Essential Screamo Albums You Should Hear Before Your Untimely Demise (Part 1)

Screamo is a genre that is often confused with the whiny post-hardcore scene, or essentially 'anything with screaming', which ended up leading to the creation of the term 'skramz' for screamo elitists who get really pissed when people use the 'screamo' term incorrectly. The 'real' screamo evolved from the hardcore punk sound, predominantly as a more aggressive offshoot of the emo of the 80s and 90s (if whiny, wrist-slitting teenagers come to mind at the use of the word 'emo' then I think I'm gonna get violent). Screamo bands often have a political message and make use of short, chaotic bursts of emotion, often experimenting with dissonance and dynamics (essentially giving birth to the post-rock screamo sound). And yeah, it rules hard.


1) City of Caterpillar - City of Caterpillar

City of Caterpillar are fast becoming my favourite screamo band of all time, which is why it sucks so bad that this and the split with pg.99 is all they ever released. They're made up of members of the aforementioned pg.99 who got tired of making heavier, chaotic screamo and instead decided to incorporate post-rock into the screamo formula, they were clearly avid Godspeed You! Black Emperor fans. As a result this album is raw and aggressive however soothing and melancholic at the same, something that hits hard - particularly with the sheer level of emotion the band puts behind it.


2) Circle Takes The Square - As The Roots Undo

Circle Takes The Square are probably the best known and most popular band in the whole screamo scene, and for good reason too. The first thing you notice when listening to them are the prominent dual male and female vocals, they're really quite different to any other vocals I've heard, and are almost overbearingly emotional with voice cracking all over the place. Don't get me wrong though, they're fucking awesome. Instrumentally the album is really quite different as well, really progressive with almost metal-ish guitarwork and fantastic drumming. It's a masterpiece of chaos and beauty and just so good.


3) Gospel - The Moon is a Dead World

Prog-rock and screamo? How on earth would they mix? Surely that would sound terrible? Well, no, apparently not, since this is exactly what Gospel play. Somehow they manage to combine the two very different genres flawlessly to make not only a passionate and aggressive screamo record but also one that is intelligent and thought-provoking and ultimately completely rules face. Instrumentally it's fantastic and it's produced by Kurt Ballou (so yeah, the production is perfect). I also very much doubt you'll ever hear an album like this ever again. Oh, and did I mention that the drumming is absolutely ridiculous? So good.


4) Hot Cross - Cryonics

Hot Cross were formed from members of well renowned screamo bands Saetia, Neil Perry and Joshua Fit For Battle among others. So this means they're automatically bound to be awesome, right? Right. Hot Cross are awesome. While arguably they retain more of a post-hardcore sound than anything else, I'm going to lump them in with screamo. Because I can. There are guitar riffs all over the place and vocals delivered by three (yes, three!) vocalists and ultimately it's just all kinds of awesome. It's both technically proficient and emotionally hard-hitting. What more do you want?

5) I Hate Myself - 10 Songs

Self-loathing lyrics? Depressive atmosphere? Well, yes. The band's called I Hate Myself - naturally it's going to be pretty damn dark. Musically they mix the soft-loud dynamics of Fugazi with the frenzy of Rites of Spring and definitely play a style more reminicent of old school emo than actual screamo itself, but it still rules. I love reading the lyrics along to it because they're so awesome in a kind of sad, lonely way, if you know what I mean. I'm not sure I know what I mean. But yeah, it's pretty great.