Within the alternative scene, trends are thrown around like bottles of Jack Daniels at a house party. At first everyone wants a piece, mixing it with whatever they’ve brought themselves then passing it on and letting the next dude get in on the action too. Then as time goes on and interest is lost the bottle is left on a table waiting to be thrown away with the rest of the battered and depleted pieces of rubbish while the party moves onto the next big thing to quench their thirst. Now imagine this party was taking place in 2009 and rather than whisky the substance being chugged back is neon green and sweet as hell. That’s easycore you’re drinking there mate.

Back in the day easycore bands were running riot, smashing out hearty helpings of mosh inducing breakdowns, dancefloor shaking synths and endless streams of positivity. Where some chose to straighten their hair, pierce their lips and windmill to deathcore demo the easycore kids were smiling away and living the neon dream. Even New Found Glory were getting in on the hootenanny and pop-punk was at it’s loftiest peak in years. Alas though, all good things must come to an end. Tr00 pop-punk started to creep in and took hold and bands channelled more *feelings* than mosh parts. Those tr00 bands then started to trade in the neon xtra small tees at the back of their wardrobes for oversized novelty flannel shirts and pretended they had listened to Mineral when they were 6 as soft grunge reared it’s gloomy head. Easycore was pushed into the corner twice over and made to be something of a blip in a band’s back catalogue. The days were bleak and nights bleaker.

That was then. This is 2015 and something is stirring. Last year planted the seeds for an easycore revival with Four Year Strong harking back to their youthful heaviness with ‘Go Down In History’, City Light’s disbandment causing a bigger dint in the scene than they expected and bands like Sweden’s Abandoned By Bears looking at claiming mainstream attention with their cover of Dame Taylor Swift’s ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’. Fast forward to modern day and the revolution is pretty much at melting point. Hit The Lights are on the verge of bringing back the neon with ‘Summer Bones’ through Pure Noise Records, Chunk! No Captain Chunk are in the studio and oozing out samples of what is set to makes eyeballs melt and everyday new bands are popping up and posting EPs that channel the spirit of 2009 in a bigger way than ever before.

Before you know it, every band will be jumping back on the wagon and making their $$$ in the best sub-genre in the known scene. So, you best get kitted out. Us at Watch The Band have taken it upon ourselves to give you our pick of the 5 bands leading the new wave and why you should be jumping on them now. That way you can brag to all your peers about how you knew about them before they headline Warped Tour or break the internet or whatever and not be talking bullshit.

FOR THE WIN – The creme de la creme. So good that they got snapped up by Artery Recordings, For The Win are the real deal when it comes to modern day #EZ. Self-esteem expanding lyrics and fast paced buoyant melodies all held together tightly with breakdowns that could peel paint off your walls. It doesn’t get much fatter than this.

NO! NOT THE BEES – Pushing together the peaks of everything that is brilliant about Easycore, No! Not The Bees are teetering on the verge of next big deal. Lyrics preaching positivity, emphatic synths and enough beatdowns to keep you warm all winter long, this lot will make you all but forget how emotional Citizen’s last album made you feel.

FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS – Hailing from Russia, FWBF sit a tad further on the post hardcore side than is usual within #EZcrab  but nonetheless spoon out creamy helpings of posi mosh goodness just like what your mum used to make. If you need a place to start, the FUCK/Bluergh/Riff combo on ‘What Waits Us Tomorrow’ is what they like to call in the business ‘god tier’.

RISE ON EVEREST – Must be something in the vodka in Russia. Rise On Everest go for more of an euphoric feel within their synth and preach mountains of hope  beneath their pummelling breaky d’s. Fun fact: Falling In Reverse use the same synth on their tune ‘God Damn’ as ROE do on ‘Find A Way’. ‘Find A Way’ is much much better though, mind.

WHITE DAD – Like Tom Delonge if he spent the last few years stagediving to A Day To Remember rather than making contact with aliens and shit. Plenty of teen angst mixed with building melodies that all culminate in some of the tightest breakdowns going.

So there you have it. Now, go forth, spread the word and fight the good fight in the name of #EZ. It’s gonna be a bloodbath.

Enjoy this piece? Want more juicy easycore to get your teeth into? Anyone you think we should be listening to? Let us know and let’s change the world.