Still Screaming

The band's first release, Still Screaming, shows the band maturing, trying out the fast stuff, testing their feet in the Bad Brains reggae pool, talking about scene solidarity, etc. It's a solid record, bolstered by the Stahl brothers' deft ability to make an ordinary song truly soar with melody. Unlike most other hardcore bands, Scream was never blunt with its music. Of course, this was probably due to Pete Stahl's vocal talent, which was truly showcased on the follow-up, This Side Up. For all its glory -- "Bet You Never Thought" is a brilliantly crafted piece of anthemic rock -- This Side Up has a few duds, like the pointless castoff "Gluesniff." By the time of This Side Up, Scream had found its voice, and that voice owed a lot more to suburban rock than to the elitist hardcore found in the city. A D.C. hardcore classic.