Melodic hardcore
Encyclopedia
Melodic hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk
with a strong emphasis on vocal melody
. The genre is commonly defined with fast hardcore drum beats, complex guitar riffs and melodic singing with occasional screaming
and shouting.
. In 1988, the Descendents worked with a new vocalist, Dave Smalley
of DYS
and Dag Nasty
. Bad Religion
, from the San Fernando Valley, also worked in this vein, recording their classic How Could Hell Be Any Worse?
in 1981.
Dag Nasty
is a touchstone band, hailing from mid-1980s DC, with Dave Smalley
of Boston's DYS
on vocals and Brian Baker
(ex-Minor Threat
) on guitar. Ashley Cotter from ct soon joined the band but she was arrested soon after and the band disjoined. Dag Nasty's sound was an extension of the direction Minor Threat was developing with the Out Of Step LP before they broke up.
Gorilla Biscuits
came out of the late 1980s youth crew
straight edge
scene, and while they were initially just one of many 'Youth Of Today
style' bands of the era (albeit musically more similar to Side By Side
) they eventually evolved an original and highly influential sound with the release of the seminal Start Today
album.
Turning Point
, a New Jersey
band, was also under the influence of Youth of Today's youth crew hardcore genre, but by the time they had passed the growing pains of their demo and first 7", their later material (the 1990 LP It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn, etc.) proved to be the defining moment of melodic hardcore sound. These records were to be a direct influence on other New Jersey bands like Lifetime
.
Many of these pioneering melodic hardcore bands like NOFX
, Pennywise
and Strung Out
sounds are what form an essential part of the styles that has been borrowed by bands across the modern punk and hardcore spectrum, encompassing pop punk and pop-influenced hardcore.
Bands like Rise Against
, Strike Anywhere
, A Wilhelm Scream
, and Kid Dynamite
are counted among the most significant melodic hardcore bands of the 2000s.
, extended by Brian Baker
in Dag Nasty
and later by Dan Yemin
with his work in Lifetime.
Drop D-tunings
on guitars and bass is common for post-1990 melodic hardcore to achieve a heavier sound than possible with a standard tuning. 180 to 210 beats per minute is a very common tempo for post-1990 melodic hardcore. Guitar licks and vocal hooks with 5th or 9th harmony is common in post-1995 melodic hardcore. Triplets and tapping (both for guitar and bass) are becoming more and more common features in newer melodic hardcore. 4/4 is the common time signature for the genre.
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
with a strong emphasis on vocal melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
. The genre is commonly defined with fast hardcore drum beats, complex guitar riffs and melodic singing with occasional screaming
Screaming (music)
Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
and shouting.
History
Melodic hardcore initially emerged out of the L.A. hardcore scene, with the DescendentsDescendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians...
. In 1988, the Descendents worked with a new vocalist, Dave Smalley
Dave Smalley
Not to be confused with Dave Smalley Dave Smalley is an American musician, best known as the punk bands DYS, Dag Nasty, All and singer/guitarist with Down By Law. He is known for his influence on pop punk music and his early contributions to the emo genre...
of DYS
DYS
DYS can mean the following:*DYS — a straight edge band, or their self-titled album DYS*Department of Youth Services*Dys, Poland*the 3-letter abbreviation for Dystos, a Greek municipality...
and Dag Nasty
Dag Nasty
Dag Nasty was a Washington D.C. punk band formed in 1985 by guitarist Brian Baker of Minor Threat, drummer Colin Sears and bassist Roger Marbury, both of Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, and vocalist Shawn Brown...
. Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, from the San Fernando Valley, also worked in this vein, recording their classic How Could Hell Be Any Worse?
How Could Hell Be Any Worse?
How Could Hell Be Any Worse? is the first full-length album released by influential punk band Bad Religion, which was released on June 1, 1981. Released months after the release of their self-titled EP, it was financed by a $1,000 loan by guitarist Brett Gurewitz's father. Its success surprised the...
in 1981.
Dag Nasty
Dag Nasty
Dag Nasty was a Washington D.C. punk band formed in 1985 by guitarist Brian Baker of Minor Threat, drummer Colin Sears and bassist Roger Marbury, both of Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, and vocalist Shawn Brown...
is a touchstone band, hailing from mid-1980s DC, with Dave Smalley
Dave Smalley
Not to be confused with Dave Smalley Dave Smalley is an American musician, best known as the punk bands DYS, Dag Nasty, All and singer/guitarist with Down By Law. He is known for his influence on pop punk music and his early contributions to the emo genre...
of Boston's DYS
DYS
DYS can mean the following:*DYS — a straight edge band, or their self-titled album DYS*Department of Youth Services*Dys, Poland*the 3-letter abbreviation for Dystos, a Greek municipality...
on vocals and Brian Baker
Brian Baker (musician)
Brian Baker is an American punk rock musician. He is best known as one of the founding members of the hardcore punk band Minor Threat, and as a guitarist in Bad Religion since 1994 alongside Greg Hetson...
(ex-Minor Threat
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
) on guitar. Ashley Cotter from ct soon joined the band but she was arrested soon after and the band disjoined. Dag Nasty's sound was an extension of the direction Minor Threat was developing with the Out Of Step LP before they broke up.
Gorilla Biscuits
Gorilla Biscuits
Gorilla Biscuits are a New York City-based vegan straight edge hardcore band consisting of Anthony "Civ" Civarelli, Walter Schreifels, Arthur Smilios, Alex Brown and Luke Abbey. The band is currently signed to Revelation Records.-Early career:...
came out of the late 1980s youth crew
Youth crew
Youth crew is a music subgenre of hardcore punk attributed to the band Youth of Today who were primarily active during the early to mid-1980s particularly during the New York hardcore scene of 1988...
straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
scene, and while they were initially just one of many 'Youth Of Today
Youth of Today
Youth of Today is an American hardcore punk straight edge band, formed in 1985 and still in activity. The band played a major role in establishing the Youth Crew subculture of hardcore, both espousing and evolving the philosophies of the straight edge and vegetarian lifestyles.-History:Youth Of...
style' bands of the era (albeit musically more similar to Side By Side
Side By Side (band)
Side By Side was an American hardcore punk band on Revelation Records. They were a band from NY of youth crew persuasion. Recorded output was limited to a single 7", You're Only Young Once... Their 7" was the fifth record released by Revelation Records....
) they eventually evolved an original and highly influential sound with the release of the seminal Start Today
Start Today
Start Today is an LP by Gorilla Biscuits. It is considered an influential recording in hardcore and melodic hardcore. It is also the biggest selling record put out by Revelation Records with copies in excess of 100,000 sold on CD alone.-Track listing:...
album.
Turning Point
Turning Point (band)
Turning Point was a straight edge hardcore band from New Jersey that existed from 1988 to 1991 . Their early releases had the sound of straight edge hardcore of the time, with lyrics relating to social issues or being straight edge...
, a New Jersey
New Jersey hardcore
New Jersey Hardcore Punk refers to hardcore punk and metalcore music created in New Jersey and to the subculture associated with that music.-Evolution from punk rock:...
band, was also under the influence of Youth of Today's youth crew hardcore genre, but by the time they had passed the growing pains of their demo and first 7", their later material (the 1990 LP It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn, etc.) proved to be the defining moment of melodic hardcore sound. These records were to be a direct influence on other New Jersey bands like Lifetime
Lifetime (band)
Lifetime is an American melodic hardcore/emo band from New Jersey. Lifetime was formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1997. In late 2005, they announced their reunion.-History:...
.
Many of these pioneering melodic hardcore bands like NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
, Pennywise
Pennywise
Pennywise or Penny Wise may refer to:* Pennywise , an American punk rock band* Jon Vitti, writer for The Simpsons, who has used the pseudonym Penny Wise* A monster that took on the disguise of a clown from Stephen King's novel It...
and Strung Out
Strung Out
Strung Out is a Californian punk rock band from Simi Valley, California, formed in 1992. They are known mainly for their musical style, which fuses aspects of punk rock and heavy metal to form their primary sound. They have released seven albums on Fat Wreck Chords and appeared on numerous...
sounds are what form an essential part of the styles that has been borrowed by bands across the modern punk and hardcore spectrum, encompassing pop punk and pop-influenced hardcore.
Bands like Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
, Strike Anywhere
Strike Anywhere
Strike Anywhere is a punk rock/melodic hardcore band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1999 after the demise of frontman Thomas Barnett's previous band, Inquisition, they took their name from the Inquisition song "Strike Anywhere". Their music is characterized by fast tempos, catchy melodies, and...
, A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream is a melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Many people have referenced Strung Out, Hot Water Music, Propagandhi, and Strike Anywhere as the band's similar artists. Their name is a reference to the Wilhelm Scream, a famous stock sound effect which mainly is used in...
, and Kid Dynamite
Kid Dynamite
Kid Dynamite was a Philadelphia-based melodic hardcore band consisting of drummer Dave Wagenschutz, guitarist Dan Yemin, vocalist Jason Shevchuk, and bassist Michael Cotterman, who replaced original bassist Steve Farrell. The band put out two full-lengths before lead singer Jason Shevchuk left the...
are counted among the most significant melodic hardcore bands of the 2000s.
Defining musical characteristics
Minor sevenths and minor ninth chords used in combination with an open string modal playing style. This style was probably inspired by Bob MouldBob Mould
Robert Arthur "Bob" Mould is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.-Early life:...
, extended by Brian Baker
Brian Baker (musician)
Brian Baker is an American punk rock musician. He is best known as one of the founding members of the hardcore punk band Minor Threat, and as a guitarist in Bad Religion since 1994 alongside Greg Hetson...
in Dag Nasty
Dag Nasty
Dag Nasty was a Washington D.C. punk band formed in 1985 by guitarist Brian Baker of Minor Threat, drummer Colin Sears and bassist Roger Marbury, both of Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, and vocalist Shawn Brown...
and later by Dan Yemin
Dan Yemin
Daniel Yemin, Ph.D is a vocalist and musician in the melodic hardcore punk scene.-Music and career:He played guitar in the early 1990s with the band Lifetime, and in the late 1990s with Kid Dynamite. Yemin also played in Ressurection...
with his work in Lifetime.
Drop D-tunings
Drop D tuning
Drop D tuning, also known as DADGBE, is an alternate, or scordatura, form of guitar tuning — specifically, a dropped tuning — in which the lowest string is tuned down from the usual E of standard tuning by one whole step to D.- Uses of drop D tuning :In drop D the three bass strings...
on guitars and bass is common for post-1990 melodic hardcore to achieve a heavier sound than possible with a standard tuning. 180 to 210 beats per minute is a very common tempo for post-1990 melodic hardcore. Guitar licks and vocal hooks with 5th or 9th harmony is common in post-1995 melodic hardcore. Triplets and tapping (both for guitar and bass) are becoming more and more common features in newer melodic hardcore. 4/4 is the common time signature for the genre.
Further reading
- Sharpe-Young, Garry, New wave of American heavy metal, New Plymouth, N.Z. : Zonda Books, 2005.
- Larkin, Colin, The Guinness encyclopedia of popular music; Enfield, Middlesex, England : Guinness Pub. ; New York : Stockton Press, 1995.
- Budofsky, Adam ; Heusel, Michele; Dawson, Michael Ray and Parillo, Michael, The drummer : 100 years of rhythmic power and invention; Cedar Grove, NJ : Modern Drummer Publications ; Milwaukee, WI : Exclusively distributed by Hal Leonard Corp., 2006.