Fleshwater formed in Massachusetts in 2017, growing from members connected to the heavier world of Vein.fm into a separate band with a more dreamlike but still physically heavy identity. The project pairs Marisa Shirar's melodic vocals with thick guitars, heavy low-end, and a clear affection for 1990s alternative metal, shoegaze, grunge, and post-hardcore. Their 2020 demo circulated widely on the strength of songs such as "Linda Claire," where soft vocal hooks and dense distortion worked together rather than fighting for space. We're Not Here To Be Loved expanded that approach into a full-length statement, balancing crushing guitar tone with vulnerable melodies and a production style that felt huge without becoming sterile. Later releases, including Sounds of Grieving, Standalone+1, and 2000: In Search Of The Endless Sky, showed Fleshwater pushing further into atmosphere, dynamic contrast, and emotionally charged songwriting. The band's appeal comes from how naturally it blends weight and sweetness: songs can feel bruised, beautiful, and massive at once, with heaviness used as texture as much as force.