Artist of the Day: Codeine

In the underrated genre of slowcore, the most underrated of bands was Codeine. The short-lived group only existed for a mere five years, and only released two albums during that time, but they left their mark with some of the most emotionally beautifully songs of the 1990s. Their 1990 debut, Frigid Stars, was a gut-wrenching collection of songs that both rang loud with distortion, only to succumb to the silence of sorrow. The band perfected the loud/soft dynamic on their swan song LP, The White Birch, in 1994, where they created a melodically moody soundscape. 

Codeine reminds us of a often forgotten genre and time in music, where bands lashed out and opposed the popularity of grunge and heavy music. The slowcore movement was sparse, like its music, but still rings true like its reverb.

After a short reunion in 2012, the band's future is unclear, but recent reissues and remasters leave the group's seminal works to be discovered and enjoyed for new listeners. 

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