drive your plow over the bones of the dead - tragedy as catharsis
#7 | A+ Tier
One of the noisiest and most unrelenting Emoviolence albums of all time, tragedy as catharsis is a Hell of a debut LP from native Canucks drive your plow. The arrangements are tumultuous and suffocating, aided by the ultra-distorted guitars and boisterous drumming. However, this wall of sound that’s created as a result belies the supreme technicality under the hood; blistering chord progressions, time signature shenanigans and subtle intensity dynamics showcase a band handily biting off in less than 20 minutes one of the most ambitious Emoviolence records ever. Although the deafening dissonance and cacophony are one of the album's strongest points, slightly clearer production could have improved this.
Blind Girls - An Exit Exists
B+ Tier
Blind Girls is perhaps the best Emoviolence act going right now, and certainly so for the Southern Hemisphere. An Exit Exists further canonizes the band as such with one of the darkest and most ferocious albums of the entire year. Anguish-soaked shrieks permeate the chaotic instrumental accompaniment with everything you’d expect from the genre: walls of distorted guitars, destructive drumming and slightly less noisy sections that highlight the true pandemonium within each song. Only further-defined volume dynamics could have improved this release at all, and that’s only my subjective opinion.
gxllium - Breakup Songs
B+ Tier
One of the most bonkers releases of the entire year, Breakup Songs is Gxllium playing their signature frenzied combination of Emoviolence, Mathcore, Grind and Sass with some of the most menacing breakdowns of 2024. If you’ve already heard their debut LP or split with onewaymirror, nothing here is going to surprise you, but it will still slay you.
Reia Cibele - Reia Cibele
B Tier
The latest and greatest purveyor of Emoviolence in Portugal, Reia Cibele's self-titled is a force of nature, beginning with a brutal assault on the ears, though this 13-minute trek through mathy and sassy Emoviolence is actually quite varied. While each track is worth a listen, they combine to form a record that flows supremely well. Keep your eye out for this group.
The Names Of Our Friends - Should We Know Better Than to Wonder
B- Tier
Boisterous and intimidating Screamo from the PNW, Should We Know Better is the band’s debut record and what a freakin’ way to enter the scene! Excellent production allows the guitars to overwhelm you with a wall of noise while the drummer keeps up the cacophony. The screams are impassioned, over-the-top and brimming with pure rage. If you want some new Screamo that borders on Emoviolence, this one’s worth a listen.
