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Essentially post hardcore is the bastard child of Punk and Hardcore, centered around high speed riffs, buckets of tempo changes, and killer screams. It’s split into a lot of sub, unnecessary and redundant genres, in this overly classified world we live in, that range from melodic hardcore to math-core and skate-core to metal-core and grind-core, and into it’s shit stained pop off-shoot screamo.

So, after two paragraphs of ado, here’s a run down of some the most important bands and albums in modern post hardcore.

Glassjaw

Hailing from Long Island New York, Glassjaw are the legends of post-hardcore. Forming in ’94, Glassjaw became underground heroes in the New York hardcore scene, through their live show, but didn’t truly ascend to the status of legendary until the release of their first full length album, Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence in 1999. Showcasing the softer side of hardcore, with melodic moments, countered the next second with harsh screaming, Everything You Ever Wanted laid down the blue print for modern post-hardcore.

Glassjaw followed up Everything with the release of Worship and Tribute in 2002. This new album found Glassjaw playing around with their style, and continually experimenting, adding a jazz flair to songs like Ape Dos Mil, and refusing to be pigeon holed into any specific genre, but never losing the signature speed and energy that got them where they were.

After a Hiatus that found lead singer Daryl Polumbo pimping pop with Head Automatic, Glassjaw reformed and entered into the process of writing a new album. Three years later, and outside of the occasional half hearted mention of said disc, it still remains a myth much like the Yeti or the My Chemical Romance’s credibility. However, unlike MCR’s credibility I still believe in both a new Glassjaw album, and the existence of the Yeti, I guess I’m just a cock-eyed optimist.

Glassjaw – Lovebites and Razorlines
Glassjaw – Ape Dos Mil

Thrice

Thrice, helped take the blueprint laid down by Glassjaw and drive it full steam ahead, combining powerful beats with lighting fast riffs and an urgency and importance behind every song. Singer Dustin Kensrue, used his voice to alternate between sinning and more of a growl than a scream, letting the emotion of his words dictate how they would be sung.
The bands 2002 release, The Illusion Of Safety, found the dynamic between speed and power playing off of Thrice’s ability to slow down, take their time, and build up to their power. Songs like Deadbolt feel like you’re in a speeding car, careening straight down the side of the mountain, with a basement full of natures chocolate. While, Trust, comes in slow, and atmospheric, but with an impending sense of gathering storm clouds, as the band mix the chemicals right.

The follow up to Illusion, 2003’s, Artist In The Ambulance, blew the doors off post-hardcore. The songs and the entire album for that matter, seem a million miles more mature than they did on Illusion, despite the albums being released in consecutive years. The riffs, cleaner and deeper this time around, still speed ahead without looking back, and the power Riley Breckenridge brings from behind the kit tempers itself for the sake of a song building, but still acts as the slave in the coal room shoveling himself to death to try and keep the boat up to speed. Dustin Kensrue steps into his own on Artist, his lyrics taking on broader, more specific topics. Cold Hearts and Colder Cash starting the album off with a condemnation of the Western world, while Hoods on Peregrine tackles the blind followship that’s grown in people, and fed by the media. The Artist In The Ambulance stands as, easily, one of the best if not the best post-hardcore album ever recorded.

Since Artist, Thrice has continued to push themselves, and experiment with great success, releasing the piano heavy Vheissu in 2005 and a set of four distinct, element themed EP’s called The Alchemy Index, spread out between 2007 and 2008.

Thrice – Deadbolt
Thrice – Hoods On Peregrine
Thrice – Cold Cash and Colder Hearts

Finch

Finch are all about power and grace, but not in the gay way, I just made it sound. They’re riffs are heavy, and their drumming pounds, but what sets Finch apart was that at the time they formed, no one had managed to use a scream so effectively.

On their first full length, 2002’s What It Is To Burn, Finch come blistering out of the gates like a thoroughbred with a rocket up it’s ass. Layering screams in behind Nate Barcalow’s lyrics, providing power, but staying on message. Tracks like Letters to You and Post script, rock like wounded bears. Emotional pleas, on the surface, with raging anger, just below. You never know when Finch is going to turn around and bite your head off.

The band achieved the first mainstream success of a post-hardcore band with their single What It Is To Burn, finding itself all over the music video channels.This success spawned a generation of sound alike bands, like Matchbook Romance and Silverstien who raped their sound into the now too familiar, scream, sing, scream, sing, breakdown formula, as labels scrambled to find their own Finch.
On their second album, 2005’s Say Hello To Sunshine, Finch tried to escape their copy cat posers, by experimenting with their sound. Still there was the speed and the power, but gone was any hint of predictability, as Finch used the screams more sparingly on some tracks, and built more of their emotion around, riffs and effects. Brother Bleed Brother, still stung with the old school Finch vibe, always ready to stab you through the eyes with raw anger, but taking it’s time getting there. While, the track, A Man Alone, experimented with the Jazz influence much as Glassjaw had on Ape Dos Mil. It was to no avail though, as the clones just wouldn’t let up, with Matchbook Romance, releasing their own version of Say Hello To Sunshine in 2006 and calling it Voices.

The constant attack of the clones forced Finch underground like the rebel alliance, and they announced that they would be going on hiatus in 2006. (Matchbook Romance went on hiatus in 2007, coincidence?).
The hiatus ended in 2008 with several live shows and the release of the Finch EP, which proved that they’ve only just began to fight, and with plans for a full length under way already, it promises to be a bright future.

Finch – Letters To You
Finch – What It Is To Burn
Finch – A Man Alone

So there it is, three of the most important acts in modern post-hardcore. I guarantee that not only is the douche in suburban Washington pissed at my not including Fugazzi, there’s also some fourteen year old girl with meaningful ink, crying all over her granola bar at God camp, because I didn’t mention Underoath. Well, relax Mary Magdolin, Underoath is and was important to post-hardcore, and I still encourage people to check them out, but I had to put a limit in somewhere, so genuflect, say a Hail Mary, an Our Father and get over yourself.

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