Kerosene Heights - Leaving

🥇#1 | S Tier

Following up on their first full-length release in 2023, Kerosene Heights plowed forward with as much momentum as any band in 2024, releasing this EP and a split with Swiss Army Wife. Leaving is a masterclass high-energy Emo, incorporating the drive of Pop-Punk with the maturity and catharsis of Midwest Emo. At only four songs, each track stands out and is brilliantly written, saying as much as they did in 2023 with about ⅓ the time. Kerosene Heights is well on their way to being one of the most consistently incredible Emo bands of this era.

State Faults - Children of the Moon

🥈#2 | S Tier

The Bay Area’s very own State Faults cements their legacy as one of the premier Screamo bands of this generation, encapsulating the enigmatic nature of Bay Area Skramz with Children of the Moon. The band has always had a Post-Screamo feel to their music, but the term seems most relevant in describing their latest album, a monumental 1+ hour atmospheric sojourn, dwarfing the lengths of their previous outings by quite a bit. Although the immediacy found in their previous albums has dissipated somewhat, their use of melody, particularly in the newly added clean vocals, elevates them to a different plane entirely.

Origami Angel - Feeling Not Found

🥉#3 | S Tier

Gami Gang rejoice! This is Origami Angel’s best outing since GOATed Emo album Somewhere City, and that is an amazing statement given their legendary discography. Whereas on their debut LP they clung to a youthful and somewhat naive sense of hope and optimism despite life's turmoils., on Feeling Not Found, five years later, they present a new sense of cautious optimism that only wisdom and world-weariness can draw out. Replacing their fixation with Math Rock is a penchant for Easycore riffs and breakdowns, the latter of which is particularly creative and ubiquitous on this record. Despite being 14 songs deep, almost every track is prominent and serves a function on the larger experience.

Febuary - February

#4 | S Tier

One of the most refreshing takes on Screamo in years, Febuary actually takes inspiration from the Screamo greats of yore, such as Portraits of Past, Saetia or I Have Dreams. Despite the weight of their influence on this “self-titled” album, February isn’t content to just worship these bands. Instead, they twisted the grand sonic textures these groups created to fit their needs. This album exemplifies quiet-loud dynamics in the most natural of ways, often at either crescendo or decrescendo. The manic dual vocals shriek and scream with passion and fervor, and they just have that “human element” that makes you feel the anguish behind every line. If you like classic 90s Screamo with Midwest Emo and Post-Rock vibes, this is one of the best albums in recent memory to listen to.

Clay Birds - Bled Out and Painted Blue

#5 | A+ Tier

Perhaps rating their debut EP a C+ last year was a bit too harsh, but Bled Out and Painted Blue is a marked improvement for the band in terms of songwriting and production. Despite the varied song structures and styles, Clay Birds still maintains their signature chaotic and dark atmosphere. The volume dynamics on this album are very natural as the band finds the perfect juxtaposition of solemn and lonesome clean sections with menacing and raw Screamo. With their first LP, Clay Birds have canonized themselves in the grand tapestry of Socal Skramz.