Year-end Guest Post: Philly Post-hardcore Band AMORA Share Their Favorite Albums & Singles of 2022 (Heading East Records)
It's funny how things work out sometimes. My friend, Omarey, and I went to a The Color Fred Bend to Break 15-year Anniversary Show at Underground Arts in Philly back in mid-November. Both long-time fans of Fred Mascherino (ex-Taking Back Sunday, Breaking Pangaea) and going primarily for his not one, but TWO bands on the bill—his current band, The Color Fred, and long-defunct super-group Terrible Thing's first show in 11 years—we admittedly didn't know any of the other bands on the night's bill. We got there early and got some beers and Liquid Deaths before the show started. Omarey & I were treated to an impromptu one-song solo set from Liam Frost from Oceans In The Sky, who is signed to Fred's recently-launched label imprint, Heading East Records. Next up were openers AMORA, whom I had never heard of before, but we're f***ing fantastic! See, this is why you must trust the musical tastes and overall judgement of your favorite artists to pick solid. like-minded artists. AMORA are a bunch of young cats rocking their a$$es off that really do feel, like Refused once said, "The Shape of Punk to Come."
It's hard to explain their feverish sound in one coherent sentence, but I'd say it falls somewhere in-between Post-hardcore pioneers Touché Amoré and early 2000's Hawthorne Heights Screamo with a dash of Henry Rollins-era Black Flag. After their set and in-between bands, I went back to the merch booth and got to meet AMORA frontman Billy Zee and guitarist Chris Swanson. They were both really sweet dudes and I bought a super-limited edition copy of their recent Heading East EP, Cutting Teeth, on hand-dubbed cassette tape. Chris & I exchanged compliments about each other's My Chemical Romance (MCR) T-shirts, as well as Instagram handles, and relaized we attended the same MCR show at the Wells Fargo Center back in the summer. I've been messaging back-and-forth with both Billy & Chris since that fateful November night and we've been chatting about doing some cool coverage together. Now, while their latest Fred Mascherino-produced EP, Cutting Teeth, is fantastic, I'm not really doing a proper year-end list feature this holiday season for The Witzard. So, we collectively agreed to just have AMORA's own Nick Magidson, Bryan Rodriguez, Chris Swanson, Tristan Wikler, and Billy Zee pick their personal favorite albums and singles from throughout 2022. So, check out Nick, Bryan, Chris, Tristan & Billy's selections down below. AMORA's Cutting Teeth EP is now available on Heading East Records.
Nick Magidson (Bass/Vocals)
Enter Shikari – "Bull" [Feat. Cody Frost]
"For being one of the two singles they released in about two years, it was so worth the wait. As they are my favorite band, they, yet again, blew me away without hesitation."
Bryan Rodriguez (Drums/Vocals)
KOYO – "Straight North"
EDITOR'S NOTE: Bryan was too busy working in Santa's Workshop this holiday season helping Santa and his gang of merry elves get ready for Christmas to provide us with any commentary on his pick... but wanted everyone to know he thoroughly enjoyed KOYO's "Straight North" from their latest Pure Noise Records EP, Ten Digits Away, this past year.
Chris Swanson (Guitar/Vocals)
Drug Church - Hygiene
Favorite Song: "Detective Lieutenant"
"I got into Drug Church a little later than I'd like to admit. I remember listening to Hygiene the day it came out at, like, 9:00am at the laundromat. My favorite track is "Detective Lieutenant;" love the more brooding vibe. Overall, great tones and great words from front to back."
Tristan Wikler (Guitar/Vocals)
Silverstein - Misery Made Me
Favorite song: Die Alone" [Feat. Andrew Neufeld]
"Anytime this band puts out a record, there's a good chance it at least ends up in my Top 5 for the year, but this one just takes the cake. It's the heaviest and catchiest, I think, the band has ever been and I'm so happy to hear an album that manages to sound modern without sounding like a cash-grab. The riffs are tight [and] the lyrics hit. It's just a sick record. "The bee's knees," "the cat's pajamas," if you will."
Billy Zee (Vocals)
Pianos Become The Teeth - Drift
Favorite Song: "Pair"
"Pianos [Become The Teeth] has been a band I loved in every era they embraced. It might be "anti-Screamo" of me to say this, but their newer sound is incredible compared to their old sound (still love those heavy records, too.) I think they continue to push themselves in their writing and it shows with every release. The flow of the record, Drift, is super-captivating and takes you through one long night with the beginning of "Pair" feeling like you just finished that all-nighter and you're watching the sun rise. Some of the new AM0RA lyric ideas I have been sitting on are inspired by this record, as their unique, melancholic, yet [out-there] writing style makes you really think and feel."
Comments
Post a Comment