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
(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain)))))
Best of 2017
Top 20 LPs
-------------------o0(1)0o-------------------
'Leda' 12"LP
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.
ffo: Via Fondo and Suis La Lune
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-------------------o0(2)0o-------------------
'Last' 12"LP
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.
ffo: Komarov and Portrayal Of Guilt
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-------------------o0(3)0o-------------------
'Analemma' digital LP
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.
ffo: Frail Hands and Vril
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-------------------o0(4)0o-------------------
POTENCE
'L'Amour Au Temps De La Peste' 12"LP
'L'Amour Au Temps De La Peste' 12"LP
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.
ffo: Jungbluth and Daitro
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-------------------o0(5)0o-------------------
'LP' cassette/12"LP
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.
ffo: Van Johnson and The Fall Of Troy
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-------------------o0(6)0o-------------------
'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.
ffo: Neil Perry and Letters To Catalonia
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-------------------o0(7)0o-------------------
'Darker Lakes' 12"LP
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.
ffo: AmenRa and Isis
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-------------------o0(8)0o-------------------
SANS VISAGE
'Moments' cd/12"LP
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.
ffo: Blue Friend and Loma Prieta
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-------------------o0(9)0o-------------------
'I' digital LP
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!
ffo: Caught In The Fall and Neil Perry
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-------------------o0(10)0o-------------------
COUNCIL OF RATS
'Coarse' 12"LP
'Coarse' 12"LP
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.
ffo: The Armed and Ghostlimb
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-------------------o0(11)0o-------------------
'A Brief History of Time' digital LP
A fantastically original and engaging album mixing synths with already progressive screamo. Hopefully not the last output from this phenomenal Quad Cities band.
ffo: Ten Grand and Horse The Band
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-------------------o0(12)0o-------------------
'Prima Che Tutto Bruci' 12"LP
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.
ffo: Shizune and La Quiete
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-------------------o0(13)0o-------------------
'Senza Denti' cd/12"LP
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.
ffo: Bella Done and I Am Your Curse
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-------------------o0(14)0o-------------------
'The Next Part is a Blur' cassetteLP
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
ffo: Ostraca and The Now
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HEAVEN IN HER ARMS
'白暈' aka 'White Halo' 12"LP
Absolutely massive, breathtaking post-hardcore/post-metal/black-metal and who knows what else. It reminds me a lot of a much more technical Envy.
ffo: Envy and Protest The Hero
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-------------------o0(16)0o-------------------
LVTN
'Gelu' 12"LP
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.
ffo: Nine Eleven and Buried Inside
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-------------------o0(17)0o-------------------
'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.
ffo: Off Minor and City Of Caterpillar
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-------------------o0(18)0o-------------------
'Mass VI' 12"LP
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.
ffo: Cult Of Luna and Tool
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-------------------o0(19)0o-------------------
'The Dusk In Us' cd/12"LP'
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.
ffo: This Day Forward and Old Man Gloom
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-------------------o0(20)0o-------------------
FRAIL HANDS
'Frail Hands' cassette LP
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!
ffo: La Luna and Mahria
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-------------------o0(Honourable Mentions)0o-------------------
TERRAFORMER
WE WATCH CLOUDS
CARCAJOU
THISISMENOTTHINKINGOFYOU
WE WATCH CLOUDS
CARCAJOU
THISISMENOTTHINKINGOFYOU
AUTISM
PRIZE THE DOUBT
LEVELESS
GHOST SPIRIT
LEVELESS
GHOST SPIRIT
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'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".
ffo: Fear Before The March Of Flames and Heavy Heavy Low Low
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'Funeral Designs' cassette EP
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.
ffo: Youth Funeral and Leveless
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-------------------o0(3)0o-------------------
'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.
ffo: Truman and Dawntreader
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'Restless in Memory' cassette EP
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.
ffo: Samarra and Hot Cross
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-------------------o0(5)0o-------------------
BLUE YOUTH
'Blue Youth' digital EP
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.
ffo: Life In Vacuum and The Holy Shroud
-----o-----
'ma doi' cassette EP
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.
ffo: Welcome The Plage Year and Joshua Fit For Battle
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-------------------o0(7)0o-------------------
'Shook' cassetteEP
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!
ffo: Ed Gein and Cassilis
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-------------------o0(8)0o-------------------
COMMUOVERE
'Du besoin de disparaître de soi' cassette EP
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.
ffo: Guidelines and Welcome The Plague Year
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-------------------o0(9)0o-------------------
'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.
ffo: .gif from god and Letters To Catalonia
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-------------------o0(10)0o-------------------
'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.
ffo: Tunes For Bears To Dance To and People's Temple Project
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-------------------o0(11)0o-------------------
'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.
ffo: Healing Powers and Ostraca
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-------------------o0(12)0o-------------------
'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.
ffo: Welcome The Plague Year and OsoLuna
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-------------------o0(13)0o-------------------
LETTERS TO CATALONIA
'fragmentary' cassette EP
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.
ffo: SeeYouSpaceCowboy and Black Nail
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-------------------o0(14)0o-------------------
AGAK
'Suicide Note' cd EP
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.
ffo: 49 Morphines and Virginia On Duty
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-------------------o0(15)0o-------------------
'Vampires' digital EP
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.
ffo: Matsuri and Youth Novel
-----o-----
'Cheat Death, Live Dead!' 10"EP
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".
ffo: La Quiete and Øjne
-----o-----
'Wading in Petulant States' cassette EP
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!
ffo: Celebration and Usurp Synapse
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-------------------o0(18)0o-------------------
PORTRAYAL OF GUILT
'Portrayal of Guilt' cassette/7"EP
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.
ffo: Majority Rule and Ostraca
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'Komarov' cassette EP
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.
ffo: 49 Morphines and Battle Of Wolf 359
-----o-----
'Sorrows' digital EP
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.
ffo: Respire and Locktender
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-------------------o0(Honourable Mentions)0o-------------------
HEDGE FUND TRADER x 2
BETHARI
BETHARI
CADENCE FOX
TERRIBLE AS THE DAWN
UNDER A SKY SO BLUE
CHALK HANDS
HUNDREDS OF AU
FRAIL BODY
YOTSUYA KAIDAN
********************************************************
Top 10 Splits
-------------------o0(1)0o-------------------
EIGHT FEET UNDER Vol.1 8-way split 2x12"LP
Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket + Via Fondo
Youth Novel + Sleeper Wave + Pastel + Lamantide
Nous Etions + The World That Summer
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
ffo: Suis La Lune, Sed Non Satiata, Shizune and Funeral Diner
-----o-----
-------------------o0(2)0o-------------------
YARROW 4-way split 10"LP
Untold Want + Ostraca
Vril + Coma Regalia
Untold Want + Ostraca
Vril + Coma Regalia
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
ffo: Council Of Rats, Mahria, Orchid and City Of Caterpillar
-----o-----
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.
ffo: Me And Him Call It Us and Black Nail
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.
ffo: Swan Of Tuonela and City Of Caterpillar
ffo: Innards and Kelut
-----o-----
-------------------o0(5)0o-------------------
MALIŠA BAHAT / LACK OF SOUL split cassette EP
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.
ffo: Virginia On Duty and Jeanne
ffo: Nic and Hexis
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.
ffo: Capacities and Leveless
ffo: Phoenix Bodies and Daughters
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.
ffo: Comadre and State Faults
ffo: Crowning and Old Soul
-----o-----
-------------------o0(8)0o-------------------
5-WAY split 7"EP
Thisismenotthinkingofyou + I Hate Sex
Yotsuya Kaiden + Healing Powers + Ghostlate
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.
Rubaiyat Records: Bandcamp
ffo: Perfect Blue, Celebration and La Luna
-----o-----
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-------------------o0(9)0o-------------------
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".
ffo: Bucket Full Of Teeth and June Paik
ffo: Saligia and Yusuke
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-------------------o0(10)0o-------------------
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.
CONGRATULATIONS: Bandcamp
ffo: Indian Summer and Life In Vacuum
THE RABBIT THEORY: Bandcamp
ffo: NY In 64 and Grand Detour
-----o-----
-------------------o0(Honourable Mentions)0o-------------------
THEY SLEEP WE LIVE / PIRI REIS
YUNG NAT$ / DIPLOID
BLACK KNIGHT SATELLITE / BELLADONE
IN THE NAME OF HAVOC / LOOSE TEETH
RUTKA LASKIER / PACINO
SENZA x 2
COMA REGALIA / TAPESTRY
COMA REGALIA / TAPESTRY
AKASHITA comp
TUFÀGNE comp
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