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.

Orchid - Chaos Is Me | Screamo HAll of Fame Class of 1999 Inductee

Release Information:

6/21/1999
Ebullition Records
Amherst, MA (New England)
Runtime: 18:24
Tracks: 11

Band Members:

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

At a Glance:

Emoviolence, Chaotic, Disorienting, Dense, Complex, Noisy

Musical Summary:

Orchid unleashed one of the darkest and most explosive Emoviolence ever with this album, establishing absolute anarchy with dense, overwhelming guitar, complex rhythms, blistering tempos, intense emotive screaming and a wall of sound approach to production that you can easily get lost in. These studio choices mirror the chaotic nature of the songwriting, crank up the immediacy and add a foreboding atmosphere to songs that already feel dangerous to listen to.

Structurally, many of the songs on here are somewhat similar, but Will Killingsworth and Jeff Salene craft technical, memorable chord progressions and rapid-fire syncopation to differentiate the songs. These masterful arrangements are tied together by Jayson Green's brutal and harrowing vocal performance, imparting bitterness and anger with every syllable. Putting a bow on this package are brief respites of melodic guitar and calmer tempos which build tension and contrast the chaotic moments further.

Historical Summary:

Simply put, there may not be a more important Emoviolence or Screamo record than Chaos Is Me. Not only is this release revered in the Screamo community, it’s one or the biggest records in the genre, period. Although Emoviolence was developing without them, Orchid may very well be the biggest Emoviolence band ever, and this is the record that began their legendary run of releases.

The genre would never be the same again, eschewing the overt Grind influence and developing a signature sound of its own in the mold of this chaotic beast. The quest for “heaviness” in the Emoviolence was a burden that this album put to rest in favor of more dissonance, more emotion and more experimentation.

Lyrical Summary:

"Chaos Is Me" translates from the French phrase “le désordre, c’est moi,” a slogan coined during the period of civil unrest and general strikes across France known as May '68. During this time, leftists, students, and unions fought against capitalism and imperialism. Starting the album with a title track (of sorts) serves as a powerful opening salvo for Orchid’s manifesto of frustration. Jayson’s lyrics convey disdain for punk's descent into materialism and insincerity, an urgent call to rebel against gentrification and commercialism, and a lament for his failing relationships — including his relationship with himself. These confrontational words are aimed at the music scene, society and institutions of power. Simply put, they're PISSED at EVERYTHING.

One Eyed God Prophecy - One Eyed God Prophecy | The Shape of Screamo to Come

Release Information:

1995
The Great American Steak Religion Records
Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Runtime: 33:00
Tracks: 7

Band Members:

Dom Poulin (Vocals)
Seb Philbert (Guitar)
Ugo Desgreniers (Guitar)
Alex Bibeau (Bass)
J-P Dionne (Drums)

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Screamo, Sludge Metal, Noise Rock, Dark, Atmospheric, Dense, Crusty

Musical Analysis:

This album sounds EVIL. There’s a sinister air to the songs on this record, exhibited perfectly by the intimidating intro song. However, judging this album based on the heavy, dark first track would belie the dynamism and atmosphere that the album takes time to establish. The fuzzy guitar tones make them sound insurmountable during moments of musical mayhem, though the clean twinkly sections that plague this release are as serene as they come. The drums are consistent and are played exactly as they’re needed in the moment, whether that’s burning the house down with Emoviolence-esque chaos or building atmosphere with spaced-out cymbals. The harrowing vocal performance is definitely high-register, though it is fairly low in the mix.

Historical Analysis:

Despite only being a cult favorite in Screamo, the influence this release has had cannot be understated. Few Screamo albums before this emphasized cultivating an atmospheric sound rather than aiming strictly for brutality and heaviness. Additionally, OEGP sneaked high-class musicianship into the equation, adding to the chaos and technicality that would soon become commonplace. Although Sludge and Crust influences in Screamo were never omnipotent, enough artists from the 90s til now owe their livelihood to what this album accomplished.

Lyrical Analysis:

Despite the obscurity of the screamed lyrics, the emotional veracity and intensity is never lost by the vocal performance or the words themselves. One Eyed God Prophecy blends social critique, existential dread and emotional vulnerability into an explosive cocktail of poetry and prose. The singer desperately searches for authenticity in a world of greed and falsehoods, though he invokes personal responsibility to solve the problem. He criticizes Capitalism for destroying the ecosystem, but also for destroying local communities and alienating us. He even speaks about the desperate dance of hope and despair, romantic longing and generational tension, just to name a few of the many thematic subjects brought forth. This varied commentary on the human condition and the sociopolitical climate behind it would become a staple of Screamo in the 90s into the early 00s.