No Guidance Music and Art Collective: Band Spotlight: She Died Real Pretty

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Band Spotlight: She Died Real Pretty

(Photo courtesy of Last.fm user "ImBettingImNotX")

She Died Real Pretty (2005-2006) was a short-lived band from Derry, NH that played fast-paced and ferocious screamo, that, although it was oftentimes fairly sloppy, was not unlike well-known heavy-hitters such as Orchid or Isodora Crane.

A few years back, I was speaking with one of the members and they shed some light on the rumored 7" split that was supposed to happen with I Wrote Haikus About Cannibalism in Your Yearbook. Apparently, both bands had tracks recorded and were ready to move forward with the split but the label that was going to put it out decided to axe She Died Real Pretty because their lyrics, which centered around the events of 9/11, were too conservative and disagreed with the label's views. Whether this story is true or not, I'm not sure, and there could very well be more to it than this -- either way, it's a shame that the split never happened because that would have surely solidified this band's place in screamo history, for whatever that's worth.

Although I'm not sure about the other members, I know one of the guitarists of She Died Real Pretty went on to play in a phenomenal band called Alessa. Though I never got a chance to see She Died Real Pretty, I was fortunately able to see his follow-up band multiple times. Alessa, who will soon have their own spotlight post, played an incredibly dark and heavy form of hardcore/screamo, pierced by agonizing dual vocals and dissonant chords. Although unrelated to She Died Real Pretty, the band family tree extends further, as Alessa's bassist also played in Pathos and Maintain Radio Silence. Pathos played a similarly dark style of music although they were largely instrumental, save for a few performances where they experimented with a vocalist. Maintain Radio Silence was more reserved, playing post-metal reminiscent of a less technical Russian Circles. One of the first shows I ever went to was with мища and Pathos in a dilapidated yet crowded barn; it was blistering loud and absolutely jarring, causing a lasting impression on me and instilling a renewed fascination with the genre.

Below I have She Died Real Pretty's 5-song EP, Carpe Diem is Dead, up for download. However, I don't have any of their other material (I believe there are at least 10 other songs), so if anyone has more information about that or any links, I'd appreciate the help. This first video is of "Industry Sets In," a song that is not on Carpe Diem is Dead, however, the second song video, "Requested Anesthesia," is on the EP.