Dwid says I coined the term âmetalcore.â
I say his band, Integrity, invented the genre.
Iâm not talking about metallic hardcore bands, punky metal acts, or the distinct âcrossoverâ sub-genre. Metalcore began with a very specific style of guitars, breakdowns, vocals, and subject matter.
And it evolves.
Nearly every artist on earth is uncomfortable with genre tags or the other artists they are often associated with, and certainly, metalcore is crowded and ever more loosely defined. But itâs all undeniably connected.
Think about the last time you recommended a movie, TV series, or book to someone. Undoubtedly, you made some comparisons, you mentioned a genre or two, and it didnât mean you were limiting the artistic expression.
It wasnât easy to narrow it down to a single metalcore record for each year since the genre began in earnest, but I got it done. đ
These are the most influential metalcore records by year.
Integrity Those Who Fear TomorrowÂ
(Overkill Records) 1991
Always Is Always Forever DVD.
Starkweather CrossbearerÂ
(Harvest Records) 1992
CBGBâs, New York, NY, 1992.
Earth Crisis Firestorm EP
(Victory Records) 1993
Lost Horizon, Syracuse, NY, 1993.
Unbroken Life. Love. Regret.
(New Age Records) 1994
World Beat Center, San Diego, CA, 1994.
Damnation A.D. No More Dreams of Happy EndingsÂ
(Jade Tree Records) 1995
Washington, D.C., 1995.
108Â Threefold MiseryÂ
(Lost & Found Records) 1996
The Depot, Washington, D.C., 1996.
Living Sacrifice RebornÂ
(Solid State Records) 1997
âRejectâ music video, 1997.
Zao Where Blood and Fire Bring RestÂ
(Solid State Records) 1998
Cornerstone Festival, Bushnell, IL, 1998.
Poison The Well The Opposite of December⌠A Season of SeparationÂ
(Trustkill Records) 1999
âNerdyâ official audio, 1999.
Eighteen Visions Until the Ink Runs OutÂ
(Trustkill Records) 2000
Hellfest, Syracuse, NY, 2001.
Converge Jane DoeÂ
(Equal Vision Records) 2001
âConcubineâ music video, 2001.
Hatebreed PerseveranceÂ
(Universal Records) 2002
âI Will Be Heardâ music video, 2002.
Lamb Of God As the Palaces BurnÂ
(Prosthetic Records) 2003
âRuinâ music video, 2003.
Underoath Theyâre Only Chasing SafetyÂ
(Solid State Records) 2004
âReinventing Your Exitâ music video, 2004.
Avenged Sevenfold City of EvilÂ
(Warner Records) 2005
âBat Countryâ music video, 2005.
Killswitch Engage As Daylight DiesÂ
(Roadrunner Records) 2006
âMy Curseâ music video, 2006.
August Burns Red MessengersÂ
(Solid State Records) 2007
âComposureâ music video, 2007.
Escape The Fate This War Is OursÂ
(Epitaph Records) 2008
âThis War Is Ours (The Guillotine II)â music video, 2008.
Asking Alexandria Stand Up and ScreamÂ
(Sumerian Records) 2009
âThe Final Episode (Letâs Change the Channel)â music video, 2009.
A Day To Remember What Separates Me from YouÂ
(Victory Records) 2010
âAll I Wantâ music video, 2010.
Suicide Silence The Black CrownÂ
(Century Media) 2011
âYou Only Live Onceâ music video, 2011.
Pierce The Veil Collide with the SkyÂ
(Fearless Records) 2012
âKing for a Dayâ ft. Kellin Quinn music video, 2012.
Black Veil Brides Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones
(Lava/Republic) 2013
âIn the Endâ music video, 2013.
Architects All Our Gods Have Abandoned UsÂ
(Epitaph) 2014
âA Match Made in Heavenâ music video, 2014.
Bring Me The Horizon Thatâs the SpiritÂ
(Sony Music) 2015
âHappy Songâ live at NME Awards, 2016.
Beartooth AggressiveÂ
(Red Bull Records) 2016
âHatedâ music video, 2016.
Currents The Place I Feel SafestÂ
(SharpTone) 2017
âApneaâ music video, 2017.
Ice Nine Kills The Silver ScreamÂ
(Fearless Records) 2018
âThe American Nightmareâ music video, 2018.
Falling In Reverse âPopular Monsterâ Single
(Epitaph Records) 2019
âPopular Monsterâ music video, 2019.
Code Orange UnderneathÂ
(Roadrunner Records) 2020
âSwallowing the Rabbit Wholeâ music video, 2020.
Spiritbox Eternal BlueÂ
(Pale Chord/Rise Records) 2021
âHoly Rollerâ music video, 2021.
Bad Omens The Death of Peace of MindÂ
(Sumerian Records) 2022
âJust Pretendâ music video, 2022.
Metalcore Milestones playlist on Spotify
This post originally appeared on Medium.