As the top
definition says screamo is "a term that refers to recent bands that play old style emo". Most pinpoint the first use of the term to Saetia. Screamo however, existed
long before Saetia did, with bands such as Heroin and Antioch Arrow pioneering the genre at the Ché Café in San
Diego. Far were the first
band with a screamo album, 1996's Tin Cans with Strings to You.
In the contemporary era, screamo is now used to describe bands within the post-
hardcore and metalcore genres (e.g A Skylit Drive, new Underoath, Dance Gavin Dance). While some of these artists do not mind the term screamo, others reject it as they are only defined screamo just because of their use of screaming in songs.
In my own words, (anyone can disagree with me) the genre screamo should refer to bands who's vocals are primarily screaming (Alexisonfire do not count), a much heavier beat and rhythm than emo and artists who are confident to live under the
label (even though we all know labels are pretty dumb) :P
DIY Screamo: I Hate Myself, Orchid, Piano Becomes the Teeth, Circle Takes the
Square, Saetia, Neil Perry,
Joshua Fit for Battle
Contemporary screamo: Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Atreyu, Underoath (2002-2009), Senses Fail (Dunno why they call themselves screamo), Dance Gavin Dance,
Hawthorne Heights, Blessthefall, old Funeral for a Friend
NOT screamo in any way whatsoever: Saosin, pg. 99, Pierce the Veil, The Used, Alexisonfire, Funeral For a Friend (post-CDADIC), Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Silverstein, Finch Story of the Year], most metalcore, punk and deathcore bands