The Flenser Has Your Next Favorite Band – Here’s Where and How to Look

Grace Myers 

Music Journalist 

Independent record labels can be, and historically have been, the bread and butter of bringing the greatest underground bands into the exposure they need. For fans of the existential, the dark, or simply the loud and noisy, I have developed a sincere affection for The Flenser. Since having the privilege to attend the Flenser Cup, which was a show displaying four of the label’s bands and headlining was Have A Nice Life, in September 2025 at the Warsaw venue in Brooklyn, New York, my affinity for the dark-sounding record label has grown and settled into my heart. 

For those who are unfamiliar, The Flenser is a San Francisco-based record label which is self-described as a label for bands which are “dark” and/or “experimental.” The most recognizable of these bands would be Have A Nice Life, whose 2008 album “Deathconsciousness” took to smashing success. The album’s acclaim has been multiplied due to its recent social media presence and is presently revered among young adults as a must-listen album. If you as a reader haven’t already had the opportunity, I cannot recommend this album enough to those looking for a somber, punch-to-the-gut listening experience. Characterizing its darkness through software-based post-production techniques and an emphasis on a “roomy” sound across the album, it combines ambience with intensity. Some have described the album online as being the audio equivalent to grief in a bottle. 

The Flenser is what I would consider a tightly knit label. Beyond the remarkable success of Have A Nice Life and frontman Dan Barrett’s related project “Giles Corey,” lovers of black metal, slowcore, post-punk, and experimental adjacent genres are sure to find something well-suited to their taste without having to look far. As a listener who tends to find herself looping albums and discographies without knowing what the next best place to look might be, The Flenser has made exploration to broader horizons both a simple and promising experience. If you’re interested in this search yourself, the label curates season-specific catalogues that are available as playlists on Spotify which offer a wide lens to the label’s array of artists and unique sounds.  

However, to narrow your search, I believe there are a handful of bands that I would argue are the gleaming gems of the record label. Among these would be Midwife, a solo artist who creates a roomy, ethereal sound to her music that is described as “heaven metal.” Emphasizing digital instrumentation and distortion combined with drowned-out vocals, Midwife offers a creative and fresh take on musical principles derived from that of black metal, shoegaze, and folk, weaving these sounds into a mosaic that is both current and innovative. While I find myself to be more partial to her 2017 album “Like Author, Like Daughter,” I still highly recommend her recent works, especially her 2024 release “No Depression In Heaven,” which consistently echoes her signature sound. Her work combines the dreamy appeal of artists like Ethel Cain with the darkness of bands like Oathbreaker, creating a wide span of audiences to connect with. Branching off of this, projects of similar essence within the label would include artists like Kathryn Mohr, who balances experimental tracks with melodic, singer-songwriter sounds and traditional punk rock elements. 

For those looking for something that leans into a louder, higher intensity listen, The Flenser remains equipped with a broad span of experiences. A noise-rock band stemming out of Oklahoma City calling themselves Chat Pile, brings similar brilliance with different inspiration. I find the band to be most reminiscent of Converge and related post-punk music. Intensity and experimental creativity spanning genres such as thrash, punk, and midwest emo are weaved brilliantly in both melodic and disruptive songs across the Chat Pile discography, which has been acclaimed by high-stakes critics such as Pitchfork. Their 2026 release “Who Loves The Sun” has found itself in my fall/winter library for the upcoming season, and I recommend it be added to yours as well. For those looking for Chat Pile leaning sounds among smaller, up-and-coming artists within the label, I would recommend projects like Rhododendron or Mamaleek, who lean deeper into both noisier and more experimental sounds. 

Other highlights among the label would be projects such as Planning for Burial, who build on the noisy aspects of the label’s brand as well as shine light on the slowcore sounds that are more reminiscent of bands like Duster and Tram. Leaning into this sound as well would be the smaller Sprain, glaring through early-career projects such as their 2018 self-titled EP. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, traditional black metal is also all across the label’s catalogue for those looking for a more comfortable, predictable form of quality black metal. Bands such as the recent hit Deafheaven or collaborators Bosse-de-Nage exemplify this niche in The Flenser, anchoring the brand to the genre which influences its sound most. 

The Flenser, despite being an established label, is one of the greatest places to look for hidden or up-and-coming gems as they emerge. With the label touring their bands nationally often, I highly recommend getting out to an upcoming show or letting an album spin and finding which of their many talented artists will find their way into your listening rotation.