American Standards

American Standards was never polished for mass consumption. Formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 2011, the band came from the side of heavy music where shows felt unpredictable, songs fell apart on purpose, and the line between punk, metal, hardcore, and metalcore barely mattered. What mattered was whether it felt real. Across Still Life, The Death of Rhythm and Blues, Hungry Hands, Anti-Melody, Dopamine Dealer, and Future Orphans, American Standards wrote songs about burnout, distraction, grief, identity, anxiety, media overload, and the slow process of figuring out who you are underneath all of it. Equal parts sarcasm, confrontation, catharsis, and collapse, their music rejected polish in favor of honesty. Over the years, they toured across the U.S., playing clubs, basements, festivals, and DIY spaces while sharing stages with Every Time I Die, Norma Jean, Knocked Loose, Comeback Kid, Stick To Your Guns, Atreyu, Zao, He Is Legend, and The Bled. Along the way, they were featured by Alternative Press, Decibel, Revolver, Metal Injection, Lambgoat, and others. Released June 30, 2025 — exactly 13 years after their debut album Still Life — Future Orphans became the band’s final release. No rebrand. No manufactured mythology. No pretending it was bigger than it was. Just a Phoenix hardcore band that meant every word.