A Wilhelm Scream

A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream in Barcelona in 2010
Background information
Also known as	Smackin' Isaiah, Koen
Origin	New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres	Melodic hardcore, punk rock, skate punk
Years active	1999–present
Labels	No Idea, Nitro, Paper + Plastick, Shock, Jump Start, All About, Ass-Card, Fork in Hand, Tank
Website	awilhelmscream.com
Members	Nuno Pereira Trevor Reilly Mike Supina Brian J. Robinson Nicholas Pasquale Angelini
Past members	John Carvalho Jonathan Teves Curtiss Lopez Chris Levesque

A Wilhelm Scream (abbreviated as AWS) is a melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts formed in 1999. Many people have referenced Strung Out, Hot Water Music, Propagandhi, and Strike Anywhere as the band's similar artists. Their name is a reference to the Wilhelm scream, a famous stock sound effect which is mainly used in films. The band previously went by the names Smackin' Isaiah, Koen, and Adam's Crack, though the former was the only name to be used in any major release. The reason for the name changes "from Koen to Smackin' Isaiah to A Wilhelm Scream was really a matter of them adding new members, and progressing/maturing as a band".

In 1993, drummer Trevor Reilly, guitarist John Carvalho and bassist Jonathan Teves formed the band Adam's Crack and recorded a Nirvana-inspired demo cassette. In 1994 Reilly and Carvalho started a side band with Nuno Pereira on vocals, and others. The side band played one show before disbanding. Members from the two bands would merge into one, taking the name Koen. The line-up of Koen consisted of Pereira (vocals), Reilly (drums), Teves (bass), Carvalho (guitar) and friend Mat Demelo (guitar and trumpet). Under the name Koen, the band released one cassette titled "The Big Fall...", this time with their sound evolving more into skate punk and ska. In 1997, the band changed its name again, this time to Smackin' Isaiah, and released a cassette titled "Give Girls More Beer...". Mat Demelo left the band shortly after. During this time, Reilly would switch between drumming and guitar duties, with an unknown drummer playing in the band for a brief amount of time. Nicholas Angelini was eventually tapped to play drums on a permanent basis. In 1998, Smackin' Isaiah released another demo cassette, titled "Gets Eaten Alive".

The band's first CD release was on Tank Records, a record label created by Carvalho and Teves. The CD was a split release with the bands Moronique and Merrick, entitled 6:6:6 after the number of tracks each band contributed. Soon after, the band released its debut album, The Way to a Girl's Heart Is Through Her Boyfriend's Stomach. The band considers this their first "real" release, as all the songs had been written after Angelini joined the band. In retrospect, they consider it their most cheerful record. It was reissued the following year on All About Records, but the band stayed with Tank Records to release its second album, Benefits Of Thinking Out Loud. During the album's recording, the band members had a strained relationship as they argued over its production. Six outtakes from the album's recording sessions were compiled onto an EP entitled The Champagne of Bands... We Know Sexy released by Fork in Hand Records. Following its release, Carvalho left the band. Christopher Levesque quickly replaced him.