Burial Etiquette - Mise-en-scène
B Tier
Modern Canadian Emos, Burial Etiquette is already one of the most prolific artists in the scene with a myriad of EPs and splits underneath their belt. However, Mis-en-scène is the band’s debut full-length album. The band prioritizes DIY aesthetics and melancholic production, though the music itself is a combo of Midwest Emo, Screamo and Post-Rock. Perfect listening for when you're sad and a bit pissed.
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.
