Part 3: Re:Emocore Reemergence
One massive issue with Third Wave Emo is that a lot of it seems to have lost its hardcore roots; this point is constantly blasted at us by Emo purists. “True” Emo from that time period, if it did include some hardcore influence, was often cleanly produced and crisp, diametrically opposing the very ethos of Hardcore. Fortunately, heavy Emo music was still very prolific during the 2000s, and I wanted to talk about a particularly palatable Emo subgenre during that span.
Please note there’s a dearth of knowledge on Emocore, especially after the mid-90s, so please excuse me if I slip up a bit in this section. Due to increasing access to the internet, Emocore remained alive in the 90s and actually had some real bangers in the 2000s. Here's a few of them.
Twelve Hour Turn - Perfect Progress, Perfect Destruction (6/1/2002)
Despite releasing only two full-length albums and two extended plays, Twelve Hour Turn has quite the prolific discography for a band that only lived five years, having performed in numerous splits and compilations. They rode the Emocore wave that started in the late 90s and are one of the most well-known non-80s bands in the genre. This would be their final full-length album and, to my knowledge, their last release as a band until an archival live album came out in 2016.
This one is filled with tons of mid-tempo Hardcore, dynamic volume switches and signature solitary somber guitar riffs. If you enjoy your Emocore to be on the Punkier side, this is absolutely one to check out!
Cavalry - Outnumbered is Outflanked (7/4/2002)
Cavalry combined that classic Emocore sound - the mid-tempo Hardcore with melody and catharsis - with elements of Post-Punk, from the vocal delivery to the bouncy basslines to the atmosphere. The elements are woven together so well that even Emocore purists will find something to like on here.
Aghast - Polaroid (8/1/2002)
Emocore from France, Aghast takes the traditional Emocore formula and fuses it with early 00s Screamo production elements and creates a relatively fresh record that, while not breaking any crazy ground, is quite solid and stands out a bit from the pack.
End on End - Why Evolve When We Can Go Sideways (8/13/2002)
Some good Rites of Spring worship, evident by their band name. If you like the transition from traditional, slower Hardcore and Post-Hardcoreish sections of quiet, brooding riffage, this is worth a listen.
The band has a fair amount of splits, as well as a few other EPs and albums that are worth a listen.
The Pine - Lead Blocks for Feet (12/1/2002)
One of the most celebrated Emocore artists during the 2000s, The Pine creates authentic music like we’re still living the Revolution Summer: extremely rough, analog recordings with old-school Hardcore writing in mind, a singer who’s doing his damnedest Evergreen impression and music that sounds like a long-lost The Hated demo. The mixing on this is truly woeful, and I mean that in the best way possible. The cacophony surpasses the wall-of-noise state that Shoegaze loves to produce and few, if any, recognizable melody comes through. For discerning ears, you’re welcome to frequent high-range basslines that complement the simple, driving guitar, all overpowered by the ludicrous crash cymbal.
From the description, this sounds like an uncontainable mess, and it is. However, the passion behind this album is unmistakable. If you’ve yet to dip your toes into the Emocore pond, I’d highly suggest giving these guys a go.
Złodzieje Rowerów - Ten Moment (2002)
Polish Emocore. VERY old school in their songwriting mindset. Check it out if it sounds intriguing.
The Shivering - Wires of Storm and Song (2002)
End on End - European Tour 12” (5/5/2003)
Sinaloa - Fathers and Sons (7/4/2003) 💎
The debut LP from criminally underrated Sinaloa, Fathers and Sons is classic Emocore with more modern Screamo sensibilities. I wouldn’t go as far as to say the band plays Screamo, but their revered split with Ampere should give some insight as to the cred this band has. A heavy focus on melodic lead guitar lines is underscored by the desperate, shouted vocals and a very active drummer who drives the music forward. Breaking up this band’s incredible dedication to melody is the harmony’s often-grizzly sense of dissonance. With 15 songs and only 36 minutes of runtime, the album’s surprising creativity will keep you hooked.
93 Million Miles - 93 Million Miles (9/23/2003)
With more than half of the band’s discography fitting into this five-track EP, this 90s Emocore project released some songs they’d recorded in the late 90s in 2003, and the world of Emo is forever thankful! 93 Million Miles is bona fide classic Emocore paced moderately and played passionately. The band is keen on their Hardcore roots, especially in the latter half of the EP, but loves exploring multiple volume dynamics throughout the songs.
1000 Travels of Jawaharlal - Owari Wa Konai (10/28/2003) 💎
You only need one word to describe Owari Wa Konai: relentless. The heavily distorted guitar plays nonstop Emocore riffage with the occasional angular, twinkly melody to break apart the unrelenting tedium. The drummer absolutely refuses to be quiet and subdued, instead expressing their emotions by banging the Hell out of their kit. Tying this all together immaculately is the brutal vocalist, screaming his voice raw with passion and angst.
Owari wa Konai is almost prototypical Emocore, though advanced into a new age with tiny elements of Screamo and Post-Hardcore.
The Shivering - To The Ground (2003)
Fairly typical mid-tempo Emocore stuff from The Shivering. If you like Punky chord progressions, the odd twinkle and stuff that doesn’t veer too far from tradition, this one is worth a listen. The Shivering also released two small EPs before and after this album.
Cold Like December - Oh My God, It’s Full of Stars (2003)
This release is an interesting footnote in history, being the Emocore band of Kevin DeFranoco, guitarist for legendary bands like Harrison Bergeron, Street Smart Cyclist and Boy Problems. The guitarwork on this release doesn’t exactly live up to those artists, but Cold Like December plays a vigorous Emocore style that shares some similarities with early 00s Metalcore. Check this out if you like Emocore to be on the more aggressive side.
The Pine - The Pine (2003) 💎
I wasn’t originally going to cover this release, but what the Hell! This is actually a compilation album, remastering their debut LP (also called The Pine) and original 2000 EP (also called The Pine). Raucous and cacophonous, this noisy record shows a band with zeal playing music that the average ear could only hope to suss out. If you like any of the band’s other work, this album is likely their most varied and, in my opinion, their finest effort.
Dance of Days - A valsa de águas vivas (2/1/2004)
Perhaps the most important Emocore band to come out of Brazil, Dance of Days began their career in the late 90s and is still kicking, having just released an album in 2023! Their discography is plethoric with no fewer than 10 full-length albums and several EPs, many of which came out during this Third Wave Emo time period.
Punky Emocore with very melodic guitar riffs, Dance of Days employs a healthy dose of Melodic Hardcore to keep the somewhat stale nature of Emocore very fresh. The vocals stand out as particularly palatable for those who don’t enjoy screaming or shouting and are filled with tons of emotion.
Life At These Speeds - Life At These Speeds (6/1/2004) 🎩
Perhaps one of the most underappreciated Emocore releases of all time, Life at These Speeds could be talked about in the same breath as Lyburnum Wits and Indian Summer. At its very core, the band members are true Punkers, but they definitely understand how to make an incredible Emo album. A perfect guitar tone throughout sets the mood and allows the crescendos to really hit hard.
The vocalist is introspective and aggressive, relaying the emotional gravity of the music. This album sounds as if Emocore continued as a strong movement through the 90s into the 00s, bringing over a decade of influence with it.
The Pine - Days Slipping By (9/20/2004)
Following up on their self-titled compilation album, which included the entirety of their first album plus more tracks, The Pine released their next full-length album in 2004. The first note I have is that the recording and production quality has improved marginally, though still not enough to sound like anything other than “Basement Emo.” Regardless, what you hear is what you get with this band, so even though the songs do come off as sort of similar to each other, Roger King’s immense ardor is present in every note his voice hits, and his voice is clearer than ever. This one invokes a feeling of isolation that Level Blocks for Feet didn’t quite do. Another amazing entry in their legendary discography.
End of a Year - Disappear Here (10/25/2004)
End of a Year’s debut LP is Emocore distilled into its purist form with only small hints of Post-Hardcore to offer a counterbalance. Rites of Spring worship? Absolutely. That doesn’t make this unappealing to listen to, however. The band’s commitment to the mid-tempo Hardcore of the Revolution Summer is admirable, as is their focus on incredibly powerful guitar melodies.
Believe it or not, this band would go on to release an abundance of music between 2004 and 2011, including a couple more albums, several EPs and countless splits with other bands. After 2011, they would reform under their far more popular moniker - Self Defense Family.
Metamorphosis - Solo en mí (12/1/2004)
Metamorphosis was an Emocore band out of Lima, Peru, not to be confused with the likely many bands with the same or a similar name. The first thing you’re going to notice is that this album takes its traditional Hardcore seriously, indulging in a Punkish Hardcore that defined the earliest of Emocore bands. Their standout feature is the vocalist - the dude is insane, switching flawlessly between growly screaming and eclectic singing.
The Pine - Don’t Need Regret (4/25/2005)
The Pine’s final formal release, Don’t Need Regret might just be the band’s most dynamic work yet. The bookends to this album are quite possibly The Pine’s best songs ever, though the overall quality of the LP is quite good. This is also the Punkiest The Pine has ever been, indulging in those strong Punk drum beats.
The Pine would release an acoustic album in 2005 before disbanding, randomly releasing Some Unreleased Stuff in 2011. Just last year (2023), they remastered a couple of their albums, so fortunately for us, the band seems keen on preserving their legacy.
Sinaloa - Footprints on Floorboards (9/7/2005)
Despite the urgency that Sinaloa exudes with their music, caused by the dissonant chord progressions, desperate vocals and syncopated drums, Footprints on Floorboards is somewhat of a subdued album. Perhaps the lack of a bassist holds the punchiness back, or maybe it’s the unwavering tempo that doesn’t shift into truly depressive territory, nor does it reach blistering speeds. These may sound like criticisms, but they’re actually the album’s biggest strengths—a worthy follow-up to Fathers and Sons with less attention paid to sweeping guitar melodies.
Sinaloa would carry the grand Emo tradition of having legendary splits, recording with bands like Ampere and Life at These Speeds. They would also release two more full-length albums and an EP before calling it quits in the 10s.
Dance of Days - Lírios Aos Anjos (10/15/2005)
Arguably, the band is more Melodic Hardcore than Emocore during this period, but I still think it’s worth listening to all of their other stuff.
Frammenti - Propizia è perseveranza (2005)
Italian Emocore. Surprisingly varied. The band started in the 90s, so I’m unsure if this is a comeback album, old material or what.
End of a Year - Sincerely (7/11/2006)
End of a Year evolved on this album, employing some new songwriting tricks in the last two years. Fortunately, they continue to play that good old Emocore straight out of the mid-80s. The dynamic shifts are executed well and give the album a really nice overall flow.
Life At These Speeds - To Your Health (9/19/2006)
Life at These Speeds proves once again why they are one of the premier Emocore bands of this period with this incredible follow-up album. More modern Post-Hardcore influences are showing up on this album, once again showcasing the genre’s ability to transcend the rigidity of 80s DC Emocore. The lauded dynamic volume interplay from their first album is perfected on this release, ensuring the album never succumbs to the “samey” complaint some have of Emocore albums.
If you liked the first album, you’ll like this one. If you enjoyed their work, be sure to check out their splits with End on End, Sinaloa and Science of Yarba.
Aghast - Consumer (2006)
Seasoned after splits with 1000 Travels of Jawaharlal and Sed Non Satiata, Aghast returned with their sole LP Consumer in 2006, and it’s quite the accomplishment. Aghast once again zig-zag the border between Emocore and European Screamo, though they’re heavier than ever on this record. Taking the straightforwardness and quiet-loud dynamics of Emocore and imbuing them with the aggression and melodic beauty of French Skramz creates a real winner with Consumer.
Fine Before You Came - Fine Before You Came (2006) 💎
Fine Before You Came is one of the most important Italian Emocore bands of all time, having gained complete underground cred when they unleashed Sfortuna upon the world in 2009. However, this self-titled album is actually sung in English, as opposed to Sfortuna. The album features Emocore with a fair bit of Post-Hardcore influence, but the masterful dynamic switches are telling of which genre this is in.
The somewhat subdued nature of the tracks belies their tension, though it could be argued that the band never goes into that next gear with their crescendos. However, Jacopo’s powerful vocals make up for any of the music’s shortcomings. This album is a glimpse into one of Italy’s premier Emocore bands.
Sinaloa - Oceans of Islands (3/25/2008)
