I had never heard of NEUMAN PORTENTUM until I received a message from guitarist Josh who was looking for a label to put out their vinyl, as their bass player who helped unearth the original 1998-99 recordings and have them properly mixed and mastered had just passed away. Luckily Will Killingsworth pointed them in my direction after they asked for a recommendation, and at this point the 12" records for 'God Monster' have come (and mostly gone...mostly). Maybe blast a track or four from said release and then delve into this awesome podcast with Josh, Brian, and for the first third Eric. A few things discussed: Ron and the Giant Bass, not being political enough and the breakup, post-Neuman Portentum, one take!, getting masters is hard, near-fatal stabbings, the Palatka, Reversal Of Man, and Justin Pearson connections, screamo vs. black metal, lost movements, the right timing and giving Ron closure, etc. Bands played in this podcast: The Flying Worker, Ghost Aquarium, Palefade, The Petofiles, Reversal Of Man, and Universal Order Of Armageddon. Listen to podcast #130 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.
Stoked to bring you another new album, this time iiiiiiiit's...blackened hardcore, neo-crust, screamo from Brazil? Hellllll yes. This new 9-song album features just three members that are able to make a lotta dirty, jarring, awesome noise. DIY tapes from the band are coming, along with the full digital release tomorrow!!! The band has the following to say about it.
"seu curso é fixo" (translates to "its course is fixed") is the debut album from brazilian band desvio, formed by Fernando Nandolfo (vocals), Igor Allochio (drums) and Vitor Toledo (guitar and effects), which explores the space between hardcore and 90's screamo, also incorporating experimental elements. In 9 tracks, lasting 16 minutes, the record brings together the heaviness of hardcore and crust in the style of bands like Catharsis and His Hero is Gone, and the fry vocals and chaotic and dissonant grooves, influenced by Jeromes Dream, Orchid, Usurp Synapse, among others.
Despite the intentional lack of bass guitar, the use of an octave effect on guitar fills the low frequencies, forming one single wall of distorted sound that takes over the space. Over this wall, the drums explode in fast grooves with an aggressive and upfront tone, alternating between typical hardcore rhythm and different grooves with off-beat accents. The vocals pierce through guitar and drums with violent and high pitched screams, approaching both political and personal themes in the lyrics. Effects, synths, samples and feedbacks complete the sonority of the record, bringing an experimental atmosphere to the songs with delays that disfigures voices and guitars.
Bands: Apostles Of Eris, Closedown, New Forms, Gossip, Crowning + Eyelet battle set
Victor Shores, Nerver, Mouthing, Scenario, Terry Green, Vientre, Coma Regalia, Crowning, Black Matter Device, Rainmaking, Orphan Donor, Meth, Jeromes Dream
Venus Twins, Rotting In Dirt, Amitie, Massa Nera, Dreamwell, Eyelet, Malevich, Heavenly Blue, Euclid C Finder!, Blind Girls, Closet Witch, The Sawtooth Grin
Okay, wow. That was insane. Even four and-a-half months after, I'm still in shock and reeling from euphoria shockwaves. The hype was intense. The gatherings were hella positive. The bands were incredible. It was like a three-day birthday party. I can't thank everyone who supported ZBR Fest 2023 in any way, whether it be attending, playing, promoting, or even just telling others positive things about it. We've already started booking 2024 and it's looking absolutely ridiculous.
First full-band performance ever? You betcha. Ma boi Jesse Mowery recruited friends from Euclid C Finder! and In Wolves' Clothing (one of his other bands) to flesh out the five-piece and after a single full-band practice (with no vocals) and we opened the fest. I stuck my camera on a speaker and snagged our entire set...cuz obviously I couldn't film. Cuz I scream.
The Daves love their Eddy, so this was a no-brainer. CLOSEDOWN is from Ohio and have been releasing stellar songs for years at this point, and their continuous experimenting and refining have pushed the band into a realm all their own. Each song is unique and this video is no exception, as it dabbles in post-punk, screamo, post-hardcore, and I don't even know what else. A little bit The Cure, a dash of Mars Volta, and remnants of Wolf Teeth.
Knowing we were releasing this band's debut 12"LP, we had to get them on the fest in some capacity. T'was a good call cuz their album comes out in October and it's so fucking awesome only the pre-fest attendees truly know what's gonna be up. The consensus was this was the show-stopper. Flawless. Feedback. Movement. Noise. Intricacy. For fans of Nuvolascura and Mahria.
Flying in all the way for the west coast to play the pre-fest was a band that Apostles Of Eris has actually done a 12" split with (titled 'Drone and Cull'...which you can jam/buy below). The more I watch this video the more mesmerized I become. And I shall never forget how blown away I was by the closer...that shit was truly next level. Except some new wax in 2024. For fans of Nuvolascura, Guidelines, Crowning, etc.
Everyone was looking forward to this, the highlight of the evening and arguably the coolest thing about ZBR Fest 2023. Two bands where everyone is friends, and both of them fucking rule. It was hot...and the pipes were sweating. Everything was red. It was spectacular. My full video includes the encore tacked onto the end of the set.
When Nate from No Funeral asked if we wanted to corelease the new VICTOR SHORES, it led to a massive influx of CanaDave love for this awesome three-piece. Self-described "hard emo-punk" is a very fitting genre classification, and I couldn't help but take a few extra videos including my absolute fave "Bleach". You can even hear me make a garbled scream right before the catchy-as-fuck outro. We still got some tapes! Snag'em below.
I'd been excited to witness the post-Celebrations band NERVER for ages - especially after helping release 'Believer's Hit' a few years back. Luckily for me they happen to play my favourite song when I hit the record button. And I was standing next to none other than Bobby Johnson of The Ghost Is Clear while it all went down. Awesome memory captured forever. Sorry about all the video movement I was dancing up a storm.
This band was basically an enigma until I met them at the fest (all smiles and gratitude) and then proceeded to get my ass handed to me during their live set. Raw as fuck and absolutely vicious, the four-piece tore downstairs apart and played some new jams that are effing incroyable.
Immediately following the band's 2022 set I ran after them and begged them to play this year's fest. They fucking killed it and showed why their new 12"LP 'When All Is Said and Done' is held in such high regard. I definitely asked too much of the band when it came to borrowing equipment and one piece was actually misplaced for a day before we found it after they had returned back to Ohio. Sorry fellas, we love ya!
Following a major bummer letdown in 2022 (the Canadian passport office essentially mis-mailed a members passport and then didn't tell them it was sent back to their office) we decided to rectify the hurt in our collective hearts. Showcasing two new songs and three faves, they wowed new and old fans alike. I should also mention I've seen this band like 30 times and this was the first with more than one guitarist...and they had three!!! Cannot wait for new Terry, holy shit. New song below!
Traveling all the way from Colombia, this three-piece's ethereal, almost heavenly-sounding screamo translated amazingly live. Seeing just three human beings make those sounds was mesmerizing by itself, and then adding the music on top was just divine. We've still got some of their 4-way splits available!
This was without a doubt the most emotional set from the band ever, and considering the time-frame this was all going down it totally makes sense. Edie's performance was electric, as was the rest of the band, matching her intensity perfectly. I can't say enough great things about Coma Regalia and Middle Man Records. Just the freakin' best.
US Dave and the homies put on an awesome set, playing Survival/Sickness in full upstairs to a full room. As per usual Trilly was all smiles, Vanessa looked upset, Lowell's hair flew everywhere, and Justin made jokes. I think it was during the last song that guitarist US Dave decided to scream along with no mic...and his voice was already in trouble.
Being behind the drumkit for this band was both a blessing and a curse. The visuals? Incredible. I was grinnin' like an absolute moron during it because...well, it looked like the most fun set of the entire fest. I think I remember garbage bins being utilized and at one point a member hung from the light fixture. Only issue my placement had was muffled sound. I made the right call.
Making quite a trek from Portland was this three-piece, who we we've been ecstatic about since releasing their debut EP on tape awhile back. The intricate nature of the music obviously stifles movement and eccentricity, but holy moly is it worth it to hear the tightness of everything with so many sick riffs over top of it all. I shot this one from upstairs so it's also kinda stationary but the sound is great, and it's one of my favourite jams. We are eagerly anticipating their next material!
The Daves love Jared, that's a well known fact. So when they asked to play this fest it was an obvious yes, and good god of science almighty was that a good call. They absolutely floored me with their mesmerizing/pummeling music and performance. Plus they're awesome people. What a time!!!
This staple of ZBR Fest took their double-EP performance from 2022 and seriously upped it. Playing their entire new/unreleased record in full a year ahead of its release, the six-piece tore the room apart for about an hour. Jumping into the crowd, lying on the floor, swinging mics around - this set was fucking fantastic to witness and yet again there was just a sea of people afterwards muttering "what the fuck just happened to me?"
The day after their new 12"LP's release, Jay Dee closed day one of ZBR Fest and sent everyone home giddy-as-fuck. Playing both new and old material, the band (now with Sean Leary of Loma Prieta/Stormlight/Beau Navire/etc.) looked and sounded better than I have ever seen them. They also showed up with surprise 10"s of 'Seeing Means More Than Safety' that I fucking snagged so fucking fast. I have no idea what the band is going to do next, but considering how incredible the new album is I think literally everyone is salivating in anticipation.
"The best band in the world" was what someone told me as we watched this truly mind-bending twins duo open the second night. Followed quickly by, "what the fuck are doing having them open?" Well, that person was 100% correct. Easily one of the highlights of the fest and band tied for dropping the most jaws all over the floor. I heard 'RAXIS' was getting vinyl...so like...look out. New EP coming in 2024 too methinks. Best band in the world.
After releasing the band's most recent EP on 12" we were ecstatic to see them play and they definitely refused to disappoint. Bringing two sick new songs to the set, I found my way from the balcony down the back spiral staircase through the green room to shoot. Such a sick, genre-mashing group of great human beings.
Amitie's trajectory has been on an upward slope of ridiculousness since adopting their name change showed that their intense, new material translates even better live. A wicked, complete set with sing-a-long fans and heaps of passion. Twas also fun hanging with them outside and shootin' the shit, thanks my friend <3
Ahhhh the ZBR Fest staple, New Jersey's finest. The four-piece played lots from their most recent LP, but also a new song from an upcoming split (which fucking ruled). I also repeated the spiral staircase location which became a staple for me. Yay staples! Someone get me a goddamned stapler. 12"s and tapes are getting very low for 'Derramar | Querer | Borrar |'.
The incredibly versatile Dreamwell rocked downstairs next. Their unique approach to hardcore/metal/screamo means I have little-to-no accurate comparisons and that kind of difficulty is the highest of praise. I do believe they were recently picked up by Prosthetic Records so expect a new album soon!
After ripping into the mind (and body) melting battle set during the pre-show, this Baltimore four-piece played 'The Devil Shining Out Your Eyes' in full and showed why it's one of the best and most progressive screamo albums of the last decade. For this one I cozied up next to my boy Matt.
No band I have ever seen reigns in their imposing, explosive, and dark energy like Atlanta's Malevich. Devastating is an understatement. We somehow have a couple of tapes, split 7"s, and 12"s left. I dunno when their new LP is dropping but count me in for utter annihilation please.
The hottest screamo band with zero recordings online (as of the fest, at least, they have one song available now on the 'Balladeers, Redefined' comp) came in and took their 2022 performance to the next level and then some. There was an additional song we didn't capture that was absolutely mind-blowing so their next two endeavors are without a doubt my most anticipated screamo releases.
These beautiful souls kicked it up a notch downstairs and had the entire runnin' around like idiots. Vocalist Mike Mehl even toppled over during the first song cuz he was going apeshit. From where I was standing it's kinda hard to hear the guitar, but about halfway through the song switches up and with lighter drums the guitar reveals itself. The band's new album 'MyMirror, My Weapon, I Love You' comes out in late October on 12" via Dark Trail Records and tapes from Zegema Beach Records.
Traveling all the way from Australia and touring with Heavenly Blue, this five-piece play the most visceral set I've seen by them. At one point Mark (bass) was getting up and he looked at the crowd and just screamed like a madman...it was fucking intense. It's also kinda funny because those folks are the nicest people, but holy moly is their set something else - god-tier.
This Iowa band has been on the Daves' radar for a fucking decade, so having them play and just obliterate downstairs was awe-inspiring. This is another example where the band is just ferocious live but also super sweet. They'll have a new vinyl by the end of the year and I can attest that's it's the best thing they've ever done. Truly sensational. Easily one of the best active bands.
Fresh off of a Japan mini-tour and almost zero sleep, this three-piece from Florida still brought it. I sidled up nice and close to Bob to get a decent stage video. I love how they just keep getting heavier, and they're ridiculously huggy to boot. Screamo Care Bears, I say.
The Sawtooth Fucking Grin. Hooooooly shit. I was not ready. I thought I was. I was not. Playing to the most people they had, the entire audience clapped along to "Niagra Falls, Frankie Angel", Rich crowd-surfed and was then tossed back onstage onto the photographer, the guy next to me absolutely ruined his hand and tried to stop the bleeding by using old/used electrical tape, a member of Sawtooth told me that I should probably not be on the stage or I'd likely get inadvertently smacked in the face, and Jon Karel played a ridiculous four-minute solo. Here's the full fucking set.
