Lich/Resurrectionists split

Dreadguard by Lich

In den Abgrund by Resurrectionists

Raunchy and swamping/grinding hardcore music done right, by two of the style’s leading bands on a single split record. They both have female vocals, and Resurrectionists (blog) mix it up with an extra vocalist for a male/female combo of voice abuse done the right way. As quickly as that band’s vocalists scream back and forth, such is how sudden the pace of this record changes from metal-influenced punk and grind to sludgy, almost droning, hardcore downtempo music. Lich (myspace) usually sticks with hella heavy powerchords, while the other band occasionally takes refuge to melodic tremolo picking that reminds both of raw black metal, as well as dark screamo music from those crazy German’s respective regions. Both bands their finest work to date, combined into one release. This is exactly what you have been waiting for. Go for it.
Last fm tags as  crust, screamo, hardcore, punk,  screamo, emo violence, hardcore, power violence, emoviolence

click the image above to go to React With Protest's store, to find this record among other things.

Sloth – songs from split with Landverraad

The Art of Tearing Down Mountains by Sloth

Metalpunk with only hints of hardcore influences, the dutch band Sloth (blog) places their lyrical content before their already awesome music, and makes no compromises what so ever in either. The band takes their name from the feeling of powerlessness that comes with a radical state of mind, in an apathetic environment. The female vocals shout out messages of animal liberation, anti-capitalism, media and the state of absolutist control, we are supporting so painfully. This straight foward crust type of music may not appeal immediately to anyone not already familiar with the style, but is sure to please anyone even remotely in the know.

Wolf Down - MMXI

Rat Race by Wolf Down

vegan, straight edge and anarcho-sympathists Wolf Down (facebook) are a welcome addition to their style. the message takes the edge (not an intentional pun) off of the straight (again, I'm noticing this as I re-read it) forward metalcore style, overladen with beat/break-down(s). these German radicals bring a breath of fresh air into revamped elements of hardcore metal music that would be too easily overlooked as cliché, were it not for the exciting musical nuances and the  idea that the lyrics are of topical brilliance.

How come you call this entire shit life?

we're living for wagework - like in a hive 

I WANT TO BREAK FREE! 

9 to 5 is not a deal for me 

many toil for a few's greed 

9 to 5 is modern slavery 

i claim life deluxe for all

Last fm tags as hardcore, straight edge, vegan, straight edge hardcore, female fronted hardcore 

click the image above to buy stuff directly from the band!

Out of the Box On Sunday XXXI

Networking (Best Fwends Remix) by PENS

"Three girls and a £1 microphone". Riot grrrls PENS (Myspace) were a lo-fi noise pop band. obnoxious rythmic noises poorly recorded and hidden underneath layers of, equally bratty, frantic squealing and squeaking girly voices. If you dislike these cutesy and minimalistic bleeps and yells randomly structured, coming in flinging towards you from every possible corner, there's a good chance you dislike fun.

Last fm tags as lo-fi, riot grrrl, noise pop, punk, female vocalists

click the image above to buy this records directly from the label

Veils – Our Enlightment Is Dead

Morality by Veils

Veils (bandcamp) is punk full of angst. Combining elements of modern screamo and modern (dark/melodic/emotional) hardcore music, feauturing female high-pitched and tormented vocals, still with a distinct british accent. The drums and guitars are extremely versatile, elevating all kinds of influences into a stable blend of a very specific signature style. Hard, heartful and melodic, mostly in punk-rock and powerchord strumming with passionate yet harsh singing, and some fitting guest-vocals in Goodtime Boys’ signature style.
Last fm tags as  hardcore, screamo, melodic hardcore, emotional, emo

click the image above to buy the re-release of this record directly from its label

Brain Fever – Brain Fever

the hunt by Brain Fever

LOUD NOISES! Brain Fever (blog) is a screamy and noisy post-hardcore band who’s sound revolves almost entirely around star/stop awkward time-structures and the female vocalist’s frantic and hysterical shouting. The guitars do little other than weep and moan to add an atmosphere of noise and general obnoxious loudness to the epileptic music, while the drums keep the unpredictable instrumentations confined in a neat little package. It’s invigorating to see how this band accomplishes such a broad sound that builds up and breaks down so comprehensively and always in such a short amount of time -the longest ‘song’, by far, is 1 minute 38 seconds(apart from the outro). It’s modern hardcore music elevating their particular influences, of an obsolete style of hardcore, to another level.
Last fm tags as screamo, noise punk, noise, post-hardcore,math

click the image above to buy this record from an online distro, and check that distro out for other stuff (by this band)

Stresscase - Cut Me Off

Lean x Cuisine by Stresscase

Female–fronted powerviolence band Stresscase (bandcamp) is extremely straight forward grinding hardcore punk, expertly crafted to a level that many ‘bigger’ bands in the style could very well be envious of. Clocking in at less than 7 minutes, these five songs chug, thrash straight up pummeling their way through the swamp of powerviolence, supporting words that are clever both lyrically as topically.
Last fm tags as hardcore, hardcore punk, powerviolence, thrash core, female fronted hardcore punk

this was released on Effusion Records

Out Of The Box On Sunday XXX

All the Wolves That I ve Known by Matt Bauer

Sadcore folk music. Matt Bauer (website) makes pitch black music founded on just his voice and banjo-playing. From that point on, this music is built layer after layer of melodramatic gloom in the form of brilliantly orchestrated folk and country music. Matt's voice is incredible in it's trembling and conveying sentiments of sheer melancholy, sometimes accompanied by the equally fragile voice of Jolie Holland, which results in an incredible contrast of duetting male/female voices. I've been sitting on writing a review about this since its release, and would like to mention that this is probably my favorite record released this year.

Last fm tags as folk, singer-songwriter, banjo, alt-country,country 

buy this record directly from its label, via this link here

Ravachol - Great Moments In The Void

Know /Learn by Ravachol

Ravachol (website) is one to watch. Twinkly and painfully clean guitars with screaming/talking female vocals, fluently soaring in between different tempo-changes. This is low-key heartbreaking music, easily as intense as the overproduced flavor of the week emotional band, only comming across much more honest in their own approach. Most likely honoring ancient screamo and emo hardcore bands, only more straight forward than contemporary bands who do this , which then continue to narrow their sound to fit the post-rock oriented or melodic hardcore/post-hardcore scene. This is music for basement or (anywhere in the) house-shows. This is as honest as it gets, and not nearly as fancy as the bands who would claim to be.
Last fm tags as  screamo, real screamo, hardcore, emo, uk

click the image above to buy stuff directly from the band!

My Fictions - I Want Nothing

Torch by My Fictions

Surprising stuff, by hardcore band My Fictions! With a foundation of a brilliant compromise between jet-black dark hard hardcore and passionate melodic hardcore, they fluently incorporate instrumental passages that remind more of heavy post-rock buildups with vocals that remind of Touché Amoré leaning (even) more toward the screamo genre. Instrumentally this is easily as melodic as Defeater and at the same time as dark as Carpathian. I know those are all relatively big names to compare a young band to, and its not like those bands’ influences overshadow this band’s own sound, but the comparisons function more as an orientation, on pin-pointing where their sound is located on the musical map.
Last fm screamo, melodic hardcore, hardcore,emotional, modern hardcore

click the image above to buy stuff directly from the band!