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What is it about screamo??
by Julia Sahin in Uncategorized
So when people ask me what kind of music I listen to…they are usually very surprised as to my answer. Other than listening to mainstream bands, and songs and artists on the radio, I’m very much into the “Screamo” scene (as much as I hate to label music, which is in its own a separate topic). I mean, obviously, I’m a girl…and I guess there’s this underlying thought that girls don’t listen to that type of music. Well then, I guess I’m not your average girl.
What I don’t understand is why people give screamo such a bad reputation. I can’t tell you how many time I’ve heard “Screaming is not music,” or “I can’t stand this screaming.. I can’t even understand what they’re saying!” So I want to uncover some things about this kind of music.
Three of the bands I listen to most frequently are Atreyu, UnderOath and As I Lay Dying…with the occasional Poison the Well. Who says that these artists express different emotions or views of life than artists who are used to a more conventional approach? I wanted to bring in some examples.
Atreyu has been one of my favorite bands since high school, and I always admired their music AND lyrics. “The Curse” came out in 2004, and is probably their best album yet. Not only are the songs awesome…but each band member rocks on his instrument. There are certain things that people may miss on this album. The fourth the fifth tracks on the album have ridiculous lyrics to them. Check this out from “This Flesh A Tomb:” “And I’ll never need to see the sun again/There’s enough light in your eyes/To light up our little world/So take me, take me away/Kiss me slowly/I’ll never be the same/And I swear to you, on everything I am/And I dedicate to you all that I have/And I promise you that I’ll stand right by your side/Forever and always until the day I die.” If you listened to the song without listening to these amazing lyrics, you’re missing out. I have to say… these lyrics are MUCH better than what I read from the boy bands and artists like Chris Brown [who.. I love, don't get me wrong]. And…they write the lyrics themselves.
If that wasn’t passion enough…the fifth track, “You Eclipsed By Me:” “What did you take me for, a fool?/Or were you just too blind to see/That every effort made has failed/And there is no destroying me.” I don’t think I have ever heard that much passion in a song before.
Underoath is more contemporary and mainstream than Atreyu- More people have heard of Underoath than Atreyu. They’ve had two great albums: “They’re Only Chasing Safety” and their newest album, “Define the Great Line.” The first single from their new album, “In Regards to Myself,” is awesome. One thing I’ve noticed about their music is that it’s pretty fragmented, yet it combines to create one AWESOME song. That song is basically a gut check…asking “Just what are you so afraid of?”
Last but not least.. I have to bring up Poison the Well, with their song, “Nerdy:” “Why do your eyes paralyze me/What makes me feel this way…Thinking about your embrace/And how it makes me feel/I just want to feel this way forever/Sleep on portraits painted as perfect as you.” I actually remembered this song because when I first heard one of my friends dedicated it to his girlfriend, I basically said.. are you serious..it’s a screamo song. But after reading the lyrics…I definitely understood why.
Basically, this goes back to the old phrase, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” All I’m saying, is give screamo and Atreyu, Underoath, As I Lay Dying, Unearth, and Poison the Well a chance…there may be some surprises.
9 Responses to “What is it about screamo??”
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May 28th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Good for you…but neither Atreyu or Underoath even not Poison The Well are screamo. Besides that i see your point, those bands really offer something else than just screaming, they have powerful lyrics and the music is impressive. i’m great fan of both Underoath and Poison The Well (i’m not really into Atreyu, since i don’t find appeal in their influences from 80’s cheesy metal). Is great to find people who are open, and you may like to try with band that set the foundations of screamo, like Orchid, Funeral Dinner, Saetia or The Kodan Armada. Sure you gonna find them amazing as well
September 16th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
interesting
November 14th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
First off, i have to agree with you 100% on Atreyu, Underoath, and As I Lay Dying. They are probably three of my most listened to “screamo” bands. Also, i don’t know if you know of them, but All That Remains and Parkway Drive are also right up that alley with those 3. As for people automatically classifying Screamo as garbage, i think that nobody will ever like something that they are already determined to hate. When people are listening to a song, the moment they hear a scream, that tends to be the moment of decision for them, and if you don’t like screaming, then the rest of the song after that is just going to be terrible for you. People need to open their minds a little, i too used to hate screamo, i thought it all sounded the same, and it didn’t have much art to it. the turning point for me was one night i was listening to all that remains on the mix on my ipod and i was feeling really depressed because i had just been dumped and when i heard the scream it just enveloped me, nad i realized that that was the sound i would be making if i could. it helped bring out my emotions more (and i know this sounds so stupid, no need to JUDGE), and after that i fell in love with it.
HOWEVER,
the genre of death metal or bands that do 100% pig squeal screaming i feel over do it a little, i can still appreciate it and still listen to it sometimes, but i think they should tone it down a little. bands such as The Black Dahlia Murder, Job For A Cowboy, and others are just tooooo much.
i guess the point i’m trying to make is, even if you decide you like screamo, doesn’t mean you have to devote yourself entirely to it, if you know what i mean…
November 14th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
oh yeah and to XPabloX, you’re right they’re not real screamo but for all intents and purposes of the blog they might as well be
January 12th, 2009 at 6:21 am
I totally agree, I like atreyu but I’ve nver really heard the others before, but I do like some screamo bands like; we are the ocean, attack attack!, bring me the horizon, and I set my friends on fire. I don’t just listen to screamo though I also listen to my favorite bands all time low, the Maine,and escape the fate. The point is people shouldn’t say eww screamo,( mostly ghetto ppl say that I use to go to a very ghetto public school and if you liked one simple rock song they labeled you emo)people should look up the lyrics && give it a try cause I use to not like it hut now I kinds do ( except the pig squels) ! (:
January 12th, 2009 at 6:23 am
I agree with octavius loll.
** but
** squeals
June 9th, 2009 at 4:29 am
You don’t listen to screamo.
Try bands like the birds are spies, the report to the trees, I Wrote Haikus About Cannibalism IN Your Yearbook or even Circle Takes The Square and Saetia.
They are screamo.
August 11th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
the three bands you listed are acually NOT screamo. Don’t get me wrong, I love Atreyu, UnderOath (I’m listening to them right now
), and AILD more than anything, but them screming doesn’t make it screamo.
They’re metalcore, along with bullet for my valentine, all that remians, the devil wears prada, and killswitch engage.
Screamo was an offshoot of Emo and Hardcore Punk in the early 90s. Circle to the Squre, pg. 99, and Hot Cross are a few REAL screamo bands.
September 2nd, 2009 at 2:52 am
don’t tell others to listen to screamo if they already think it’s something else, because chances are they don’t care about the music you’re listening to and that was never the point.
the less people listening to real screamo, the better.
sorry, it’s just the way it has to be. =]