Read more: 10 criminally underrated blink-182 songs

5. Johnny Ramone

Even though Ramones songs are relatively simple, Johnny Ramone’s playing isn’t easily imitated. The mop-haired guitarist famously played steady downstrokes at dizzying speeds, which became all the more impressive when witnessing the band’s tight live shows. Besides a few outliers like “Baby I Love You” and “Danny Says,” most Ramones’ songs relied on acceleration and brevity, and Johnny created a legacy that still rings out today. His playing went on to influence the genesis of pop punk, which can be heard on their 1977 album Rocket to Russia. 

4. Brian Baker

Brian Baker is a versatile guitarist whose CV is bursting with stints in Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Government Issue, Bad Religion, and beyond. “This whole journey is based on right place, right time, and luck, for the most part. I didn’t realize I was a professional musician until I’d been one for 20 years,” he told Guitar World in 2022. That journey mainly started when he joined Carlos Santana onstage in Detroit when he was 12, jamming along to “Black Magic Woman” and bolstering the idea that becoming a working musician was a possibility.

3. Ray Toro

My Chemical Romance possess a diverse discography, culminating in tons of memorable riffs and solos. It helps that lead guitarist Ray Toro can really shred, like on the opening solo of “Dead!” He cites Brian May as one of his biggest influences, which is best heard throughout The Black Parade, but he can also get darker and heavier or poppy and punk, depending on the song. Consider his playing on “It’s Not A Fashion Statement, It’s A Death Wish” or the Bullets cut “Headfirst for Halos.” But Toro is an even more formidable player when matched with Frank Iero, where they tag-team to create an intricate balance that makes the music sound even bigger.

2. Tom DeLonge

Besides his signature whine and fascination with the extraterrestrial, Tom DeLonge also has a reputation for his guitar chops. His playing is far from technical, often goofing off and playing some wrong notes live, but he possesses a style all his own that’s felt across blink-182, Box Car Racer, and Angels & Airwaves. In particular, DeLonge knows exactly how to serve his own songwriting, leaning into simple chords that pack an emotional punch, but he can also play palm mutes and fast downstrokes. Overall, he’s a distinctive player our readers love, so of course he would be voted onto this list.

1. Frank Iero

Frank Iero is beloved by our readers, so it makes total sense that they voted him the best punk guitarist. As he told us in his Oral History Issue, he spent weekends cleaning his great uncle’s smoke-caked drum cymbals in the basement while listening to records, which created an obsession with music and vinyl. That love drew him to early bands like Sector 12 and Pencey Prep before he made his mark in My Chemical Romance. It’s easy to say that Iero is a fantastic player, but as we mentioned above, it’s his easy chemistry with Toro that makes their twin attack so unmatched.

“It’s a fickle thing to want to be identifiable yet feel strangled by the idea of being boxed into one singular identity,” says Kat Moss, the lime green-haired frontwoman of Santa Cruz hardcore outfit Scowl. It’s a heavy, honest sentiment she throws out, one felt by many hard-working artists in the industry, and certainly beyond. It’s this type of truism that we see, and hear, from Moss and her band that has allowed them to straddle being both a band’s band and an audience favorite since their start. In real time, Moss and her bandmates — Malachi Greene, Mikey Bifolco, Bailey Lupo, and Cole Gilbert — are making their way through Europe on tour, celebrating their anthemic third EP, Psychic Dance Routine, and sharing their defiantly charged sound and dedicated, expressive live performance with a world that every day is accepting hardcore further into their hearts.

Read more: 15 best modern hardcore bands for day one fans

Observing the wave that is heavy music and the hardcore scene crashing down on a wider audience than ever before, Scowl sit at its crest. Since the release of their first self-titled EP in 2019, the group have garnered attention and acclaim from those within the community and beyond, accruing fans like Post Malone and Travis Barker, alternative legends the band’s members grew up listening to and venerating themselves. In four short years, they’ve found themselves in a series of pinch-me moments — from a DM of admiration from Fred Durst that led to an opening slot touring with Limp Bizkit to a shoutout from Hayley Williams on her podcast Everything is Emo. For the band, and the Santa Cruz hardcore scene they came from, it’s been a whirlwind that’s all too easy to get swept up in. However, they’ve made sure to remember where they came from. 

For the cover story, Alternative Press followed the band around their beachfront hometown on the eve of the European leg of their tour. While on the road, eager to express their gratitude and reignite inspiration new and old while juggling time zones and exhaustion, Moss and Greene conversed with yet another Scowl fan-cum-alternative icon and personal hero — who also happened to be touring — Frank Iero, guitarist of supergroup L.S. Dunes and My Chemical Romance. 

First off, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. I know this can be an exciting experience but also a bit soul-sucking at the same time. Also, I’m flattered to have been asked to do this with you. I will try my best to not waste your time or make you wish you never asked me.

KAT MOSS: Thanks for taking the time to come up with such thoughtful questions! We are so grateful, especially considering how challenging it is to find time to do this stuff when on tour, taking care of physical and mental health, and just being a human! 

In other interviews I’ve seen, I know most members of Scowl have been in other bands around the scene, but Kat, if I’m not mistaken, you said this is your first band. How did the connection between members come to be? Why did you feel this was the band? And what, if any, were your expectations when starting Scowl?

MOSS: Correct! Everyone had at least a few years of experience playing in DIY hardcore bands — except me! The only musical experience I previously had was high school choir. I met Malachi (guitar) and Cole (drums) around roughly the same time. They were playing in a band I love from Santa Cruz called Jawstruck. I had always wanted to be in a band. I just didn’t know how that reality would unfold. I was active in the Bay Area/Northern California hardcore scene for a little over a year, often going to shows alone. I actually met Malachi at a Gilman show in Berkeley! It didn’t take long for me to open up to Malachi and express my interest in playing in a band. I had zero expectations besides a few “bucket list” goals. This was my mindset:

• Play shows with our friends: Drain, Gulch, Sunami, Hands of God, Jawstruck, No Right, etc. 
• Maybe even open for some of my favorite hardcore bands like Gorilla Biscuits or Terror! 
• Tour as much as possible 
• Play my favorite hardcore fest, Sound and Fury! 
• Play a show at 924 Gilman
• I mean it when I say I truly had no idea what was in store for us when it came to our opportunities. 

Music is a beautiful and interesting vocation. It’s coveted by many and misunderstood by more. Some people who do it for a living never expected it to be their main job, and many who would do anything to be where we are will never get the shot they deserve or are hoping for. Was this something you always wanted to do with your lives? If not, what has been your passion? And lastly, if for some reason the ability to play music was taken from you tomorrow, what would you want to do with your remaining days?

MOSS: I could never decide what exactly I wanted to do with my life growing up. All I knew is I had to be in a creative career. I struggled in school and never graduated high school. The message I received from the world was that I didn’t have many options. So I always imagined myself as an artist, whether that be a hobby or a job. For a long time, music felt like a club I just didn’t get invited into, something I’d only consume — never participate. Every day I’m surprised and endlessly grateful to play music at all! If I wasn’t able to play music, I’d like to pursue fashion design, work in illustration, or become a makeup artist.

Was there a specific show or band you saw that made you want to start playing music or say, “Damn, I need to be up on a stage doing that”?

MOSS: I apologize for how cliche this is going to sound, but My Chemical Romance was that band for me! Scenes from the Life On The Murder Scene documentary feel burned into my brain. It left a huge impression on me and led me inevitably down the line of punk and hardcore bands. I discovered Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, [and] Negative Approach and modern bands like Ceremony, Power Trip, [and] Incendiary. I consumed everything I could: books, zines, documentaries, even defunct internet forums. I wanted to jump in a van with a bunch of my friends, scream, sweat, and dance in random basements or VFW halls. I went to countless concerts and Warped Tours, but DIY shows were the most inspiring to me. Any band could get up there and do it! That was huge for me. I didn’t have to be technically good or talented because that wasn’t the point of punk music. 

Growing up in New Jersey, the shadow of the Misfits loomed large, as did the NYHC scene, but then at some point so did The Sopranos and Jersey Shore. So people would hear where my band was from and expect these caricatures of the things they heard about on TV. Admittedly, when I hear Santa Cruz, my brain immediately goes to skateboards and Lost Boys. But I’m sure there’s so much more… What do you wish people knew about where you’re from, cutting your teeth in the Santa Cruz scene, and what are things you would like to stop seeing in article titles or props in proposed photo shoots?

MOSS: I love the fact that you brought this up! I’m not even from Santa Cruz, and while I’ll wave the flag proudly, I won’t deny being a transplant in this city. I love the sunny beach, surfing, and boardwalks, but I don’t feel it connects much to my identity or Scowl’s identity. Sometimes I grow tired of go-go boots and daisies. I just try to see it as an opportunity to try something new. It’s a fickle thing to want to be identifiable yet feel strangled by the idea of being boxed into one singular identity! 

MALACHI GREENE: It’s tough to say because I love all those things! I don’t mind them being staples for the town. I grew up skating and surfing, and it’s for sure a huge part of the town. I wish more people knew Killer Klowns from Outer Space was filmed here. I wish more people knew the struggles of Santa Cruz and the rising houseless population due to the wage gap, rent increases, and lack of mental health support for those in need. It’s painted as a sunny town with a beach and boardwalk, but there’s struggles for those who live here that get overlooked often. So many people here are forced out because of how hard it is to make ends meet. Plus, so many people buy up homes for vacation, and there’s already a lack of affordable housing. I love Santa Cruz, and it’s a beautiful place, but a lot gets brushed under the rug that shouldn’t, and there should be more support for the houseless and those struggling with mental health.

I imagine your band gets asked a lot about what your feelings are or what you feel your role is in female-fronted hardcore or with femininity being represented in the genre. I know there is a lot to be done and said before equality is actually achieved in all aspects, but I wonder if you are getting tired of answering those types of questions and wish you could just be seen as a band first. Or do you feel like the surface has not yet been scratched and it is partly your duty to continue the conversation? 

MOSS: I think two things can be true. I do find it tiring when it’s the only thing a stranger can speak to me about, but that exhaustion doesn’t mean I want to silence the conversation altogether. When Scowl started, I wanted to write lyrics about my experience, but not pigeonhole myself! It was scary at first to walk that tightrope. I feel it’s all of our personal duty to question the way we think and perceive these invisible structures, whether that be having the conversation or finding resources to educate ourselves, and I’m not afraid to help get the engine started on that. Lastly and most personally, I want to be perceived as a musician before “a girl in a band.”

I feel I might be a bit older than everyone in your band, and without trying to sound like the guy who had to walk through two miles of snow uphill in both directions to see his favorite band play… I do remember vividly that back in the day when a band decided to grow, evolve, and change up their style, the loud shrieks of “SELLOUT!” would be hurled from the lips of everyone in the room.

However, these days it seems to be much more embraced by the fans. With bands like Title Fight (as I’ve heard you mention in past interviews as an influence or at least being a fan of) taking fans on a lighter journey into more melodic and shoegaze-type feels, do you find it to be an easier road incorporating more melodic singing into the band’s sound? And Kat, do you find it to be a bit more liberating to now have a different style of singing that you can incorporate into your repertoire as a musician and songwriter?

MOSS: The scene has definitely become a bit more open-minded and welcoming to bands trying new things, new styles. It still results in a sort of chatter, but nothing compared to the stories I’ve read about! Thank god. 

I find it to be extremely liberating to try new things vocally and melodically! I’m still finding my voice, and there would be no joy in playing in a band if I denied myself the opportunity to experiment and be inspired by other genres and writing styles. All of my favorite artists challenge themselves, and I admire that about them. 

GREENE: People will always speculate on what selling out is, but we’ve always been true to ourselves and done what we’ve liked to do. I’m sure people say we have sold out for adding more melody! Bands have been adding melody and experimenting with genre since the start. Bad Brains, Hüsker Dü, 7 Seconds, Biohazard, and many more have done genre-bending songs or albums way before us. We’ve grown as musicians, and we’re able to add other influences because we learned to play a little better. If we didn’t evolve, it’d be stale. I think people are more open-minded now, and I think that’s because of bands before us, like the ones listed before, and more current bands like Ceremony, Code Orange, Title Fight, Turnstile, Trash Talk, Angel Du$t, and more who broke the mold and did shit their way. I love the creativity going on these days.

Growing up, there were certain labels that my friends and I became fans of as if they were bands. The quality control was so good, and the community they cultivated was so refined that it ensured whenever a new record was released or a new band was signed, you could almost guarantee it would be something that you could get behind and would dig. These days with labels like Triple B, Closed Casket, and your current home, a label like Flatspot, I was wondering if you felt like you were a part of something similar or reminiscent of that? 

MOSS: Something I love about hardcore is that I can rely on word of mouth or a DIY label to show me the way! I absolutely feel like the torch has been passed down with this unspoken tradition. Our subculture is sacred to us; I hope that feeling close to bands and the people playing the music never dies because you don’t get that with many other scenes. Creating those bonds is such a specific thing that makes it feel different and special, sheltered away from mass consumption or the challenges of the music industry. 

With what seems like such a fast and constant rise for your band, what are your favorite goals you have accomplished with Scowl? Are there any that still remain? Do you have a plan in place to achieve these goals? Does that somehow involve an endgame or an ending to the band?

GREENE: Honestly, my only goal was to play shows with my friends when we started. I wanted to tour and see new places. As we did that, things started happening, and cool opportunities arose that we couldn’t believe were happening! Playing Sound and Fury, to me, seemed like the biggest thing in the world, and I cherish that memory dearly. Playing MSG on the Limp Bizkit tour was something I never thought would happen, and I am still coming to terms with the fact that we got to play there. Even meeting some of my favorite bands on the road or [at] fests we’ve played together. I want to tour much more and continue to grow as a musician and as a band.

I have a lot of goals now, but in the start, I was just learning how to play guitar and perform. There are a lot of bands I’d love to tour with and places we haven’t played yet. The plan is to keep working at it until we get there. No end game planned for the band, and to be honest, I hope it never ends. For the first time in my life, I feel happy and part of something positive. I hope to keep that going for as long as possible.

MOSS: Certain things have happened scarily fast in Scowl’s world! I’m really happy we got to play Sound and Fury in 2022. That’s a huge personal milestone… Playing Coachella was also stupidly insane. Touring overseas, support tours with some of my favorite bands, writing an LP, even quitting my job to tour full time all fall on the list of favorite accomplishments. I’m a very goal-oriented person, so as I’ve checked off boxes, I’ve added more, touring Japan being at the top of the list, writing and recording LP 2, and to always do things that would make my younger self proud. 13-year-old Kat would not believe being on the cover of AP or being in a band for that matter!

I don’t see an end in sight, and because we never exclusively had a plan, I’m just enjoying the ride and finding beauty in every part of the experience, even the tough stuff like pressure and vulnerability. I want to do this as long as it makes me happy. At the end of the day, it’s about always finding gratitude.

For our Fall 2023 Issue, photographer Atiba Jefferson followed the band around their beachfront hometown of Santa Cruz, the place they found solace, and each other, in the DIY scene. 

Read more: 25 best albums of 2023 so far

In conversation with L.S. Dunes and My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero, Scowl frontwoman Kat Moss and guitarist Malachi Greene open up about their hardcore heroes, carrying the torch for the next generation, and seeing no end in sight. “Our subculture is sacred to us,” Moss says. “I hope that feeling close to bands and the people playing the music never dies because you don’t get that with many other scenes. Creating those bonds is such a specific thing that makes it feel different and special, sheltered away from mass consumption or the challenges of the music industry.” 

Preorder your copy today, and get an exclusive vinyl variant of Scowl’s Psychic Dance Routine here.

Stay tuned this week — the Fall 2023 Issue also comes with three alternate collectible covers, as well as stories on Jean Dawson, Shapel Lacy and Toby Morse, Genesis Owusu, and more. 

L.S. Dunes take over Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg

Gallery Credit: Devan Gallagher

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Devan Gallagher

L.S. Dunes

Formed during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, L.S. Dunes were an opportunity more than anything to defy creative and professional stagnation imposed by acts of nature out of their control, showing that anything is possible through strength in numbers. “We’re all very big champions and fans of one another,” Rule says over Zoom from his New Jersey home, reflecting on the genesis of his new band he formed with his close friends and collaborators. “Everyone who is in this project is our personal favorite at each instrument. The times were heavy with COVID and lockdowns, but when Anthony came in and laid down the first set of vocals, we knew this was going to be the shit.” With the touring industry on hold, all five of the self-proclaimed “lifers” or “road dogs” knew they had to lean into one thing they knew best: creating groundbreaking music. “We were faced with losing our jobs, but we said, ‘Fuck it, let’s create another job,’” Rule exclaims. 

Read more: The best punk albums of 2006, from My Chemical Romance to +44

Having extra time at home during the pandemic was pivotal for the five members to grow as musicians and friends, all while pushing their creative skills to new heights and breaking free from any imposed artistic limitations. “I saw this as an opportunity to experiment and do different stuff with my voice,” Green says with a grin on his face. “I wasn’t thinking about anything other than fun. I didn’t know how much I needed [L.S. Dunes].” For Green, music has always been a form of “therapy,” and this time around, he used the writing process for Past Lives as a means to “process things he was going through in his life,” channeled through the vehicle of “melodies, lyrics and poetry.” 

”[This band] was a place of solace for me and, in some ways, a gift. I’ve been wanting a band that sounds like this for such a long time,” Green explains. Iero felt similarly. “L.S. Dunes is unlike any band I’ve ever been in before. [With the pandemic], life stopped, and you had a bunch of people who really only knew how to do one thing, and then you’re told you can’t even do it anymore. Depression sinks in, and you get scared and wonder what the future is going to hold,” he adds. L.S. Dunes were a lifeline for the band that came with no ego.

While piecing the music together for Past Lives remotely, there was somewhat of a healthy competition, or an impulse if you will, for each member to bring their A-game and leave their unique mark on each track. It’s clear that the members of L.S. Dunes wanted to impress each other constantly and be the best friends possible to lean on both musically and personally, with Iero saying, “No one in this band is a slouch. They’re all accomplished musicians, so it really pushed you to want to do more. There were no rules other than to push yourself out of your comfort zone.”

During the early writing process, Green was dealing with self-esteem issues and the all-too-familiar impostor syndrome from the effect of the pandemic on his career, something he knew he would need to shake to make this record. Thankfully, the process of building L.S. Dunes from the ground up left him with a healthier mindset and a sense of rejuvenation. 

“I was having a tough time seeing through the trees. I went down this horribly self-destructive mentality where I thought I sucked, was never good and what I did never mattered. These are all real things that people go through, but Tucker, Travis, Frank and Tim helped me realize what was important, “ Green says. “It’s not about being the biggest band in the world; it’s about having people that care about you — that in and of itself is more than a lot of people can ask for in this world. To build something tangible with these people was such a joyous experience.” 

Once principal songwriting for the record was completed, the band enlisted esteemed producer Will Yip (Turnstile, Turnover) to help fully realize their vision and put their joint labor of love to tape. “Will Yip is this generation’s Rick Rubin,” Green says. “He’s never trying to make a song that is going to be a hit — he’s just trying to find what will make you happy as an artist.” However, this wasn’t without its fair share of hiccups, specifically for Iero, who was in the midst of a difficult medical situation. “I fell off a ladder at the end of the summer and was scheduled to record in September, so we had to put my studio time off until December,” Iero says when looking back at this hectic time period. 

“I was three weeks past my last surgery when I broke my wrist, so I still had some stitches in my hand when recording the record. I literally didn’t know if I was ever going to play guitar again,” he stresses. While Iero had his fair share of fears going into the recording process, he chose to instead treat the studio sessions as a “test” to see if he could still play, and miraculously, he passed with flying colors. “For me, it was a do-or-die moment [to make this record],” Iero says. Rule summarizes this period by saying, “We captured and controlled the chaos and bottled it into this whole insane process.” Knowing what it took to create Past Lives only adds further weight to the album as a whole and will forever be immortalized as a tale of perseverance, friendship and survival. 

After the record was completed, the band, who had only practiced together twice in the same room, agreed to jump on for a mid-day performance slot at this past September’s Riot Fest in Chicago — a daunting experience for any performer but especially for a highly anticipated first show. “Tucker really thought no one was going to watch us, and I was like, ‘I would love it if nobody was there!’ [Laughs.] I was really nervous about how my body was going to move to the songs,” Green says of his preshow jitters. “Every day leading up to the show, I would put my headphones on and listen to the set and creatively visualize the show happening by imagining me seeing how it would play out. Thankfully, when I finally got onstage, my body moved exactly in the way that it is comfortable.” 

Iero had even more on his plate, as his other band My Chemical Romance were headlining the festival later that night, and pulling double duty wasn’t how he envisioned L.S. Dunes’ debut live show. “This was not the position you would want to be in. For your first show to be a throw and go outside at a festival, it’s like, ‘Oh man, if I could set up a nightmare scenario, then there it is.’ However, it sounded great, it felt great and there were way more people than I ever thought there would be. It was the perfect storm,” Iero says with relief. 

With Past Lives officially out in the world, one thing’s for certain: This isn’t a one-and-done deal for the band. “I want to stress this as much as possible: This is not a supergroup or a side project,” Rule says. “This is our full-time thing. We have our own bands and will continue to do them, but we love this, too. The only reason this band is a supergroup is that we’re all super-buds.” Green expands on this, saying he wants to write “a hundred more records and tour more.” He even went as far as to reveal that the band have already begun work on what will become their next record. “I truly feel that this [record] is the best thing I can do at this point in my life, and I have never gotten sick of it every time I listen to it,“ Iero says with sincerity. “I love the people in this band and the songs that we made. This is something that I want to do as much as I can full time.”

Yves Tumor reinvents pop music made for graveyards

Whether they’re making splintering noise or projecting classic rock through a new lens, Yves Tumor creates spellbinding music with a sinister edge. Now, they return with their first new music of the year, “God Is a Circle.” The single is a rather ghoulish affair, beginning with a shriek right out of a Wes Craven movie. A relentless panting anchors the song as Tumor describes a relationship that’s consuming too much of them. The result is equal parts supernatural, foreboding and deeply replayable from an artist who’s ever-evolving. —Neville Hardman

Magnolia Park aren’t just another “Radio Reject”

Magnolia Park are back with another raucous anthem, “Radio Reject.” The track brims with energy and sweat, highlighting the band’s bright fusion of pop-punk with alt-rock and trap leanings. Magnolia Park call the song an “anthem for following your dreams and never giving up,” and you can see for yourself by listening below. “Radio Reject” appears on their debut album, Baku’s Revenge, out now. —Neville Hardman

Softcult’s “Drain” is a timely shoegaze directive in the fight against climate change

With their latest single “Drain,” shoegaze/dream-pop duo Softcult offer a timely plea for the world to take climate change seriously while critiquing old-world policies that put profit over people and the planet. Vocalist and guitarist Mercedes Arn-Horn, along with twin sibling and drummer Phoenix Arn-Horn, trade off hypnotizing melodies and harmonies set to a backdrop of fuzzed-out guitars and ambient reverb. The track is just another example of Softcult’s lyrical bravery in the face of injustice and will appear on their upcoming EP, see you in the dark, out this spring. —Alessandro DeCaro

Victoria Anthony’s “Should’ve Known” is a pop-punk breakup anthem

With her latest single “Should’ve Known,” Victoria Anthony gives listeners an inside look into a troubling breakup while turning her pain into an unapologetic pop-punk anthem. Set against a backdrop of driving drums, 808s and catchy guitar riffs, Anthony sums up her feelings of resentment toward her ex-partner with confidence and vulnerability. While she’s open about the pain that she experienced in a way that most can relate to, the song takes on another life as well. It positions Anthony in a place where she can have the upper hand and come out of the situation stronger than ever. —Alessandro DeCaro

Light up with YUNGMORPHEUS’ “Figure-Four Leg Lock”

YUNGMORPHEUS doesn’t need to shout to grab your attention. Rather, the Los Angeles MC employs a gentler touch through cool-headed, stream-of-consciousness rapping and buoyant, jazzy production. With “Figure-Four Leg Lock,” YUNGMORPHEUS’ verses unfurl like ribbons of chronic smoke. Through it all, he commands the track with an ease that makes his grave observations (“Pigs probably clap a brother just for a promotion”) all the more compelling. —Neville Hardman

The HIRS Collective and Shirley Manson (Garbage) create stellar powerviolence with “We’re Still Here” 

On the HIRS Collective’s latest single “We’re Still Here,” they’ve enlisted beloved ’90s alternative-rock vocalist Shirley Manson (Garbage) to create yet another anthem that embodies their mission to make the world a safer and more just place for trans and queer individuals. With pummeling blast beats, motivational lyrics, melodic vocals from Manson and earth-shattering breakdowns, the powerviolence-meets-grindcore band are unmatched in terms of energy and aggression. The single follows the announcement of the collective’s upcoming LP, We’re Still Here, arriving March 24, which features a host of high-profile guest vocalists such as Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), Geoff Rickly (Thursday) and Damon Abraham (Fucked Up), among many others. —Alessandro DeCaro

Ryan Oakes and Loveless’ “HEAVYWEIGHT” is a confident blast of rock 

Rapper-singer Ryan Oakes is continuing his foray into rock ‘n’ roll-inspired music once again with his latest single, “HEAVYWEIGHT.” The track channels the familiarity of early 2000s rap-rock and pushes it further into the future with a massive chorus courtesy of LA duo Loveless, who supply anthemic vocals, heavy guitars and intense rhythmic energy. Oakes wastes no time spitting rapid-fire lyrics that document his rise to fame while taking shots at those who doubted him along the way with a healthy dose of braggadocio. —Alessandro DeCaro

Meg Myers conjures a rallying cry with “SOPHIA <144>” 

Meg Myers is calling for unity with her new single “SOPHIA <144>” featuring Nicole Perretti. At just over a minute long, its accompanying visual is a concise rallying cry that acts as a “call of remembrance,” Myers says. The video is interpolated with news footage of Iranian women demanding for change after recent killings of those who refused to wear a hijab. Listen to the full track here. —Neville Hardman

Fleshwater’s “Closet” is ’90s post-hardcore at its finest

On “Closet,” the second track from Fleshwater’s debut LP, We’re Not Here to Be Loved, the Massachusetts-based post-hardcore/shoegaze collective have captured the spirit of the ‘90s in haunting ways. “Closet” feels like a hybrid between ‘90s space-rock pioneers Hum and the melodic and rhythmic sensibilities of Deftones. Fleshwater, who are composed primarily of members of hardcore act Vein.fm — along with singer-songwriter Mirsy, blend delicate vocals with harsh screams and frantic time signatures to create an unsettlingly beautiful score. —Alessandro DeCaro

My Chemical Romance at New York’s Barclays Center

Gallery Credit: Michael Dubin

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

Michael Dubin

My Chemical Romance

My Chemical Romance, Coheed And Cambria, Saosin and Thursday members join forces for epic supergroup L.S. Dunes 

In exciting news, L.S. Dunes, a supergroup composed of Anthony Green (Saosin), Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), Travis Stever (Coheed And Cambria) and Thursday’s Tucker Rule and Tim Payne has been announced. On their debut single “Permanent Rebellion,” the group merge their respective emo and post-hardcore styles to create an energetic and visceral track. Vocalist Green sounds as pissed-off as ever but still manages to offer his signature falsetto vocals over the backdrop of dueling guitars courtesy of Iero and Stever. The group’s debut album, Past Lives, is out Nov. 11. —Alessandro DeCaro

Bartees Strange flexes his chops with a Freddie Gibbs cover

Bartees Strange can do it all. This time, he’s sharing a cover of Freddie Gibbs and Schoolboy Q’s “Gang Signs,” and no surprise, it’s fantastic. “This song is so gorgeous in a way that only Freddie could do,” Strange says. “He always walks this line of being pretty hardcore lyrically, really pulls no punches. I love that about him — something I really admire. We could all use a little dose of Freddie from time to time.” Listen below. —Neville Hardman

Motionless In White show their tender side with reimagined version of “Masterpiece” 

If Motionless In White have shown us one thing over the course of their prolific career, it’s that they’re not afraid to explore new sounds and shake things up. With their latest reimagining of the Scoring The End Of The World single “Masterpiece,” the metalcore juggernauts have created a composition that’s movie soundtrack worthy. Using pianos, epic string arrangements and cinematic sounds, the band elevate their metalcore sound to new heights. Vocalist Chris Motionless successfully brings the song’s dramatic tone to life and offers a performance that’ll give you chills upon the first listen. —Alessandro DeCaro

OK, that’s a little dramatic, but after nearly a decade without creative output from a band as important as MCR, it somehow felt like even more of a resurrection than even the return show itself.

Read more: My Chemical Romance release first new music since 2014, “The Foundations of Decay”—listen

This writer, an MCR devotee of nearly two decades, has been listening to the track for about 30 cumulative hours now, and boy, is there a lot to dissect. Let’s start digging…

Note: As of press time, the band have chosen not to release official lyrics. What follows is a critical analysis based on years of studying My Chemical Romance. It does not necessarily reflect the band’s intended meaning or process.

First thing’s first: What are “The Foundations Of Decay”?

The song’s title certainly paints a picture, calling to mind an open grave and the macabre march of nature, chipping away at the human form. Dark. Metaphorically, however, this could be a gruesome way of saying “the beginning of the end,”  or “giving up,” a theme that makes itself apparent in the final act of the song. Oh, yes, we are thinking about this song in terms of “acts.” Buckle up.

Catholicism and Sainthood

If you’ve ever so much as glanced at the Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge era, you know Catholic imagery plays a massive role in My Chemical Romance’s art. In “Foundations,” the band very much revisit those roots, with a portion of the track devoted to death, sainthood and canonization. 

Now, this is where “foundations of decay” as a literal concept becomes more interesting. One of the requirements for sainthood is not only to, uh, die, but to have an “incorruptible corpse.” Incorruptibility is a Catholic belief that divine intervention prevents a holy person’s body from decomposing. In the case of a saint, lying in “the foundations of decay” is a state of stasis. There’s no progression, no action. They are literally lying in wait for canonization. Hmm…

These new references are certainly not the first time in MCR’s oeuvre in which it appears they allude to the idea of a forced hero, savior or saint. We suggest pausing here to listen to “Heaven Help Us” because we’re not done with saints just yet.

Let’s talk about Joan Of Arc for a second…

Because this all smacks of purifying flames and the Joan Of Arc obsession that drove the making of The Black Parade. Is our dear St. Joan making a cheeky appearance in this song as well? 

In a 2007 interview with Rolling Stone, Way said, 

“Joan of Arc is my favorite historical-legendary-whatever figure. Number one, it’s a boyish, waifish girl in a suit of armor on a white horse, and that’s badass. I’ve always been attracted to that character because it was somebody who was willing to die for what they believed in, and they were probably fucking crazy and like, touched by the hand of God, and I believe in that shit. I totally believe in that stuff. I believe that it can happen to anybody.

Like when we started this band, there was a brief amount of time where it felt like you drank gasoline and shit glass, and you were always covered in your own sweat, somebody else’s spit or blood or something. And I felt that, you know what I mean? I would make crazy speeches that made no sense onstage ⁠— I would talk about purifying flames being shot out of our cabinets at max volume to destroy evil and shit like that.

I was, you know, touched in the head. And really, when you get touched in the head like that, I think your job at that point for the rest of your career is to remember what it was like to be touched in the head, and kind of keep that going. ‘Cause that can’t last forever, you’ll be dead, I think. Like Joan of Arc. So, yeah, I love Joan of Arc.”

The Artwork

While there’s been some debate among fans as to what the single artwork, created by designer Aaron Hymes, depicts, the song visualizer makes it clear that these are mounds and mounds of flies, swarming what can be assumed to be something (or someone) decaying. Yum, right?

Bug Summoning

OK, let’s take a fun break before the void swallows us. With the multitude of vermin pictured above, we can’t help but think of that fly mask Gerard is wearing in his Instagram profile picture. There could be zero thread between this and his “bug summoning” post from 2019, but we’re pointing it out because this is the same person who made a “Thank You  For The Venom” shirt to wear at the band’s first show, well before the song even existed. 

Upon seeing all the “swarm” merch at The Eden Project, we’re feeling a little more convinced that this was by design…

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gerard Way (@gerardway)

The Towers

For fans, the song’s second verse is an ax swung straight through the fourth wall, but for those who don’t know their history, My Chemical Romance formed as a direct result of Gerard’s witnessing the Sept. 11 attacks. With that in mind, these lines become a lot more raw:

“He was there/The day the towers fell

And so he wandered down the road

And we would all build towers of our own

Just to watch the [roots] corrode”

Is the “he” in question Gerard in third person, and the “we” the band?

The (Anti) Hero’s Journey

In literature, there is a story structure known as “the hero’s journey” or  “monomyth.” If you’re a fan of the fantasy genre (as we know several members of MCR are), you’re no doubt familiar with the structure whether you knew it had a name or not.

We’ll not put you through an English lesson here (this Ted Talk explains it pretty succinctly), but “The Foundations Of Decay” uses elements of the hero’s journey, elevating the lyrics from poetry to an epic.

The first verse seems to be in present tense, while the second verse is a reflection on the past. It happens to follow the structure nearly perfectly line-by-line:

He was there the day the towers fell (Call to adventure)

And so he wandered down the road (Adventure begins)

We would all build towers of our own (Allies Made)

Only to watch the root corrode (Trials and Ordeals)

One could even interpret the song as a whole as an extended refusal of the call-to-adventure until a supernatural force (“Wake up, coward!”) intervenes.

The breakdown and “Noise Jam Kill Em All”

During the Danger Days era, MCR used to play this filthy breakdown between songs. It was so grimy and loud that it would have been a shame for it to have been forgotten to time. Though not the same breakdown the band played onstage, many have pointed out the staccato big riff nature of the song’s heavy bridge bears a resemblance to what the band referred to as “Noise Jam,” “Noise Rock,” or our personal favorite, “Noise Jam Kill Em All” on setlists.

“GET UP, COWARD!”

The final line of the song (“GET UP, COWARD!”) is particularly standout. Not only is it a powerful statement, which Gerard’s snarling vocal delivery amplifies even further, but it also feels as though it comes from the perspective of someone who definitely isn’t the song’s previous narrator.

If we’ve followed the lyrical clues accurately, this feels like a confrontation with someone who has given up. “Yes, it comforts me much more/To lay in the foundations of decay,” Gerard gently croons in his upper register, a cue the song might be fading out softly, but My Chemical Romance shirk expectations as Way unexpectedly comes back in with the screamed “GET UP, COWARD!” This is “Stand up fucking tall/Don’t let them see your back” for the new generation.

“An Offering” Comparison

While revisiting the return, we had to do a close comparison with “An Offering.” While they are in totally different keys and have a vastly different cadence, there is certainly a vibe that feels connective between the two, especially in the latter part of both songs.  Perhaps said vibe is simply the unique brilliance of Ray Toro, and we’ve been studying this for too long. 

Bring More Knives

This behind-the-scenes tidbit is one of the only things we know about the creation of the song. Massive thanks to Against Me! guitarist James Bowman for letting us in on a moment that is perhaps the most My Chemical Romance thing we’ve seen since 2004. Frank Iero playing guitar with a knife and giggling? While Gerard gets stoked and yells directions in the background? Come on, that’s almost too perfect.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by James Bowman (@jimmyjamesb)

“You Look Stressed Out”

Truly, bless Iero for being the only one out there giving us tiny sips of information. As debate continues circling the lyrics, he did clear up one line for us with the caption of this Instagram post: “You look stressed out…”

Initially, Genius had clocked this line, which is shouted almost as if a throwaway, before the breakdown as “Let’s flip out!” But we needed only those four words from Iero to hear it crystal clear.

This line has the same live feeling as “Vampire Money,” which fully embraced and kept studio commentary in the final mix. 

If referring to watching the towers fall was axing the fourth wall, this is taking a battering ram to it.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by frnkiero (@frankieromustdie)

A New Album?

We know what you’re wondering: Is this the beginning of a new album? It’s completely unclear. Though MCR had been planning to return for years, this release feels raw and fresh, as if it were the natural result of throwing Frank, Gerard, Mikey and Ray into a room together again. Like it was destined to happen. It also remains unconfirmed if “The Foundations Of Decay” is a song revisited from The Paper Kingdom sessions. Everyone familiar with Living With Ghosts and Conventional Weapons, however, will know how drastically an MCR song can change over time — how a tiny section of a song can become a major motif for a new one. And, y’all, it has been a while.