Halloween Hardcore Concert at Emilio's - 10/23/2026
The kids will be alright
The Illusion of Heavy: Why Modern Metalcore is Dying of Indifference
Modern heavy music has mistaken gimmicks for innovation and polish for substance. While algorithms reward manufactured spectacle, bands with genuine ambition prove heavy music can still have teeth.
The House That Built Me: Introducing My 13-Year-Old to the Violence of the Pit
After ten years away from hardcore, I took my 13-year-old stepdaughter to see Knocked Loose in Nashville. What began as her introduction to my world became an unexpected homecoming for me.
The Backlog
Backlog too big? We've all been there.
What Happened to Our Underoath
Underoath has never been a band afraid of change. The problem is that, somewhere after the reunion, that evolution stopped feeling natural. I don’t want the old Underoath back. I just miss when their music sounded like it came from somewhere they actually needed to go.
Japanese Storytelling vs Western Storytelling
The beauty of telling a story is it can follow many structures, and understanding how the author goes about this can make you appreciate it just that much more.
Crossing the Great Line: How Underoath Changed Metalcore Production
Define the Great Line proved that polish wasn’t the problem. You could make something enormous, crystal-clear, layered, atmospheric, and meticulously produced without making it feel safe. Nearly twenty years later, that’s what so many bands are still missing. Metalcore doesn’t need to become less polished. It just needs to remember how to be dangerous.
The Magic of a Hardcore Show
Hardcore shows fill a social void that is, if not ignored, outright cast aside as unnecessary.
Blood Meridian: The Most Stubborn Adaptation
Blood Meridian by Cormac Mccarthy is one of the most notorious examples of a book that has faced challenges in being adapted into film. Its dense and rich subtext paired with its a...