Best of 2017!!!!

I haven't updated this damned blog in a VERY long time. I couldn't be bothered to review any of these records throughout the year. You'll just have to take me at my word when I tell you how absolutely amazing each and every one of them are.


Dad Thighs - The Ghosts That I Fear
Ostraca - Last
Foxtails - III
Converge - The Dusk In Us
Limp Wrist - Facades
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers
Mahria - Analemma
Frail Hands - S/T
Erai - S/T
Citycop - The Same Stories That Never Get Old
Rosetta - Utopioid
Primitive Man - Caustic
Antiklesis - S/T
Heaven In Her Arms - White Halo
Celeste - Infidele(s)
Boneflower - Empty Rooms, Full Bodies
Echoes - Cornerstone
Barabbas, du Fortappade - Discourse
Shizune - Cheat Death, Live Dead!

A City Sorrow Built - Ai

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For my first post in more than half a year, I have decided to write about my favorite "shitskrmz" band from Indonesia. A City Sorrow Built have graced us all with one hell of a record in this, their debut full-length. After two stellar EPs, 'Ai' continues to compound on their beautiful, sorrowful, lush and expansive take on screamy, unhinged post-rock. The songs here don't really deviate from what they had created prior, most just building on an already solid foundation of ethereality, rage & somber reflectiveness. Through the myriad highs and lows represented here, we are bearing witness to a band struggling to find truth in a world that is decaying before their eyes, struggling to find solace in lost love and the wonder and uncertainty that is tomorrow. I'm really having a hell of a time finding bands to compare them to, but if you enjoy the sounds of bands such as We Never Learned to Live, Envy, City of Caterpillar, Serena Joy, Men as Trees, Single State of Man and/or Paris in the Making, I'm sure you will love everything about this record and this band in general. Essential doesn't even begin to describe it.

Citycop - Loner

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     'Loner' by Citycop is yet another favorite from 2014 which I haven't really had much chance to laud yet. Long before the record came out, I was at their house in Akron for a much needed visit when I got the chance to hear some early recordings of the songs. I knew then and there that it was going to be very special. I couldn't have been more right. This newest record has taken them to a plateau few bands will ever reach in their career. 

     The men in Citycop and I have been friends for quite awhile now, and I have been able to watch them grow and develop into the genre-destroying juggernaut they have become. When people ask me, I never have an easy time describing what they sound like. Calling them hardcore is selling them short. Calling them screamo is selling them short. Calling them emo is definitely selling them short. It's tough to classify a band who defy classification. Maybe if they were just your run-of-the-mill hardcore act, it would be a little easier to pigeonhole them... Maybe if they weren't so meticulous about making sure every note felt like it could be their last it would be easier to put them in a neat little box.

     One of the main things that set them apart, aside from the fact that each member of the band is a verifiable expert at their chosen instrument is Max's acoustic guitar. Now, there have been a couple screamo bands over the years to incorporate an amplified acoustic into their music, but none have been able to pull it off with the level of success and confidence that Citycop has. Max is certainly not your typical guitar player. He bleeds the notes out while incorporating everything from classical to jazz to middle eastern rhythms into his playing. His abilities are unparalleled. Todd is no different on the bass. He is like a spastic child possessed when he is on stage. Running, jumping, whirling and flailing all over like his very life depends on it. Eddie is definitely one of the most impassioned vocalists you will ever have the chance to watch. He feels the words like few others. And, Cody... The only thing I can say about Cody is that he is, without a doubt the best drummer out there, period. He is the modern, living embodiment of Gene Krupa. Bashing, smashing and destroying anything and everything you think you know about syncopation and beat. Alright, enough fawning over my boys, for now.

     It's nearly impossible to compare Citycop to other bands. They definitely stand alone. I will say, if you enjoy non-traditional post-hardcore and you are yearning for something new and completely out of left field, you would be smart to give this band a listen. If you have ever enjoyed the sounds of Thoughts Paint The Sky, With Horses In Her Eyes, Frank Zappa, Ginger Baker, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, American Football, Karate, Miles Davis and/or The Chicago Art Ensemble, you may have just found your new favorite band.

Empathy Compilation

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     I don't have much info to give regarding the origins of this comp. or the label that put it out. The Bandcamp says the label is from New York, but that doesn't help much. With little to no info guiding me in the right direction, the one thing I know for sure is that the six bands featured on this thing are all super rad and feature a bunch of my friends and their stellar musical visions. This starts with a relatively quick blast from Wet Petals from New York, who turn out a song that wouldn't have been out of place on a Jihad record. The second song is from People's Temple Project who are also from New York. They turn out a 13 second ditty that is over as quick as it began. Song number 3 comes to us from Baton Rouge's own Secret Smoker. They don't disappoint with their always solid take on DC influenced emocore and the longest song on the record. Coma Regalia from Indiana grace the number 4 spot with their already legendary take on emoviolence. The always mysterious Oregon/Canada basketcases in мятеж blow up song #5 with their own unnerving noise/lo-fi/violence concoction. Finally, rounding out this thing is the always entertaining Waller from Maryland. They throw down a track that brings to mind equal parts Killdozer and Scratch Acid. Completely odd and strangely fitting after the emo onslaught that preceded it. All in all, this compilation offers up a few bands that some folks may not be familiar with, some they most certainly will be familiar with and a concept as strange and mysterious as the label that put it out.

Ice Hockey - Wavefunction Collapse

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     Ice Hockey is family. Ice Hockey are my brothers. Ice Hockey were born on the mean streets of the Quad Cities, which is a cluster of towns in Iowa and Illinois situated along the Mississippi River. I was born there, too. As a young man doing everything in his power to get out of the Midwest, I never would have thought a band of this magnitude could come from a place like that. Little did I know that I would end up regretting that belief someday. 

     'Wavefunction Collapse' is their newest offering, and with it you will find some of the most chaotic, bombastic hardcore this side of Combatwoundedveteran and Reversal Of Man. Now, don't take that to mean these guys are some sort of fly-by-night copycat outfit. That couldn't be further from the truth. Ice Hockey are blazing their own trails and tearing down any preconceived ideas about what a screamo record is supposed to sound like. This isn't all blast for blast's sake, shirt collar tugging, fall on the floor for effect samecore. These songs take on lives of their own because everyone in this band is a master of their craft. There are fun, noodly parts that bounce along until the breakdown drops and crushes it all. There are odd, experimental/psyche parts that let you know these guys have listened to their fare share of Yes & King Crimson records. There are unrestrained bursts of pure, unadulterated rage that should make you scared for your own safety. There is a snarling, smiling beast with a microphone doing somersaults and cartwheels through the crowd. All of these elements come together flawlessly to create a final draft that is haunting, hopeful and damaged at the same time.

     I could go finish this review with a RIYL list and all that... It's not worth it. You already know if you want this band in your life. I can't change your mind. The one thing I know for certain and the truth to end all truths is this: I am so happy to have these fellas in my life and I am 100% convinced that they are one of the best punk bands in the world right now.

Shizune - La Voyageur Imprudent

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Italy and screamo have gone hand in hand for years. With the likes of Raein, La Quiete, A Flower Kollapsed, Violent Breakfast, Endless Inertia & The Death Of Anna Karina paving the way for younger bands to carve out their own niche in a scene that has some really big shoes to fill. Shizune are filling those shoes with aplomb. This is the newest record from a band who have already proven themselves worthy of carrying the torch passed down from their progenitors. This is classic 90s influenced post-hardcore with very apparent emoviolence flourishes peppered throughout. Super passionate vocals sung and screamed in English, Italian, French & Japanese weave themselves seamlessly through tightly wound guitar lines that have an almost post-punk/goth feel, reminding me at times of bands like Echo & The Bunnymen or The Jesus & Mary Chain. That's pretty vague and I'm not sure if the band would agree with me on that one, but that is what I hear. If you can't get on board with a band experimenting and/or you don't like great post-punk, don't let that comparison dissuade you from checking this band out. This is a screamo record, through & through. Do you favor the Italian school? You will love this. Do you like Beau Navire, Disembarked, Vowel, Cavalcades & We Were Skeletons? You will love this. Do you appreciate DIY and the many facets that culture entails? You should support this band with everything you've got.

Things Fall Apart - S/T

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     I'm pretty sure we already have a contender for AOTY with this, the new record from Ohio heartthrobs, Things Fall Apart (TFA). These gents are part of the skramz vanguard & have perfected their take on somber, heart wrenching screamo through their newest batch of songs. The instrumentals lilt and swell with precision until the inevitable outburst brings everything crashing down around you. The vocals travel from a hushed murmur to an outright screaming aural assault, attacking from every angle, though never taking away from the power of the instruments themselves. Everything is as it should be in the mix which makes this whole thing feel that much more powerful. Having only had the chance to listen to this record a couple times so far, I can say with certainty that these songs have that lasting quality that means they will be stuck in my head for days, which is definitely the sign of a strong release. I don't really know what else to say about this... If you are a fan of their past work, you will most assuredly enjoy this. If you are just getting into real screamo and you would like a recommendation on a good band to start with, I can't praise these guys enough. If you are a fan of late 90s/early 00s screamo & post-hardcore, I would be flabbergasted if you couldn't find something to enjoy here. If you enjoy bands like Indian Summer, Ivich, Manku Kapak, Anomie, Carlisle, Anasarca, Old Gray, Calculator, Indian Taker & Suis La Lune, you WILL enjoy this.

Ephemera - S/T

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     Ummmmmm.... I feel a little strange writing about this band because I keep wanting to use the word "supergroup" and I feel like that is just such a stupid word in general, but I don't exactly know how else to describe the combined effort it took to create these songs... Basically, what exists here are beautiful screamo/post-rock songs built by a bunch of movers & shakers within the modern skramz scene. Folks that helped craft these works of art play in or have played in bands such as: Suffocate For Fuck Sake, Shirokuma, Totem Skin, Sore Eyelids, Anemone, Via Fondo, Heart On My Sleeve, Trembling Hands, Rainmaker, Coma Regalia & Vi Som älskade Varandra Så Mycket. If that's not enough of a solid pedigree to get you to dive headfirst into these songs of sadness, beauty and insanity, I don't know what else to do for you. 

     All you need to know is this; The musicians who have come together and taken the time to create this record are some of the most talented, dedicated punks in the world. There is so much heart and passion pulsing through these compositions that it's almost impossible to keep it contained. These songs sound like they are constantly on the verge of complete collapse, and you should feel very good about that. I would recommend this to anyone interested in the above bands as well as Tristan Tzera, June Paik, Funeral Diner, The Kodan Armada and/or Laeirs. This is hardcore for the hardcore.

Ask For Answers - Speak

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     I'm gonna keep this review short and sweet because I think the music here can just speak for itself. Ask For Answers are a "virtual skramzgaze" band that exists between two different points on the map. Amado lives in Texas and Filip lives in Serbia. Together, they create songs that borrow equally from screamo, noise-rock and shoegaze and they do it damn well. These songs are terse, sharp bursts of lo-fi violence that will have you pinned to the floor and begging for air in no time. Imagine Jeromes Dream, Deafheaven, Idiot Pilot and Durga spending the weekend together in some dirty motel room off I-80 and you will have a pretty good idea what this sounds like. 

Hurricäde - Anachronisms LP

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     My goodness. Today marks an end to one of my longest inactive streaks ever. I couldn't think of a better way to pick up where I left off than by talking a bit about one of the great heavy hitters of the Spanish post-hardcore scene. Hurricäde is a 3-piece band who hail from Girona, a city in the northeastern part of Catalonia. They formed in 2007 and this is their first LP and third release overall after two stellar 10" records prior. Though this record came out in 2014, it's never too late to heap praise on perfection in sound. 

     As most of you know, Spain has long been a fertile breeding ground for some of the harshest, most inventive screamo of the last 15 years. I don't know what combination of ingredients came together to make the area so perfect with regards to birthing such an amazing and vibrant community, nor do I really care to know. The point is, Spanish screamo bands such as Costacurta, Heads And Heads, Ulises Lima, Colchon, OSTENde, Arse Moreira, Under The Waves, Enoch Ardon, Standstill, Gone With The Pain, Viva Belgrado & Hurricäde have all had a hand in creating music that continues to inspire and invoke heartfelt rumination.

     Musically, these guys take the best parts of the bands that came before and blend them to create an interesting amalgam of intense, noisy and claustrophobic screamo/post-hardcore that has certainly been hard to describe. The vocals are appropriately screamed with the occasional off-key singing part or spoken word build-up that brings to mind luminaries such as I, Robot & Yaphet Kotto. The guitars twist and flail around in an almost math-rock fashion which makes me think of Botch at times and June of 44 at others. The rhythm section certainly keeps the backbone strong here, with a heavy low-end and a drummer that can turn on a dime. Sometimes, the band will drop the chaos and settle into a bass-heavy groove where I can also decipher some influence from bands like Slint, Drive Like Jehu & Polvo. Definitely not a bad batch. 

         Saltamarges Records is a label you should definitely give your undivided attention to if you find yourself enjoying the heavier, noisier, post-rockier side of things. I can't recommend them enough. This LP is a perfect place to start.

Best of 2014 - Top 80

This list is in NO PARTICULAR ORDER. All of these records are amazing and should be spinning in your head and bleeding from your speakers 24 hours a day.

1. Viva Belgrado - Flores, Carne
2. Kaddish - Thick Letters To Friends
3. Blue Friend - I Will Be Your Blue Friend
4. Yumi - Epicureans
5. We Were Promised Jetpacks - Unraveling
6. La Parade - Voces Del Exilio
7. Perfect Future - Manifesto
8. Forever Losing Sleep - I Lost Myself Again
9. Courtesy Drop - Stabilize
10. Frameworks - Loom
11. Citycop - Loner
12. Vi som älskade varandra så mycket - Den sorgligaste musiken...
13. Nous Étions - La Manière Noire
14. Fuck, Wolves! - Jetzt ist nicht jetzt, jetzt ist immer.
15. Youth Novel - Turned Around Abruptly Beside a Mirror and Jumped...
16. Celebration - Sompting
17. Ito Project - 遠方より終着 & 喚起 / 契約
18. Downfall Of Gaia - Aeon Unveils The Thrones Of Decay
19. Cara Neir / Flesh Born - split
20. МАЯК - Искусство приводить себя в беспорядок
21. Elephant Opinions - Awakening Will Be A Journey
22. Locktender - Rodin
23. Human Hands - S/T
24. Monte Ida - Devotion
25. Young Mountain - Fragile & We're Drowning In Slow Motion
26. Handwriting! - You're Mad And I'm Still Here
27. Ritual Mess - Vile Art
28. 52 Hertz - Somnolence.
29. Black Love - S/T
30. Aviator - Head In The Clouds, Hands In The Dirt
31. Bag Of Bones - Third Dimension
32. Killeur Calculateur - Book Of Flags
33. Capacities - S/T
34. The Great Old Ones - Tekeli-li
35. As We Draw - Mirages
36. Devil Sold His Soul - Belong ╪ Betray
37. Alaskan - Despair, Erosion, Loss
38. Rosetta - Flies To Flame
39. Sport - Bon Voyage
40. Øjne / Улыбайся Ветру - split
41. Crows-An-Wra - Kalopsia
42. Plaids - S/T
43. Old Soul / Lentic Waters - split
44. Storm {O} - Sospesi Nel Vuoto Bruceremo In Un Attimo...
45. The Tidal Sleep - Vorstellunskraft
46. Iselia - II: Dawn
47. Love American - Hollow Crosses
48. Причал - Отголоски
49. Plebeian Grandstand - Lowgazers
50. My Fictions - Stranger Songs
51. Tetola93 - S/T
52. Mariesena - Ruth
53. We Came Out Like Tigers - Ever-Crushed At Pecket's Well
54. Anopheli - A Hunger Rarely Sated
55. Weakness - Too High To Die, Too Drunk To Care
56. Aleska - Time Is A Curse
57. Flesh Born - Han
58. Jeanne - Demo 2014
59. Svffer - Lies We Live
60. Left Astray - Don't Look For Me
61. Disembarked - Nothing's Wrong Here
62. Nothing - Guilty Of Everything
63. Panopticon - Roads To The North
64. The Hotelier - Home, Like Noplace Is There
65. He Whose Ox Is Gored - Rumors
66. Fearless Leader - Fiercely Loyal
67. Hightide Hotel - Naturally
68. Palmkite - 2011
69. Pianos Become The Teeth - Keep You
70. Tiny Moving Parts - Pleasant Living
71. Charlotte Light And Dark - S/T
72. Jungbluth / Callow - Split
73. Batièn - Frammenti del mio flusso che insieme sono...
74. Manku Kapak - 2 Songs
75. I Refuse - Öffnen ​/​ Atmen
76. Baton Rouge - Totem
77. Sore Eyelids - For Now
78. Under A Sky So Blue / Celebration - Split
79. Remek - S/T
80. Shirokuma - Sun Won't Set

Flowers Taped To Pens - Self-Titled 7"

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     Some bands use the buildup effectively. They can play around with a few plodding, repetitive notes and take the listener to comfortable heights before letting them down slowly and with ease, like an old man submerging himself in a lukewarm bath. Some bands use the buildup to just lay waste to anything and everything around them. They add layer upon layer of burning, broiling anger and paranoia until the plateau just can't contain the energy any longer and the crest explodes with a fiery passion that rivals the destruction of Pompeii. Flowers Taped To Pens (FTTP) are definitely in the latter group.
     FTTP play the Real Skramz with some very traditional Emo leanings. There are the requisite slightly off-key clean vocals that bend and swell and crescendo into outright maddening shrieks that would make any mother bird happy. There are twinkles here and there and plenty of cathartic feedback-drenched outbursts. Couple that with the absolutely naked lyrics of sadness, regret, uncertainty and loss and you have one hell of a complete package for anyone interested in the sounds of pure emotion.
     The young men in this band do a great deal for their community and their local San Diego scene. There are a number of other amazing bands within this family of dedicated Punx who want nothing more than to create and nurture safer spaces for everyone to feel comfortable. I had the pleasure of booking a show for a couple of their brother bands, Nayru, whom I have written about before, and Meryl Streaker. Both bands should be of great interest to anyone with even a passing curiosity for fall-on-the-floor, chaotic Hardcore with heart.
     All in all, I really don't know what else to say about this band and the wonderful lineage of other bands they have had a hand in creating. I guess I am a little biased in favor of anything these folks decide to create from now on. Spending time with them made this old man feel young again. They were wonderful house guests and I feel so blessed to be able to call them my friends.
     It hasn't been easy finding sonic comparisons. I guess I would have to say you will most assuredly like this if you have ever found yourself grooving to the sounds of the Kodan Armada, Helen Of Troy, Thoughts Paint The Sky, Sailboats, Cassettes On Fire and/or I Wrote Haikus About Cannibalism In Your Yearbook. Enough said, just listen.

Mariesena - Ruth

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     These Young Ukrainians just keep getting better and better at every turn. This record is pure brutal, emotional catharsis that just bleeds heart and renders me speechless every time I listen to it. Emo, Screamo, Skramz... Whatever you want to call it. Trying to describe a band like this to someone who is already a fan of the genre is a lesson in futility. You already know you will like this if you have ever found yourself digging the sounds of Love Lost But Not Forgotten, Waifle, Jihad or the wonderful Witching Hour records roster. From a whisper to a scream and I have been hooked since the first day I heard these guys.

Nayru - Recollections

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     This record rules, pure and simple. If you like chaotic, high pitched bird-like vocals and musical madness incarnate, you will enjoy this. If you like doom and gloom and the possibility of losing your mind, you will enjoy this. If you know anything about the storied history of San Diego Punk & Hardcore, you will most certainly enjoy this. If you have heard Malon and you enjoy them you will enjoy this. I like this record so much, it made my 2013 year-end list. Real Screamo is alive and well, this is a testament to that. If you are a fan of Jeromes Dream, Usurp Synapse, Neil Perry, the Kodan Armada or Helen of Troy, you will not be disappointed by this band.
    
    

Yusuke / Delos - Split 7"

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     This split features two bands from two very different points on the map. Delos come from Bremen, Germany, and while they do display some of the same aggression as their forebears, these songs are less meat-and-potatoes Hardcore or Grind and more just bitter, pounding Screamo built on straight-ahead propulsion and a propensity for open chords and bouts of languid misery.
     Yusuke are from the Normal, Illinois area. They also play Screamo with a very lo-fi approach and an almost Power-violence bent that most certainly sends them into Emo-violence territory. The vocals are appropriately screeched and unhinged, though they do take some time out for pretty parts and deep hardcore vocals and the occasional movie sound-bite here and there.
     Neither of these bands are breaking the mold, but when the mold fits so well, why bother breaking it? This is a wonderful split by two bands brimming with passion and heart. I am not going to bother trying to compare either of them to any other bands. You already know you will like it, so like it.  

We Never Learned To Live - We Never Learned To Live

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I am stoked to be able to add yet another stellar release to my year-end 'best of' with this three song rager. We Never Learned To Live are from Brighton in the UK and they play a very well developed strain of Post-Rockin' Screamo.  The songs are long and full and brimming with enthusiasm which is more than I can say for some bands trying to execute this style. There is so much going on it's impossible to get bored, even when each track runs well over the five minute mark. Each song is built on that ebb & flow style of build-up/breakdown while the lyrics paint quite the morose picture of pain, loss, regret and redemption. The guitar tone throughout is eerie and ominous and almost reminds me of a funeral march or something. They are certainly leading the listener to the dark beyond with these songs. I think this would appeal to fans of Neurosis, GY!BE, Circle Takes the Square, Suis La Lune, Cult of Luna or any other band who know how to deftly combine atmosphere and rage into one cohesive package.

Ice Hockey - The Way It Is Now

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Ice Hockey are from the Quad Cities region in Iowa. The exact same place I originally came from. Hell, a few of them may have even been born in the same hospital as me. That doesn't have anything to do with why I enjoy these songs so much. The fact that they are coming through Seattle on tour in January and I booked their show also has no bearing on how awesome I think these guys are. Sure, I have a deep admiration for hometown sounds. Sure, I book a lot of shows for super amazing bands. Sure, Ice Hockey are really, really good at what they do. None of that matters. The pure and simple truth is, this record just makes me feel content. They are obviously having a ton of fun playing these songs. There is a sweet lightness that accompanies the harsh overtones which makes this whole thing feel so Midwest. There are some Twinkles, some Skramz, some Post-Rock-isms here and there... Everything is right with the world.

Todos Caerán - Town Of Cats

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You know this is good. I don't have to tell you how good it is. Canada does it again. Todos Caerán have sauntered in at the last minute and released what quite possibly could be the record of the year. Screamo doesn't get much better than this.

Saintly Rows - Everything That I Was Afraid Of Happening, Happened EP

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Wow! Just, Wow!

Normally, I can rattle off some stupid shit about genre and tone and other bands you might like if you like this... Right now, I am seriously at a loss for words. This is brilliant Post-Everything from Albuquerque. Their first EP was rad, this is so much better. I can't wait for them to come to Seattle. That's all.

Yaw - Malda LP

Caleiah Records
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Yaw are a dedicated group of rabble-rousers from the Basque Country who are creating some seriously intense Post-Hardcore not unlike Amanda Woodward and Envy. The vocals are appropriately raw, the lyrics are in the personal as political realm and screamed in their native tongue and the songs as a whole have that wonderful, drawn-out Post-Rock influence permeating thoughout which any fan of the aforementioned bands should enjoy.

Caleiah Records is a radical label from Spain doing amazing things for our Hardcore scene. Besides putting out some of the best Screamo records of the last decade, the folks who run the label are working tirelessly to bring as many international heavy hitters to their shores as they can. It couldn't hurt to show them some love and support.