everything is. the covers are astonishing and well worth the money by themselves! but back to the music. Dominic has evolved noticeably as musicians since their last release. the individual performances are fantastic. but it’s the entirety, the symbiosis that’s the most impressing. all of these marvellous individual performances come together like if they used to be one being once. the music is a dark and gloomy voice that recounts the ancient days of yore when everything was just as depressing as now. this is definitely a band from the cold and dark Northern Norway (the title of the album means north). but where there’s coldness, darkness and depression – there is naturally also hope. the hopefulness in Dominic’s composition is hidden beneath frustration and desperation, but it is definitely in there somewhere. it just takes a lot of listens to find it. Dominic’s albums in general takes many listens to fully appreciate. there are so many levels to the songs. it’s quite complex and interesting to witness just how deep this goes. so come join the party, even though it isn’t a joyful one.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/dominic-nord/feed/ 0 The Crinn – Kills Curiosity http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/the-crinn-kills-curiosity/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/the-crinn-kills-curiosity/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:46:54 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=683 a lot of you might have heard of a band called The Crinn. a heavy-hitting mathcore band on Nuclear Blast. however, that currently active band can’t be all too compared to the band I’m introducing to you here. this The Crinn are an obscure alien specie that is here to kill all your curiosity regarding them. their weapon? complete and utter musical insanity like none other. though taking most influence from screamo, grindcore, mathcore and artsy punk/metal/alternative bands (The Blood Brothers), The Crinn pretty much just do their own thing (which they named sci-fi core back in the day). this is The Crinn’s first release. pretty obscure, but still sold through their MySpace. they have a different drummer (who by the way is featured on sickestdrummer.com) and a different vocalist, who you should be familiar with through other posts on this blog (e.g. Red From Winter). anyway their sound is kind of uhm… hard to break down into a paragraph or so. it’s jazzy, technical and roaming. constantly shifting tempo and just… everything. this band does not blend genres, it jumps between them at random. for people who haven’t been exposed to experimental music, this will probably come off as really messy and completely crazy. however I am sure that even the most alien to experimental and avant-garde music has the potential to appreciate this true master piece. it might take some time though… Kills Curiosity stands for me as the epitome of experimental screamo. it’s almost closer to free jazz. combine this with the super artsy lyrics («THE CHILD WITH NO TOES KNOWS WHERE THE WAY THROUGH DANGER GOES», and let’s not forget the legendary «BECAUSE LOVE AIN’T NO RELIGION, OUR LOVE WAS SCIENCE FICTION») and the awesome cover this comes in, and you’ve got a pretty good reason to buy this. a simply stunning piece of music. get it. it may change your perception of what is and what isn’t music. (or destroy it.)

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/the-crinn-kills-curiosity/feed/ 0 Monument – 3 New Songs http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/monument-3-new-songs/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/monument-3-new-songs/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:48:31 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=666 this happiness is contagious. I am pretty happy with that sentence. almost so happy I’d leave that as the entire write-up for this album. however, these three songs deserve more words. this here is three songs that pretty much puts the feeling of joy to mp3s. some of the parts here are more of that goody rushing Kinsella rock and some of them are more technical and crescendo-based, and it is with great pleasure I announce Monument’s great success at both styles. you simply need to hear this. at once. oh, what’s that you say? you’re left unaffected by these songs, «have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? have you left no sense of decency»???

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/monument-3-new-songs/feed/ 0 Monument – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/monument-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/monument-demo/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:47:35 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=665 I have yet some more Monument, so I really hope you like these guys as much as I do! because here’s some more Cap’n Jazzy goodiness with all the loudness and energy that entails. Monument are somewhat more controlled and precise in their journey than Cap’n Jazz, not giving so much away to coincidence, resulting in a more stable environment. where Cap’n Jazz are speeding way out of control with a vocalist screaming out words so fast he can’t even care less if he manages to pronounce them anywhere near correctly, Monument knows the speed limit. and they don’t make this a disadvantage nor an advantage. they find their own comfort zone and experiment within it with at times great success, in particular at the awesome twinkly guitar breakdown on “Seneca”, where everything sounds just about right.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/11/monument-demo/feed/ 0 Monument – 3 Songs http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/monument-3-songs/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/monument-3-songs/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:08:40 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=652 right off the bat you can tell that Monument has definitely decided on a sound by now. it’s Cap’n Jazzy loud, jangly and distorted emo with harmonic but harsh guitars, carefree vocals, melodic bass and upbeat drumming. I simply love this stuff! people say that Cap’n Jazz makes you feel like you’re six years old running around in the living room screaming your head off till your dizzy and fall down on your knees laughing in between the panting – Monument feels the same.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/monument-3-songs/feed/ 0 Monument – Florida http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/monuments-florida/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/monuments-florida/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:04:31 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=653 despite citing Braid and American Football as their influences, Monument are definitely a band with their own sound. a lot of bands citing American Football as a main influence sound pretty much… exactly like American Football, with some minor twists. and those bands are generally great, don’t get me wrong! but I must admit being pleasantly surprised with Monuments more jangly and distorted emo rock that feels almost as home with Pavement – or, to take a totally different band that they also sound like, Built to Spill – as it does with late ’90s and early ’00s emo. they are at times loud like Pavement, hitting you with a wall of guitars – but other times they play sensible and twinkly guitar-based rock like Built to Spill, or even Yo La Tengo. there are some noisy ambient-like tracks and an acoustic guitar track to make sure it gets diverse enough for everyone. the acoustic song is actually the closest Monument ever get to American Football in their exploration of different sounds. anyway, this is an interesting journey by a band that might not yet have found it’s sound, but experiment with lots of different sounds, all of which are interesting in their own way. give it a go.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/monuments-florida/feed/ 0 die, emperor! die! – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/die-emperor-die-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/die-emperor-die-discography/#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:26:47 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=645 to some extent die, emperor! die follows the same format as mamma, jeg blör… with only consisting of a guitarist/vocalist and a drummer. both of which playing aggressive and brutal emo. mjg are however far louder and simplistic, if you will. ded on the other hand display Mid-West emo tendencies (they are from Texas after all) and general ’90s emo leanings, whilst mjg are far more comparable to ’90s screamo. so, to make an analogy, if “BSD is what you get when a bunch of UNIX hackers sit down to try to port a UNIX system to the PC”, and “Linux is what you get when a bunch of PC hackers sit down and try to write a Unix system for the PC” – then die, emperor! die! are what you get when two punks kids play emo in a screamo manner, and mjg are what you get when two emo kids play punk in a screamo manner. the result is even more confusing than the analogy. but anyway, this is captivating screamo that’s in motion at all times. it’s able to change and adapt to effectively create different moods. sometimes relying on crescendos, but often resulting in surprising moments where it sneaks up at you from behind and suffocates you with volume. you never know where you have these guys, and they take full advantage of it. an outstanding record! download it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/die-emperor-die-discography/feed/ 0 Cerulean – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/cerulean-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/cerulean-discography/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:24:50 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=643 you know those few perfect songs that sound like the two great lovers are enjoying their desperate and passionate one last kiss whilst the world is falling apart behind them? now imagine if a band made seventeen songs like that… Germany’s take on ’90s emo is both intriguing and mesmerising. Cerulean (a.k.a. Pilots in Paris) are definitely not an exception to either of those rules. what separates this magnificent band from the others already posted on my blog might be how clean they sound. it’s still raw and passionate ’90s emo, but the production is quite clean, though still somewhat more gritty. while the diverse and highly dynamic drumming shines through crisply enough, the guitars sometimes are the definition of twinkly ’90s emo, but other times it proves more than capable of producing furious riffs, revealing the production as not *too* clean. not by miles. it sometimes passes into the same Hüsker Dü and Sugar-like territory as Christie Front Drive did on the Anthology record, though without being as obviously tied to ’80s alternative in their sound. Cerulean sound more like The Pennikurvers, Ribbon Fix, Ethel Meserve and The Pine. most of all it sounds like Mineral’s “Sadder Star”, with the nervous and angst-ridden vocals over the washing explosion of melody that completely encompasses every feeling or mood that this style of emo should. consequently, the only real weakness of this discography is simply that it’s way too short. while being well over eighty minutes, it’s like it’s over right after you’ve pushed play. despite every track being highly distinct from one another; despite it’s epic greatness, it’s over all too soon. you simply can’t get enough of this intriguing and mesmerising German emo. a truly magic album not comparable to anything else. a deeply confessional, emotional and personal record that tells a beautiful story that needs to be heard to be believed. you need this. a lot.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/cerulean-discography/feed/ 0 Vikings! – 2008 EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/vikings-2008-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/vikings-2008-ep/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:25:11 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=624 the soft ’90s Mineral-like intro proves to be as deceitful as the intro to Emo Summer’s Land of Emotional Plastic Furniture, because a tap-tap on the snare later, this is full-blown screamo. there are some sugarsweet clean guitars like Suis La Lune employ from time to time, but mostly it’s somewhat more distorted and heavy. this is very much modern present-day screamo. less chaotic in its execution than the early ’90s screamo, and much more refined, focusing on tempo shifts and dynamic crescendo elements instead. it’s atmospheric and focuses on dexterous guitar textures instead of pulling out hard riffs. the chord-progressions aims to create moody math-like screamo that dictates the loudness, whilst the drums handle the tempo. in the mean time, the bass does a fantastic job at adding that little extra harmony to the structure, over which the emotional screams slides in comfortably the not too often times they choose to step forward. don’t miss out on this band! even though they are no longer active, this EP can be bought from http://myspace.com/lolvikings for $5.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/vikings-2008-ep/feed/ 0 The Tie That Binds – Half Past Heroes http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/the-tie-that-binds-half-past-heroes/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/the-tie-that-binds-half-past-heroes/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:50:59 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=609 right from the very first note, this band destroys all. an upbeat emo drive with ultra-melodic guitars that are busy at work picking out the very best of catchy harmonies to just thrash at your ears so fucking hard they’ll bleed out of pure joy. this is a record to cherish from that first note to the very last note of the large and impressive ultra-climactic ending of an album beyond compare. The Tie That Binds shares a great deal with the likes of Eversor, Uni-V and Christie Front Drive. but look! there’s some The Get Up Kids and Jimmy Eat World over there, in the distance! yes. while being largely residing in emo territory, Half Past Heroes pays enough visits to the neighbouring country of alternative to churn out a great deal of chiming riffs that are catchy enough to secretly infiltrate a Saves the Day concert. there’s even those damned start-stop rhythms! but don’t get me wrong… despite showcasing some alternative influences, this is still ’90s emo to the core (albeit released in 2001). raw and slightly hoarse vocals singing fatalistic tunes about half past heroes, half empty bottles and the classic “better days” when you stayed out all day and in all night (holding her tight), harmonizing with guitars interchanging between sweet twinkling and heavily distorted power chords. in addition you’ll also notice some more soft bits as well, serving sometimes as build-ups to guitar/vocal harmonies that almost crosses into 90s hardcore (Unbroken, Sons of Abraham…) and generally just reign like none other. but other times, the slowing down and softening up leads to intimate confessions, easily compared to Mineral’s majestic compositions. when you listen to the track Half Past Hero, there’s something peculiarly reminiscent of TheLastWordIsRejoice. the vocal interactions generates a comfortable feeling of nostalgia. to sum up this record: get it. it’s simply amazing.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/the-tie-that-binds-half-past-heroes/feed/ 0 What Price, Wonderland? – Claim http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/what-price-wonderland-claim/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/what-price-wonderland-claim/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:47:01 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=600 they say they won’t play songs older than this record here, which is very sad due to how awesome the older songs are. however, it is understandable – because even though they don’t completely renew themselves with Claim, they definitely display a much more polished and matured sound. all the instruments are generally tighter and more interactive and slightly more thrashing. so get it on this excellent release! a defining emo record to rival the very best.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/what-price-wonderland-claim/feed/ 0 What Price, Wonderland? – Feel Express Share Aid http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/what-price-wonderland-feel-express-share-aid/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/what-price-wonderland-feel-express-share-aid/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:21:46 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=590 What Price, Wonderland? are playing a ferocious punk rock inspired by 80s emo among other things. they are expressive, extroverted and emotive emo at its finest. from the track titles to the shouts to the way they let me put their albums on the blog, this is a band who is extremely dedicated to the punk/hardcore/emo scene, and their passion is highly evident in their music. rapid drumming, semi-clean tech chord progressions, shouting and melodic bass lines are put in focus most of the time, with fragments of softness and beauty showing themselves gradually at times, contrasting the raw emotion and almost theatrical anger that stings you like you’re sleeping on a bed of needles and having bad dreams resulting in a lot of twisting and turning. this album enters your life like salt in open wounds, it leaves you a stronger person. learn what it means to feel, express, share and aid. download this album at once.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/10/what-price-wonderland-feel-express-share-aid/feed/ 0 I.Witness – I.Witness http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/09/i-witness-i-witness/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/09/i-witness-i-witness/#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:55:47 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=196 have you picked up these guys’ demo and/or the live show posted on this blog? well then you know how awesome they are. this is their album. it consists of the four tracks on the demo (in a remastered version) plus five more tracks. (most of which appear on the concert from this blog.) I.Witness has always been in between genres, and this persists with their début album. right off the bat they combine screamo sensibilities with a hardcore drive and crust guitars. heavy breakdowns and constant movement are key words to I.Witness’s sound. the diversity represented on the album is stunning. this album fits in like half the categories on this page. they fall somewhat on the same side as Alpinist, with their crust/screamo (creamo) combination. dynamic screamo passages and outros break up the intense crust drive of the songs. there’s low and guttural rhythm guitars and more high semi-twinkly screamo leads with shouting and screaming on top, and vivid cymbal-reliant drumming to keep it alive and moving. hardcore from Rossija. get this!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/09/i-witness-i-witness/feed/ 0 Don Quichote – Don Quichote http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/09/don-quichote-don-quichote/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/09/don-quichote-don-quichote/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:39:26 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=523 everyone seems to be intrigued by ’90s emo. whether it’s the harmonic Cap’n Jazz style of emo displayed by e.g. Bells on Trike posted below, or whether it’s this more noisy attempts inspired by Heroin and so on – like Don Quichote demonstrates on this self titled 10″ from ’97. they are kind of like Age and Assay meets 125, Rue Montmartre and Cerulean. it’s Ebullition meets Gravity. it’s ’90s emo/hardcore. really intense, like I.Witness that are on this blog as well. Don Quichote’s voals remind me of Evergreen and The Pine. it’s slightly nasal and very emotional. their intense guitars also sound a bit like – you’ve guessed it – Evergreen and The Pine. heavily distorted angsty harmonies with nervous twinkling in between them. add mellow and dynamic bass lines that while being in the background still somehow manage to stand out and steal focus to the mix and you’re set. the bassist does a splendid job at adding a melodic and soft touch while not being an attention-whore. the bass basically makes you close your eyes and be mesmerised by the beautiful harmonies. finally I must address the very competent drummer that has no qualms about constantly revolutionising the tempo as well as the overall feel of the songs. it’s full on. these things are utterly amazing by themselves, but put them together and you have a holy symbiosis of magic that is untouchable. nothing comes close to sounding like this band. this 10″ is a unique experience that everyone should go through. you need to download this. and afterwards you need to buy it while you still can at: http://superfluous-records.blogspot.com/2009/06/don-quichote-six-song-10-inch.html

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/09/don-quichote-don-quichote/feed/ 0 Bells on Trike – Bells on Trike http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/09/bells-on-trike-bells-on-trike/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/09/bells-on-trike-bells-on-trike/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:45:49 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=198 everyone should be familiar with Bells on Trike. and if you aren’t – WHY? get familiar with them – because you’re “noot geettiiinngg yoouunggerrrr”. while this band wasn’t around as long as e.g. Mineral and Christie Front Drive, they are by no means a band which should be overlooked. they play the same stile of ’90s emo® as the beforehand mentioned. the Cap’n Jazz school of emo was always the more popular one… well, anyway. Bells on Trike focus on clean and sparse guitar harmonies that are so soft they will fucking stab you to death. the vocals are minimalistic and put low in the mix, which makes the emotional weight they carry sound even heavier. and this guy does a great job at sounding emotional, let me tell you. shouting, ultra-easy-on-the-ears harmonies… he does them all. equally well.the melodic bass lines ensure a dynamic and vivid sound that almost sounds chaotic, and probably would’ve been if not for the sparse yet ingenius guitars. especially if it were up to the upbeat and jazzy drumming. like Mineral’s, the drumming sounds like it never does the same thing twice. it gives an experimental jam touch to the songs. however the tracks never go full throttle chaos. they are mostly kept in check by the elegant dexterity-demonstrations by the guitarists. so get in on this. it rules.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/09/bells-on-trike-bells-on-trike/feed/ 0 The Loneliest Cowgirls – The Loneliest Cowgirls http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/the-loneliest-cowgirls-the-loneliest-cowgirls/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/the-loneliest-cowgirls-the-loneliest-cowgirls/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:25:50 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=199 while I could probably go on to write an entire essay about the story behind this one man band, I’ll just say that it’s another project by Ethan from The Sky Looks Pissed. these songs are sparse acoustic melodies. broken hearted love songs in the vein of S. this is almost like painful lo-fi acoustic emo. somewhere in between country, folk punk and emo. download it and give it a go. it’s simply outstanding music. emotionally challenging and incredibly fascinating. get it!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/the-loneliest-cowgirls-the-loneliest-cowgirls/feed/ 0 125, Rue Montmartre- songs from Maggat Split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/125-rue-montmartre-songs-from-maggat-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/125-rue-montmartre-songs-from-maggat-split/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:29:25 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=522 125, Rue Montmartre did a split with Maggat. the two songs in this post is the result. and if you like the other posts, you will like this. if you didn’t, you won’t. it’s more of the same “reserved yet intense” emo that kind of sounds like Mineral’s Rubber Legs, except from the vocals who share virtually no traits at all. 125RM’s vocalist is a woman for one, and she sings in German for two. she does not sing in a way anyway resembling Chris Simpson’s vocal style. she has her own style, that definitely fits this music though. so check this out, yo.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/125-rue-montmartre-songs-from-maggat-split/feed/ 0 125, Rue Montmartre- song from a compilation http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/125-rue-montmartre-song-from-a-compilation/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/125-rue-montmartre-song-from-a-compilation/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:18:51 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=200 this is a very nice song called 8x lied by 125, Rue Montmartre, that appeared on some compilation. it’s upbeat and dreamy sound with talked vocals is somewhere between earlier JimmyEatWorld and the calmer parts of newer Envy. some people say that this band makes German sound beautiful, and I can see what they’re getting at. the vocal style is very fitting. it further enhances the dreamy feel of the track. the song is like a constant build up. it gets better and better, more and more intense, all the time. so if you like twinkly and mellow emo you should definitely try this on for size.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/125-rue-montmartre-song-from-a-compilation/feed/ 0 125, Rue Montmartre- 125, Rue Montmartre http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/125-rue-montmartre-125-rue-montmartre/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/125-rue-montmartre-125-rue-montmartre/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:17:52 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=201 German emo is pretty awesome. this is definitely evidence of that. sounding like they belong somewhere between the raw Republic of Freedom Fighters and the beautiful Mineral, 125RM are a fresh sounding emo band with female vocals, raw and twinkly guitars, upbeat and dreamy drumming and melodic and soft bass lines. easily compared to Cerulean/Pilots in Paris for their sensitivity combined with rawness style.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/125-rue-montmartre-125-rue-montmartre/feed/ 0 Mihai Edrisch – Un jour sans lendemain http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/mihai-edrisch-un-jour-sans-lendemain/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/mihai-edrisch-un-jour-sans-lendemain/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:58:40 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=255 on their second effort, Mihai Edrisch comes across as more mature. the song writing is more structured. it sounds more disciplined. I’ll leave it up to you to find out whether that’s a good thing or not. what it ultimately results in is a more consistent album. everything belongs together. there’s an intro, an interlude and an outro in the same dreamy style. every song title is one word. the songs are more alike, thus perhaps fitting more appropriately together. on the other hand, the first one was more diverse. but still, both of the albums are great for different reasons. they are both awesome screamo albums with multiple highlights. all the songs have those European flying screamo guitars and complex rhythm section, with the French screamo vocal style. it’s simply awesome, so check it out. especially the end track (not the outro but the track before it). a brilliant track. probably this band’s finest.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/mihai-edrisch-un-jour-sans-lendemain/feed/ 0 Mihai Edrisch – L’un sans l’autre http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/mihai-edrisch-lun-sans-lautre/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/mihai-edrisch-lun-sans-lautre/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:42:49 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=266 Mihai Edrisch are another French screamo band for you to download. they provide you with further evidence why France is one of the leading screamo countries in the 2000s. highly creative, technical and explosive screamo. the guitars interchange between twinkling beautifully and thrashing it completely. the vocals are compromised of passionate screams. the drums and bass glues everything together, whilst not being afraid of shining through at times; stealing the focus. all in all Mihai Edrisch are the kind of band that people who use terms such as “post rock” will love. they have nice build ups and several climaxes. European screamo the way it should be.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/mihai-edrisch-lun-sans-lautre/feed/ 0 Celeste – Misantrophe(s) http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/celeste-misantrophes/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/celeste-misantrophes/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:47:50 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=267 if you are like me and prefer early Isis over newer Isis – this album should tickle your fancy. if you don’t give a fuck about Isis (you should, btw), you should listen to this album because it is awesome. epic and grandiose progressive screamo mixed with powerful and hard-hitting black metal. what more can one ask of a band? it’s Euro-style breakdowns and interludes galore, black metal guitars and screamed vocals. screamed like Manhattan Skyline, Orchid and Quiritatio’s screams – not like Honeywell, Reach Out and mamma, jeg blör… but the main ingredient in Celeste’s music is how epic they sound, and the sheer progressiveness they display. so get on it. download!

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/celeste-misantrophes/feed/ 0 Celeste – Nihiliste(s) http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/celeste-nihilistes/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/celeste-nihilistes/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:03:51 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=268 with their second release, Celeste moves into black metal territory. fusing two genres that are thought to be almost polar opposites: screamo and black metal. (okay, there are screamo/metal bands out there. there are even punk/black metal bands. but this is *screamo/black metal*. that’s not like, the most common fusing ever.) but after listening to this album, you will most certainly not view the genres as opposites. not at all. they go hand in hand, forging a union of might and power. every bit as mesmerizing as the previous release, «this music is too dreamy». and the black metal influences will have you bobbing your head even harder this time around. almost… *yikes* – headbanging. like a proper metalhead. so if you’re really into punk but hate metal (for some obscure reason), this might be your gateway into the grandiose metal genre. if you’re into metal – consider this your entry to the rawness of punk rock. if you’re into both… well then you obviously put this on repeat. also be sure to check out Uranus, Iskra, One Eyed God Prophecy, The Spectacle, Manhattan Skyline and other punk bands with metal influences. but first: download this album. it’s a heavy mother fucker of an album. it rips. get it.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/celeste-nihilistes/feed/ 0 Celeste – Pessimiste(s) http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/celeste-pessimistes/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/celeste-pessimistes/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:46:21 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=276 if you like the crusty tech bands on this blog, like Manhattan Skyline, you’ll definitely want to download Celeste (which consists of ex-Mihai Edrisch members, among others). this is the kind of band that you imagine yourself in complete trance, moving nothing but your head, which is bobbing to the inviting sounds of melancholy and utter despair, if you ever get a chance to see them live. their mesmerizing beyond compare. epic like City of Caterpillar, hard like Orchid and tech like Manhattan Skyline. a simply amazing band that deserves your download. you will probably want to buy their albums as well, because this is just too good not to.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/celeste-pessimistes/feed/ 0 Gone With the Pain – from a split with Reaction and Under the Waves http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/gone-with-the-pain-from-a-split-with-reaction-and-under-the-waves/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/gone-with-the-pain-from-a-split-with-reaction-and-under-the-waves/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:43:22 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=277 this is a song by Gone With the Pain that appeared on a split with two other bands. the song is a 1:34 mammoth thrasher. fast and chaotic screamo similar to Don’t Fuck With Columbus, but with The Spirit of Versailles vocals. if you haven’t bothered getting anything from this band before and want a little teaser, get this. if you have the rest of the releases posted on that’s punk… well then you are currently listening to the song instead of reading this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/gone-with-the-pain-from-a-split-with-reaction-and-under-the-waves/feed/ 0 Gone With the Pain – La Ideología Del Vacío http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/gone-with-the-pain-la-ideologia-del-vacio/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/gone-with-the-pain-la-ideologia-del-vacio/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:40:23 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=278 if you downloaded Gone With the Pain’s s/t and thought that it was awesome but wish all the songs were too long or wish they’d be even faster and even louder… well then this is the download for you. if you didn’t download their s/t – download this. then download the s/t. because you need to give this band a go. what’s different from the s/t album? well for starters, every song on here is less than two minutes long. there’s a little more clear production, and the guitars are slightly cleaner. the screaming (almost shrieking) is even more intense. it’s more explosive. they hardly ever (only once) go into twinkly little interludes… but that’s only so they can explode and hit you harder than ever. they basically stop at nothing. it’s like a constant beating. it never ends! so download it and put it on repeat… until next that’s punk post, naturally.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/gone-with-the-pain-la-ideologia-del-vacio/feed/ 0 Gone With the Pain & Optimus Prime split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/gone-with-the-pain-optimus-prime-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/gone-with-the-pain-optimus-prime-split/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:39:24 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=279 this is a split between two pretty different, yet similar bands. the first half is by Optimus Prime, a Russian band. with an awesome lead guitar that plays what sometimes almost sound like classic rock solos, a viola, screamed vocals, upbeat drumming and just an overall tight sound. the lead guitar is especially worth noticing. it gives this band a unique sound. it’s a bit like One Last Wish. (listen to My Better Half.) oh and just because it has a viola, it doesn’t mean that they sound anything like I Would Set Myself on Fire for You. because they don’t. at all. this is way more intense. while they may have some of the experimental features of IWASMOFFY, they are not nearly as jazzy. most of the time they are also faster and more to the point. the guitars are also several miles away from IWASMOFFY. but in terms of quality – it’s just as good. a freaking awesome band that needs your attention. and so does the band behind the second half of the split. Gone With the Pain are intense, fast, loud, hard, screamo. in Spanish. their half of the split is actually their s/t album from 2006 in its entirety! and it’s great. I don’t really know what to compare this band with. it’s a bit like Don’t Fuck With Columbus, only it’s pretty much nonstop kicking you square in the nuts. there are few occasions where this band slows things down – but when they do, they do so to incorporate more experimental elements in the songs, as well as allowing the guitars to take a more “pretty” approach, twinkling and what not. it’s just as awesome as the noisy bits, if not more. at times they remind me a lot of The Spirit of Versailles – and in the noisier parts, the vocals are fairly comparable to BJ Anderson’s vocals. so if you’re into The Spirit of Versailles and other a bit chaotic and intense bands, this is the band for you.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/gone-with-the-pain-optimus-prime-split/feed/ 0 syn*error – songs from a split tape with Jet Pilot http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/synerror-songs-from-a-split-tape-with-jet-pilot/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/synerror-songs-from-a-split-tape-with-jet-pilot/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:43:24 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=521 these are the songs from syn*error’s bit of their split with Jet Pilot. one of the tracks evident on this post have appeared earlier (the s*e/WPW? split), but the other four are new additions, which I hope you like. if you have downloaded the other syn*error posts – you know what you’re in for. if not… well then this is as good a place to start as any other. this is the type of band that probably would be tagged with “real emo” or “real screamo” on last.fm if they were popular. drawing influence from Still Life, Portraits of the Past, The Saddest Landscape and all that jazz, syn*error are definitely a “real” emo/screamo band. a solid and semi-experimental rhythm section that allows two sharp guitars to constantly try to create interesting patterns, experimenting with dynamics and contrasts. on top of all of this are the screamo vocals, perhaps a little less in focus than they tend to be in other screamo bands. the mix comes out awesome, and is definitely something everyone will have to make time to listen to. out of all the syn*error posts on that’s punk, it may also be worth mentioning that this is the most European-sounding one. so if you’re really into that stuff – get this. if you like all types of emo – get this. if you like *good music* – get this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/synerror-songs-from-a-split-tape-with-jet-pilot/feed/ 0 syn*error – syn*error http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/synerror-synerror/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/synerror-synerror/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:00:50 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=304 hailing from Berlin, syn*error are a modern band that plays 90s emo. but not like Mineral and Christie Front Drive. more like Bubblejug, Still Life and Portraits of Past. it’s chaotic, dynamic and semi-experimental. but it’s still 90s emo, so some twinkling is still present. particurarly in the intros. it quickly builds up to a far more aggressive sound though. screaming, borderline jazzy drumming and screamo guitars. and lots of start-stop dynamics. mostly fast paced, but willing to slow down and be gentle at times. it’s in these calm bridges or whatever the melodies are perhaps at their most atmospheric. very much enjoyable. syn*error also employ somewhat unorthodox (especially to mainstream music, which they obviously don’t play) patterns, without having clear distinctions between them. they are not going A-B-A-B-C-B-B. every song is like a journey. they explore as much as possible. and they do so with considerably style, ending up somewhere between the twinkly almost poppy Cap’n Jazz influenced midwest emo and the chaotic and dynamic San Diego influenced emo/screamo. while they probably belong more in the latter, there definitely are traces of the first mentioned to be found. and that’s simply awesome, because this fusion works out better than anyone could ever hope for. absolutely beautiful music that I recommend everyone to check out. also note that one of the tracks on this album appear on the WPW? split posted earlier.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/synerror-synerror/feed/ 0 What Price, Wonderland?/syn*error tour split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/what-price-wonderlandsynerror-tour-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/what-price-wonderlandsynerror-tour-split/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:00:51 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=305 are you looking for more English emo? you have found the right blog then. what’s that you say, you’ve been meaning to check out some German emo lately? you have, once again, come to the right blog. so why not grab a chair, sit down and enjoy your stay. I guarantee you’ll find your residence very pleasant. this is a split between English hardcore/emo favourites What Price, Wonderland?, and the more screamo oriented syn*error from Germany. if anyone has their doubts about how these two bands could make a split that makes sense – shame on you! if you download it, you’ll find that everything makes perfect sense. while WPW borrows more from Cap’n Jazz than it does from Still Life, Don Martin 3 and Admiral, s*e are pretty much the opposite. this makes the bands slightly reminiscent, yet completely different, consequently making the split sound pretty awesome. the two bands are only similar in those little twinkles the guitars make, some of the rhythms and the passion. and that’s more than enough. it makes the similarity intricate instead of completely obvious. it’s the greatest strenght of the split. so grab this. enjoy WPW’s seven minute epic and their two other Cap’n Jazz-esque songs. enjoy s*e’s Drive Like Jehu style over the course of four songs. there’s plenty of twinkly guitars and complex climaxes to be found here. this is emo the way emo should be. and if you are a WPW fan who haven’t heard this, you need to hear it! this is WPW leaving the screaming and thrashing behind, in substitution for even more twinkling than usual. this sounds like what Manrae might’d sound like if they were on Jade Tree instead of Ebullition.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/08/what-price-wonderlandsynerror-tour-split/feed/ 0 I.Witness – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/07/i-witness-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/07/i-witness-demo/#comments Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:36:52 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=306 with fast and to the point hardcore punk with heavy breakdowns and easy on the ear screamo chord progressions, this release has one foot in screamo, and one foot standing on the border between hardcore, crust and metalcore. it could just as easily’ve been in the crust/grind/power violence category or the screamo category. whilst obviously influenced by the likes of Modern Life is War and Tragedy, this band takes an even more melodic approach with their guitars. it reminds me of Alpinist at times. so if you like screaming, the guitar style of crust/screamo (creamo) bands and the sheer power of hardcore, then definitely check this out. peace.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/07/i-witness-demo/feed/ 0 Bubblejug – Anthology http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/07/bubblejug-anthology/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/07/bubblejug-anthology/#comments Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:49:10 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=319 if you were into that Parades End 7″ I posted, you will be into this. it’s ye olde chaotic mid 90s emo. back when emo bands called themselves “hardcore” because they thought “emo” was silly, not because they didn’t want to be compared to bad androgynous Jimmy Eat World copies and so on. this is a fine band with frantic guitars, melodic bass lines, unorthodox semi-jazzy drumming with cowbell, saxophones and cryptic lyrics sung/shouted by chaotic vocals – sometimes male, sometimes female. dreamy driving punk rock with psychedlic and experimental touches like Fugazi. a must download. get it. :)

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/07/bubblejug-anthology/feed/ 0 Age Sixteen – Tour Sampler http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/age-sixteen-tour-sampler/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/age-sixteen-tour-sampler/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:33:17 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=393 if Suis La Lune was American they’d probably be sixteen years old. don’t mind how bad that joke/pun/whatever was, because Age Sixteen really sounds like Suis La Lune, with their clean guitars, complex drumming and intense screaming. despite basically having the exact same sound as Suis La Lune, it’s still a fresh and interesting band that’s well worth following. they really prove that you don’t how to re-invent the wheel to sound awesome. so check them out. they have a lot of cheap stuff on their MySpace you should consider picking up as well. support this new and currently active band, because they need the money more than [insert whatever 90s midwest emo band you're searching for on eBay whilst reading this]. so download this and have a listen. and if you like it – supppportzz!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/age-sixteen-tour-sampler/feed/ 0 Mesa Verde – The Old Road http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/mesa-verde-the-old-road/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/mesa-verde-the-old-road/#comments Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:39:23 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=519 a dreamy intro with epic overtones makes the listener wonder – did I just put on a skram band, or some Sigur Rós? the song’s name “A Deep Sleep Without Dreams” fails to describe the song accurately, because it feels like you’re having five hundred dreams all at once, all of which tell epic tales from the days of yore. it all climaxes in what can only be the final battle of good of evil. truly epic, truly glorious. to victory we ride! and to follow this epic intro track, there’s highly technical as well as highly awesome screamo, filled with intensity and dynamics. there are no slow or high-paced tracks per se. the album is just really stuffed with diversity. you’re going to hear quick bursts of high paced screamo breaking down into guitars playing simple hooks, with screaming on top of it – building up to crash-heavy drumming… and so on. it’s constantly moving, and well worth of a listen. your listen! download it. then go get it from blind records . http://www.artforblind.com/

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/mesa-verde-the-old-road/feed/ 0 Half Seas Over – Half Seas Over http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/half-seas-over-half-seas-over/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/half-seas-over-half-seas-over/#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:34:14 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=390 the first thing that popped into my head when I first heard this was One Last Wish. the second thing was At the Drive-In. the third was Manrae. I have no regrets in comparing it to the first and third thing… not to sure about At the Drive-In though… but! even if it doesn’t sound all that much like AtDI, it definitely is every bit as good. semi-funky and mostly upbeat emo from England that contains two ex-Manrae members. but if you think that just because you love Manrae you will automatically dig this… well… you’re probably right. it’s very similar in sound and message. but at the same time it’s pretty different as well. I would say that it’s kind of to Manrae what One Last Wish are to Rites of Spring. this is also a lot more midwest emo reminiscent than Manrae. especially the vocals. it sounds like it would go right in on the Don’t Forget to Breathe compilation, between Boys Life and Ethel Meserve. it’s every bit as good at least…

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/half-seas-over-half-seas-over/feed/ 0 Manrae – Pacata Hibernia http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/manrae-pacata-hibernia/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/manrae-pacata-hibernia/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:13:08 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=579 Manrae’s seven inch Pacata Hibernia is one of my dearest records. it holds a special place in my collection. it is so well done, it’s almost over the top. the cover artwork, the liner notes and obviously the songs… who can ever forget «this is a lullaby to yourself!», «smash the hour glass!» or «this is a thousand years!»? such iconic lyrics, and such heavy music. the crushing guitars are followed by perfect drumming and soft and melodic bass lines. and on top of it all is this Leicester accented shouting and occational screaming. this is in no way screamo though. this is that awesome obscure ’90s emo, like Parades End. if you have not stumbled across this masterpiece before – then get stumbling! because this is a must have. nothing more nor less. get it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/manrae-pacata-hibernia/feed/ 0 iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook-discography/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:34:13 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=389 iwrotehaikusaboutacannibalisminyouryearbook were a group of teenagers in a place and a time. they wanted to capture that place and time to deal with their issues in an expressive way. and by doing so, they created something beautiful. this discography contains all the emotion in the world, in just over forty-five minutes. if the heart could scream, it would sound like this, urging you to open *your* heart and scream a long. I wish I had something more to say. I’m sorry.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook-discography/feed/ 0 Sed Non Satiata – Le Ciel De Notre Enfance http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/sed-non-satiata-le-ciel-de-notre-enfance/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/sed-non-satiata-le-ciel-de-notre-enfance/#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:39:22 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=520 from the calm and marvellous minute of soothing guitars into the intense though just as marvellous next three minutes of engaging guitars, passionate screams and well-flowing progressive screamo – the opening track “sets the standard”, one could say. and that standard is met throughout the whole album. especially due to the grand climaxes. this band has Dominic-like riffing that every now and then climaxes into this (newer) Envy epicness – all with a big French screamo touch. having such lengthy songs as Sed Non Satiata have, they need to somehow grab the attention and then proceed to keep it for several minutes. fortunately, they beyond accomplish this at all times with this thoroughly enjoyable and incredibly well-performed album.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/sed-non-satiata-le-ciel-de-notre-enfance/feed/ 0 Mesa Verde – In This Silence We Will Slow Dance http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/mesa-verde-in-this-silence-we-will-slow-dance/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/mesa-verde-in-this-silence-we-will-slow-dance/#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:33:12 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=388 Mesa Verde are a band that are full of great screamo guitar passages reminiscent of City of Caterpillar and even the Norwegian skram Dominic. the screaming is also very alike the screaming of CoC and Dominic. loud, heartfelt and distorted. the pronounciation is less clear (perhaps due to an excessive amount of distortion) though, so bring out your lyrics sheets ( http://www.mesaverde.co.uk/releases/in-this-silence-we-will-slow-dance/ ). the music is highly dynamic, and in constant movement. always either slowing down or speeding up it seems. if not, it’s taking you by surprise outbursts of screamotional hardcore. this band is epic. though not epic in the way that Envy and The Spectacle are, but in a more toned down manner. not as grand sounding, but just as passionate and intense. you owe it to yourself to listen to this album. start doing it right now. good luck soldier.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/06/mesa-verde-in-this-silence-we-will-slow-dance/feed/ 0 Don’t Fuck With Columbus – Demos http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/dont-fuck-with-columbus-demos/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/dont-fuck-with-columbus-demos/#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 13:12:13 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=577 it’s a new day people. and what better way to start it than with a three song demo from a Polish screamo band? none. and this is not just a screamo band, but a great screamo band in the vein of Neil Perry and Orchid. amazing flying guitar harmonies, ultra-dynamic drumming and great screams. screamo like it should be. this band incorporate all of the charecteristics found in those kind of grindy screamo bands like Orchid and Kaospilot. and sure it gets a bit stereotypical, and it isn’t the most unique band this blog has to offer. that does *not* in any way mean that it isn’t worth downloading and listening to. because it is. because the songs are *great*. regardless of how fresh they might be. this band pays tribute to the greats, and they do so in an awesome way. and it’s only demos by some Polish teenagers. so remember this name.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/dont-fuck-with-columbus-demos/feed/ 1 Oh, Apollo! – Twin Peaks http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/oh-apollo-twin-peaks/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/oh-apollo-twin-peaks/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 14:20:20 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=483 this is an album that is interesting from the first second, just like Hope! The river Arkansas. but for completely different reasons though. the intricate opening riff does a real good job in sharpening the listeners ears. and then the song explodes in screamo goodiness… aaaaaaand it’s done. and we get antother song with detailed layers of screamo goodiness. and then we get six more songs with detailed layers of screamo goodiness. making this eight songs with detailed layers of screamo goodiness. from the twinkly upbeat guitar riffs to the marching band drums to the shouting – this is one of the catchiest as well as creepiest screamo albums ever made. and the diversity of the songs are amazing. they will go from these slow and beautiful calm parts to these mad hooks yo. screamo pop. catchy as fuck. get it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/oh-apollo-twin-peaks/feed/ 0 Oh, Apollo! – Kingdoms http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/oh-apollo-kingdoms/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/oh-apollo-kingdoms/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 14:19:27 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=350 on this album, you’ll notice how much this band has matured. gone is the metal riffs, and hello screamo guitars that definitely are more complex as well as catchy than those on Hope! The river Arkansas. and the guitars aren’t all that’s changed. the drumming is not only more technical, but also more fitting. they both follow as well as change the music very powerfully. they take the foreground much more than on the previous album. but that’s not all – even the vocals are extremely different on this record. there are a lot of call and response shouting in addition to the screaming. and the screaming isn’t as high pitched and intense as on the previous record. they are much more controlled and reserved, but stronger and more diverse. overall this is a tight record with a lot of interesting hooks in it. especially the Whitney Houston cover, which really… you gotta hear it. download this! especially if you are obsessed with concept albums. this is about time travel.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/oh-apollo-kingdoms/feed/ 0 Oh, Apollo – Hope! The river Arkansas. http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/oh-apollo-hope-the-river-arkansas/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/oh-apollo-hope-the-river-arkansas/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 14:18:19 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=482 from the very first second, this is energetic and intense. it pretty much starts out with screaming and noise. the guitars alternate between typical screamo stuff and metal riffs. the vocalist alternate between screaming and this feminine spoken word thing. it sounds a bit… errr… but it’s actually really good. it works. slightly in the background you have mostly upbeat drumming that is kind of experimental. very tight at all times. everyone should also pay attention to the breakdowns and these sweet calm parts, where the band really excels. and that sweetest of album outros… wow. this is just an awesome effort from a real good band. get it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/oh-apollo-hope-the-river-arkansas/feed/ 0 Isaïe Buried Memorial – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/isaie-buried-memorial-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/isaie-buried-memorial-demo/#comments Tue, 26 May 2009 14:19:26 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=348 you like what? French emo? hmmm… guess that means I’ll have to put up yet another French band then! and it’s another winner, for sure. ofc it is. I wouldn’t put it on the blog if it didn’t rip! and this band certainly does rip. in a vastly different ways from most of the other French bands on this blog though. while this still has some twinkly stuff like the others, it is noticeably more aggressive and fast. they vary between emo violence and Orchid-ish hardcore/screamo, kind of like Palatka. and they do so by rapidly hitting the snare, thrashing the guitars, screaming and pretty much just tearing everything apart. while this demo doesn’t have the best production quality (it is after all a demo), the point certainly comes across. this is sooo gooooddd, and everyone needs to download it and give it a listen. you can buy the demo from their MySpace, and you should definitely consider doing so if you are a fand of outstandingly aggressive music. :)

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/isaie-buried-memorial-demo/feed/ 0 Kazan & After Taste Split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/kazan-after-taste-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/kazan-after-taste-split/#comments Sun, 24 May 2009 14:18:25 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=346 we all love French skram. so this is a split between no less than two(!) French skram bands. and from the crushing intro by After Taste to Kazan’s equally crushing outro, this is a real treat. and this is two rather different bands as well. After Taste are a highly atmospheric and progressive band with epic overtones. they create this tense and melancholic mood, yet they sound very big and pounding. lots of cymbals, heh. at times you feel like you are listening to a Bal-Sagoth of screamo or something. they even crash into full-blown metal parts. weeeee. I really like this band. they are incredibly diverse. one minute it’s acoustic, one minute it’s loud screamo with medieval undertones and then one minute it’s just crushing epic prog with heavy use of cymba. a pretty amazing band, to do the exact opposite of exaggerate. downbeat, upbeat, all-over-the-place-beat – whatever. this band masters it all. and it’s a privelige to be able to listen to this fantastic work. so you should DEFINITELY listen to it. a fucking perfect band. but this split does not consist of only two bands. there are two bands. two rather different bands as well. Kazan might sound similar at first. the first minute of their first track is pretty hands on French screamo. and though After Taste are an incredibly diverse band, you can always tell that it’s French screamo. and Kazan has that recognizable sound as well… for the first minute. then they go into a beautiful and soft folky part, that eventually progress into a metalcore-esque bit that could just as well had palm muting (it already has double bass pedals so), that climaxes into an epic screamo part, before it goes into the metalcore-esque part again, with some medieval undertones – like After Taste occasionaly has. it makes me want to play Warcraft II. simply amazing stuff. if only two bands in the world should have done a split, these two bands might very well be those two bands. whilst being different, they are both equally diverse and original. two such atmospheric bands are hard to come across. especially on the same record – making this a must have!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/kazan-after-taste-split/feed/ 0 I.Witness – Live In Tomsk 02.05.09 http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/i-witness-live-in-tomsk/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/i-witness-live-in-tomsk/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 21:19:55 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=569 if you liked Spray Paint the Sun, chances of you liking this are pretty high. the guitarists from SPtS are in this band as well. and you can tell. even though I.Witness’s sound is generally more upbeat, the lead guitars are noticeably dreamy, like in SPtS. but the chord progression is much faster, like in a hardcore band. but at the same time it is way twinkly and obviously screamo-tinged. the vocals are in between screamo and hardcore. so is the upbeat and dynamic drumming. everything is just a big blender of hardcore and hardcore-derived genres. including a huge crust factor. this is all the way through an interesting and highly worthy listen. aggressive and angry. despite being twinkly, I.Witness sounds nothing like midwest emo bands or the modern experimental screamo bands. this is a band that has much more in common with the neo crust sound albeit with some passages that are reminiscent of those experimental screamo bands. also be sure to check out the awesome Hüsker Dü cover!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/i-witness-live-in-tomsk/feed/ 0 Spray Paint The Sun – Still Alive In Tomsk 02.05.09 http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/spray-paint-the-sun-still-alive-in-tomsk-02-05-09/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/spray-paint-the-sun-still-alive-in-tomsk-02-05-09/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 21:11:18 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=481 I generally have no idea about what these guys are singing about or anything else apart from the fact that they make good music – but that’s enough to earn them a spot on this blog. ultra-melodic and extremely creative. the highly original harmonies found on this album is something that deserves to be heard. while it’s not every day I listen to Russian rock, I will definitely listen to it more often after discovering this band. if not for the unique way the guitars interact, then for the shrieking vocals that will rival The Spirit of Versailles and Saetia any day. hell, this is even up there with Nacht und Nebel and Slave Whipping Blasphemy’s shrieking. pure awesomeness. the shrieking and guitar fighting is on top of an upbeat rhythm section that handles both tempo shifts and breakdowns more than properly. they are pretty much as adept at playing at 3000bpm as they are at playing at 3bpm. they mostly play in a mid-tempo but upbeat style, allowing the guitarists to steal the attention with their atmospheric and dreamy chord progressions. this is just an awesome album that needs to be heard. Russian screamo for the whole family.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/spray-paint-the-sun-still-alive-in-tomsk-02-05-09/feed/ 0 Navio Forge – As We Quietly Burn a Hole http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/navio-forge-as-we-quietly-burn-a-hole/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/navio-forge-as-we-quietly-burn-a-hole/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 14:18:20 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=342 I don’t know if anyone here are familiar with Fuel, Torches to Rome, Bread and Circuits and so on… but Navio Forge are in there. they were an emo band from California who only got this one release in ’93 on Shadow Catcher. and what more is there to say other than it’s awesome? because it really is. this is definitely west coast emo influenced by east coast emo, like the Gravity and 31G bands. it’s noticably (a lot) heavier and more aggressive than the more artsy and twinkly stuff that was going on in the midwest. this is dynamic and heavy riffing, breakdowns, shouting, bass lines beating like a heart ready to explode and powerful utilizing of snares, hi-hat rolls and crash cymbals. there are no “remember when” lyrics a la midwest bands. instead there’s the cryptic yet somehow personal west coast stuff about being crippled, unable to see, being the flagship of moments of failed actions… you get it. there are some rather clever word-trickery in here that you should try to pay attention to. if not for the great poetry, then for the sheer passion, despair and anger – because this is traditional emo… so it’s angry. and you need to hear this, because I can’t properly explain how awesome it is anyway.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/navio-forge-as-we-quietly-burn-a-hole/feed/ 0 The Kidcrash – Jokes http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-jokes/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-jokes/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 14:21:09 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=567 with their 2006 demo, The Kidcrash stepped into the screamo world. with Jokes they take their screamo to new levels – a new world. the sound is noticeably more epic and progressive. there are much more breakdowns and a general display of understanding of how to employ dynamics to create a highly inventive and interesting sound that never seizes to amaze. and that is why you will simply have to download this! because it really is *that* good. such a diverse record… man.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-jokes/feed/ 0 The Kidcrash – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-demo/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 14:20:19 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=341 it is with this demo The Kidcrash takes the step into screamo land. the guitars get even more twinkly as well as more dynamic. the vocals are like on the Goldie Hawn EP, only now they shout and scream most of the time. the drumming is much more dominant and technical… you know, modern screamo. this is a really good example of just that. this the sort of record you would put on if anyone asked «what does modern screamo sound like?» – *or* if you wanted to listen to a damn fine screamo album with awesome music! so get this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-demo/feed/ 0 The Kidcrash – I Haven’t Had A Date in 4 Years Goldie Hawn Goldie Hawn Goldie Hawn… http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-i-havent-had-a-date-in-4-years-goldie-hawn-goldie-hawn-goldie-hawn/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-i-havent-had-a-date-in-4-years-goldie-hawn-goldie-hawn-goldie-hawn/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 14:19:18 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=340 another post, another unique The Kidcrash release – YAY! this time around they still have some of those Drive-Thru riffs and overall catchyness. but they are louder, more dynamic and perhaps a bit up-close. this is evident especially in the vocals, which are vastly different from the vocals on New Ruins. on this EP they sound more like Matt Pryor or something. they demand more attention. and they shall receive! download this, and check it out.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-i-havent-had-a-date-in-4-years-goldie-hawn-goldie-hawn-goldie-hawn/feed/ 0 The Kidcrash – New Ruins http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-new-ruins/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-new-ruins/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 14:18:17 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=339 you know that band that appears on a few splits on this page? that band who plays dynamic and build-up based screamo on one hand, then suddenly upbeat and energetic screamo instead? well this time around The Kidcrash does neither of these things. have we established a pattern yet? yes we have. namely, this band always sounds different. from release to release, if not from track to track. and New Ruins proves to not stray from this formula. at all. it is nothing but a fresh breath of air to your collection, no matter what “your collection” might entail. this is an album full of Drive-Thru-esque pop rock influences and an overall feeling of happiness. instantly catchy and full of positive energy, New Ruins is destined to be a classic. placing itself somewhere in between mainstream alternative bands like Taking Back Sunday, The Get Up Kids and Saves the Day, and European screamo bands like Aussitôt Mort, Daïtro, Raein and Belle Epoque (odd mix, yeah?) – New Ruins is something new and entirely original that needs to be heard. so download this album, and give it a go… or perhaps fifty or so listens. also, I know I usually say SUPPORT THESE ARTISTS… and I *do* want you to support all of the artists on this site by buying their stuff and so on… but do *not* buy this album. whatever you do, don’t buy it. because if you do – you are not supporting The Kidcrash, only another indie label trying to be a major label. you would actually support the band much more if you don’t purchase it. so there. download it instead.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/the-kidcrash-new-ruins/feed/ 0 Angora Static – LP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/angora-static-lp/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/angora-static-lp/#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 14:19:14 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=338 from the very first second, this album is guaranteed to impress you. it’s pretty much twenty six minutes of glorious melodies that reigns your stereo with all the power and dignity a monarch needs to have. this album will force you to drop anything you might be doing at the moment, and just pay attention. just listen. the wonderful ambient feedback and noises, the dueling guitars, the marching drums, the pulling bass, the passionate vocals… it’s all coming together so perfectly! this band is a symbiosis of hundreds of intricate, beautiful elements that fit together so nicely. the detailed and rich dynamics in their melodies are alone enough to make you unwilling to do anything ever but listen to this band.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/angora-static-lp/feed/ 1 Angora Static – EP http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/angora-static-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/angora-static-ep/#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 14:18:10 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=337 a fantastic screamo band in the vein of Saetia. that should be enough to make you want to download this, aye? this band has awesome skram, harmonic guitar battles, upbeat and at times jazzy drumming, and soft yet tough bass lines. the melancholic mood and sheer intensity this bands radiates is astonishing. it makes the mind wander into oblivion. the twinkly guitars are close to perfection! an overall majestic effort by Angora Static, whose beautiful and passionate music will definitely win you over. the insane amount of energy present in this recording will make you think to Beyond the Fences. Saetia + Beyond the Fences = win. get this.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/05/angora-static-ep/feed/ 0 Three Letter Engagement – Healing of Harms Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/three-letter-engagement-healing-of-harms-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/three-letter-engagement-healing-of-harms-demo/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:18:07 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=336 the last post in this blog was a band that was obviously from the Heroin school of emo. so now I guess I’ll have to post a band from the Cap’n Jazz school. or more precisely, from the mid-west post Cap’n Jazz school. and Three Letter Engagement doesn’t fall into the riffing category like Sunny Day Real Estate, but into that stylish twinkling category where Christie Front Drive and Mineral amongst others reign. so if CFD and Mineral are two of your big heroes – prepare to be introduced to a new hero! because 3LE knows what up. their sweet and charming twinkly emo with sensitive vocals progress into shouting and a full explosion of pretty riffing and intricate lead guitar parts. more than once. this is detailed and diverse music with nothing but highlights and guitar battles. so go get it! it is without a doubt awesome.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/three-letter-engagement-healing-of-harms-demo/feed/ 1 Parades End – 7″ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/parades-end-7/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/parades-end-7/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:46:57 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=295 Parades End are a ’90s emo band that sounds like something in between the first DC bands (Rites of Spring and so on) and the first San Diego bands (Drive Like Jehu and so on). this is not your Cap’n Jazz style of emo. there’s twinkling, but it is by no means the core of the melodic spectrum. Parades End sound more like the Heroin-school of emo, where sheer aggression, passion and fire reigns. and that’s *not* a bad thing. this 7″ is by a band not afraid to shout and scream, and trash their instruments beyond the limit. this is four beautifully crafted songs, that show a talented and invented band that deserves to be heard. yes I know I write that almost every band on this blog «deserves to be heard», but in all fairness – they are all awesome, right? so get this! listen to this! go go go!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/parades-end-7/feed/ 0 The Kidcrash & Arse Moreira Split – Misspellings http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/the-kidcrash-arse-moreira-split-misspellings/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/the-kidcrash-arse-moreira-split-misspellings/#comments Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:47:56 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=293 you know that thing I just posted? the split between Coffindancer and The Kidcrash? well here’s The Kidcrash again. but it’s hard to believe that it’s the same band that appears on this split. here we have an upbeat and energetic screamo band. while some of the build-ups and breakdowns are here, it all moves at a quicker pace. maybe not as detailed, but all the more intense. the detailed guitar textures are sure to make you a fan! and as if the track by The Kidcrash wasn’t enough, there’s also another band on here – Arse Moreira. more brutal and straightforward than The Kidcrash, but just as good. they sound less pretty, but just as legit. two awesome bands, two awesome tracks. get this!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/the-kidcrash-arse-moreira-split-misspellings/feed/ 0 The Kidcrash & Coffin Dancer Split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/the-kidcrash-coffin-dancer-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/the-kidcrash-coffin-dancer-split/#comments Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:46:17 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=480 this split is between an epic sludge band called Coffin Dancer, and an equally epic but more screamo-oriented band called The Kidcrash. the split is rather explosive. it’s full of dynamic as well as melodic goodyness. both bands deliver lengthy and drony pieces. Coffin Dancer are slightly heavier, and slightly more drony than The Kidcrash, who rely more on twinkly screamo guitars and breakdowns. if Coffin Dancer are techno, The Kidcrash are trance. if you know what I’m saying. (if you don’t, google/youtube the differences between techno and trance, and you’ll get it). both bands are unique and original, and both bands deserves your attention. give this a go. you might find two new favourite bands!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/the-kidcrash-coffin-dancer-split/feed/ 0 Manhattan Skyline – Curses http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/manhattan-skyline-curses/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/manhattan-skyline-curses/#comments Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:46:54 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=291 with Curses, Manhattan Skyline has taken their start/stop dynamics about thirteen steps further into insanity. the shredding is also more detailed on this new affair. and the vocals are more nuanced. the whole album sounds more thoughtful and planned than Tarantula Arms, which was more seven intense bursts of poetry and madness. this does not make Curses a *better* record than Tarantula Arms however. but what it does do, is make it (probably) much more interesting than it would have been if they just made “Tarantula Arms v2.0″. instead this record sees the band further enhancing their style with more intricate details that the listener is forced into paying attention to. it’s really so much more diverse. at times it even goes into these epic build-ups akin to newer Envy material! it’s just great.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/manhattan-skyline-curses/feed/ 0 Belle Epoque – A La Dèrive http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/belle-epoque-a-la-derive/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/belle-epoque-a-la-derive/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:46:50 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=288 Belle Epoque are a French band that play authentic screamo in the style of e.g. Daïtro and Raein. they play intricate melodies that at their softest resembles mid-90s mid-west emo, and at their hardest resembles City of Caterpillar and various other semi-progressive screamo bands. Envy even, but not as epic – more caustic. but despite not being as epic as Envy, Belle Epoque are definitely hypnotising, and well worth a listen or two or three hundred. a magnificent screamo band that deserves everyone’s attention. the music is hauntingly beautiful at times. especially when the guitars twinkle like Mineral and Christie Front Drive, until it gradually progresses into heavy riff-based screamo. amazing.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/belle-epoque-a-la-derive/feed/ 0 Noisy Sins of the Insect – Discography http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/noisy-sins-of-the-insect-discography/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/noisy-sins-of-the-insect-discography/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:34:12 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=242 you guys know what the best thing about having your own blog is? *you* decide what’s going to be upped on it. you know what the second best thing is? you can write whatever the hell you want in the descriptions. this means I won’t have to worry about sounding “subjective”. you see when I write more “professional” reviews, I try not to use words like “good”, “awesome” or “mind-blowing”. instead I try to describe the music and the feelings it give me, as objective as possible, in order for other people to get the general sound and vibe the reviewed record gives, instead of forcing my opinions down their throats. but here, on this blog, all those boundaries are gone! thus: DOWNLOAD THIS ALBUM! DO IT NOW! BECAUSE IT IS TOTALLY BRILLIANT, AND IT IS SO GOOD THAT YOU WILL START TO WONDER HOW THESE GUYS CAN ACTUALLY *BE* THIS GOOD WITHOUT BEING SOME SORT OF UNNATURAL FORCE OF NATURE OR SOMETHING ELSE NON-HUMAN!!! okay. went a little overboard there. but you get the overall message – it’s a good album. Noisy Sins of the Insect is one of the very finest screamo bands. they play a pure bred screamo in the vein of Saetia. high-pitched screams and an extremely dynamic and aggressive melodic approach signalizes their sound. the jazzy and dreamy feel to this album will get you carried away into a trance, from the first second to the very last. so download this, and let it seduce you.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/04/noisy-sins-of-the-insect-discography/feed/ 0 Railway Ghosts – Railway Ghosts http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/railway-ghosts-railway-ghosts/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/railway-ghosts-railway-ghosts/#comments Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:11:11 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=475 if your playlist has Daniel Striped Tiger, What Price Wonderland? and various other hardcore/emo on it, you might want to step up and download this. Railway Ghosts play upbeat and semi-chaotic punk with a lot of shouting most of the time. but quite a few times they slow down in order for those skram guitars to do what they were always meant to do – twinkle. there’s quite a bit of dynamics on this record. but despite of this it still has a somewhat inherent monotone expression. this is not a bad thing at all though. it gives this a distinct sound. I mean Dinosaur Jr. are pretty fucking monotonous, but no one is going to argue with me when I say that the three first albums and Beyond are four of the most awesome albums ever, eh? so get into this South-Wales band here. get into the frantic drumming on the very mellow and pleasant drum kit, the monotone guitars and shouting, and how they manage to be both semi-chaotic and semi-catchy at the same time. this album is like flying a kite in a thunderstorm.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/railway-ghosts-railway-ghosts/feed/ 0 Dominic & The Third Memory split http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/dominic-the-third-memory-split/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/dominic-the-third-memory-split/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:15:19 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=558 Dominic has always struck me as on of the most unique hardcore/emo bands out there. they are so distinct in their sound that it’s not hard to recognise how different and great they are. a simply awesome band. and the two tracks they contribute to this split is nothing short of awesome either. the dramatic approach to screamo present in their style is spectacular. it’s progressive, noisy and beautiful. and not to be missed out on. while most intense screamo bands (this rules out the math rock twiddle/noodle bands) are either very brutal or equally brutal but with the occasional melodic approach for ten seconds or less. Dominic manages to get the best of both worlds at all times. truly impressive. especially given how progressive their music is. it takes great song writing to achieve music as good as this. The Third Memory are a vastly different band. yes they have semi-similar guitars at times, and are definitely melodic and progressive as Dominic – but this band are noticeably less noisy. while incorporating intensively screamed vocals, the music is essentially very soft. the guitars are kind of twinkly like Dominic’s, but not even half as distorted. and while the drummer beats the shit out of the snare from time to time, it’s generally not very heavy. it’s a bit weird listening to this band, because they are so fast, progressive and technical – but they never get carried away and just climax into a big bunch of noise. and that is admirable, the way they contain themselves. but it’s by no means reserved or anything like that – it’s passionate alright. it’s just diciplined as well. and it’s awesome. get this split!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/dominic-the-third-memory-split/feed/ 0 Manhattan Skyline – Tarantula Arms E.P. http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/manhattan-skyline-tarantula-arms-e-p/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/manhattan-skyline-tarantula-arms-e-p/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:17:09 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=473 Manhattan Skyline are one of the best band I’ve ever seen live. their extremely aggressive music and intense performance is marvellous. this band plays Orchid-style hardcore/screamo, and mixes it up a bit with mathcore influences. it reminds me very much of The Crinn, which again sounds like a more insane version of Dillinger Escape Plan with cooler vocals. Manhattan Skyline can probably also be compared to DEP. though not as obviously as The Crinn, because this band isn’t as jazzy. it’s more in your face screamo with obvious metalcore and plain hardcore influences. more The Spectacle than DEP. on the other hand, if you’ve ever heard Kaospilot or Dominic and digged them, you will probably welcome Manhattan Skyline as a different, but equally awesome band. equally awesome, but definitely unique in their sound. they thrash around like no one else, both live and on record. the lyrics are perhaps not all that intelligible at the first listen due to the mad screaming and loud music, but once you pay attention they are every bit as great as the music. they are definitely a vital organ in the Manhattan Skyline body, and I recommend paying attention to them, once you get over the whole stroke-thing you’ll get after listening through this for the first time with the stereo cranked up at 95db. this is loud shit. enjoy.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/manhattan-skyline-tarantula-arms-e-p/feed/ 0 Come What May – Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/come-what-may-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/come-what-may-demo/#comments Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:15:59 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=186 two frantic experimental emo tracks filled with despair and chaos. shouting, heavy drums with plenty of cymbal rape, guitars that reminds me of Paper Moshay by Antioch Arrow, weird synth effects and so on. all of this comes together… well to say “nicely” would be a bit of a lie, because this is simply chaotic artsy and angsty punk rock that probably would fit in on Gravity records in the early ninetees or even late eightees. it’s hypnotic, claustrophobic and nervous, with a dark edge to it. also this band is slightly obscure as far as I know, because they kind of disappeared after I got this demo from them. they don’t even log into their MySpace, let alone answer messages from it – so yeah. score eliteness points today! download this gem. :)

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/03/come-what-may-demo/feed/ 0 Caitlyn Bailey – Fuego! http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/caitlyn-bailey-fuego/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/caitlyn-bailey-fuego/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:59:19 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=554 Caitlyn Bailey are a rather noisy affair from the Philippines. and you definitely think of pg.99, Orchid and Joshua Fit for Battle when listening to them. it’s noisy, fast and thrashy. breakdowns, metalcore-influences. Fuego!’s got it all. even these semi-epic little interludes with creeping guitars with interchanging major and minor chords. this band are a really noisy screamo band with a lot of great melodic interludes. they climax into intense screamo with the epic undertones made popular by Envy. Fuego! is a very well performed album.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/caitlyn-bailey-fuego/feed/ 0 iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook – 8 Song Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook-8-song-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook-8-song-demo/#comments Sun, 22 Feb 2009 22:38:54 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=142 hello brutal screamo. this is definitely from California. from Antioch actually. this band was so epic back in the day, and everyone is still anticipating that fucking 12″ we never saw… it’s a damn shame, because these demos showed great promise. they are nothing short of awesome. melodic masterpieces of loud, screamy, violent emo. the passion, the heart, the screams, the drums, the bass, the GUITARS makes this demo album one of a kind. truly unique and different screamo. defining even. this is way up there with fucking Indian Summer. you must not miss out on this!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook-8-song-demo/feed/ 0 Dominic – Dominic CD http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/dominic-dominic-cd/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/dominic-dominic-cd/#comments Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:39:49 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=437 Dominic stands for shouted/screamed vocals, complex guitar work, progressive drum patterns and an aggressive bass guitar. their music is defining modern screamo. with angry music and just as angry lyrics, they play and sing (shout/scream) like they fucking mean it. their sound is everything that’s good about screamo. awesome guitars that never fail to impress, passionate vocals and a more than steady rhythm section that refuses to make the music anything but unique. awesomage. get it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/dominic-dominic-cd/feed/ 0 Alpinist – Demo 2007 http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/alpinist-demo-2007/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/alpinist-demo-2007/#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:03:07 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=85 imagine Graf Orlock remove the heavy focus on dual vocals (not that there isn’t dual vocals here… but it isn’t as reliant on it). and less tempo shifts. and no futuristic cinematic crap. this isn’t cinema grind. it’s more of a mixed bag with a lot of crust and screamo in it. Graf Orlock with Combatwoundedveteran and The Spectacle. it’s cool. raspy screams, driving guitars that mostly are just heavy and fast, but sometimes melodic and all skram-like. the drums are fast and technically not all that bad. actually, it’s all rather good. while it’s most of the time rather straightforward power violence-esque crust that’s so heavy it actually sounds slow due to the guitars, it sometimes breaks down into screamo passages with twinkly guitars, preventing it getting repetitive. it’s very dynamic, and well worth a listen. this demo has ten songs between one and six minutes long. it’s basically just packed with intense semi-epic music. LISTEN!

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/alpinist-demo-2007/feed/ 0 Score One For Safety – Castles [EP] + Bonus http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/score-one-for-safety-castles-ep-bonus/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/score-one-for-safety-castles-ep-bonus/#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:00:42 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=431 eerie and epic. with some skram vocals still reminiscent of The Spirit of Versailles, and some gang chants or whatever. the music is progressive, and it progresses from moody ambient to screamo chaos. and it’s all very welcome. give it a go if you are into those long tracks with climaxes and stuff. give it a go if you wish Sinking Steps…Rising Eyes were still together, and had even longer songs.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/score-one-for-safety-castles-ep-bonus/feed/ 0 mamma, jeg blör… – Lyd http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/mamma-jeg-blor-lyd/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/mamma-jeg-blor-lyd/#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:54:05 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=82 Lyd is Norwegian for noise. this is noisy. ten tracks clocking in just under six minutes. did you download Møkk Sessions from this site? thought it was noisy? this is noisier. a lot noisier. imagine that Møkk Sessions is Chinese Democracy in terms of production – then Lyd is more like Slave Whipping Blasphemy’s Niggerbitch 666 demo. some of these tracks sound like they are recorded into a boombox in a fucking tunnel. okay I’m exaggerating. it doesn’t sound awful. it sounds lovely actually. mmmmmmh feedback. complex and organised noisy skram. screaming and noise vol 2. GET IT.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/mamma-jeg-blor-lyd/feed/ 0 Score One For Safety – Like A Rice Filled Bird, You Explode [EP] http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/score-one-for-safety-like-a-rice-filled-bird-you-explode-ep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/score-one-for-safety-like-a-rice-filled-bird-you-explode-ep/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:16:41 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=430 Score One For Safety are a band with epic soundscapes and big skram. the vocals are a bit like The Spirit of Versailles, though not as fucked up. and the music is a bit like Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson meets Suffocate For Fuck Sake. the definitely most obvious comparison to make is to Sinking Steps…Rising Eyes. good tunes. atmospheric and pwitty with great vocals and a very dynamic sound that picks up when it should, but also takes it down when it should. if you like what some people call “post-rock” (ugh), you’ll like this probably. get it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/score-one-for-safety-like-a-rice-filled-bird-you-explode-ep/feed/ 0 Red From Winter – January 2004 Demo http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/red-from-winter-january-2004-demo/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/red-from-winter-january-2004-demo/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:14:07 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=49 gloomy hardcore-ish stuff with goth keys and skram vocals. yes, you read that right. it’s fucked up. sounds like a punk Cradle of Filth at times. the vocals are fucking huge. and the guitars are fast. what more then, could one ask for? nothing. get it.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/red-from-winter-january-2004-demo/feed/ 0 Monzano – Bonus Trucks http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/monzano-bonus-trucks/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/monzano-bonus-trucks/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:12:06 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=48 I just can’t get enough of that Monzano. can you? I doubt it. get this. four gentle pop-ish tracks that are extremely catchy. epic choruses, stories about bars and the city life in general, trembling guitars and voices, soft synths and a driving beat. this band is just too easy to love! love it! and buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/monzano-bonus-trucks/feed/ 0 All the Islands – Polarise http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/all-the-islands-polarise/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/all-the-islands-polarise/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:11:37 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=544 wouldn’t it be AWESOME if an emo band sounded like King Crimson? YES IT WOULD. so you need to get this album. because it is awesome. like what has become typical for bands from How Is Annie, All the Islands combine many genres – mainly emo and progressive rock/metal. this results in them sounding a bit like I Hate Myself, rest of my life and Dominic, a bit like Fugazi, Drive Like Jehu and At the Drive-in, and even old school progressive rock mammoths like BARABAM! King Crimson. buy from http://www.howisannierecords.com

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/all-the-islands-polarise/feed/ 0 Monzano – High Horses & One Trick Ponies http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/monzano-high-horses-one-trick-ponies/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/monzano-high-horses-one-trick-ponies/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:10:38 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=428 Monzano sounds a bit like the pop band that everyone likes. I think it’s because everyone has to like them because of their awesomeness. very harmonic and accessible music with nice chord progressions, upbeat (drumming most of the time), and a very welcoming voice. the sometimes extremely narrative lyrics are easily remembered and sung along to. oh, and they also have some kickarse climaxes in their music, as well as nice dynamics. what’s not to like? MONZANO! get it. and buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/monzano-high-horses-one-trick-ponies/feed/ 0 rest of my life – all pretty people live in airports http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/rest-of-my-life-all-pretty-people-live-in-airports/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/rest-of-my-life-all-pretty-people-live-in-airports/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:09:04 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=46 “rock with both heart and brain” is a well known definition of rest of my life, penned by Vegard Enlid. and this time rest of my life has DONE it. the brains are indeed present on all pretty people live in airports, where it was slightly enclouded by the big hearts on the previous album and ep. this album is truly amazing. guitar harmonies galore, emotive vocals and just a great dash of AWESOMENESS. a very complete and consistent album with not one non-awesome track. they cover every possible emotion here. if you’ve been waiting for that one great modern emo album that kicks almost every other emo albums arse – this is it. a superb album. Morfar (who writes the lyrics save for one track) and the five musicians of rest of my life fill this album with nothing but highlights. I can’t seem to find anything mediocre, let alone *bad* about all pretty people live in airports. It’s surprisingly consistent and enjoyable. not that I’m *surprised* by the fact that rest of my life has, once again, delivered, but this is just the shit. that’s all I’m saying. it’s the shit. In the words of Tore Vikan (some music journalist guy): “rest of my life? If they continue to make music like this – yes please”. GET IT. and buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/rest-of-my-life-all-pretty-people-live-in-airports/feed/ 0 Build Nest, Sleep – Abouts http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/build-nest-sleep-abouts/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/build-nest-sleep-abouts/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:07:03 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=45 Abouts was released on a 7″ vinyl and on a 3″ CD. this is the CD that I’ve ripped for you all. it enhances their already noisy sound picture with more blip blops, and louder guitars. and perhaps more importantly – more dynamics. there’s more NOOOooooooOOOiiiIiisssSSSssssEEEEeEEEEEEeeeEE here, where it used to be just nooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiisssssssseeeeeee. buy from http://www.howisannierecords.com if you like it, which I think you will. RWJGTEUAKLFSSSSUifwiulwrRGUUggggggggraeWUEØORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRFV.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/build-nest-sleep-abouts/feed/ 0 A Bunny’s Caravan – Draining Puddles, Retrieving Treasures http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/a-bunnys-caravan-draining-puddles-retrieving-treasures/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/a-bunnys-caravan-draining-puddles-retrieving-treasures/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:05:02 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=43 to put my feelings into words is a near impossible task when it comes to this album. I will somehow try to make an effort though. A Bunny’s Caravan are a progressive emo band like e.g. rest of my life, Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson and The Appleseed Cast. they also owes a great deal to emo-influenced alternative bands like Jimmy Eat World and Sensefield. but those bands become nothing but pale and shallow in comparison to A Bunny’s Caravan. and like Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson, A Bunny’s Caravan make use of eerie vocals and dreamy atmospheres with crescendos and amazing build-ups leading into ecstatic climaxes – and in terms of music quality, this entire album is just one big climax. this album is my favourite album of all time. download it. buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com even. you should buy it twice. it’s that good.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/a-bunnys-caravan-draining-puddles-retrieving-treasures/feed/ 0 Build Nest, Sleep – Build Nest, Sleep http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/build-nest-sleep-build-nest-sleep/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/build-nest-sleep-build-nest-sleep/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:03:01 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=44 while bands like The Ergs! play with Hüsker Dü tattooed on their foreheads, Build Nest, Sleep play with Hüsker Dü tattooed discretely on their sleeve, next to the Slint tattoo – and on the opposite arm there’s Modest Mouse, Built to Spill and something that resembles a Sugar tattoo. and it’s great. and it’s pretty noisy. at times it progresses into almost ambient noise-bits. and they are every bit as great as the gentle bits. this band is also noteable for the extremely jangly vocals. there’s two vocalists that sing on different tracks. one of them shouts more – and you feel his pain when he asks/shouts “what good can ice cream do/when the problem is me and you”. and you also are able to sympathize with the other vocalist, and his veeeeeeery jangly voice, when he states that he “want[s] to get drunk without drinking”. if Cap’n Jazz ever decided to record an album in the vein of Hüsker Dü and all the songs were written by Joseph Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. I love this. and so should you. but in order to understand how great this journey is, you need to download it. and if you likee, you can buyee from http://www.howisannierecords.com

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/build-nest-sleep-build-nest-sleep/feed/ 0 rest of my life – transition http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/rest-of-my-life-transition/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/rest-of-my-life-transition/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:01:00 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=39 rest of my life’s ep transition marks just that. a transition. from noisy screamo to a much more melodic and cozy sound. it’s still passionate and intense, but in a much more mature way. there *are* other ways of expressing yourself but shouting and screaming like on the first album. they tell you about those ways on this ep. and it’s lovely. they’ve added a cello to the picture, making it even more harmonic than before. it’s all about those guitar harmonies, the warm cello and the sugarsweet lyrics. get this. and buy it at http://www.howisannierecords.com

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/rest-of-my-life-transition/feed/ 0 Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson – Unnoticeable in A Tiny Town, Invisible in the City http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson-unnoticeable-in-a-tiny-town-invisible-in-the-city/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson-unnoticeable-in-a-tiny-town-invisible-in-the-city/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 18:57:13 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=425 some say it’s the album of the year, if not the decade. some say it’s the best album ever. in whatever degree people think this rules, they all think it rules. and that’s understandable. this is highly dynamic emo with very progressive and intricate ambient rock elements, and subtle electronic blip blops enhancing the sound picture. it also has parts with those clean 00s screamo guitars that are kept company by screaming and a dreamy atmosphere. what makes this album so beyond memorable is how it always finds a way of renewing itself. in the middle of a song, the track might just rejuvenate itself with great passion and energy. it’s mellow, then noisy, then ambient, then mellow, then it crescendos into one more noisy bit… and so on. it just never stays still. and it is all times beautiful, heart-warming and intense. you *really* don’t want to miss out on this legendary album. buy the album before it sells out at http://www.howisannierecords.com – if you like it, which I think you will. this version of the album has some extra tracks by the way.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/youth-pictures-of-florence-henderson-unnoticeable-in-a-tiny-town-invisible-in-the-city/feed/ 0 rest of my life – rest of my life http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/rest-of-my-life-rest-of-my-life/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/rest-of-my-life-rest-of-my-life/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 18:55:45 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=424 you are looking for an album full of screamo guitars, shouting, heavy drums and catchy lines. you have found it. this energy bomb from Norway is a pretty intense. they should probably consider writing their name in caps lock instead of without capital letters, because man is it loud. it’s loud and to the point, but warm and passionate at the same time. it’s really a gem in the genre, impossible to describe accurately nor compare rightfully, as it simply does something entirely unique and interesting, taking great portions of mellow and wreaking havoc on them with crisp and loud musical attack. this album is genuinely different from most other albums, as well as genuinely *better* than most other albums. you should definitely give this a go. and then you can buy it from http://www.howisannierecords.com after listening to it for free here.

click here to download

]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/rest-of-my-life-rest-of-my-life/feed/ 0 Twist About Fireplace – It Happens Every Time I Go Supersonic http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/twist-about-fireplace-it-happens-every-time-i-go-supersonic/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/twist-about-fireplace-it-happens-every-time-i-go-supersonic/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 18:53:06 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=780 Twist About Fireplace’s first album. it is semi-noisy emo from Norway, yet again. and it’s catchy. and it’s cool. there’s hypnotic passages into noisy choruses, and lots of other fun stuff on here. it has a warm and fuzzy sound, one you owe it to yourself to be exposed to. thus you should get it! and if you like it, you can buy it @ http://www.howisannierecords.com – and you should probably do that too. this band knows what it is doing with their shoegazy and noisy emo.

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/twist-about-fireplace-it-happens-every-time-i-go-supersonic/feed/ 0 mamma, jeg blör… – Møkk Sessions http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/mamma-jeg-blor-m%c3%b8kk-sessions/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/mamma-jeg-blor-m%c3%b8kk-sessions/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:51:13 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=20 mamma, jeg blör… are one of the noisiest bands you’ll ever encounter. this album is basically five minutes of screaming and noise. it’s fucking gorgeous. and you need to get this. the skram are awesome. bug them at http://www.myspace.com/mammajegblor – and maybe they’ll send you some demos if you want :)

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/mamma-jeg-blor-m%c3%b8kk-sessions/feed/ 0 Kråkesølv – Kråkesølv http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/krakes%c3%b8lv-krakes%c3%b8lv/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/krakes%c3%b8lv-krakes%c3%b8lv/#comments Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:42:41 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=416 Kråkesølv never was like the other hardcore bands out of Bodø. for one, they were never hardcore. but they still are awesome. poppy and snappy rock with emo-ish guitars and harmonic vocals. it’s catchy. even more so than AIDS. you don’t want to miss out on this! if you are lucky, you can maybe get it on CD or vinyl sometime soon from http://www.howisannierecords.com

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]]> http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/krakes%c3%b8lv-krakes%c3%b8lv/feed/ 0 Twist About Fireplace – Snore When We Laugh http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/twist-about-fireplace-snore-when-we-laugh/ http://thatspunk.net/blog/2009/02/twist-about-fireplace-snore-when-we-laugh/#comments Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:41:08 +0000 indietrash http://thatspunk.net/blog/?p=11 Twist About Fireplace once was this band playing characteristic semi-noisy emo from How Is Annie records. now they are this band playing characteristic semi-noisy emo from How Is Annie records. and it’s awesome now, like it was back then. the loud guitars and shouting makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. also the psychedelic soft parts (think “If You Were There, Beware” by Arctic Monkeys) are awesome. but this sophomore effort from Twist About Fireplace isn’t as… well… it’s just not as emo as their début. it has got more attitude. more (noise) rock than emo really. this record shares more with Dinosaur Jr., Mudhoney, Sonic Youth and Lemonheads than it does with Rites of Spring, Embrace, Indian Summer and Moss Icon. it is also similar to quite some screamo. but call it what you like – either way it’s awesome, and you can probably buy it on CD or vinyl sometime soon from http://www.howisannierecords.com

click here to download

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