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Risecore

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Risecore
Myka Relocate showcasing typical Risecore fashion with tattoos, graphic tees, and long or side-swept layered hair.
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsMid-2000s, United States
Typical instruments
  • Vocals
  • Guitar
  • Bass
  • Drums
  • Synthesizer
  • Sampler
  • Programming
Other topics

Audio samples:

Audio sample
"Start Again" by Alive Like Me, from Only Forever (Rise Records). Demonstrates high-pitched clean vocals typical of Rise-core aesthetics.
Audio sample
"Chain of Memories" by I Am King. Illustrates the blend of pop-style clean vocals with aggressive screaming, a core feature of Risecore.

Risecore[2] is a subgenre of metalcore[3][4] and post-hardcore popular from late 2000s to mid 2010s. The style is often associated with the Warped Tour scene and was popularized largely by bands on Rise Records, though it includes acts from various labels.[5]

History

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It originated from pop-screamo and metalcore bands such as The Devil Wears Prada, Underoath, and From Autumn to Ashes, who played a post-hardcore-influenced style of metalcore rather than the melodic metalcore common in that era. The genre gained prominence through its association with Rise Records and the Warped Tour, appealing to younger audiences drawn to its fusion of heaviness and commercial sensibility.

Singer Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox reflected on the genre’s context within the broader metalcore timeline, noting how Risecore stood apart from other scenes like the Botch/Misery Signals or Killswitch Engage /As I Lay Dying schools of metalcore.[6]

By around 2015, Risecore had declined in popularity. Many of its prominent bands either broke up or changed musical direction in favor of newer trends such as progressive metalcore and nu metalcore or toward more accessible hard rock or alternative metal influenced style, often referred to as octanecore, after the SiriusXM station Octane that favored this sound.

Characteristics

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The genre blends heavy screamed vocals and breakdowns with melodic, often featuring high-pitched clean-sung choruses[7] drawing from pop music and post-hardcore. Risecore balances aggression with melody and commercial appeal, often incorporating pop elements into clean vocals. While screaming is a common trait, some bands such as Hands Like Houses[8] and Alive Like Me omit harsh vocals entirely, yet retain the genre's characteristic structures, instrumentation, and breakdown use.

Criticism

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Risecore has been the subject of criticism for its incorporation of pop-oriented vocal melodies and polished production. Detractors often label the genre "popcore", arguing it diverges from the raw aggression of 1990s metalcore and the complexity of earlier post-hardcore. Critics also note that some fans of traditional metalcore and post-hardcore reject the validity of Risecore as part of those lineages.[9][10]

Notable bands

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Sergeant D (11 December 2014). "New genre alert: #EZCRAB". MetalSucks. Retrieved 17 June 2025. New genre alert: #EZCRAB is a fusion of easycore and crabcore, described as "A DAY TO REMEMBER if they played 8-strings".
  2. ^ "Accepting Change: The Never-Ending Evolution of Bring Me The Horizon". Swim Into The Sound. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2025. When I was in high school, one of my most revelatory music phases came when I discovered the wonderful world of modern metal…"
  3. ^ Harris, Chris (8 July 2021). "Bury Tomorrow Name the Metalcore Trends That Aged Poorly". Loudwire. Retrieved 17 June 2025. "We're not trying to be the next big thing, we're trying to be the next big thing for us." – Daniel Winter-Bates
  4. ^ "Album Review: Phinehas – Till the End". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved 17 June 2025. A ferocious mix of melodic metalcore and spiritual themes, *Till the End* cements Phinehas as one of the genre's most heartfelt and technically skilled acts.
  5. ^ "Nomad – Chasing Safety". AllMusic. 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2025. Release date: January 6, 2017.
  6. ^ Enis, Eli (2024). ""Your whole family's going down": A blunt talk with Spiritbox singer Courtney LaPlante". Elienis. Retrieved 17 June 2025. It's not that I don't want to answer questions, it's just that I'm not asked the questions.
  7. ^ Figge, Trevor (24 September 2013). "A Skylit Drive – Rise". Highlight Magazine. Retrieved 18 June 2025. "A Skylit Drive is yet another Metalcore/Post‑Hardcore band with a falsetto singer… Rise defines A Skylit Drive as not just another band in the scene with technical guitar and drum parts that complement one another."
  8. ^ Morton, Luke (7 June 2018). "The 10 Best Post-Hardcore Bands, as Chosen by Mosaic". Louder. Retrieved 17 June 2025. "We're not trying to be the next big thing, we're trying to be the next big thing for us." – Daniel Winter-Bates
  9. ^ "WHAT do "true" Metalheads hate about metalcore??". Ultimate-Guitar.com forums. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2025. I've seen hate towards the image (ie: an "emo" look) and the fanbase,...
  10. ^ "Why Do Metalheads Think Metalcore Isn't Real Metal? — Reddit Users Answer". Loudwire. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2025. "They view it as metal-lite that focuses too much on breakdowns instead of solos and riffs."
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