We love celebrating local talent here at Maniacs. There’s something about the Australian heavy music scene which has always given us the fuzzies, y’know? We’re lucky as hell to have so many great artists on our doorstep who work relentlessly to deliver quality music. No matter which way you swing, it’s always been a warm, accepting and downright fun family to be a part of.
At the head of aforementioned family table are Brisbane legends The Amity Affliction who, after five albums and countless local and international tours, have just released their brand new album MISERY on August 24th, via Roadrunner.
Hopefully you’re as pumped about the new direction as we are, but for now let’s take a trip down memory lane and take a look at five of the top tracks from the band’s back catalogue throughout the years.
Snitches Get Stitches
Those of us who are old enough (ahem…) will remember Amity on the Australian club circuit around the time debut album Severed Ties dropped in 2008. Tiny stages at sweaty Destroy All Lines nights like Hot Damn, Thriller and Bang served as launching pads for the band (and countless others who have made their way through this rite of passage) as they set off on their journey towards stardom. 'Snitches get Stitches' was pretty far removed from The Amity Affliction we know today, but it was raw and heavy and not-at-all-perfect, helping cement the band as an underground favourite in the hardcore scene.
Chasing Ghosts
The band’s third album Chasing Ghosts was its most ambitious to date (and first on new label Roadrunner); featuring some of the heaviest themes on their resume, and a title track which would lead to a maiden number one album. With controversy never far away, Amity were able to craft a song which focused directly on the difficult subject of suicide and vocalist Joel Birch’s own experiences with it. The album immediately connected with audiences and allowed them an opportunity to tap into the US market as part of the Vans Warped tour, heralding the Gympie 5-piece as a worldwide success.
I Hate Hartley
This is the perfect intro track for any Amity Affliction live show. A heavy, double kick-laden breakdown headlines this circle pit inducing opening stanza from the Youngbloods album and simply couldn’t be left off the list. The band’s sophomore album was a massive step up from the debut, as post-hardcore met metalcore and bass player Ahren Stringer’s melodic pop punk vocals sent girls (and a few gents) into absolute hysteria. A match made in heaven, putting Amity on top of the pile in the flourishing Australian scene.
Pittsburgh
Mental health has always been a common theme for Amity, and more specifically for frontman Joel Birch, whose accounts of battling his own demons have long struck a chord with fans of the band. 'Pittsburgh' was the lead single taken from 2014’s Let The Ocean Take Me, and remains a fan favourite to this day, while touching on some pretty heavy subject matter. Amity’s winning formula continued to engage fans, and the track helped secure their second number one album, selling over thirty-five thousand units in the two weeks after release.
Youngbloods
Amity’s penchant for writing catchy, emotionally charged records is nothing new to us these days, but 2010’s Youngbloods seems to be the one which really fucking got people. Debuting at #6 on the ARIA chart, it was a personal best for the band at the time and stands as Amity’s finest work to date. The anthem-like title track rips its way through the hearts of adoring crowds nightly as part of the band’s live show and boasts one of the best gang vocal chants in recent memory. It is a truly special song which spawned a whole generation of fans, and still brings a tear to our eyes.
Got an opinion? Tell us all about it in the comments and tag your buddies!
Listen to The Amity Affliction now.
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