Rob's Best: #30: Envy - All The Footprints You've Ever Left And The Fear Expecting Ahead

Released: September 1, 2001

Envy are the biggest export to North America from the Japanese hardcore scene.  This is my favorite album of theirs, out of the nearly 20 or so they released since they began in 1996.  This is where they perfected the line between anger and beauty, where they're able to naturally transition between melodic passages with softly spoken Japanese into manic howling atop musical chaos.  This is also where they start to display the post-rock elements that their later records that become slightly oversaturated with.  Everything here is fresh and brave and amazing!