Risecore

Risecore^[1] is a subgenre of metalcore^[2][3] and post-hardcore popular from late 2000s to mid 2010s. The style is often associated with the Warped Tour scene and was popularized largely by bands on Rise Records, though it includes acts from various labels.^[4]

Risecore
Myka Relocate showcasing typical Risecore fashion with tattoos, graphic tees, and long or side-swept layered hair.
Stylistic origins	Metalcore post-hardcore emo
Cultural origins	Mid-2000s, United States
Typical instruments	Vocals guitar bass drums synthesizer sampler programming
Other topics
Breakdown (music) emo pop Audio samples:
Audio sample
"Start Again" by Alive Like Me, from Only Forever (Rise Records). Demonstrates high-pitched clean vocals typical of Rise-core aesthetics. file help
Audio sample
"Chain of Memories" by I Am King. Illustrates the blend of pop-style clean vocals with aggressive screaming, a core feature of Risecore. file help

History

It originated from pop-screamo and metalcore bands such as The Devil Wears Prada, Underoath, and From Autumn to Ashes, who played a post-hardcore-influenced style of metalcore rather than the melodic metalcore common in that era. The genre gained prominence through its association with Rise Records and the Warped Tour, appealing to younger audiences drawn to its fusion of heaviness and commercial sensibility.

Singer Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox reflected on the genre's context within the broader metalcore timeline, noting how Risecore stood apart from other scenes like the Botch/Misery Signals or Killswitch Engage /As I Lay Dying schools of metalcore.^[5]

By around 2015, Risecore had declined in popularity. Many of its prominent bands either broke up or changed musical direction in favor of newer trends such as progressive metalcore and nu metalcore or toward more accessible hard rock or alternative metal influenced style, often referred to as octanecore, after the SiriusXM station Octane that favored this sound.

Characteristics

The genre blends heavy screamed vocals and breakdowns with melodic, often featuring high-pitched clean-sung choruses^[6] drawing from pop music and post-hardcore. Risecore balances aggression with melody and commercial appeal, often incorporating pop elements into clean vocals. While screaming is a common trait, some bands such as Hands Like Houses^[7] and Alive Like Me omit harsh vocals entirely, yet retain the genre's characteristic structures, instrumentation, and breakdown use.

Criticism

Risecore has been the subject of criticism for its incorporation of pop-oriented vocal melodies and polished production. Detractors often label the genre "popcore", arguing it diverges from the raw aggression of 1990s metalcore and the complexity of earlier post-hardcore. Critics also note that some fans of traditional metalcore and post-hardcore reject the validity of Risecore as part of those lineages.^[8][9]

Notable bands

• A Skylit Drive
• Alive Like Me
• Asking Alexandria
• Attack Attack!
• Blessthefall
• Chasing Safety
• Conquer Divide
• Crown the Empire
• Dayseeker
• Drop Dead Gorgeous
• Hands Like Houses
• I Am King
• Ice Nine Kills (2010-2015)
• Jamie's Elsewhere
• Lower Definition
• Memphis May Fire
• Myka Relocate
• My Ticket Home
• Of Machines
• Of Mice & Men
• Our Last Night
• Secrets
• Sleeping with Sirens
• SycAmour
• The Devil Wears Prada
• Whether, I
• Woe Is Me
• Youth In Revolt

See also

• Electronicore
• Rise Records