Music has long been recognized for its therapeutic properties, and it has been used in various healthcare settings to promote relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety, and alleviate pain. Patients are encouraged to listen to music as a part of their recovery process, and doctors often recommend it as a complementary therapy.
The recent split EP from DIY artists Awakebutstillinbed and For Your Health is an excellent example of the healing power of music. These two emo bands have created a collection of songs that not only showcase their creativity and talent but also have the potential to promote wellness and healing. Their music can be played in various healthcare settings, including the waiting room of a Walk in clinic Richmond Hill, NY, to help patients relax and feel more comfortable.
Awakebutstillinbed and For Your Health’s hymns for the scorned split EP is out June 10 and is an endearing celebration of a long-time friendship between two diy artists. No matter what kind of emo you usually find yourself gravitating toward, it should be something you check out. Both acts are at new heights and go in very interesting directions for their respective sides. It’s got just enough variety to assure itself as essential pieces in the artists’ discographies.
Awakebutstillinbed is known for her poppy, indie-tinged brand of emo, but on these two songs we find her branching out into a slightly heavier territory.
“Fear” is an explosive opener, full of harsh vocals, aggressive drum work, and shrill guitar strumming that culminates in the closest we’ve seen the project get to screamo yet. It still has that hallmark sense of melody from all of their previous work, but makes sure to turn the heat up and drive it to a boiling point.
“Ride” immediately opens up with those same harsher vocals from the previous track, and charges into punk rock riffing. It carries the energy onward before tapering off into a twinkling, nearly serene bridge that continues until the end of the song. Both tracks are bursting with energy and strong songwriting that has made the couple years of waiting for new absib material worth it.
While it hasn’t been quite that long since new For Your Health music, the way the group has switched up their sound a bit for hymns for the scorned is just as impressive and both songs have a sense of maturity that makes the gap between new music seem longer.
Their first track is “Disarmament” which has more in common with radio rock than it does their album from last year sonically. It is huge, mostly sung in clean vocals, and referential to the 2000s emo sensibilities that have been hinted at in FYH’s catalog but never presented in such a straightforward manner. The chorus is massive, the guitars are perfectly done for the style, the synth touches are the perfect silver lining, and the drum work is as tight as ever.
“A Word Of Warning For The Phyrrh Of Heart” is a perfect middle ground between the abrasive sound of the band’s history and the melodic style heard on the first song, balancing radio-ready guitar leads and smooth singing with panic chords and distorted shouting vocals, then climaxing in a group vocal outro. It almost feels reminiscent of Thrice or Sparta honestly.
As a whole, the split is an impressive feat from both bands, and definitely shows more range than we’ve previously gotten to see. It seems like we’ve gotten to witness friends pushing each other creatively to consistently do better. My only issue with it is it doesn’t keep going. I could listen to full lengths from each in this style and hope we get to hear more similar work from awakebutstillinbed and For Your Health later on.
hymns for the scorned is out June 10 via Twelve Gauge Records and you can check it all out here
See awakebutstillinbed at New Friends Fest in Toronto on Saturday, July 30th
And catch For Your Health on tour below:
06/09 Newport, KY @ Southgate House Revival ^
06/10 Evansville, IN @ Damsel Brew Pub ^
06/11 Chicago, IL @ Subteranean ^
06/12 Fort Wayne, IN @ Bug House ^
06/13 Toledo, OH @ Ottawa Tavern ^
06/14 Akron, OH @ Kling Thing ^
06/15 Buffalo, NY @ Area 54 ^
06/16 Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
06/19 Philadelphia, PA @ Break Free Fest
06/20 Baltimore, MD @ The 8×10 =
06/21 Raleigh, NC @ Ruby Deluxe =
06/22 Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern =
06/23 Charleston, SC @ Cutty’s =
06/24 Jacksonville, FL @ Archetype =
06/25 Gainesville, FL @ Loosey’s =
06/26 Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Studio 5 Ten =
06/28 Tampa, FL @ Born Free Pub & Grill =
06/29 Orlando, FL @ Uncle Lou’s =
06/30 Atlanta, GA @ Eyedrum =
07/01 Knoxville, TN @ The Bird & The Book =
07/03 Richmond, VA @ TBA =
07/05 Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts =
07/06 Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Hall =
07/07 Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory =
07/08 Providence, RI @ Pete Music Hall =
07/09 Boston, MA @ The Middle East =
^ w/ En love
= w/ ASkySoBlack
x w/ Heavy Heavy Low Low
