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I like to get a little decorative in my bulletins, and I will be adapting this into a blog later. But thank you xXCiarahXx for this awesome idea! Today I am gonna be making a post about my top ten favorite bands. I listen to all of these bands to various degrees, and some bands I know more songs than others. It is gonna be hard to both rank and choose only ten bands, but I am going to try my best to rank them. Let's get this list started shall we?
1. AFI
I discovered AFI for the first time in 2006 thanks to Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The game featured the single "Miss Murder" from their newest album at the time 'Decemberunderground'. I am shocked my exposure wasn't "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" from Tony Hawk Underground 2, but I did later recognize Davey's vocals when I replayed the game shortly after. I rediscovered AFI and formed my obsession with them when I was in high school. Sing the Sorrow became my favorite album. A few years later I discover that my second cousin's husband was the drummer of the hardcore punk band Die Kreuzen, and their first producer and good friend, Butch Vig (also the drummer of Garbage), was the man that produced Sing the Sorrow! I didn't get to see AFI live officially until 2019, but the show was still incredible and I met plenty of die hard fans.
2. Alesana
Alesana was one of my first "emo" bands I ever got into. It was back on MySpace in 2009 when my cousin showed me their music, their song "Apology (Acoustic)" being among the first I ever heard. I had this super obsession with Shawn Milke to the point I was drawing pictures of him in my notebooks. And don't get me started on how crazy I got over their harder and edgier concept record 'The Emptiness' that came out the year after. I've been wanting to adapt the story into a graphic novel since but I don't have the motivation that matches my ambition. I sadly have never gotten to see any of their shows yet, but I did get to meet one of their guitarists Patrick Thompson when he was playing at Warped Tour in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his other band Versus me in 2015. My favorite songs are still on 'On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax' though, as I see that era as their peak emo.
3. My Chemical Romance
This was my high school obsession band. When I say that those other bands I previously mentioned were obsessions, neither of them were to the degree of My Chemical Romance. I wanted to be Gerard Way so bad. I loved comic books, I was an artist, I love gothic imagery, and of course a fascination for the vampire aesthetic. MCR was a band that matched all of my own traits, and I felt personally connected to the guys in a way. Obviously as I grew older, that need to have that band to validate my own passions has decreased. The breakup in 2013 was devastating but I always knew the guys would be back. When they announced their return in 2019, I am not gonna bullshit...I shed some tears of happiness. I am hoping that I will soon finally get the chance to see the guys on stage. Hopefully after this pandemic is over I will catch them at Riot Fest in Chicago. I know every single song that MCR has ever released and I used to live and breathe the lyrics and the comics Gerard has made. I burnt myself out but hopefully new music from them will re-vitalize my love for their art!
4. Black Veil Brides
These guys used to get sooooooo much hate. I am not sure if they still do, and yeah some of the criticisms to this band is justified. They are definitely formulaic to say the least. Hence why their earlier stuff is my go to listen. I got into this band way back in 2009, the same year I started discovering the scene. And I wouldn't label BVB as an "emo band" of course cause their music resonates way more with 2000s melodic metalcore/fashioncore like Bullet For My Valentine, Eighteen Visions or Avenged Sevenfold. I was there to see their debut album reach billboard charts and see the boys rise to fame. And I was lucky enough to form connections with vocalist Andy Biersack's father and former guitarist Pan the Gypsy. I got to see BVB three times live. Despite what the critics said, I liked the message the band spread over the years. And I LOVED the instrumentals a lot. This band got me through such hard times in my high school years. The music helped me find my own will to push forward. I'm not gonna credit people I have never met in person to "saving my life", since I saved my own. But I am eternally grateful content like that they made existed at the time I needed to hear it. Their first three albums were the best of their works in my opinion, but I am hoping this new album will be a comeback that BVB needs after the mistake that was Vale.
5.Escape the Fate
This was another band I loved in high school. My little brother and I both loved this band A LOT. I am not picky over whether I listen to Ronnie Radke or Craig Mabbitt's era of the band. Both are fucking amazing. My first song by them was weirdly "Ashley" which isnt even a single. But I also got into "Not Good Enough for Truth In Cliche" that same time, and my brother would often just call it "Russian Roullette". I spent some of my angstiest moments listening to Escape the Fate. And I got to see them in 2014 in a very small venue in Fond Du Lac, WI. They opened for Pop Evil that night, and the band was just walking around and talking to everyone. Craig was extremely drunk though but he chilled out a lot since his earlier days with the band. I got to hang out with their other newest members TJ Bell and Kevin Thrasher as they played bag toss before the opening bands hit the stage. Monte has already been long gone and Max Green was supposed to be on that tour but he ditched the band without any word last minute. Thankfully I was able to reach out to Max a few times later since my friend at the time Mikey 13 was in his band Violent New Breed. I always wanted to sing like Craig cause I looked up to him for having asthma growing up and still achieving his dream of becoming a rockstar.
6. Taking Back Sunday
I loved Taking Back Sunday for yeeeears and it wasnt until last September of 2019 when I got to see these legends live. I got a special VIP package for me and my boyfriend for his 21st birthday, and we got to meet the band! We also got this cool package that came with merch of all sorts including a blanket! That night they performed the entirety of my favorite album by them "Tell All Your Friends", and it was one of the best nights of my life!
7. underOATH
These guys are a little bit lower on my list here because of this one thing: I only listen to their album "They're Only Chasing Safety". That album is a masterpiece and I will argue that this is when the band was at their peak. Others prefer their heavier metal style music (like my boyfriend), but I am a sucker for when they were a post hardcore emo band. The vocals are just so perfect, both clean and screams which were well balanced. This is the epitome of what my favorite style of music is as of now!
8. The Used
As a fan of My Chemical Romance, it would feel so wrong to leave The Used off of this list. The Used is like....a band for artsy emo kids. And I was definitely one of them. This specific music video I linked nails the aesthetic I am so in love with. Especially the ending! I have wanted to see this band for a very long time and I could never catch a show of theirs. They always sell out but my boyfriend was so lucky to see them perform at Warped Tour. Maybe someday the day will come.
9. Silverstein
I surprisingly didn't get more into Silverstein until the past couple of years. And I am ashamed to admit that fact cause these guys are talked about all the time and I never gave them the chance they deserved! A friend of mine is super obsessed with these guys and is a member of the All Access Club, which was founded by their singer Shane Told. She recently sent an awesome gift involving Silverstein but Shane has said that no one outside me and the AAC can know about what it is. I almost got to meet Shane at Emo Nite in St Louis but that same weekend was the weekend I went to see AFI live.
10. From First to Last
Has anyone else done this? Imagine your best friends are talking about this new upcoming dubstep artist by the name of Skrillex and you butt in the conversation with a "ACTUALLY that is SONNY MOORE and he is the singer of From First to Last!". That was me in 2011. To this day I still listen to FFTL, and even some of their rare demos which my boyfriend somehow still has on his phone. I am talking the pre-Sonny demos. But nothing tops Sonny's vocals. I heard back in the day that the band was nowhere near as good live as their sound is on the record "Dear Diary..." which is a total bummer. I am still waiting on more FFTL singles with Sonny. Two wasn't enough, and I am still waiting on a more grand return. #BringEmoSonnyBack
Anyways I hope you liked this post! Tell me your top ten favorite bands in the comments! Have an awesome day/night!
Comments
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XxSebastian_SlaughterxX
This is a really solid list of bands. I have listened to at least one album by each of them. Just made my own blog post in response as well.
Rock and Roll
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Took me back in time
=_=
love this list!! you have rly good taste :>
xX_ThAt_OnE_eMo_Xx
awesome post mate!!! i listen to a lot of these bands. need to listen to afi.
anna
love this list :)
Xxkitty.miyakoxX
#bringemosonnyback yes plz two singles was not enough. ill be happy with even another skrillex track cuz we've been in such a droughttt. i was also the annoying kid in 2011 who said SKRILLEX WAS ACTUALLY IN FFTL lmaoo. but i couldn't help it. he has my whole heart :( this is a great list with significant bands that defined an era. i'm in agreement for sure :D