50 Frickin Post-Hardcore Albums
Top 50 that are kinda essential. Tried not having stuff that is primarily a diff style (Screamo, Noise Rock, Emo etc.), but the genre is v loose. Especially the early stuff. |
| 1 |  | Fear Before The Always Open Mouth
2006
The GOAT. The genre taken as far as it can go, while still being post-hardcore. Conceptually tied together by its lyrics and art (in the physical format). |
| 2 |  | Hopesfall Magnetic North
2007
Spacey, catchy and aggressive. Kind of a combo of all their previous styles. |
| 3 |  | The Blood Brothers Young Machetes
2006
Eccentric and sassy. Amazing and wild lyrics. Has a weird Beatles influence. |
| 4 |  | Thursday War All the Time
2003
Apocalyptic, abrasive and melancholic. They're best imo, but they have 2 other classics. |
| 5 |  | At the Drive-In Relationship of Command
2000
Maybe one of the first Progressive PH bands. Still sounds fresh and vibrant. |
| 6 |  | Jawbox For Your Own Special Sweetheart
1994
Moody, raw and heavy. Classic band. |
| 7 |  | Bear vs. Shark Terrorhawk
2005
Lots of different influences shine through. They carried the torch for 90s PH in the 00s, while still taking it new places. |
| 8 |  | Q and Not U No Kill No Beep Beep
2000
Some of the most dancy PH ever. Like a modernized version of stuff like Gang of Four and Mission of Burma, plus an emo edge. |
| 9 |  | Boilermaker In Wallace's Shadow
1996
Such a slept on band. A great cross between PH, Noise Rock and Emo. Repeated listens will make it stick with you. |
| 10 |  | Fugazi The Argument
2001
THE band. Could be many of their albums here. |
| 11 |  | Unwound New Plastic Ideas
1994
Noisy as fuck. Another classic band, amazing discography. |
| 12 |  | Alexisonfire Watch Out!
2005
Canadian PH darlings. Extremely melodic and well played. |
| 13 |  | Underoath Define the Great Line
2006
Still a masterpiece. Was quite a surprise, as a follow up to their previous album. Sorta mature, heavy and atmospheric. |
| 14 |  | Funeral Diner The Underdark
2005
The middle ground between screamo and PH. A dark concept album, inspired by a fantasy series. |
| 15 |  | Thrice Vheissu
2005
Still their best and it holds up. Almost cinematic sounding at times. Well written stuff. |
| 16 |  | Faraquet The View From This Tower
2000
Slept on gem. That kind of sloppy, abrasive math-rock style. Love it. |
| 17 |  | Glassjaw Worship and Tribute
2002
Wailing over chaos, but also crooning over chillness. |
| 18 |  | On The Might of Princes Where You Are and Where You Want to Be
2001
Emo af, great loud/quiet dynamic. Kinda slept on. |
| 19 |  | Lowercase Kill The Lights
1997
Like a heavy Slowcore album, amazing band. |
| 20 |  | Poison the Well Versions
2007
Experimental and inventive album. Their best, prob a weird take aha. |
| 21 |  | The Fall of Troy Doppelganger
2005
Like the Jimi Hendrix of PH. Wild, memorable and creative. |
| 22 |  | Armchairpolitician Seven Segment Decoder
2007
Buried gem of an album. Just over an hour of amazing PH. Kinda atmospheric, kinda technical, kinda catchy. One of a kind. |
| 23 |  | Scatter the Ashes Devout/The Modern Hymn
2004
On this list because of the track Caesura. It's like if Interpol wrote a post-hardcore song. Rest is pretty good too. |
| 24 |  | Smart Went Crazy Con Art
1997
Varied, weird and emotional. Kinda jazzy Dischord type shit. |
| 25 |  | Garden Variety Knocking the Skill Level
1994
Ahead of its time. Chaotic, heavy and melodic. |
| 26 |  | Boys Night Out Make Yourself Sick
2003
A personal fave from my youth. Trainwreck is their best, but this one is more PH. Crude, abrasive and catchy PH. |
| 27 |  | Breach It's Me God
1997
Apparently this is PH. Amazing band. Dark, heavy and driving. Their last three albums are all essential, especially if you like stuff like Cursed. |
| 28 |  | Circa Survive Juturna
2005
Apparently this is PH. Atmospheric progressive rock vibe. The guitars battle the whole time, while Anthony shreds his vocal cords. A classic. |
| 29 |  | Quicksand Slip
1993
A rhythmically driven, heavy classic. Kinda like a PH Helmet. |
| 30 |  | Planes Mistaken for Stars Up In Them Guts
2004
Gruff, dark, but still melodic. Great and mildly slept on band. |
| 31 |  | Sparta Wiretap Scars
2002
An album full of PH anthems. You can hear what Jim contributed to ATDI in this record. |
| 32 |  | Frodus And We Washed Our Weapons In The Sea
2001
Thoughtful, melodic and well composed. A gem. |
| 33 |  | mewithoutYou Catch For Us the Foxes
2004
Talk yelling over expertly crafted, indie rock influenced PH. Kind of a Lungfish vibe. |
| 34 |  | Bitch Magnet Ben Hur
1990
In between Noise Rock and PH. Brooding, angry and dirty. |
| 35 |  | Julia Julia
1994
Like a screamo Slint made by hardcore kids. |
| 36 |  | Beloved Failure On
2003
Extremely influential to the rise of Christcore in the 00's. Kinda like early Spencer Underoath, but leaning more towards Poison the Well/Taken type shit, |
| 37 |  | Far Water & Solutions
1998
Another v influential album. More on the 90's rock side of things, sort of in between stuff like Quicksand and Hum. |
| 38 |  | The Crownhate Ruin Until The Eagle Grins
1996
Raw and noisy. On the same vibe as like Rodan and Hoover. Kinda early screamo vibes. |
| 39 |  | Crime In Stereo Crime In Stereo Is Dead
2007
If Brand New was started by melodic Hardcore kids. |
| 40 |  | In Pieces Lions Write History
2005
Like early Thursday but more elaborate, with a kind of Engine Down feel. Ft. a young Dan from Have A Nice Life/Giles Corey/Etc. |
| 41 |  | Husker Du Zen Arcade
1984
One of the all time greats. I don't really see it as PH, but it's essential to the formation of the genre, |
| 42 |  | Shudder To Think Get Your Goat
1992
Same as ^^^ |
| 43 |  | Ten Grand This Is The Way To Rule
2002
Masterful album/ahead of its time. Kinda doing that talk/yell Lungfish/Mewithoutyou thing. Also kinda screamo, kinda emo and kinda mathy. |
| 44 |  | Less Art Strangled Light
2017
A personal fave. Members of Kowloon Walled City, Thrice and Curl Up and Die. There's a little of all their bands. Same emotional vibe as Kowloon. |
| 45 |  | Daniel Striped Tiger No Difference
2011
Chaotic, rockin and emotional. Kinda have a bit of Bear Vs Shar and ATDI in them, but they take that style to a more screamo place. |
| 46 |  | Drive Like Jehu Yank Crime
1994
An abrasive and melodic classic. Prob a pretty prime example of what PH was before it expanded. |
| 47 |  | Engine Down To Bury Within the Sound
2000
I guess if Circa is PH, so is this. They were ahead of their time imo. Amazing highly melodic and melancholic album. Next album is even better. |
| 48 |  | A Day In Black And White My Heroes Have Always Killed Cowboys
2004
Slept on gem. Great instrumental passages give way to explosive PH. |
| 49 |  | Rye Coalition Hee Saw Dhuh Kaet
1998
Sassy punk ass shit. |
| 50 |  | Rodan Rusty
1994
Rough and thoughtful. Somewhere between PH and Post-Rock. Like a dirtier Slint. |
| 51 |  | From Autumn to Ashes Holding A Wolf By The Ears
2007
For 14 year old me. Kinda lame and kinda still holds up. Great Vocals |
| 52 |  | HORSE the band The Mechanical Hand
2005
Some ppl say this is PH, long live HTB. |
| 53 |  | From First to Last Heroine
2006
For 13 year old me. Kinda lame and kinda holds up. Why do I still sort of like it? Has a weird ass vibe. |
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