It all ends here.
Here at Punk Goes Prenatt, for the past four weeks, we have given you 40 artists that you need to tune your attention to throughout 2019. Spanning artists in genres like rap, pop-punk, electronic, post-hardcore, rock, and acoustic, Prenatt’s Picks have shown you the finest acts to check out. Now, we’ve reached the final week and the final ten.
This is part five of five. If you didn’t read the previous list, click here.
Without further delay, let’s finish the list!
Afterlife
Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL
Out Now: Breaking Point (Hopeless)
For Fans Of: Cane Hill, KoЯn, Linkin Park
Nu-metal came back in a hard way a few years ago. With the rise of acts like Cane Hill, Issues, and Sylar in the past couple years, newer bands in the genre are able to break into the world easier. That’s how Floridian quartet Afterlife were able to thrive. Created behind closed doors in 2015, vocalist Tyler Levenson, guitarist Andrew McGuire, drummer Luke Walkinshaw and bassist Tristan Edwards, have been quickly making a name for themselves, signing with Stay Sick Recordings (The Ansible, Bodysnatcher, Notions) in 2016 before eventually hitting their highest mark by joining Hopeless Records (The Dangerous Summer, Lotus Eater, Story Untold) last fall. Their debut record Breaking Point came out in January, featuring the single “Throat”, which went #1 on SiriusXM Octane. Afterlife have toured with Oceans Ate Alaska, Ice Nine Kills, and Like Moths To Flames. They’ll be playing the So What?! Music Festival on Saturday, April 27, with Crown The Empire, Dead American, and Varials.
Song to Listen to: “Holding On”
Ithaca
Hometown: London, UK
Out Now: The Language Of Injury (Holy Roar)
For Fans Of: Bleeding Through, I Killed The Prom Queen, Norma Jean
Ithaca aren’t just another metal band about breakdowns and scaring conservative Christians, they’re a band with a heavy political message. That’s why the London quintet were involved in the first ever World Metal Congress back in March. Yes, it’s a real thing. Frontwoman Djamila Azzouz is sick of the way women are treated in the metal scene, and she’s making her voice heard in anyway. As Revolver put it, ” Cohesive and passionate, driven and furious, yet never looking like they’re having anything but the best time, Ithaca are poised to further invigorate the metallic hardcore scene away from their home base of London…” Their debut album The Language Of Injury came out this year via Holy Roar Records (Apologies, I Have None, Group Of Man, We Never Learned To Live). Ithaca will appear at ArcTanGent on Thursday, August 15, with Coheed And Cambria, Zeal & Ardor, and Polyphia.
Song to Listen to: “Impulse Crush”
Spanish Love Songs
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Out Now: Losers – Single (Pure Noise)
For Fans Of: Elway, Iron Chic, The Menzingers
Last week Pure Noise Records (Boston Manor, Graduating Life, Selfish Things) reintroduced to the world the indie punk group Spanish Love Songs. Formed five years ago, the West Coast sextet have been working hard, dropping two albums on two different labels, touring with Hot Water Music, Iron Chic, and Typesetter, and doing shows with Good Riddance, Red City Radio, and The Flatliners. Spanish Love Songs will be playing festivals like Pouzza Fest, FEST 18, and Camp Anarchy later this year.
Song to Listen to: “Losers”
Not Ur Girlfrenz
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Out Now: New Kids In America – EP (Frenzone)
For Fans Of: Bowling For Soup, Doll Skin, Veruca Salt
If you remember from last year’s list, I showed you a band called Color Killer. I said that the group were the youngest band to ever appear at Warped Tour. Well, that’s both right and wrong. They are the youngest band ever to appear, but they aren’t the youngest touring band on the festival. That honor goes to Texan pop-rock trio Not Ur Girlfrenz. Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Liv Haynes (14), bassist Gigi Haynes (12), and drummer Maren Alford (14), the band played the touring festival for four days. They also got the attention of Bowling For Soup’s Jaret Reddick, who not only took them on tour with BFS but also produced their latest EP New Kids In America. The girls have done shows with Set It Off, The Dollyrots, and The Nixons. Not Ur Girlfrenz will appear at Warped Tour’s 25th anniversary show in Atlantic City, N.J., with Blink-182, Glassjaw, and Stacked Like Pancakes. Keep your eyes peeled for Not Ur Girlfrenz.
Song to Listen to: “Warped”
Dream State
Hometown: South Wales, UK
Out Now: Hand In Hand – Single (UNFD)
For Fans Of: CrazyEightyEight, Hands Like Houses, Too Close To Touch
The past five years have been incredible for British alt-rock/post-hardcore act Dream State. Just hours to the group’s performance at Reading in 2017, the band signed with UNFD (Frank Iero And The Future Violents, Limbs, While She Sleeps). Fortune has truly smiled upon the group. Since then, they released an EP in 2018, appeared on the charity comp Songs That Saved My Life with their rendition of Linkin Park’s “Crawling”, played festivals like Download, Slam Dunk, and 2000trees, won “Best British Breakthrough Act” at the Kerrang! Awards in 2018, and have toured with BABYMETAL, The Amity Affliction, and Neck Deep. 2019 will keep Dream State busy, having appearances at Groezrock with Beach Slang, Reading and Leeds with PUP, and 2000trees with You Me At Six.
Song to Listen to: “Hand In Hand”
All Out
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Out Now: Violent – Single (Self-Released)
For Fans Of: Broadside, New Found Glory, We Were Sharks
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Damn. Do you know what pop-punk needs? Clouts and trap beats.” Well if you had that very specific thought, I give you All Out. The Long Island act blend in standard pop-punk elements with the stylings of Lil Dicky and Post Malone. With this bizarre paring, All Out have been able to share stages with Carousel Kings, Belmont, Abandoned By Bears, Keep Flying, and Capstan. They’re the band you didn’t think you needed in your life. All Out’s next show is Saturday, June 1, with Maybe Later.
Song to Listen to: “Violent”
The Sunday Sadness
Hometown: Bordeaux, France
Out Now: The Sunday Sadness (Self-Released)
For Fans Of: The 1975, BTS, Chase Atlantic
The Sunday Sadness are the living embodiment of vaporwave. The French dark-pop quartet are not only crossing music boundaries, but are also crossing country boundaries with their hypnotic sound. They’ve reached over 100,000 plays on Spotify back in November, dropped their debut self-titled EP in February, and played their first ever sold-out headlining show earlier this month. Looks like things are bright for these dark-pop boys. The Sunday Sadness will be embarking on a short run with As It Is and Our Last Night in France this summer.
Song to Listen to: “Damn, I Hate It”
Don’t Sleep
Hometown: Harrisburg, PA / Washington D.C.
Out Now: Bring The Light – Single (Reaper)
For Fans Of: Authority Zero, Gorilla Biscuits, Minor Threat
Even though hardcore punk quintet Don’t Sleep have only been around since 2017, all of the members have been doing music with other groups prior to their formation. The five good friends are made up of vocalist Dave Smalley (Dag Nasty, Down By Law, ALL, and DYS), and members of The Commercials, Admiral, and Junction. So far the group have dropped two EPs, done gigs with Murphy’s Law, Face To Face, and Sick Of It All, and played the final cross-country Vans Warped Tour in Baltimore. Their debut full-length album, produced by Grammy nominated producers Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland (Galactic Empire, The Last Ten Seconds Of Life, Polaris), will be coming out sometime this year via their new label Victory Records (Awaken I Am, Dead Girls Academy, Reverend Horton Heat).
Song to Listen to: “Lazarus”
Times Like These
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Out Now: Take Me Home – Single (Self-Released)
For Fans Of: 5 Seconds Of Summer, All Time Low, Story Untold
When people think of the music scene in Long Island, everyone thinks of Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, The Movielife, Envy On The Coast, and Glassjaw. What you didn’t expect was a Top 40-esque pop-rock band called Times Like These. Named after the popular Foo Fighters song, the quartet put a fresh coat of paint on pop-punk. While they might sound like early 5 Seconds Of Summer and current All Time Low, that hasn’t stopped them from doing shows with Oh, Weatherly, Handguns, With Confidence, Seaway, and Centerfolds. They even did a song with Drew Dijorio of Stray From The Path. Times Like These will be touring with The Second After in May.
Song to Listen to: “Take Me Home”
Inner Outlines
Hometown: Jacksonville, IL
Out Now: Perspective. (Self-Released)
For Fans Of: Carousel Kings, In Her Own Words, Major League
Born in a basement in Central Illinois, Inner Outlines were created in 2014 and had one goal in mind: not following in anyone’s footsteps but rather seeking what their heroes sought. The alt-rock band were influenced by an eclectic group of artists such as Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Sevendust, Goo Goo Dolls, and Pierce The Veil. When their bassist Billie Smith passed away in 2014, the band continued on their journey of saying that nothing was impossible. With that mission in mind, they were able to drop an EP and two full-lengths, their latest being 2019’s Perspective. independently. They’ve shared stages with Breaking Benjamin, Sleeping With Sirens, Forever Came Calling, The Plot In You, Alter Bridge, Pierce The Veil, Tear Out The Heart, Keep Flying, Avatar, and Rookie Of The Year. The band’s next show is at Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Song to Listen to: “Closed Doors”
Well that’s it, 50 bands across the span of five weeks. I hope you enjoyed this list as much as I did making it. If you want to read last year’s list, featuring Picturesque, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me, Dead Girls Academy, Calpurnia, and Hobo Johnson & The LoveMakers, click the links provided underneath each band. Hope to see you all soon!
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