Basement Essentials

Though founded in 2009, Basement could be mistaken for a '90s alt-rock powerhouse—their melodic post-hardcore sound has all of that decade's hallmarks. With their 2011 debut, the East Anglian quintet deployed a visceral blend that fuses the emo pathos of Sunny Day Real Estate with Nirvana's knack for wrapping modern angst around a tidy pop hook. Frontman Andrew Fisher even emits raspy, Cobain-esque howls amid the band's grungy guitars and menacing bass. After a slight hiatus, they returned in 2014 to unleash more brooding pop-punk, boosted by thick swirls of shoegazing beauty.