The Greatest Of Mathcore...
Since I've been really digging some old Curl Up and Die, I'm anticipating the release of Axe to Fall, and I'm just infatuated with this style of incredibly aggressive technical metal/punk called mathcore I figured I'd put together a list of my top twenty choices for those bands that should be headlining the genre. |
| 1 | Dillinger Escape Plan
Breaking unforeseen technical barriers in music since 1997! |
| 2 | Botch
We Are The Romans is one of the most outstanding punk albums ever written. The range of it's emotion, through its intensity and maturity, is incomparable to any other punk band past, present, or future. |
| 3 | Converge
They've made the pioneering hardcore release Petitioning the Empty Sky, refined their anger and technicality on When Forever Comes Crashing, and it all culminated in a seemingly universe-altering big bang that was Jane Doe. Now they're releasing Axe to Fall and we all know they haven't lost a step. |
| 4 | SikTh
These are the guys that know what they're doing. These are the guys that go on to run the industry whilst wowing the new kids with their skill. They were a supergroup without the big attention-getting names. |
| 5 | Coalesce
Featuring one of punk's best modern vocalists and obvious chemistry Coalesce are a steady, driving, kick-ass force that may never stop. OX may be their best release yet. |
| 6 | Curl Up and Die
A hugely underrated punk band from Las Vegas that in it's short time managed to thrill on Unfortunately, We're Not Robots, which tastefully mixed sounds of Hardcore, Metal, Grind, and Post-Rock. Their silly song titles do not reflect their maturity as a group. |
| 7 | Knut
It may be hard to place Knut in the category of mathcore but there are some pretty damn sweet fast-paced and rhythmically-challenging riffs found on Challenger. This is some seriously heavy stuff that, with interludes of ambiance, doesn't wear out it's welcome. |
| 8 | Quell
A nearly unknown punk band from North Carolina that disbanded quickly and only featured one full length release, One Man's Struggle with the English Language. One of the few bands to use three guitarists correctly, which in doing so showcase technically-challenging riffs, the finese of free jazz, and simplicity of ambient music. |
| 9 | Gaza
A punk band making heavy music their own way, without coercion from the industry. They Integrated sludgy hardcore with their own touch of mathy-chaos on I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die, and it didn't sound like it was the latest trend in the business. |
| 10 | Shoemaker Levy 9
A relatively little-known hardcore band from Southern France. Their only release, Pantheon exhibits near-ideal hardcore attitude and aggression with a touch of fast-paced yet easy-listening interludes. Masters of speed, although in short bursts. |
| 11 | The Arusha Accord
One of the British bands heavily influenced from SikTh but with a more modern outlook. Features a multi-guitar attack, angular riffing, stellar bass play, and a slight emo edge. Will be releasing their highly-anticipated full-length debut entitled The Echo Verses in the near future. |
| 12 | Exotic Animal Petting Zoo
Another newcoming band that mixes pop and modern post-hardcore influences with just the right amount of technical proficiency. One of the few new bands on the scene that can adequately fill six, seven, or even eight minute songs. They only have one full-length release to check out, that is I Have Made my Bed in Darkness. |
| 13 | Tangaroa
A little-known British five-piece starting where SikTh left off. Crazy technical hardcore that doesn't let up, in vein of the Dillinger Escape Plan except it goes on for a lot longer! Expected to shortly release the follow-up to their solid debut One Hand for the Knife, One Hand for the Throat. |
| 14 | Lye By Mistake
A Midwest punk band that features heavy use of keyboards whilst frequently being reminiscent of grind. Some jazz and near circus-music is thrown in as well. Awfully chaotic. The only full-length is entitled, Arrangements for Fulminating Vective... Whatever that means. |
| 15 | The Crinn
A shockingly interesting self-titled debut from the guys from the Twin Cities showed relentless pace and a ton of time variance. Grind and deathcore influenced as well. |
| 16 | Into the Moat
The third release, The Campaign from the Floridian punk metallers proved to show some much appreciated-progression whilst still being crushingly heavy. On the fine line of being deathcore. |
| 17 | The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza
Their self-titled debut was some mathy-grind that turned out to be surprisingly fun. Some slight tinges of southern-flare make things more interesting than your average grind-infused mathcore band. |
| 18 | Down I Go
Playing a self-proclaimed style of "disastercore" may or may not involve any typical math-like sound but the spot is rewarded on interesting new ideas alone. Their latest release, Tyrant is a truly experimental piece of music that features some pop, industrial, and chaotic hardcore influence. |
| 19 | Follow the White Rabbit
A spastic and off the wall psychedelic-influenced mathcore band from Russia. Have yet to release a full-length album but their self-titled EP only showed cohesiveness through strangeness and a liking for blasts of chaotic shred. |
| 20 | The Sawtooth Grin
A defunct east-coast grind band that featured Dillinger-esque riffs with an even greater focus on grind spazz and sillyness, and somehow it worked on Cuddlemonster. |
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