Улыбайся Ветру // Моменты

More very good Russian screamo.
They are called, Smile to the Wind

МАЯК // МАЯК

I've recently been shown two very talented Russian screamo bands.
First one being Mayak.

tinyforest // A Very Tiny Christmas

Merry Christmas!

My outstanding love for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and every bit of music that Dave Carroll (tinyforest) puts out have mashed together as one, two, three outstanding tracks.
I highly recommend this to everyone who is trying to get into the christmas spirit, but is on the verge of anger-induced tears from hearing the same songs over and over again for the past month.
Also for the Christmas party that is just too hip for what's being played at the other parties. After all, Christmas IS a competition. I'm adding these to my playlist to assure my reign as Coolest Christmas Cave Bear Queen.

Sinai Vessel // Profanity

Last spring, I downloaded Sinai Vessel's Labor Pains after only hearing one song, but didn't fall in love with the music until I already had listened through a few times. It wasn't until I really engaged with the lyrics that I heard the songs for what they were. The songs on Labor Pains, released back in 2011, are wise and insightful.
Those who know me personally, know my strong affection for poetry. The quality of Sinai Vessel's lyrics has made me a fan for that reason.
A good song is a good song, but a great song is a poem--in my opinion.
Admittedly, I was curious about how Profanity would sound after the lyrical strength that came from their previous work.



To start: Profanity is great; I'm into it.
I have been trying to pin-point the change in their sound. Sinai Vessel is louder on Profanity than they were on the sweet, more mild-mannered Labor Pains. At first, I thought they had grown a little angry since 2011, but I'm not so sure that's the case. I think they have matured a lot. The power seems to me to come from some life experience and a solidified sense of who they are as individuals and as a band.

Just as I was hoping, they have pulled out a well-composed sound with relatable lyrics again. I'm glad I didn't find this band back in 2011 and that I didn't have to wait that long for new material. The download comes with the booklet with all their lyrics and I would recommend reading it as well as listening to better appreciate the songs.
They moved most away from Labor Pains with Cats, Cuckold, and Index On The Oval as far as the heightened power and sense of confidence is concerned, but my favorite track off of Profanity is Flannery. I am an avid reader of Flannery O'Connor and I really enjoyed their take on her short story, "Good Country People." It was a fresh perspective on a story that I hadn't read in awhile and had almost forgotten. My other favorite is Cats. I like it for personal reasons going back to what I think the song is getting towards, but I think it can be appreciated by people who come from a different background than me just as well. That is probably my biggest takeaway from the ep--it's relatable without being exclusive. Also, don't overlook Greatham for it's length because I think it says just as much as other songs on this ep.

I am thoroughly enjoying this album and will certainly have it on repeat during my commute to school and work for the next few weeks. I wish these guys the most success with this release and I know others will receive it with as much positivity as I have. I'm hoping these guys blow through DC sometime in the next year and they always have an open-invitation to crash at my apartment. I'm also hoping that they don't wait as long as they did to release more stuff...
Truly truly recommended; listen through this ep at least three times.

Mane Horse // No Man Left Behind

Brave Bird // Rekindle

Even more into these guys than I was in the spring.
Here is to me trying to get back to posting on this site.
I've been really lame with following music in the past few months and got in a funk before leaving for Hungary.
I'm state-side again and ready to post random shit again for very few to read and for even less to enjoy.


Cavebear

William Bonney // For My Sad Friends

Colossal // The Serious Kind

I wasn't really into these guys when I first heard them, but now I am getting a fresh perspective and I am really feeling this song.

Stop wasting your time towing the line when you feel compelled
So hard to define what's yours and what's mine
Oh, I can't tell
Did you really think we'd consider those of you straddling the line?
Are you the serious kind?
Do you regret you signed?
We'll make haste that you wait and be vague every time
And we can't help you at all
Holes in the walls are provided for those of you straddling the line

Vowel // Zombie

I'm reaalllyy late to this party, but the Vowel cover of Zombie is amazing.
It was posted on their bandcamp almost a month ago and here I am on May 4th

Death Grips // I've Seen Footage

I've seen footage
I stay noided

The Hundred Acre Woods // Plane vs Tank vs Submarine

Ignore the video but this is a pretty great cover of a pretty great song.
I don't like that Tigers Jaw is breaking up, but I am excited for the many tribute covers that will be occurring in the next year.

The Blood Brothers // Kiss Of The Octopus

Do you really want to live forever?

Adventures // Reach Out To You

Makin' me want some Peanut Butter and Jelly

Crywank // Welcome To Castle Irwell

Quick. Try and think of a more emo name for a band.

Envy // Worn Heels and The Hands We Hold

I'm not sure how I was not turned on to this band earlier on...
They came up on a random 8tracks playlist for me and I was really digging it, when I heard Japanese in the background.
and it has been a upward trend of love since then. I'm really into these guys at the moment and getting really excited as my exposure to the Japanese scene increases.

Emperor X // Allahu Akbar

I stole this video from Nervous Energies, but HOLY SHIT.

Youth Novel // Boyish

Near perfection in the Melodic category.

O'God The White Whale // Brand New Song

Screamo Goodness.

Missive // Brother

Confession:
I stole this from RealScreamo



....I thiiinnkkkk

Basement // Whole

BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR BEST SONG

Colour Revolt // 8 years

Now that I have come back from not posting in a while...I'm just going to flood you with a bunch of music posts with very little to nothing to say about the music.
like it's good, just listen to it. Stop questioning my dedication to sparkle motion.

Hum // The Pod

After not posting jack shit for many weeks, we're going to bring things
back into check with a little bit of a throwback.
Here is The Pod by Hum.
I feel like the new Daylight album, Jar, sounds a lot like Hum which is mostly why I wanted to bring them into conversation.

What's better? this nuevo-wave grunge or that good ol' 90s shit? too soon to tell?

ALSO THIS IS OUR 200th POST. OHHH

Sinai Vessel // Labor Pains

There is something very precious about this band.
I don't say this a lot, but I would want to be taken on a date by this band...

There just are not many bands that I want to sing along too.
Like look up the lyrics and sing along to.

They already hold a self-deprecating tone by calling themselves sissy on their bandcamp, so I don't want to make them feel anymore so, but I really find their music beautiful.
They're like a cute boy performing at an open mic.

Confide // Sooner or Later

Confide's new single, 'Sooner or Later', is a breath of fresh air. After an almost 3 year hiatus, they finally decided to come back together and release a new full-length that will come out later this year. I can't even describe how happy I was when I heard the news since I began listening to them the week before they disbanded, just my luck.



The new single picks up just where they left off from their last album, and everything seems to be just right. Joel's vocals have progressed, and he adds a nice 'poppy' feel in the middle of the song. Confide's new sing is just a great way to continue where they left off, and leaves me wanting the album to come out now.
-Zulu

Old Gray // An Autobiography

Obligatory post about how the new Old Gray album will make you cry yourself to sleep.
In all seriousness though...these guys are on a role. Did they not just release an album in January?
Everything they are releasing at the moment is pretty close to perfect from the perspective of the emo/screamo fans.
Keep drinking the jungle juice man.
My personal favorite off of the album is Coventry (because of the guitar) and every song that features spoken word elements. Lyrics and the overall song message is wildly important in the emo genre...it is the genre. They have succeeded on that plane with very emotive lyrics that will have (had me) tearing up.

This album is free for digital download but support the band and pay for the damn thing available at bandcamp now!
hurry, hurry, go!

Coke Bust // Countdown to Death

Hanna asked me to review Coke Bust, and like the time she asked me to listen to Capsize, I was skeptical. After a couple play through it grew on me a little, but I must admit i'm not nearly as big of a fan as I was of Capsize. I think that's mainly because of my background in the post-hardcore/metal-core scene. I can definitely see myself becoming more of a fan over time once I have been introduced to more bands like this.
Be sure to check them out though, as they're definitely worth a listen, and the drums sound awesome, and were written perfectly for this song.


-Zulu

Oddczar // One Word

The band Apart from South Carolina, recently tweeted telling everyone to check out a Charlotte, NC band called Oddczar. Since I am such a big fan of Apart right now, I am going to check out a group if they recommend it. I couldn't be happier about looking these guys up. Their tags on Bandcamp were emotional hardcore, but for the sake of the blog I am going to classify them as screamo/skramz. Which is basically emotional hardcore.

Audrey Fights Back // No Time Like Present

Audrey Fights Back, a band I've been meaning to write about for a while now, have thoroughly surprised me. Similar to the typical post-hardcore band, they mix screams and cleans, but they seem to do this tremendously well. While they produce a good sound, the drums stand out the most. They're so clean and not your typical, china china snare china china snare.'
Give them a listen and see what you think.



-Zulu

Place Called Home // Reprimanding In A Car Crash

Here is a demo released yesterday (March 7th) by Stockton, Cali based screamo/punk/skramz outfit, Place Called Home.

I'm really digging this new song and while I went on their bandcamp to do a post about a past album, I was pleasantly surprised to see this new release (is a demo considered a half release?)
Anyways if this song is an indicator for what is to come then we all better start paying this band a lot more attention.

Vowel // If Wishes Were Coins

Another great band from Driftwood Records. So why do none of the youtube videos that Driftwood recorded have any views?
How do you feel about the use of violin in a screamo/skramz band?

Crime In Stero // Type One

Jammin'

We Were Skeletons // Long Night

It's been a Long Night crying over the fact that We Were Skeletons are breaking up. Ha Ha Get it....I'm so sad.
Anyways, all great bands break up at some point (except for The Rolling Stones, who will probably never die)
So keep jamming to We Were Skeletons and let them make you more emo than they already did.

Dangerkids // We're All In Danger

They're about to blow up. SO good.
-Zulu



(not normally my style, but I dig this...-CaveBear)

Our Foliage // Struggle

This is possibly the most Emo band that I have discovered in the past month.
Their bandcamp is even tagged sad.

Spruce Ave is my favorite of the three songs, but definitely listen to all three tracks.
This was released a few days ago and they hail from Hartford, CT.

Father John Misty // Nancy From Now On

Dante says that this artist reminds her of me...Strange music video for a very pretty song.

Topbunk // Springlake Pharmacy

I recently figured out how to use my Windows Media Player (no Itunes on the laptop) and have become more familiar with Bandcamp and the often free digital downloads of music on that site.
I heard one song from Topbunk on Tumblr and since the 6-track album was free on Bandcamp, I thought I might as well download it. I wasn't really interested in listening to the band on a daily basis, but just for the sake of building/saying that I had somewhat of a music library outside of my own brain.
Fast-forward. I have the player on shuffle and every time a really good song came on, I would click over to see that it was one of the Topbunk tracks.
Now I have the album, Springlake Pharmacy, on repeat while cruising through my list of homework.
Self-proclaimed lanky southern boys of emo, this two man lo-fi emo-punk outfit is worth a listen and a download.

My two favorite tracks are "You're always on E & I Worry About You" and "Our Year".

SRVVLST // I Would But I'm Baroque

I know that it is a few months away, but in May, Survivalist is releasing a new album called "The Seven Year Inch" and you can get pumped for that by listening to their last album, "I Would But I'm Baroque".

Inbirdseye // Speak Easy

tinyforest // WithoutDreams

While this isn't along the lines of most of the music that I post, I'm really enjoying this music right now and I wanted to share that with y'all.
It's kind of takes me back to the first time I heard Flying Lotus and this door of music just opened up for me. It's always good to explore, respect, and enjoy other forms of music that are outside of the normal range that you hold yourself within.

DC9: Balance and Composure, The Jealous Sound, and Daylight

I had the wonderful opportunity of going to see Balance and Composure at DC9 on the 20th. Balance and Composure is one of the bands that got me into listening to heavier music so it really felt like things were coming full circle for me. I've said before that DC9 is currently my favorite venue and that was confirmed again after last night. No matter how big of a name band they bring in, DC9 still retains a DIY vibe. You find yourself walking into the venue at the same time as the drummer for B&C and all of the guys in the bands chilling around before they play. Unlike some other venues where they have a backstage area, having the band hanging around definitely brings a sense of community to the music that I love.

Daylight played first and they are definitely gaining a place in my heart. Other than the energy that they brought with their performance, Taylor kicked a kid off of the stage--physically kicked him. Don't worry, Taylor isn't a tool, the kid was. That's one thing that will be consistent in this post is that all of the fans were total assholes. Firstly, just because the bands are high energy--doesn't mean that it's music to mosh. This kid just ran and jumped on everyone like it was a fucking Terror show. Calm your Tits kid! Taylor did apologize and said that he just lost his temper because his mic was slammed into his face. Good on you, Tay. You should have kicked him again, honestly. Which just gives points to Taylor--he had every right to be pissed and still found it in himself to apologize. Good Guy. They played several of my favorite songs from, "The Difference In Good and Bad Dreams" and their new song, In On It, which I've included below.



I will confess that before this show I had never listened to The Jealous Sound. In most scenarios, I listen to the other bands before I go at least and see if I'm into them and in most situations get really into them before the show. I was just strangely apathetic in this situation though and didn't even look up one single fact or song about The Jealous Sound. I regret that because they were genuinely fun. They have this early 2000 indie-emo-punk sound that could best be described as Alt-Rock. It was simple and good, and I keep wanting to compare them to someone but I can't place my finger on who. All of their songs are kind of a jam where it would have been really fun to sing along if I had known them. Besides that, I realized that they were really good and I had totally dropped the ball on that. Never too late to reprimand though, and I am currently cruising through their list of songs and really enjoying it.



Finally Balance and Composure played! Per usual I don't have much to say about the last band because anyone who is reading this already knows that they were good. I had heard a few rumors that they weren't going to be good live, and that rumor can be disbanded because--not true. The same situation that happened during the Daylight set went down. WHY WERE PEOPLE MOSHING TO B&C? I understand bouncing, jumping, throwing around...but their were some honest attempts at slam dancing, that's not okay. Also, bad timing on the fan side--even in the slow section of a song the crowd would be throwing themselves on each other. I'm all about getting thrown around in a crowd and I was definitely IN that crowd, but not every song is like that. I think the only time I got to really listen was during Echo. It was all good though. The music was great,the fans were all assholes but I'm an asshole so I should have known that the people there would be assholes like me.



Great time, and I hope all of these bands come back to DC soon. I know it can be harder to get to DC because of Hotel prices and what not but it really means the world to everyone here who can't make it the shows that skip over DC and go to Baltimore.

Lukestar // In A Hologram

My go to band suggestion.

Kidcrash // Space Between Mountains

All about the guitar work.

The Dead Trees // Killer In Me

Live version.

My Little Pony // Comic Relief

As absurd as it may seem, this song has been a little bit of an anthem for me in the past month.
Every song intends to be meaningful, but this one stands out to me because the message isn't really one that I hear that much.

I think that whole hipster group feels this need to be deep and profound and everyone who isn't is dumb and "mainstream" (whatever that means). I think we forget that people are born the way that they are and just because you don't contemplate life every five seconds, and read Hemingway or Proust, does not mean that you don't understand the purpose of your life.
Some of us are the "comic relief" characters that the song is about. It's totally okay to be mindless sometimes and laugh and not give a shit what someone thinks.
Everyone serves a purpose in life--and if your purpose is to make people laugh then go for it and don't try to be something you're not for the sake of a fad.

Plus the song is cute.

Black Cat: Texas Is The Reason, w/ Title Fight

Black Cat is a famous venue for a reason. They know what shows to book, they know how to handle concert goers, they're organized in getting you into the venue. The venue has this feel to it, as if it's the father of all of the dc venues. Not to be cheesy, but their is a comfort and overall feeling of maturity when you're at the Black Cat
--even when a drunk guy in a Chain of Strength T-shirt is quoting Mean Girls as he stumbles out, post-show.

This was the second of many times that I plan to see Title Fight and the first and only time I will have the opportunity to see Texas Is The Reason.

While Title Fight did not have the same energy that they had when I saw them at DC9, they were still on point with their set. They are a consistent band when it comes to live performance, which is always a plus. I really think that the size of the venue is what took away from of that energy. When you don't have a fan trying to steal your mic (DC9 show) then the set will probably be a little calmer. They are definitely one of those bands that you love twice as much once you have seen them live. The guys are really humble and thanked people for "coming early" to see them--when tons of people came just for them. Also--Mid-set I looked over to see that members from PBTT was standing next to me. It's really great to see bands from nearby/who have toured with eachother, coming out to support eachother.



Texas Is The Reason was great. The fans were great. I've said in past posts that I love it when people know the words to every song and that was really cool to see some of these random people in their late 20s and 30s jamming out to these guys. They sounds exactly the same live as they do on a track--which is consistent with most punk/emo bands but it is still good to have that confirmation that your favorite artists are real artists. A lot of times in modern music, we don't really know what a band is like until you see them live. So it's really assuring to know that you can listen to Texas Is The Reason on your ipod and get the same thing at one of their shows. I also dig older people making a comeback. They were super humble too--the venue had this aura of appreciation. Something To Forget was my favorite song of the night.

The Saddest Landscape // You Will Not Survive

This northeastern band has been around since 2002, playing authentic emo music.

Gaza // I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die

What the actual fuck. This is Amazing.

Apart // Suffer In Rhythm

So glad that this band is in my life right now.
Hardcore? Melodic? Skramz? Screamo? Emo? Post-Hardcore?
I have no idea how to classify these guys, and I really like that.
They're just a dash of all my favorite things.

Through Arteries // The Filth Among Us

Through Arteries released their first single of 2013 titled, "The Filth Among Us". This is the first release of theirs since This is Just The Beginning, which was released back in 2012.
Great mix up of different styles of screams, and the use of synths/violins. I'm a huge sucker for added effects, so I immediately became a fan of their new single. The construction of this song is a great mix up of breakdowns/chorus'/and they even manage to fit a solo in!
Although they don't have any shows booked, be on the look out for something in the near future, as I'm sure they'll be hitting the stage soon.
-Zulu

The Amity Affliction // Open Letter

I'm not searching the sky for a reason to live.
Because I've found beauty right here, and the passion to give.
So let me give you my heart, let me give you my tears.
Let me give you my life, let me give you my fears.



I didn't discover The Amity Affliction until late last year with their release of 'Chasing Ghosts'. I still have no idea how it took me so long, but am I glad I found them. I've had Open Letter on repeat for the last week or so, and it still hasn't gotten old.

On a side note, I wrote before that the Merchant lyric video was the most creative thing I've seen; however, I must take that back and say this video takes the prize for most creative lyric video!
-Zulu

Snowing // Kirk Cameron Crowe

Figured if I was going to keep posting Emo music, then I should probably post a Snowing song.
It's fitting.

Mineral // A Letter

Two favorite things in music.
The 90's and Sad.

Sometimes I read and reread the birthday card you sent me when I turned seven and I know that they will never shine the way it did that day when we threw paper airplanes at your head and sat on your knees laughing

Like Moths To Flames // Learn Your Place

Another well dressed metal band?

Like Moths To Flames recently released their music video for 'Learn Your Place', and this is one of the best music video's I've seen in a long time. Not over edited, aesthetically good, and a great song. I love the look of the video, and whoever directed/edited it deserves major props. Its good to see Greg (Ex-The Air I Breathe) doing well on drums, definitely deserves to be in a band as good as LMTF.



I saw these guys on Scream It Like You Mean It this summer, and they do not disappoint live. They sound identical if not better than their recorded material, and get the entire crowd moving. Most people have probably heard of them, but if not check 'em out!
-Zulu

The Front Bottoms // Legit Tattoo Gun

Modern Baseball // Sports

Seriously, Philly.
Stop reading my Diary.

Two Knights // Lois Lame

Right though.

Moose Blood // Bukowski

This debut EP, "Moving Home" is released this month.

Yeaaa.

My Heart To Joy // Watch Me Live

Topshelf Records band. The album is Seasons In Verse

I have no idea why this only has 800 views on youtube....

Keepsafe // Worth Living

Normally when random bands follow me on tumblr, I don't give them any attention.
I've been really enjoying these guys though, a melodic hardcore band from across the pond.
I'm going to listen to them a little longer before I make comparisons, but the fact that I like it can suffice for now.

This EP was released just a few months ago. Listen to the EP and enjoy.

Nova Prospekt // Shift

I don't understand what it is with me and European bands right now, but it seems like its the only thing I'm writing about.

I should start this out by saying, I'm a sucker for synths, catchy choruses, and this kids singing. This kids vocal range is absolutely unreal. How good is his signing?! I could listen to his voice for days and never get bored.

I can't get enough of this band at the moment, definitely gives these guys a shot!
-Zulu

Rock and Roll Hotel: H20, Terror, Backtrack, and Code Orange Kids

This Friday was the tour kick off for these bands. I really liked that they started off in DC, not just because I'm here but also because it felt like somewhat of a respect to all that DC had brought to this music.

The show started at 7, on the dot. That was slightly frustrating: I think most people are used to shows "started at 7" and not really beginning until 7:30.

That being said, Code Orange Kids kicked off the night with a great set. It wasn't as great as when I saw them at Casa Fiesta in Tenley, but that's to be blamed on the crowd. Not a lot of people were there yet and they did start playing exactly as I walked in the door at 7 (which is normally being a little early). They're a consistent band when it comes to performance and I really love watching them play. I'm trying to avoid writing too much about them because I am a big fan and I don't want to be biased. As a girl, I love seeing a girl in a band and They're all about my age so their success is that much more exciting to me and blablabla all that crap. A number of them are in Adventures and I'm hoping to go out by Pittsburgh to see them play with Owen in March.
Anyways, as a young band I can't imagine how stoked they are to be playing with guys like H20 already.



Backtrack brought a short set but I want to say that their set got the most out of the crowd. Anyone who came into the show not knowing or being super familiar with the NY band, left as fans. From my perspective, the people I was with-- These were the guys that they were talking about post-show. Expect a lot more from them after this tour, they will definitely be blowing up soon.



Terror was a fun time. As great as the music was though, looking back at it I can't help but focus on some of the things that Scott said when he gave this little speech and how many times he said Stagedive. Everything he said was great and he really meant well by it, but it was a little frustrating for a lot of the fans when he said that their weren't any shows going on in DC. As fans, we can't necessarily choose where bands tour. A lot of times people will go from RVA to Baltimore and skip over DC. That doesn't mean that there aren't shows going on. If anything because of bands skipping over DC, the DIY attitude is more alive here than a lot of other places because young people are taking the initiative to put together shows and play locally and really create a scene for themselves that is fading in a lot of ways in DC. If Terror wants their to be more in DC, than they should come here.
Their music was great, they're an awesome band--I'll have Keepers of The Faith stuck in my head for the next two weeks. So, I hope Terror feels free to come to DC again soon.



Umm...I don't have anything to say about H20. It's H20. They were amazing. They're my Dad's age, that's awesome. Most of their fans were too drunk by the time they started playing, so the crowd was pretty sloppy. Drunk people are annoying at shows not because of Edge or anything, like have a beer or 3 if you want but why get trashed at a show? It would kind of take away from the show in my opinion, like you might as well be wasted at your home listening to H20 and pretending that you're at a show and moshing with your imaginary friends. It wasn't as bad as I'm making it sound, I've just been to more strict venues recently. I don't think I've seen drunk moshing since I was at warped tour as an eighth grader.

I wish H20 the best of luck on the tour. Really Really Fun show.



Also-- To Rock and Roll Hotel, I don't know if they painted the floor right before the show or if they just used really crappy paint but everyone left the venue covered in red crap.

-CaveBear

Daitro // Laissez Vivre Les Squelettes

French as Fuck.

Casino Madrid // Fantasy vs. Reality

Open your ears,, people. Casino Madrid is writing their second album and it's going to be unbelievable (If their debut full-length Robots is an indicator of their talent). While there is not a release date announced or any signs of a single coming soon, there has been several tweets by the bands members letting everyone know they are in the middle of the writing process.

Take a listen to one of their hits from their first CD 'Fantasy vs. Reality'.



While it may be criticized for the lyrical quality, the construction of the song is of good quality.
Most importantly, the slowed down chorus at 1:36 is godly. The way the song flows, from the initial chorus to the screaming, then into the slowed down chorus, is just too good, I literally can't put it into words. Go and jam out to them, and let me know what you think!

-Zulu

Adam Dixon July 22, 1993- January 30, 2009

I just wanted to take a moment to remember my good friend, Adam, who passed away on this day 4 years ago. He was a kind, vibrant, young guy who was so full of love and life. He was a lot like how a lot of us were at 15-- searching for our place and where we fit in to the grand scheme. He liked hardcore music and was never content with fitting the mold. He introduced me to a lot of the music that has led me to where I am now.
He was a huge inspiration to me and while he was often bullied by guys at school, he never let anyone see that it effected him and he always gave hell back.
We spent our time carving pumpkins, eating shitty chinese food, and stealing orange traffic cones in protest of more things than we could list or possibly know.
Adam was my neighbor, the guy I walked home from school with, the kid who forced me out of my comfort zone, and the kid who showed me how I should be living my life.
It isn't often that we encounter powerful and life-changing friendships at such a young age.
He was a healthy guy who was ripped from this earth too young after a short battle with the Flu. It is freak incidents like this that brings us to our knees and reminds us how grateful we need to be for our lives.

That week of school had been canceled from a snow storm and everyday, Adam would text and ask me to come play in the snow. By the end of the week Adam was feeling sick and asked if I would come over to watch movies. Every time that week, I said that I was busy when really I was just sitting at home. I had been lazy and solitary in the last days we had together. I never had a chance to say goodbye to Adam and that is something that I regret almost everyday of my life.
When a friend asks you to go to a show, or do some childish shit like go bowling-- always say yes. Go out and do things and spend time with people if you care about them.
Next time that you are at a show and giving it your all-- think of Adam and remember that the dates on the tombstone mean nothing and that it is all about that little dash and everything that comes in between.

Oceans Ate Alaska // To Catch A Flame

Before I get into this, I must say I feel as if there are an unusual amount of bands with Alaska in their name.
Either way, OAA who are currently in the studio writing their first full-length are a band that should most definitely be watched in the near future. To start, this band has SO much talent. I mean like CRAZY amounts. Much like TAIB who I wrote about, they have great instrumental skill and it is shown throughout their songs. The breakdowns through their songs are stunning, and the drums sound unbelievable. I know I’ve talked them up a lot, but I haven’t even got to the vocals yet!

I don’t even know where to get started with the vocals. James Harrison, who does both cleans and screams, has a giant range, and should be put up there with the best of the best in this scene. His cleans could put a baby to sleep, while his screams and growls are brutal yet comprehensible. I can't put into words how talented he is, hopefully all of you agree with me!

I’m thoroughly looking forward to what they come up with, as everything they’ve released so far has been on point. They also recently signed to the Artery Foundation, which signals they could be coming to the States in the near future!

-Zulu

Check out their debut music video ‘To Catch a Flame’

This Town Needs Guns // Mnspector Iorse

Here is the second jam off of this EP.
I am going to do a review of their newest album soon but I wanted to have a little moment of nostalgia for the previous other music of TTNG

-CaveBear

Sharks Keep Moving // Arizona

Arizona is actually my favorite state and that has nothing to do with this song
-CaveBear

Toe // You Go

The wonderful and often elusive japanese Math-Rock band, Toe.
Here is a live video of them performing You Go in Hong Kong

Ef // Hello Scotland

In tribute to the years of my childhood spent living in Scotland,
I give you Swedish post-rock band, Ef.

Castevet // Between Berwyn and Bryn Mawr

Why have I gone this long without getting into this band??? Eh?
This is off of their album, Summer Fences.

bare feet slide across 3am kitchen floors, you were up all night playing detective with one glass eye. and relief came in the morning with sloppy haircuts and old t-shirts. stay in old apartments with ghosts in the walls. church bells and airplanes try to roll you out of bed, but you’ll sleep instead.



-CaveBear

Lakeview // This City Won't Be The Same Without You

First off, congratulations to Lakeview on being signed to Arkaik Records!
Following the release of their initial EP, Live Before You Die, it was clear it was only a matter of time until they were picked up by a label. Lakeview also happens to be the first band on the Arkaik records roster, and it's easy to tell they're heading in the right direction for the future.

Take a listen to Lakeview's first official single off of their first full-length set to be released in the summer titled 'This City Won't Be The Same Without You'.



This is a revamped version of the title track off of their EP, and it has some stylistic hints of Blink 182. I'm looking forward to new tunes from these guys, so go and check 'em out!

No shows have been announced as of now, but i'm sure they'll be hitting the road soon to promote the release of their new CD, so be on the lookout!

-Zulu

Merchant Ships // My Journey To The Weed Den

I really wanted this song to be the one to push me over 2k views because of everything that it means to me in this moment.
The beginning is an excerpt from a Max Bemis interview. There is also clips from a Daniel Day Lewis interview and a clip of a speech made towards the end of American History X as well as others.

It’s okay to hate me, I hate myself too. If I ran away I would only miss you. But, if it means your happiness, if running’s what it takes, then I hope you see forever’s more than just mistakes.

To me, there are not a lot of songs more beautiful than this.
-CaveBear

Owen // Playing Possum For A Peek

Who else is falling asleep to this song for the next week??



on repeat too.

9:30 Club: Hot Water Music, La Dispute, and The Menzingers

While I'm not a huge fan of the 9:30 Club, I was happy to see that La Dispute and The Menzingers would be playing there. My issue with the venue is the divide it creates between the artist and the crowd. I'm more of a fan of DIY style shows where there is a sense of community between the crowd and band, and you get a chance to mingle and chit-chat with the guys you came to see.
This show was fantastic and the 9:30 Club stage was my only gripe.

I was also unaware of the type of kids who listen to La Dispute...I assumed that they would be like myself--Doing their own thing without being a weirdo about it. I did not realize that a lot of 'Scene' kids listen to La Dispute. Those kids in ninth grade with too much eye-liner and hair perfectly..IN their eyes. THEY STILL EXIST. I had no idea.
I wasn't bothered by these kids but they did make my friend Eli and I feel sufficiently old.

We were wonderfully surprised to see members of Pianos Become The Teeth and United Nations show up to support La Dispute and it was just really cool seeing Jordan and Kyle from PBTT chilling and hanging out on the side of the stage. Although we did get our hopes up, wanting PBTT to be a surprise guest band, it was awesome seeing bands supporting each other in the same way you see local bands supporting each other.

The Menzingers opened and they brought a lot of energy. They put a lot of effort into their set. Anytime I see a band who is visibly passionate about their music and excited to play, it makes me that much more of a fan. I went into the show liking The Menzingers, and left it genuinely caring about them as a band. Once again, only gripe was the crowd. When a band is putting that much energy into a show, you should really give them the same energy back.
My favorite song that they played was definitely "Gates"



Next up was the band who I (and most of the crowd) had come to see.
La Dispute. I'm too big of a fan to even judge if they were good or not. I was too busy losing my shit. I don't get starstruck ever, but I turned into a small child when I touched Jordan Dreyer's arm when he came down to the crowd. I was so pumped that I didn't even realize that I was basically inside this giant dude's armpit for most of the set. Some kind soul took pity on my shorter frame and let me stand in front of him to see, remarking, "Everyone needs a chance to be able to see this."
There were a few songs that we wished they would have played, like "You and I in Unison" but really, their were Zero complaints. The crowd was incredible, everyone knew the words to every song. That's my FAVORITE thing at any show. That look Jordan Dreyer got in his eyes when everyone was singing, like as many times as he's encountered that there is still this 'Holy Shit, People love our music' feeling everytime. I love seeing a bands reaction to a crowd.
They ended with "King Park" and of course, I was tearing up half way through.



Finally, the headliner band, Hot Water Music. I feel bad, but I went into the show not knowing anything about them and so I wasn't able to get excited for them. I respect them and their set was great and the people who came to see them were going really hard through the whole set. They were great, but I had just given all my energy during the La Dispute set that I just had to sit down for their set. They have a great fan base, the crowd was really excited. The band was great, but they just aren't one of my bands.



All in all: Great show. Wish it had been at a different venue.
-CaveBear

Merchants // This Is Only The Beginning

My. Goodness. What a find Merchants are. I've been meaning to write about these guys for the past couple days. Formed in early 2012, they’ve already gained nationwide attention, and I would not be surprised if they end up getting signed in the near future. Here’s their second single titled ‘This Is Only The Beginning’:



They were featured by ak99superstar on YouTube back in November, and their Facebook has exploded ever since. What hooked me was the lyric video. I’d never seen a silhouette of the guitarist and vocalist used as the background for a video. (Crown The Empire would soon imitate this style with their lyric video for ‘Payphone’). Besides a grammatical error throughout the video, that’s the only complaint I have. I can’t wait to hear more from these guys in 2013!

-Zulu

My Iron Lung // Family Traits

In September 2012, My Iron Lung debuted released the album, Grief, with Pure Noise Records.
This San Diego band has recently announced a March and April tour with Vales.

For those of us in DC, the closest dates would be 3/25 in Richmond and 3/27 in Philly. So if you have the funds to make the trip, then I would definitely recommend heading to one of these two places.

-CaveBear

Chronographs // Optiks

To describe Chronographs, a British progressive hardcore band formed in 2010, I'd go with Metal Hammer magazine's description, “Gloriously bonkers, and rather brilliant… It’ll screw with your brain before punching you in the gut”.

It seems as if I have a thing for well-dressed metal bands, but the thought of seeing a Harry Styles look-alike on drums kind of scares me.

-Zulu

Four Minute Mile // Grey

Here is a track off of the upcoming EP, Bridges/Streetlights, from Olympia, Washington based Pop-Punk outfit, Four Minute Mile.

This EP is definitely something to watch out for. I'm hoping that every other song to come off of this EP will be just as good as Grey. I am predicting/hoping for a lot from these guys in the future. Maybe, they'll wander over to the East Coast sometime?
I am not normally a consistent Pop-Punk listener, but I will definitely be looking to get a hold of this entire EP at it's release and I'd suggest the same for all of you.

-CaveBear

Native // Wrestling Moves

I'm really starting to become a fan of the Math-Rock genre. Their is something admirable in the rhythmic complexity, to a point that even if it wasn't your sound then you could still appreciate any Math-Rock group as Musicians.
Native, as a band, has been floating around a lot in my sphere of friends lately. Needless to say, we're a little late to the party. This album is 3 years old, released in 2013.

As a whole, these guys are technically sound and very skilled...so of course, if that's something you appreciate, check it.

-CaveBear

Capsize // Fade To Grey

When Hanna first asked me to review Capsize, I was skeptical, I won't lie. Not only do I not really listen to hardcore music, as I generally side with the post-hardcore/metal-core scene, but I've tried listening to it before and I just wasn't a fan.
After clicking the first song that popped up after typing in 'Capsize band' since just 'Capsize' brought up videos of sinking ships (obviously), I found 'Fade To Grey', which only had 709 views...



The first couple seconds, I was a little doubtful of what was to come, but once 1:16 hit, it was just pure gold from that point on; definitely something I could jam out to. After watching the music video, while the song was excellent in every aspect, what stood out to me more than anything was the passion the band had for their music.
I'm a huge fan of bands expressing how much they care about their music, since it has such a large impact on the final product, and makes it better!
For the post-hardcore/metal-core fans out there comparing this to a band in that genre, I'd have to say Capsize is like The Word Alive, in the aspect of how passionate they are about what they produce.
After all that shpeel I guess you can tell I enjoyed Capsize, and there's no doubt I'll be on the lookout for more tunes from them! If you haven't already, give these guys a listen and let me know what you think.

-Zulu

Oh, and Capsize just began a west coast tour, so if you like 'em, Check out their dates and locations!

Thursday // Love Has Led Us Astray

It's THURSDAY!
and we're listening to Thursday. Clever, no?

This is one of my favorite tracks off of the 2009 album, Common Existence.
This song is so angsty.

"First we're cut from the cloth in perfect shapes Then we're tied in a knot and we're left to fray"

-CaveBear

Speak Of The Devil // American Whore Story (Demo)

Jordan Blake and Joey Wilson(Former members of A Skylit Drive)have joined up and are starting a project titled: Speak Of The Devil. While Blake had left ASD after their initial EP, Wilson left after their last full-length, Identity on Fire. Speak Of The Devil released their first demo titled “American Whore Story”.



Personally, I think it has hints of ASD sound in it, while at the same time creating their own separate sound. Got some right riffs, and the varied vocal range is present throughout the song, which which sets them apart from many other projects going on at the moment.

-Zulu

SIRS // Hand Check, No Hands

Taking it back to Sirs first album, Vas Deferens.
This Purchase, NY band is currently signed with Top Shelf Records.

This song is amazing and it is what got me hooked on this band. They released an album titles, Sirs, in 2012 but I already can't wait for more stuff!.
They need to get dates for DC on their next tour because they are gaining quite a following down here.

-CaveBear

Everyone Dies In Utah // Party At The Moontower

Everyone Dies In Utah, a post-hardcore/electronic band from Texas, released a new music video yesterday for ‘Party At The Moon Tower’ from their second album Polarities. (A must listen!)

Who could turn down a video that has Gumby making guest appearances throughout the video! What intriques me the most about this entire video, is the ability to play guitar while doing a keg stand, is this actually possible?!

-Zulu

Nai Harvest // Whatever

New song from Nai Harvest, off of their album 'Go Wild'
check the bandcamp: naiharvest.bandcamp.com

If this is how the entire album is, then I will sure be pre-ordering this gem.
-CaveBear

Comeback Kid // Wake The Dead

Canada O! Canada!!!
Winnipeg based Hardcore band, Comeback Kid is signed to Victory Records and came on the scene in 2002.
This is the Official music video for their 2005 chant, Wake The Dead.

This is definitely a singalong song.

-CaveBear

News

*Bring Me The Horizon have announced their new album will be released April 30th.

*Also, they have dropped their guitarist Jona Weinhofen, and have replaced him with Jordan Fish.

*BMTH will also be touring Europe in the spring.

*Senses Fail will release their new album on March 26th.

*Sleeping with Sirens have announced a new tour for the spring.

*Chunk, Captain Chunk have also announced their own headlining tour for the spring.

*Lookout for a big announcement by Blessthefall this friday. Most likely will be a new album/headlining tour.

Farewell: The Air I Breathe

The Air I Breathe have announced their farewell tour. Following the tours end, they will be disbanding. Although they lost the majority of their members about a year ago, there was still hope Tony, the lead vocalist, would gather up some members and continue the project. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and now there is no TAIB.

While they were around, they were most definitely one of my favorites because of the technical skills of the members. Plus, the solo at the end of ‘The Awakening’ was jaw dropping, and never got old. I cannot put into words how awesome this band was, every song was tuned to perfection, the vocal effects were placed in the right places, and the album was perfection.
Yet, we’ll never hear another song from them, but hopefully Tony will form another band. The three guitarists have gone onto school or got jobs, and the drummer Greg, now plays drums for Like Moths to Flames.
Farewell TAIB, you were great while you lasted, and I’ll leave you with a few jams from them:

Hightide Hotel // I'm Just Sippin' On Monster, Thinkin' About Life

This self described "bunch of nerds" have once again confirmed what I said when I was first listening to Hop Along, which is that Philly is always pumping out GREAT bands. Especially these guys who are bringing emo back to it's former glory. I think I said in a post a while ago that real emo bands were gone, but here's a gem.
My little girl heart is crushing hard on their songs.
While Zulu has been bringing a lot of respectable bands to the site, when it comes to my taste then nothing describes it better than these boys.
When I like a band, I want the best for them...so head on over to their bandcamp which is easy enough to find and check out more from them.

and Fingers Crossed that they come to DC!

-CaveBear

Baths // Animals

No idea what this song is classified as, all I know is that it’s an absolute TUNE. I’m always open to music outside of the ‘hardcore’ scene as it’s a good change of scenery.
This is just one of those songs, that is just fun and thoroughly enjoying to listen to.



-Zulu

Basement // Pine

Still upset about Basement breaking up? Me too.
It's all going to be okay because their you can still listen to their released music on replay. Doesn't make you feel better? me neither.

I don't love you, I just needed to be loved

Aliens Ate My Setlist // To Be Honest, I Haven't Been On Apollo 13

Yet again Germany churns out another quality post-hardcore band that produces jam after jam! While Aliens Ate My Setlist hasn’t had the chance to tour the states yet, they have a growing fan base, and at some point will hopefully cross the ocean and have a tour over here.

Where do I begin? To start, this band is straight BONERS. I found Aliens Ate My Setlist this summer, and have been an avid listener ever since. Not only do they have a great band name, but they also follow in the legion of weird song names, ‘To be honest, I haven’t been on Apollo 13’ for some reason bands that make outlandish song names attract me. It’s always good to add some humor and fun into songs that are the stereotypical full of "sadness and heartbreak".
Either way here’s their first official music video (Pretty typical video and what you’d expect, sort of Asking Alexandria-esque video, but either way, great song with an awesome chorus that is sure to get the crowd moving):



-Zulu

P.S. Drummer is straight thuggin’ in the video. Chillen behind the kit and loving life with his glasses on.

(I hate this music video- CaveBear)

Being As An Ocean // Dear G-d

I recently had this band introduced to me via a friend.
This Alpine, Cali group is reminiscent of Listener. It is most noticeable in their acoustic songs but when they bring down the pace too you can hear a huge similarity to Listener. What makes this group stand out to me is that while they are in the style of Listener, they're still true to themselves and a completely individual unique band. This group is a lot heavier than Listener with their vocals. The band has christian influence, but they take the moral stance that Christianity shares most other religions so this music is accessible for all people and should not be cast aside for holding different values from your own.
They've been gaining a lot of popularity over a short period of time and whenever I see those kind of movements from a band it is surely worth noting.

Here is the Title track off of their album 'Dear G-d' and the official music video.



-CaveBear

Bring Me The Horizon // Shadow Moses

First off, I’d like to give a special thanks to Hanna. Writing for a music blog has always been something I’ve wanted to do, and I cannot wait to share my music with you all! I only see positive things for the future, and cannot wait to see this site grow.

Anyways, more importantly for all of you, lets get back to the music.
For my second post, I chose the new Bring Me The Horizon song, ‘Shadow Moses’.
BMTH’s highly anticipated fourth full length has yet to be released, but Shadow Moses, the first official single from Sempiternal, was released this past Friday. This single is definitely a continuation of their past albums, which in my opinion, have all been great in their own individual way. While their last album, “There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret” had a strong metal-core influence with its brutal vocals and breakdowns, it seems as if they’ve taken a new direction with this song, and perhaps the whole album. There has been rumors over the past few years that Oli has lost his voice, and is unable to scream anymore, which is noticeable in a few of his live performances, and a possible reason why there has been such a change in vocals and overall direction of the bands music. Take a listen for yourself and see what you think:



After the first play through of ‘Shadow Moses’ its evident there is not the vocals that many listeners of BMTH are familiar with. It seems as if the vocals are focused on shouting rather than screaming. Personally, I have no complaints with this song, and think its brilliant. It’s a nice change from what I had imagined, and what many have come to expect with many bands in this scene. While the vocals may be slightly different, the lyrics and instrumentals are what many people have come to expect, and don’t disappoint in any way. I’m mad excited to hear the full-length, and am hoping to see them live this year, as there have been strong rumors that they will be playing all of warped tour, along with LMTF and others.

-Zulu

Knapsack // Hummingbirds

This is off the well known album "This Conversation Is Ending Starting Right Now"
This is emo music, when emo music was emo music. Ya know.
This album is eternal in my eyes, so if you don't know it already...familiarize.

New Writer!

Hey,
Just letting everyone know that we've added a new writer to Big Sanchez. It should be a good addition and will add some much needed versatility in the music that we cover. Zulu will be doing some album reviews and general music posts that have a bigger focus on the post-hardcore side of the street.
You can check out his first post on Baltimore based band, Camisado, below this post and be sure to follow him in the twitter-sphere at @Snavedg
We look forward to seeing more from him in the coming weeks.

-CaveBear

Camisado // I Am Alive Tonight

If you haven’t heard of Camisado, you soon will. Camisado, a Baltimore band, recently released their debut album after what seemed like a five-year hiatus from their initial EP, Pulse, which was popular at its released. While this band has been almost non-existent over the past few years, they’ve come back into the scene with their new album, Faceless. I’m literally in love with every song on this album, and can’t stop listening. The vocalist's wide range is great, and the songs are well constructed. It’s hard for me to pick out a certain song as my favorite, as every song on this album is a JAM and a half, but ‘I am Alive Tonight’ is a really good example of what you can expect to hear.



While each song on the album has a dark feel to it, emphasized by the album artwork, this one in particular stands out. After the breakdown around 1:00, the alternate vocals are sure to bring a strong pit to any of their shows. While the lyrics on this track may seem a bit repetitive, the drums and guitars around them balance it out.
Although I hope they continue to grow, I just worry they fall into the trap that many other bands fall into; their debut full-length is fantastic, and then the second, is rushed or there just isn’t as much effort put into it, which results in a poor record that doesn't live up to the hype (i.e. A Skylit Drive’s Adelphia). Anyway, if you like what you hear, head on over to facebook and give them a like!

-Zulu

Ida // Road To Ruin

Once again, I have a good artist brought to me from Polyvinyl Records.
Not exactly along the lines of the genres I aim to post here, but I like the song so suck it up.

I Hate Myself // Destroy All Monsters

This is emo, when emo was right.
Original.

Algernon Cadwallader // Spit Fountain

THIS SONG.

Lasting Traces // Pipe Dream

Meloodddicccc

Heights // These Streets

I like that UKHC bands are all these skinny boyish looking guys.
Meanwhile in America, we have the fucking dudes from Harms Way.

All's Well. I like these guys and I'm pumped to see more from them soon.
Here is the official music video.

Lost In The Trees // Red

Here is the official music video.
Great stuff from Ari Picker.

Just Another Form of Conformity

I was a little early to a show a few weeks ago, and one of the bands that was playing were hanging around and when they saw me walk in they nearly broke their necks about it. I quote:
"A GIRL!?","Are you here for the show??","How did YOU hear about the show??"
As I turned to walk out and grab some food they were already making comments about my looks before I had even left.
This isn't the first time that I've been treated like this at a show. Ever since being around shows in PA back in 2008, I have been treated differently for not 'Looking the part' and more recently targeted towards my being a girl.

So when did the Hardcore scene become so centered around being tattooed, pierced, having dyed edgy hair, and being styled head to toe in perfectly distressed clothing.
What was once used as a way of breaking the mold, has become just another form of conformity.
People are so desperate to be different and unique that they've all ended up copying each other and looking the same.
While Hardcore/Punk rock is characterized by its style of dress, the mindset is about getting rid of the bullshit and having a DIY attitude. It's supposed to be about community and it's a place for people who have decided that what everyone else was doing wasn't interesting to them.
When you question someones authenticity at a show because of their sex or because they're clean cut, then you're essentially taking a shit on everything you "stand for".

I do want to mention that I HAVE met some really great kids this past semester which has made me want to go out to shows again. For a long time, I haven't gone to shows or even pursued a friendship with people who listened to the same music as me because I was so discouraged by the way people had treated me in PA/MD. It's cool to see that there are people who actually hold the values that I thought were lost for a long time.

andd for Everyone who has ever been a dick to me at a show:

I don't know you, don't try and protect me when the crowd gets rough- I'd get out if I wanted to.
No, I'm not someones girlfriend.
No, I'm not looking to sleep with you because you're in a band.
I can convey that I am an individual without changing my appearance.
I am myself in a dress and cardigan, I am myself in a flannel and vans.
My appearance does not define me.
If you don't respect me, I won't respect you.

Ceremony // It Rained Today In My Head

Frontier Ruckus // Nerves Of The Nightmind

I'm really excited for this guys to be at DC9 this winter.
You can buy tickets at www.dcnine.com

Here is the extended version of the music video for Nerves Of The Nightmind.
The first song that I heard from this emerging group.

Pianos Become The Teeth // Hiding

New song from PBTT that you have probably already seen on every other music-esque site that you check.
This song is such a teaser.
I wasn't really watching the development of this split, but now I am very excited!!!

Balance and Composure // I Tore You Apart In My Head

So you got a few iTunes gift cards in your stocking this year?
Me too.

My recommendation for the album to buy and walk around town with it blaring in your headphones is the album, Separation by Balance and Composure.
Yes, the album is from 2011 (which is exactly why you should have it by now)
Well...I didn't have it yet in my legal possession and now I do.
the gift that keeps on giving.

The Republic Of Wolves // A Weather Vane

I don't have that 'only listen to obscure music' mentality. I genuinely want the bands that I find to become as successful as they can.
There is a cheeky part of me though, that really likes that I first heard this band back in 2009, when they were just another purevolume page with only two or three songs and a low range of views. I have to give it up to my best friend, who tossed them my way for the great find.
Years later, they still have not had the success that I wanted to see from them/ expected to see from them.

All things aside, this is a great band and I want to see more from them in the next few years. They really are as good as any other more recognized name.

This song comes off of their debut EP, His Old Branches.

Owen // Put Your Hands On Me, My Love

Somehow this song has given me an odd, unplanned cathartic emotional release.
Like I cried a little bit....which is different for me.

Joie de Vivre // Next Year Will Be Better

Quite suitable for the new year.

Dads // Get To The Beach!

Rainer Maria // Planetary

Another great band from Polyvinyl Records.

Braid // Capricorn

In honor of..
...The New Year!
...My Birthday!
...and my sad, and frankly embarassing, interest in my Horoscope.
Here is to all Capricorns, and the way that all horoscope sites passively phrase us as uptight bitches. Like they know about this!