As a history major, sometimes I get a little annoyed when I hear people say that they are “in the trenches.” Are you really in the trenches if you are not knee-deep in a mixture of mud and shrapnel? But come midterm season, I waive this annoyance fully. I can say with some sense of certainty that we are all collectively in the trenches. And I find that the best way to process the overwhelming tidal wave of midterm-related emotions is a good old-fashioned crash out. Anger can be a therapeutic emotion to experience, and what better way to do so than with music? The following songs should make an excellent addition to any crash-out playlist.  

“Blood You Shed” – Saint Avangeline  

Saint Avangeline’s work heavily incorporates religious themes, if you couldn’t guess from the “Saint” prefix in her stage name. I would describe her discography as the crucifix-adorned love child of Ethel Cain and Lana del Ray. “Blood You Shed” seamlessly incorporates soft, hyper-feminine vocals with intense, heavy metal screams. The sharp contrast between the pitch of the singing and the beating instrumentals results in a theatrical expression of anger.  

“Stockholm Syndrome” – Muse 

I was shocked when I initially discovered Muse a few months ago. The band is no secret—they had a decent amount of commercial success in the 2000s and still have around 16 million monthly listeners on Spotify today. I was dumbfounded I had never heard of them before, especially considering how I am ravenous for 2000s music. “Stockholm Syndrome” is Muse at their best, with poetic lyrics and cathartic screams. The sliding instrumentals in the chorus never fail to send a delicate shiver down my spine.  

“Ptolemaea” – Ethel Cain 

How could I not include a Cain song in a playlist fueled by anger? It’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that I love, love Cain. Her lyrical genius plus storytelling skills are enhanced by the gushing use of religious imagery. “Ptolemaea” is one of Cain’s most viscerally angry songs, and has an extreme build-up to what I consider the “drop in the roller coaster” for this song. You will recognize “the drop” immediately upon hearing it, I promise.  

“Roman Candle” – Elliot Smith 

While Elliot Smith songs are not what I would typically describe as “crash out” music, Smith certainly still possesses a quieter, more subdued version of rage in his songs. This is especially present in Smith’s songwriting, which he is a master of. I would not want to be the person who “Roman Candle” was written about, as the chorus explicitly states, “I want to hurt him … I want to give him pain.” The guttural singing from Smith, though quiet, still conveys shaky anger, maybe in its purest form. 

“Sharpest Lives” – My Chemical Romance  

My Chemical Romance are well-known for their angry songs inspired by intense and heavy emotions. It would feel like a crime to leave them out of this playlist. From harsh guitar riffs to blaring drums and screamed lyrics, the band conveys the writhing energy of anger in its entirety. These elements are sewn together beautifully in “Sharpest Lives,” which seamlessly transitions between lyrics and instrumentals.  

“Where are they now?” – Emily Jeffri 

Emily Jeffri is excellent at instilling a sense of dread and paranoia in her listeners. She does just this in “Where are they now?” which uses electronic music to achieve the desired unsettling emotional effect. Jeffri’s wavering voice is blended together with the electronic beat of the song to create a creepy atmosphere that will have you looking over your shoulder while listening. I included this song in my “anger” playlist because I would argue that paranoia and fear are sort-of twins to the emotion, as they frequently go hand-in-hand together.  

“The Comedienne” – Parenthetical Girls  

The Parenthetical Girls are my emotional attachment band. I feel like a parent to them. Despite breaking up in 2013 and having less than 4,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, I think they are amazing and deserve more attention. “The Comedienne” demonstrates their ability to build suspense and to also relieve that suspension. While the song might start out quietly, it builds in intensity and rage until it ends in screams.  

“Immaterial” – SOPHIE 

Wow, that was a lot. Do you feel better? Have you had a sufficient, anger-fueled crash out? Well then, I give you the gift of my ultimate hype song. “Immaterial” by SOPHIE is what I listen to on the way to every exam and before I send every risky text. “Immaterial” is my “Eye of the Tiger” in “Rocky.” This song is what I use to fix myself post-crash out. I give it to you so that you can put the pieces of yourself back together. Of course, this song should be listened to last, for the full effect of its restorative power to come to fruition.