Arranged in April in the Emo Scene

Desarey Elizondo Lopez
Music Journalist

The emo scene has had a revival in recent years, with many up and coming bands debuting and putting their own spin onto the genre. It’s out of this scene that Arranged in April emerged and has taken the emo scene by storm. Besides including screamo and post-hardcore elements, what makes this band especially stand out is their incorporation of spoken poetry, which speaks over different topics ranging from identity to vulnerability. It’s such a unique detail that adds an extra layer of emotion and depth to their music and further differentiates them from the other bands in the scene. They also take inspiration from bands such as The Lazarus Plot, Eldritch Anisette, and Everyone Asked About You, bands that I’m also a fan of. Although relatively new to the scene since they formed in 2024, Arranged in April is definitely a band to watch out for, especially after their latest EP release, It Always Starts Mid Winter.

It Always Starts Mid Winter is the band’s second release after their first album, Rooted in Desire, and although it only consists of five tracks, each song captures a different sound and listening experience. The first song off the EP, “As The Seasons Change, You’ll Find Me The Same,” sets the tone for what the rest of it will be like. The song begins with the band’s iconic poetry before slowing down in the middle then escalating to screaming towards the end. My favorite song from the EP is “Pull Me Home,” which has a more intense energy than the rest of the songs, and the poetry is screamed rather than spoken. I especially love the second half of the song, where it starts off slow then builds up and becomes quicker and more aggressive before slowing down again in the end. The last song, “There’s No End In Sight” takes on a more slow and emotional sound, and the vocals go back and forth between vocalist Emory Anderson and guitarist Chris Rawls between screaming vocals and melodic poetry. I believe that this album solidified the band’s identity and the path they are going to take with their sound. However, just listening to their music online doesn’t entirely capture what they have to offer; seeing them live is an entirely different experience in itself.

I recently saw Arranged in April in Austin alongside Dead Butterflies, Empty Shell Casing, and Catalyst. They opened the night with, “As The Seasons Change, You’ll Find Me The Same,” which set the tone for the night as they continued to play through their emotional yet energetic set. The crowd was really active as well, and I found myself pushed to the front immersed in the music. I really loved how they went back and forth between softer, melodic vocals and instrumentation to passionate screams and loud, fast riffs. The layering of spoken poetry over the instruments sounded even better live, and they seemed to be having a blast onstage. It was my first time ever seeing them, but it was one of the best emo performances I have seen in a while, which makes me look forward to more Arranged in April in the future.The band is also on their first headlining tour, where I hope to catch them live again soon. They have grown to become one of my favorite up and coming emo bands and they have made a strong impression within the scene, and I’m excited to see how they’ll continue to evolve their music and identity.