Strictly Ballroom - Discography (1994-1999)

    Strictly Ballroom was a hardcore/post-rock band from Los Angeles, California who formed in 1994 and reformed as Arca around 2000. The band included Brian Tamborello of Embassy, Ochre and Incurable Complaint on drums from 94-95. The band released one 12"/CD, three 7"s, and then a digital discography in 2013 years after their split. They also had tracks on a few compilations.

    Strictly Ballroom had a unique sound that's hard to accurately describe. At the time, fans described them as "Enocore" due to their similarities to Brian Eno's soundscaping mixed with the influence of hardcore. Their slow, moody guitar that builds in energy throughout their tracks is very post-rock reminiscent, but their softly sung vocals violently erupt into screams when least expected. In their early releases, they lean more toward the hardcore sound with some post-rock elements, but as they went on they leaned more and more toward the post-rocky sound. 

    Their focus on soundscaping and complex instrumentals diverged them from most hardcore bands at the time, but they still have some key elements of 90s hardcore. There aren't many bands I'd compare them to. Funeral Diner was another band that merged elements of post-rock with hardcore, but Strictly Ballroom veered much farther toward the post-rock side. 

    Strictly Ballroom's abrupt transitions between soft and melancholic to raw, passionate screams never cease to give me chills. Their sound was definitely one that blazed a new trail through the hundreds of mediocre hardcore bands in the 90s. 

Discography

Hand Made Words Compilation

S/T 7" 1995 (Chou-Chou Records)

I Love... 7" 1996 (I Am An Idiot)

Hide Here Forever 12"/CD 1997 (Waxploitation)

Handmade Words Compilation 12" 1995 (Toyland Records)

Summer Day In June - Discography (1994-2000)

    Summer Day In June was a hardcore band from Auch, France who were active through most of the 90s. Members were also in a multitude of French grindcore bands such as Tennis Bastard, Tekken and Los Suppozitos. Despite their many active years, Summer Day In June only released one CD, one 7" and one demo and appeared on a few compilations. 

    Summer Day In June had a sound that evolved throughout their releases, but remained uconsitently under the influence of emotional hardcore. Their CD leans more toward that intense "emocore" sound with shrill, painstaking vocals whereas their 7" had a more fast-paced punky sound to it. Their demo recording is very rough and featured a drum machine. 

    Despite most of my favourite hardcore bands being from France, the plethora of great French bands seemed to drop off after the mid-90s, or at least my knowledge of good bands ends there. I found Summer Day In June's 7" at a store in Vancouver and realizing it was French I had high hopes for it, which they really lived up to. 

    Though they have a vastly different sound from the early 90s French scene (ie. Anomie, Weep, Undone etc), Summer Day In June continued to hold up France's reputation for mind-blowingly good hardcore. Perhaps because less noteworthy bands were around in the early 2000s when they released their recordings, Summer Day In June remains buried below the surface. If you like French hardcore or really any emotionally driven hardcore you should definitely check these guys out. 

Discography

S/T 7" 1999 (Opale Records)

S/T CD 2000 (Wee Wee, Palmipède Graphics)

Words A Game - Discography (1993-1995)

    Words A Game was an emotional hardcore band who were active in the mid-90s. The band shared members with Owltian Mia, The Candyland Carcrash and Moxa. They only ever released one demo tape and one 12"/CD before they split up and went on into different bands, but what they did release was noteworthy.

    Words A Game definitely has s similar sound to Owltian Mia, however something about their work stands out to me a little more. They have a raw, very emotionally driven sound, flip-flopping between softer, sung "emo" vocals and abruptly raw screams. They're one of those bands that, though they are considered hardcore, they're so different from what most would think of in relation to the genre, they almost need their own separate genre. 

    Their 12" release has a very passionate feel to it, the music is filled with personality and emotion. Even though Owltian Mia is much more popular than Words A Game, something about their music just clicks with me more. 

Discography

S/T CD 1995/12" 2019 (Idles Of March, Coin Toss Records, Par.ti.ci.ple)

Demo Tape 1994 (Self-Released)