For going on ten years New Jerseys The Banner have broken all the unwritten rules for hardcore bands while leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Starting off as the more traditional hardcore band playing with all the metal-core powerhouses or the more metal band playing with all the traditional hardcore stalwarts or opening for huge mainstream rock acts such as My Chemical Romance, Coheed and Cambria or Taking Back Sunday, the band has found its place being out of place. While their first three releases jumped around stylistically as they honed their craft the band truly hit their stride with the release of Each Breath Haunted their second LP and first at their new home on Ferret Music. When playing dark music bands walk a fine line of writing credible, moving music or being cartoony ghouls, The Banner clearly has no desire to do the later and blasts the listener with brutal, genuine offerings of rage, depression and hopelessness while smashing the ears with crushing doom and blazing fast hardcore punk.