I am excited to share a new song with you! Today's premiere comes from Québec's ALBATROS and is the fourth track on their new, second full length 'Futile' was written over the last 3 years. It's being released on vinyl by Dingleberry in Germany, Les Disques Rabat-Joie and their own label Le Mort Records here in Canada, with a cassette release via No Funeral Records. The 10 tracks were recorded at Le Pantoum, their friends' studio and creative space in Québec City. Recording and mixing were done by Simon ''Poupon'' Provencher and mastering by the master Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studio.
They will be touring Europe in late July/early August, hitting five countries in around 20 days, playing 10 shows. Here's what you need:
Time for the premiere!
(2019)ALBTROS "Towering Terreur" (from 'Futile')
This is the fourth track out of ten and is a fucking banger. Imagine Envy, Respire and Sed Non Satiata coming at you simultaneously and you're pretty much there. Thick, driving screamo/post-hardcore with a few very smooth transitions, creating an epic behemoth in just 2:48. Seriously this song kicks ass and so does the rest of the album!
This post's artist is from the May 2019 Mix. This is track #1.
You can download: the May 2019 Mix#5 right hereor get the new June 2019 Mix#6 here.
LONG DISTANCE RUNNER hail from New Zealand and are likely most well known for being ex-Parents. I have been jamming Parents for years, so when this band surfaced in 2017 I was pretty stoked. I enjoyed their 2017 debut 'No Value', but it was 2019's 'No Escape' that shook me and left me reeling. While I was in New Zealand I became a member of Swallows Nest and had I stayed in Dunedin I bet I would have played with this band a bunch (as the bands are good friends) and there was even talk of me going on one of the members' radio show, but alas I moved back to Canada.
Their first EP 'No Value' was released on 7" by the band and is an obvious extension of Parents, but moves into heavier hardcore and more obvious screamo influences. Opener "" is a ragin' short time, while the next/title track "No Value" plays like a slowed down, melodic version of Dangers!. "The Mask" is my personal favourite on this debut release, as it starts out pretty playful and is reminiscent of Comadre before they employ dual vocals at 35 seconds, and then the song takes flight as an epic, crushing, melodic, hardcore jam.
In 2019 LONG DISTANCE RUNNER first released a two-song teaser of "Eulogy" and "Fear of Life" before officially releasing their sophomore, self-released 7" 'No Escape'. It becomes bludgeoningly clear soon into opener "The Downcast" that this band gotten much, much more aggressive, and I fucking love it. It begins in an atmospheric cave, eventually Boba Fetting its way out with a disgustingly angry and powerful remainder, complete with vicious vocals and a thick, dense core. "Eulogy" is next and is short, but a lengthy slap in the face that manages to create palm-to-face contact that for its 1:26 tenure, including a bombastic conclusion that reminds me of Australia's Machina Genova. By the time you finish "The First Lie" you'll likely find yourself very impressed with the absolute tenacity in the screaming department, as they coat everything in a violent, suffocating tar that I just can't get enough of. "Fear of Life" rips through in 1:16, reminding me of Thumbscrew before the even shorter "Black Mirror" tears out of the speakers and blisters the eardrums. Closer and title track "No Escape" is a masterful and wonderful raging hardcore song with enough weight to knock out an unsuspecting listener, and hot damn that conclusion post 1:20 is apocalyptic and vaguely reminiscent of the U.K.'s Lavotchkin.
I don't know what they're up to next but good god I'm keen as and I'll be all the fuck over it. You'll find this EP listed again in our Best Of 2019 cuz it rips.
Woah this summer is nuts. Zegema Beach Records Fest 2019 is now complete and holy smokes what a time it was. And what's this? I leave for tour in just over two weeks? Wowza! So this month will have literally no posts from June 25th or so and I won't be returning until July 15th, making this the longest stretch without a post by quite a bit. I'm pretty busy so I'll just get to it, although I should say that two of the six songs in the blog mix are previously unreleased and highly amazing!
Hey, CROWNING / SWALLOWS NEST European tour!
Also, until the two Daves leave for tour ZEGEMA BEACH RECORDS is having a 25% off sale! All orders over $40 can use the code "EUROTOUR" to get 25 % off their entire order...no restrictions! Check out the stores below.
***Interviews/live shows/premieres coming up this month for sure:
- JAZZBRUNCH exclusive song premiere
- Derek Black podcast (Phoenix Bodies, Mara'akate, Bird Brain)
- ERAI exclusive song premiere
- ZEGEMA BEACH RECORDS Fest 2019 recap/videos
As always, on or around the 1st of every month, I will be posting a ZIP file with songs for the upcoming month with ALL specifics deleted from the tags, so unless you already know the band, there is NO information regarding each track.
During the following month, I will post reviews for those bands and link the tracks to the review so you can associate the two together. This way you can listen to a new song/band and have little-to-no bias. Below, I have re-posted the June mp3 mix that is used for this month's reviews.
The new OMSB mp3 Mix #7 is just five tunes (fest and tour coming up) and includes:
*-* a band that existed from 1996-1999 and flew under my radar until this year
*-* the best release of 2019? I think so
*-* members of Totem Skin and Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket in a new band? Premiere? YES!
*-* that incredible band that was recently banned from the U.S. for five years
*-* a German band that owns, especially in the vocal department
Any bands/labels that are interested in having their stuff reviewed, please email zegemabeachrecords@gmail.com: with "Open Mind Saturated Brain" as the subject. Please keep in mind that I don't review everything, just what jives with the blog. I will, however, listen to everything you send me. I would recommend emailing with an idea for a song/album premiere 2 months prior to that song/album release date for a much stronger chance at being reviewed on this blog. Bands that have already had their discography reviewed can also submit new albums for review if they include song/album premieres.
