Members of Champaign's Chasing the Reason perform at the Savoy Rec Center. Shows featuring hardcore bands are put on almost weekly in the C-U area. Photo by Pat Bright (click for photo gallery)

The Inner City Royals rock out at the Savoy Rec Center. Gargoyle photo by Sindha Agha (click to enlarge)

THE WORD "HARDCORE" makes me laugh.

The word “zombiecore” makes me laugh even harder.

Hardcore/screamo music has never been my "thing." The idea of listening to music that sounds like retching noises being made into a microphone, guitar strings attacked with chaotic riffs, and fury being beaten onto a drum set makes me wonder if there is a way to help twenty-somethings get over their seemingly everlasting teen angst.

I haven’t yet come to a conclusion.

However, I have never been one to judge a book by its cover or, in this case, a show by its featured band’s self-description: “zombiecore.”

With this in mind, I set off to a six-band show at the Savoy Rec Center, one of many local hardcore shows that are put on almost weekly by companies such as Error Productions.

After I finally remembered to pay (only $6, mind you), I realized that it wasn’t only the music that I had to be open-minded about — it was the dancing also.

I was extremely alarmed when two boys in front of me started to jump up and down in a particularly staccato manner, cart-wheeling and punching their fists into the air, flailing their arms around violently.

All this was fine because I like it when people dance at shows, but the fact that these two boys took up about a third of the area, forcing me to step back to the outskirts of the show in fear of getting shoved over, was a bit frustrating.

As far as the music went, there were two bands worth some praise.

The Masada Complex, from Highland, Ill., have a powerful drummer, the beat seeming to roll off effortlessly. The vocals are pretty insignificant, and the drummer drowns out the lead singer in talent. The guitar is also powerful and extremely chaotic, with creative riffs splattered all over the songs. At some points the guitar seemed to clash with the drumming, a bridge between the two missing.

The second band I enjoyed was Champaign's Chasing the Reason. While their sound is extremely rough, they have a great deal of potential.

Unlike the other bands on the bill, Chasing the Reason aren't so much hardcore as they are indie rock. Their songs are creative; however, individual numbers tended to get repetitive toward the end. Chasing the Reason stay true to their listed influences, including bands like Explosions in the Sky.

Even when I wasn’t enjoying the music, the show was extremely fun. There is something about being around other people who are completely into the music being played at a show that rubs off on you, making the experience enjoyable.

Overall, I would recommend the hardcore scene to most, seeing as the concerts are frequent and the audience is enthusiastic. Also, seeing six bands for $6 is never something to turn down.

[Note: The Inner City Royals were originally misidentified in photo captions as 1999. See Erin Hayes' comment below. This has been corrected.]

MORE PHOTOS: THE C-U HARDCORE SCENE

Members of the Champaign/Decatur band Inner City Royals perform at the Savoy Rec Center. Gargoyle photo by Sindha Agha (click for photo gallery)