''Beating a Dead Horse'' is the debut studio album by
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
comedian
Jarrod Alonge
Jarrod Alonge (born March 25, 1993) is an American comedian, songwriter and music producer. He is best known for his parodies of the artists, sub-genres and stereotypes within alternative music. He has released three independent full-length studi ...
, self-released on May 26, 2015. The album features seven different fictitious bands created by Alonge to satirize the tropes and characteristics of
alternative music Alternative music may refer to the following types of music:
*Alternative rock
*Alternative pop
*Alternative R&B
*Neo soul, sometimes known as alternative soul
*Alternative reggaeton
*Alternative hip hop
*Alternative dance
*Alternative metal
*Chris ...
genres such as
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
,
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
,
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
,
emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
,
progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...
,
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
and others.
The album was a critical and commercial success, reaching number 1 on the ''Billboard''
Top Comedy Albums
Comedy Albums is a ''Billboard'' chart that lists the "top-selling spoken word and musical comedy albums" each week, as ranked by sales data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Top Comedy Albums in October 2004 (simultaneously with ...
chart and number 18 on the
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...
chart. On October 30, Alonge announced a deluxe reissue of the album featuring six additional songs, which was released on December 4, 2015.
Background
Alonge announced plans to record the album on September 26, 2014, and launched an
Indiegogo campaign with an initial goal of raising $12,000. He released several promotional videos throughout October, including mock interviews with the fictitious bands that would be featured on the album. His goal was reached by January 2015, ultimately raising over $18,000, allowing for more songs to be recorded than he had initially anticipated.
On April 5, 2015, Alonge released an official trailer for the album, revealing a 15-song track list, and several samples of the album's songs. The following month, the list of guest vocalists that would be featured on the album was announced, including
Mattie Montgomery
Mattie Montgomery is an American musician and the former lead vocalist and frontman of Christian metal band For Today from 2007. He released six albums and one EP with the band before they broke up in 2016. In addition to his work with For Toda ...
of
For Today
For Today was an American Christian metalcore band from Sioux City, Iowa, formed in 2005. They released two EPs, ''Your Moment, Your Life, Your Time'' and ''Prevailer'', and six full-length albums: '' Ekklesia'' in, 2008, ''Portraits'' in 2009, ...
,
Johnny Franck
Attack Attack! is an American metalcore band from Westerville, Ohio, originally formed in 2007 as Ambiance, later changing their name. Attack Attack!'s first release, an independent EP titled ''If Guns Are Outlawed, Can We Use Swords?'', was ...
, formerly of
Attack Attack!
Attack Attack! is an American metalcore band from Westerville, Ohio, originally formed in 2007 as Ambiance, later changing their name. Attack Attack!'s first release, an independent EP titled ''If Guns Are Outlawed, Can We Use Swords?'', was ...
(who also would produce the album), and Mike Semesky, formerly of
Intervals
Interval may refer to:
Mathematics and physics
* Interval (mathematics), a range of numbers
** Partially ordered set#Intervals, its generalization from numbers to arbitrary partially ordered sets
* A statistical level of measurement
* Interval e ...
. Alonge also announced that the album would be mastered by
Joey Sturgis
Joey Sturgis (born January 3, 1985) is an American record producer and owner of The Foundation Recording Studio in Connersville, Indiana. Sturgis started recording in 2004 including producing the Asking Alexandria single "The Final Episode" whic ...
, a well-known
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
producer that had worked with many bands, such as
Asking Alexandria
Asking Alexandria are a British rock band from York, North Yorkshire, consisting of guitarists Ben Bruce and Cameron Liddell, drummer James Cassells, lead vocalist Danny Worsnop, and bassist Sam Bettley.
Initially formed in 2006 by Ben Bruce ...
,
The Devil Wears Prada,
I See Stars
I See Stars are an American electronicore band from Warren, Michigan formed in 2006. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Devin Oliver, guitarist Brent Allen, keyboardist and co-vocalist Andrew Oliver, and bass guitarist Jeff Valentine.
...
, and
Of Mice & Men.
The first track to be revealed off of the album, "Hey Jarrod, What's That Song Again?" was released on May 12, 2015 with an accompanying lyric video. Five more of the album's songs were released in the following weeks with lyric videos, before the album was officially released on May 26.
Alonge continued to promote the album after its release, releasing a music video for the album's first single, "The Swimmer" on May 27, 2015. Another promotional video was released for "Save My Life" on August 11. A third video for "Inconceivable Somatic Defecation" was released on August 26. The following month, on September 25, a music video for "Unbreakable" was released.
On October 30, Jarrod announced on his YouTube channel he would be releasing a deluxe edition of the album, titled "Beating a Dead Horse: Deluxe Ultra-Limited Exclusive Undead Edition", featuring six new songs and new album artwork. The reissue would include parodies of
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardist Jordan Fis ...
,
Attila
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...
, and
The Story So Far The Story So Far may refer to:
__NOTOC__ Books
* ''The Story of Sar'' (book), a 2003 book by Bhawana Somaaya
Films
* ''The Story So Far'' (2001 film), a film about the band Sick of It All
* ''The Story So Far'' (2002 film), a documentary about ...
. All of the fictitious bands (with the exception of Chewed Up) would be featured on the reissue. It was set for release on December 4, 2015.
The first track on the deluxe reissue, "Suck my 401k", was released on November 6, with an accompanying lyric video. On November 18, "Brevé Canzoné" was released. On November 27, "First World Tragedy" was released with a music video. The remainder of the bonus tracks were released throughout the next week before the deluxe edition was officially released on December 4.
Bands
Amidst the Grave's Demons
Amidst the Grave's Demons is a fictitious
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
band from
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
, parodying bands such as
Memphis May Fire
Memphis May Fire is an American metalcore band formed in Denton, Texas and currently signed to Rise Records. The band currently consists of lead guitarist Kellen McGregor, lead vocalist Matty Mullins, bassist Cory Elder, and drummer Jake Garla ...
,
We Came as Romans
We Came as Romans (sometimes abbreviated as WCAR) is an American metalcore band from Troy, Michigan. Formed in 2005, the band has gone through one name change and multiple line-up changes, and signed to SharpTone Records in 2016 after having b ...
,
The Color Morale
The Color Morale is an American metalcore band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 2007. The band includes vocalist/keyboardist Garret Rapp, guitarists Devin King and Aaron Saunders, bassist Mike Honson, and drummer Steve Carey. Rapp and Carey are ...
, and
Of Mice & Men, among many others. The band performs five of the album's tracks: "The Swimmer", "Save My Life", "Misogyneric", "I'm So Scene 2.0", and "Hey Jarrod, What's That Song Again?", in addition to one track on the album's deluxe reissue, "Suck my 401k".
The majority of the vocals for the band were performed by Mike Martenson of the band Boys of Fall. He screams on all of Amidst the Grave's Demons' songs, and sings on all of them aside from "Misogyneric". Chris Linck of
Attila
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...
performs a guitar solo on "Suck My 401k".
Johnny Franck (formerly of
Attack Attack!
Attack Attack! is an American metalcore band from Westerville, Ohio, originally formed in 2007 as Ambiance, later changing their name. Attack Attack!'s first release, an independent EP titled ''If Guns Are Outlawed, Can We Use Swords?'', was ...
) performs clean vocals on "I'm So Scene 2.0", and
Mattie Montgomery
Mattie Montgomery is an American musician and the former lead vocalist and frontman of Christian metal band For Today from 2007. He released six albums and one EP with the band before they broke up in 2016. In addition to his work with For Toda ...
of
For Today
For Today was an American Christian metalcore band from Sioux City, Iowa, formed in 2005. They released two EPs, ''Your Moment, Your Life, Your Time'' and ''Prevailer'', and six full-length albums: '' Ekklesia'' in, 2008, ''Portraits'' in 2009, ...
performs some vocals on "Misogyneric".
Amidst the Grave's Demons was the first band to be created by Jarrod Alonge, and one of the two bands to release original music before the album's conception (the other being Sunrise Skater Kids). The band was first conceived in July 2013 in Jarrod Alonge's "Every Metalcore Vocalist" video, before releasing two songs in late 2013 and 2014: a demo version of "I'm So Scene" and a 10-hour instrumental
breakdown
Breakdown may refer to:
Breaking down
*Breakdown (vehicle), failure of a motor vehicle in such a way that it cannot be operated
*Chemical decomposition, also called chemical breakdown, the breakdown of a substance into simpler components
*Decompo ...
loop titled "Eternity (Literally)". "I'm So Scene" featured unclean vocals by YouTuber Sky Sevart, and was composed by Alonge and his friends Benjamin Fleet and Blake Feagans, who used to play in a band called Ukulele and the Sock Monkeys. Alonge produced both tracks.
On June 1, 2016, Alonge announced that Amidst the Grave's Demons would be releasing a five-song EP later in the month, featuring four band-specific parodies and an acoustic version of a track from ''Beating a Dead Horse''. On June 6, the EP's title, ''
Space Zombies EP'' was revealed, as well as an official track listing. The album title is a parody of
The Devil Wears Prada's ''
Zombie EP
''Zombie'' is the first EP by American metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada. It was released on August 23, 2010. The band announced they would tour in support of the EP's five year anniversary, where they will play the album in its entirety.
...
'' and ''
Space EP''. ''
Space Zombies EP'' was released on June 17. Physical copies of the EP contain the six songs featured on ''Beating a Dead Horse''.
Sunrise Skater Kids
![Sunrise Skater Kids logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Sunrise_Skater_Kids_logo.png)
Sunrise Skater Kids from
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
was the second fictitious band created by Alonge, and performs the
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
songs on the album, parodying bands such as
All Time Low
All Time Low is an American rock band from Towson, Maryland, formed in 2003. Consisting of lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson, the band too ...
,
Neck Deep
Neck Deep are a Welsh pop punk band from Wrexham, Wales formed in 2012. Founded after vocalist Ben Barlow met former lead guitarist Lloyd Roberts, the pair posted a song ("What Did You Expect?") online under the name Neck Deep. The song soon ga ...
, and
Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!
Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! (also known by the acronym C!NCC!) is a French rock band formed in 2007 in Paris. The band consists of vocalist Bertrand Poncet, guitarists Éric Poncet and Paul Wilson and bassist Mathias Rigal, with founding drummer Jon ...
. The band performs four of the album's songs: "Love Me Back", "Take it Easycore", "Pop Punk Pizza Party", and "Goodbye Baltimore". They performed one song on the album's deluxe reissue, "First World Tragedy".
The vocals for the band were primarily performed by Varrick Jay of the band Insomniac, although the unclean vocals in "Take it Easycore" were performed by Mike Martenson. "Love Me Back" features guest vocals by Cody Carson of the band
Set It Off, as well as a guitar solo by
Steve Terreberry, a YouTube comedian and musician. Lastly, "Pop Punk Pizza Party" features vocals by YouTube musician Dave Days.
The band was created in August 2013 and was referenced in Alonge's "Every Pop Punk Vocalist" video. Sunrise Skater Kids released one song shortly prior to the album's conception: a demo version of "Pop Punk Pizza Party" featuring vocals by Patty Walters of the band
As It Is.
On November 26, 2015, Sunrise Skater Kids released a rendition of
The Twelve Days of Christmas
The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity of Jesus. In some Western ecclesiastical traditions, "Christmas Day" is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days a ...
, titled "12 Days of a Pop Punk Christmas". The song was released on the deluxe reissue of
Fearless Records
Fearless Records is an American independent record label that was founded in 1994. Fearless is based in Culver City, California, and is best known for its early pop punk moments captured in the ''Fearless Flush Sampler'' and ''Punk Bites'' releas ...
' compilation album ''
Punk Goes Christmas
''Punk Goes Christmas'' is the fourteenth compilation album of the '' Punk Goes...'' series. It was released on 5 November 2013, through Fearless Records.
Background and release
This album, compared to the other albums in the Punk Goes... series ...
''. This is the second song recorded by Alonge that was not featured on ''Beating a Dead Horse''.
Another song, a pop punk-themed medley titled "All the Old Things" was released on January 29, 2016. The same day, an Indiegogo campaign was created for a Sunrise Skater Kids independent album. The initial goal was $10,000 for an EP, and the stretch goal for a full album was $20,000.
On April 1, 2016, Alonge released the full-length Sunrise Skater Kids album, titled ''
Friendville''. The album features collaborations with JB Brubaker of
August Burns Red
August Burns Red is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. The band's current lineup consists of lead guitarist John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, lead vocalist Ja ...
, Dave Stephens of
We Came as Romans
We Came as Romans (sometimes abbreviated as WCAR) is an American metalcore band from Troy, Michigan. Formed in 2005, the band has gone through one name change and multiple line-up changes, and signed to SharpTone Records in 2016 after having b ...
, and Patty Walters of
As It Is. The five Sunrise Skater Kids tracks from ''Beating a Dead Horse'' are featured as bonus content on the album.
Chewed Up
![Chewed Up logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Chewed_Up_logo.png)
Chewed Up (from
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
) is the third fictitious band to be featured on the album, and represents the
melodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore is a broadly defined subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on melody in its guitar work. It generally incorporates fast rhythms, melodic and often distorted guitar riffs, and vocal styles tending towards shouting and ...
and
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
genres, like bands such as
The Ghost Inside,
Counterparts
Counterpart or Counterparts may refer to:
Entertainment and literature
* "Counterparts" (short story), by James Joyce
* Counterparts, former name for the Reel Pride LGBT film festival
* ''Counterparts'' (film), a 2007 German drama
* ''Counterp ...
,
Gideon
Gideon (; ) also named Jerubbaal and Jerubbesheth, was a military leader, judge and prophet whose calling and victory over the Midianites are recounted in of the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible.
Gideon was the son of Joash, from the Abiez ...
, and
Stick To Your Guns
Stick to Your Guns is an American hardcore punk band from Orange County, California. Members of the band include Jesse Barnett (vocals), Andrew Rose (bass), George Schmitz (drums), Chris Rawson and Josh James (guitars). They are currently sign ...
. The band has two songs featured on the album: "Unbreakable" and "Bite the Curb". The band is not featured on the album's deluxe reissue.
David Thompson of the band Nanashi performed the vocals on both of Chewed Up's tracks. Sam Fassler performed additional vocals on "Unbreakable".
Although Chewed Up didn't release any original music prior to the album, they were created and referenced in Alonge's "Every Hardcore Vocalist" video in late 2013.
Vermicide Violence
![Vermicide Violence logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Vermicide_Violence_logo.png)
Vermicide Violence is a fictitious
deathcore
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...
band from
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. The band's name is a play on the deathcore band
Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence is an American deathcore band from Riverside, California. The band was established in 2002, and has released six studio albums, three EPs, and nineteen music videos. They were awarded the ''Revolver'' Golden God award for "Best ...
.
According to the band's Rock Sound Artist Profile, Vermicide Violence is composed of vocalist Jarrod Alonge and guitarist Brenden Worthington (the band's other members were not named). According to Worthington, Alonge replaced the band's original vocalist, who is hinted at being deceased (in reference to the late
Mitch Lucker
Mitchell Adam Lucker (October 20, 1984 – November 1, 2012) was an American vocalist best known as the lead singer for the deathcore band Suicide Silence.
Career
Mitch Lucker first started performing music in the year 2000 with the band Breaka ...
), but had actually been kicked out of the band for failure to be on time for band practice. The band claimed to have toured with other deathcore bands such as
Infant Annihilator,
Winds of Plague
Winds of Plague is an American deathcore band from Upland, California. Formed in 2002, the band is known for being one of the few deathcore bands to incorporate symphonic elements into their music.
The band's name is derived from a section of ...
,
Chelsea Grin
Chelsea Grin is an American deathcore band from Salt Lake City, Utah. Formed in 2007, the group have released two EPs and five full-length albums. Since 2018, no original members remain in the band.
Chelsea Grin was originally founded under ...
, and
Emmure
Emmure () is an American metalcore band formed in 2003. Originally based in New Fairfield, Connecticut, before moving to Queens, New York, the group has released eight albums, with their first public release being a 2006 EP entitled ''The Compl ...
.
The band only has one song featured on the album: "Inconceivable Somatic Defecation", referencing
Whitechapel's debut album ''
The Somatic Defilement
''The Somatic Defilement'' is the debut studio album by American deathcore band Whitechapel. The album was released on July 31, 2007, through Candlelight Records and is their only release through this label before their move to Metal Blade the ...
''. The vocals on the song were performed by
Jared Dines
Jared Dines (born October 6, 1989) is an American YouTuber and musician who is known for metalcore-themed and adjacent videos, covers, parodies, and his own original music.
Career
Dines worked as a recording engineer before pursuing YouTube ful ...
, the vocalist for Dissimulator, as well as a YouTube comedian and musician.
An additional song, called "Pray for Progress" was released on the album's deluxe reissue. The song marks a drastic stylistic change from "Inconceivable Somatic Defecation", taking influences from
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
,
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
, and
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
rather than
deathcore
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...
; this is a parody of the dramatic genre change
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardist Jordan Fis ...
underwent after their debut album. The name is also a play on "Pray for Plagues", the first track on Bring Me the Horizon's debut full length album ''
Count Your Blessings''. Dines did not provide vocals on "Pray for Progress;" clean vocals were performed by Johnny Franck and unclean vocals were performed by Mike Martenson.
Canadian Softball
![Canadian Softball logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Canadian_Softball_logo.png)
Canadian Softball is a fictitious
emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
band from
Milwaukee
Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee is ...
,
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
. The band's style parodies the wave of
Midwestern emo
Midwest emo (or Midwestern emo) refers to the emo scene and/or subgenre that developed in 1990s Midwestern United States. Employing unconventional vocal stylings, distinct guitar riffs and arpeggiated melodies, Midwest emo bands shifted away from ...
bands that came around in the late 1990s and early 2000s, such as
American Football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
. Alonge stated that the band's name came from an amalgamation of
American Football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
and
Modern Baseball
Modern Baseball (MoBo) was an American emo band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania consisting of Bren Lukens, Jake Ewald, Sean Huber, and Ian Farmer. The band formed in 2012 at Drexel University and released their first album, ''Sports'', on Lame-O ...
.
According to the band's Rock Sound Artist Profile, the band is composed of vocalist and guitarist Jarrod Alonge, bassist Will Greene, and drummer/backing vocalist Andy Conway. The band's genre was referred to as "indie math rock", and was formed in 2004. The band's influences include
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American emo/indie rock band from Seattle, formed in 1992. The band currently consists of founding members Jeremy Enigk (vocals, guitar), Dan Hoerner (guitar) and William Goldsmith (drums), alongside Greg Suran (gui ...
,
Mineral
In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. ( ...
,
The Promise Ring
The Promise Ring was an American rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that is recognized as part of the second wave of emo. Among various other EPs and singles, the band released four studio albums during their initial run: '' 30° Everywhere'' ...
,
American Football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
,
Pedro the Lion
Pedro the Lion is an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington, United States. David Bazan formed the band in 1995 and represented its main creative force, backed by a varying rotation of collaborating musicians. In 2006 Pedro the Lion wa ...
,
The Get Up Kids
The Get Up Kids are an American rock band from Olathe, Kansas. Formed in 1995, the band was a major player in the mid-1990s Midwest emo scene, otherwise known as the " second wave" of emo music. Their second album ''Something to Write Home About' ...
,
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American rock band formed in 1993 in Mesa, Arizona. The band is composed of lead vocalist and lead guitarist Jim Adkins, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch, and drummer Zach Lind. They h ...
, and
Braid
A braid (also referred to as a plait) is a complex structure or pattern formed by interlacing two or more strands of flexible material such as textile yarns, wire, or hair.
The simplest and most common version is a flat, solid, three-strande ...
.
The band had one song on the album: "The Distance Between You and Me is Longer Than the Title of this Song". The vocals on the song were provided by Alonge. An additional track parodying
Touché Amoré
Touché Amoré is an American post-hardcore band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2007. The band consists of vocalist Jeremy Bolm, guitarists Clayton Stevens and Nick Steinhardt, bassist Tyler Kirby, and drummer Elliot Babin. Among other ...
, "Brevé Canzoné" was released with a lyric video on November 18.
On March 10, 2017, Jarrod Alonge premiered a music video for a new Canadian Softball song titled "Fund Me". Much like the song, the video advertised the campaign for a full-length Canadian Softball album. The campaign met with its goal, and the album, ''
Awkward & Depressed
''Awkward & Depressed'' is the third studio album by internet comedian Jarrod Alonge, released under the moniker of his fictitious emo band Canadian Softball, on July 28, 2017. The album primarily satirizes and parodies tropes found in the emo ge ...
'', was released on July 28, 2017. Music videos for "Your Validation", "Ohio Is For Emo Kids", and "Great Again" were uploaded to Jarrod Alonge's YouTube channel in promotion of the album.
Rectangles
![Rectangles logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Rectangles_logo.png)
Rectangles (stylized as RECTÅNGLES) is a fictitious band from the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
that focuses on styles of
progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...
and
djent
Djent () is a subgenre of progressive metal characterised by its use of off-beat and complex rhythm patterns. Its distinctive sound is that of high-gain, distorted, palm-muted, down-tuned strings. The name "djent" is an onomatopoeia of this s ...
. The band's name comes from the trend amongst progressive metalcore bands in which the band names consist of only plural nouns, such as
Structures
A structure is an arrangement and organization of interrelated elements in a material object or system, or the object or system so organized. Material structures include man-made objects such as buildings and machines and natural objects such as ...
,
Volumes
Volume is a measure of occupied three-dimensional space. It is often quantified numerically using SI derived units (such as the cubic metre and litre) or by various imperial or US customary units (such as the gallon, quart, cubic inch). The defi ...
and
Monuments
A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...
.
According to the band's Rock Sound Artist Profile, the band is composed of vocalist Jarrod Alonge and guitarist Drewsif Stalin. Stalin mentions and praises the band's new drummer, "Mac", before Alonge reveals that their drummer is actually a computer. They were formed in Winter 2009, originally using the name "Triangles". Alonge stated that the band's name was changed to Rectangles in 2010 as "there was another side to the band".
The band's only song "Cosmic Metaphysical Verisimilitude" featured vocals by Drewsif Stalin, who also produced the song. The song also featured guest vocals by Mike Semesky, formerly of
Intervals
Interval may refer to:
Mathematics and physics
* Interval (mathematics), a range of numbers
** Partially ordered set#Intervals, its generalization from numbers to arbitrary partially ordered sets
* A statistical level of measurement
* Interval e ...
. Another Rectangles song, "Waifu", is featured on the album's deluxe reissue.
During the final stages of releasing Canadian Softball's full-length debut, Alonge uploaded a new track from Rectangles titled "Cryptanalysis". Viewers were to decipher the hidden message in the song, and the first comment with the correct answer (which was “Send Nudes” spelled out with Morse code) won a prize pack featuring a Rectangles T-shirt, guitar strings, and more.
$wagCh0de
![SwagChode logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/SwagChode_logo.png)
The seventh and final fictitious band to be featured on the album is $wagCh0de, a
crunkcore
Crunkcore (also known as crunk punk and scrunk) is a musical fusion genre characterized by the combination of musical elements from crunk, post-hardcore, heavy metal, pop, electronic and dance music. The genre often features screamed vocals, ...
and
nu metal
Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, sometimes called aggro-metal) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, alternative rock, funk, industrial, and grunge. Nu met ...
band from
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
,
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
. The band is a parody of poorly-received
crunkcore
Crunkcore (also known as crunk punk and scrunk) is a musical fusion genre characterized by the combination of musical elements from crunk, post-hardcore, heavy metal, pop, electronic and dance music. The genre often features screamed vocals, ...
bands such as
Brokencyde
Brokencyde (stylized as brokeNCYDE) is an American hip hop group from Albuquerque, New Mexico, founded in 2006. The group's lineup consists of David "Se7en" Gallegos and Michael "Mikl" Shea, and musically are one of the founding groups in the ...
and
Blood on the Dance Floor Blood on the Dance Floor may refer to:
*'' Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix'', a 1997 album by Michael Jackson
** "Blood on the Dance Floor" (song), a 1997 song by Michael Jackson from the album
*Blood on the Dance Floor (band)
Bl ...
. As of recently, the band has also parodied
Attila
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...
.
According to the band's Rock Sound Artist Profile, the band is composed of vocalist Jarrod Alonge (under the alias "Threev3") and programmer "FØuR". Threev3 claims that the band's influences include
T.I.,
T-Pain,
Ice-T, and
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
. He dismisses the negative reception directed towards the band, as well as pedophilia accusations in reference to
Blood on the Dance Floor Blood on the Dance Floor may refer to:
*'' Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix'', a 1997 album by Michael Jackson
** "Blood on the Dance Floor" (song), a 1997 song by Michael Jackson from the album
*Blood on the Dance Floor (band)
Bl ...
vocalist Dahvie Vanity. In the interview, the band is accompanied by "concerned parent" Peter Li who disapproves of the band's music.
Alonge performed the lead vocals on $wagCh0de's song "2 Freaky 4 da Club", accompanied by Brenden Worthington who performed the backing screams. A metalcore-influenced remix of the track was featured on the album's deluxe reissue: "2 Warped 4 da Remix".
$wagCh0de became active again in September 2016 through a new Facebook page using the alias "Thr33v3 'Chodezilla' Chodezak". On September 23, a song entitled "Pubic Apology" was released, parodying the Attila track "Public Apology", with a brief nod to the Sylar track "Assume". This song exhibits a
nu metal
Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, sometimes called aggro-metal) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, alternative rock, funk, industrial, and grunge. Nu met ...
style in place of their crunkcore style heard on ''Beating a Dead Horse''.
Music and Lyrics
''Beating a Dead Horse'' is primarily a comedy album, with each song parodying common themes found in various alternative genres. The album's songs are "performed" by seven different fictitious bands: "Amidst the Grave's Demons", "Sunrise Skater Kids", "Chewed Up", "Vermicide Violence", "Canadian Softball", "Rectangles", and "$wagCh0de", with the bands' appearances and personalities reflecting stereotypes found within their particular genres.
Tracks 1–7
The album's first track, "The Swimmer" by Amidst the Grave's Demons mimics the style of
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
band
Memphis May Fire
Memphis May Fire is an American metalcore band formed in Denton, Texas and currently signed to Rise Records. The band currently consists of lead guitarist Kellen McGregor, lead vocalist Matty Mullins, bassist Cory Elder, and drummer Jake Garla ...
, with the song's title and music video being a parody of "The Sinner". The song's lyrics parody ocean and drowning-related imagery used by metalcore bands such as
The Amity Affliction
The Amity Affliction is an Australian metalcore band from Gympie, Queensland, formed in 2003. The band's current line-up consists of Ahren Stringer (bass, clean vocals), Joel Birch (lead vocals), Dan Brown (guitar) and Joe Longobardi (drums). T ...
. The song concludes with a
southern metal
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music and a genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues and is focused generally on electric guitars and vocals. Author Scott B. Bomar specula ...
section, referencing the style
Memphis May Fire
Memphis May Fire is an American metalcore band formed in Denton, Texas and currently signed to Rise Records. The band currently consists of lead guitarist Kellen McGregor, lead vocalist Matty Mullins, bassist Cory Elder, and drummer Jake Garla ...
had on their debut album,
Sleepwalking
Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism or noctambulism, is a phenomenon of combined sleep and wakefulness. It is classified as a sleep disorder belonging to the parasomnia family. It occurs during slow wave stage of sleep, in a state of low ...
. A music video for "The Swimmer" was released on May 27.
"Love Me Back" by Sunrise Skater Kids is an upbeat
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
song that parodies the obsessive, love-centered lyrics found within many songs of this style.
"Unbreakable" by Chewed Up is a
melodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore is a broadly defined subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on melody in its guitar work. It generally incorporates fast rhythms, melodic and often distorted guitar riffs, and vocal styles tending towards shouting and ...
song that parodies
The Ghost Inside, parodying the band's emotional and sometimes melodramatic lyrics. A music video for the track was released on September 25, featuring fan-submitted performance clips.
"Save My Life" by Amidst the Grave's Demons mimics the uplifting, hopeful lyrics of bands such as
We Came as Romans
We Came as Romans (sometimes abbreviated as WCAR) is an American metalcore band from Troy, Michigan. Formed in 2005, the band has gone through one name change and multiple line-up changes, and signed to SharpTone Records in 2016 after having b ...
and
The Color Morale
The Color Morale is an American metalcore band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 2007. The band includes vocalist/keyboardist Garret Rapp, guitarists Devin King and Aaron Saunders, bassist Mike Honson, and drummer Steve Carey. Rapp and Carey are ...
(dubbed "hopecore" in many online communities), but does so with a narcissistic tone. A music video for "Save My Life" was released on August 11, and parodied the video for "Suicide;Stigma" by
The Color Morale
The Color Morale is an American metalcore band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 2007. The band includes vocalist/keyboardist Garret Rapp, guitarists Devin King and Aaron Saunders, bassist Mike Honson, and drummer Steve Carey. Rapp and Carey are ...
. It was filmed at
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touring ...
2015 and featured guest appearances by multiple bands, including
We Came as Romans
We Came as Romans (sometimes abbreviated as WCAR) is an American metalcore band from Troy, Michigan. Formed in 2005, the band has gone through one name change and multiple line-up changes, and signed to SharpTone Records in 2016 after having b ...
,
August Burns Red
August Burns Red is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. The band's current lineup consists of lead guitarist John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, lead vocalist Ja ...
,
Blessthefall
Blessthefall (stylized as blessthefall or BLESSTHEFALL prior to 2013) was an American metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, signed to Rise Records. The band was founded in 2004 by guitarist Mike Frisby, drummer Matt Traynor, and bassist and v ...
, and
PVRIS
Pvris (pronounced "Paris" and stylized PVRIS) is an American pop rock act formed by multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer Lyndsey Gunnulfsen. Over her decade-long career, Gunnulfsen has released three studio LPs: ''White Nois ...
.
"Inconceivable Somatic Defecation" by Vermicide Violence (the band's name being a play on
deathcore
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...
band
Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence is an American deathcore band from Riverside, California. The band was established in 2002, and has released six studio albums, three EPs, and nineteen music videos. They were awarded the ''Revolver'' Golden God award for "Best ...
) parodies the violent and grotesque lyrics of
deathcore
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...
and
technical death metal
Technical death metal (also referred to as tech-death) is a musical subgenre of death metal that began and developed in the early- to mid-1990s, with particular focus on challenging, demanding instrumental skill and complex songwriting.
Techni ...
bands such as
Infant Annihilator and
Cattle Decapitation
Cattle Decapitation is an American deathgrind band from San Diego, California, formed in 1996. The band's current lineup includes vocalist Travis Ryan, guitarists Josh Elmore and Belisario Dimuzio, bassist Olivier Pinard, and drummer David McGr ...
. A music video for the song was released on vocalist Jared Dines' channel (as Alonge jokingly stated he didn't want to associate with the track) on August 26, 2015, acting as a parody of the music video for "Forced Gender Reassignment" by
Cattle Decapitation
Cattle Decapitation is an American deathgrind band from San Diego, California, formed in 1996. The band's current lineup includes vocalist Travis Ryan, guitarists Josh Elmore and Belisario Dimuzio, bassist Olivier Pinard, and drummer David McGr ...
.
The sixth track, "Take it Easycore" by Sunrise Skater Kids, as its title suggests, is a parody of
easycore
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
, a style that combines
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
with the breakdowns and screaming typically found in
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
. The song's friendship-oriented lyrics reference "In Friends We Trust" by French band
Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!
Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! (also known by the acronym C!NCC!) is a French rock band formed in 2007 in Paris. The band consists of vocalist Bertrand Poncet, guitarists Éric Poncet and Paul Wilson and bassist Mathias Rigal, with founding drummer Jon ...
.
"Bite the Curb" by Chewed Up is a fast-paced
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
song that satirizes bands that vainly attempt to have threatening and intimidating lyrics.
Tracks 8–15
"Misogyneric" by Amidst the Grave's Demons mimics themes of betrayal found in many
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
songs, and condescends to them by incorporating various
internet memes
An Internet meme, commonly known simply as a meme ( ), is an idea, behavior, style, or image that is spread via the Internet, often through social media platforms. What is considered a meme may vary across different communities on the Internet ...
into the lyrics. The song features an exaggerated, lengthy buildup to a breakdown, which is performed by
Mattie Montgomery
Mattie Montgomery is an American musician and the former lead vocalist and frontman of Christian metal band For Today from 2007. He released six albums and one EP with the band before they broke up in 2016. In addition to his work with For Toda ...
of
For Today
For Today was an American Christian metalcore band from Sioux City, Iowa, formed in 2005. They released two EPs, ''Your Moment, Your Life, Your Time'' and ''Prevailer'', and six full-length albums: '' Ekklesia'' in, 2008, ''Portraits'' in 2009, ...
.
"Pop Punk Pizza Party" by Sunrise Skater Kids embodies many well-known stereotypes and characteristics surrounding
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
subcultures, such as the love of pizza, glorification of friendship, and desires to leave home and tour. A demo version of the song was released in mid-2014, and it was professionally re-recorded for the album.
The tenth track "The Distance Between You and Me is Longer Than the Title of This Song" by Canadian Softball is a parody of Midwestern
emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
bands in the late 1990s and early 2000s, such as
American Football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
. The song's lyrics mock the melancholy, lovesick lyrics of many bands of this style, and the song's title is a parody of the lengthy titles used by many emo bands. The end of the song also quotes several nonsensical
tweets made by actor
Jaden Smith
Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born July 8, 1998), also known mononymously as Jaden, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He has received various accolades, including a Teen Choice Award, an MTV Movie Award, a BET Award and a Young Artist ...
that received viral attention online. This track in particular uses the style of midwest emo band
Tiny Moving Parts
Tiny Moving Parts is an American rock band from Benson, Minnesota. Formed by brothers William and Matthew Chevalier, and their cousin Dylan Mattheisen, the band has released eight studio albums since their 2008 formation in junior high. Their epo ...
.
"I'm So Scene 2.0" by Amidst the Grave's Demons is a parody of "
scene
Scene (from Ancient Greek, Greek σκηνή ''skēnḗ'') may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
*Scene (subculture), a youth subculture from the early 2000s characterized by a distinct music and style. Groups and performers
* The S ...
"
electronicore
Electronicore (also known as synthcore or trancecore) is a fusion genre of metalcore with elements of various electronic music genres, often including trance, electronica, and dubstep.
Reception
Sumerian Records noted in the late 2000s that "t ...
bands such as
Attack Attack!
Attack Attack! is an American metalcore band from Westerville, Ohio, originally formed in 2007 as Ambiance, later changing their name. Attack Attack!'s first release, an independent EP titled ''If Guns Are Outlawed, Can We Use Swords?'', was ...
and
Abandon All Ships
Abandon All Ships is a Canadian metalcore band from Toronto, Ontario. Formed in 2006, it was signed domestically to Universal Music Canada via Underground Operations, along with an American deal to Rise Records and its imprint Velocity Records.
...
, and features frequent
breakdowns, heavy use of
synthesizers
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
, and autotuned clean vocals. "I'm So Scene" was officially the first song written that would be featured on the album; a demo version was released in late 2013. The re-recorded version of the song had an additional bridge and electronic interlude.
"Cosmic Metaphysical Verisimilitude" by Rectangles is a parody of
djent
Djent () is a subgenre of progressive metal characterised by its use of off-beat and complex rhythm patterns. Its distinctive sound is that of high-gain, distorted, palm-muted, down-tuned strings. The name "djent" is an onomatopoeia of this s ...
-influenced bands, featuring unusual time signatures, unconventional song structure (with no discernible choruses or verses)
off-beat guitar riffs, and lyrics consisting of complex, yet nonsensical mathematical and scientific terminology.
"2 Freaky 4 da Club" by $wagCh0de satirizes the critically panned
crunkcore
Crunkcore (also known as crunk punk and scrunk) is a musical fusion genre characterized by the combination of musical elements from crunk, post-hardcore, heavy metal, pop, electronic and dance music. The genre often features screamed vocals, ...
group
Brokencyde
Brokencyde (stylized as brokeNCYDE) is an American hip hop group from Albuquerque, New Mexico, founded in 2006. The group's lineup consists of David "Se7en" Gallegos and Michael "Mikl" Shea, and musically are one of the founding groups in the ...
, with lyrics that contrast the themes typically found in bands of this style (for example, the lyrics promote drinking responsibly and abstaining from smoking).
"Hey Jarrod, What's That Song Again?" by Amidst the Grave's Demons is a medley consisting of snippets of twenty-two different metalcore and
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
songs
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetition ...
, with lyrics focusing on plagiarism. Its name is a reference to the song
"Hey John, What's Your Name Again?" by
The Devil Wears Prada.
The final track "Goodbye Baltimore (The Flute Song)" by Sunrise Skater Kids is a pop punk-influenced
acoustic rock
Acoustic music is music that solely or primarily uses instruments that produce sound through acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means. While all music was once acoustic, the retronym "acoustic music" appeared after the adven ...
song that describes the singer's desire to leave his band and focus on playing the flute. Alonge performs three crude "flute" solos throughout the track, which are actually performed on a
recorder
Recorder or The Recorder may refer to:
Newspapers
* ''Indianapolis Recorder'', a weekly newspaper
* ''The Recorder'' (Massachusetts newspaper), a daily newspaper published in Greenfield, Massachusetts, US
* ''The Recorder'' (Port Pirie), a news ...
despite the song's title and lyrics. The album concludes with an onomatopoeic "blegh", a vocal phrase used by some metalcore bands, which is a running joke throughout the album.
Tracks 16–21
"Pray for Progress" by Vermicide Violence directly parodies
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardist Jordan Fis ...
, who shifted away from their well-known
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
sound on their 2015 album ''
That's the Spirit''. Consequently, the song exhibits a
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
and
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
sound rather than the
deathcore
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...
sound heard on Vermicide Violence's previous material, although a
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
verse is heard at the end of the track. The song's lyrics focus on the decision to shift genres and sarcastically ridicules those who criticize the band for doing so. The song's title is a parody of "Pray for Plagues" from Bring Me the Horizon's debut album ''
Count Your Blessings'', and the band's first official single.
"Brevé Canzoné" by Canadian Softball is no longer than 15 seconds long (although in its video, the song is misleadingly followed by over three minutes of silence). The song's title appropriately translates to "Short Song" and references American hardcore act Touche Amore.
"Waifu" by Rectangles was originally written as a demo song, with lyrics ridiculing obsessive fans of Japanese culture.
"First World Tragedy" by Sunrise Skater Kids stylistically parodies
The Story So Far The Story So Far may refer to:
__NOTOC__ Books
* ''The Story of Sar'' (book), a 2003 book by Bhawana Somaaya
Films
* ''The Story So Far'' (2001 film), a film about the band Sick of It All
* ''The Story So Far'' (2002 film), a documentary about ...
. The song's lyrics make use of the well-known "first world problem" meme, with the vocalist incessantly complaining about minor problems in his life. The end of the song features up to five vocal tracks played over one another, a technique used in some
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
songs. The song was released as the album's fifth and final single, with an accompanying music video.
"2 Warped 4 da Remix" by $wagCh0de is a short remix of "2 Freaky 4 da Club" with added
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
-influenced instrumentation.
"Suck my 401k" by Amidst the Grave's Demons parodies
Attila
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...
, making frequent use the high-speed screaming technique used in many of the band's songs. The lyrics promote financial competence, referencing Attila vocalist Chris Fronzak's aptitude in the field. The title is a parody of the lyric "suck my fuck", used in the Attila track "About that Life".
Track listing
Additional information
The following songs are included in the medley "Hey Jarrod, What's That Song Again?", albeit with different lyrics:
Personnel
*
Jarrod Michael Alonge – Primary songwriting, production, guitar, lead vocals for Canadian Softball and $wagCh0de (tracks 10, 13, 17 and 20), recorder solo on "Goodbye Baltimore"
*Johnny Franck (ex-
Attack Attack!
Attack Attack! is an American metalcore band from Westerville, Ohio, originally formed in 2007 as Ambiance, later changing their name. Attack Attack!'s first release, an independent EP titled ''If Guns Are Outlawed, Can We Use Swords?'', was ...
) – Production (tracks 1–4, 6–11, 13–14, 16–17, 19–21), mastering (tracks 10, 13, 16–17, 19–21), guitar, programming, clean vocals (tracks 11 and 16)
*Drewsif Stalin – Production (tracks 5, 12, and 18), guitar, lead vocals for Rectangles (tracks 12 and 18)
*Michael "Mike" Martenson (Boys of Fall) – Lead vocals for Amidst the Grave's Demons (tracks 1, 4, 8, 11, 14 and 21), unclean vocals on tracks 6 and 16
*Varrick Jay (Insomniac) – Lead vocals for Sunrise Skater Kids (tracks 2, 6, 9, 15 and 19)
*David Thompson (Nanashi) – Lead vocals for Chewed Up (tracks 3 and 7)
*
Jared Dines
Jared Dines (born October 6, 1989) is an American YouTuber and musician who is known for metalcore-themed and adjacent videos, covers, parodies, and his own original music.
Career
Dines worked as a recording engineer before pursuing YouTube ful ...
(Dissimulator, Rest, Repose) – Lead vocals for Vermicide Violence (track 5 only)
*Brenden MacKenzie Worthington (Separations) – Unclean vocals for $wagCh0de (tracks 13 and 20)
Additional personnel
*Dylan Werle – Digital Vocal Editing (tracks 1–4, 6–10, 11, 12, 14–16, 19)
*
Joey Sturgis
Joey Sturgis (born January 3, 1985) is an American record producer and owner of The Foundation Recording Studio in Connersville, Indiana. Sturgis started recording in 2004 including producing the Asking Alexandria single "The Final Episode" whic ...
– Mastering (tracks 1–9, 11, 12 and 14)
*Varrick Jay, Ben Drake, James Dotzler, Sam Fassler (Insomniac) – Gang vocals on "Suck my 401k"
*Sam Fassler (Insomniac) – Additional vocals on "Unbreakable"
*
Steve "Stevie T." Terreberry – Guest guitar solo on "Love Me Back"
*Chris Linck (
Attila
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...
) – Guest guitar solo on "Suck my 401k"
*Joseph Mitra – Songwriting on "Bite the Curb"
*Jamie Phillips – Songwriting for "The Distance Between You and Me Is Longer Than the Title of This Song"
*Luke Oxendale – Production on "Goodbye Baltimore (The Flute Song)"
*Rob Alley – Vocal tracking on "Brevé Canzoné"
*Sarah Schmidt – Album artwork
Chart performance
References
{{Authority control
2015 albums
Jarrod Alonge albums
2010s comedy albums