I really realllllllllly liked Daigomi's guides to music that he was posting in his blog a while back(I wish he would update again ), and I said in another blog that I'd write one on the screamo genre. So, I thought I might continue in the same fashion as Daigomi, and write somewhat of a guide to the screamo genre.
The term screamo is a fairly controversial term that gets thrown around left and right almost as much as metal when you're talking about metalcore. Most people equate screamo as to what it's been brought down to today - bands like Underoath or Silverstein, or even as simple as anything with harsh vocals - and dismiss the genre right off the bat. However, screamo/emo-violence/post-hardcore/whatever you want to call it is (as much as i hate resorting to wiki, it's right) redominantly evolved from hardcore punk and a more aggressive offshoot of emo bands like Cap'n Jazz, Moss Icon, Braid and the more popular Sunny Day Real Estate. Most screamo artists - especially the early pioneers of the genre - tended to keep their songs shorter than the norm (usually less than 1:30 as i've noticed). While usually fairly simple in structure at first, the songs were generally more chaotic than that of original emo artists; taking their influence from earlier 80's hardcore bands. As time progressed, as always, many different variations branched out from many different influences - bands that are extremely technical to the point of grind and those that incorporate melodies and instrumental breakdowns similar to post-rock.
Screamo is noted for it's incredibly DIY attitude, usually staying away from labels, management, etc. Where this genre gets me is the live show - it is entirely based around the experience you will have when watching a band live. It's not about getting up on a huge stage with tons of lights and raising up the band, but down on the floor with the audience around interacting the band, full of passion and creating one of the best live atmospheres I've ever witnessed.
- This band is one of my favorite bands of all time, and heavy favorite of this genre. Fronted by my favorite vocalist Jayson Green, Orchid kicks in your face with it's fast-tempo and chaotic songs, all with really good lyrics. I realllly wish I could have been into this scene when they were around, all of their live shows I have viewed on youtube are incredible. Orchid is considered by many (including myself ) to be the pioneer of what is known as screamo today, even though their aggressive songs sometimes border on grind.
- I almost didn't include pg.99 because their sound changed so much in between records, but their emphasis is predominantly hardcore punk, so I decided what the hell. pg.99, according to their myspace, were:
a hardcore punk band from Sterling, Virginia, located in the outskirts of Washington D.C. “We were just a group of friends who all wanted to play music and try to make our lives more incredible”. They formed as a 6 piece in the Winter of 1998 and later became an 8 piece. They went on several full US tours over their 5 year existence. They have 11 records out on many different labels, all of which have become great friends to them. Some include: Reptilian, Level-Plane, Robodog, Happy Couples Never Last, Robotic Empire and Magic Bullet. They preserve the idea that within their music, passion leaks out of every pore possible. Proposing that punk rock remains youthful and full of meaning, it is the most intensely committed endeavor of all our lives, and in the end when all’s said and done… in some shape or form we will live on forever through this music and defining time of our lives.
That really sums up pg.99 well, so I'll just leave some songs for you to decide on.
- Neil Perry was a screamo band from New Jersey that got their name from a suicidal teenager in the Robin Williams movie "The Dead Poet Society". Playing incredibly raw and fast tempos, Neil Perry laid guitar melodies in the middle of erratic drums to create a type of noise that could only be described as amazing. There aren't that many songs of Neil Perry on youtube, so here's the DVD that they released when they broke up. It encompasses Neil Perry, as well as the whole screamo scene in general, incredibly well.
- As much as I love this genre it honestly took me a little while to really get into these guys - mostly because of the vocals. Now I listen to black metal so I'm not one to complain about vocals, but Kathy's harsh yells were a little too much at first and were almost annoying. However, I sat down to listen to their latest cd As The Roots Undo and I was blown away. They take the fast stylings of screamo and morph it with some math-y progressions and some minimalist instrumentals and create a reallllly good experimental screamo band.
- I just discovered this band recently, and they are quickly becoming one of my favorites easily. Sailboats have made 2 songs, and then sadly 2/3 of the band died in a car crash, the only survivor was the drummer who joined with Loma Prieta later. Although they only released 2 songs(song 4 and 53 sec song are not made by Sailboats as a full band, they are side projects by the members), they are better then 90% of the screamo these days. Fast, beautiful, chaotic.
The previous bands are what I'd call more of the traditional screamo sound, while the next few bands start expanding into the Screamo/Post-rock and math/grind areas. I won't go on like I did above about these next bands, I'll just list them with a youtube/myspace link.
I honestly can't stand screamo music...all the stuff I've tried severely lacks maturity both thematically and musically, which completely turns me off. Then again, I'm a pretentious prick about my music...
Anyway, I hope you do more of these.
EDIT BTW, I think you meant to write, "post-hardcore" in your description of the genre, not "post-rock" here: "...and instrumental breakdowns similar to post-rock."
Last edit: 2009-05-24 13:18:21
Hello
DeathSpank United States. May 24 2009 13:30. Posts 671
I honestly can't stand screamo music...all the stuff I've tried severely lacks maturity both thematically and musically, which completely turns me off. Then again, I'm a pretentious prick about my music...
Anyway, I hope you do more of these.
EDIT BTW, I think you meant to write, "post-hardcore" in your description of the genre, not "post-rock" here: "...and instrumental breakdowns similar to post-rock."
yeah i forgot to put in post-hardcore as well, but i left post-rock because some of the artists - Daitro and Envy - have 6+ minute long minimalist instrumental breakdowns throughout a lot of their songs; which i equate to post-rock influence
r u for rela
boesthius United States. May 24 2009 13:33. Posts 3475
I honestly can't stand screamo music...all the stuff I've tried severely lacks maturity both thematically and musically, which completely turns me off. Then again, I'm a pretentious prick about my music...
Anyway, I hope you do more of these.
EDIT BTW, I think you meant to write, "post-hardcore" in your description of the genre, not "post-rock" here: "...and instrumental breakdowns similar to post-rock."
yeah i forgot to put in post-hardcore as well, but i left post-rock because some of the artists - Daitro and Envy - have 6+ minute long minimalist instrumental breakdowns throughout a lot of their songs; which i equate to post-rock influence
orly?
I always liken post-rock to the likes of Red Sparowes, Pelican and Russian Circles. I'll admit I haven't really looked all that deeply into the genre, but yeah.
Hello
HamerD United Kingdom. May 24 2009 15:12. Posts 1922
god i hate whining teenagers but still nice comprehensive post
"Oh no, we've drawn Judge Schneider" "Is that bad?" "Well, he's had it in for me ever since I kinda ran over his dog" "You did?" "Yeah...if you replace the word *kinda* with *repeatedly*...and the word *dog* with son"
I honestly can't stand screamo music...all the stuff I've tried severely lacks maturity both thematically and musically, which completely turns me off. Then again, I'm a pretentious prick about my music...
Anyway, I hope you do more of these.
EDIT BTW, I think you meant to write, "post-hardcore" in your description of the genre, not "post-rock" here: "...and instrumental breakdowns similar to post-rock."
yeah i forgot to put in post-hardcore as well, but i left post-rock because some of the artists - Daitro and Envy - have 6+ minute long minimalist instrumental breakdowns throughout a lot of their songs; which i equate to post-rock influence
orly?
I always liken post-rock to the likes of Red Sparowes, Pelican and Russian Circles. I'll admit I haven't really looked all that deeply into the genre, but yeah.
imo to ME pelican and russian circles are more post-metal/instrumental metal than post-rock, but post-rock is so broad that you could easily include it in there. daigomi's blog on post-rock is pretty damn accurate, although i would have to disagree on 65daysofstatic.
I don't even bother trying to keep up with screamo bands anymore but one of my favorite bands was Dawn Treader http://www.myspace.com/dawntreadermd which were a sick 7 piece screamo band then they formed the summer we went west which was fucking awesome emo
boesthius United States. May 25 2009 06:17. Posts 3475
On May 25 2009 05:19 Hundredth wrote: Oh man, add some true post-hardcore damn it like Million Dead
million dead is amazing brodooski, i just posted what i felt was 'entry-level', if you want to use that term.
On May 25 2009 06:14 floor exercise wrote: I don't even bother trying to keep up with screamo bands anymore but one of my favorite bands was Dawn Treader http://www.myspace.com/dawntreadermd which were a sick 7 piece screamo band then they formed the summer we went west which was fucking awesome emo
damn dawn treader was good, i'll have to look up The Summer We Went West for sure.
r u for rela
Kersed United States. July 21 2009 21:57. Posts 31
The aesthetics of screamo are very hardcore-ish; clothes, style, energy etc
And yeah screamo comes from hardcore punk so it's logical for the genres to sound very alike. Screamo can be a little too chaotic for me at times, while I do enjoy some screamo. The singing can also be too annoying in the long run with all the screaming. I mean hardcore bands scream too but it's sometimes less "panicky" screaming.
So I love hardcore punk, and like a little bit of screamo.
I know that deep inside of you there's a humongous set of testicles just waiting to pop out. Let 'em pop bro
boesthius United States. May 24 2009 13:09. Posts 3475![[image loading]](http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u202/Boesthius/screamo/banner1.jpg)
), and I said in another blog that I'd write one on the screamo genre. So, I thought I might continue in the same fashion as Daigomi, and write somewhat of a guide to the screamo genre. 
![[image loading]](http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u202/Boesthius/screamo/Orchid.jpg)
) to be the pioneer of what is known as screamo today, even though their aggressive songs sometimes border on grind.![[image loading]](http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u202/Boesthius/screamo/Pg99.jpg)
pg.99, according to their myspace, were: ![[image loading]](http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u202/Boesthius/screamo/NeilPerry.jpg)
![[image loading]](http:///i169.photobucket.com/albums/u202/Boesthius/screamo/CircleTakestheSquare.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u202/Boesthius/screamo/482813-1.jpg)
PH United States. May 24 2009 13:15. Posts 3417
DeathSpank United States. May 24 2009 13:30. Posts 671
~_~ Canada. May 24 2009 14:13. Posts 119
HamerD United Kingdom. May 24 2009 15:12. Posts 1922
pangshai Singapore. May 24 2009 15:47. Posts 2719
Yizuo Germany. May 24 2009 17:09. Posts 1265
floor exercise Canada. May 25 2009 06:14. Posts 1184
Kersed United States. July 21 2009 21:57. Posts 31
