CRABCORE
What is CRABCORE?
Common crab stance (photo by Zac Edwards)
Attack Attack 2010 (photo by: Chelsea Lauren)
Dawn of the Crustacean
The term “crabcore” emerged around 2007, with its roots tied to a live performance by the metalcore band Blessthefall. During their song “Higinia,” former lead singer Craig Mabbitt was seen squatting low in a stance resembling a crab, legs spread wide and knees bent at extreme angles. However, it was the Ohio-based band Attack Attack! that cemented the term’s place in music culture with their 2008 music video for “Stick Stickly.” In the video, guitarist Andrew Whiting and others adopted the now-iconic crab-like pose during the song’s heavy breakdowns, complete with synchronized headbanging and guitar flips. The internet latched onto this, and the term “crabcore” was popularized by music journalist John McDonnell in a 2009 Guardian article, who noted that the genre is defined not by sound but by “the body contortions of the band’s guitarists when they perform.”
RAWR Energy
Crabcore isn’t just a sound or a look. It’s defined by its audial and visual experience. Musically, crabcore lives in the chaotic realm of metalcore and electronicore, characterized by synth-heavy breakdowns that pulse like a rave, soaring vocal choruses (often auto-tuned or piercingly high-pitched), and dramatic tempo changes that shift from pummeling riffs to dancey interludes. Expect screamed vocals, low-tuned guitars, random euro-dance sections that feel like a DJ snuck into the studio, and the unmistakable cut of the china cymbal when it matters most.
Visually, crabcore is pure theater. Bands synchronize their movements like a metalcore boy band, squatting low in exaggerated, crab-like stances—legs spread, knees bent, swaying in time with the breakdown. This iconic “crabwalk” is joined by other antics: the “treadmill” (running in place), and dramatic flourishes like guitar flips (Talledega Bench Press) or synchronized headbangs. The frontman steals the show, hyping the crowd with commands, all performed with a playful, self-aware energy that screams “we’re here to have fun." Together, these sounds and sights create a subgenre that’s as much about the performance as the music, with plenty of fans and even more haterz.
Crabcore Never Die
Crabcore’s rise was fueled by the internet’s love (and hate) for absurdity, sparked by viral moments like Attack Attack!’s 2008 “Stick Stickly” video and cemented as a meme by fans on Myspace, 4chan, and YouTube. But calling it just a meme misses the mark. Crabcore is a microgenre with a lasting culture, blending the neon-drenched, deep V-neck aesthetic of the Myspace/scene era with metalcore’s raw energy. Bands like Abandon All Ships leaned in, tweeting #defendcrabcore as late as 2016, while Attack Attack!’s Nick Barham called it a “publicity stunt” in 2009, embracing the silliness.
Though its mainstream buzz faded by 2013 as electronicore waned, crabcore never truly died. Bands like Hall Of The Elders keep the flame alive, while new acts channel its synth-heavy, breakdown-fueled spirit. The Myspace/scene culture that paralleled crabcore was fueled by Warped Tour over the years and remains a nostalgic touchstone. Facebook groups and TikTok revivals help to keep the culture alive.