You and I - The Curtain Falls | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1999 Nominee

Release Information:

6/1/1999
Level Plane Records
New Brunswick, NJ (Tri-State)
Runtime: 22:12
Tracks: 8

Band Members:

Casey Boland (Guitar, Vocals)
Thomas Schlatter (Guitar, Vocals)
Justin Hock (Bass, Vocals)
Chris Boland (Drums)

At a Glance:

Screamo, Post-Hardcore, Metalcore, Noisy, Energetic, Melodic

Musical Analysis:

Compared to the precision metallic chugging of their last album, You and I incorporates messier production, more chaotic songwriting and less sharp guitar tones on their sophomore full-length. Despite the quiet-loud dynamics, You and I once again manage to instill their songs with boundless kinetic energy, aided by the powerful vocal performance that mixes screams and cleans. However, the lower volume shifts seem more solemn than before, perhaps giving this record the emotional edge. Taking cues from Indian Summer, much of the transitions between songs on this album sample an old Stevie Wonder song.

Historical Analysis:

By 1999, You and I had already established themselves as the Screamo Kings of the LI-NJ Hardcore scene, even far outpacing bands like Saetia. With the release of their swan song The Curtain Falls, they further cemented this notion. Their popularity began blossoming, playing shows as far as Chicago, IL, New Bedford, MA and Nottingham, UK! However, this legacy would soon be paved over and their immense contributions to the genre would be somewhat shoved to the wayside. Alas, this is why You and I again missed the Hall of Fame - but their two amazing LPs still deserve recognition.

Lyrical Analysis:

Utilizing multi-layered lyrics from multiple vocalists, You and I seems to take their name seriously. Their personal lyrics regarding ongoing trauma and the struggle for self-reclamation, the fear of confessing love and being vulnerable, trying to find meaning in a chaotic world - all of these are blended with political issues like the scripting of freedom in Capitalism and the corrosion of unity amidst rampant individualism. In the end, all they have left - individualism, love, family - collapses underneath them with little hope left.

Yaphet Kotto - The Killer Was in the Government Blankets | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1999 Nominee

Release Information:

1999
Ebullition Records
Santa Cruz, CA (NorCal)
Runtime: 33:01
Tracks: 9

Band Members:

Casey Watson (Guitar, Vocals)
Mag Delana (Guitar, Vocals)
Pat Crowley (Bass)
Scott Batiste (Drums)

At a Glance:

Screamo, Post-Hardcore, Emocore, Melodic, Energetic, Technical

Musical Analysis:

This record definitely gives off “Bay Area Screamo” vibes, though perhaps a hair older than some of the other NorCal classics. It takes the dynamic and emotional nature of Screamo, combines it with the melody, clean vocals, and riffs of late 90s Post-Hardcore, brings in a few elements of Emocore, and unveiled it to the world with this, their debut LP. There are tons of memorable riffs and strong melodies from the guitarists, seemingly the primary focus of this project, and the screamed / clean vocal combination amps the emotionality up severalfold. Some more traditional “Punky” moments come in where you can hear the blatant Emocore influence, contrasting the otherwise quite technical performance in most tracks.

Historical Analysis:

Although not the first album (or band) you’d consider when discussing the legacy of Bay Area Screamo, this seedling of a concept would continue to get fleshed out by legends like Funeral Diner and City of Caterpillar. This enigmatic Hardcore cocktail would serve as the basis for a melodic and experimental approach to the genre that this region would eventually be known for. Despite this quality and its forward-thinkingness, this record comes just shy of a proper HoF induction.

Lyrical Analysis:

Just by giving the cover of this record a brief glance, you can tell this is inherently political. These harrowing lyrics explore the relations between imperialism and religion, noting the historial revisionism that enables it, paradoxically working within a system that grinds you down and the myth of meritocracy. With violence so woven into the fabric of American life, we are all complicit in the sins of our history. Even when discussing interpersonal relationships, Yaphet Kotto can’t help but compare this to a war with no winners, each side assuring mutual destruction.

Neil Perry - Neil Perry | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1999 Nominee

Release Information:

1999
Spiritfall Records
New Jersey
Runtime: 9:40
Tracks: 9

Band Members:

Josh Jakubowski (Vocals)
Chris Smith (Guitar)
Justin Graves (Bass, Vocals)
Derek Luckenbach (Drums)
Justin Graves

At a Glance:

Screamo, Emoviolence, Noisy, Chaotic, Complex

Musical Analysis:

Neil Perry's debut is noisy and unstable, resembling a thousand jagged shards of glass crashing across the fretboard. The songs tend to shift back and forth between boisterous mid-tempo heaviness and insane, nigh-indecipherable freneticism, switched jarringly in a Powerviolent manner. The manic vocal performance puts this over the top while the occasional clean arpeggio sneaks into the mix to fill the gaps.

Historical Analysis:

Neil Perry's name is synonymous with Screamo greatness in the late 90s-early 00s, though this debut LP is the closest they've ever been to a proper solo release. From here on out, Neil Perry would only release splits with a who's who of Screamo royalty and sprinkle in the occasional single. They would later cement their legacy with an era-defining comp, which we will eventually cover. However, despite not making a large impact with this individual release, it deserves a mention among the other greats.

Lyrical Analysis:

*Please note that the lyrics for this EP have never materialized, so I won’t be able to do a lyrical analysis. If the lyrics can ever be dug up, I’ll reevaluate this.*

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Saetia - Eronel | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1999 Nominee

Release Information:

1999
Witching Hour Records
New York, NY (Tri-State)
Runtime: 10:56
Tracks: 3

Band Members:

Billy Werner (Vocals)
Jaime Behar (Guitar)
Colin Bartoldus (Guitar)
Steve Roche (Bass)
Greg Dundy (Drums)

At a Glance:

Screamo, Midwest Emo, Math Rock. Melodic, Complex, Dynamic

Musical Analysis:

This EP is riddled with uncommon time signatures, complex rhythms and melodies and passionate vocals, which says nothing of how maturely and expertly these elements are stitched together. Delicate guitars, subdued drums and gentle but active basslines define the more fragile and quiet moments on here, smoothly switching to distorted tones, boisterous drumming and wild bass with ease. The high-pitched shrieks from their earlier work return, but Billy Werner’s utilizes other impressive vocal techniques like shouting, crooning clean notes and spoken word, giving the music another cryptic layer.

Historical Analysis:

Low-key, this is their best recorded material. It’s a testament to the increasing technicality and artistry of their music, even if these particular songs tend to go by the wayside when discussing Saetia and their material.

Being the band’s final recorded material for over a quarter-century, it was naturally the closest resemblance to what would become of this band - Hot Cross and Off Minor. There are definite similarities between the bands’ respective 2002 debut EPs and this 1999 one.

Lyrical Analysis:

Saetia once again poetically lean into personal tragedy and existential themes on their lyrics, somehow always coming back to a seemingly universal truth that they shared with their peers: the power of language tends to fail us. In particular, Werner digs into the struggles with self-indentity under the weight of unfulfilled potential, the existential misery of living through borrowed meaning in life and feeling unworthy of love.

Usurp Synapse - This Endless Breath | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1999 Nominee

Release Information:

09/1999
Happy Couples Never Last Records
Lafayette, IN (Midwest)
Runtime: 11:41
Tracks: 8

Band Members:

John Scott (Vocals)
Don Kirkland (Guitar)
Dustin Redington
Tony Dyer (Bass)
Travis Chance (Drums)

At a Glance:

Emoviolence, Grindcore, Dussonant, Noisy, Dynamic

Musical Analysis:

This Endless Breath is one of the nastiest Emoviolence releases of the 20th century, taking cues from both the dynamism of bands like Reversal of Man and the brutality of artists like CWV, meeting somewhere in the middle compared to those bands’ 1999 efforts. Harmony is very distant from this project, rooting itself in discord and depravity. Even when the Grindy blastbeats are held at bay, the tension in their quieter sections almost matches the intensity of their explosiveness. The brutal and hoarse vocal performance seals the deal by pushing the insanity of the music into overdrive.

Historical Analysis:

This record is the very first blast of solo material for this infamous band, and it stands as some of their best. Their at-the-time unique approach to the genre fleshed out Screamo as a whole that much more. Even though the band is still kicking in one form or another, this contribution definitely flies under the radar in the grandness of Screamo Canon.

Lyrical Analysis:

Usurp Synapse uses brevity and absurdism in their lyrics to touch on some grizzly subjects, such as snapping under the weight of being “good,” the lie of nostalgia and how life is scripted. There’s a real sense of nihilism in these lyrics where the entire world sucks and/or is out to get you - can one mistake really ruin your life and legacy? Is the future really just a broken mirror? Is human affection just a performance? The band certainly seems to believe so, with their rabid emotions transferring from the lyrics sheet to the music.

Kulara - 5 Pieces Songs | Screamo HAll of Fame Class of 1999 Nominee

Release Information:

1999
Never Shown Face Records
Tokyo, Japan
Runtime: 24:56
Tracks: 5

Band Members:

Murase (Vocals)
Nakagawa (Guitar)
Tanaka (Guitar)
Takaya (Bass)
Kimura (Drums)

At a Glance:

Screamo, Prog, Math Rock, Post-Rock, Dissonant, Dynamic, Complex, Experimental, Noisy, Atmospheric, Dense

Musical Analysis:

The best word I can use to describe this sound is “disorienting,” as the musical complexity, masterclass dissonance and volume dynamics are all wrapped in this unique Progressive aura of experimentation. Slow, disharmonious sections composed from a tense atmosphere and a chilling melody will jarringly and frantically switch to a chaotic section of screaming and uncontrolled musical mayhem, a regular occurrence. It’s quite difficult to transcribe the sound of this beast into English, so I’m just going to recommend you listen for yourself and hear the magic unfold before your ears.

Historical Analysis:

Following Envy’s 1998 LP, Japanese Screamo began to experiment and refine itself, and no artist in the country represented that better than Kulara. After a few middling Screamo EPs, this 1999 release defined them as true innovators in Screamo with this Prog-adjacent masterpiece. The experimentation on here is unlike anything heard before OR after, evidenced by how difficult it was to conceptualize the sound in words. Although this particular release didn’t set the world on fire, it remains one of the crowning achievements of early Japanese Screamo and deserves to at least be mentioned in the same breath as other greats from the 90s.

Lyrical Analysis:

*Please note any lyrical analysis on my end may lack cultural nuance and accuracy in the translation.*

The EP takes you on a remarkable lyrical journey through anxiety and isolation, the violence of silence, losing sanity, the machinization of humanity and the illusion of autonomy. There’s a bitter sense of helplessness as language fails us and cycles of violence trap us. However, perhaps being insane in an insane society is the only true escape. Maybe, to break these miserable patterns chosen for our lives, we must shatter the patterns and destroy the self. Appropriately, this is a bit of Eastern wisdom after 25 minutes of catharsis.

Reversal of Man - This Is Medicine | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1999 Nominee

Release Information:

8/9/1999
Ebullition Records
Tampa. FL (Southeast)
Runtime: 18:41
Tracks: 16

Band Members:

Matt Coplon (Vocals)
Dan Radde (Guitar, Vocals)
Jason Crittenden (Guitar)
Jeff Howe (Bass, Vocals)
John Wiley (Drums)

At a Glance:

Emoviolence, Raw, Dark, Dissonant, Frenetic

Musical Analysis:

This record encapsulates suffering unlike anything before it, utilizing dynamic aggression, dissonant guitar and boisterous drumming. Most songs have only two gears: quieter, intense and dissonant sections that build the music up, and the most frantic and dissonant bursts of anger and chaos. Wrapping this gnarly package up are sinister screamed vocals, headed by Matt Coplon.

The entire listen breezes through in large part due to this album's impeccable sense of flow and kineticism; each track emanates with danger in equal measure to the energy put in, and, combined with the songs seamlessly bridging together, gives a small measure of accessibility to an otherwise unholy package.

Historical Analysis:

This release solidified Reversal of Man as one of the great Emoviolence artists of the 90s. Its influence on the local scene and beyond, and the extraordinarily high musical standards they set, are still revered to this day.

This EP also demonstrates a different aspect of the genre than fellow Tampanians Combatwoundedveteran, eschewing Grindcore in favor of dissonance and dynamism. While you can argue which is the better album, This Is Medicine seems to have slid more into obscurity, possibly a cult classic or hidden gem. By my own admittedly arbitrary standards, I have to leave this one out of the Hall and it makes me sad.

Lyrical Analysis:

Matt Coplon’s brevity and directness are at the core of his lyricism, aiming at political and social injustices with decided rage and worldly allusions and references. The primary antagonist of this album is the corrosive power of fascism and capitalism. We see how, in the calculus of power, human life is disposable, war is theft, justice is selective, morality justifies violence, and technology tightens like a noose around society’s neck. Personal issues like guilt over failing relationships and the grief of untimely death rear their ugly heads in this mess as well, while other systems and communities are thrown strays: the news is indoctrination, not information; the Punk scene has fallen to branding over rebellion; the absence of personal connection powers the deadly machine of consumerism. These are not the most original lyrical topics in this scene, but they’re executed succinctly and in line with the amazing instrumentals.

I Have Dreams - Three Days ‘Til Christmas | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1999 Nominee

Release Information:

1999
Independent
Tallahassee, FL (Southeast)
Runtime: 15:53
Tracks: 5

Band Members:

Allen Compton (Vocals)
Mike Peters (Vocals)
Mike Hanson (Guitar)
Ben Seals (Bass)
Clayton Rychlik (Drums)

At a Glance:

Screamo, Metalcore, Midwest Emo, Dynamic, Energetic, Melodic

Musical Analysis:

Taking the bones of Screamo with emotionally intense screamed vocals and dynamic song structures, I Have Dreams concocted a formula all their own with plenty of chugging Metalcore riffage and the melodic sensibilities of Midwest Emo. Many of the songs swing jarringly between driving, intense sections, brutal breakdowns and clean, slightly cheesy concentrations of vocal and guitar melody. The entire record is gently wrapped in immutable youthful energy and raw, confessional emotional outpouring.

Historical Analysis:

The core of this band came together a year earlier, releasing a demo under the name New Ethic. Tragically, one of their guitarists would die young, leading to the formation of I Have Dreams and their sole release in 1999. This record serves as a tribute to their fallen friend, carrying on his musical legacy and allowing the young band members to express their deepest and saddest sentiments, the true basis of many great Emo artists.

Although a beloved cult classic now, it really took the Zoomers to bring this out of obscurity. While one of the best and most heartfelt releases of the entire 90s in Screamo, this one will be remembered as a hidden gem, not a Hall of Fame tour-de-force.

Lyrical Analysis:

With the aforementioned passing of this band’s former friend, the entire project revolved around their shared grief. After all, each band member was quite young during their time as I Have Dreams and DIY Hardcore was their outlet. Much like grief, the EP struggles as an emotional tide between bitter pain and joyous reverie. Grieving communally has allowed for healing, but the loss of their friend destroyed the future they all had together. The lifelong friendship has permanently shaped them as individuals, but the pain of grief leads to forgetting his face. Ultimately, the gratitude they have for him as a special part of their lives transcends the grief over losing their loved one. Grief strengthens love and vice versa.

Despite utilizing some truly playful screaming and cheesy clean vocals, the emotional vulnerability and rawness of the lyrics lead to well-earned catharsis. These are possibly the most personal lyrics on a release that we’ve covered yet.

Reversal of Man - Revolution Summer | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1998 Nominee

Release Information:

1998
Schematics Records
Tampa, FL (Southwest)
Runtime: 17:12
Tracks: 7

Band Members:

Matt Coplon (Vocals)
Jasen Weitekamp (Guitar)
Jason Crittenden (Guitar)
Jeff Howe (Bass, Vocals)
John Willey (Drums)

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Screamo, Emoviolence, Hardcore Punk, Manic, Dissonant, Noisy, Intense

Musical Analysis:

This album is a musical gut punch that rarely relents and always keeps you guessing with sudden tempo changes and dynamic volume switches. The dissonant guitar tones perfectly encapsulate the feelings of desperation and unease while the drummer hammers home the immediacy. The bass is refreshingly well-mixed and adds a powerful undercurrent to the songs. The vocals are brimming with passion and reach unhinged levels of depravity during the most chaotic and cathartic moments on this release.

Historical Analysis:

This EP represents the growth of both Reversal of Man and Emoviolence in the last few years; having solidified the lineup for this release a year prior on a split with Enemy Soil, they expanded on that sound with faster and harsher conviction. However, the dynamism found here further shaped Emoviolence away from the more chaotic and grindy stuff. However good this is, Emoviolence was on the cusp of breaking out and this EP remains a hidden gem on the shores of the Hall.

Lyrical Analysis:

*Note that because this is an old release in the grand scheme of Screamo history, I cannot locate lyrics for about half of these songs. I’ll be basing my analysis on the available lyrics*

Lyrically, this record has a simple and direct message: they love the scene, but the scene is dying. Titling the album Revolution Summer invokes the very beginning of Emo in 1985, with Punk’s ethos firmly intact. However, 13 years on from Rites of Spring, The Hated and Gray Matter, Punk has started falling into corruption and hypocrisy. Relationships are futile, nostalgia is a lie and the scene has been betrayed by those who embody the opposite of their message. The only salvation we have is to remember our humanity.

Envy - From Here to Eternity | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1998 Nominee

Release Information:

8/11/1998
HG Fact Records
Tokyo, Japan
Runtime: 33:54
Tracks: 11

Band Members:

Tetsuya Fukagawa (Vocals)
Masahiro Tobita (Guitar)
Nobukata Kawai (Guitar)
Manabu Nakagawa (Bass)
Dairoku Seki (Drums)

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Screamo, Melodic, Energetic, Dynamic, Raw

Musical Analysis:

On this LP, Envy crafted gorgeous, pure, cathartic Screamo, just as you would expect. In particular, their dense, heavy guitars would overwhelm if not threaded with clean, standalone guitar arpeggios, tasteful melodic lead lines, dynamic song structures and endless kineticism. This all combines with Fukagawa's intense vocal performance to produce astonishing results.

Historical Analysis:

Simply put, this album is integral to the formation of Japanese Screamo. Although Envy's primary influence on the genre seems to be the integration of Post-Rock, that innovation in and of itself was spurred from Envy's injection of melody into heavy Screamo.

Prior to this album, Envy had undergone numerous lineup and stylistic changes since their 1992 formation, but they would have about two decades with this lineup, wherein all of their legendary material would be released. Special to Japan, this record serves as a harbinger of what's to come more than a standalone entry into the Hall.

Lyrical Analysis:

*Note that because this is an old release in the grand scheme of Emo and Screamo history, I cannot locate lyrics for any of these songs. If more lyrics can be dug out, I will reevaluate the lyrical analysis. Please note any lyrical analysis on my end will lack cultural nuance and accuracy in the translation.*

Orchid - Orchid | Screamo HAll of FAme Class of 1998 Nominee

Release Information:

1998
Hand Held Apart Records
Amherst, MA (New England)
Runtime: 10:01
Tracks: 5

Band Members:

Jayson Green (Vocals)
Will Killingsworth (Guitar)
Brad Wallace (Bass)
Jeff Salane (Drums)

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Screamo, Emoviolence, Metallic, Chaotic

Musical Analysis:

It’s Orchid! Suffocating guitar, powerful screamed vocals and dynamic switches from brutal, mid-tempo Screamo to all-out Emoviolence are all present and accounted for on this EP. The guitar tone is heavy and occasionally breaks out into some metallic chugging. The beginnings of their signature chaotic style were starting to form, but with slower builds, metallic elements and slightly less violence than you’d expect.

Historical Analysis:

One year removed from a somewhat mediocre debut demo, Orchid honed in on the sounds they’d soon become infamous for. Diehard fans of the band love this EP, and Stagnant, in particular, seems to be a bona fide Orchid classic. However, the band was moments away from being the most celebrated artists in the entire genre, and this release would be left in the dust (and out of the Hall).

Lyrical Analysis:

Confrontational wouldn’t begin to describe Orchid’s lyrical style, represented here by songs about failing relationships, the lie of capitalism and the insincerity of the Punk scene in the late 90s. In particular, Jayson’s grave disdain with the scene politics would lead to many, many manifestos of frustration, with two on this five-song EP! This biting critique is accompanied by social issues - such as scripted rebellion - and personal issues.

The Crimson Curse - Both Feet in the Grave | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1998 Nominee

Release Information:

1998
Three One G Records
San Diego, CA (SoCal)
Runtime: 12:24
Tracks: 9

Band Members:

Justin Pearson (Vocals)
Jimmy LaValle (Guitar, Keyboards)
Christopher Sprague (Guitar)
Damean Alexander (Bass)
Michael Cooper (Drums)

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Sass, Screamo, Chaotic, Noisy, Gothic, Spastic

Musical Analysis:

The Crimson Curse's sole LP effort is another entry in the sacred lineage of spastic San Diego Hardcore; the song structures are unpredictable, the dissonant guitars are messy and noisy, the drumming is fierce, precise and dynamic. That isn't even to mention the Gothic synths that harmonically haunt the songs or the manic half-shouted, half-screamed vocal performance from Justin Pearson that ties the album together. Behind the chaotic facade of this release, there are layers of personality and charm.

Historical Analysis:

With ties to San Diego bands like Swing Kids, The Locust and Guyver-One, as well as Michaganders Conststine Sankathi, this brand of playful, frenetic music makes a lot of sense.

Sass was rapidly developing at this point with bands like Brainiac, Blood Brothers and The Locust infusing the genre with Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore and even Powerviolence. Sassy Screamo was coming into its own heading into 1998 with this release being one of the true gems.

Lyrical Analysis:

Cynicism and nihilism are sprawled all over the prose of this album, with decay as the only possible growth humanity has left. Human presence kills nature, pain is routine, the human body is fragile and nostalgia is poison - these are the ramblings of a man who has never seen San Diego sunshine. Paradoxical lines and repetition are used to hammer their points home.

Combatwoundedveteran - What Flavor Is Your Death Squad Leader? | Screamo Hall of FAme Class of 1998 Nominee

Release Information:

1998
Schematics Records
Tampa, FL (Southeast)
Runtime: 7:13
Tracks: 10

Band Members:

Christopher Norris (Vocals)
Davy Bartlett (Guitar, Vocals)
Dan Ponch (Bass, Vocals)
Mark Muenchinger (Drums)

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Emoviolence, Grindcore, Frantic, Noisy, Chaotic, Dissonant

Musical Analysis:

With such a brief runtime and several tracks clocking in at under 30 seconds, the band utilizes immediacy to its fullest extent. Plentiful with noisy guitar feedback, blast beats, grotesque screaming from multiple vocalists and extremely heavy metallic guitar tones, the band throws caution to the wind and blends the quickest, most intense three seconds of explosive music with chaotic, formless sections of noise.

Historical Analysis:

With cleaner production than their 1996 EP, this ups the ante that the 11 Song 7” started, featuring some of the most brutal and punishing Emoviolence put to record yet. However, the band was still on the cusp of their biggest year by far with two excellent EPs under their belt.

Lyrical Analysis:

Once again, Combatwoundedveteran’s scathing take on Capitalism, Colonialism and overall Western culture produces genius, sardonic and quick lyrics. With topics like war as entertainment, violence as censorship and rebellion as commodification, you’d be hard-pressed to think the band ever had a positive thought. Still, the band presses on with even more daring subjects like how colonialist logic is self-destructive, how pain and suffering are used for profit, the choices we have in Captialism are illusory. These are among the most biting sociopolitical lyrics in the history of the genre to this point.

ForceFedGlass - When Backs Are Turned, Knives ARe Pulled | Screamo HAll of Fame Class of 1998 Nominee

Release Information:

1998
Pensive Recording Group
Falmouth, MA (New England)
Runtime: 18:45
Tracks: 12

Band Members:

Evan Plante (Vocals, Guitar)
Zac Davis (Bass)
Ben Koller (Drums)

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Emoviolence, Mathcore, Chaotic, Technical, Dissonant, Frantic

Musical Analysis:

Instrumental proficiency, musical technicality and syncopated chaos are found in the opening minutes of this destructive album. The frantic, complex sections pass by at a blistering pace, contrasting the brutal, breakdown-heavy parts with precision Powerviolence-esque bursts. The intricate guitarwork and noisy, proficient drumming are synchronized in mayhem and deliver some heavy body blows on the listener. Tying it all together is a reckless vocalist whose voice is ripped apart with each new screamed syllable.

Historical Analysis:

ForceFedGlass’ furious LP showcases the genre's increasing propensity for musical technicality and experimentation. This is not to say Screamo and Emoviolence were simple or basic by any means, but Math Rick and Mathcore influences were becoming more popular, as demonstrated by FFG.

The seminal project turned out to be a Hardcore breeding ground; bassist Zac Davis would go on to play guitar for Hassan I Sabbath while drummer Ben Koller would have a legendary career in numerous bands, most notably as the drummer for Converge.

Lyrical Analysis:

ForceFedGlass are masters of lyrical brevity, saying a lot with a few simple words. Like many in Screamo before them, the lyrics are combative and vindictive against social ills and personal issues. The band conveys a lot of negative - your body is a prison, relationships are performative, the past buries you alive and having no hope for life, only endurance. However, mixed in with the pessimism are drastic calls for action; Revolt! Embrace the power of refusal! Wake the sleeping suburbanites! We won’t mourn your mistakes.