Home Is Where and Record Setter, bands that have put out two of the strongest albums that fifth-wave emo has to offer, are back with a split called dissection lesson. The bands offer an array of sounds and some truly gripping lyrics in these 4 tracks, which is to be expected from both of them given their recent output.

Home Is Where’s 2021 record I Became Birds took off in the DIY world, giving them and their scene an exciting level of visibility. While that effort masterfully blended folk, screamo, emo, and more, the band are hinting at a heavier direction for future work starting with this split. They sound visceral as ever on the opener “names”, a feverish skramz track that serves as an indictment of a society that fails trans women, an ode to fallen sisters, and a call to arms for the future, all in a few lines. The heaviness on this song reflects an overflow of rage that builds from watching your own kind be violently stripped of their humanity over and over again. Following track “creationish” is a thrilling interplay between hypnotic Midwest emo guitar lines and violin that develop tension leading up to an explosive release of crushing riffs and more strained screams. This time, vocalist Brandon MacDonald is accompanied by Soul Glo vocalist Pierce Jordan whose latest record Diaspora Problems is a brutally honest depiction of life as a Black person in America and a triumph of an album in the world of hardcore.

Record Setter’s side of the split resembles the gorgeous, dynamic, and emotive screamo of their latest album, I Owe You Nothing. “a world without you” takes aim at the oppressive forces that are not just a part of life in the United States, they are the fabric of the country. Meanwhile, “plain english” focuses more on the personal, with vocalist Judy Mitchell reflecting on her own journey of coming into herself through her gender transition. One of Mitchell’s strengths as a songwriter is that her words hit hard whether they are delivered through metaphor or plain language. Written from the perspective of someone who is working towards self-acceptance in their transness, the split ends on an incredibly impactful verse: “I wrote a letter to myself / I avoided using my name / My past in plain English spelled out / Now thrown away into the flames.”

Regarding this release, MacDonald said, “[We] wanted to make something unabashedly trans. Two trans bands. Songs about trans issues. Cover by a trans artist. We wanted to make something for the girls to pop off to.” Fans of SeeYouSpaceCowboy should note that the group’s vocalist, Connie Sgarbossa, is the artist that MacDonald refers to in that quote, contributing the split’s stunning cover art. dissection lesson is undeniably a victory for both groups and their fanbases, providing more affecting lyrics from two gifted vocalists and writers, and bringing new and old sounds that all fit very well. Grab the limited cassette before it’s gone!