Sigh & Explode

last.fm

So far I've been putting all the Norwegian bands for some reason. I have to admit I love their scene and I don't really understand why so many bands are underrated (and why it took me five posts to get to one).

Sigh & Explode from Oslo are one of those. Strongly resembling JR Ewing or Dominic but you could say the same thing about any screamo band from Norway. As opposed to their more famous fellow countrymen the Sigh & Explode are using some electronics. Vocals are more high pitched with no singing.

All combined it just sounds great. Not so great on their first record but absolutely terrific on later full lenght. The band died shortly after releasing it.

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¡O Bailan Todos o No Baila Nadie! (EP 2007)
These Seem Like Tarantulas (2009)

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Escapado

last.fm

Though a bit mainstream on later records. Still it´s the band I'd recommend to anyone who's looking for classic european screamo. Anyone looking for purest example of the genre without any other influences. Melodic yet keeping strong hardcore drive especially on Hinten der Spiegeln and Initiale.

I do understand that German language can be an obstacle to many of the listeners but I recently started loving it during screamo parts. Check out amazing FJØRT or all time classic YAGE for another german speaking bands.

Other than that Escapado's sound strongly resembles early stages on Envy or Wow, Owls.

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7 inch (2002)
Hinter Den Spiegeln (2004)
Initiale (2007)
Monggomery Mundtot (2010)
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Verse en Coma

last.fm

Good news: City of Caterpillar announced reunion.. Better news: Malady are playing one show with them.. Bad news: Verse en Coma is doing neither of these things :/ The worst news: I’m from Europe so there’s literally no chance for me to come to states and see at least two of mentioned bands

Verse en Coma in fact didn’t play a single show (if I’m correct). There are just five songs that has been hidden in drawer for few years and then released by Robotic Empire on 10’ vinyl.

Musically this is simply evolvement of Malady sound - somewhere between postrock/shoegaze/alternative rock with very specific chord progressions combining harmonic minor and major scales at same song without any hearable break.

For the first time I’m not including MP3 since this record is still being sold and is available for free on Spotify, Bandcamp or Youtube so check it out.

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Stella Dawes

last.fm

These guys are one of the most underestimated screamo bands ever but Brittish bands generally have this in common. Mostly because the emo/screamo scene is not strong on the islands. I can’t think of any “major” skramz band (maybe Mesa Verde? but let’s be honest here - those guys are famous mostly because blog that was run by one of the members...).

First of all: singer is one of the best I’ve ever heard. Vocals can be really annoying in DIY screamo but this guy has something warm in his voice. He’s very ocasionally singing and when screaming he’s still significantly changing the tone and expression.

Second of all: the rest of the band is great too! Whole Contrasts sounds bit unsettled - some songs are straightforward and melodic, others almost mathcore-ish and very chaotic. But for example “The Unspeakable” with its complexity is similar to pg.99 or Majority rule style. I honestly cannot think of any other band similar to those two iconic groups. Plus the sound quality.

Third of all: I had possibility to see Stella Dawes live in Worcester so I have memories. Live performance was perfect and sounded exactly like from the Contrasts CD (which I bought).

Last and saddest of all: the band is not active anymore :/ Guys disbanded after they were not able to find new members to continue with. Except from Contrasts they had some another studio recorded songs available on webpages. Those are not active of course. One of those songs is available on youtube - check the link below.

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Contrasts (2010)

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in.stora

last.fm

in.stora was hardcore band from Latvia / Riga. There’s pretty much everything written on last.fm so I’ll not dig into details that much. You can read it there.

They have 3 full-lengths in the discography. Each unique but still keeping some common feeling. Evolution is similar to dEFDUMp. From nu-metal begginings to metal/hardcore/screamo music - just more technical then dEFDUMp (and more metalcore influented).

Members were active in another bands as well. You can find full list on last.fm but most notable are probably TESA. Unlike in.stora I saw them couple of times so check them out also if you like i.e. Russian Circles or this post-metal wave.

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We all deal with this (2002)

How come you don't get bored (2003)

Miasma (2004)

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dEFDUMp

last.fm

Great band to start with. They formed at mid-nineties and lasted for fifteen (!) years while releasing several records and touring the Europe. Yet I'd say almost nobody outside LU knows about them, even though they (most definitively) formed the hc/punk scene in the country.

Early records are strongly influenced by new-school hardcore (even nu-metal). Later they took more melodic approach. Last records are experimental mix between metal/hardcore/screamo/punk and great records too.

After they disbanded singer formed We might as well fail (it's also name of documentarymapping rock/metal scene in LU). Band is not active anymore. Two other members established Heartbeat parade who are still active. Check them both.

Hempcore is impossible to get except from few songs. If you have it please send it to me so I can finalize the discography.

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Hempcore (demo)

Circle's closing (demo - 2000)

The sparkle has become the flame (MCD - 2002)

David versus Corporate Society (CD - 2003)

split w. Kafka - The Only Ones Left To Be Afraid Of Here Is Ourselves (EP - 2003)

Makeshift polaris (CD - 2005)

This is Forevermore (LP - 2007)

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