Best of 2012: Screamo/Hardcore

Fun observation: 82% of these album covers are predominantly gray.

11. Slow Revenge by SARG

I first heard of these guys this past summer when I was looking for international bands for the summer sampler.  They are from Germany and this album is a great throwback  It has the tone, speed and rawness from older hardcore bands but it still has some really fresh sounding riffs.

10. Debtors by The Long Haul

Out of all the albums on this list, this is the one that was around for the longest.  I threw it up here way back in January and even thought it would've made the 2011 list if it had come out a month earlier.  The past month, I got turned onto it again while perusing the archives.  Still sounds great to me, if I do say so.

9. Phantom Feelings by Shark Bait

These guys squeaked into the best of 2012; you may notice that their feature is only a couple posts down from here.  I think the initial review was good enough, but in short, Shark Bait has gotten progressively better since they first arrived a couple years ago.  

8.  Clarity by Vales

Another face from the Summer Sampler, this female-fronted band released this album under the name Veils.  Then a shitty band tried legal action against them, so they changed their name to Vales.  Veils or Vales, this album was thinly-veiled awesomeness.

7. Yore Veils by Adaje

Speaking of Veils, there are these dopes.  They stayed at my place for a weekend this past summer while they had some Michigan shows along their full US tour.  They took turns blowing me to get on this list, but they really didn't have to, I was going to put them on here anyways.  Who doesn't want to get blown though?  But seriously, I was pissed when these guys released this album, toured like hell and then promptly broke up.  I recently talked to Zoe and apparently there is a new band in the works, so let's look out for that next year, okay?

6. Metropolis by No Omega

One of the first cool things I put up on this site was this band's self titled EP.  So when I heard they were coming out with a full-length in 2012, I began foaming at the mouth.  Then I got lockjaw and was holed up in the hospital for a little while, but the doctors told me that was unrelated.  Anyways, this album turned out being great.  When it came out, I broke out in a rash.  Then it started hurting when I was peeing.  How the fuck did they do that?  I just know these guys are going to read this and it is not going to translate well at all into Swedish.  Fuck it.

5. Anomie by Animal Faces

Native hasn't been doing shit since Wrestling Moves and Kidcrash is kind of being quiet too.  So when their Canadian counterparts came out with this, it was a welcome gift. They have similar vocals to native but music more along the lines of Kidcrash. Either way, this is some hard, mathy goodness right here. Dip it in the water so it will slide down your gullet more easily.

4. Disembarked by Disembarked

This release has been consistent for me all year.  When it comes time for me to move music off my phone to make room for new stuff, this always is left alone.  I am really excited to hear their album coming out next year which will feature "Bewildered", a song not on this album but one you can find on the summer sampler.

3. You Me and The Violence by Birds in Row

The title track alone made this album worth it for me.  YOU...ME...AND THE VIOLEEEEEEEEENCE!!!

2. What's Left to Let Go by Goodtime Boys

A sort of pseudo-new full length, this album featured half new songs and half old ones from their previous EP.  It made sense because they are just starting to get introduced to the US market so a lot of people haven't even heard their older stuff anyways.  The new songs are great, I fake drum really hard in the car to "Callous".  After the 1:30 mark the drummer just kills it more and more.  Now we just need these guys to come visit the states with Birds in Row or something.

1. All We Love We Leave Behind by Converge

The king is back, and he sounds more organic and original than ever

Debtors by the Long Haul (2012)

Kind of Like: Pariso, Kerouac, Bastion, Goodtime Boys

Genres: Post-hardcore, Chaotic Hardcore, Mathcore

Preview: Bandcamp

Update: I've been informed that this is indeed officially a 2012 release.  Lookit!  First 2012 album on here!

You may recognize this band from the best of 2011 list for their work on their split with Kerouac.  These guys and Kerouac are the two best hardcore bands in the UK right now in my eyes.  This band is featured on Tangled Talk Records, that features a slew of great UK hardcore bands.  One of which I will be looking for dropping this month that sounds like it could be one of the better hardcore releases this year: "Clarity" by Veils.  I was immediately drawn to the artwork, being a Michigander that enjoys seeing a majestic deer any day (As long as it isn't jumping out in front of my car).  I immediately wondered, are there deer in the UK?  Turns out there is.  In case you wondered.  Anyways, this album right here starts off with a quiet, distorted, jazzy, enticing riff properly named "Lenders".    The EP explodes immediately into the next song and doesn't stop until it ends with the title track "Debtors".  I am not great at determining themes of albums by lyrics and such, but I would imagine the whole inveigle yet empty sounding riff of "Lenders" mixed with the premise of Debtors may have something to do with the economic climate and protests that have gone on in the UK.  I could be completely wrong though.  Ever since I heard this band on their split with Kerouac, I have absolutely loved their unique guitar work.  If only I heard this sooner, it would've easily made the Best of 2011 list for the Hardcore section.

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Best of 2011: Hardcore/Screamo

Sorry, I got around to this a little bit later than I wanted.  I got caught up in a game of BS.  I'm sloppy and ready to do this.  Please note, these are albums that were featured on this blog.  If you were wondering: Where is Pianos Become the Teeth/Daniel Striped Tiger/Touche Amore/Etc?  I did listen to and still listen to those albums, but I just want to focus on albums that were on this site.

10.

Adaje/Shark Bait Split

Read the SIGD feature

I remember listening to Shark Bait's stuff when I first started this thing a year ago.  I wasn't too impressed to be honest with you.  Then this came out, and I was pleasantly surprised with their material.  Especially the first of their two songs, "High Horse", I still listen to that song on the regular.  This split was a good deal of progress from their previous work.  This was an introduction to Adaje, their two songs that combined modern screamo with elements and post-rock I found intriguing.  Although they also do the violent stuff too which is exhibited on their split with Lizards Have Personalities.  Oh, hey, that can be bought here.  Overall, I think this split was a good look at a couple bands that probably will have a big year ahead of them in 2012.

9.

Judges- "Lonely Kids in Dead End Homes"

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People were flipping out on Touche Amore's new album, and I thought it was pretty decent, but the only song I still listen to off of that is "Home Away From Here".  If you are looking for more music like that you could check out this band, which I probably listened to a bit more than Touche's latest album.  It was just a little bit more memorable for me, but still in the same niche.  Then there are also songs like "Fleeting Thoughts" that are a little different and really catchy.

8.

Raein- "Sulla Linea D'Orizzonte Tra Questa Mia Vita E Quella Di Tutti"

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La Quiete and italian screamo was how I first really started falling for modern screamo music.  So, anything associated with them is bound to kill.  Raein features members of La Quiete, and sounds pretty similar to them.  This is the new album by them and it is gritty and great.  They actually came out with two albums this year, but the other was mainly a compilation of older/hard to find songs.  Still, it was another great addition to their 10+ year history.

7.

von Wolfe- "Life's A Beach"

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Don't let the plain looking text fool you, this album is intricate and fast as fuck.  I still flip my shit pretending I can play drums while listening to this debut EP.  Another great look at a band that I hope has a great year next year.  Their riffs are catchy and hard as all get out, and hopefully they will be touring soon and releasing more material.  After Everytime I Die turned into shit, it's great to see bands like this in that "Hot Damn" vein still doing it right.

6.

Kerouac/The Long Haul Split

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I got this cutie on gray vinyl.  This is a split that features two of the better mathcore/hardcore bands out of the United Kingdom right now.  They each have three songs and both bands put on extremely strong performances.  After listening to it a bunch of times, it's hard to say which bands half I like more, so I'm just going to say I like both of them equally for different reasons.  Easy way out.

5. 

Ed Gein- "Bad Luck"

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Ed Gein is back and they are still angry as hell.  Kenny introduced me to this band awhile back, and he actually featured this new album by them a few months ago.  These guys are somewhat pioneers in their genre, and they show why on this thrash-fest.  They are a mix of thrash, sludge, metal, grind, and punk.  The result is something that sounds like something that would be racing through the mind of a serial killer.  In a good way.

4.

No Omega- "No Omega"

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Who said the Swedes were pansies?  Besides Don Cherry anyways.  This debut EP by these Stockholm kids is a tour de force.  I reviewed this a good whiles back in the year, and I still love it.  It starts off hectic and fast, but after it's broken down it chugs along in great fashion.  These guys put up a couple new demos on their bandcamp, and I am really excited for whatever album they put out next year.  Fingers crossed for an eventual states invasion.  Seems like all the American bands have the balls to go overseas, come on European bands. What are ya, chicken? Buck-buck-bugaahhhhh.  Reverse psychology.

3.

The Armed- "Young and Beautiful"

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In a scene filled with cliches and regurgitation, the Armed continue to evolve.  Their initial releases were a thrashy blend of mathcore that were still great in their own right, but this new EP released in October showed a change of pace in a great way.  There were still throwbacks to their previous work, but there was also a lot of influence of noise rock and garage rock that melded perfectly with their roots.  Detroit has a ton of shitty hardcore bands, it's nice to see a smart one that still looks to push the envelope instead of dwelling in the been-there-done-thats.

2.

Mahria- "Mahria"

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Everytime I listen to this self-titled release, I find something else I really enjoy about it.  This female-fronted band from Edmonton was my from-out-of-left-field pleasant surprise this year.  It seems like most of the releases on this list are up and comers, and this is no exception.  But I think that also makes this list a little more interesting, and I hope that you guys welcome these new faces.  It would be nice to see them continue on instead of fizzle out like so many bands do.

1.

Kidcrash- "Naps"

Read the SIGD Feature

Speaking of up and comers, this is not one at all.  These guys have already solidified themselves in the screamo/post-hardcore ranks.  Talk about a magical year for them as well.  After releasing this EP, they started a kickstart thing to raise money for a computer to record their next full-length.  They met their $2500 mark in what?  Less than 48 hours?  They were even getting donations of hundreds of dollars from people asking for nothing in return.  Now that is special.  They are currently just over $4000, so hopefully the full length for them will be out next year.  As far as this EP goes, I am always impressed with their releases each time they come out.  Not only is the music great, and tweaked with each release, the artwork is also really cool in my eyes.  I always love getting their records in the mail and exploring them on the outside as I listen to them.

Kerouac/The Long Haul Split (2011)

Kind of Like: Converge, Botch
Genres: Chaotic Hardcore, Hardcore, Punk, Progressive

I've been checking regularly for this split to leak after listening to Kerouac's "Cold and Distant, Not Loving".  This is a split between what seem to be two of the UK's more promising hardcore bands.  They complement each other extremely well.  This is the first major release for The Long Haul, I think, because all of their previous stuff has been demos.  The Long Haul is a bit more progressive, their time changes are pretty clever.  And does anybody think the singing in the first track "A Bastard Behind the Eyes" sounds just like Portugal. The Man's singer?  Wait, is that a girl?  Anyways, Kerouac is definitely not overshadowed, they are clever as well.  Actually they are pretty damn even.  Strongest (cleverest) split that's been put out thus far this year.  I'll commit to that.

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