Eunoia - Psyop Of The Year (2022)

Since two of them have been sent to different states, Psyop Of The Year probably was Eunoia's last operation. Which is a pity because it was an excellent album, from an interesting band. They played a nice blend of noise rock and screamo, with also elements of math rock and extreme metal thrown in. Nicely surprising at the first listen, and even better when you knew the songs more. 

 

The BC page. 

 

Ragana - You Take Nothing (2017)

Ragana is a girl duo in Oakland coming from Olympia, You Take Nothing is their fourth album, a good blend of doom, screamo and black metal, good variations in styles and intensity, with calm moments with clean vocals, and screaming moments. Mixing these styles are quite trendy nowadays, but they do it differently, so the album sounds "fresh".
Good stuff.

The BC page.

Kali - Duress (2012)

Kali is (was?) a hardcore band from the US, and this (20 minutes) cassette,released in 2012, called Duress compiles what they ever recorded (an EP, a split and new songs). A pity they seem inactive now, they were great. Very good for short burst of fastcore as well as for longer, slower songs in a more screamo vein (altough more noisy and violent than most screamo). The vocals are very good and the ensemble carries a great feel of intensity, of every kind of intensity hardcore can carry. Recommended stuff!

The BC page.

Ruined Families - Education (2016)

Ruined Families is a hardcore / punk band from Greece that already have a few very good releases (Read HERE my review of the previous one, with the interview we did back then). Their style could be related to screamo, without the predictability and stereotypes that usually goes with screamo, but with the intensity it can have. Their new album, Education, maintain the same level of quality while their sound evolved a bit, with more diversity. Education contains some of their most fast-paced and aggressive songs, but also their most melodic moments, and both are very well done, so I'd say it's a successfull move. Another good point I already mentionned about their previous releases, is the good lyrics, adding a dimension to the music if you take the time to read it. Education is another excellent album from Ruined famillies. don't miss it.

Their BC page.

Amygdala - The horror of not being ablte to forget (EP 2014)

Amygdala is a new band from San Antonio and The horror of not being able to forget is their first EP (released last year). What they play is some very intense and hardcore somewhere between screamo and crust. rawer and most ferocious than usual screamo, more sophisticated and melodic than basic crust and with vocals that have something screamo but are also something else because those screams are so fiercely impressive, with an almost feral feel. Those vocals, from a female singer, are maybe what's the most striking about this band. But they also show good songwriting skills. One of the best hardcore release I listened to recently.

Their BC page.

La Dispute - Rooms of the house (2014)

La Dispute is a band that really have their own style and personnality, we could say it's "post hardcore" but just because it sounds rooted in hardcore without being really hardcore, but it does not sound like what is usually called "post-hardcore". the best comparisons would be probably At the drive in. or we could say it's emo but with vocals often  bordering to spoken words territory, and also it's better than emo! their new album Rooms of the house is in the continuity of their previous work and is of the same excellent quality so if you liked it you'll like this one as well. and if you don't know them already it's time to discover La Dispute with this new album!

their website.

Gatherer - Caught between a rock and a sad place (2013)

Gatherer is a band from New Jersey playing screamo / hardcore music. I had noticed their good and promising demo/EP release in 2012 called Postcards. they are back in 2013 with their first album called Caught between a rock and a sad place and it's even better. I'm not really a connaisseur of this kind of hardcore (usually i'm more into the crust / grinding stuff) so I can't really say precisely to which scene it is related but to me it just sound like good ol' screamo not far from what existed back in the 90'. if you're looking for somehing new you can pass your way but if you're just about to enjoy some heartfelt and passionnate music, simple but catching and moving, then I advise you give it a try. the singing and playing is really good and moreover the band is really excellent at writing cool and memorable songs.

here is their Bandcamp.

Comadre-(st 2013)

Comadre is a band from California that has been around for nearly ten years now and they released a few very good punk / screamo records. they are back this year with a self titled record and that show that they get even better! how it is better?
they kept the intensity and feel of urgency of punk / screamo and added unusual elements with it like keys part or even some bits of trumpet! and more melodies with sometimes somehing like a new wave kind of feel. the results sounds a bit like a great mix of screamo, The Cure and Refused's Shape of punk to come. it makes a great record full of originality, personnality and good songs. I recommend it highly, but I have to warn you against its addictive properties!

check it by yourself on their BC page.

Cash crop-Roar out the hiss (2012)

This first record by Cash crop went largely unnoticed up to now, and that's a pity because it deserves some attention. Roar out the hiss is their first record and it sounds both fresh and very well crafted. the californian trio plays a very dynamic punk / indie / noise rock with very good melodies  and a post-punk / hardcore / noise abrasive sound. a melting of screamo bands like Touche amore and an Unsane gone softer and a Sonic youth gone harder could maybe give an image of how it sounds. that without being really close to any of these bands. an interesting and enjoyable first record. 

check it on their BC page.

Ruined families-Blank language (2013)

Ruined families is a band from Greece (Punk from Europe's black hole they say!) that I discovered last year with their excellent "untitled" 7' (HERE is my review of this record, check also their first record, Four wall freedom, also really good). They now are back with an album called Blank language. I would say screamo / hardcore is the backbone of their music, and it has all its qualities, the emotionnally charged intensity and "always on the edge feeling". but they're far from being just another screamo band because they have some other elements in their music. For exemple the riffs often have something like a black metal vibe (more than in their previous record), but they're not another "blackened hardcore band", their sound is sharper than that and carries something like a post-punk  urgency. Blank language is a confirmation of their musical quality and good taste, and I'm also pleased to see that, like in their older songs the lyrics are really worth reading.

check the record on their Bandcamp page

and their Blog

and read this interview I did by mail with Takis of RF (I think it's a good one! interesting band=good interviews!) : 

can you present the band for those not knowing you yet ?

Ruined Families is a hardcore punk band from Athens, Greece.

-You just released your second album "Blank language" what can you tell about it? What do you think it is bringing to your sound?

Blank Language is the most definite statement this band has ever made. We consider it a great refusal, first to ourselves and then to everything that surrounds us.

-why did you choose to call it Blank language? and what about the artwork?

Language is the most common medium for communication and is always open to new adaptations. Words are amazing and we create them, we use them, but, on the same time we become slaves of theirs. What is supposed to make us free now enslaves us. We try to leave open space for the listeners to translate the title through his personal spectrum. Same goes for the whole entity of the record.

-how would you describe your music? A mix of screamo, metal and old school noise / post-punk? or just pissed off punk music?

Definitions are for people that want their life put in boxes and their choices easily digestive. We try to avoid characterizing our sound. All of those are valid and are elements that exist in our music, yet, we try to call ourselves a punk band.

-a few words about your previous records?

In our previous records, it was us playing like the bands we would listen to. This LP is us being one of the bands we'd like to listen to.

-on your bandcamp page you present the band as “Punk from Europe's black hole” what do you mean by that? Is Greece, because of the crisis, the point that is revealing the deep failures of European civilization?

Greece is the prime example of a European country collapsing on a financial and social level. Also, it has been used as a scapegoat and an experiment of neoliberalism in Europe. This situation is a global problem presenting in more different countries presenting the lack of unity inside the European Union with whole countries being used as a "bad student". The strongest countries use the weakest ones and under the debt factor they make profit and expand their power.

I think the European Union has failed to become a Union of people and the Euro currency works only as an excuse for this plan. I think we should reconsider the European Union at its current status, equalize the balance and then plan another Union that will work for the people.

-what does “punk” means to you, a kind of music, an attitude? The scene where both meets? The smell of bourgeois culture burning…or a marketing label?

Punk is a way of thinking. Beyond the spikes and the patches, punk was created as an output for rage and reaction to different social models. There is less and less radicalism in the hardcore/punk movement and we can see it getting branded every now and then in order to make new scenes or new markets. People should be in the position to criticize and take everything into consideration and punk is definitely something to be considered as well. Radical thinking and critique is the true nature of punk.

-what is the usual writing process of Ruined families?

The band works on a theoretical level on what we want to do and then it usually bursts into music. We are not a jam band, but, we may turn into one.

-did the riots and protest movement influenced you and your music?

Definitely. The every day transformation of the urban landscape influences our music. The center of the city becoming a war zone, then getting back to be a marketplace, then getting fortified with cops and drowned in teargas then getting back to be a nightlife destination is certainly something unique.

-what can you tell about your lyrics? the impression I have is that express the miseries of daily life, the frustration that goes with trying to catch some intensity and freedom in life in a society which only admits fake intensity and freedom.

We try to criticize the world around us and any institution or tradition. Every rule is created by man, thus, it's open to be reconsidered and used for man's good.

Freedom is definitely an objective matter since freedom can't be defined by any system or way of thinking. Apart from "deodorant" or "motorcycle" fake freedom there's true will hidden in people. Still, from the moment you grow up and you're poisoned with fear, so, it's difficult to distinguish the lines.

-there is a sense of twisted poetry in those lyrics, do you spend a lot of time writing them or is it more a spontaneous process?

I consider the lyrics of "Blank Language" to be the most stripped-down thing i have ever done, still, trying to remain relevant. I didn't try to write in a certain way, but, i'm a reader, so, i suppose it comes naturally.

-do you think the crisis and the struggle resulting from it in Greece (and elsewhere) can be a beginning for some revolutionary changes? An occasion for rebuilding human relations on a different basis?

I'm not really positive about change. I think the crisis helps people to come together on a certain level, but, in the same time to feel more self-centered and egoistic. Not all people are willing to care about the world around them, even when their life gets worse.

-in an interview you mentioned Debord and the Situationist International (among others) as an influence, what do you think is most relevant from the situationists for today? And what attracted you in their theory/practice?

S.I. was a movement that shaped in a big part the temporary left wing/antiauthoritarian activism and a lot of the DIY aesthetics can be found in them,as they had a radical approach on art and politics.As for today, S.I. identified with the mοvements of the past and it would be deferred to point it as a guide for today.These are the problems of today's leftism,remaining stagnant and following dogmas, but, we can't deny that was one of the first (besides Henri Lefebvre) that imported the problem of everyday life in politics. Τhis well educated, but, lost generation without a purpose can find a lot in the IS and how to find weapons and front this political and cultural crisis. Debord and Vaneigem had acute political intuition and stayed out of dogmas making some unique verifications about the modern life and urbanism.As for Jorn, his approach on art is something that had an impact on us.

-which band from your area (or from Greece) would your recommend?

There's a huge scene going on with really great bands. Here are the first that come in mind.

Antimob, Acid Baby Jesus, Sarabante, Despite Everything, My Turn, Dephosphorus, Dirty Wombs, Gomgoma, Alecto, Narcan, Cut Off, KU, Bazooka, The You and What Army Faction.

-what can we expect from Ruined families in the coming months?

Playing shows, writing music, writing bullshit on the Internet, moaning all the time.

-want to add something?

Thanks for the great interview. Open your eyes, they are always closed, especially when you see.

CityCop / Les Doux-family ties-Labors of love split (2012)

I really enjoyed Citycop previous releases (see my review and interview HERE) and am happy that they bring us some new songs with this split tape.
What they play is something a bit like acoustic screamo. It's acoustic, but the passionate vocals remind screamo and they also play quite fast. But it's not traditional hardcore / screamo without electricity, it's different, sometimes there's a feeling a bit like when flamenco gets pretty fast. And it's not just speed there's a wide diversity of tempi and emotions in the three songs featured on this split. Another great release by CityCop, I just have one complaint : three songs is not enough!
Les Doux, from Hattiesburgh plays a more classic screamo but they do it with taste and ll the intensity needed, making their part of the split another really enjoyable listen.

CityCop on BC
Les Doux on BC

Cloud rat / Republic of dreams split (2012)

if you like really agressive hardcore then this split is a perfect record for you. 
Cloud rat from Michigan (US), plays fastcore / grind with an agressivity that is sometimes comes close to brutal black metal (the kind of blast beats, the dark melodies and the vitriolic female vocals). they are quickly becoming one of the major player in the hardcore / grind game and if you listen to the six songs on this split you'll easily understand why.
Republic of dreams from Germany and Poland plays a screamo with blast beats that is really well crafted and can appeal to people not usually into screamo / hardcore.

check their blogs :

Cloud rat blog (you can download their music from it)

Republic of dreams blog

Dead end Alaska / Ostrov - Family and friends vol II (2012)

this is the second volume of Family and friends by the american band Dead end Alaska. last time it was a split with Deadend sons (read my review HERE, with an interview of Josh from Dead end Alaska, with a few words about this second volume).
this time it is a split (two times two songs) with Ostrov. and it's another cool one.
Dead end Alaska is intense and catchy as well hardcore with some great screamo like vocals.
Ostrov (from Hattiesburg) is really good sludge  with some psychdedelic / post-rock melodic touches.

you can stream / download it for free from Bandcamp


Dead end Alaska are currently doing a northwest US tour, here's the dates :

Jungbluth-st tape (2012)

Jungbluth is a new german band formed by guys from the excellent Alpinist. They recently released a self titled EP on tape. six songs (including an interlude) of screamo / metal of a really good quality. they already had a lot of attention and it's quite deserved. nothing innovative, but really well crafted songs, and it's not too generic either. If they develop a bit more their own style their next record should be really good. I recommend keeping an eye on them.

you can stream / download for free their tape on their Bandcamp

La Dispute-Wildlife

La Dispute is an american emo/punk band. one of the few emo band that I really like. Wildlife is their second full lenght, released in 2011. the music goes from punk to indie rock with sometimes a post-punk feel. The vocals, which are really great, goes from hardcore/emo to spoken words. the guitars and the drumming stay simple and straight to the point so the singing and the atmosphere (poetic, melancholic, passionate) have more space to express.

well, just listen to it and you'll hear what is it about...

Wildlife on Bandcamp

the most recent release, 3 live songs, also on BC

Dead End Alaska / Dead End Sons-Family and friends vol.1

Cool split (out in june 2012) between Dead end Alaska and Dead end sons, two american bands (CA and GA) playing a kind of screamo, a bit more punk/hardcore for Dead end Alaska and a bit more post rock for Dead end sons, both really good at doing what they do.

A strong point for both bands is the vocals, the singers having a good ability at passing emotions and intensity through their singing. Both bands are also really good at writing simple, memorable and good songs in a good and honest staight to the point rock fashion.

The split is five good songs, ending with a cool acoustic one. recommended! 

you can listen to it on Bancamp.

Josh from Dead End Alaska kindly agreed to answer to some questions so you can read it below : 

-can you present Dead End Alaska, how did the band formed and its evolution up to now?

DEA formed in the Summer of 2010 after the disillusion of most of the members former band. I know this is said a lot but this band really does consist of good friends, 4 out of 5 of us went to the same high school and have known each other since well before that and have only had one member change.  We formed with a very unclear vision of what we wanted to be, torn between different influences and a stylistic change that was occuring in most of us. For the first year we really just wanted to play a lot of shows, not really knowing where we fit in musically we just played every type of show that was presented to us. In a way this was good because it let us mature and figure out what we wanted to be and now we have a pretty clear vision of where we want to go musically.

-how would you describe your music?

Too mainstream for the non mainstream and too non mainstream for the mainstream

-do you feel like being part of an emo/scremo scene?

We think that this scene has some of the most amazing people in it. People who actually have something to say, or have something emotion they want to convey with their music. People who actually want to do something other than get facebook and play huge shows. There is something very special about this breed of music.

-how did you get in touch with Dead end sons and decided to do a split with them?

We actually found them by googling our own name through facebook. Our guitarist Kyle showed us them and we thought they were awesome so I (Josh) decided to send them an email and talk to them about joining us for the first part of Friends and Family.

-what about the making of this split, how the songs were written, recorded, etc.?

 The songs came together fairly fast for the split actually, which was really surprising because usually we work on something for 2 weeks then throw it away and that process repeats until we get something we all like. Our guitars usually come up with the general framework of the song and then we come together to write and fill in the blanks. Once we got them all hashed out we went to Easy St. studios in Simi Valley where we recorded our last demo "American Made Bastard Boys" in Nov. We just took one day to knock out both songs and a bonus song. We always have a blast there because the owner Jules, rules. He has some creative ideas and is just a hilarious dude in general.

-what can you say about the lyrics of your songs?

In our music we really like to focus on lyrical content, we think it is the most important thing about a song. Both Kyle S. and Josh write lyrics and in Friends and Family we decided to write about just what the title suggested. Wasp Wars is a follow up to the acoustic bonus track on the split, "acoustic Koala" which was a remake of a song on our last demo. Both songs having to do with a family struggling with substance abuse and the personal conflict and realizations that come along with having parents who have substance abuse problems. One song being about a mother and the other a father. Forest Fox was a beautifully written song about a close friends who joined the military and started encountering self doubt. The song is a reminder of the strength friendship can give you and how bonds like family and friends are what matter.

- the split is called Family and friends vol1, are you preparing a volume 2?

Yes, we are planning a part 2 now which we hope to announce soon. We have not yet found the perfect partner for the split but the general concept of Family and Friends is to have two parts, the first focusing on the more melodic side of our music and volume two will focus more on the darker side of what we can convey. With this split series we are attempting to explore both sides of the post hardcore/screamo spectrum and really see what areas we can touch and pull off.

-which bands from your area would you recommend?

SO MANY! Troubled Coast, Love American, Wolves, Life For A Life, Trap Her Keep Her, City Somewhere, Bad Days, Spirit Fangs, Stay Wild, My Iron Lung, and so so many more!

-want to add something?

 Biggest thing you can do to help the music scene is support live music. I know there is a lot of music out there and it can be exhausting to try and support everything you like but it means so much for the scene for people to go to shows!

Touche Amore-Parting the sea between brightness and me

since the begining of "Parting the sea between brightness and me", Touche amore grabs you and don't let you go until the record ends. For this record released in 2011 on Deathwish, the formula is simple, great screamo singing (impressively good singing really), energic and melodic guitars, an efficient rythmic section. All that in short, fast and good hardcore/punk songs. A record you can listen to over and over.

Check the Touche amore page on Deathwish for infos, touring dates, videos, etc.

And listen to the first, really good, song of Parting the sea between brightness and me, on Touche amore site.

Circle takes the square

I discovered Circle takes the square at a live show in january 2012 Montpellier at the Secret place.

I was there mainly to see the headliner Kylesa. But Circle takes the square that played before them stole the show this evening.

Their live performance, like their music is full of life and intensity. The two singers have charisma and their singing adds dynamics and emotion to the music, the songs are good, original and well played. What they play is a kind of epic and progressive screamo hardcore. But make your opinion by yourself by listening to their latest record Decompositions vol.1 rites of initiation (released in 2011) on their bandcamp page : Here.

(I'll ask an interview from the band, I hope it will be added soon to this post).

Weak teeth

Weak teeth is an american band that plays a kind of screamo/punk/hardcore. Their songs are full of energy, fast and catchy, the singing is passionate, and it makes fucking good records. Their first eponymous Ep released in 2010, is awesome and their LP What a plague you are, released in october 2011, is also really good. you can listen to it on Bandcamp here, and there.

The band accepted with enthousiasm to answer to a few questions by mail, so here it is :

-can you present the band and its history?

The name of our band is weak teeth. We are from Providence, RI, USA and have been around for about 2 years. We are a hardcore/punk band that draws from the influences of D-Beat and 90's screamo. Mike, Neil and I have been playing music together for almost 10 years, in several different projects. In 2008, Chris approached us about playing music together, as we had just lost one of our guitar players. After about 2 years playing together, we decided we wanted to get more serious about writing and touring, so we thought a name change was the best way to start fresh.

 -why did you choose Weak teeth as a name for the band?

 When we were trying to find a band name we went through a lot of possible contenders, most of which were unmemorable. We came upon weak teeth because Chris mentioned he had read the phrase 'boned wisdom for weak teeth' in a book and it stuck. We like that the imagery mostly makes people uncomfortable. But, the most interesting connotation of the name comes from Policraticus written by Sir John of Salisbury where he associates the parts of the human body to the parts of government, the teeth being the military.

-do you play or have played in other bands? if so can you describe them quickly if they are still active?

Neil and I play in a band called Best Practices (who are putting out our first record in April!), Chris is in a very inactive band called yavinfive and Mike plays in a band called Gates. Best Practices sounds a lot like a garage rock band on speed. Yavinfive plays mathy hardcore (much like Converge) and Gates draws a lot from the of influences from stoner rock. 

-what are you interested in apart from music?

It's funny, even when we're not playing music we still spend a lot of time together. Neil is a bartender so it's very easy to stay in touch. But, as an entire band, we love quoting movies. It's really amusing to us. Watch Casino, it's perfect.

-what is punk or hardcore/screamo for you? do you feel like being part of a scene?

My relationship with punk and hardcore has been very interesting. I've been going to shows since I was 13 and I think the same can be said about my band-mates. When I was that young I never really had an understanding of the community, but I think that's how it starts. You expose yourself to new experiences by spending time with people at shows, ultimately creating that community. But, it took me a long time to figure that out. You and your "scene" should have a symbiotic relationship, where you're giving just as much as it's giving back to you. And, as fickle as it can sometimes be, I wouldn't trade this community for the world.

 -I find your music really sounds energetic and passionate, do you intend to sound this way or is it the way you play spontaneously?

 We grew up on a lot of chaotic, high energy music and I think it's pretty apparent. It's taken quite some time to hone in our sound, but I think we're finally figuring it out. That being said, we're always evolving and developing how we play. The bottom line is, we play what we think sounds good, but more often than not that means controlled chaos.

-which kind or music do you listen to? which bands?

We all listen to a wide array of music. I went to college as a saxophone player, so I listened to a lot of jazz. For the longest time, Neil wouldn't listen to anything that was written before 1990. Mike grew up on Motown and old soul music. And we all think Chris came out of the womb with a Descendents tattoo. Our hearts all lie in punk and hardcore. Currently, Mike is listening to Loma Prieta and 1994!. Neil has an exclusive contract to only listen to Superchunk. Chris has been listening to Balance and Composure and I have been playing the new Bridge and Tunnel record pretty much non-stop.

-judging by the lyrics you seems heavily touched by the crisis and especially the housing crisis. am I right? do you think there can be a solution?

Mike: I abandoned my dream of owning my own house, long ago. The most I can feel that I can do is leave my children with a mortgage. On paper, I'm sure things with level out, but the essence of owning your home or business may not be the same. And there has to be a serious paradigm shift if that dream is going to be recaptured.

 -it looks like pessimism and disillusions are major themes in your lyrics, do you agree? are there other important elements? how would you describe your lyrics ?


Mike: I like to write every song as i'd structure an argument in an essay, providing syntax and factual citation. Rather than providing my own personal understanding, especially when dealing with the issues of politics or religion. I feel that the lyrics are just important to the song as much as the melody. As far as pessimism goes, I think it's more so a realist attitude than anything else. I like to incorporate my personal history to interweave into the factual evidence I provide as a foundation.

-can you tell the story of the song Blues skies, shit life, a song during nine minutes after only short or really short songs? was is planned or was it an improvisation that you kept? (anyway it's a good song!).

Mike: Blue Skies, Shit Life is about a speaker who is having trouble understanding where mankind fits in with the idea of God. They have a hard time figuring out where the idea of being good to your fellow man gets lost on humankind and how through all of this, how people are cold and distant to each other. That the idea of someone tending the light of the end of the tunnel isn't something they want to give up on. They go on to understand through introspection that maybe mankind isn't worth saving, that we are animals that will never truly care about the community at large. The idea of wanting to 'be alone' comes from, if someone is watching over us, we don't want them to see what we've become and the ugliness we've managed to manifest.

-which band from you area should we listen to?

I love this question. My Fictions, 1994!, Timeshares, After The Fall, Soul Control, Aviator. There's a lot of amazing music coming out of New England.

-when are you touring in France? (come to Montpellier when you can!)

Europe is DEFINITELY on our radar. We're hopefully going to make it there in 2013. None of us have toured Europe and it sounds like the best time! Unfortunately, there are a lot more preparations that go into booking and playing a tour in Europe than we anticipated. So, for right now we're stuck in the States. I promise we'll be there, it just make take a little time.

-apart from touring in France (hehe!) what are your projects for the band?

We're playing a few festivals in the States (Get Better Fest, The FEST). But we're doing a few weekends, with After The Fall from Albany, My Fictions from Massachusetts and Old Lines from Philadelphia. We're writing a new 7-inch that we hope to have out later this year (interested labels, inquire within). We're planning a few splits. A 7-inch with our buds The Blue Letter from Richmond, VA and a 4-way for Get Better Records. Last but not least, the 2nd pressing of 'What A Plague You Are' will be out this coming Spring. We're really excited to have all these projects in the works!

-have you something to add?

Thanks for taking the time to ask us these questions! It's really flattering that people care about what we do, especially in another country! Check out the bands we've mentioned because they deserve your support as well! Most importantly, it's up to all of us to keep our community so vibrant and accepting, so do your part!

-your turn to ask me a question!

Ask Daitro to come back to the States!

CityCop

CityCop is a really good and special band. Their music sounds like an accoustic kind of screamo, but is really better than what you expect at first, the result is really impressive.
They released two records in 2011, an LP The Hope in Forgiving & Giving Up Hope, and an EP called Seasons. Both are very good, and both have a bandcamp page where you can listen to it (and then buy it if you have the money because it's really worth it).
Here it is : The Hope in Forgiving & Giving Up Hope
and  : Seasons

Their singer kindly accepted to answer to a few questions.
You can read the interview just below :

-can you present the band, its members, its history, what was the project at the start, how it evolved? where does the idea of playing accoustic comes from?

The band is made up of Max Adams (Guitar/Vocals), Eddie Gancos (Vocals), Cody Mikesell (Drums) and Duncan Treen (Bass). The band started as just a little Indie/Folk project between Max and I (Eddie). We then went to record a demo at Duncans house and he asked to play Bass on a few songs. he was then just added into the band. We then figured we needed some drums and Cody wanted to join too. We've all been really good friends since Middle school so everything just kind of fit together pretty well. As we grew older our influences changed and we started getting into things like The Fall Of Troy, Saetia, etc. and our style changed as well but we wanted to keep the acoustic guitar because we liked the sound of it and it fit more to our roots.

-why did you choose this bandname?

we honestly could not think of a band name so we went to a band name generator website and city cop seemed to be a pretty decent enough name so we went with that.

-even if playing accoustic sets you apart, do you feel like being part of a scene, screamo or else? with what kind of band do you play with?

We don't really consider our music any specific genre. It's really a mix of everything we've observed and everything we've loved and followed over the years. We have played with Screamo, Punk, Rock, Indie, Acoustic, Metal, Metalcore, Pop Punk, and anything else you could think of. We don't really care what kind of shows we play because we appreciate pretty much every genre and love playing to new people no matter what they are fans of.

-how people react to your live performances?

Generally people tell us that it wasn't anything they expected, in a good way. We try to bring as much energy and emotion as we can and try to show how much these songs mean to us and we want people to believe that what they are seeing reflects that.

-the guitar playing seems influenced by rock/heavy music but not only, am I right?

You are correct. I can't speak for Max but he is really influenced by everything including Jazz, Latin, etc. Though we are influenced heavily by heavier music so we do the est we can do with an acoustic guitar.

-I think you manage very well to keep the passionate feeling and intensity that goes with screamo/hardcore music. is it hard to achieve that while playing accoustic?

don't think being passionate about something and showing a lot of intensity should only be restricted to those who do play electric. I don't think it's hard to achieve it either by doing what we do. It's kind of a tough question to answer.

 -can you tell us about the lyrics of the songs, it seems to be mainly about personnal issues, true?

 Most of the lyrics on the first alum are about Girls, growing up, hating everybody and the usual angst you would typically find. In Seasons I feel like my writing has matured a lot, and I think that's mainly because I've grown up a lot as a person. Most of what is on Seasons is about my family, my father, growing up around a lot of negative people and ways of living, depression, and just trying to get by in the time we live in right now.

-where do you get the idea of the EP seasons? do you think you will again adapt a poem as lyrics for a song?

We thought of the idea as like, the mood of the songs had to get more and more sad as the Seasons change. Living in Ohio, Winter seems to be the most depressing season and it is reflected in the mood of the song "Winter". We just tried to pace it like how the actual Seasons kind of just roll on by. I don't think we are ever going to do anything like the poem again. I'm not too fond of using other works that aren't personally mine. I'm just a huge Bukowski fan and I wanted to show my appreciation for him as a writer. 

 -what is your opinion about the Occupy movement and the general situation in the US?

 We don't really like to get into political topics too much, though we all have our individual opinions, I cannot speak for everybody on the topic.

-which good band of your area (or anywhere) should we check?

The Northeast Ohio music scene is probably one of the best I have seen. Some great young bands are coming out of it and doing great for themselves. I'd check out Ages, Homewrecker, Light Years, Setbacks, Minor League, Dead Words, Street Fight and I know I'm forgetting a lot but just check out all the bands in general, Ohio music is for sure music to get into. Venues to check out are West End 2153, Now That's Class, and Tower 2012.

-do you have something to add?

Check Out Flannel Gurl Records, L'Amour Records, Sober Todd, Code Orange Kids, Jarrod Lachey, Kenny Powers, Paul Rudd, Matt Izzi, Mike Aponte and Tip.

-your turn to ask me a question if you like. any idea?

How did you hear about us? 

I discovered you on a blog called Spreading Neurotoxins, where I found a link to the bandcamp page for Seasons.here is the post.