The Swarm / ForceFedGlass - The Self-Destruct EP | Connective Tissue 1999

The Swarm

(Burlington, ON, Canada)

Chris Colohan (Vocals)
Adam Bratt (Guitar)
Christian McMaster (Guitar)
Lou Oliveras (Bass)
Mike Maxymuik (Drums)

ForceFedGlass

(Richmond, VA)

Pat Masteron (Vocals)
Evan Plante (Guitar)
Justin Conlon (Bass)
Ben Koller (Drums)

Basic Info:

Release Date: 1999
Label: The Electric Human Project
Runtime: 6:29
-The Swarm: 3:30
-ForceFedGlass: 2:59
Tracks: 6
-The Swarm: 4
-ForceFedGlass: 2

At a Glance:

Metalcore, Emoviolence, Hardcore Punk, Energetic, Frantic, Punky, Technical

Points on the Timeline:

Both bands formed in the late 90s, releasing the bulk of their discographies before the turn of the century. By 2000, both artists will disband.

Shapes in the Sound:

The Swarm, tangentially related to the Screamo scene by way of guitarist Kyle Bishop, who does vocal duties for fellow Ontarians Grade, plays fairly straightforward Metalcore on here with a few traditional Punk leanings. Somewhat melodic, somewhat driving and brimming with energy and passion, their four tracks breeze through. ForceFedGlass’ two tracks are far more complex, noisier and more dynamic, playing their signature brand of blistering, technical Emoviolence with heavy, slow sections spacing out the chaos.

Threads in the Tapestry:

Although both artists would fizzle out soon after this split was released, it nonetheless catalogs these two distinct Hardcore artists from 550 miles apart at the end of their short-lived musical careers. While neither would be groundbreaking in their genre, they both remain underrated aspects of genres that would leave them behind.

Stack / Jasemine / Disclose | Holy Grails 1998

The Artifact:

1998
Independent
Runtime: 46:38
Tracks: 22

Artifact DNA:

Powerviolence, Screamo, D-Beat, Hardcore Punk, Emocore, Frantic, Melodic, Heavy

Artifact Archeologists:

Stack

Bernd Bohrmann (Vocals)
Chris King (Guitar)
Marcel Hammenman (Guitar)
Corey Von Villiez (Bass)
Ralf Lombardo (Drums)

Jasemine

Christophe Mora (Guitar, Vocals)
Thomas Guillanton (Bass)
Jérome Bessout (Drums, Vocals)

Disclose

Tsukasa (Vocals)
Kowakami (Guitar)
Yousei (Bass)
Naoto (Drums)

Artifact Contents:

All tracks from Stack’s 1994 Demo
All tracks from Jasemine’s 1994 Demo
All tracks from Disclose’s 1992 Crime Demo
All tracks from Disclose’s 1993 Conquest Demo

Artifact Echoes:

Uniquely a three-band split Comp, the first artist features strong, straightforward Hardcore, featuring some interesting buildups. Although far from the genre itself, they seem to borrow a bit from early German Screamo artists, a scene that the band would dip their feet into a few times.

The next artist represented is Jasemine, whose 1994 Screamo demo is quite revolutionary. This is one of the earliest true Screamo releases in France, borrowing the melodic Emocore aesthetic and combining it with some harsh Hardcore Punk in a way that resembles what Screamo would become far better than some of the earlier bands that attempted such a combination. Notably, the screaming is raw, emotional and intense, imparting profound feelings unto the listener. This forward-thinking piece of Screamo could easily pass for something in the late 90s with poor production.

Disclose’s early work is seminal D-Beat music with pounding drums, hyper, Hardcore chord progressions and deep, shouted vocals. If you know anything about D-Beat, and specifically Japanese D-Beat, this should do it for you. If you are unaware, think of Crust Punk (Metal-influenced Punk) but simpler.

Artifact Legacy:

Is this thing even a real release? There isn’t a lot of info on how this came together, with most sources saying this was never an official release from any of the bands. Regardless, this cassette represents early 90s international Hardcore in its various forms. Germany, France and Japan, three longstanding Hardcore sanctuaries, are on display in this excellent collaborative compilation.

Artifact Value:

As this is likely bootleg, I literally can’t find this on sale. I’d imagine if you can find a copy, it’d be a pretty nice rarity to have. This is quintessential international Hardcore from the early 90s.

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.

Swing Kids - Swing Kids | Holy Grails 1997

The Artifact:

1997
Three One G Records
Runtime: 19:58
Tracks: 9

Artifact Characteristics:

Post-Hardcore, Screamo, Proto-Sass, Hardcore Punk, Eclectic, Frantic, Chaotic

Artifact Archeologists:

Justin Pearson (Vocals)
Eric Allen (Guitar)
John Brady (Bass)
Jose Palafox (Drums)

Artifact Contents:

Every track from their 1994 s/t
Every track from a split with Spanakorzo
An original track that would feature in a future comp

Artifact Echoes:

Spastic, experimental and playful Screamo is all you're going to find on this record, documenting every song from the band thus far. Although you can still piece out the traditional Hardcore influence, dissonance, rhythmic unpredictability and general chaos are all elements these early pioneers utilized to keep listeners on their toes. The band can transition between a rapid-fire verse fueled by unhinged screaming and overwhelming drums to a sarcastic jazzy number played with great skill and technicality.

Artifact Legacy:

Justin Pearson is an important figure to underground music, especially in San Diego. He started Three One G Records, starred in Swing Kids as their vocalist and went on to form Sass and Hardcore legends The Locust. However, Swing Kids’ Discography is enough of a reason to celebrate; the mark this band left on San Diego, Hardcore music, Screamo. Sasscore and underground music as a whole cannot be ignored. Swing Kids achieved levels of pandemonium very few before them could have hoped for while injecting heaps of personality, a brutal and fun concoction that we are still enjoying the influence of over 30 years later.

Artifact Value:

Originally released in 1997 in CD format, there were several reissues, including a notable one in 2002. The original CD is pretty obtainable, though a 2003 vinyl pressing could be difficult to obtain these days. The band made a few random comebacks in later years, releasing two new songs along the way and necessitating another compilation release in 2020. Whether or not that makes this release less valuable, it's absolutely worth obtaining for fans of the band, early Screamo or the San Diego sound.

Heroin - Heroin | Holy Grails 1997

The Artifact:

1/14/1997
Gravity Records
Runtime: 47:04
Tracks: 19

Artifact Characteristics:

Post-Hardcore, Proto-Screamo, Noise Rock, Hardcore Punk, Emocore, Raw, Intense

Artifact Archeologists

Matt Anderson (Vocals)
Scott Bartoloni (Guitar)
Ron Johnson (Bass)
Aaron Montaigne (Drums)

Artifact Contents:

Every track from All About Heroin
Every track from their 1992 s/t
Every track from their 1993 s/t
Three original tracks

Artifact Echoes:

Legends of early 90s Proto-Screamo and one of the original bands to explore this sonic space, Heroin took the power and fury of Hardcore, illuminated it with the melody and dynamism of Emocore and added in their own Post-Hardcore fixings to craft a noisy and raw discography. The singer’s shouted screams inject the music with even more immediacy and emotion, the guitarist didorients with breakneck chord progressions and heaps of noisy dissonance; the bass packs with it a sense of danger and the drumming is frantic and chaotic, effectively putting the formula in a blender. These pieces came together to from the early blueprints of the genre.

Artifact Legacy:

Listening through this compilation album showcases the band's evolution over the two years they were active, tracking their increased use of melody, dissonance and intensity. In addition to pioneering this genre and shaking up the early 90s Hardcore scene, Heroin's direct influences reached so many early Screamo bands, especially to the influential and genre-defining Gravity Records rostermates. Their drummer would form Antioch Arrow shortly after this band broke up, adding even more chaos and unease to the developing genre. However, that experimental edge was first put to use in Heroin.

Artifact Value:

Gravity Records released this comp in 1997 with several versions, allegedly including a rainbow pressing. All four versions I could find seem to be relatively inexpensive, with the price likely lowering a few years ago after Heroin released a new compilation album.