Label(s): Zegema Beach Records / Shove Records / Overdrive Records / Argonauta Records / General Soreness / Nothing Left Records / + Amici - Storie / Tanato Records / À Fond d'Cale Prod / Cave Canem D.I.Y. / Hardcore For The Losers / Hesitation Records
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #6.
You can download: the January 2018 Mix#1 right hereor get the new January 2018 Mix#2 here.
The three-piece ['selvə] was first established during 2013 in Lodi, Italy. The bassist and guitarist contribute screamy vocals while drummer Tommaso is a goddamn machine, firing out some of the craziest drums I've had the pleasure of listening to in quite some time. Some members have also jammed with bigger bands such as Hexis and Shizune.
Wasting no time, they released 'lajf həbɪtʃuəl' in 2014 on cd, a seven song affair with a much lighter and optimistic sound - at least when compared to everything after the debut. Songs like the expansive "ɛnkloʒər", brooding title track "lajf həbɪtʃuəl", the pummeling but optimistic"pərsɪstənt" and the breathtaking "ɛgzɪstəns" are huge and intricate, swelling and heaving over many a minute, incorporating chill, slow sections to massive and explosive parts that'll leave a hefty bruise around your earholes.
Fast forward two more years to 2016 and the band dropped the exceptional 'eléo' LP of stretched out and epic screamo/black metal. It opens with the stellar "soire", which boasts ridiculous drum-work for the first two minutes as the song lays absolute waste to the listener. It then takes a bit of breather with a solo guitar before delving back into the thick of it at 2:45, including some devilishly good screams at 3:45 and the subsequent climax. "alma" is next at over 11 minutes in length and is a towering, rabid, beast of song, and even includes a beautiful classical section from 7:25 to 8:25 which is then layered over epic post-hardcore, creating a mesmerizing final few minutes. "indaco" is unrelenting in its aural assault (except for the atmospheric midsection), while the dark, gloomy and instrumental "nostàlgia" rounds out the album.
I happened to meet Tommaso Rey in Zagreb, Croatia when he was playing drums on a Hexis tour in mid-2017 (show reviewed here). We hit it off along with fellow friend Luca Mele, and this led to me being asked to help with the new 'D O M A' LP. After hearing it I was smitten and agreed to make 70 North American cassettes with exclusive/alternate artwork. On January 22nd the lovely Idioteq.com premiered the first of two songs from the full length titled "silen" (premiere linked here). The A-side is an imposing 10:58 and begins with three minutes of atmospheric noise before the instrumental build begins. By the four-minute mark the bass, guitar and drums are going full tilt, with the venomous screams joining in only a short while later. At 5:38 the song shifts into its third movement led by some hyperactive and deep bass before slowing down and letting single notes ring out alongside ear-shattering screams. From about 6:30 until 8:20 it slows down considerably, but the steadily increasing drums bring it from eerie transition to a fucking unreal climax from about 8:45 onward. Seriously, that's one phenomenal piece of work, my friends. Track 2's "joy" is the longest ['selvə] to date, clocking in at 13:57. The song weaves in and out of so many unreal parts, that to try and go through minute by minute is just silly (see above), so you'll have to wait and jam it when it's released, which will be on or before February 14th, 2018. If you need a comparison, without a doubt ██████ aka Nic aka The Band With No Name is your best bet. This one is definitely more black metal and is just heavier overall, opting for sheer force instead of a variety of movements, although the song takes a noticeable dip from six to eight minutes, even that is still powerful. From about 9 minutes onward the song takes a much more melodic structure and speed, creating an uplifting denoument that soars to album's 25 minute conclusion.
Label(s): Self Released / Zegema Beach Records / Middle Man Records / Icorrupt Records / Dingleberry Records / Contrition Recordings / Off Cloud Nine Label / Swollen Lungs / Blind Eye Records / Ozona Records
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #3.
You can download: the January 2018 Mix#1 right hereor get the new January 2018 Mix#2 here.
I only became aware of UNTOLD WANT (at that time active under their previous moniker Iwakura) because I happened to catch their set at Swamp Fest II 2016. Not only did I become aware, but I was flabbergasted. Their live show was infectious in a poisonous way, with the anger and passion oozing from the band as well as the music. Anyhoos, I became hooked and then somehow (aka Shawn Decker, thank you!) I became involved in the 'Yarrow' split 10" and was able to help release those four bombs. I was also then given a previously unreleased track from the 'Yarrow' session to release on the Zampler #10 compilation! It's been quite a trip.
In early 2014 the band released their debut 'Demos' as Iwakura. It's six pulverizing and screamy tracks that seamlessly blend hardcore with many aspects of screamo and metal. "North" is a very strong opener, pulsating and heaving whilst being held together by throat-shredding vocals. "Amber Teeth, Splintered" is chaotic and heavy as fuck, "A Paper Mantis" is downright scary, "Without Reflecting, Shooting Glances Out the Windows" has awesome screaming and drums, "Crooked Feathers" is 43 seconds of mayhem while closer "Rain Dance" is a whopping 4:32 in length and a audio portal into the depths of hell.
The following year (2015), UNTOLD WANT (still Iwakura at that point) were on a 7" 'Gas Up Yr Hearse! split', contributing three songs of hyperactive hardcore with much more craziness than the 'Demos' session. Opener "Kindling Crystals" rips through in 45 seconds with some bombastic bass riffs and cacophonous shrieking, "A Forest of Dead Trees" makes it apparent the shift to faster, sharper and more technical hardcore/emo-violence is their new direction, and the final track "Bitter Hands" seals the deal, as it also bites the dust before a minute but manages to tear and claw at the listener with multiple screamers, breakdowns and pummeling instrumentals.
There was a single released at an unknown time, apparently, as "Pecked Apart by The Beaks Of A Thousand Crows" was, by my guess, recorded somewhere between 2014 and 2016, likely closer to 2016. It's your typical UNTOLD WANT track at this point, and that means it's hella good. In late 2016 I was able to catch them at Swamp Fest in Richmond, Virginia and they were easily one of the best sets over three nights. Their passion and presence during the set was extremely intense and the songs sounded amazing, to boot, so click here for that..
I was hoping to help with the band's next effort, and actually told them so, and as fate set in thanks to Middle Man's Shawn Decker, I was able to help release the 'Yarrow' 10" on my label Zegema Beach Records. The first four songs on this heavyweight 4-way split are the UNTOLD WANT songs, and holy shit do they set things off right. Opener "Nameless/Formless" is a furious song, letting the chugs and ear-shattering vocals do their work in just 1:20, whose length is repeated on the next track as "Bright As Ash" follows, giving more extremes in the cathartic violence as well as a subdued midsection. "Soft Veils" is my favourite of their songs, as it bounces around with some killer bass until the track goes supernova at 40 seconds and brings the house down. Rounding out the UNTOLD WANT songs is "Second Child", a slow and brooding romp until about 50 seconds when it goes batshit crazy gets as screamy as SeeYouSpaceCowboy. Oooo baby!
Recorded in the same session as the 4-way songs, "Why-wolves" was released exclusively on the 'Zamper #10 - Goddamn Bugs Whacked Us, Johnny' cdr compilation on Zegema Beach Records. The song is stellar and ferociously attacks the listener for its duration, with my favourite part being the dual vocal death breath that invades the listener's sense from 40 right up until the 1:38 close.
I don't know what they are planning next, but holy shit I'm fucking stoked. Actually, I just found out that a member has joined another band and UNTOLD WANT is now on hiatus aka drummer needed.
Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Powerviolence / Noise / Thrash / Crust Related artists: Swallow's Nest, Methchrist, Fuckault, Emö Lendvai and Machina Rex. Country: Dunedin NEW ZEALAND Years Active: 2015-present Song: "Get a Tan" Album: "Diploid split" Year: 2017 For fans of: Hedge Fund Trader, Cerce, Plaguewalker, This Land Is Now Dead, Fucking Invincible, Amygdala, Piri Reis, Unsanitary Napkin and La Luna aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Self Released aka Dance Happy Doom Crew
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #2.
You can download: the January 2018 Mix#1 right hereor get the new January 2018 Mix#2 here.
I won't lie, I feel like I know YUNG NAT$ quite well. I premiered a song from the new 'Diploid split' 12", saw them about 5 times in my 4 months in New Zealand, played in a band with members of YUNG NAT$, did a podcast with the bassist and was very good friends with two of the members. That being said, when it comes to describing the music and giving you a decent for fans of list I'm pretty much at a loss. I do know that Jörg's bass riffs are fucking unreal, Lana's vocals are both intoxicating and frightening and guitarist Ollie plays a ton of different styles, from basic punk stuff to intricate and danceable.
The band began in 2015, if I'm not mistaken, and was created under the impression that YUNG NAT$ would disband after a few short months when some members moved out of their house, or something to that effect. At the time, they had two vocalists (full-time member Lana as well my friend Karl who was only on the first EP) and a different drummer by the name of Maik. After writing a song or two the band was asked to play a show so they quickly wrote more songs to fill out a setlist, most of which ended up on the 2016 debut 'New Zealand's Finest'. This album holds a special place in my heart because of the dual vocals, which I'm a huge sucker for, and was also able to scream alongside both Lana and Karl in Swallow's Nest and Emö Lendvai , respectively. "They/Them - Fuck You!" is probably my top pick of the litter, but "Love/Gross", "Deadly Phonies", "Termites" and "Escape the Fake" are also very good songs.
After the recording and release of 'New Zealand's Finest' the band got a new drummer and dropped their second vocalist (Karl) and continued on with more maturity and political awareness. The first recordings that popped up with this lineup are the five songs located on the 'Diploid split' that came out in late 2017, with OMSB premiering "Get a Tan" here. The opener "Safer Communities" is probably my favourite YUNG NAT$ song, primarily due to Lana's sing/scream switchup and Jörg's ridiculous bass riffs, most notably the one at 14 and 27 seconds. To be honest the two are remarkable on this split, alongside Ollie's much more interesting guitarwork, faster drumming from Sam and better production, it's no wonder that although their debut EP was good, they really honed their sound with this one. "Get a Tan" is less than a minute of the grindiest material the band has released, and again Lana's back and forth between talking/singing and screaming is phenomenal. "Harsh Demons" begins with a very dancey vibe and even includes a sick, wretched and haunting guitar riff from Ollie that begins at the 53-second mark that leads to screams, growls and crushing bass blasts from Jörg. "Breath/Death" builds for the first minute and at 58 seconds in the listener is thrown unexpectedly on a whirling carousel spinning at ludicrous speed, as it speeds up and nearly opens up an inter-dimensional rip in the space-time continuum. Closer "Mr. Bourgie" is a much darker and slower song, as it wades through filthy noise, feedback, yelps and screams.
I should also mention that YUNG NAT$ book a ton of shows for bands coming through Dunedin and Jörg and Lana even started the Dance Happy Doom Crew label, which I know Zegema Beach will be working with in the near future. I am aware that the band has a few new songs that have yet to be recorded so we'll see them recorded in 2018, if all goes well. YUNG NAT$, I miss seeing you on the weekly 😢
Genres: Punk / Proto-Post-Progcore / Post-Hardcore / Post-Metal / Noise /Doom / Sludge / Experimental Related artists: ?. Country: Guelph, Ontario CANADA Years Active: 2012-present Song: "Permafrost" Album: "Subterranean" Year: 2017 For fans of: Neurosis, Ministry, Primus, Tool, Heaviness Of The Load, Alaskan, Rosetta and Isis.
Label(s): Self Released
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #10.
You can download: the January 2018 Mix#1 right hereor get the new January 2018 Mix#2 here.
The first time I heard about TELEPORTOISE was at a local Hamilton show with Atsuko Chiba and Quiet Lakes, linked here. Not only were they great, but with a name like TELEPORTOISE I couldn't help but take note. Their cavernous and raw take on brooding, proggy, post-hardcore/post-metal was very unique, so I asked if the band wanted to play ZBR Mini-Fest (linked here) alongside bands like Old Soul, Edhochuli, Black Love, Respire, Terry Green, etc. to which they agreed. I also asked bassist Adam if he would like to design the Zampler #4 cd jacket which he did (linked here). I loved the very subtle details he used like incorporating the logos of both football teams from the Starship Troopers movie.
Anyhoos, on to the band. So at the time all of this was happening, TELEPORTOISE released their debut EP 'Terra' on cd, which I picked up, including some for the ZBR distro (linked here). The four songs reach pretty far out there and while being quite different, with opener "Sun Ceremony" being a slow, plodding riff that doesn't even make it to two minutes and closer "The Rhino Charges" eclipsing the 10-minute mark, complete with searing vocals, prodigious breakdowns and epic movements. "Flight On the Carrion" and "Gravel Ship" are both 7 to 8 minutes each and have deathly howls and evil riffs amidst crunchy and sludgy experimental metal. Overall a solid debut EP with production that actually surpasses the new LP, in my opinion.
The new LP? Ah yes, tis good, and musically surpasses their debut. 'Subterranean' begins with the exhausting "Prologue", a mind-bending foray into fucked up riffery and imposing questions of the self such as "Do I actually exist right now?" for a total length of 10:24. A very fitting title for track two is "Submergence", another almost 10-minute immersion in sludge metal that is groovy as fuck, with some killer bass and vocals. "The Machine" is only half the length but packs a punch similar to the previous track, as does "Permafrost Link", arguably the best song on the record with a killer riff that topples the listener come 50 seconds or so. "Release" opens with some sweet, wailin' guitars and goes pretty sludgy for its 7:41 length, while the closer "Epilogue" is a mere 3:43 of writhing post-hardcore/post-metal/prog that could easily be likened to an army of mounted, stampeding horses.
________________________________________
DISCOGRAPHY
2014 - Terra cdEP (stream/donate/download here) [buy ZBR distro here]
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #5.
You can download: the January 2018 Mix#1 right hereor get the new January 2018 Mix#2 here.
This group is kinda comprised of two groupings of members, there's the recorded group and the live group. On record this is Shawn of Coma Regalia and AJ of Adobe Homes. Live you've also got Parker from Flesh Born and Chris (I'm unsure which Chris this is and therefore what bands they may play in). The core members have created some very grooving screamo more along the lines of mid-western emo/hardcore of the late 90s and early 2000s, with bands such as Funeral Diner, Ecorche and Eyes Of Verotika coming to mind first. The songs are screamy and sound introspective but expect no lightning fast time changes, noodles or breakdowns, as this is much more chill and rooted in rock more than things such as grindcore. The lyrics discuss a myriad of issues and the dual vocals work very nicely. I have a quote from AJ citing, "I'm definitely going to sing about my dad. Losing friends, moving on with life, some areas I've seen with the children I work with, me moving away from a home that meant so much to me, failed relationships and how I did that, the political areas we are in, and of course, you and me being friends," as well as Shawn wrapping it up saying, "all in all, i'd say that the record is about growing up 😕 and being scared and trying to find the reasons that you don't have to be scared any more."
As for their debut offering, the self titled cassette LP 'The Longer We Stray From the Light', the songs flow nicely from one track to the next without it stagnating, as every track has its own unique flavour. Opener "The storybooks ending brought no comfort, as expected" showcases what you can find on the LP and brings my beloved Bright Calm Blue to mind, "But in the heart there sleeps a friend to fight your fright" is probably the most straightforward screamo track, "A dreadful presence feels the child's mind with fear" is a bit slower and deliberate, "Is my room no longer safe? Must I run away from here?" employs singing at the tailend while "As a creature's movement loudens, will it surface, there's no knowing" blazes through with much darker screaming and instrumentals, including a few brooding moments and a killer build to the first climax after 56 seconds, making it my favourite of the eight songs.
I'm not sure if this project will continue as Shawn does quite a few projects, but I sure hope so!
________________________________________
DISCOGRAPHY
2017 - The Longer We Stray From the Light cassetteLP (stream/donate/download here)
________________________________________
(2017) THE LONGER WE STRAY FROM THE LIGHT - "As a creature's movement loudens, will it surface, there's no knowing" (from 'The Longer We Stray From the Light')
(2017) THE LONGER WE STRAY FROM THE LIGHT - "But in the heart there sleeps a friend to fight your fright" (from 'The Longer We Stray From the Light')
(2017) THE LONGER WE STRAY FROM THE LIGHT - full live set
________________________________________
THE LONGER WE STRAY FROM THE LIGHT additional links
Label(s): Structures // Agony / I.corrupt Records / (We Built The World And) We Miss The Stars Records / Hardcore For The Losers / Samegrey Records / My Name Is Jonas Diy & Co. / Time As A Color / One Wild Collective / Krimskramz / Upwind Productions / Longrail Records / Natural Resources / Rubaiyat Records / Koepfen Rec. / Dingleberry Records / Through Love Records / Pundonor Records / Zilp Zalp Records
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #4.
You can download: the January 2018 Mix#1 right hereor get the new January 2018 Mix#2 here.
Review by TOM SCHLATTER:
I always snicker when people talk about the screamo sound, which was first fashioned in the 90's, as a genre that sits in the past. The past couple years have shown me a great deal of new bands taking the genre to a new place, exploring new ground, and in most cases, doing a better job than some of those original 90's/00's bands.
PETTERSSON (among many others) is one of those bands that I always use an example for people when they try to tell me that there are no new bands in this genre. The band has two releases under their belt, both showing a complex care to song writing and moving forward for a genre that they obviously know quite a bit about.
Their debut 'Rift and Seam' is a wonderful lineup of songs filled with anguished screams, melodic guitar that is meticulously played, wonderful song structure and great dynamics. At times you'll hear them taking a page from bands like Explosions in the Sky with their longer instrumental sections, drenched in reverb guitars and straight forward drumming. Other times they are taking you down a screaming path of driving bass and drum-led fury. The band also offers a song on a 'split 7" with Det Ar Darror Vi Bygger Stader'. It's a shorter taste of their canon, which is perfect for the split, showing off all the band's strengths.
________________________________________
DISCOGRAPHY
2016 - Rift and Seam cassette/12"LP (stream/donate/download here)
2017 - det är därför vi bygger städer split 7" (stream/donate/download here)
________________________________________
(2016) PETTERSSON - "White Birch" (from 'Rift and Seam')
(2016) PETTERSSON - "Ben" (from 'Rift and Seam')
(2016) PETTERSSON - "Spiro, Spero" (from 'Rift and Seam')
(2017) PETTERSSON - "sensory deprivation > motion sickness" (from 'det är därför vi bygger städer' split)
Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence / Grindcore / Noise / Thrash Related artists: ?. Country: Tokyo JAPAN Years Active: 2017-present Song: "I'm Not a Scab, I am a Strikebreaker!" Album: "I've Been Running Round The City For 10 Minutes Straight In Order To Find You & Rip Your Fucking Face Off" Year: 2017 For fans of: Melt Banana, Terrifying Girls' High School, Secondgradeknifefight, Devola, Robinson, The Sawtooth Grin, The Locust, Eva Ros, Skram Kid Skram, Bird Death, Discordance Axis, Genghis Tron, Inside The Beehive, Fetish Hotel, Daughters, The Post Office Gals and Hedge Fund Trader aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Confusion Specialist Records
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #8.
You can download: the January 2018 Mix#1 right hereor get the new January 2018 Mix#2 here.
964 PINOCCHIO sent me their stuff in October of 2017 when it was first released digitally and it was obvious that I needed to review it here. Having only a single EP out thus far, the four songs are chaotic, noisy and very experimental, drawing from a myriad of influences. The opener "Untitled Experiment Like Any Other" is a mere 50 seconds, but it plays with the listener for the first 30 seconds with spoken word vocals amidst dissonant guitars only to jump in and out of insane drums and grindcore/noise. The second song, titled "I'm Not a Scab, I am a Strikebreaker!", is 1:22 of blown out screams and crazy stop/starts built on a structure that I'm not even going to try and begin to understand. My favourte song is next, as "To Whom Are You Gonna Convince Someone You Just Used?" is a blast in the face with more screamo/emo-violence than grindcore/noise. The closer and title track "I've Been Running Round The City For 10 Minutes Straight In Order To Find You & Rip Your Fucking Face Off" is longer than the first three songs combined and at 4:10 it's a completely different beast. The vocals are spoken word and reach some singing over very chill noodling and drums, with the entire thing coming off as a rock band until about 1:40 when the screaming meets the singing and the instrumentals crash down. At 2:30 shits gets pretty goddamn awesome as the two vocalists trade throat-wrenching screams until the sudden shutdown at 2:55 when everything cuts out and a single guitar creates a somber mood, only to be dashed with a few startling and impressive explosions of emo-violence.
I think comparisons to noisy grindcore projects such as Melt Banana, Discordance Axis and current bands Secondgradeknifefight, Skram Kid Skram and Hedge Fund Trader. Check this EP out and keep your eyes open for their next release.
________________________________________
DISCOGRAPHY
2017 - I've Been Running Round The City For 10 Minutes Straight In Order To Find You & Rip Your Fucking Face Off cdEP (stream/buy here)
________________________________________
(2017) 964 PINOCCHIO - "To Whom Are You Gonna Convince Someone You Just Used?" (from 'I've Been Running Round The City For 10 Minutes Straight In Order To Find You & Rip Your Fucking Face Off')
(2017) 964 PINOCCHIO - "Untitled Experiment Like Any Other" (from 'I've Been Running Round The City For 10 Minutes Straight In Order To Find You & Rip Your Fucking Face Off')
Label(s): Self Released / Shove Records / Sonatine / Tanato Records / Nut's Tape / Icore / Atomic Soup / Bare Teeth / Tief in Marcellos Schuld Records / Désordre Ordonné
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #1.
You can download: the January 2018 Mix#1 right hereor get the new January 2018 Mix#2 here.
Yet again, for the third time this year, Manuel from Shove Records sent me absolute gold. Italy's LVTN sounds like something Halo Of Flies should have been releasing, aka dirty and crusty post-hardcore/post-metal in the vein of the label owner's band Protestant as well as defunct Fall Of Efrafa and France's current Nine Eleven.
'Demo' is much sludgier and with less aggressive vocals, with the band sounding more hardcore than crusty post-hardcore/post-metal. All of the tracks are much shorter, with each one hovering around the two-minute mark and having a slight Tigershark feel, with "II" being the strongest of those four songs. Also released in 2013 was their debut EP 'Leviathan'. This is much different than its predecessor and shows the 'Gelu' style in its infancy. The vocals are much screamier and crustier, with the instrumentals taking on a much more epic sound, although the songs are still pretty short, with the average here being about three minutes. Opener "war" shows a myriad of styles and boasts some sick drumming, the bassy darkness of "wounds" and "ashes" sounds fantastic. "." is short and spastic while "black summer" is seething and the closer "sickness" is nearly dreamy in its aural effects.
In 2015 they dropped two songs on a 'split 4-way' 12" alongside Kratzer, Rha. and Paan. Both songs approach the six-minute mark and bridge the final gap toward the 'Gelu' sound. Driving, epic and fucking groovy, both "Vacuum" and "Me/Less" streamroll over your face only to lift you up with tranquil and dreamy sections. 2017 'Gelu' checked description and for fans of from Shove Records and decided to pick some up in a trade, from which I definitely kept back a 12" for myself. Things get real sick right from the get-go, as opener "Plague" shifts like a heaving, rotting sea of rat corpses. The initial feedback bleeds into low-end, ring-out notes that culminate at 1:20 like an attacking army on horseback. I absolutely adore the isolated guitars and vocals at 1:45 and again at 2:02 that the drums and bass blast in to meet and elevate the already established rhythm. The slowdown at the midway point is spot on, and uses bass and subdued palm mutes to build itself back up before toppling it down again at 3:52 with an unreal stop/start that brings about the destructive conclusion. "Too Low to Fail" feeds off of a killer breakdown/riff intro and spins it into some fantastic arrangements, including another textbook stop/start at 2:35. The finale "Void" is brooding and dark, with a very atmospheric opening that begins its true stranglehold at 1:50 when everything meets up and moves along together. Those lone guitar notes at around three minutes are downright haunting, as this slow and menacing song will give you nightmares. I'd be amiss not to mention that "Inner Lies", "Chocked" and "Knots" are all very good songs as well, making this LP sensational and you'll undoubtedly see it on my top 20 LPs of 2017.
Before I get into three pretty large-ass lists, I'd like to note that this is the blog's 1000th post! That's a lotta posts! I think it's been almost five or six years since I started and I've been extremely consistent with posting including having help from friends Jesse Mowery and Thomas Schlatter. We also had a massive Best Of post by a few of my friends (check it here), and 2018 will mark the year that we will hit 1,000,000 views...holy shit!!!
Two quick things not mentioned in the lists are my favourite show and favourite non-2017 record that I heard for the first time. The answer to the former is the Zegema Beach Records Fest that I put on prior to leaving Ontario. So many friends, amazing bands and relationships created. The bands included Respire, Massa Nera, Crowning, Foxmoulder, Terry Green, The Ultimate Screamo Band, Commuovere, Sarin, People's Temple Project, Sarin, What Of Us, Terrible As The Dawn, Worst Days, Lessener, The World That Summer, An Ant And An Atom, Hiera, Nanette and Growing Fins. My answer for the latter is 49 Morphines' 'Partial Eclipse' thanks to Jesse's review of them on this blog. Lastly, I also wrote about the 10 bands that have impressed me the most in 2017 via the amazing Idioteq.com, linked here.
The (((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))) Best of 2017
I've been waiting for this since 2013 and it did not disappoint at all. Truly bridging the gap between their La Quiete/Suis La Lune and shoegaze influences, the cohesiveness could be called pop-screamo and I'm fine with that, as track three has the best guitar progressions of the year, hands down.
Incredible record. Incredible band. And it terms of output was number one of the year for me (discussed here), but two is as high as they get for me. Members of .gif from god, 60659-C and Swan Of Tuonela have created a screamo masterpiece that will be the comparison of future releases of all bands for a few years, I reckon.
Recorded back in 2013 and released as a digital-only/charity album in late 2017, this thing caught everyone by surprise and exceeded any expectations that were had. Ejecting itself post-mortem, 'Analemma' is one of the most exciting, volatile and technical releases of the last five years, regardless of what year you'd like to file this under.
Following a very promising demo the French band dropped this gorgeously dirty set of 8 d-beat hardcore and screamo songs from the singer of Daitro and the gang. The band is already writing their next set of songs so don't sleep on these, dear lord.
This band had me salivating for years as I waited for this. Now it's here and way more people know what I'm talkin' about when I say, "Yo, Terry Green fucking rules." Spastic yet danceable screamy rock/post-hardcore music for the soul.
'I Talk to God...But the Sky is Empty' cassette/2x7"LP
Let's be honest, this band blew everyone out of the water in 2017. Dropping a killer 3-demo and then the fabulous 'I Talk to God...But the Sky is Empty' 2x7"LP, people have obviously taken notice. Blending metalcore and screamo, this LP has pretty everything you'll be looking for, and more.
After hearing their previous EP I was expecting a lot, but not this. This is like Isis, but better. Yes, I said it. The chill jams as well as prodigious behemoths give the spectrum bending vocals outlets for melodic singing, screams, growls, as well as remove them completely from the instrumental/noise tracks.
Released at the very end of December 2017, these 11 songs absolutely floored me. Mesmerizing Euro-screamo emanating from Japan, the beautiful mastering job from Liam (Blind Girls) truly brings out the passionate vocals, clean guitars as well as the heavy, dancey-ass bass and very technical drumwork. Such a sleeper.
Another French band, also following up from a demo, released their debut LP and it was even better than I had anticipated. With serious nods to early 2000s midwestern screamo as well as late 90s German emo-violence, 'I' was easily one of the best things released this year. They've since changed some members and I expect some unreal material next!
This was another Italian surprise that captured my heart. 'Vexed', in particular, is a phenomenal tune with the entire album containing some of the most venomous and ferocious vocals of the year.
A fantastically original and engaging album mixing synths with already progressive screamo. Hopefully not the last output from this phenomenal Quad Cities band.
Finally, an LP, and it does not disappoint. Part Daitro, part Raein (and gone are most of my La Quiete comparisons) these 8 songs electrify with a new take on a tried and tested Italian screamo formula of awesomeness.
Four members. Two play guitar and do some vocals. There are also two drummers, one of which is the primary vocalist. Did you see that? Two drummers? Two drummers. TWO DRUMMERS! Oooo baby that poisonous, artsy and chaotic hardcore brings bands such as I Am Your Curse, Bella Done and The Chariot to mind.
Featuring members from too many awesome bands to name, their The Now worship is orchestrated with such ferocity that time for breakdowns and songs over 40 seconds are pretty much non-existent
A huge surprise, this Italian band from Rome beckons obvious comparisons to bands such as Isis, Sarin, Rosetta, Tephra, The Solexine Chapter and Nine Eleven, with epic post-hardcore/post-metal.
'Los Pensamientos De Una Cara Palida' cassette/12"LP' 12"LP
Shattering everyone's expectations, this young New Jersey band thrust an absolute gem upon us with strong influences from Steve Roche (Off Minor/Saetia) and epic screamo such as City Of Caterpillar. Phenomenal debut LP, without a doubt.
Belgian powerhouse AMENRA unleashes a prodigious and crushing album of slow, brooding riffs, dark and haunting screams as well as drums that pack more than a wallop. Imagine Satan taking over a church in slow motion and you're pretty much there.
To be honest, I enjoyed their previous effort 'All We Love We Leave Behind' but this is still an excellent record from a historic band. In the off chance you haven't jammed Converge before, get the fuck on that.
Hot damn, you know you've got something special when a band's debut LP makes my top 20. Frail Hands from Nova Scotia continue to help carry the amazing Canadian screamo torch, complete with intricate, tight, dynamic and explosive instrumentals as well as ear-shattering shrieks from vocalist Dawn. Wowza!
'Fashion Statements of the Socially Aware' 7"EP + 'Atrocities From a Story Book Perspective' cassingle
When Connie sent me the tracks for this EP I literally lost my mind on our facebook chat and just repeated her name over and over again. Spastic, sassy, violent, volatile, danceable and extremely mature songwriting abilities make this a no brainer, plus they also released a cassingle (which also rips) and have four more tracks seeing the light of day any time now from their forthcoming Secondgradeknifefight 7".
I've recounted my Crowning story enough on this blog, so I'll just say that no one saw this band or EP coming and the unstoppable hardcore/screamo combo they've got going on is fucking incredible. They even throw in some emo-violence and metalcore parts - oh, and they've acquired the Itto vocalist to boot. All. Hail. Crowning.
'We Are All Accomplices' digital EP
'мятеж' split cassette EP
I saw them live in 2016 and sank my claws in early, as I knew right away how unbelievably good they quartet was. I was able to premiere their digital demo as well as released their other three songs on a split with the band I'm in called мятеж on tape. Hailing from Richmond, their four members all contribute vocals and the instrumentals will shake you to the ground.
When my awesome friend Jesse sent me this to hear and release, I was expecting a lot but this fucking shook me senseless. The combination of vocalists each doing their own screams with fantastic instrumental work reminiscent of bands such as Welcome The Plague Year, Envy, Off Minor, Samarra and Ostraca. An exceptional EP that belongs on any list out there.
This came out of nowhere and blew me the fuck away. Snotty, dissonant and catchy math-rock/post-hardcore from Canada. Likely heavily influenced by Waterloo/Kitchener's Life In Vacuum, their nod to other bands such as North Of America, The Holy Shroud, Desiderata, Riddle Of Steel and Pile are unmistakable. New release coming this year, apparently. On my most anticipated list for sure.
A stunning, dark, beautiful piece of work by these members also associated with acts such as Samarra, .gif from god and This Land Is Now Dead. The three song total over fifteen minutes and move in and out of chill ambient passages before shredding your fucking face off. Also - amazing people.
I was asked to premiere this explosion comprised of six songs that were heavily influenced by Breather Resist and Ed Gein, which makes total sense after hearing the EP. Haunting, dirty and heavy as fuck, they've done away with the emo-violence in search of their own thing and it works out really well for everyone involved, especially the listener!
-------------------o0(8)0o------------------- COMMUOVERE
'Du besoin de disparaître de soi' cassette EP
A band this special whose immediate dominance of the Canadian emo-violence scene was probably destined for its quick and untimely dissolution. Blackened, violent and explosive farewell from the three-piece with three vocalists and no bass. Hailing from Quebec, they recently released their final song from a live recording here.
'The Air Was Perfectly Neutral' digital single + 'A Meeting of Bliss and Trauma' cassetteEP
Oh my lord this band just kills me every time. Lightning-fast with the ability to stop on a dime and destroy your life with insane breakdowns. Anticipate their next release in fanatic excitement. Check out their exclusive premiere that we did for them here.
'A Dying Emperor Within a Dying Empire' cassette EP + 'Snag' cassette EP
Oh man Snag was all over my speakers this year, releasing their debut EP first and a split cassette with Social Caterpillar later in the year. Spastic, screamy hardcore with more dips into melody and Stop It!! territory than you'd expect. Also, extremely environmentally conscious.
'Crystalline in Gorgeous Imperfection' cassette EP + 'Unto Souls Whose Wellsprings Fail' cassette EP
Perfect Blue have just been killing it, releasing four EPs in just two years, with two making an appearance in 2017 and both kicking major ass. The band plays a technical style of screamo rooted in some Off Minor and Kidcrash but opt for really heavy stuff not unlike Ostraca.
'Countil of Rats' cassette EP + 'Moss Rose' cassette EP
The first self title was good, but the 'Council of Rats' EP was phenomenal. The below track houses my second favourite riff of the year, which can be found from 2:04 all the way until the end, as it's epic, building climax is utterly amazing.
Brutal, punishing, and even hints of melody, the teaser for the their new 12" does more than make me salivate. It's almost like Poison The Well meets Since By Man and Neil Perry. Helluva combination.
I've been waiting for new material from the fellas in Tetola93 from Japan, and holy cow do Agak make the wait totally worth it! These five songs are blistering hardcore and much more in the screamo vein than Tetola93, instead think Loma Prieta, Crowning, Youth Funeral, Sans Visage and Dip Leg.
This may have been recorded a few years ago and not released until 2017, but hot damn those four tunes are awesome screamo in the vein of Funeral Diner and other early 2000s stuff, featuring two members of Youth Novel.
I really like this 10", and was impressed by everything they did regarding it, including releasing it themselves. The 10 songs are classic Shizune but even more refined and entertaining, with three of them blowing my goddamn mind, "Lentiggini", "Dead All Day, Rodeo Tonight!" and "Always Separate the Drugs".
Perhaps the darkest EP of the year (assuming we're all forgetting about Hexis, of course) with strong screamo ties. The deep, cutting hardcore with emo-violence sections, breakdowns and dual screeching/dark screams are insane. Oh, and it's a fucking two-piece, to boot!
This thing is amazing, and I don't think anyone is going to try and argue that fact. The Texas blackened screamo band brings insane heat, especially considering it's a debut effort. Strong ties in sound to Majority Rule aka crushing, fast and ripe with spots for head bobbing.
After seeing the band kill it in Europe I had to jam the recordings and I was very impressed. Battle Of Wolf 359 worship done exceptionally well. Dark, intense and imposing, these new songs pack a goddamned punch.
Mixing a whole hell of a lot of a elements, this three-track demo is amazing, especially considering these were the first songs written by the band. Think of it as post-hardcore/post black-metal with vocal effects.
EIGHT FEET UNDERVol.18-way split 2x12"LP Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket + Via Fondo Youth Novel + Sleeper Wave + Pastel + Lamantide Nous Etions + The World That Summer
This has been my baby for so many years it'd be hard for me not to choose it, especially considering how unreal most of this stuff is. Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket, Sleeper Wave and Youth Novel all contribute their best material to date, while the rest (my band not included) exclusively released fantastic EPs, including Nous Etions' final output. Also, the packaging/art worked out beautifully!
ZBR: Bandcamp
ffo: Suis La Lune, Sed Non Satiata, Shizune and Funeral Diner
I got insanely lucky and was asked to help with this insane 10". So pumped to finally release something by Ostraca, as well as Untold Want (saw them at Swamp Fest II), Vril (reviewed them a year or so ago on this blog) and of course a few more Coma Regalia tracks. Amazing material by every band and it's all exclusive to this release.
ZBR: Bandcamp
ffo: Council Of Rats, Mahria, Orchid and City Of Caterpillar
I love this split. The aftermath of my label helping release it was pretty wonky as the 7" was pressed again without .gif from god on it and everyone involved on this initial release was kept out of the loop. Very poor communication and a definite lack of respect and tact regarding the situation. That being said, both bands bring unreal metalcore to the table with .gif touting the screamo side with Vein does the super technical shit.
This was the split that got everyone hyped on Ostraca again, and they fucking brought it. Dropping three songs of crushing and mesmerizing music like only Ostraca can do. Flesh Born bring the heat on their side, too, ripping apart the listener in very short spurts.
A dark, violent and screamy affair from Croatia. Mališa Bahat give us two, two-minute, fantastic, new screamo/emo-violence songs while Lack Of Soul play even darker stuff (think Hexis) and offer up one short and one long track.
A split a long time in the works, and it was totally worth the wait. Both bands pummel through a few tracks of screamo, with What Of Us doing it more in the hardcore vein and Hive Mind in the emo-violence realm.
I don't know how I ended up releasing this piece of pure gold, but goddamn, all four songs rule and the packaging is to die for. Black metal/experimental screamo meets technical/multi-vocal screamo. Oooo baby.
5-WAYsplit 7"EP Thisismenotthinkingofyou + I Hate Sex Yotsuya Kaiden + Healing Powers + Ghostlate
I only actually heard this split after asking some friends to recommend stuff for me at the end of the year, and holy smokes I don't know how I missed this. Great tracks all around, including stunning songs by Yotsuya Kaidan and Healing Powers.
A faux pas for sure, I've included a recording I'm on. It was a tossup between this and the Nionde Plagan/The World That Summer split for me and this came out on top due to it having more material. Kelut is ex-Yusuke and they bring the fury, while the longest мятеж release also happens to be our best all-around material, with a heavy emphasis on the dreamy sections, including the six-plus minute closer "Straight the Fuck Down".
I had this in the works for years, but with a sputtering income, little-to-no sales for a few years and both bands being broken up I left it on the backburner until Daniel at Time As A Color wanted to push it forward, and then bam! 3 years of waiting finished. Super chill, melodic and atmospheric rock/screamo from Canada and Switzerland, with both songs being about six minutes in length and being each band's swan song.
