Cursed
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Modern Life is War
Life Long Tragedy
Ambitions
The abrupt breakup by this Canadian hardcore punk band is what makes this the most difficult breakup of 2008 to stomach. The band had just released their third full-length effort and was wrapping up a European tour when they get robbed and decided to break up. A lot of bands get their gear/merch/money stolen these days. It's a travesty, but at least they soldier on. Granted, I'm glad Cursed didn't create a Paypal account for handouts, but I'm bummed I'll never get to see them play songs from III live.
Initial reports from an interview with guitarist/keyboardist Efrin Menuck suggested that the band had indeed finally broke up, and crazy enough, it was in response to the Iraq war. Word of the "final breakup" spread like wildfire. Menuck quickly caught wind and dispelled the breakup as a misinterpretation of his words. So not technically a breakup, per se, the extended hiatus of Godspeed You! Black Emperor is still a major disappointment.
This breakup truly struck a chord with the hardcore community. I know a lot of kids that would rate the band's Witness full-length alongside American Nightmare's Background Music as their favorite album of all time. So when a band of that nature decides to call it quits, you can expect a lot of "broken hearts." But rather than say goodbye and leave it at that, Modern Life is War embarked on one final U.S. tour to give their fans a proper chance to say farewell. Now we just have a bunch of clones running around...
The breakup that hit closet to me was that of Life Long Tragedy. After starting the band as teenagers, they honed their songwriting skills with each new release, constantly evolving and improving upon their sound. As a result of persistent touring and a slew of recordings the band was able to solidify themselves as one of the premier hardcore bands. The abrupt end was a shock to most and will leave quite a hole in the Bay Area scene. Farewell my friends.
This Connecticut group is a band that never quite got the chance to really develop what they set out to do. Their demo was a breath of fresh air to the stagnant hardcore scene. Unfortunately the band only managed to released a couple of recordings and touring was limited for the band. But given the reasons for the band's breakup, you can't help but understand just why it was difficult for them to tour. Regardless, Ambitions decision to call it quits is hard pill to swallow.
Other notables to call it quits in 2008 so far include Dead Hearts, The First Step, LaGrecia, Pet Genius, Endgame, Sinking Ships, Steel Trap, Will to Live, My Revenge!, Perth Express, Jurassic 5, From Autumn to Ashes, Dead to Fall, and Himsa - among others.
(Michael)
