Torture Love-They Came Crawling LP (2016)

Country: USA
Genre: Post Punk, Punk
Label: Protagonist Music
Tracks: 9
Length: 28.0'

Torture Love is a four piece band from Chicago, Illinois who formed in 2012.  Torture Love play a tense, dark, and frenetic style of post punk and punk.  Musically, Torture Love can be loosely compared to bands such as Criminal Code, Cult Values, Total Control, and Death To Lovers.  Since forming in 2012, Torture Love have released a six song EP titled No Light in May of 2012 and a six song EP titled Tape # 2 in August of 2013.  They Came Crawling is the band's debut full-length LP, which was released via Protagonist Music on June 3rd, 2013.  On They Came Crawling, Torture Love offer up nine tracks of tense, dark, and moody post punk and punk.  Overall, They Came Crawling is a killer LP.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

Torture Love on Bandcamp
Torture Love on Facebook
Purchase
Listen Here
Torture Love-Tape #2 (2013)
Torture Love-No Light EP (2012)

Ether Hawk-S/T Cassette (2015)

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore, Punk
Label: Protagonist Music
Tracks: 5
Length: 13.0'

Ether Hawk was a short lived band from the US featuring members of Milemarker, Planes Mistaken For Stars, and Pelican.  Ether Hawk played a raw and edgy style of hardcore and punk with killer vocals from Al Burian (Burn Collector, Milemarker, Etc.)  Ether Hawk pretty much sounds like a mixture of  Planes Mistaken For Stars and Milemarker.  Ether Hawk's sound is driving, tense, and has a really cool rock and roll vibe.  Sadly, this is the band's only recorded output and was Ether Hawk disbanded after Al Burian moved to Germany.  This is the band's self-titled five song cassette, which was released via Protagonist Music on October October 10th, 2015.  Overall, this is a killer EP and should not be missed.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

Protagonist Music on Bandcamp
Purchase
Listen Here 

Totem Skin-Weltschmerz LP (2015)

Country: Sweden
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Crust, Screamo
Label: Halo Of Flies, Adagio 830, Protagonist Music, Tokyo Jupiter, Wolves Of Hades Records
Tracks: 7
Length: 34.0'

Totem Skin is a five piece band from Falun, Sweden who formed in 2012.  Totem Skin play a dark, and metallic style of music that incorporates elements of hardcore, punk, crust, and screamo within their sound.  Musically, Totem Skin can be loosely compared to bands such as Planks, Lentic Waters, Republic Of Dreams, Trap Them, and other like minded bands.  Since their inception in 2012, Totem Skin have released a six song self-titled LP in August of 2012, a six song LP titled These Ghost Are Haunting Our Halls in March of 2013, and a seven song LP titled Still Waters Run Deep in October of 2013.  Weltschmerz is Totem Skin's latest full-length LP, whic is slated for release via Halo Of Flies, Adagio 830, Protagonist Music, Tokyo Jupiter, and Wolves Of Hades records on October 12th, 2015.  Unfortunately, Cory from Halo Of Flies just informed me that Weltzschmerz won't be out in the U.S. for a long time in the U.S.  On their latest LP, Totem Skin offer up seven tracks of blackened and brutal as fuck sounding hardcore, punk, crust, and screamo.  Overall, Weltschmerz is a phenomenal LP and should not be missed!  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

(Label Submission)

Totem Skin on Bandcamp
Totem Skin on Facebook
Purchase via Halo Of Flies
Purchase via Adagio 830
Purchase via Protagonist Music (Deathwish E-Store)
Purchase vis Tokyo Jupiter
Purchase via Wolves Of Hades
Listen Here 

Discomfort-Worst 12" (2015)

Country: Italy/United Kingdom
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Metal, Crust, Powerviolence, Grindcore
Label: Protagonist Music, Assurd, Drugusingpeople, Eastrain Records
Tracks: 7
Length: 16.0'

Discomfort is a five piece band from Italy and the United Kingdom who formed in early 2013, from the looks of things.  Discomfort play a blistering and raging style of music that incorporates elements of hardcore, punk, metal, crust, grindcore, and powerviolence within their sound.  Musically, Discomfort can be said to be influenced by bands such as Torch Runner, Enabler, Yautja, Das Oath, Ritual Mess, Infest, and Left For Dead.  Since their inception in 2013, Diccomfort have released an eight song EP titled Scorn in April of 2013.  Worst is the band's latest seven song 12", which was released via Protagonist Music, Assurd, Drugusingpeople, and Eastrain records on March 10th, 2015.  On Worst, Discomfort offer up seven new tracks of raging, brutal as fuck and politically charged hardcore, punk, metal, crust, powerviolence, and grindcore.  Overall, Worst is an amazing 12" and should not be missed.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

Discomfort on Bandcamp
Discomfort on Facebook
Purchase via Deathwish
Purchase via Drugusingpeople Records
Listen Here 
Discomfort-Scorn EP (2013)

(U.S.) Alarms & Controls/Secret Smoker-Split 7" (2014)

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Screamo, Indie Rock
Label: Protagonist Music
Tracks: 4
Length: 10.0'

Here's a killer split 7" that I've been meaning to post for a while, but completely forgot about until today.  First up is Alarms & Controls.  Alarms & Controls are a  four piece band from Washington D.C/Maryland who formed in 2010.  Alarms & Controls features members of Antimony, Circus Lupus, The Crownhate Ruin, and 1.6 Band.  Alarms & Controls play a killer style of music 90's-early 00's DC influenced post hardcore and indie rock.  On their side of the split, Alarms & Controls offer up two tracks of killer post hardcore and indie rock.  The second two songs come courtesy of Secret Smoker.  Secret Smoker are a three piece band from Baton Rogue, Louisiana who formed in 2012, by the looks of things.  Secret Smoker play a tense and urgent style of 90's influenced hardcore/punk/screamo.  Musically, Secret Smoker can be said to be influenced by bands such as Shotmaker, 400 Years, Sleepytime Trio, and Breads And Circuits.  On their side of the split, Secret Smoker offer up two tracks of discordant, tense, and urgent as fuck sounding 90's influenced screamo.  Overall, this is a killer split 7" and should not be missed.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

Alarms & Controls on Bandcamp
Alarms & Controls on Facebook
Secret Smoker on Bandcamp
Secret Smoker on Facebook
Purchase
Listen Here 

Secret Smoker-Terminal Architecture LP (2013)

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Screamo
Label: Protagonist Music/Adagio 830
Tracks: 10
Length: 24.0'

Secret Smoker is a three piece band from Baton Rogue, Louisiana who formed in 2012, by the looks of things.  Secret Smoker play a tense and urgent style of 90's influenced hardcore/punk/screamo.  Musically, Secret Smoker can be said to be influenced by bands such as Shotmaker, 400 Years, Sleepytime Trio, and Breads And Circuits.  Terminal Architecture is the band's debut LP, which was released via Adagio 830 records and Protagonist Music in January of 2013.  On Terminal Architecture, Secret Smoker offer up ten tracks of discordant, tense, and urgent as fuck sounding 90's influenced screamo.  I can't say I'm that big of a fan of the majority of screamo being released these days, but Secret Smoker do this style of remarkably well.  I really wish more bands played this style of music.  Overall, this is an amazing album and should not be overlooked.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

Secret Smoker on Bandcamp
Secret Smoker on Facebook
Purchase (USA)
Purchase (Europe)
Listen Here

Sed Non Satiata/Carrion Spring-Split LP (2014)

Country: France/USA
Genre: Post Hardcore, Screamo
Label: Protagonist Music
Tracks: 9
Length: 33.0'

Here's a killer split LP that I absolutely had to review after hearing late last year.  This split LP features 9 new tracks from French screamo veterans Sed Non Satiata and Portland, Oregon's Carrion Spring.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Sed Non Satiata, SNS is a five piece band from Toulouse, France who formed in 2003.  Sed Non Satiata play post hardcore and screamo in the traditional sense, meaning that their sound is tense, urgent, yet uplifting and slightly melodic.  Musically, Sed Non Satiata can be compared to bands such as Funeral Diner, Amanda Woodward, and Daitro.  On their side of the split, Sed Non Satiata offer up four songs of brilliantly executed post hardcore and screamo.  The second five songs on the split come courtesy of Carrion Spring.  Carrion Spring is a six piece post hardcore/screamo band from Portland, Oregon who formed in 2008.  Carrion Spring play a chaotic and dark style of screamo/emoviolence influenced by bands such as Orchid, Ampere, Shotmaker, and You And I.  On their side of the split, Carrion Spring offer up five tracks of chaotic and volatile sounding screamo/emoviolence.  Overall, this is an amazing split and should not be missed.  This album was released via Protagonist Music on December 1st, 2014.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

Sed Non Satiata on Bandcamp
Sed Non Satiata on Facebook
Carrion Spring on Bandcamp
Carrion Spring on Facebook
Purchase
Listen Here