Gil Cerrone - Consumer
B- Tier
Fairly standard Screamo out of Melbourne with a nice variety of intensities and good production values, Consumer is the band's first LP after several Splits and EPs. This record borrows much from the greats of the early-to-mid 00s era of Skramz, though their failure to stand out amongst their influences does bring this otherwise solid album down a peg.
bulletsbetweentongues - The Lights Never Lie
B- Tier
bulletsbetweentongues debut with a kickass Metalcore / Screamo hybrid LP out of Denton, Texas. The album starts off skewed toward Metalcore with a filthy guitar tone, a variety of breakdowns and brutal vocals. However, these elements eventually give way to melodic guitars and somewhat dynamic intensities. As cool as this is, it is perhaps too indebted to Metalcore to be a classic Screamo album but I still recommend giving this a go, especially if you live for the breakdowns.
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.
Sacrofuoco - Anni Luce
B- Tier
Sacrofuoco, formerly a straightforward Screamo band named One Dying Wish, invoked the increasingly-popular Post-Metal influence going around modern-day Screamo, reformed under their current name and unleashed their debut LP onto the world. Brutal, sharp guitars drive the bleak and foreboding atmosphere forward. While the vocals are screamed, they are distorted and only add to the thick ambiance of this record rather than enhance the brutality. Although hopping on an emerging trend, Sacrofuoco nonetheless delivers some hearty Screamo here.
xheartworksx - Demo
B- Tier
Potential - what a loaded term; on the one hand, it means the possibility of achievement, and who doesn’t think that sounds good? Unfortunately, it’s almost always accompanied by a pejorative descriptor, such as “unrealized” potential. I’m here to tell you that on xheartworksx Demo release, it’s both. This fresh material is the band’s first work and there’s a lot to like about it. There’s an old school Screamo mindset in the songwriting, putting particular emphasis on the quiet-loud dynamics and the musical catharsis that such writing can provide. However, the production values and recording quality are, frankly, horrible, and that’s saying something for this genre. Regardless, the compositions are top notch and I cannot wait to hear what the future holds for them.