Being Without by Barrow (2011)

Kind of Like: Moving Mountains, Iselia, Pianos Become the Teeth
Genres: Post-rock, Screamo, Emo, Post-Hardcore
Buy: Big Cartel
Preview: Bandcamp

Stumbled on these guys through bandcamp and got floored.  Went to look for a link to download their album, and saw the Elementary Revolt beat me to the punch.  These lads are from Greensboro, North Carolina and it's their debut full-length. You can buy this on wax directly from the band at the Big Cartel link above.  Great debut from these guys, both writing and production-wise.  I noticed the band is asking for $5 dollars for the download, and rightfully so because they probably put some money into getting this mixed and mastered.  So, if the band wants this taken down, I will understand.  I can't fucking sleep.

Listen Here:

Club Banger EP by Club Banger (2012)

Kind of Like: Girl Scouts, 1994!, Noumenon
Genres: Emo, Noise Rock, Math Rock
Preview: Facebook

This is a great mix of genres that you see with bands like 1994!.  Just imagine a little less gruffier vocals with a little more of that whole "walls of sound" feel.  The beginning of the first track doesn't do much to prepare you for the explosion of sound.  Noise rock is a somewhat underrated genre that I think a lot more people that like these mathy emo bands could get into, so here is a great transitional band that could do the deed for you.  Particularly, got a kick out of the sampling of Ditka's infamous 2-7 meltdown before the song "Slippery When Ditka".This is the debut EP from this band, and although it is rough around the edges it shows some great potential.  Googling "Club Banger" for photos doesn't work either.

Listen Here:

When The Revolution Comes, Everything Will Be Beautiful by the United Sons of Toil (2011)

Kind of Like: Young Widows (older), &U&I, Neurosis
Genres: Noise Rock, Post-hardcore, Math Rock
Preview/Buy:

That photo is from this Madison, Wisconsin band's European tour.  To view more interesting photos, check out the flickr album; gnarly stuff.  These guys sound like they know what the hell they are doing, and they show they have experienced musicianship.  This album is noisy, mathy and probably the complete opposite of the band I just posted.  I also found this amusing that was posted on their site:

"Shamelessly lifted from an interview with Conformists singer Mike Benker. Words to fucking live by. 


DO NOT PLAY LONGER THAN 35 MINUTES, TOPS. Leave people wanting more not less. The first Black Sabbath record is just under 38 minutes. Are you better than that record? Nope. 


GET THE FUCK OFF OF THE STAGE. Grab your drums and move out of the way. When you set up, take as long as you want. You are burning up your 35 minutes. When you are chit-chatting about how you just weren’t “feeling it tonight” while you remove wing nuts from cymbal stands, know that a band is ready to run you over. If you see another band helping you off the stage, that is a bad sign. Figure it out. 


STOP FORMING BANDS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOUND. Get in the basement and play your asses off. Write ten songs and play the shit out of them then plays some shows. Scrap seven of the songs and write more before you dare record. The first ten songs a new band writes are usually not that good. Keep the best three. Not all of your ideas are good, numbnuts. Stop recording and releasing everything. 


IF SOMEONE SAYS “GOOD SHOW” SAY “THANK YOU”. If you complain about your set to someone who liked it, you look like a douche. Don’t be a whiner. Take the compliment and try harder next time."


Listen Here:

Bone Bleached Wooden Teeth by Hunter Gatherer (2010)

I'm probably going to spend the evening trying to find a pair of these Nike Hunter Gatherers that showed up while googling Hunter Gatherer

Kind of Like: Godspeed You!, Sigur Ros, Explosions
Genres: Post-rock, Ambient
Preview:

This is a now defunct band from St. Louis, and they were mainly a post-rock band I would say.  There are times when I say that I am over post-rock, but then another one comes along and I can't help but enjoy it for all the same reasons again.  It is particularly easily to latch onto a band like this when they have a great sense of direction in their music.  For me, post-rock bands need to have that thematic development that invokes something inside of you, particularly when the songs average about 10 minutes long.  The interesting thing about these guys is that they have formed a new band She Hums in Swarms, which apparently will be making a debut EP fairly soon.  It features most members from this band, along with a member of Family Might, and another from a band called Muscle Brain. So, hopefully we will see that come out soon.  It will have singing and be a bit rowdier than Hunter Gatherer.


Listen Here:

Analytical Dreaming EP by Animal Faces (2010)

Kind of Like: Carrion Spring, Logz, Kidcrash

Genres: Post-Hardcore, Screamo, Math Rock
Buy: I.Corrupt Records

Preview:

I don't know how you could watch that video and not get really stoked on this Toronto three piece.  The vocals sound exactly like another band that I cannot for the life of me think of at the moment, not that that's a bad thing. Maybe Native.  I love bands like this so much; the mathy post-hardcore bands are my favorites.  Get on this now please, ride it hard.  How the fuck has this been out for a year?  Another solid release from the DIY label I.Corrupt, I think they are Germany-based...

Listen Here:

The Autonomics

Kind of like: The Strokes, Cage the Elephant, White Denim
Genres: Garage, Indie Rock, Brit Rock
Preview: Bandcamp

The Autonomics are a Portland based 3 piece rock and roll group that takes a very straightforward approach to the garage infused brit rock sound ever so popularized in the early 2000s by groups like The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand and The White Stripes. Their arrangement have a particular flow and tone that suits the style perfectly. These guys are good friends of mine and our bands have shared many bills together in the last year since both moving to Portland. Below are both DIY EPs released last year, available for free from bandcamp, and I can't wait till these guys release a full length album.

Life from Dead Limbs by Iselia (2011)

Kind of Like: Milanku, Prawn, Explosions in the Sky, Beau Navire
Genres: Screamo, Post-rock, Ambient
Preview: Bandcamp

Kind of hard to see ambient and screamo so close together, but these guys rock it anyways.  There are the quiet, atmospheric moments, but they dont't last to long before the vocals and guitars come crashing back in that jolt you back to your senses.  This did rounds around the blogosphere back in the summer, and I am glad I finally took the time to give these guys from North Carolina a fair shake.  They bring something a tad different to the table and it's always nice to see different instrumentation even if it means just throwing a kerboardist in there. Check out "Last Leaf" and "Restless".  Restless is my fave so far. Update: "At Day's Close" is pretty epic too.

Listen Here:

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.

Listen Here:

Post Rock Is Not Dead by Pan

Kind of like: Fang Island, Arcade Fire, This Will Destroy You
Genres: Post Rock, Indie, Progressive
Preview: Bandcamp

From South Carolina comes 5 guys pumping out tasty and up-beat post rock. They mix it with 90's style indie rock and keep the songs fairly short so no parts ever feel overdone. It's good music to listen to on a cloudy day; it'll make you feel triumphant about anything you want. This EP is available for free from bandcamp and it looks like they are planning a full length release sometime soon.

Listen here

It Never Goes Out by the Hotel Year (2011)

Kind of Like: State Lines, Taking Back Sunday, Spraynard
Genres: Pop Punk, Emo
Preview: Bandcamp

State Lines repped these boys from Massachusetts.  They are gigging out, so I figured I would get the word out a little bit.  They have a nostalgic feel to them, much like State Lines does.  So far, I am digging "Vacancy" and "I'm Gone" the most, but I still have a couple more songs to go in it.  Think of a Spraynard that is a bit more emo instead of pop punk.  I hate writing sentences like that, but it's the easiest way to describe it and I have some errands I got to run.  Enjoy.   Oh yeah, this blog thing is a year old now I think.

Listen Here:

Young States EP by Citizen (2011)

Kind of Like: Seahaven, Balance and Composure, Turnover
Genres: Emo, Punk, Pop Punk
Preview: Bandcamp

I reviewed a split these guys did with The Fragile Season a little while back, and I only really liked one song a whole bunch off of it: "Fremont".  It was fast and gritty.  The second song was okay, but it leaned more towards cliche processed pop punk songs that just didn't appeal to me.  The third song on that split was kind of a mix of the two, and I could get into it.  This EP has a much darker, grittier and emotional feel that makes me think these guys are starting to really come into there own.  I also had no idea that they were from the southeast Michigan/Northern Ohio area.  So...downriver? Hm...

Listen Here:

Sleep on It by Ages (2011)

Kind of Like: Code Orange Kids, Backtrack
Genres: Hardcore, Screamo, Punk
Preview: Bandcamp

This album came out way back in July from these Ohio lads, and they actually have a newer album that came out in September, but I haven't listened to it yet.  This one is fast and catchy, mixing the vocals and speed of new york hardcore bands like Backtrack and the chords and melodies of screamo bands that always somehow manage to be dissonant and melodic at the same time.  Each song is a powerful and under 2 minutes long.  Give "Midnight" and "Dreamers" a listen.

Listen Here:

Our Pet's Heads Are Falling Off (single) - Crude Drawings of Dicks

Its been some time since we released a song, and once again this will be a SIGD exclusive sneak at what we've been up to these last few months in the homey Halifax screamo scene. You can find more of our music and converse with us on our Facebook page as we are excited to be releasing our first demo as soon as we're back together after this holiday break. Also, look out for our first promotional tracks on the Hungarian do-it-yourself Orange Mustache Records winter compilation CD: much like SIGD this little record label is both impressive and progressive! From all of us here, in the Fuhrerbunker, this is a warm hello and a happy New Years. Guys and Gals we need all the feedback we can get!

Listen here

I thought I'd give you guys another upcoming Halifax band to check while I'm at it. These guys are big on the renown metal scene here and they have about a year or two on us. The demo is what I really dig. They have some crushing riffs and brutally fun shows. I've seen them open for Touche Amore in this little skate shop over the summer, where I've seen their demo release as well. I got laid at their Halloween house party, so you know that shit had to be real. They're named Castle Wolfenstien -- after an old video game that brings the same intensity to the table. I recommend playing them together, but heh, metal and metal go together well too. bandcamp

Oh, and Poo I love what you're doing here for everyone here (it's like a brilliantly selective inspiration meets with a microcosm of progression in the modern music industry), and I'm happy to be a small part of it. If you happen to dig our music and want to discuss anything regarding production or distribution, you can reach us at crude.drawing.of.dicks@gmail.com  ~Cheers, Sam.