Closure - Closure | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1997 Nominee

Release Information:

1997
Mountain Records
New York
Runtime: 31:31
Tracks: 6

Band Members:

Trevor Perry (Vocals)
Adam Gutwein (Guitar)
Mike Treff (Guitar)
Mark Spelbur (Bass)
Dave Spelbur (Drums)

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Screamo, Post-Rock, Cold, Melodic, Dynamic

Musical Analysis:

Closure's self-titled album represents the best tropes of late 90s Screamo, showcasing a dynamic mix of chilling, atmospheric instrumental sections of quiet melody, masterfully-crafted tense buildups and powerful, cathartic crescendos. Trevor’s gnarly screams add emotional depth to the songs, imparting unto the listener every ounce of pain that he’s internalized.

Historical Analysis:

Although quite obscure in the grand scheme of Screamo Canon, Closure’s one and only LP stands the test of time as an early example of Post-Rock creeping its way into Screamo music, in a similar vein to Portraits of Past and Breakwater (with whom they performed on a split with). Though this album predates some of the later classics with Post-Rock leanings, its niche popularity means not enough people were influenced by this incredible album to earn its place in the Hall.

Lyrical Analysis:

Closure keeps the lyrics simple to ensure the potent messages are digestible by all, despite the incomprehensibility of the vocalist at times. Utilizing short bits of prose and simply-structured poetic lyrics, themes of religious hypocrisy, abuse of power and the dehumanizing nature of work are solemnly explored. The doom and gloom lead to catharsis, though, with a rallying cries against willful ignorance, in favor of feeling genuine human emotion and pain, and to seek your own meaning in life.

Breakwater / Closure | Connective Tissue 1996

Breakwater

(Victoria, BC, Canada)

Jode Shortreed
Steve Simard
Carey Mercer

Closure

(New York)

Trevor Perry (Vocals)
Adam Gutwein (Guitar)
Mike Treff (Guitar)
Mark Spelbur (Bass)
Dave Spelbur (Drums)

Basic Info:

Release Date: 1996
Label: Mountain Records
Runtime: 9:31
-Breakwater: 7:12
-Closure: 6:44
Tracks: 3
-Breakwater: 1
-Closure: 2

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Screamo, Emo, Post-Rock, Melodic, Raw, Dynamic, Lofi

Points on the Timeline:

Almost all of Breakwater’s other material was released in 1995, a demo and a single that contains two songs from the demo. Barring the song Twelve that appears on a comp, this is their only other recorded track. Closure had just formed before this EP dropped and would only last one more year with a full-length album.

Shapes in the Sound:

Melodic, long-form, Post-Rock-driven Screamo with tons of dynamic intensity is found on both sides of this excellent split. Breakwater’s passionate track is a heartbreaking journey of soft vocals and cathartic screams, melodic lead lines and heavy, dissonant chord progressions and devastating crescendos. Closure is a bit more straightforward in their songwriting but features incredibly driving rhythms, heavier production and more bounciness. Though quite contrasted, these two bands complement each other. MAGIC TURTLE!

Threads in the Tapestry:

I initially assumed Victoria was on the East Coast of Canada, which would make sense considering the ties to New York. However, I learned that these two bands were at least 2,500 miles apart, so we’re spanning quite a bit of continent here. Breakwater contributed a track to the same Mountain Records comp as Closure, which is how I imagine they became connected. This split represents cross-country scene building and demonstrates Screamo’s other tendency towards melody and dynamism, compared with some of the heavier bands during this time pushing Emoviolence and other more extreme forms of Screamo.