Youngsters may not remember, but back in the early aughts Athens was kind of a screamo mecca. (Chi-House, anyone?) For those who cringed just now at the very mention of the oft-maligned (and oft-misunderstood) genre, look away now, because, *gulp*, it seems to be experiencing a resurgence around here.

At the crux of Athens' unexpected and newfound post-post-hardcore scene is Nurture, a hard-hitting trio that aggregates its obvious influences but manages to create a standout sound, no small feat in a genre overrun by imitators. In the Middle of Everything, the band's excellent new four-song EP, is as strong a statement as we've seen in some time from any local band, let alone one of Nurture's persuasion. Tunes like "Branches and Time" are simply ruinous, sound bursts that lay waste but are also tightly constructed; chaos seekers should look elsewhere.

In the Middle of Everything feels like a damn journey; the "Mercenary" series that closes out the recording manages to squeeze an album's worth of sound and, yes, emotion (screamotion?) into nine absorptive minutes. Vocalist and bassist Dionnet Bhatti possesses a devastating yowl, and drummer Sasha Schilbrack-Cole's particular brand of playing feels claustrophobic and loose at once. Capped off by the seriously mean crunch of guitarist Terence Chiyezhan, Nurture's is a sound that will be hard for folks to overlook for too long.