Screamo, emo, skramz, and other harsh noise-adjacent, hardcore-centric genres have recently become as popular as shoegaze and hyperpop across the global north. Perhaps their resurgence can be attributed to the process of a 30-year trend cycle, a collective epiphany that this type of music is versatile for both musicians and their fans—or,it’s pure coincidence. Whatever the case may be, harsher, more abrasive music has become widely appreciated by younger Gen Z crowds, with school-aged individuals being the main demographic in attendance at this Friday the 13th’s show at Tulips in Fort Worth. Like most hardcore shows, fans are sure to get their money’s worth; $15 lets them spectate lengthy sets from upwards of 6 bands or more, and this event was no different. Palefade, Commoner, and Sinema were headlining a joint tour across the Southwestern United States, and local acts Flowerbed, Somebody Else, and Animals Together served as openers for this particular show.Â
Circling back to my point about younger Gen Z crowds being the main demographic at this show, there comes a time in your twenties where your decrepit body no longer craves standing in a packed, sweaty venue, waiting to get crowdkilled by children who are the same age as your younger siblings. If I wanted to get punched in the face by a rowdy high schooler, I’d have stayed home with my 17 year-old brother, but I digress. For this reason, us senior citizens (at least for hardcore standards, anyways) who attend these shows will usually make the grueling 48 mile drive from Dallas to Fort Worth for but a fraction of the artists on the bill for the evening. My motivation, of course, was to see Austin-based Palefade, a sonic powerhouse consisting of vocalist Buckley Kelly, guitarists Ian Burrow and Driver Mendoza, bassist Xavier Reyes, and new drummer Ethan Davis.
Indeed, while everyone and their mother is in a screamo band at the moment, Palefade easily puts the rest to shame thanks to their genre-bending ethos and musicianship. My first introduction to Palefade was when I visited Houston-based Trembler’s recording session of their Split EP in 2022. Back then, I was not too keen on screamo and its adjacent genres as I am now. Originally, I found it to be a distastefully angsty and juvenile genre, as I only had an appreciation for darker, brooding black metal. However, upon listening to the earlier takes of Apparition, I was taken aback by the strength of Buckley’s raw, isolated vocals, because they masterfully translated screamo’s essence into an ambient metal flavor. It was at that moment where I realized there truly is an underappreciated nuance to screamo. Furthermore, I became certain that Palefade was on the road to becoming a critically acclaimed band. Label executives in Los Angeles shared the same sentiments upon viewing my video of said session. I videotaped part of the one-take recording of Ode to a God-Fearing Fuck, which was so loud that it could be heard from across the street.
Sonically, Palefade’s approach to composition is innovative due to Kelly, Burrow, Mendoza, and Reyes’ eclectic tastes in music, which they attribute to their unique upbringings. When performing, their on-stage chemistry is captivating, refreshingly palpable, and honest. Kelly does not hesitate or falter when it is time to perform, despite screaming being a vocal technique that is physically and mentally taxing. Burrow, Mendoza, Reyes, and Davis are no different: Even with their bass amp blowing out mid-set, each instrumentalist puts in a fascinating amount of effort to follow along with Kelly’s heavy vocals. By the end of their 30 minute set, each member is drenched in sweat and exhausted, but visibly satisfied with their performance for the evening. Their setlist consisted of their most popular releases from previous years, as well as new tracks from their recently-released split EP with Pomona-based Othiel.
In less than a week, Palefade and Othiel will be touring along the West Coast for the reception of said EP. For musicians that are only in their early twenties and in the formative stages of their career, Palefade are already comparatively successful. A contributing factor to this success is that they are strictly business-oriented when they are on stage and in the studio. Since 2021, Palefade has been releasing music on an annual basis, and they don’t intend on slowing down their pace any time soon. The band has hinted at a future release on the horizon, citing a new stylistic approach as one stand-out quality of the EP that fans should look forward to.
In an informal setting, though, all four members are back to their humble, kind, soft-spoken demeanor. For a group whose music might have been at the forefront of the Satanic Panic if they existed in the 90s, Kelly, Burrow, Mendoza, and Reyes are sagelike as individuals, and it is clear that they put utmost care and soul into their work. It was an honor to even be considered for an interview with them, let alone have the opportunity to speak with them for such a lengthy, thorough interview at that. As a band, Palefade had never conducted nor agreed to one beforehand with any other publication.
In my interview with them, I was fascinated to learn of each member’s extensive musical background, their family’s influence and reception of their careers, and their opinions on Steve Albini.
