Emo is a music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and post-hardcore from the mid-1980s Washington, D.C. hardcore scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore. The bands Rites of Spring and Embrace, among others, pioneered the genre. In the early-to-mid 1990s, emo was adopted and reinvented by alternative rock, indie rock, punk rock, and pop-punk bands, including Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, Cap'n Jazz, and Jimmy Eat World. By the mid-1990s, Braid, the Promise Ring, and the Get Up Kids emerged from Midwest emo, and several independent record labels began to specialize in the genre. Meanwhile, screamo, a more aggressive style of emo using screamed vocals, also emerged, pioneered by the San Diego bands Heroin and Antioch Arrow. Screamo achieved mainstream success in the 2000s with bands like Hawthorne Heights, Silverstein, Story of the Year, Thursday, the Used, and Underoath.
Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989 and 1993. Though Born Against received little media exposure while still together, they have since been described as "legendary" by the Chicago Reader and the LA Weekly.
Craw were an American independent band from Cleveland, Ohio. They belonged to the harder-edged branch of the math rock or post hardcore movement, in the same category as bands such as Colossamite, Keelhaul, Zeni Geva, Dazzling Killmen and Ruins.
Orchid is an American screamo band from Amherst, Massachusetts. Originally active from 1997 until 2002, they released several EPs and splits as well as three studio albums. The band consists of lead vocalist Jayson Green, drummer Jeffrey Salane, guitarist Will Killingsworth, guitarist Brad Wallace and bassist Geoff Garlock.
Breathing Walker was an American experimental rock band formed by Moss Icon members including Jonathan Vance and Mark Laurence (drums), along with Alex Badertscher (bass), Tim Horner (violin), and Zak Fusciello. The other members of Moss Icon, Tonie Joy (guitar) and Monica DiGialleonardo (bass) joined the band prior to their first live performance and recording session. After this short lived project, Alex Badertscher joined Moss Icon as a second guitarist. Breathing Walker only released one album, which was self-titled and released on the Vermin Scum record label.
Econochrist was an American political hardcore punk band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They moved from Arkansas to the San Francisco Bay Area to become part of the punk music scene there. The group was composed of singer Ben Sizemore, aka Ben Econochrist, drummer Markley Hart, guitarist Jon Sumrall, and bassist Mike Scott.
Los Crudos is an American hardcore punk band from Chicago, Illinois active from 1991 to 1998 and from 2006 onward. Comprising all Latino members, the band paved the way for later Spanish-speaking punk bands in the United States and helped to increase the presence of Latinos in the country's predominantly white punk subculture. They have been described as "one of '90s punk's truly great bands" and "one of the greatest hardcore bands...ever." Paul Kennedy additionally describes them as "very popular in both the 'crusty' scenes in North America."
Ampere is an American hardcore punk band from Amherst, Massachusetts known for their short but extremely loud and intense live shows. The band has put the importance of DIY punk ethics at the forefront of their lyrics and are known for the particular attention they bring to their vegan principles.
Vermin Scum is an Annapolis, Maryland-based record label founded by Kenny Hill of the bands Spastic Rats and the Hated. The name was given to fit the theme of the label's first release, the Spastic Rats' "Rodentia."
The following is a comprehensive discography of Napalm Death, an influential English grindcore/death metal band.
Men's Recovery Project was an American experimental noise rock band formed by Sam McPheeters and Neil Burke in Richmond, Virginia, active from 1993–2002. The group's post-modern absurdist musical attitude resulted in a diverse and consistently obtuse output, with varied material touching on electronic, avant garde, comedy and spoken word motifs that often alluded to their roots in hardcore punk.
Calico System was an American Post-hardcore band from St. Louis, Missouri. The group formed in 1998 and released several albums under the Eulogy Recordings label after successful LP releases and abundant touring. They announced their disbandment in 2007, stating each member decided to pursue their own career.
Universal Order of Armageddon was an American hardcore band, active from 1992 to 1994 and reformed in 2010.
I Hate Myself was an American emo band formed by Jon and Jim Marburger in Gainesville, Florida, in 1996. The band used elements of post-hardcore and indie in their songs.
The Great Unraveling was an American post-punk rock band from Baltimore, Maryland. The band was fronted by Tonie Joy of Moss Icon, Universal Order of Armageddon, and Born Against. They were active from 1995 to 1997.
Fuel was a short-lived Bay Area post-hardcore musical act that created both personal and political songs, something that was unique during the "first wave" of emo in the 1990s. Fuel had a sound akin to the mostly East Coast bands on Dischord Records, especially Fugazi, with twin guitars and dueling rough post-hardcore vocals. In fact, it is noted that Fuel was often jokingly referred to as "Fuelgazi." Fuel's style resembled the D.C. sound of many Dischord bands.
Deranged Records is a Canadian punk record label based in Roberts Creek, British Columbia. It was founded in 1999 by Gordon Dufresne. Notable bands who have had releases with the label are Fucked Up, Career Suicide and Brutal Knights. The label is known for releasing hardcore punk; however, more recently they have been releasing albums that are more pop punk.
Anthony R. "Tonie" Joy is an American musician based in Baltimore, Maryland. Joy is known for his work in various underground rock and post-hardcore bands. He ran the independent record label Vermin Scum from 1989 until 2001. He emerged in the late 1980s and has been a key figure in several notable bands.
Reversal of Man was a hardcore punk band from Tampa, Florida that formed in 1995. The band is associated with the late 1990s screamo movement and noted for bordering on powerviolence and grindcore. The group's lyrical content was often political, and the group initially formed as a reaction to the then-growing underground nazi punk scene in Florida.
Michelle Cruz Gonzales is a musician, author, and college English instructor. She is a founding member and drummer of the groundbreaking all-female hardcore punk band Spitboy. Gonzales is featured in the Green Day-produced documentary Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk (2017), directed by Corbett Redford.
