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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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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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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