Today's song premiere from DIM INTO DROSS was sent to me by my friend Allen in Massa Nera, Miriam, etc. which obviously peaked my interest mighty quick. Almost all songs are 1-2 minutes in length and combine dizzying time changes and riffs with an unrelenting onslaught and hardcore yells that almost border on screams. I would be more inclined to call this mathy, metallic hardcore as opposed to screamo, but the two really aren't that far from each other sometimes. I needed to choose a song/single to premiere (which I'm usually quite efficient at) but after jamming the first five songs (out of 10) I was bewildered at which of these phenomenal mathy nugs to present to you all. After much soul searching and weeping in the fetal position on the bathroom floor, I chilled the fuck out and came to the revelation that in just just three short days (that's Friday, by my count) we will premiere the full album 'Specters of Indifference' right here! This is currently a digital release with physicals being discussed, but not cemented. For accuracy's sake, I will list the affiliated bands: Massa Nera, Miriam, Permanent Tension, Bury Yourself, Entia, Invalids and In Angels. Now get ready for some seriously original, technical, sick shit right here.
(2019)DIM INTO DROSS "Learning Difference" (from 'Specters of Indifference')
So I eventually settled on premiering the second last track "Learning Difference", primarily due to those jaw-dropping guitar progressions. The song is only 1:38, which is actually a bit on the long side for DIM INTO DROSS, and it begins with a rolling section that cycles back through via a chunky palm mute. And then the guitar wizardry begins, bringing to mind Capsule if they slowed things down a tad. The ending is sensational, whipping that tappy shit around in a tornado of breakdowns and screaming. Good god man, this is amazing.
When I first received a message from German band ZILPZALP, I performed a splendidly prodigious double-take as there is also a German label called ZilpZalp Records. The two are not related although they were conceived around the same time, so I figured I would preface this premiere with that as I was initially confused.
I thought I had my ear to the ground when it comes to chaotic-yet-melodic European screamo music, but ZILPZALP has been releasing since 2015 and dropped their 9-track LP '...auf den Versen' in September of 2017. This new EP which I'm premiering today is titled 'Unter dem Eis' and takes the raw passion encapsulated in their earlier work but shows a vast leap in songwriting ability and general music chops. Essentially, they Suis La Luned. The new songs are condensed, driving, chaotic and filled with noodly solos that give it a Swedish screamo feel. The screaming is faster, angrier and more prevalent. The drums push the songs to the next level, and that bass boasts some sick shit. After the premiere I'd recommend checking out their music video for "Verlorene Buecher", another of the songs from the seven-track EP.
'Unter dem Eis' releases digitally in early February and hopefully on vinyl late spring/early summer 2019. The band is looking for labels to help release it and if I wasn't bursting with releases I would have taken this on in a second. If you run a label I would strongly recommend getting in touch with Mick via the band's facebook page (linked here) cuz this EP is killer. Enough talk, let's listen.
(2019)ZILPZALP "Kӱhl" (from 'Unter dem Eis')
"Kӱhl" was the first thing I ever heard by ZILPZALP and I was immediately floored, hence my choosing of this track for you to hear today. Not even five seconds in and you'll be diced up by some excellent Fall Of Troy-esque guitars that stop almost immediately and dip into a chill, jammy Daitro section. This cycles repeats itself another time so by the 30-second mark you'll have a pretty clear indication of if you like ZILPZALP, and my money's on that you will. The midsection moves from epic and driving to stop/start and dancey, with the final 40 seconds or so being a relaxing, ambient and spacey instrumental outro.
ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT
"Verlorene Buecher" official music video
LYRICS:
Kӱhl (English)
It's cold /
No voice breaks through this wall between us /
Each word, a brick /
Set in order to secure what stays insecure/ and to distinguish what's not distinguishable /
It's cold /
And each comment covers the fear /
of your freedom /
harms with calculated accuracy /
and covers /
every track of sensibility. /
At what distance do you still see /
how motionless eyes expose an exerted smile /
and how shaking eyelids - taught by fear – /
even warn of harmlessness? /
Under the ice every tear stays unnoticed. /
It's only the ignorance of the weak that strengthens the feeling of being superior. /
There's no "us “. /
There's no "you". / (plural in German).
I want to scream at the top of my lungs /
"everyone is strong"/
until I believe what I'm hearing /
and until I belong to you, /
only through the strength of your embrace. /
Kӱhl (German)
Es ist kalt /
Keine Stimme durchbricht diese Wand zwischen uns /
Jedes Wort ein Ziegelstein /
gesetzt, um zu sichern, was unsicher bleibt /
um zu unterscheiden, was nicht unterscheidbar ist. /
Es ist kalt /
und jeder Spruch verdeckt die Angst /
vor der Freiheit deiner selbst /
verletzt mit berechnender Zielsicherheit /
und verwischt jede Spur einer Feinfühligkeit. /
Auf welche Entfernung siehst du noch /
wie reglose Augen ein angestrengtes Lächeln enttarnen /
und zuckende Lider gelehrt von Schrecken selbst vor Harmlosigkeiten warnen? /
Unter dem Eis bleibt jede Träne unbemerkt. /
Es ist bloß die Ignoranz der Schwäche, die das Gefühl von Überlegenheit stärkt. /
Now that Lucas is four and a half, he can #1 hold a conversation and #2 has his own specific tastes, I figured it was time to start an annual podcast with the little fella. He was very, very excited and I've had to cut a bunch of jibber jabber because he want on some gibberish rants, but the entire thing is the shortest podcast I've done in years. In three parts, this podcast is less than 30 minutes, house three songs chosen by myself and three from my son, and is streaming/downloadable for free on bandcamp. I'm hoping to bring him to Zegema Beach Records Fest for a night sometime within the May 31st-June 2nd timeframe, as he has never seen a concert and is ecstatic to go and meet some new people.
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QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - "Sick Sick Sick" (Lucas)
