Since 2025 marks the 25th year of existence for Aversionline, I wanted to try and look back on some music that I was spewing words about æons ago. 2001 was more than likely Aversionline's busiest year. If memory serves, I had been laid off early in the year, and was only sporadically securing freelance work. This led to me selling loads of CDs to stay afloat—some of which I've been unable to track down for repurchase to this day—but, I certainly had plenty of time to write hundreds and hundreds of record reviews and interview at least 60 bands!? Except for me having occasionally been a regrettable asshole who was insensitive and over-critical at times (my sincere apologies), those were the days! Here's a semi-synopsis of Aversionline v1.0 circa 2001.
Some of What I Loved the Most...
Agents of Man, AOM>EP01 (On the Rise Records)
"I almost had a heart attack when I found out about this band, because Agents of Man features the vocalist and guitarist from Train of Thought, an old New Jersey hardcore group that was practically ignored throughout the '90s, despite being one of the most inventive and emotional bands of the time period, and one of my all-time favorites. Agents of Man continues along that same path, but even better, taking things to further extremes at both ends of the spectrum."
Monumentally "big deal" release for me, and a fitting coincidence that it happens to be first in line here alphabetically. I've said it before and I'll say it again that the Agents of Man family tree of bands are so important to me. Some of the most criminally underrated musicians and songwriters ever associated with hardcore. Years ahead of their time.
Alarum, Promo 2001 (Self-Released)
"If you've ever been a fan of progressive metal that leans toward the more aggressive side of things, you owe it to yourself to find out more about these masterminds. I see no reason why this band won't be heralded alongside classics such as Cynic, Atheist, or Anacrusis if they're given the proper support that they so obviously deserve."
Incredible, oft-overlooked progressive metal from Australia. This two-song demo isn't online, so I'm including the final rendition of this song, which was eventually released in 2004. Awesomely, Alarum is still active, and just released their latest album a few months ago!
Fairweather, If They Move... Kill Them (Equal Vision Records)
"I love melodic hardcore with emo tendencies that retains a heavy sound with a precise recording! This reminds me of The Movielife, because it's the same type of poppy/melodic delivery with excellent, higher-pitched singing vocals. These guys write great riffs, and really build up the force with a slightly different writing approach."
Still love this album. A superb example of top-shelf early-2000s "emocore" that doesn't seem to get mentioned as often these days—perhaps because the band grew away from this style afterward?
Further Seems Forever, The Moon is Down (Tooth & Nail Records)
"This is hands down one of the Top 5 emo/indie recordings I have ever heard in my life! I can't put into words how great this is: emotional, forceful, catchy... this just rocks. I fully love this CD. I purchased it after hearing only one track, and I've already listened to the entire album a million times in two days."
I stand by every word. At this point, I might even argue that it's Top 3 in the emo/indie realm. Fucking fantastic on every level. Masterpiece.
Katatonia, Last Fair Deal Gone Down (Peaceville)
"Katatonia is finally back with more of that dark and gloomy rock they've been dishing out for a few years now. Their change in style may have been drastic and without warning but I, for one, love their new direction. While not as immediately catchy or soulful as Tonight's Decision or Discouraged Ones, Last Fair Deal Gone Down is a solid effort from the very start."
It seems that I was slightly slow to recognize it at the time, but in retrospect Katatonia's output from 1996 - 2006 has become some of my favorite go-to music over the years.
Killswitch Engage, Killswitch Engage (Ferret Music)
"Why in the hell aren't more people talking about this band? I should have picked this up months ago! Ripping melodic metal featuring ex-members of Overcast, Aftershock, and Corrin. But this absolutely destroys all of their previous bands. I'm not kidding! Equal parts pure metal, chugga-styled metallic hardcore, chaotic dissonance, and well-honed melodic excellence... I listened to this thing 20 times or more in the first two days alone, which is almost unheard of. Watch out for this one..."
Absolute game-changer. Another band that I'm still following closely over two decades later. Eager to hear the brand new album in a week or so, in fact!
Life in a Burn Clinic, Individual Rites (Prosthetic Records)
"Hyper fucking hardcore/punk from this insane California three-piece! Combine the blasting elements of classic hardcore/metal crossover and throw in a modern approach to writing with both dissonance and fluid changes... A lot of ground is covered in each track, they really don't sit in one place for long at all."
Totally remember being excited about this disc—and still have it—but honestly haven't listened to it in a very long time. Oops. I'll remedy that situation ASAP!
Mínus, Jesus Christ Bobby (Smekklysa)
"This Icelandic band sounds somewhat similar to Botch or early Cave In, with more abrasive production and noisy experimentation, and a great deal of diversity... Mínus offers up a plethora of riffs that transition between rhythmic chunks and note-filled technical runs, held together by a tight rhythm section. The vocals rest under heavy layers of distortion and are generally unrelenting screams, though spoken word and singing are also common."
Coincidentally, I had already been circling back around to the Mínus discography recently. Just re-bought Halldór Laxness last year, actually.
Nora, Loser's Intuition (Trustkill)
"Holy shit... I liked the last EP, but this kills! The disc kicks off immediately and never lets up: rhythmic and diverse hardcore with equal parts discordant noise and solid, catchy riffing with hints of unique melody interspersed throughout. And don't forget those unnerving screaming vocal attacks."
Knew that I was long overdue to throw on some Nora. Went to grab this album off the shelf and... it wasn't there!? Shamefully, all of my Nora discs appear to be... gone. Shit. Well, off to Discogs I go!
Novembers Doom, The Knowing (Dark Symphonies)
"Whoa... this immediately destroys me! Completely melodic, dark, doom metal with a Katatonia/Opeth flare showing forth, but certainly not overshadowing the band's own originality. There's a great variety of styles from slow, punishing tempos with dismal harmonies and spoken/clean vocals to faster death metal à la Opeth with thick chords and complex structures and rabid midrange growls."
100% holds up. Such an excellent gem of melodic doom/death. I still jam this disc fairly often.
Santa Sangre, Feast for the New Gods (Eulogy Recordings)
"Mega-brutal metalcore with full-on force and some truly evil inspiration. This shit is ridiculously heavy, I'm shocked. Moderately paced with a few groove riffs, but wow... It's very rare that something like this harnesses so much fury and emotion with almost no melody whatsoever, and vocals that rely on relentless lower-range shouting."
I don't revisit this one as often as some of the members' other efforts, but I should change that. Still strikes me as "mega-brutal"!
Vic 20, Release Candidate (Self-Released)
"...some bizarre, heavy textures and vocals that jump from screaming to speaking to actual singing, with rhythmic patterns abound... The musicianship is definitely top-notch. There are tons of technical guitar runs from melodic tapping parts, to clean breaks, or even Cynic-esque riffing... I'm shocked by the variety!"
A lesser-known metalcore obscurity out of the Bronx, NY. R.I.P. John Murren, thanks for all the killer music recommendations.
Warhorse, As Heaven Turns to Ash... (Southern Lord)
"Be not misled by the opening track of quaint, melodic acoustic guitars... for what awaits you is a monumental apocalypse of pure, unholy doom. Warhorse kicks some absolutely filthy, de-tuned sludge with guttural vocals. The tempo is usually somewhere in the middle, to varying degrees. They do pick up the pace sometimes, but they certainly never venture into any considerably high speeds."
Still as destructively crushing as ever. An unsung classic.
Other Stuff That Got Me Hyped...
Ananda, Profane (Overcome Records)
"Ananda performs fucking loud, sludgy, over-the-top metalcore with unrivaled intensity! There's a very heavy death metal influence on occasion, with both speed and dissonant chord progressions. The vocals are abrasive shouts that must destroy the throat! Tons of changes in time signatures, tempo, and styles... imagine a combination of Isis, Ire, Gorguts, and a whole lot of fast, grinding hardcore à la His Hero is Gone."
Whoa, I had forgotten about this one! I don't know where I came up with that Gorguts reference, right now I'd replace that with a dash of Acme, but... this disc is still a crusher, for sure.
Barbaro, Barbaro (Hydra Head Records)
"All-out rock with choppy rhythms and snarling singing vocals, driving bass lines, and swirling, fuzzy guitars. The sound is huge, crystal-clear, and perfect all around. This is very original material, I've never heard anything quite like this. Similar things, sure, but this is the real deal. Catchy choruses, but the music is not at all poppy, just an abrasive ass-kicking."
Superb and vastly underrated band. I still highly recommend their entire discography.
Blackmouth, Blackmouth (Crowd Control Activities)
"Musically, the compositions are very structured—containing beats, synth patterns, as well as loops and more spontaneous noise elements. There's a healthy variety in the vocals, some spoken, some sung, etc.—at times becoming extremely aggressive, but always carrying specific emotions that parallel the subject matter, dealing with twisted human relationships."
Pretty sure I was unaware of the significance of Jarboe's involvement at the time. On occasion this material can be just a tad "too much," but a really killer atmospheric outing overall.
Burnt by the Sun, Burnt by the Sun (Relapse Records)
"This fucking rules! An extremely fast, extremely heavy, extremely precise ass-kicking of immeasurable proportions! A million breakneck changes from odd-timed chunks of rhythmic dissonance, to graspable patterns of pure metal riffery. Every once in a while they smack you in the face with a split-second burst of melody, only to turn around and kick you in the gut for falling for it."
Another band that I flipped for back then, but haven't come back to as often over the years. I'm certainly overdue to take another swim through the Burnt by the Sun discography soon...
Down My Throat, Real Heroes Die (Full House Records)
"In-your-face metalcore from Finland, and this shit packs a punch! This is definitely one of the best releases I've heard from the genre lately, and the band clearly deserves more attention. Real Heroes Die is chock full of vicious mosh breaks and crunchy metal riffs, all forceful and memorable."
Crucial release, as I believe this was the album that set off my years-long love affair with the Finnish metalcore scene. Full House Records was just outstanding at that time, and I'm still tempted to argue that Finland was on top from 2000 - 2010.
Halo, Guattari (From the West Flows Grey Ash and Pestilence) (Relapse)
"Mid-period Neurosis is definitely a loose point of comparison, but Halo is far more twisted and abstract. Open-minded extreme music fans, specifically those with interests that rest within both 'traditional music' and experimental noise should seek this out at all costs."
Damn, I can't even remember the last time I spun this—perhaps in part because I've lost some steam on metal that can tend toward the droningly abstract and experimental. I'm curious to break this out and see how it strikes me decades later...
Propagandhi, Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes (Fat Wreck Chords)
"Finally... I've been waiting years and years for this, and it was worth every minute. 14 tracks of technical punk mastery, not to mention their sarcastic sense of humor. I don't think it's possible for Propagandhi to disappoint..."
Sometimes I forget, but the fact of the matter is that Propagandhi has been one of my absolute favorite bands ever since I was a teenager. Painful, the degree to which their lyrics are still so applicable to present circumstances.
Scissorfight, Mantrapping for Sport and Profit (Tortuga Recordings)
"More burly, all-out rock from these gritty kings of disaster. This is easily their most diverse and accomplished offering to date... it sort of reminds me just a bit of earlier Clutch at times, just not so abrasive, while some of the slower, more groove-oriented runs bring Fudge Tunnel to mind (musically, in both cases)."
Oh, man, now this is a blast from the past! I haven't listened to Scissorfight in sooo long! Why!? Coming soon to a playlist near me!
Skycamefalling, 10.21 (Ferret Music)
"A lot of bands have been striving for something similar to this for a few years now, while only a handful have succeeded. Skycamefalling is one of them... as this effort is far more mature—both lyrically and musically—than many. Damn good. I'm very impressed, and this is highly recommended."
At some point, I went to throw this CD in the stereo and discovered that I no longer owned it. Finally landed a replacement copy two or three years ago, and this time: it stays. Nice to see that this band seems to be fondly remembered, and has received a good bit of posthumous shine in recent years.
Tragedy, Tragedy (Self-Released)
"Most are probably aware that Tragedy features former members of the mighty His Hero is Gone, and this is easily right up there with their best in my book. Retaining the melody and dissonance of His Hero is Gone with faster, more straightforward structures. There are varying degrees of complexity, though, with tempos varying more often than not. And yes, that same multi-vocal attack is all here, screaming like no other..."
Vengeance is my top pick overall, but this one damn sure set the tone. Legends.
Ulver, Perdition City (Jester Records)
"To say that Ulver is a diverse force is just not fitting enough, in fact there is no word for the type of creative genius exhibited by this act. To play the most primal of black metal efforts such as Nattens Madrigal against Perdition City and know that both were spawned from the same mind is absolutely incomprehensible!"
Still my favorite album from the ultimate shapeshifters. 3:58 - 5:21 of "...The Scars of Cold Kisses" remains one of the most badass vocal performances I've ever heard in my life. I mean, holy shit. Whew.
Vintersorg, Cosmic Genesis (Napalm Records)
"Wow, this is some highly unusual and very melodic death/black metal with an enormous dose of progressive rock thrown in... This is my first exposure to Vintersorg, and I'm truly impressed. Their brand of energetic songs is something that I fully appreciate coming from this particular genre, especially when balanced with a more aggressive side."
Maybe it was in part the peak of my "I ♥ Sweden" fandom, but I do recall being pretty into Vintersorg for a few years there. I don't have the stamina for certain facets of this niche these days, but I will say: I totally remember the chorus to the title track, so I should give this another shot.
