EVERY TIME I DIE

"hot damn"
Year:  2003
Country:  US
City:  Buffalo
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  10
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Metalcore

Every Time I Die is a fieve piece metalcore act from Buffalo, New York, founded in the winter of 1998. Their sound contains elements of hardcore, heavy metal, math rock and alternative rock. Notabilities of the band are their complex songs (nearly never having a verse-chorus structure) and poetic lyrics. The band has gained recognition for their energetic live show. Between their discography these three albums could be their best recordings ever. Great talent to mixing fast hardcore, slow metal and rock'n'roll with very original lyrics.

  Discogs  ,  Lastfm  ,  Download  ,  Wikipedia  ,  Facebook  ,  Myspace

"gutter phenomenon"
Year:  2005
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  11
Time:  33 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Metalcore







  Discogs  ,  Download

















































"low tens"
Year:  2016
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  13
Time:  40 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Metalcore







  Discogs  ,  Download

OBEY THE BRAVE

"mad season"
Year:  2017
Country:  Canada
City:  Montreal
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  12
Time:  36 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Metalcore

Obey the Brave is a rock band from Montreal, Canada, which started as orthodox hardcore punk band to evolue to metalcore, adding to their music different music styles such as: pop, emo and heavy metal, mixing melodic and raw voices, as well as distorted and non-distorted guitars. Formed in 2011, it brings together former members of Despised Icon and Blind Witness and they already have played around the world including: Canada, US, Europe, Australia, Japan, etc. Obey The Brave are a Canadian band with members hailing from Montreal. The band formed from the ashes of canadian technical metal greats, Despised Icon; and while Obey The Brave still utilize heavy breakdowns like Despised Icon, that is essentially where the comparisons end.





From what I previously understood, Obey The Brave were heavy and mosh oriented metalcore, and while that is still partially true the band has fully embraced using melodic choruses and singing parts with Mad Season. The record started out exactly how I expected with “On Thin Ice”, a heavy mosh intro and chugging verses, but suddenly I was thrust into the first (of many) melodic interludes, which in this context I found slightly off putting. I do not want to rip on the bands desire to incorporate melody into their music, I love catchy parts as much as anyone – to be fair, probably more than some, but the delivery here needs work. The band has successfully added some other influences, such as faster melodic hardcore verses, which add some nice dynamics and contrast to the heavy and down tuned breakdowns. The issue here is throwing in awkward and odd fitting melodic choruses that seem to be there just for the sake of it.





Now that I have said my piece about the misuse of melody used on Mad Season I want to take this opportunity to say that Obey The Brave showcase obvious potential in regards to moving in a more melodic direction. I enjoyed the faster paced melodic hardcore songs, most notably “On Our Own” and “Feed The Fire”, the band proves that they have the chops going forward to sound more organic and avoid parts that sound forced. For the few songs that hit the mark, the band unfortunately stumbles a long the way with songs that remind me of displaced screamo. I find it hard to ignore the comparison here to Stick To Your Guns; the influence, whether intentional or not, is very obvious to me. That is not necessarily a bad thing, I can get behind what STYGs are doing, but Obey The Brave need to do a bit more work before they can blend melody and hardcore as skilfully as STYGs can.






All in all, Obey The Brave has put out a record that fits the current Warped Tour melodic hardcore punk mold. The production value is almost perfect for the genre, and all of the musicians showcase undeniable skills on their instruments, but the songs (and the album itself) are too long, with pretty lacklustre content, both musically and lyrically. I will gladly check out the bands next release, because as far as I can tell, the band is still trying to grow into a new sound; fortunately the biggest quality with this record are the growing pains that catch the band halfway between a slow metalcore band and a melodic hardcore band that enjoys pop-punk (*Review by Maximillian Power ).

  Discogs  ,  Lastfm  ,  Download  ,  Wikipedia  ,  Web  ,  Facebook  ,  Twitter

ONE SQUARE MILE

"the system"
Year:  2018
Country:  US
City:  Hermosa Beach, CA
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  15
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Punk        Hardcore

How’s about some hardcore to get you through your horrible Humpday? Today’s exclusive premiere is from the debut full-length album The System from Hermosa Beach’s One Square Mile. Comprised of ex-members from the Circle Jerks, Saccharine Trust, Zero Down, Pennywise and The Resolutions, this quartet brings together exceptional musicianship, thunderous riffs and thought provoking lyrics. The new LP, which releases today, was recorded at Maple Studios with producer Cameron Webb (Motorhead, Weezer and Social Distortion), along with production contributions from fellow South Bay legend Fletcher Dragge (Pennywise). From start to finish this freshman full length takes you on a punk rock and hardcore journey that is a contemporary sonic assault with nostalgic overtures, that will leave you listening to over and over again!!! So head on over iTunes  or Bandcamp and order a copy, Then while you wait for it download, stream the debut single “Pieces” below.

  Discogs  ,  Lastfm  ,  Download  ,  Web  ,  Facebook 

BURNING FLAG

"matador"

Year:  2022

Label:  Phobia

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  9

Time:  30 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Punk Hardcore

  Discogs  ,  Download

"izabel"
Year:  2017
Country:  UK
City:  Halifax
Label:  none
Format:  CD
Tracks:  10
Time:  35 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Punk Hardcore

four-piece band started in 2013 in Hallifax, UK. Their recorded a debut album in 2015 and their second album in 2017. Female fronted band strongly inspired by punk, crust and thrash bands such as: Discharge, Wolfbrigade or Amebix, with politically charged lyrics related to: anarchism, pacifism, internationalism, animal liberation and similar subjects. Powerful and heavy sound, with that typical d-beat rhytm on drums, distorted bass and shrill voice. Just ten song to discharge tons of rage, protest and noise. Highly recommended for those lovers of the genre.

  Discogs  ,  Lastfm  ,  Download  ,  Web  ,  Facebook  ,  Reverbnation  ,  Soundcloud  ,  Twitter