Listening Notes: Special Emo & Hardcore

For this session, I decided to step into emo and hardcore territory—clearly not my natural habitat, even though most of the picks lean toward emo.

So, did anything manage to win over someone who prefers the more emotional, atmospheric side?

Let’s see.

/brainrot/ – Комбикорм / Враг (2024)

70%

Opening the list is Russian chaotic metallic hardcore band /brainrot/.

They deliver two solid, meaty hardcore tracks—not just raw noise for the sake of it. Fairly heavy, but not excessively feral. The groovy riffs still make it suitable for moshing rather than pure chaos.

That’s honestly all I can say due to my limited references in this lane. Fans of Hatebreed and similar bands will probably enjoy /brainrot/ more than I do.

Highlight: Комбикорм

Amukredam – The Album (2021)

75%

Emo? Ah ... 

Musically, I can appreciate it because it aligns somewhat with post-rock characteristics. But like post-punk, the emotionally strained, frustrated, almost angry vocal style—sometimes bordering on shouting—doesn’t fully sit well with me. That also applies here, even though Amukredam comes from Jakarta.

Moments I genuinely appreciate include the spoken word passages in “Arrival” and “Departure,” plus the guest female vocals: Stephanie Mamonto on “The Art of Natural Dy(e)ing” and Aldhia Wolf on “Nothing’s Fun Under the Sun.”

For safer emo-style vocals (without screaming), “Musim Dingin” works best, especially with its spoken word touches. The most chaotic and rage-filled track is clearly “The Mighty Don’t Kneel.”

Reference-wise, I can only think of local act Senja Dalam Prosa and, more vaguely, Svalbard.

Highlight: Arrival, Musim Dingin, The Art of Natural Dy(e)ing, Nothing’s Fun Under the Sun, Departure

Apousia – Demo (2022)

60%

From Indonesia to Belgium, we move into deeper emotional territory with Apousia’s demo.

The music itself sounds light and raw, very DIY in production. However, the vocals feel extremely pressured and depressive, creating a cold, suffocating atmosphere—much like the cover artwork suggests. Unfortunately, it doesn’t reach me on a personal level.

There’s not much more to say about this screamo demo. Hopefully, a more solid release will follow in the future.

Highlight: -

Belleza – Iluvia (2022)

65%

Belleza takes things further into emoviolence territory. At times, the music bursts forward aggressively, accompanying tortured vocals just as intense as Apousia’s. Production-wise, it’s better.

Still, once again, this UK band doesn’t leave a lasting effect on me.

Highlight: -

Needless To Say – Bourgeoisie (2006)

70%

An album from California experimental punk/post-hardcore band Needless To Say, with five additional electronic tracks.

Calling it trancecore or nintendocore would be inaccurate—it doesn’t fully commit to either. Fans of mathcore like Between the Buried and Me, The Dillinger Escape Plan, or Alesana meet I See Stars might find it more appealing.

The music is energetic and expressive, but not necessarily fueled by overwhelming rage. The electronic elements function more as interludes than fully integrated layers. For an underground 2000s release, the production quality is surprisingly solid.

In short, interesting—but not exactly for me.

Highlight: Moonlight Romance

Postumpartum – As It Lives, They Leave (2026)

80%

Closing the session is another Indonesian emo band: Postumpartum from Yogyakarta.

This five-track EP resembles Amukredam in some ways—spoken word passages, post-rock-style instrumentals, and emotional screams. There’s even a faster drum rhythm in “Nothing I” that almost leans into blackened territory.

I initially planned to focus only on the post-rock or clean vocal moments, but overall, this EP is hard to dismiss. Even so, “Discolored Memoria” might rank lowest for me due to its somewhat hoarse screaming.

Still, this is the one that comes closest to winning me over emotionally.

Highlight: mostly all

Final Thoughts

Did anything truly conquer my heart?

Not entirely—but Postumpartum came the closest, largely because they balance emotional weight with textures I’m already comfortable with (post-rock elements and atmosphere).

As someone who gravitates toward emotional depth rather than sheer catharsis or aggression, I suppose I’m still searching for that perfect emo release that leans more into melancholy than fury.