BOON

Band: BOON
For fans of: Blue Noise, September 22nd, Old Soul, Heaven In Her Arms, Nidare, Respire, Orphaned, Hope Drone, Love/Less, Nionde Plagan, and Envy.
Genres: Punk / Post-Rock / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Post-Metal / Metal / Metallic Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Black Metal

Related artists: Nanette, Wolf Fang Fist, Slewfoot, and Guided Lily.
Country: Toronto/Barrie, Ontario CANADA
Years Active: 2023-present

Label(s): Lion's Jawbone

     My friend Van sent me his new band's debut EP a few weeks back and after two listens I was flabbergasted. Definitely the most "up my alley" band that he's been in, this gorgeously dark hardcore/black metal band shows insane signs of maturity and songwriting chops that lead to one of the best EPs of 2025 thus far. With just five tracks in 16 minutes, things are both condensed and interesting, leading to an addictive flow of heavy but restrained catharsis.

     Opener "Stay in the Car" begins wonderfully with a quick stab at atmospheric black metal which seems to called blackened screamo nowadays. It's beautiful and evil simultaneously. "November Something" sounds like a condensed Respire without the additional instrumentation but instills all the feels and brightness nonetheless. The melodic undertones in "Rifle Company" are awesome, and paired with the speedy yet atmospheric blackened screamo it's just a recipe for fuck yes, more please. "Minor Arcana" relies on chunky riffs with more bright guitars layered overtop, as this song nearly takes a few strides into metalcore territory but ends up being more of a post-hardcore/black metal crossover, and is also my pick for the best track. Closer "Supermodel" nears five minutes (while the others hover around three) and allows for more breathing during an expansive intro that feels like I'm taking a trip through Saturn's rings and getting a closeup of the majestic but prodigious swirling ice cliffs before a biting guitar riff throws the song into a controlled frenzy.

     I do believe the band is trying to work on a full length which I would throw my hat in to release without a second thought. Unreal debut EP and one of the best of 2025 in my opinion.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2025 - Thief digital EP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2025) BOON - "Minor Arcana" (from 'Thief')

https://youtu.be/E9ia4oc6-LA

(2025) BOON - "Stay in the Car" (from 'Thief')

https://youtu.be/tioEYow7h0c

(2025) BOON - "Rifle Company" (from 'Thief')

https://youtu.be/RuazUM3oig8

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*** PODCAST #179 Avery Friedman ***

    In late March I received an email from Audio Anti-hero, who had recently introduced to me to Magana through said PR company/label. It was about AVERY FRIEDMAN. Having never heard the artist but trusting the label, I checked out the advance copy of 'New Thing' and was flabbergasted at 1) how incredible it was and 2) how quickly and firmly it latched itself onto me. There hasn't been a day since that I haven't rocked at least one of the tracks - if not all 8. Her gentle yet dark songwriting style is right up my alley, and the ability to wind her vocals around each verse and chorus in such memorable and precise ways still leaves me staggering on every listen. The instrumentation is great to boot, with some songs using them aggressively to push the vocals further, some song use them as a solid foundation, while others recede into the corner and let the light shine fully on Avery's voice. Needless to say, I loved it so much I asked if I could do a small vinyl run /125 on my label Softseed Music, to which they agreed (and I couldn't be more honored). I also asked if Avery wanted to chat with me for this 179th podcast and as you've noticed, she said yes. So here we are discussing lots of stuff such as: 4th grade choir and Celine Dion, life-altering concerts on shrooms, being robbed at knifepoint, cheese factor fears, yoga classes with Eartheater, Ciao Malz and Audio Anti-Hero props, labels falling through, May 15th record release show, twangin' that shit up, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Beabadoobee, Biig Piig, Eartheater, Perfume Genius, Smush, and Squirrel Flower. Listen to podcast #179 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

AVERY FRIEDMAN
Bandcamp

"Flowers Fell" music video

https://youtu.be/yEv257W1duY

1 You're gonna unlock this shit

BIIG PIIG "American Beauty" (Avery)

BEABADOOBEE "Bobby" (Dave)

2 Nervous Playing Nervous

SQUIRREL FLOWER "Almost Pulled Away" (Avery)

EARTHEATER "How to Fight" (Dave)

3 New Thing Discussion

PERFUME GENIUS "It's a Mirror" (Avery) [official music video]

SMUSH "Sweetheart" (Dave)

~Dave

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PODCAST #179 linked here

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*** FOGGY MUNITIONS full EP exclusive premiere ***

FOGGY MUNITIONS

'Strategic Life Decision Making'
exclusive album premiere

For fans of: Mamaleek, Shiverboard and GreenBlueGrey

Softgrit Bandcamp

     Well good goddamn are you ready to drop your brain in a blender? Take a listen to the new EP from FOGGY MUNITIONS titled 'Strategic Life Decision Making'. Zac Dehlbom (Rocco and his Bones, BOZ, and Act Normal) wields the guitar & bass while Hunter Johnson (Terror Cell, Charger Port, and Thin) lays down the percussion as well as additional noise, with both of them splitting vocal duties. The pair had assistance from local musical accomplices, Brayden Edwards (Mean Sweetie) and Brandon Jolly (Rocco and His Bones), allowing them a full collaborative roster to capture these barn jams via Voice Memo, ultimately resulting in these four new tracks. Cassettes release via Soft Grit Recordings, Ossein, and Fisher King Records tomorrow, April 18th. The tape has a reversable j-card. Side A is the new EP, side B houses two songs from 2021. J-card front is for the new EP, inside is for side B.

(2025) FOGGY MUNITIONS "Strategic Life Decision Making" (full stream)

https://youtu.be/wJgOYl98peA

     Whether it's the manic beginning of opener "Being The Best Friend At My Man's Wedding" with back and forth dual vocals or the panic inducing "The Floor Knife", you'll be both mesmerized and pulverized simultaneously. And that's just the first two songs! Things get a bit more digestable on the third track "No One Wants To Be Crashed Into A Wreck" but once all that screaming comes in you know it's all gonna unravel eventually, and so it does on closer "Mitamins And Vinerals" which is literally an aural nightmare and I fucking love it, as it dips between screamy grind and sassy noise rock.