Every once in a while, metal creates something so unbelievably stupid that it circles all the way back around to being historically important.
This week on the Influencers of Metal Podcast, Collin and Tom begin a brand-new series called “Is It Really a Subgenre?” — where they explore some of metal’s weirdest, dumbest, most unnecessary labels.
And naturally, the first topic had to be Crabcore.
You know it. You’ve seen it. You probably tried it once in your bedroom while playing air guitar to Attack Attack and nearly tore your ACL.
The episode dives into the infamous late-2000s phenomenon that became synonymous with synchronized squatting, electronicore breakdowns, scene haircuts, and enough neon clothing to blind an entire Warped Tour parking lot.
The guys trace the origins of the term back to Attack Attack’s legendary “Stick Stickly” music video — the exact moment where metalcore accidentally transformed into a synchronized crustacean ritual.
But is Crabcore actually a real genre? Technically… no.
Collin and Tom break down how the term became more of a meme than an actual musical classification, used mostly to mock a very specific wave of late-2000s metalcore and electronicore bands. Think breakdowns, synths, autotune, scene fashion, and enough emotional instability to fuel MySpace for an entire decade.
The conversation spirals beautifully out of control as the guys debate where the line between actual metalcore and meme-core really exists.
Is every 2000s metalcore band automatically Crabcore? Does the crab stance alone qualify? Can DragonForce technically become Crabcore if they squat low enough during “Through the Fire and Flames?”
Important questions are asked. Very few are answered.
Hit play to find out how the duo lost their minds, and if Crabcore deserved to be brought back from the dead for this episode.
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