Foxtails - Home

B Tier

Foxtails is one of the most celebrated Screamo bands of the last decade, and with good reason. On this EP, Foxtails expound upon their last LP, playing atmospheric Post-Screamo with special mention to the sinister violin that colors the songs dark. June's punishing vocals permeate the agony of the lyrics with a mix of saddened cleans and merciless screams. Perhaps the only fault I can find is that the weight of their ambition sort of crushes this record. Had the grandiosity continued after the third and final song, this would be much higher.

Blame Art - Aneuma

B Tier

Aneuma is Blame Art’s first ever LP and is another entry in the longstanding tradition of Post-Rock-tinged Emo from Italy. They aren’t quite as Screamo as Raein, but not quite as soft as someone like KC Milian, balancing out quite well by using distortion and screaming more for aura than for ferocity. Most songs are over seven minutes, allowing the songs to slowly unravel themselves. Perhaps this is more Emo-tinged-Post-Rock, but it’s something you should give a listen to if you enjoy the marriage of these two epic genres.

Excuse Me, Who Are You? - Double Bind

B Tier

Sounding like if William Bonney added some Post-Hardcore into the mix, EMWAY? is a newer Midwest Screamo band that really enjoys rocking the lower register guitar notes more than the twinkly stuff. The vocals are aggressively shouted and endowed with a sense of self-loathing. However, the sum is not greater than the parts on here as some tracks have a disconnect between the vocals and the general song vibes. Either way, this is a great outing for a debut LP.

November Letters - There's A Dead Bird In My Eye, And I'm Always Looking Past It.

B Tier

After last year's debut EP, November Letters released their first ever LP, a tour de force of acoustic Emo. The additional band members allow for more complexity in the arrangements and a broader exploration of quiet-loud dynamics. Like any good acoustic music, the human voice is paramount to its quality, and November Letters delivers on that front again with a sincere performance and personal lyrics.

Everyone Asked About You. -Never Leave

B Tier

What a journey this group has been on! After riding the Second Wave early, they fizzled out by 2000 with little fanfare. Fast forward to the Emo Revival of the early 10s and this obscure Twee-infused Midwest Emo band was dug up by eager Millennial Emos on the internet, prompting the band to unveil never-before-heard material. Finally, in 2024, we get the first newly recorded material since before breaking up. Surprisingly faithful to their old sound while sounding as different as you would expect after almost 30 years away, this may not be their best work but still captures their signature charm.