Honorable Mention: Spitfire
Spitfire is a great band. Their 3 post Solid State albums are absolutely phenomenal and Please Don't Go Out Tonight from The Dead Next Door is one of my favorite metalcore songs ever. But to be honest, The Dead Next Door has never been an album I loved.
10. Too Bad Eugene
While Too Bad Eugene was promoted as a pop punk band who was formerly signed to MxPx’s label, Rock City, the band was much more then a cheap MxPx punk knock off. Moonlighting was 3-5 years ahead of it’s time. A couple of years later when bands like Fallout Boy and Motion City Soundtrack started hitting big and Too Bad Eugene could’ve been a big ticket for T&N.
9. Poor Old Lu
It only made sense that Poor Old LU would eventually put out a record on the Nail. Christian’s alternative rock giants released one reunion album on T&N, The Waiting Room. With two catchy singles in Revolve and Crushed, The Waiting Room brought Poor Old Lu new fans.
8. Waking Ashland
Composure is probably the best record Tooth and Nail has put out that you haven’t heard. Piano driven adult rock/emo, I’m a little shocked this record didn’t do better then it did, although it did help the band land a deal with Immortal records. While lyrically a little hollow at times, musically Waking Ashland is what I had always hoped Mae would be. Just catchy and beautiful songs.
7. The Agony Scene
The Agony Scene’s self-titled debut is a metalcore beauty. Heavy Zao influence, which I love. The band put out one record on Solid State mostly because the band’s renouncing of Christianity. And while they released music post Solid State, nothing was ever as heavy or nearly as good as their self-titled debut.
6. Life In Your Way
I caught wind of Life In Your Way far past the bands break-up. People loved their record and continued to talk about it enough for me to pick it up. Waking Giants is melodic metalcore perfection. It’s what Means second record should’ve been. A good band I wish I would’ve discovered sooner.
5. AP2
AP2, the second coming of Argyle Park. While industrial was never a huge genre and it’s minor popularity had all but passed when Suspension of Disbelief came out, AP2 still delivered a musical masterpiece. Each song had it’s own personality and you never knew what was going to hit your stereo next. The vocal talents of Joel Bell and Mark Salomon are great and Resurrection of the Ravens is such a killer song.
4. Society’s Finest
Society’s Finest was advertised as the band for fans who were upset about Embodyments change in sound. And to be fair Kris McCaddon was in the band. But The Journey So Far was far more a metalcore record then the great death metal of Embrace the Eternal. While I The Drunkards took on an even more metalcore feel and was the bands best work, The Journey So Far is still a fantastic record and an underrated one.
3. Driver Eight
Driver Eight had one fantastic record and was done. Watermelon is alternative rock at it’s finest. I don’t know a whole lot about the band but I do know Watermelon is one of the best rock records T&N ever released.
2. Frodus
Frodus were underground DC punk legends before they ever signed with T&N. They put out one record with the label, and though not their best, Conglomerate International is pure DC punk frenzy. While the band signing to Tooth and Nail did and still has people scratching their heads, there’s no denying that Conglomerate International is a fantastic punk album.
1. Beloved
If you haven’t heard Failure On, you’re really missing out. Just a great post-hardcore/melodic hardcore record. While their Running EP really showcased how good Beloved could be, Failure On was one of those records that really was perfect start to finish. Great guitar riffs, heavy at moments, and just all around beautiful. It’s a shame this band never released a second album.
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