Dead Swans

Dead Swans were a five-piece melodic hardcore band from Brighton, England that were active from 2006 to 2013, with a few reunion shows played in 2016. Since then they're hasn't been any activity that I'm aware of, though vocalist Nick Worthington is currently active with Still In Love, who just released their first LP this year (which also just got featured here). When I was working on that, I realized the major oversight on my part that Dead Swans had yet to make it on here. In all honesty, they're a band I never listened to a ton but certainly enjoyed, as they were one of the premier "melodic hardcore" bands that bridged the 2000's and 2010's (no pun intended, as they were also a Bridge Nine band). They crafted a dark and raw pummelling brand of hardcore that you could say is in a similar vein as American Nightmare, Carry On, and More Than Life, but they're a distinct entity to hold their own, and Nick's scorching vocal delivery and poetic lyricism certainly hold their weight. They're also great with the gang vocals, and who doesn't love a good gang vocal? Anyway, if you're new to this band they're well worth your time, Sleepwalkers is the obvious starting point as its their only LP. Enjoy.

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Demo (2007)

1. Tin Heart

2. Preferring The Worst

Southern Blue (2007)

1. Into Dust

2. Lines Of Separation

3. Dead Until Dark

4. 20/07/07

5. The Hanging Sun

Architects/Dead Swans (2008)

1. Architects - We're All Alone

2. Architects - Broken Clocks

3. Dead Swans - In The Half Light

4. Dead Swans - Swallow

It's Starting (2009)

1. Thinking Of You

2. Ivy Archway

3. Fix Me (Black Flag cover)

4. When You Sleep (My Bloody Valentine cover)

Sleepwalkers (2009)

1. Thinking Of You

2. Ascension

3. Ivy Archway

4. Swallow

5. So Far You've Only Made Things Worse

6. 20.07.07

7. Winter Overture

8. Hide And Seek

9. ...And It Seemed So Bright

10. Montpellier To Home

11. Today, Tonight, Tomorrow

12. Tent City

Anxiety And Everything Else (2012)

1. I've Been Trying To Leave

2. Summer Of Hate

3. Dead Until Dark

4. Keep Them Shut

5. Since Day One

6. You Can Only Blame Yourself

7. Southern Blue

Before And Through (2016)

1. Tin Heart (Demo)

2. Preferring The Worst (Demo)

3. Ascension (Demo)

4. Sleepwalkers (Demo)

5. Montpelier To Home (Demo)

6. Preferring The Worst (Live)

7. In The Half Light (Live)

8. 20.07.07 (Live)

9. The Hanging Sun (Live)

10. Southern Blue (Live)

Note: Compilation including demos and live tracks

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Still In Love

Still In Love are a five-piece melodic hardcore band from London, England that formed in 2024, comprising former members of Dead Swans, Brutality Will Prevail, and Bring Me The Horizon. Following a pair of EP's last year (which were compiled on a single release this year), their debut LP Recovery Language came out in September of this year via Church Road Records. The album features thick, distorted riffs and vigorous drums that throttle out the occasional blast beat, echoing the blends of heavy music with a melodic edge a la something like Blacklisted. Nick from Dead Swans is also behind their searing, cathartic vocals, so if you're a fan of them this is certainly something work your time to check out. Enjoy.

Withdrawal Symptoms Pt. 1 (2024)

1. Self Portrait

2. The Peace Of Exhaustion

3. Homecoming (relapse)

Withdrawal Symptoms Pt. 2 (2024)

1. It Will Never Be Enough

2. Small Organ

3. Sober

Recovery Language (2025)

1. Tell The Truth

2. Nervous Impulse

3. Preserve & Cherish

4. Feathered Nest

5. Inherit

6. The State Of Things To Come

7. You Have To Let It Go

8. Pillar Of Strength

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The Jesus Years

The Jesus Years were a four-piece math rock/emo band from Derby, England. They were around from 2004 to 2006, and in 2009 all four members (with the addition of one more) reunited to form the incredible Crash Of Rhinos. The band played an instrumental and technically intricate version of midwest emo, with clean guitars and some very athletic drumming. They only put out one EP and one split, not that there[s anything wrong with keeping a discography short and sweet. Enjoy.

Are Matthew, Mark, Luke And John (2004)

1. Say Hello to Pink Floyd

2. Throwing Beers At Rick Parfitt

3. My Dancing? What The Fuck Are You On About?

4. I'd Wrestle A Crab For A Cooker

5. I'd Steal A Horse For A Bottle Of Bacardi

Billy Mahonie/The Jesus Years (2006)

1. Billy Mahonie - New Year's Eve Song

2. The Jesus Years - Tom Seabourne Ph.D

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Zochor

Zochor are a three-piece post-hardcore/emo band from Nottingham, UK that began in 2019. They share members with Algae Bloom, The Sylvia North Story, What Price, Wonderland?, and Plaids. Zochor play an impassioned brand of hardcore that takes influence from Revolution Summer-era emo, such as Embrace, Ignition and Soulside, with melodic bass lines, cutting guitar leads, and a cathartic, breaking vocal delivery. Enjoy.

Should Virtual Pets Die? (2019)

1. Another Bedroom Intervention

2. Big Rob Returns

3. Big Pete Enters

4. Probably Don't, I Reckon?

Quatre Regards sur l'enfant-Jésus (2019)

1. Un Regard l'enfant-Jésus

2. I've Got No Right To Sing The Blues

3. Around The Dinner Table The Conversation Is Lively

4. The Christmas Lights Are Up (but no one's turned them on yet)

Another Year In Hell (2021)

1. Overo - Another Year In Hell

2. Overo - A Hole In The Earth

3. Punch On! - Gore-tex Aorta

4. Punch On! - Rokycany

5. Punch On! - Defensive About Being On Fire

6. Zochor - Have You Considered Going There?

7. Zochor - Syncopation

8. Coma Regalia - Uncoming

9. Coma Regalia - In Sentiment Only

10. Coma Regalia - Further Into You

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Pupil Slicer

Pupil Slicer a three-piece mathcore band from London, England that began in 2016. Their debut full-length Mirrors came out earlier this year on Prosthetic Records. Mirrors is undoubtedly one of the most impactful albums to come out thus far, featuring an incredible display of lasting neck-breaking riff shifts and vocals of wild cathartic release. They take the groundwork of metalcore laid by greats like Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan and blend it with elements grindcore, death metal, and a technical prowess that makes this one of the most cacophonous releases of the year. Highly, highly recommended. Enjoy.

Pupil Slicer (2017)

1. Subterranean Suffocation

2. Aromatic Bloodshed

3. Pupil Slicer

4. Deathlust

5. Viscous Reminder

6. Visions

7. The Eternal Penance

Death Goals/Pupil Slicer (2017)

1. Death Goals - Leech

2. Pupil Slicer - Sophie

Sense Offender/Pupil Slicer (2019)

1. Sense Offender - God Complex

2. Sense Offender - Godless Complex

3. Pupil Slicer - Spectral

4. Pupil Slicer - Crusher

Mirrors (2021)

1. Martyrs

2. Stabbing Spiders

3. L'Appel Du Vide

4. Panic Defense

5. Husk

6. Vilified

7. Worthless

8. Wounds Upon My Skin

9. Interlocuter

10. Mirrors Are More Fun Than Television

11. Save The Dream, Kill Your Friends

12. Collective Unconscious

Blossom (2023)

1. Glaring Dark Of Night

2. Momentary Actuality

3. Departure In Solitude

4. Creating The Devil In Our Image

5. The Song At Creation's End

6. No Temple

7. Terminal Lucidity

8. Language Of The Stars

9. Dim Morning Light

10. Blossom

Fleshwork (2025)

1. Heather

2. Gordian

3. Sacrosanct

4. Innocence

5. Black Scrawl

6. Nomad

7. Fleshwork

8. White Noise

9. Cenote

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The Lowest Form

The Lowest Form are a four-piece hardcore punk band from London, England that have been around since at least 2011. This band offers up some frenzied, manical feedback-laden and fuzzed out hardcore that sticks to its punk origins. Negative Ecstasy and Personal Space are particularly brilliant examples of this band's noise punk assault, and I highly recommend checking both out. Enjoy.

Some Horrible Bug (2011)

1. Untitled

2. Untitled

3. Untitled

4. Untitled

5. Untitled

6. Untitled

7. Untitled

The Lowest Form (2011)

1. Infinity

2. Iamthatiman

3. Crack

4. Trip II The Moon Part Six

Negative Ecstasy (2014)

1. Dropping Bad Boys

2. Comin' Down Ruff

3. Some Horrible Bug

4. Exhaustion

5. Telepathy

6. Wrong Decision

7. Master Slayer

8. Miracle/Negative Ectasy

Personal Space (2016)

1. Interplanetary Bad Boy (Dub)

2. Interplanetary Bad Boy

3. Gak Attack

4. Last Smash

5. Star Slammers

6. Dread Future

7. Evol

8. No More Hiroshima

9. Personal Space

10. Helter Skelter

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Battle Of Wolf 359

Battle Of World 359 were a five-piece hardcore/screamo band from the UK that were around from 2006 to 2012.  They were fairly prolific in that time, with a sound that was uniquely their own. They utilized these thick, distorted guitars tuned way down to give them this dark, heavy and menacing sound. Between the blast beats and elements of d-beat, you could almost say they sit on the fringes of crust punk. Add in their distinct dual vocals which just add to the abrasive chaos and the occasional clean arpeggiated break to catch your breath, and you've got one of the best and most unique screamo acts. Fans of bands such as Trainwreck, June Paik, Zann and even Orchid absolutely must check them out. Enjoy.

Demo (2007)

1. End Times

2. Anfal

Tour Demo (2007)

1. It's Not Higher Service You're Just Dead

2. Cyberdine Systems Model 101, Series 800

3. In Search Of Gaia

Singaia vs. Battle Of Wolf 359 (2007)

1. Singaia - Stagnation Und Dasein

2. Singaia - Standby

3. Singaia - Betäuben

4. Singaia - Untitled

5. Battle Of Wolf 359 - Apostasy

6. Battle Of Wolf 359 - It's Not Higher Service (You're Just Dead)

The Emo Annihilation (2008)

3. Tsunkatse

Note: Full compilation available here

Battle Of Wolf 359/Kaddish (2008)

1. Battle Of Wolf 359 - In Search Of Gaia

2. Battle Of Wolf 359 - Neptune's Navy

3. Kaddish - Combray

The Death Of Affect (2009)

1. Martyr O.D.

2. Cyberdine

3. Surveiller

4. Beneath The Paving Stones

5. End Times

6. The God Particle

7. Anfal

8. Glenfield

Resurrectionists/Battle Of Wolf 359 (2010)

1. Resurrectionists - Schein Und Lüge 

2. Resurrectionists - Momentaufnahme

3. Resurrectionists - In Der Stille

4. Resurrectionists - Traumtänzer

5. Resurrectionists - Xx

6. Battle Of Wolf 359 - Rimba

7. Battle Of Wolf 359 - Bore Into Fire

8. Battle Of Wolf 359 - Union

June Paik/Battle Of Wolf 359 (2010)

1. June Paik - Grenzwert

2. Battle Of Wolf 359 - We Can't Go On Like This

3. Battle Of Wolf 359 - Eclipse Chasing

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React With Protest

We Came Out Like Tigers

We Came Out Like Tigers were a four-piece screamo band from Liverpool, UK that began in 2008 and broke up in 2014. Though they only put out a small amount of work, they're best remembered as one of the most distinct and unique voices to come out of "screamo" in the past decade or so. They laid their foundation in the influence of bands like Funeral Diner, while adding layers of sound through a plethora of other influences. Most notably, they utilize the tremolo-picking and blast beats of black metal. They also show hints of post-rock influence in the song structures and some of the quieter moments. Additionally, a violin is featured fairly prominently on most of their tracks, which surprisingly fits perfectly, and adds an orchestral element to their already gargantuan sound. Their discography is small but virtually perfect, with their sole LP Agelessness And Lack being a standout. Enjoy.

We Came Out Like Tigers (2011)

1. You, You're Just Bone Structure

2. A Lesson In Solitude

3. Breathe In, Though You Barely Believe In It

4. Hannah

True Love, Always (2011) 

1. Ravachol - Three

2. Ravachol - Equilibrium

3. We Came Out Like Tigers - The Sailor Does Not Pray For Wind, He Learns To Sail

4. We Came Out Like Tigers - Do Not Say Reduced To Tears

Agelessness And Lack (2012)

1. An Introduction

2. Sous Les Pavés

3. Remember Why You Are

4. These Terrors Are Dismantled By Friendship's Light

5. Inimical

6. Endure

7. Immutable

8. Take Pleasure In The Processes

9. If You Were Frightened, It's Because It Was Frightening

10. I Sing Of Sorrow & Joy

Ever-Crushed At Pecket's Well (2014)

1. Tribulation

2. To Ruin A Fine Tenor Voice

3. Concrete Blocks Of Empathy

4. Careworm

5. Entr'acte

6. We Have Not Reached Conclusion

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itoldyouiwouldeatyou

itoldyouiwouldeatyou are a 7-piece indie/punk/emo band from London, England that began in 2014. Following a string of singles and EP's, the band are finally gearing up to release their debut album, Oh Dearism this month. They've built a solid following through their charismatic sound, which blends the bright, twinkly guitars of midwestern emo with the energetic sensibilities of pop punk fused with some heavy lyrical depth. Sonically, they can be compared to bands like Say Anything, Joyce Manor, Mom Jeans., Brave Bird, Free Throw, and Midwest Pen Pals, or something along those lines. The two singles already released from their LP, "Gold Rush" and "Get Terrified" are fan-fucking-tastic, and hopefully a good indication of what a good and unique album it will be. It might be a little premature to say, but this band is probably going to blow up (as they have been rapidly for a while now). They're a new, fresh, talented and positive voice for the "scene" (take that as you will), and I'm not nothing but excited to see how far they're going to go. Enjoy.

We Have Not Yet Panned Out (2014)

1. Annabel Allum - What Do You Even Do All Day?

2. itoldyouiwouldeatyou - Foxes

3. itoldyouiwouldeatyou - Learning From American Mistakes

4. Annabel Allum - Tricks

All Unwritten Classics (Single) (2015)

1. All Unwritten Classics

2. Attention

Don't Cheer Up (2015)

1. For Starters

2. All Unwritten Classics

3. Learning From American Mistakes

4. Asking Directions

5. Word & Object

Elsie Shutt (Single) (2016)

1. Elsie Shutt

I Am Not Your Fault (2016)

1. Off Brand

2. Get Out Of Bed

3. All That Noise

4. Less Now

5. Letters

Get Terrified EP (2018)

1. Get Terrified

2. Divine Violence

3. Mourn

4. NALA - Off Brand

Oh Dearism (2018)

1. Earl, King, Whatever

2. Gold Rush

3. Young American

4. Almost Zero

5. Gathering Things Together and Not Dividing Them

6. Get Terrified

7. Craiglockheart

8. Greek Fire

9. Goodbye To All That

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