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Screaming is not Screamo - clearing up this misunderstanding?
So, in the 7 years I've been on this site(account number 4, baby!), I've seen thousands of questions and answers that completely fail to understand what screamo is, and simply define anything that involves screaming, grunting, and growling as "screamo". This is incorrect, and I feel it's far, far past time someone actually comes along, sits people down, and explains it.
The objective of this Q is to spread knowledge and understanding, in order to lessen the spread of misinformation, and hopefully educate some of the more ignorant members of this website.
Misconception 1: "Screamo" is anything that involves harsh vocals, esp. metal.
The truth:
Screamo is a genre that first developed in the early 1990s. It's a Hardcore-Punk inspired subgenre of Emo, another actual music genre(not Pop-Punk) that developed and became popular in the 80s. It is best described as a fusion of Post-Hardcore and Emo.
Screamo is characterized by blast beats, fast tempos, amplified feedback, dissonant and chaotic music, screamed vocals, and lyrical themes such as emotional pain, romantic interest, and politics.
One of the major reasons Screamo became popular because it is often about acceptance of society's outcasts and the downtrodden.
Misconception 2: Screamo bands/musicians are Satanic.
The truth:
A lot of Screamo bands are openly religious(or at least advocate religious acceptance and tolerance), and a good many of them Christian. A lot of them also advocate straightedge lifestyles, abstinence from drugs, alcohol, and wanton sex. They're about as far away from Satanism as you can get.
Misconception 3: Screamo bands advocate self-harm
The truth:
While songs about emotional pain and heartbreak are common themes in Screamo, most bands do not advocate self-harm at all. There are some that do, just like there are some metal bands that advocate devil-worship or paganism, but like those examples, they are in the minority. Significantly so.
Actual examples of (well-known) Screamo bands:
Thursday
Silverstein
The Used
Alexisonfire(sort of. They helped develop the genre, but I wouldn't necessarily call them "Screamo")
Hawthorne Heights
Underoath
Senses Fail
Funeral For a Friend
Alesana
Blessthefall
Now, most of these bands could also be defined as Post-Hardcore, the genres are pretty strongly entwined, but they have all been part of the Screamo movement, or have helped bring the Screamo movement into the limelight, at some point in their careers.
So next time you ask for some Metal bands sans harsh vocals, the next time you want a good band with harsh vocals, the next time you decide to condemn music with screaming as "Satanic" or "evil", think on this. Fight ignorance, spread knowledge, and help make the world a better place.
MQ: Favourite Screamo band?
MQ2: Favourite metal band featuring screaming/growling/squealing/whatever?
MQ3: Favourite metal balad?
MQ4: Favourite band with a musician who is a Satanist or Pagan/Neo-Pagan?
MQ5: Did you learn anything new?
You're right, I am too old to be listening to Screamo, and truly, I've never particularly enjoyed it. It just irks me when ignorant pre-teens toss the word "screamo" around, incorrectly applying it to "anything that involves screaming". I'm just trying to enlighten people.
Far be it for me to judge what another person believes in, I was just stating that it is a small minority who do these things, just like it is a small minority in the metal realm who worship the devil, or are of a pagan or neo-pagan belief system - another misconception some people have, where some believe there are NO devil-worshippers in Metal, and others believe every band has aligned themselves with Satan.
As I said, I wouldn't define Alexisonfire as Screamo, just that they greatly influenced the genre, and in doing so, helped develop it
6 Answers
- sunkenshipLv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
"Actual examples of (well-known) Screamo bands:
Alexisonfire(sort of. They helped develop the genre, but I wouldn't necessarily call them "Screamo")"
"Now, most of these bands could also be defined as Post-Hardcore"
well, that's cleared it all up perfectly
even with all your metagenres and post-postcore nonsense
ps a reputable website tags hawthorne heights as pop-punk and emo pop!
ma: my favourite rock bands that shout, sing, play uptempo songs and share their feelings are:
rinoa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTp_pSLGVqo
the beautiful mistake http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4REC7hKZUR4
we are the ocean http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgkr0YDHjPE
ma2:
ma3:
ma4:
ma5: i learned nothing. subjectivity does not a fact make
- Anonymous8 years ago
"There are some that do, just like there are some metal bands that advocate devil-worship or paganism"
Are you implying that it is wrong to belong to a Pagan or non Judeo-Christian religion? Or are you simply stating it's a minority? Got confused there.
Alexisonfire has always been Post-Hardcore, but I really like your post. When I hear people call Melodic Death Metal "Screamo" it makes me want to open-hand slap them.
BQ:Not big on Screamo, but Thursday is decent sometimes. I love a lot of Post Hardcore bands though, but they have to be on the Alexisonfire/Million Dead/At the Drive-In spectrum of the subgenre.
BQ2: Cynic, Allegaeon, Bathory, Opeth, and Mastodon (even though it was more in their old albums). Can't pick one.
BQ3: "Cemetery Gates" by Pantera, or "In this River" by Black Label Society.
BQ4: Probably Dissection, only because a lot of Pagan Folk Metal bands and such aren't practicing in the first place, and Jon was a real Satanist (Deity worshiping, not La-Vey)
BQ5: I learned that some people really know the difference.
- Anonymous5 years ago
@WocketsInMyPockets Wow! You're an idiot! Screamo is an actual genre of music, not a style of vocals, stupid! The person named "?" above me listed all the Screamo bands! If a band has screaming vocals in their music you would just call them "Screaming" vocals! Duh! Forgive me, but I'd like to take a bat with spikes on it and beat you to death with it! I know most people are uneducated about this term, but it really pisses me off that so many have bastardized a term which was once held in high regard in the Underground scene. I find it ironic that you said "I think it's annoying" when I'm annoyed with the statement you just made. I don't mean to pick on you but please do some research on the topic at hand before you say something that makes you look like a complete ***. Thank you!
- AdamLv 78 years ago
Good on you man for this question although I'm sure people around here are going to keep saying it. Although, I would say that personally, I prefer Screamo like I Hate Myself or Assfactor 4 (HIGHLY recommend them if you don't know them).
I will say though, I feel a little hypocritical for insulting people for making this mistake and ones like it because on one hand I feel like a douche because it shouldn't matter what people call it but at the same times I'm a stickler for genres and subgenres and they REALLY help me find similar bands that I'm looking for!
MQ: I Hate Myself
MQ2: Dystopia
MQ3: Hmmmm whatever my favorite Kamelot song is
MQ4: I think Watain clames to be, right?
MQ5: Not really, sorry. You're a good teacher though
Source(s): Woo! I answered a question - How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
- QuatoLv 78 years ago
that's a lot of dead horse beating you've got going on.
in the end it doesn't matter, people are going to call stuff screamo whether it is or not.
- MikeSnakeLv 68 years ago
Certainly, if you have had a Yahoo! Answers account for seven years, you are WAAAAAAAAAYYYY too old to be listening to screamo. That stuff's for kids.
