Brian Shultz is a news editor, reviews editor and reviewer here at Punknews.org -ed
My time in 2005 was split almost evenly between Pittsburgh, PA, where I lived quietly with a crappy job and the love of my life and the occasional show, and my born-and-raised home of Long Island, NY, where I lived lazily with a crappy job (Jan.-Feb.) or a fun but hardly paying one (Sep.-present) and with a constant influx of available shows living only an 85-minute train ride from the city of New York and a number of local run venues around the Island.
The musical year itself was divided as well. We saw a number of great releases, with several bands exploding in popularity after "rising" more or less through the independent label system.
At the same time, we saw a plethora of tragedy, including breakups of many bands whose albums I've either enjoyed (Bear vs. Shark, the Casket Lottery, Ateriavia, the Last Man of the 9th Michigan Infantry, Tsunami Bomb, Belvedere, ZZZZ, Pitch Black, Faultlines, and A Small Victory), or absolutely loved, i.e. the big 3: The Get Up Kids, Hey Mercedes, and Northstar.
In the music business world, it was, well, business as usual. A large controversy enused when it was discovered that the Sony BMG group were packaging their compact disc releases with faulty software, creating a storm of angered consumers and causing the company to pull the discs off shelves.
The RIAA continued its menacing grip on all things remotely legal involving sound manipulation. Here's to hoping next year I don't get pulled over on the road for singing along to my favorite band's album! After all, I'd be performing copyrighted material!
And of course, the year could not pass without some of its musically legendary figures with it, as well as a large group of promising young faces. The Org takes a collective silence for all those we've lost.
With that being said, here are my humble thoughts on some particular releases of note in 2005, my honorable mentions including Smoke or Fire's Above the City, Somerset's Pandora, 7 Seconds' Take It Back, Take It On, Take It Over!, Spitalfield's Stop Doing Bad Things, With Honor's This Is Our Revenge, Hot Hot Heat's Elevator, Criteria's When We Break, Veda's The Weight of an Empty Room, Shook Ones' Sixteen, Bear vs. Shark's Terrorhawk, and HORSE the Band's The Mechanical Hand.
#20. Finch - Say Hello to Sunshine
June 7 on Geffen Records
Well, I thought it was interesting to see Dillinger Escape Plan and Faith No More's fingerprints on the police report. A solid alternative hard rock record. Sue me.
#19. Wow, Owls! - Pick Your Patterns
April 19 on The Perpetual Motion Machine
More traditional post-hardcore meets both waves of screamo (no, not that screamo), and serves up a standout debut from Wow, Owls! This was one of two new bands in the genre who popped up, gained a few accolades, then gracefully bowed out way too soon. Read more...
#18. The Suicide Machines - War Profiteering Is Killing Us All
August 9 on SideOneDummy Records
Long-time favorites write some of their heaviest songs to date while keeping the third wave ska influence intact, and thus, I'm 14 all over again.
#17. Circa Survive - Juturna
April 19 on Equal Vision Records
Boy, was I wrong. The ex-Saosin and This Day Forward members craft an immeasurably dense batch of dreamy, atmospheric and layered post-hardcore thatÃs grown on me immensely since its release. Mr. Green: Stay with this band for more than one album...please?
#16. Western Addiction - Cognicide
November 1 on Fat Wreck Chords
Channeling Black Flag and Minor Threat and making it sound fresh in my books means an upset victory for Western Addiction in the "Best Fat Release of `05" category. Some of the smartest, most well-written hardcore punk I've heard in years. Read more...
#15. Cave In - Perfect Pitch Black
September 13 on Hydra Head Records
I'm still a bit in disbelief these are demos; they're some of the best songs the band has put to tape! Perfect Pitch Black is a match of what makes Cave In one of the best going, effortlessly mixing the heavy with the atmospheric and experimental. Read more...
#14. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
August 30 on Atlantic Records
One of the least compromising major label debuts I've ever heard, likely. Yes, (good) indie pop can indeed exist on a major, even when it's quite weighty when it surrounds the subjects of love/death/both so heavily.
#13. The Bled - Found in the Flood
August 23 on Vagrant Records
I must be the only one who saw the newest form of the Bled as a progression and not a regression. Radiohead and Glassjaw join up with Converge and Refused on the influence train, and I'm already a few miles down at the next railroad crossing to watch it come through.
#12. Since by Man - Pictures from the Hotel Apocalypse
October 25 on Revelation Records
The band may have aligned themselves with Club Vaux musically, but membership is pretty hard to come by as it is. A strong, intense, thematic, metal-influenced arty hardcore record. Read more...
#11. Comeback Kid - Wake the Dead
February 22 on Victory Records
Sheding most of their metallic edge for nearly straight-up punk rock, Comeback Kid proves Victory does usually know what they're doing when it comes to actual hardcore. Sing-alongs, breakdowns, itÃs all here.
#10. Nightmare of You - Nightmare of You
September 13 on The Bevonshire Label / East/West Records
Okay sure, their demos were fantastic, and while this is a few steps back, it's still a healthy bout of `80s Britpop not heard since the likes of their very influences. Read more...
#9. The Pale Pacific - Urgency
August 30 on SideCho Records
Death Cab for Cutie's pimply stepbrother finally enters therapy after years of being ignored by the public (figuratively, mind you), and the results are breathtaking. An emotionally draining record for sure, but a rewarding experience at that. Read more...
#8. Settlefish - The Plural of the Choir
April 26 on Deep Elm Records
Post-hardcore? Emo? Indie rock? Post-rock? Jazz? Indie jazz? Whatever it is, it's Italy's best export since pizza. Settlefish takes you on a fantastic, raw journey channeling American Football and caP'n Jazz with Tom DeLonge seemingly at the helms, and it sounds magnificent. Vastly overlooked. Read more...
#7. Bullet Train to Vegas - We Put Scissors Where Our Mouths Are
June 7 on Nitro Records
Still clutching your copies of Relationship of Command and Burn, Piano Island, Burn teary-eyed, eh? This should be a worthy cure. Read more...
#6. The Fall of Troy - Doppelgänger
August 16 on Equal Vision Records
It must say something when a few 19-year-olds can record something like 4 new songs, redux a bunch of others and still make a top 20 list. Awesome and intricate prog-punk/screamo, if you're okay with that, from the creative wetlands of Seattle. Off the charts on intensity and complexity. I can't wait to see what these guys can do with a full offering of new tunes. Read more...
#5. Boys Night Out - Trainwreck
July 26 on Ferret Records
An ambitious, masterfully crafted, not-so-easily pigeonholed followup from a band who many likely thought were to fly the flag Grade once soared high. Boys Night Out write a cohesive, obviously metaphorical but well-connected story of a man trying to exercise his musical -- and psychological -- demons inside his head, told against a creative, experimental, drawn out and still catchy affair. Read more...
#4. Modern Life Is War - Witness
June 21 on Deathwish, Inc.
Wow, a hardcore album that's dynamic, passionate, and original? No way! Modern Life Is War restore my faith in the genre with an absolutely powerful, epic album and tale of small-town modesty, all in under a half-hour (and a ridiculously fitting artwork/layout job from Jake Bannon). Modern Life Is War is downright, one of the best bands going, period. See them live, too.
#3. A Wilhelm Scream - Ruiner
August 16 on Nitro Records
Oh my lord. Technical, aggressive and super melodic skatepunk with flawless three-part harmonies...wait, we're talking about A Wilhelm Scream's newer album, right? Ruiner makes the list this year mostly because AWS managed to write a consistently awesome record, not just a top-heavy wine glass affair. But yeah, the songs are better too. I guess. More well-written and yada yada yada...this album rules.
#2. Gatsbys American Dream - Volcano
April 12 on Fearless Records
My current favorite band puts out one of my favorite records of the year. I guess that makes sense. Gatsbys donÃt so much return to their roots as they offer a musical surprise from last yearÃs chilled out EP with their brand of jumpy, time-changing alternative indie pop etc. that finds the band continuing its tradition of referencing as much literature in one sitting as possible. Ribbons & Sugar may be Gatsbysà peak, but even the snow caps of Mt. Everest -- or should it be the molten lava crest of Mt. Vesuvius? -- start at a pretty mesmerizing height.
#1. Paint It Black - Paradise
March 8 on Jade Tree Records
Melodic Hardcore 101 is now in session, with your long-time professor Dr. Dan Yemin. Paint It Black deliver a mindblowingly good twist on their style of no-frills, no bullshit hardcore with pangs of melody and plenty of spots to catch your breath, only to have it torn from your mouth and choked to oblivion. Whatever that means. Dr. Dan is outraged at the state of the world today, and he wants to let you know through song. Being pissed off never felt so good. My favorite album of 2005.
#10. Red Knife Lottery - So Much Drama
June 14 on Uprising Records
Pretty Girls Make Graves and the Blood Brothers throw a coke party; Karen O. crashes it and sleeps with everyone. Read more...
#9. The Pale Pacific - Rules Are Predictable
April 5 on SideCho Records
A teaser EP for the even greater full-length that followed. The 2 B-sides on here are muy caliente as well. Read more...
#8. Circa Survive - The Inuit Sessions
March 15 on Equal Vision Records
See: The Pale Pacific EP description. Damn I wish IÃd gotten my hands on a copy of this, if even just to have the bandÃs only official release with ìHandshakes at Sunrise."
#7. With Honor / The Distance - Split
January 4 on Martyr Records
An awesome split EP with an even more awesome layout. With Honor deliver three of the best songs theyÃve written in melody-tinged hardcore anthems, while the Distance follow it up with three blistering firecrackers of more street-level power. Read more...
#6. Trophy Scars - Goodnight Alchemy
July 12 on The Death Scene Recordings
As far as the newest wave of screaming post-hardcore acts goes, Trophy Scars is far and away the cream of the crap. Goodnight Alchemy may be less overwhelming than the EP that preceded it, but itÃs utterly complex, enjoyable, and dynamic despite slight clichà approaches here and there. Read more...
#5. Ruiner - What Could Possibly Go Right...
November 8 on 1917 Records
A more melodic release from 1917 that I really enjoyed. These dudes are playing raw, honest and driving hardcore recalling early Modern Life Is War and spots of With Honor. Read more...
#4. Crime in Stereo - The Contract
July 12 on Blackout! Records / Brightside Records
It's sort of funny that with this release, I may already be lamenting Crime in Stereo's "days of yore," as a teaser EP entitled Fuel.Transit.Sleep was released shortly after this, which I don't consider as good. However, on its own merits, CIS's final effort for Blackout! is a goddamned 8-minute whirlwind of melodic hardcore, bringing the Biscuits meets Strike vibe to even greater fruition. Read more...
#3. No Roses - Hell or High Water
Late 2005 on State of Mind Recordings
Damn, these dudes are definitely carrying on the torch of We're Down 'Til We're Underground-era Give Up the Ghost, but I really don't mind one bit. Excellent songcraft with just enough melody in the guitars and a fresh lyrical approach. Read more...
#2. No Trigger - Extinction in Stereo
January 18 on Bigmouth JPN
Quite possibly the best up-and-coming melodic punk band in North America makes my 'EPs list' for a second straight year on a total technicality -- it's their first official release, so it's not really a compilation. Either way, Extinction in Stereo features three incredible punk/hardcore songs, four really promising ones, and acts as a great teaser to the band's soon to be released full-length, Canyoneer. Rev those American engines.
#1. This Is Hell - This Is Hell
May 16 on State of Mind Recordings
An amazing 6-song EP from a band soon to take over hardcore. The band has exercised their musical chops since a 4-song demo from 2004 with a wonderful affair of bitter and melancholic but melodic passages. Oh, and a cover of 108's "When Death Closes Your Eyes" with Glassjaw's Daryl Palumbo guesting? Icing & cake. Trustkill has struck gold...finally. Read more...
#10. Bayside - Bayside
August 23 on Victory Records
Bayside took me by surprise with Sirens & Condolences with stains on their sleeves that were definitely the Alkaline Trio and Smoking Popes' doings. Their self-titled followup has a weird production sound to it, and only a few good songs. Pity. Read more...
#9. A Static Lullaby - Faso Latido
April 5 on Columbia Records
With vastly underdeveloped tastes, I was floored by A Static Lullaby's debut, ...And Don't Forget to Breathe. I maintain these days that it's, at least, a decent record for its style. Faso Latido, however, was a steaming pile of crap; it sounded like Taking Back Sunday trying to play stoner rock. Boring and unengaging. Read more...
#8. Unwritten Law - Here's to the Mourning
February 1 on Lava Records
Wow. Unwritten Law used to play a brand of enjoyable, poppy and peppy SoCal skatepunk. The album that started to shed these qualities, Elva, was still a pretty good punk-influenced pop/rock album and contained some of the band's most well-written songs. What the fuck happened? A single co-written with Linda Perry, who includes Christina Aguilera songs on her resumÃ? A perverted song blatantly about fucking? This is horribly shitty, absolutely vacant and emotionless MTV pop/rock, if that. Here's to the mourning indeed; Unwritten Law is dead to me. Read more...
#7. Scary Kids Scaring Kids - The City Sleeps in Flames
June 28 on Immortal Records
Another previously promising screaming post-hardcore act that forgets what made them good in the first place. Scary Kids Scaring Kids went from an excellently eerie Thursday follower with a random caP'n Jazz reference in their name to sounding just like every one of their generic, shitty peers ripping them off. Read more...
#6. Marathon - Marathon
May 31 on Reignition Records
So what's the deal -- was I the only one disappointed as opposed to surprised by Marathon's self-titled debut? The first two songs on this album are quite good, maybe even mixtape worthy. And the rest? In the words of Ian MacKaye, in a different context here: "Fil-ler!" Marathon is a good melodic punk band. I just can't for the life of me point to their record here as proof. Read more...
#5. The (International) Noise Conspiracy - Armed Love
October 4 on Reprise Records
I waited how long for this? Goodbye swagger, goodbye inspiration.
#4. Every Time I Die - Gutter Phenomenon
August 23 on Ferret Records
Metalcore meets rock'n'roll is a formula that worked mighty well for Every Time I Die. With their new one, they scrape off even more of the former, and it results in a relatively bland record with sporadically decent moments, but a majority that just doesn't agree with me.
#3. Saosin - Saosin [EP; also known as Warped Tour]
August 4 on Capitol Records
The previous kings of their genre fall pretty hard; their first new release in two years and first without the gold-encrusted vocal chords of Anthony Green contains merely a mildly decent single, a well-played acoustic version, a live version of an old song, and two awfully middling B-sides. Ouch. Read more...
#2. Motion City Soundtrack - Commit This to Memory
June 7 on Epitaph Records
Motion City Soundtrack lost everything that made them great in the first place: The carefree attitude, the wild moog lines, the crisp vocal harmonies, the quirk, the catchiness...where did it go? These qualities are either vacant and toned down, with a very mild pop-punk / third wave emo record in its place. Thank goodness for this band's still great live show.
#1. Against Me! - Searching for a Former Clarity
September 6 on Fat Wreck Chords
After countless listens, I realized that Against Me!'s highly anticipated record was not bad as bad as I'd originally pegged it. However, after more listens, I also realized that on its own merits, it is a good folk-influenced punk record. Against Me! is capable of something much, much greater than merely that. Searching for a Former Clarity is missing the slightly raw, consistently urgent, hopeful-in-a-desolate place feeling all their prior releases gives off. I'm honestly not near as effected of the literal decisions the band chooses to make as I am their awkward musical evolution. I'm all for change, but not when it results in something this pedestrian and complacent.
#3. The Lawrence Arms - Cocktails & Dreams
June 21 on Asian Man Records
"#3??? DIS IZ DI BEST ALBUM OF DA YEAR!!!!11" I apologize in advance for not placing this collection of "rarities" and its ilk by the Larry Armstrongs any higher, but I still enjoyed it a lot, trying to push aside my hatred for putting well-known split songs on "rarities" compilations (yes, this means you too, out of prints!). It definitely acts as a nice placeholder as we await the band's first full-length in roughly two-and-a-half years.
#2. Strike Anywhere - To Live in Discontent
January 25 on Jade Tree Records
Even if this odds and sods of sorts is halfway made up the band's cult favorite, the Chorus of One EP, which I'd already owned (and still do, mind you), all of Strike Anywhere's B-sides and covers on here are also really, really good. Which, in turn, makes To Live in Discontent really, really good.
#1. At the Drive-In - This Station Is Non-Operational
May 24 on Fearless Records
Fearless does a commendable job on This Station Is Non-Operational, the (likely) final release from legendary El Paso, TX post-hardcore powerhouse At the Drive-In. Drawing from a catalog that included an array of intense and/or dramatic and always emotional songs, it takes some of their best ones and adds a few hard to find tracks that at times show the band at their most experimental. A wonderful summation of a spectacular band who went out on top.
Achilles - The Dark Horse
May 24 on Hex Records
Damn. This band put out a relatively lame, horribly disjointed and certainly derivative self-titled demo EP in late 2004. Only several months later, The Dark Horse is released, and boy, it was definitely an underdog win. Instead of just sounding like a 2nd-rate Every Time I Die, the band adds the disjointed, angular rhythms of Botch and Breather Resist to their arsenal and come out with a metalcore record that's actually not only good, but refreshing. How 'bout that. Read more...
The Get Up Kids - Live at the Granada Theater
May 24 on Vagrant Records
The final farewell from a band I grew to truly adore is a well-put together live album that takes from all aspects of a great band's career. They'll be missed. Read more...
Hey Mercedes - Unorchestrated
May 31 on Grand Theft Autumn Records
The final farewell from a band I grew to truly adore is an EP that takes songs from all sorts of different recording sessions, and still comes out great in the end. "Roulette Systems" is one of the band's best songs, and the live version of "Unorchestrated" makes ridiculous amounts of sense in saying the final word for the band's career. They'll be missed.
Inquisition - Revolution...I Think It's Called Inspiration
October 25 on A-F Records
I hate this newest trend as much as the next guy, but this was deserving. These dudes all went on to form the separate bands of Strike Anywhere, River City High, and Ann Beretta -- and I'm thankful that a certain two of those bands' sounds are evident in this release. Slightly raw, melodic punk/hardcore with a political spitfire about it makes for one good album.
#5. The Starting Point - It's Something You Learn
December 2
These dudes came out of nowhere to put out a solid modern hardcore album with some slightly experimental tendencies here and there (for the genre, anyway). Read more...
#4. Take My Chances - Live @ CBGB's [EP]
August/September
One of my favorite up-and-coming melodic hardcore acts from Long Island got a chance to open for Kid Dynamite's reunion show and made the most of it, getting the recordings (right off the soundboard, I believe) of the set and putting out a cheap EP of it. It showcases the band's slowly diversifying style that certainly draws heavy from Lifetime and their ilk, but hey, someone's gotta pick up the reins with favorites the Backup Plan all but dead.
#3. Get the Most - Core Values [EP]
November 26
This little side project made up of members of Go It Alone and Blue Monday put out a demo of straight-forward hardcore that's quite nifty, well done, and includes an Insted cover for the old-schoolers, and it's all available for download here.
#2. The Last Man of the 9th Michigan Infantry - Read Read Red [EP]
Late 2005
Goddammit, why did this band have to break up? This 5-song EP is very well done screamo, with the first song honestly one of the most memorable songs of the year. The packaging is great, too. I look forward to what the members can come up with next in their own projects. Read more...
#1. A Textbook Tragedy - A Partial Dialogue Between Ghost and Priest
August 22
So yeah, these dudes are obviously big Dillinger Escape Plan fans, but that's okay, because so am I. A very promising, mathy and jazzy DIY debut from some Canadian metalhead kids, and my favorite self-released effort of the year. Read more...
#3. Equal Vision Records
Equal Vision outdid their 2004 calendar with a number of solid releases this year, including the Fall of Troy, Circa Survive (EP and full-length), Bear vs. Shark, Bane, Versus the Mirror (and signing), and Chiodos, as well as picking up community-beloved emocore outfit Boy Sets Fire and remastering their first, now out-of-print album as well as a rarities compilation for the band.
#2. Nitro Records
Nitro snatched up -- to that point -- possibly my two favorite unsigned melodic punk bands, No Trigger and Crime in Stereo, and surprised me with good-to-great records from Bullet Train to Vegas and the Letters Organize. And of course, we can't forget one of the best albums of the year, the somehow improved A Wilhelm Scream.
#1. Fat Wreck Chords
Hot fucking damn. My favorite record label signed a plethora of promising acts, including one of my favorite bands, Strike Anywhere, rolled out a fun series of 7" records from NOFX, put out a worthy buy in a solid compilation benefitting abused children that included a wealth of previously unreleased tracks from the likes of Jawbreaker and Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba among others, and put out a bunch of relevant punk rock albums on compact disc form, the ones of which tickling my fancy including Western Addiction, Smoke or Fire, the Soviettes, and yes, even Against Me! to a point.
- Kid Dynamite / Grey Area / Voice in the Wire / Take My Chances - live in New York @ CBGBs, August 22
- Strike Anywhere / A Global Threat / Paint It Black / Hot Cross - live in New York @ Knitting Factory, December 10
- Bullet Train to Vegas / A Wilhelm Scream / Crime in Stereo / No Trigger / the Valley Arena - live in New York @ Tribeca Rock Club, September 15
- Glassjaw - live in Farmingdale, NY @ The Downtown, August 27
- Against Me! / Epoxies / Smoke or Fire / the Soviettes - live in New York @ Webster Hall, December 2
- Modern Life Is War / Dead Hearts / Crime in Stereo / Hank Jones - live in Pittsburgh @ Brave New World, July
- Strike Anywhere / From Ashes Rise / the Code / Unarmed - live in Pittsburgh @ Mr. Smalls, July 20
- A Wilhelm Scream / Whole Wheat Bread / the Fad - live in Farmingdale, NY @ The Downtown, September 10
- The Dillinger Escape Plan / Between the Buried and Me / HORSE the Band / the Flashbulb - live in New York @ Bowery Ballroom, December 9
- The Suicide Machines / Stretch Arm Strong / Whole Wheat Bread - live in New York @ Tribeca Rock Club, November 9
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- the Lawrence Arms
- Brand New
- Thursday
- Saves the Day
- RX Bandits
- Strike Anywhere
- No Trigger
- Cursive
- Circle Takes the Square [?]
- Jenoah [?]
- Gatsbys American Dream [?]
- This Is Hell
- the Dillinger Escape Plan [?]
- No Roses
- the Blood Brothers [?]
- the Living End
- Audio Karate [?]
- Bigwig
- Anti-Flag
- the Fall of Troy [?]
- Hot Cross
- the Sound of Animals Fighting
- the Bronx
- Underoath
- Moneen
- Lifetime [?]
- Trophy Scars
- the Lido Venice
- Cave In [?]
- Streetlight Manifesto [?]
- Bad Religion [?]
- Head Automatica
- Less Than Jake
- Scatter the Ashes [?]
- the Honorary Title [?]
- He Is Legend [?]
- My Chemical Romance
- Ruiner
- Red Knife Lottery
- Smoke or Fire
- Daughters [?]
- Dead Hearts
- Rise Against
- Explosions in the Sky [?]
- Dead Poetic
- the Ataris
- None More Black
- New Mexican Disaster Squad
- AFI
- the Draft
- Murder by Death
- Vaux
- Sick of It All
- the Distance
- Good Clean Fun
- Hanalei
- NOFX
- the Starting Line [?]
- Crime in Stereo
- Set Your Goals
- New Found Glory
- Cassino
- the Bouncing Souls [?]
- the Academy Is
- Kane Hodder [?]
- mewithoutYou
- the Loved Ones
- Yellowcard
- psy0pus
- the JonBenÃt
- Death Is Not Glamorous
- Death from Above 1979
- the Early November
- Action Action
- Saosin
- the Locust [?]
- the Arcade Fire
- Fear Before the March of Flames
- Taking Back Sunday
- H2O