The 10 Best Post-Hardcore Albums of the Early 2000s: A Discussion
We asked manager and host of ‘Waldman's Words’ on Idobi Radio, Scott Waldman, to take on the challenge of ranking the 10 Best Post-Hardcore Albums of the Early 2000s. He enlisted friend and fellow manager Zach Yoshioka to help him out. See what albums topped their list below:
Zach Yoshioka manages a lot of incredible acts; I try to do the same. Read below to “listen” to us discuss the 10 “best” (100 percent subjective, but our opinions are right and yours are wrong) post-hardcore albums from 2000 to 2009.
Let’s go to the movies, y’all:
1. At The Drive-In, Relationship Of Command (2000)
SW: The beginning of this article is sponsored by Ross Robinson.
ZY: Dude.
SW: Dude.
ZY: At The Drive-In started the post-hardcore wave of this century.
SW: This addition was my first non-negotiable on this list.
ZY: I concur and support. My area of Arizona was all about nu-metal, and then it quickly changed to a pop-punk demographic a la Blink-182. Once ATDI and a few others released records, all bets were off.
SW: Post?
ZY: Hardcore!
SW: Sounds like the relationship of command...
ZY: Definitely.
2. Thursday, Full Collapse (2001)
SW: Speaking of heavenly fathers...
ZY: Geoff. Rickley.
SW: Geoff Rickley. What a man, what a man, what a mighty, mighty good man.
ZY: I love him. East Coast attitude. Honest lyrics. Sincerity to a T.
SW: The letter “T” was and always will be brought to you by Thursday.
ZY: Scott, without you there’s a hole in the world.
SW: I understand (and I’m not in a car crash).
ZY: THURSDAY!
3. Glassjaw, Worship And Tribute (2002)
SW: Long. Fucking. Island.
ZY: Long fucking Island. Glassjaw is the Royce da 5’9” of screamo.
SW: Wow. You worship GJ. What a tribute.
ZY: Thank you.
SW: Of course, Zachary! It’s hard for me to be objective about one of my homeland’s favorite bands, so I’ll let you take the lead... My explanation must’ve ran all day last time.
ZY: I see what you did there.
SW: Off to take two tabs of mescaline.
ZY: I saw Glassjaw play for about 10 people at Warped this year. The following year I saw Glassjaw play main stage at Warped Tour to a lot more.
SW: Respect. I’m going to one-up you: I was at Glassjaw’s Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence CD release show. It. Was. Not. Silent.
ZY: I love that.
4. The Blood Brothers, Burn, Piano Island, Burn (2003)
SW: Speaking of live rock ’n’ roll shows, I saw The Blood Brothers open for AFI IN 2003. The crowd didn’t get it, but I was intrigued.
ZY: I saw Blood Brothers with Taking Back Sunday around that time period. I agree — the crowd didn’t get it. I loved it. Loved it. Banshee vocals reminiscent of Bad Brains.
SW: Bad?
ZT: Brains!
SW: Stop yelling. Every breath is a bomb.
ZT: (Looks confused.)
SW: The shame.
ZY: No shame. I’ll say this right now: Blood Brothers are one of the most original post-hardcore bands.
SW: I have a few counter arguments, but not that many: I love this band, and I don’t want its guitarmy to come after me, bro.
ZY: Come at me.
5. Hawthorne Heights The Silence In Black And White (2004)
SW: My life is on standby until I hear your thoughts on this game-changing record. FYI: I normally scoff at the phrase “game changing,” but it’s necessary in this case.
ZY: I concur. My sister loved Hawthorne Heights. This album came out at exactly the right time.
SW: And it hit like a silver bullet! (Silence) Get it?
ZY: (Pauses) Yes.
SW: Your silence was not a wake up call.
ZY: Los Angeles is NOT for lovers.
SW: That’s another article. Do I need to screenwrite you an apology?
ZY: (Laughs.)
6. Finch Say Hello To Sunshine (2005)
SW: Disclaimer: We were torn between this and Thrice’s Vheissu but sunshine came out on top. (Pauses.) That’s what she said!
ZY: Sometimes I feel like a man alone on this but this album was a grower, not a show-er.
SW: I loved it when it came out and I loved the band’s one-off show celebrating this album’s 10-year anniversary at the Glass House in Pomona.
ZY: We spoke about Glassjaw already, Scott.
SW: Glass. Houses. Let me give you a piece of my mind!
ZY: Well, the album artwork is still on my mind.
SW: Twas sick. IS sick.
ZY: Sick.
SW: Sometimes I feel like a man alone on this but this album was a grower, not a show-er.
ZY: That’s what I said!
(Both laugh.)
7. Saosin, Saosin (2006)
SW: Howard. Benson.
ZY: Howard Benson.
SW: One of the better vocal producers of all time... I said it.
ZY: I agree. I listened to this album at least once a day in 2006.
SW: You’re not alone.
ZY: (Laughs.)
SW: I mean, you should bury your head if you haven’t obsessed on the intricacies of this album.
ZY: Am I hearing voices in my head right now or something?
SW: I’ll provide some sense of security. (Pauses.) Yes.
ZY: Good. The behind the scenes footage on the making of this record is epic, as well.
SW: I never wanted to watch said footage until now. (Pauses.) I guess I’ll follow and feel.
ZY: Great song. Great band. Great.
8. The Bled, Pass The Flask (2007)
SW: Arizona!
ZY: I Scott this.
SW: I’ve never been so proud of you; I’ll lay in my cot ‘til you’re done.
ZY: (Laughs.) This band was huge in Arizona, and I miss being a part of its world. I once saw The Bled play for about 15 people and then play
for much much more. AZ truly knows how to rally behind its hometown heroes. Also, The Bled had an exciting element of violence to their live
shows.
SW: Immaletufinish but John Wayne Newton put out the best post-hardcore record of 2007.
ZY: (Confused.) What?
SW: We. Are. The. Industry.
ZY: Oh my God.
9. Underoath, Lost In The Sound Of Separation (2008)
SW: Speaking of a deity...
ZY: This album is underrated.
SW: Agreed. It’s my favorite UO album. Hi, Trenton.
ZY: Underoath is and was the best live post-hardcore band ever.
SW: What else is there to say?
ZY: What else is there to say?
SW: The live set makes me feel like I’m breathing a...
ZY: (Interrupting.) New mentality!
10. Poison The Well, The Tropic Rot (2009)
SW: Here’s the newest mention!
ZY: We're almost done?
SW: Yessir. The next decade shall exist underground.
ZY: That was fun. I saw PTW open for Deftones once. Nuts. Nuts!
SW: I had drummer Chris Hornbrook on Waldman’s Words. He rules.
ZY: Dude can play.
SW: I mean, who doesn’t love a good dismemberment?
ZY: True story.
SW: In all seriousness, this list was fun to make and Zach is fun to talk with. And PTW can fucking play music quite well. Yup.
So that’s it... Please don’t yell at us. Or, do so quietly. Because we’re insane, track one on this playlist is track one on that album, track two is track two on that album, and so on till track 10. Make sense? Enjoy, rock out, and spread the word about these bands.
The Authors
Scott Waldman is the former bassist of The City Drive (Sony Records) and the owner/founder of Waldman Management in Los Angeles, Calif. His current roster includes multiple artists, songwriters and producers, including AFI's Hunter Burgan as a producer and Sum 41/Street Drum Corps drummer Frank Zummo as a solo artist. In addition, Scott is the host of his own weekly radio show, Waldman's Words, on Idobi Radio.
Zach Yoshioka owns and operates Powerline Management out of Tempe, Arizona. He currently manages Escape The Fate, Islander, Whitney Peyton and others in various genres of music along with acclaimed producer Cameron Mizell. Zach also is an owner & talent buyer for his concert company K&Z entertainment who has produced shows for the last 12 years in Arizona. The company has promoted shows for Twenty One Pilots, Travis Scott and Jon Bellion.