Embrace

Embrace was a short-lived post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C., which lasted from the summer of 1985 to the spring of 1986 and was one of the first bands to be dubbed in the press as emotional hardcore, though the members had rejected the term since its creation. The band included Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat with three former members of his brother Alec's band The Faith: guitarist Michael Hampton, drummer Ivor Hanson, and bassist Chris Bald. Hampton and Hanson had also previously played together in S.O.A. The only recording released by the quartet was their self-titled album Embrace being influenced by The Faith EP Subject to Change.

Following the breakup of Embrace, MacKaye rejoined former Minor Threat drummer Jeff Nelson to form Egg Hunt. Bald moved on to the band Ignition, and drummer Ivor Hanson paired up with Hampton again in 1992 for Manifesto.

During the band's formative years, some fans started referring to them and fellow innovators Rites of Spring as emocore (emotive hardcore), a term vocalist Ian MacKaye publicly disagreed with.