Top 10 Love Songs for Couples Who Share Mascara

With the pomp of Christmas and New Year’s once again fading to the background, Valentine’s Day is the next big commercial holiday upon which our economy will focus its endeavors. Fans of independent music might notice that gloomy rock shares the stage with romance in a very intriguing way. Sure, self-expression is held as utmost sanctity in any art form; but let’s face it — it just isn’t bad-ass to write love songs. It’s inherent that sappy love songs will not be included in the track list of bands with names like Every Time I Die, As I Lay Dying, Bleeding Through, The Bled, and so on. With much diligent research wading through angry socialist lyrics, vague but semi-disturbing lyrics, and just plain disgusting lyrics, I have compiled a list of the best love songs that should make one feel a bit nauseated.

I should preface, too, that there is a plethora of “romantic” songs by tragic-hearted indie rockers, and so I have limited my search to hardcore bands. Furthermore, I can only provide an analysis of music I own and have a bias towards…

10. “Angel Without Wings” from Parade of Chaos by Zao
I start here because of all songs on this list, this one is actually romantic. In fact, while my wife and I were dating, I put this on a “love song” CD I made for her. It was the solitary hardcore song, and I strategically placed it at the end since I didn’t think she’d appreciate it. But she liked it. After all, when Dan Weyandt (lead “singer”) discovers melody in his throat, love must be in the air, right? This song is pretty simple and maybe a bit repetitive. By the way, when an angel doesn’t have wings, isn’t that a bad thing? I guess that’s what makes this so hardcore/tragic.

Quotable: “When I was crying, you never left my side / When I was dying, you never left my side”

9. “Life Support” from Cult Classic by Scarlet
In stark contrast with the previous entry, we find ourselves with Scarlet. The disturbing part of researching this one was flipping through the CD booklet. Man, these guys have issues. Subsequently, this song leans more towards the fringes of “creepy” than romantic. In this song, the hardcore bard seeks an unhealthy, overly dependent relationship (“I’m just too scared of being alone / Without you, my air supply is low”). Hey, some people fall for this.

Quotable: “So put me on your life support / My pulse is fading and my breath is short.”

8. “Punch-drunk Punk Rock Romance” from Last Night in Town by Every Time I Die
The name of this song alone is fitting. It’s got everything for a hardcore hopeless romantic — drunkenness, rock, and of course romance. This song is all over the place musically; it’s almost like four songs in one. The severed instrumentation is arranged flawlessly, which I find rather fitting for this list about obscure adoration. The guitars squeal in delight as the frontman growls his sweet nothings.

Quotable: “How punk rock is this? / You’re so oblivious / Baby you’re my oblivion.”

7. “I Never Met Another Gemini” from Pass the Flask by The Bled
I chose this song because of its fun musical succession. It interweaves fervor and lumbering guitars so effortlessly, all the while being quite listenable for the ladies. Here, melody is used to break up the otherwise shifting and heaving progression. This song is a bit more refined than the rest of the album. All it needs is a little candlelight.

Quotable: “I’d give anything to feel alive / And I wait for you tonight / The scalpel carves a map for you”

6. “With a Thousand Words to Say But One” from Undoing Ruin by Darkest Hour
A friend of mine once mused that a hardcore band accomplishes in one song what most bands accomplish in an entire album. That observation encapsulates Darkest Hour. Their percussion is perpetual (making full use of double-bass), if only to sustain the disgustingly metal guitar. You feel a little dirty listening to these guys: they toe the fine line of 80’s butt-rock. Although typically enraged by our government, here Darkest Hour takes an affectionate break from the norm to detail a romantic escapade. Go ahead — embrace your mullet-haired companion!

Quotable: “I just want to take you / Where our time won’t waste anymore”

5. “Everything’s Gonna Be O.K.” from At the Barricades We Fall by Selfmindead
Okay, so the lyrics are a bit cheesy here; and if I’ve ever heard a poppy hardcore song, this is it. Yet for all the years I have been listening to “screamy music,” no other shriek has captured my tainted little heart like Selfmindead’s. His scream is charmingly piercing. Their simple sound has always reminded me of Refused — intensely crunchy music set behind delirious vocals (see “Under the Water” and “Close Your Eyes”). Quite possibly the most underrated hardcore band, Selfmindead will never cease to get my heart-a-pumpin’. Do your sweetheart the favor of wooing by means of bloodied vocal chords.

Quotable: “Baby, one two three / Yeah, you’re gonna see / We’re gonna dance the night away”

4. “The End of an Era” from No Wings to Speak Of by Hopesfall
This song balances screaming, singing, and melody quite tenderly. Although more about heartbreak than budding love, Hopesfall displays beauty and desire as they flow through adrenaline-laced veins. It all pulls together as a tragic story of lost love. I like this song. And Hopesfall’s musical context for the song is a bit more hopeful than their counterparts on this list. Reading the lyrics to this song was a breath of fresh air, so to speak.

Quotable: “I guess you found a way / To make ten minutes / Last forever.”

3. “Heaven in Her Arms” from Jane Doe by Converge
The thing about Converge is that regardless of the song, the vocals sound like a panther fight, and I love it. That said, it is kind of silly to include a song that flirts by way of incoherence rather than romance. Yet Converge holds the number three slot for several reasons: 1) there cannot be a list about hardcore bands without Converge receiving at least an honorable mention. These guys tear it up, and they tear it up well. 2) Converge’s lyrics are quite poetic. Their themes are biblically-inspired, with common references to “light” and “death.” 3) The artwork in this album conveys a fascination with beauty that is perfectly unsettling.

Quotable: “Three simple words bled us dry / Bled us dry / I love you”

2. “Floater” from Hot Damn! by Every Time I Die
The break-downs alone in this song make my heart skip a beat. “Floater” begins seconds after the repeated phrase “The greatest lovers were murderers first.” Sure, the objects of affection in this song may be “my mistress the bridge” or “my lover the river,” but “Floater” is rich in symbolism and brooding affection. Keith Buckley is one of the cleverest, and most disturbed, songwriters of our day. This song is cold, and as with all of Every Time I Die’s material, there is a sense that something of deeper meaning is fermenting below the surface. “Bring the children to the water / And let them see what heartache did.” Enchanting.

Quotable: “Drag the lake / You’ll find it’s full of love”

1. “RX Queen” from White Pony by Deftones
Deftones aren’t necessarily hardcore, but any current hardcore band that lacks Deftones in their list of influences doesn’t deserve to stay together. I owe the majority of my teenage life to Deftones, as their music provided the soundtrack to that age. How could I resist their captivating blend of delicate melody and screeching upheaval? Does that not define adolescence? Awkward yet tender. Anyway, this song is what birthed the idea for this list, and so it must assume the number one slot. It’s delightfully creepy while maintaining an innocent sweetness. Don’t ask me how they do it.

Quotable: “I won’t stop following you / …’Cause you’re my girl / And that’s alright”

Samuel Albertson lives in Portland, OR where there is a surprisingly weak hardcore scene. Sam thanks his wife for putting up with both his lack of romance skills and his hardcore music. Thanks also to Coleen Brooks for her editorial skills!