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.

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.

Saetia - Saetia | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1998 Inductee

Release Information:

1998
Mountain Records
New York, NY
Runtime: 28:45
Tracks: 9

Band Members:

Billy Werner - Vocals
Adam Marino - Guitar
Jaime Behar - Guitar
Colin Bartoldus - Bass
Gregory Drudy - Drums

Genres, Influences and Characteristics:

Screamo, Midwest Emo, Math Rock, Complex, Dynamic, Melodic, Raw, Aggressive

Musical Analysis:

Coming a year off the heels of their revered demo, Saetia’s 1998 s/t LP is a revelation of Screamo music, taking their formula and supercharging it. The dynamic song forms return with more intensity than ever, balancing perfectly with the softer melodic parts of the album. Introduced in this release are strong Math Rock influences, giving their songs more unpredictability, varying odd time signatures, rhythmic complexity and an overall higher level of technicality than ever. This intricacy adds even more dynamism to their songs, emphasizing the poignant melodies and depravity more than before.

Historical Analysis:

The opening salvo of their discography was a monumental step forward for Screamo, but this album is perhaps one of the most influential works in the genre's history. This bold statement basically defined what Screamo would sound like at its peak and turned the somewhat silly subgenre into one capable of high art. The final shackles of Hardcore Punk and Post-Hardcore that held the genre together early on have evaporated and Screamo genre conventions were truly their own.

This album is the blueprint for which countless Screamo bands took inspiration, even if we’d have to work through a few more years of Emoviolence prominence before Saetia’s influence would be the defining sound. Besides this legendary status, the music itself is exceptional and would likely qualify for the Screamo Hall of Fame even without its legacy.

Lyrical Analysis:

Saetia fully embraces nihilism on this s/t. From just the title of the first song, the band reflects on how language is a lie we use to deceive ourselves, the destructive power of words and the failure of human systems. It sure seems like personal and collective misery is at the forefront of their lyrical themes, but their nihilistic worldview cuts both ways: sure, words are a lie and they tend to destroy relationships, but they also compose art - and art is a divine struggle. Yes, relationships can fail and you can subsequently fall, but there is power in rising above. Of course, the body exists as a tool of self-hatred and a reminder of our temporary mortal condition, but there is freedom in the emptiness. These are among the most poetic and artistic lyrics in the entire genre to this point.