FRAIL HANDS

Band: FRAIL HANDS

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence
Related artists: King's Girls and Heisse (aka Rinoa).
Country: Nova Scotia CANADA
Years Active: 2016-present
Song: "Dissolution"
Album: "Frail Hands"
Year: 2017
For fans of: Mahria, La Luna, I Hate Sex, Guidelines, Lord Snow, Kodos, Makara, Vril, Hive Mind, Loma Prieta, Punch, Crowning, Frail Body, Kid Feral, O'God The White Whale, Drei Affen, Amygdala, La Quiete, Killie, Beau Navire, King's Girls and Plague Walker aka PROPER SCREAMO.

Label(s): Middle Man Records

This post's artist is from the May 2018 Mix. This is track #4.

You can download: the May 2018 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2018 Mix#6 here.

I remember when Canada's FRAIL HANDS released their first LP in 2017 and the screamo community basically went, "Woah!". True story. In fact, it made my Top 20 of 2017 list, linked here and Shawn Decker's Top 10 which I've linked here.

FRAIL HANDS hail from the east coast in Nova Scotia and are the progression of King's Girls and Heisse, two mid-2010s emo-violence bands. They bear a striking resemblance, not surprisingly, to other Canadian screamo bands that boast more of the feminine sounding vocals such as Mahria, La Luna, I Hate Sex and Commuovere as well as very proficient instrumentals. The songs generally range from one to two minutes and are searing and chaotic, definitely dipping into emo-violence territory.

From their 2017 self titled 'Frail Hands' cassette LP released by Middle Man Records, all 10 tracks are fantastic and without filler as the entire thing lasts a mere 15 minutes but packs one helluva punch. It begins with the stellar "Convoy" that goes from good to ridiculous at about 25 seconds and slams directly into the second course, titled "Dissolution". This song is another banger that dips into a staggeringly effective groove from about 55 seconds to its 1:16 close. "Snow in June" and "Lambsong" both whiz by in fiery blazes, while "Crematoria" begins chill as fuck and is a beautiful, organic and extremely well written song. "Remorse" doesn't even make it to a minute but includes both raging and tranquil sections, having some parts coming off like La Quiete and Shizune. "Grasp Unyielding" definitely has a Lord Snow feel to it, while "A Third and Final Solstice" somehow takes those drums and then increases the speed to plaid. Y'know, plaid speed...right after ludicrous speed? "Intravenous" moves with the energy of Ampere but throws in some phenomenal guitar melodies right before the 30-second mark and wails during the lightning-quick breakdown right around 50 seconds. The hilariously titled closer "Kernal Panic" is the only song to eclipse the two-minute mark...and does so by only four seconds. Regardless, it's fast and aggressive whilst still retaining an urgent and epic feel which, by golly, is pretty damn hard to do.

It's been revealed that the next FRAIL HANDS release is an upcoming split with Ghost Spirit, so I'm fucking psyched.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2017 - Frail Hands cassetteLP (stream/buy here) [buy tape from MMR here or ZBR here]

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(2017) FRAIL HANDS - "Intravenous" (from 'Frail Hands')

(2017) FRAIL HANDS - "Convoy" (from 'Frail Hands')

(2017) FRAIL HANDS - "Crematoria" (from 'Frail Hands')

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FRAIL HANDS additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

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BONEFLOWER

Band: BONEFLOWER

Genres: Punk / Rock / Post-Rock / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Experimental
Related artists: Llacuna and Tano.
Country: Madrid SPAIN
Years Active: 2015-present
Song: "Aching Absence"
Album: "Empty Rooms, Full Bodies"
Year: 2017
For fans of: Hurricäde, Viva Belgrado, Respire, Young Mountain, Rinoa, Moving Mountains, Trophy Scars, We Never Learned To Live, We Had A Deal, Continents, Descubriendo A Mr. Mime, Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket, (early) La Dispute, La Cienca, Devil Sold His Soul, and La Parade aka PROPER SCREAMO.

Label(s): Miss the Stars Records / Lifeisafunnything / Dingleberry Records / Saltamarges / Zilpzalp Records / Walking Is Still Honest / À Fond D'Cale Prod / Unlock Yourself / Tirano Intergaláctico

This post's artist is from the May 2018 Mix. This is track #8.

You can download: the May 2018 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2018 Mix#6 here.

Chalk up another killer find to Dingleberry Records, cuz when I received my BONEFLOWER 12"s in a recent trade I was fucking floored. Sure, the first 12"EP is decent, but the new 12"LP is fanfuckingtastic. Combining a myriad of influences and fluidly traversing the waters of countless genres, BONEFLOWER's 'Empty Rooms, Full Bodies' is well worth your time and money, trust me. You've got a guy with a throat-shredding scream who also has a ridiculously strong singing voice, lush instrumentals that can go from breezy and hypnotic to wild and violent. Essentially, there is a very hazy and undefined scope of what their band is supposed to sound like. Sometimes the confidence and unrealistic goals can lead to disaster, but in this rare case it pans out beautifully.

The Spanish band released their debut 12"EP titled 'I'll be the Bones, You'll be the Soul' in 2015 with a white cover, which sold out and is now available with a black cover, of which I have the new one (grab it here). There are five songs and all of them are decent, but none come close to the awesomeness that was historically captured two years later. Opener "Land and Sand" is perhaps the strongest track, swirling in the wind with epic atmospheric post-hardcore/screamo. The song feels like more of an introduction to the record, but also the only one I wouldn't have thought to be out of place if included on their new LP. I think the primary difference with the remaining four songs is that they fall much more on the rock/post-hardcore end of the spectrum, using strong vocal melodies and a slightly slower approach to the instrumentals, with the next song "Unfading" being a prime example. Just try listening to "Unexplainable" without humming along to that insanely catchy singing. Oh, just a heads up, it'll be of no use, cuz that shit'll suck you right in. The title track is probably the most diverse song on the album, opting for some heavier moments, fancy guitarwork, ambient bits, spoken word, screaming, singing...and there's more. The finale "Neverending" is over six minutes and is the obvious closer, as it feels the biggest but isn't necessarily the strongest.

As diverse as the debut EP seemed, their newest offering, the 2017 12"LP 'Empty Rooms, Full Bodies', is the fucking shit. Seriously. It was one of those albums, for me, where I was like...holy shit there's a ton of different sounds on this, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. But, being intrigued, I continued to jam it until the songs and sounds really began to reverberate with me, and at that time I realized their sheer brilliance. There are seriously so many genre branches on this sound tree that your head will spin. It's eclectic to the fucking max, as each song sounds like a different band, although the cohesive foundation of screamy hardcore can be found on tracks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 12.

The record begins with the spoken-word and acoustic guitar introductory track "We’re gonna die, we don’t care." which is a cool song, but one hell of a deception to listeners who expect screaming or a hint of hardcore, and therefore may not bother moving past the opener. Track two's "Aching Absence" wastes no time showing you that it's the complete opposite of the preceding song, blasting off with shrill screaming and spacey post-hardcore that exits the Earth's atmosphere at 40 seconds. The subsequent build swells and expands under emotionally strained spoken word/yelling until its imminent explosion at 1:25 with the line of, "I'm a better person when I'm with youuuuuuuu!!!" Dear lord the nebulae's supernova that follows is something to behold unto itself, so be sure to open yourself to its infinite embrace. Have you ever heard Patton Oswalt scream during his standup comedy? Well, "King" kinda sounds like Patton ranting at you over calm, relaxing music. "City Lights" brings out some obvious comparisons to Young Mountain, Descubriendo A Mr. Mime as well as Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket's screamy post-hardcore sound, and it pops off at 1:18, ooooo baby. "Sol" is a heavenly acoustic track with male/female, sugary, dual vocals and is a joy to listen to. "Andromeda" has a catchy as fuck intro that blows up just after 20 seconds and is easily one of the strongest tracks on the record, as it is wonderfully constructed and houses the most powerful section on the record (2:40 to its 3:35 conclusion). Jesus, what a side A!

Side B opens with "Love", another short and subdued track with a movie clip over the instrumentals. This is followed by "Elocin (you're not alone)" which coats a bit of additional singing over the screamy post-hardcore. "To pieces" seems to continue where "Sol" left off and combines the male/female singing to sound like Anthony Green, with the song title coming from the line, "I want to burn this city down to pieces." The next track feeds off 35 seconds of soaring singing before the drums pummel you and the guitars whisk you up into the sky in typical BONEFLOWER fashion, with some vocals sounding a heck of a lot like Ryan from Animal Faces. "Sunsets in the Backyard" is probably the most accessible of the hardcore songs, but closer "Purple Dreams" is the least, cuz it's the heaviest BONEFLOWER song to date, complete with a riff so huge it could have been in Top Gun, and it's freakin' awesome.

This is a fantastic work, complete with a storybook-like feel, loads of passion, lots of screaming, angelic singing, excellently crafted lyrics and a dense-yet-inviting mystical aura that has me in awe. Had I listened to this in 2017 instead of early 2018 this would have made my top 20 LPs list for sure. As I kept a copy and have already sold one, I've got one copy left in the ZBR distro so pick that up on two-colour vinyl asap here. Very stoked about their next release!!!

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DISCOGRAPHY

2015 - I'll be the Bones, You'll be the Soul 12"LP (stream/donate/download here) [buy 12" here]

2017 - Empty Rooms, Full Bodies 12"EP (stream/donate/download here) [buy 12" here]

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(2017) BONEFLOWER - "Andromeda" (from 'Empty Rooms, Full Bodies')

(2017) BONEFLOWER - "Aching Absence" (from 'Empty Rooms, Full Bodies')

(2017) BONEFLOWER - "Purple Dreams" (from 'Empty Rooms, Full Bodies')

(2016) BONEFLOWER - Full live set

(2015) BONEFLOWER - "Unexplainable" (from 'I'll be the Bones, You'll be the Soul')

(2015) BONEFLOWER - "Land and Sand" (from 'I'll be the Bones, You'll be the Soul')

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BONEFLOWER additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

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OLIVE COTARD

Band: OLIVE COTARD

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz
Related artists: Baitfish, Battle Royale, Sports and Regret, The Informer.
Country: Kansas City, Missouri U.S.A.
Years Active: 2011
Song: "I wish the world was a fly, and I was a rolled up newspaper. - Al Bundy"
Album: "Olive Cotard"
Year: 2011
For fans of: Neil Perry, Storm The Bastille, Robots Don't Cry, Joshua Fit For Battle, A Company Of Heroes, Komusō, Dispensing Of False Halos, Deers!, People's Temple Project, Guidelines, Oriana Raeo, Texas Instruments, Straight No Chaser, D'Amore, Caught In The Fall, Eyes Of Verotika, Youth Novel, Snag, The Usual, Ruhaeda, Hugs, Lessener, Ken Burns, Off Minor, Kodan Armada and Tunes For Bears To Dance To aka PROPER SCREAMO.

Label(s): Self Released

This post's artist is from the May 2018 Mix. This is track #3.

You can download: the May 2018 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2018 Mix#6 here.

Someone (Omar?) posted OLIVE COTARD in a group I'm a member of, citing it sounding like Neil Perry. Being fanatical about Neil Perry I quickly jammed the first track and was instantly blown away that I had somehow missed this gem for over 6 years.

They have but a single release on bandcamp, a 9-song journey through chaotic, energetic and jazzy screamo. The most obvious comparisons besides the aforementioned would be The Usual, Storm The Bastille and Tunes For Bears To Dance To. The songs shift seamlessly from driving, discordant Level-Plane screamo to the Nebraska scene of the early to mid-2000s, most notably Robots Don't Cry, Eyes Of Verotika and Back When. Being just a three-piece, everyone tackles vocal duties and do a damn fine job and coming off bearing resemblance to Off Minor, which is the highest of compliments. All songs own, with some blazing through relatively quickly ("You'll Move to Chicago", "Blue Baby" and "My Friends Are More Fun At Night") and others nearing the three-minute mark ("Death, Or Eldona", "The Pacific Northwest" and "What the City?").

Opener "'I wish the world were a fly, and I was a rolled up newspaper.' - Al Bundy" boasts a bass riff as Neil Perry as Jon Marinari himself, while the rest of the song is pretty much on par with 2000 to 2001 era Neil Perry. "Death, Or Eldona" has a beautiful, swaying second half that any fan of D'Amore will eat up (Tomcat, I'm looking at you). "You'll Move to Chicago" is a driving force that brings People's Temple Project, A Company Of Heroes, and Kodan Armada to mind. "The Pacific Northwest" opens just like early Off Minor, with a spidery bass riff, clean guitars, a poppin' snare and screaming. "Blue Baby" barely makes it past a minute and houses some incredible drumming that'd make Massa Mark smile with glee. "Top Sider" is about 1:40 and manages to somehow bridge the gap into both Italian screamo as well as much heavier breakdowns...two things that never go together.  "My Friends Are More Fun At Night" and "Separation" both sweep through like a tornado, especially the intro to the latter. On the other end of the spectrum, closer "What the City?" is a slower, driving and epic song that builds instrumentally much like Neil Perry's "Kicked". It then brings in the vocals and shifts gears into sing-along group chants with minimal instrumentals until its 2:28 climax when they empty the tank.

Their facebook page shows a post about having a 17-song cd available at their last show, but who knows if that happened. I've also heard about a winter tour tape that has this song that I've only encountered on youtube. "लुचिद लोतुस" is almost six minutes of ethereal, dreamy and distant emo, very unlike everything else recorded and placed on their self titled LP. If anyone has any more info on these releases or the band itself please post it for everyone in the comments section. Thank you!

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DISCOGRAPHY

2011 - Olive Cotard digitalLP (stream/download here)
2011 - Winter Tape cassetteEP ???
2011 - Discography cdLP ???

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(2011) OLIVE COTARD - "'I wish the world were a fly, and I was a rolled up newspaper.' - Al Bundy" (from 'Olive Cotard')

(2011) OLIVE COTARD - "You'll Move to Chicago" (from 'Olive Cotard')

(2011) OLIVE COTARD - "Separation" (from 'Olive Cotard')

(2011) OLIVE COTARD - "लुचिद लोतुस" (from 'Winter Tape')

(2011) OLIVE COTARD - "The Pacific Northwest" live video

(2011) OLIVE COTARD - "unknown" live video 

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OLIVE COTARD additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

full live set

another full live set

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TEMPANO

Band: TEMPANO

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence
Related artists: ?.
Country: Torrelavega SPAIN
Years Active: 2012-present
Song: "Ballarat"
Album: "Eros + Massacre split"
Year: 2015
For fans of: Lakmé, Cease Upon The Capitol. Descubriendo A Mr. Mime, Portrëit, My Life With The Spaniard, Jiyuna, Amanda Woodward, Aporia, Textbook Traitors, Sur L'eau, Drei Affen, Kaospilot, Danse Macabre, Folgore, Orchid, The Ultimate Screamo Band, Envy, Agak, Evylock, Tröpical Ice Land and Arches aka PROPER SCREAMO.

Label(s): Dingleberry Records / Koepfen Records / 

This post's artist is from the May 2018 Mix. This is track #5.

You can download: the May 2018 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2018 Mix#6 here.

TEMPANO hail from Torrelavega, Spain and play a dark, heavy yet progressive form of post-hardcore and screamo. Deliciously screamy with dual vocalists. Let's look at the discography.

First EP on a 'La Tumba de Nicolas Cage split 12"' is a decent start, with a strong Danse Macabre vibe featuring vocal stylings much akin to Descubriendo A Mr. Mime, Portrëit and My Life With The Spaniard, although with the opening track "Antes de que todo caiga" I find the vocals are too high in the mix. The second track "Hoy" is fantastic and the dual screaming balances out beautifully, while the instrumentals will charge over you and your entire family. "Heridas abiertas" is next and spends the first half weaving a serene and tranquil instrumental that erupts at the two-minute mark and reminds me most of Italy's Folgore. "Anhelo" is the heaviest track here, with ferocious dual vocals that will tear you apart, and closer "Ojos ciegos" is a slow, dark and takes on a bit of a post-hardcore feel as the instrumentals work as a foundation to the song instead of the focal point.

It was the 'Eros + Massacre split 12"LP' that first introduced me to the band and simultaneously blew my socks off. It opens with the unfuckingbelievable "Ballarat" whose sheer power and imposing presence make this a quintessential TEMPANO track. I gotta say again how huge this song is, as the driving instrumentals and deathly screams will give you a right slap in the face. Complete with a spacey outro, "Asedio al Conocimiento" reminds me of dark German hardcore meets Cease Upon The Capitol, and it sounds as good as it reads. "Consumiendo Crueldad" is another raging TEMPANO tune, "Nakba" houses riffs you'll be able to ride like tsunami waves and closer "Cenizas del Ayer" layers shredding screams over lightning drums and intricate, melodic guitars that is a beautifully epic conclusion.

Their newest contribution is titled "Pasajes de desencanto" and the track ended up on a sick 'Te:rs 7" split' which reminds me of "Ballarat" in the way TEMPANO is able to quarantine the heavy, driving and juggernaut hardcore, putting the fiercest and most dangerous elements on display for the listener. This song really chills out by the one-minute mark, and I mean that in the best possible way, as the slowly builds back on itself, creating a lush and expansive crescendo that takes flight at 2:58. Comparisons to Raein, Virginia On Duty and Envy wouldn't be unreasonable here.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2013 - La Tumba de Nicolas Cage split 12"LP (stream/donate/download here)

2015 - Eros + Massacre split 12"LP (stream/donate/download here) [buy from ZBR here]

2016 - Te:rs split 7"EP (stream/donate/download here) [buy from ZBR here]
2016 - Discography 2013-2015 cassetteLP

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(2016) TEMPANO - "Pasajes de desencanto" (from 'Te:rs' split)

(2015) TEMPANO - "Ballarat" (from 'Eros + Massacre' split)

(2015) TEMPANO - "Cenizas del Ayer" (from 'Eros + Massacre' split)

(2013) TEMPANO - "Hoy" (from 'La Tumba de Nicolas Cage' split)

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TEMPANO additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

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***BLUE YOUTH exclusive premiere***

BLUE YOUTH

"Succubus"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: The Holy Shroud, Aim Of Conrad, Campbell Trio, Death From Above 1979, At The Drive In, Drive Like Jehu, Q And Not U, Solids and Life In Vacuum

Bandcamp
Facebook

Late last year my friend Chris post about a band that shared similarities in sound with North Of America, which I rabidly checked out and instantly fell in love with. Regina, Saskatchewan's BLUE YOUTH and their debut EP struck a very deep and sensitive chord with me, as it reminded me of Riddle Of Steel, The Holy Shroud and Life In Vacuum rolled into one, sexy, dancey, melodic, jarring and heavy package. The Canadian noise-rock trio have also spent time in Surf Dads, Bright Black, Geronimo, The Dagan Harding Band and Bermuda Love, with the latter being reviewed soon on this blog.

In early 2018 the members recorded a new LP and were planning on releasing it on cassette until I coaxed them into releasing it as a 12"LP through my label Zegema Beach Records. I managed to recruit friends Brandon at Santapogue Media and Brett at Suspended Soul Tapes And Records to join myself and the band's label Grind Central Records. The 8 songs you'll find on 'Dead Forever' take a more aggressive and sassy approach to their progressive noise-rock sound, which is releasing digitally and on tape in June and on 12" in July/August. The track "So Seizure" was premiered on Destroy//Exist in April (linked here) and today we're stoked to bring you the exclusive premiere of "Succubus".

Sitting as the second last track on the record, "Succubus" is a screamy and pulsating jaunt through noisy, confident and searing hardcore/ rock'n'roll. At 2:24, there isn't much time for screwing around, so after a quick transmission tune-in the band gets to work with a raging rock riff that is held up by sick bass and drums as well as guitarist/vocalist Gage's screams. This continues in very sassy fashion until the 40-second mark when "Succubus" is shrieked over the mic and everything cuts out. The drums and guitar come in subtly soon after, plodding along until the drums decide to up the ante. By 1:06 the venomous croons come back into play, guiding the build that culminates soon after in glorious display of rock, hardcore, punk, noise and that new, unmistakable BLUE YOUTH sound.

(2018) BLUE YOUTH - "Succubus" (from 'Dead Forever')

To say that I love this record is an gross understatement, it's my most listened to record of 2018 without a doubt, and with every listen I still adore it more and more. I can't recommend this band enough, they are fucking phenomenal.

***LEFT ASTRAY exclusive premiere***

LEFT ASTRAY

"Strain"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Perth Express, Greyskull, Lavotchkin, Assück, Artorias, His Hero is Gone, Tragedy, Botch, Ekkaia, From Ashes Rise and Jungbluth

Bandcamp
Facebook
Sombras Del Progreso website

We are extremely stoked to bring you the opening track from a 7" release years in the making, the new LEFT ASTRAY 'Caoba' EP! These three monstrous and pummeling blasts of hardcore will see the light of day via Sombras Del Progreso and can be purchased on their bandcamp page (linked here) or the label page (linked here).

I first met the band in January at the 2015 Austin Blood Alliance Fest (videos and whatnot linked here) and caught their set as well as hung out with a few members at an afterparty, and all was dope. I also played with them twice during our first mrtex tour in the summer of 2015, at which point I went from liking to loving. In fact, I thought I'd unearth a video from each of those shows (Bloomington and Indianapolis) and premiere them below. But first...the premiere!!!

(2018) LEFT ASTRAY - "Strain" (from 'Caoba') exclusive song premiere

"Strain" opens with a lone, repeating guitar riff from Erik until the rest of the band drops in and starts to shred. The song picks up the speed at 40 seconds thanks to Alex's insane drumming, which jumps headfirst into explosive stop/start breakdowns as soon as the first minute is over. It's pretty apparent at this point that Ivan's vocals are thicker than ever, as he is really able to get behind the strong, coarse and venomous screams, giving them immense power. The song dips into the heaviness like a dense, lead ball and sinks during its second movement, led by some truly dark and booming bass notes by Marcel. Wanna see this song live? That's it below.

(2015) LEFT ASTRAY - "Strain" live in Bloominton, IN exclusive video premiere

(2015) LEFT ASTRAY - "Delusions" live in Indianapolis, IN exclusive video premiere

DESZCZ

Band: DESZCZ

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Crust / Doom
Related artists: ?.
Country: Poznań POLAND
Years Active: 2013-present
Song: "Inflorescence"
Album: "III"
Year: 2018
For fans of: LVTN, Fall Of Efrafa, Council Of Rats, Buried Inside, Spires, Weak Teeth, Graf Orlock, Ghostlimb, Protestant, His Hero Is Gone, Tragedy, Niboowin, Nine Eleven, I Am A Curse, Light Bearer, Gray Ghost and Remains The Day.

Label(s): Self Released / Dingleberry Records / DIY Kolo / Black Wednesday Records / Dullest Records / N.I.C. / Kajfasz Records

This post's artist is from the May 2018 Mix. This is track #10.

You can download: the May 2018 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2018 Mix#6 here.

I was introduced to Poland's DESZCZ through Tim and his wonderful German label Dingleberry Records. With our most recent trade I picked up a ton of stuff I'd never heard of before, including the 2017 collected 'LP' 12" with a poster, which was the catalyst for my discography trek from the self described vegetarian, neocrust/dark hardcore band. Boasting just a drummer, guitarist and bassist, the three employ dual vocals (one screaming higher one growling lower) alongside biting lyrics to level the listener in one fell swoop. They have released two EPs that are compiled on the 2017 'LP' 12" as well as a new cdLP in early 2018 titled 'III'.

Their 2014 EP begins with the fantastic instrumental intro of "Storm is Coming". At a mere 1:50, this thing picks up momentum quickly and will have you banging your head along before the minute-mark hits. The rest of the songs kind of blend together in a post-hardcore/post-metal with crust kind of way, bringing to mind LVTN, Fall Of Efrafa, Protestant and Nine Eleven. Most tracks fall between about two to four minutes, with track five's "The Grey" being my pick of the best regular songs that include vocals, but most of "Unwanted" comes off sounding like Beneath The Ashes metalcore which is right up my alley, too. I find on this release that they vary in the screaming spectrum much less than future efforts, with the low-end guitarist being a bit higher and the high-end bassist taking his down a bit. The final two tracks were released on the 12"LP version of 'LP' and seem more honed and unique than the preceding EP. Both songs were also given the luxury of having very decent music videos made for them, which I've embedded below. "Through the Malice" is grooving and structured perfectly, culminating in a dense and epic 3:13, while "The Abyss" is a bloated, swelling behemoth that uses more melody with the instrumentals than usual, and it's fantastic.

Their newest endeavour, the 'III' LP is a logical step from the two new songs released last year. It opens with "Fall", a brooding eruption of dark, crusty hardcore/post-metal that blazes through a myriad of speeds and sounds, including the full-on stop and faux ending at 1:57. "Black Eyes" follows and is 4:21 of atmospheric and foggy DESZCZ, who have obviously upped their game as this is the second track in a row that kills, and does so in truly epic fashion. "Manifesto" is a shorter track that gather a pretty decent amount of force and expel it at 2:10. My favourite track is "Inflorescence", which surpasses five minutes and is just a beautifully written song with a dreamy, swaying intro, a nice build and then the song goes ballistic with heaps of engaging parts. The band's sole music video for 'III' is for track five's "Standing Alone", and it's a pretty cool video, although I personally enjoy "Black Eyes" and "Inflorescence" much more. When "Moment Lost in Time" starts I generally think I'm listening to Furnace meets black metal and closer "All Shall Bleed" is a straight up banger.

Pretty good stuff, I say. And after all this, to find out that the band donates all of their music donations to the animal rights group Otwarte Klatki is just icing on the cake.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2014 - Rain Keeps Falling cdEP (stream/donate/download here)

2017 - LP 12"LP (compiles the first EP and two new songs) [buy here] (stream/donate/download here) [buy from ZBR here]

2018 - III cdLP (stream/buy here)

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(2018) DESZCZ - "Standing Alone" (from 'III') official music video

(2018) DESZCZ - "Inflorescence" (from 'III')

(2018) DESZCZ - "Black Eyes" (from 'III')

(2017) DESZCZ - "Through the Malice" (from 'LP') official music video

(2017) DESZCZ - "The Abyss" (from 'LP') official music video

(2014) DESZCZ - "The Grey" (from 'Rain Keeps Falling')

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DESZCZ additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

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KID FERAL

Band: KID FERAL

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz
Related artists: ?.
Country: Skövde SWEDEN
Years Active: 2016-present
Song: "Blue eyes white dragon (I'll close my eyes and imagine)"
Album: "Live and Let's Die"
Year: 2018
For fans of: Phoniex Bodies, Merel, Rye Coalition, Saeita, (old) Examination Of The..., Mara'akate, St. Alban's Kids, Love Like Electrocution, Mouse Fitzgerald, Barabbas, du förtappade, Sleeper Wave, King's Girls, Frail Hands, Suis La Lune, Ice Hockey, Beau Navire, Deers!, Folgore, Mališa Bahat, Komusō, Snøras and Via Fondo aka PROPER SCREAMO.

Label(s): Dog Knights Productions / Emocat Records

This post's artist is from the May 2018 Mix. This is track #6.

You can download: the May 2018 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2018 Mix#6 here.

Review by THOMAS SCHLATTER:

Perhaps it's the production choices, or maybe the vocals, but I have to say that KID FERAL gives me some late 90's vibes in a big way. I'm impressed with the guitar work and tone on here; there's a great use of reverb, and a very nice attention to chord choices. The cutting treble on the bass guitar gives me very old school vibes in the best possible way.

I can't help but think that if I closed my eyes I would think this was a new project fronted by Saetia vocalist Billy Werner, as the vocals bare a very close resemblance.

Musically I really can't get enough of what this band is doing.  The songs are so well put together.  The chaos is delivered in a strong way, with enough melody and dynamics to keep your interest.  "Firedragon 3651 Logs Out For Good" clocks in at 3:28 and will take you on a complete musical journey of what Kid Feral can really do when the gloves come off.

And what's that, KID FERAL is going on tour with Barabbas, du förtappade? Amazing!

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DISCOGRAPHY

2016 - Demo cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here) [buy tape from Emocat here]

2018 - Live and Let's Die 12"LP (stream/buy here) [buy 12" from Dog Knights here]

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(2018) KID FERAL - "Sensory Overload In The Afterclass Bathroom" (from 'Live and Let's Die')

(2018) KID FERAL - "Firedragon3651 Logs Out For Good" (from 'Live and Let's Die')

(2018) KID FERAL - "This System Is A Bunch Of Baloney" (from 'Live and Let's Die')

(2016) KID FERAL - "Blue eyes white dragon (I'll close my eyes and imagine)" (from 'Demo')

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KID FERAL additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

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***CROWNING / FRAIL BODY tour video premiere***

It's rare to get to work and be friends with people in a band that give constant mutual support, words of inspiration and kindness. So when Chicago's CROWNING asked me to premiere their new tour video I was ecstatic. Especially considering that had I not moved in 2017, I would have witnessed that ridiculous show in Toronto with Terry Green and Marée Noire, to boot. So here it is, 12 minutes of sweet shots, hilarious commentary, tidbits of live footage (to keep you salivating) and candid moments of amazing people. The thank you list in this video takes up almost 10% of it, and is a testament to the kind of people CROWNING are.

💓 Dave / Justin / Vanessa / Myles / James 💓

I hope you enjoy it.

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If you need to hear more FRAIL BODY, why not check out their premiere that we did yesterday right heeya.

If you'd like to grab a copy of the second version of the CROWNING 'Funeral Designs' cassette EP go here. (as of this post there are 2 copies of the first version in stock)

If you like a CROWNING / SWALLOWS NEST split 7" click this thing.

And if you're hankering to see more CROWNING, here is their full set from Zegema Beach Records Fest 2017:

***FRAIL BODY exclusive premiere #2***

FRAIL BODY

"January"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Voyage In Coma, Whenskiesaregrey and Massa Nera

Bandcamp
Facebook

Fresh off of their incredible tour with Crowning (video footage coming this week!) and just a few months after the band's initial premiere of "Cold New Home" on this blog (linked here), Rockford Illinois' FRAIL BODY unleashes another post-hardcore/screamo gem titled "January" in this exclusive premiere post. The song is a digital single and was, very surprisingly, the first song that the band ever wrote!

Clocking in at 2:38, "January" catches a strong groove right from the get-go, with those beautifully screamed vocals taking center stage at 20 seconds, and help push through the chugs and lead into a drum solo slowdown at 40 seconds. This chill bit adds the rest of the instruments, partially subdued, with wonderfully timed vocals that bring the song to its precipice at 1:40. And from there, with piercing, powerful and biting guitars that lock the rest of parts in place, "January" culminates and drops a blanket of ridiculousness on the listener right up until its conclusion. As per usual, what a fucking banger!

The band is currently wrapping up an EP which should see the light of day relatively soon, and I'm pretty certain you'll hear it here first. So, without further adieu, FRAIL BODY's "January"!!!

(2018) FRAIL BODY - "January"

"January" lyrics
i think its been a long time
since i could say i've seen clear skies
i lost time
i lost mind
i think its been a long time
since i could honestly say i'm fine
that im fine
i lost mind

all my friends and family
they are so temporary
they enter and exit as they please
this discomforts me
the space between where snow and clouds meet
you skin tone is lost in memory

but i'm finding grounding still
i can't find my stability here

i thought i could measure the distance and now i can't even feel
i thought i could measure the time and now i can't even heal
please don't touch me i'm trying to center

i'm trying my best not to waver perceptions

CAROL

Band: CAROL

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence / Powerviolence / Bremen Hardcore
Related artists: Mörser, Minion, Rusty James, Meat and Systral.
Country: Bremen GERMANY
Years Active: 1995-1997
Song: "Pandemonium"
Album: "Stack split"
Year: 1997
For fans of: Union Of Uranus, Acme, Systral, Mörser, Metöke, One Eyed God Prophecy, Converge, Virginia On Duty, Drift, His Hero Is Gone, Ruhaeda, The Flying Worker, Zann, Never Better, Mohinder, Love Lost But Not Forgotten and Acheborn aka PROPER SCREAMO.

Label(s): Per Koro / Summersault

This post's artist is from the May 2018 Mix. This is track #7.

You can download: the May 2018 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2018 Mix#6 here.

When I first met my мятеж bandmate Chris Story, one of the first things that I noticed was a large CAROL patch on his hat. After talking more music with him, he introduced to me Bremen Hardcore while we were on our first tour. During our second I managed to pick up a copy of CAROL's debut recordings on a 7" that I will never, ever sell. Along with associated acts Mörser and Systral, as well as other violent, German, metallic hardcore bands Acme, Stack and Metöke, their collective sound is one of absolute fury trapped in a whirlwind of nightmares, and it's fucking ridiculous. I can't believe how much CAROL and Bremen Hardcore partially resemble what bands are trying to accomplish today but were recorded back in the mid-1990s. I'm also still astounded how much better they are than pretty much all of the newer bands. And lastly, how the fuck did I sleep on it all for almost two decades?

The band's debut 7"EP is titled 'Prefabricated' and it's amazing in every possible way. First, the name and logo chosen for the cover are ace. Second, the artwork is basic but really fucking appealing. And lastly, these three songs are top notch. It begins with "Try", a dark and gloomy ride through pulverizing instrumentals and destroyed screams that peaks at 1:15 with that bass-heavy spiral into a nightmare that Converge likely had a few years later. "Apathie" is a bit longer, clocking in at 3:05 but it begins chill, builds and then culminates in a massively heavy part around 2:05. This song in particular must have been studied by bands like Ruhaeda because the similarities are astounding...and awesome. Almost hitting four minutes "Beyond Belief" revolves around one thing in particular, the instrumental stop and subsequent, lone, evil riff bearing down on you before everything kicks back in, especially those anguished screams.

When writing this review I stumbled across the track "Raw Abstraction" from the 'Cry Now, Cry Later Volume 4' 2x7" compilation released in 1996. This exclusive track is typical CAROL, featuring multiple destroyed vocalists spewing death over punishing, unrestrained, metallic hardcore. It's a killer tune with an apocalyptic finale, and for some reason isn't usually included in the band's discography downloads, but is in mine 😁, linked here.

The final CAROL recording is "Pandemonium", the single track from their 'Stack' split'. After 40 seconds of toying with you, the band lets loose in its most aggressive and violent form, shifting and attacking like an onslaught of wave after wave of self-aware, medieval maces. The song takes a progressive and interesting shift from 1:15 to 1:45 with the guitars...and then goes ballistic again. And then it goes back to the almost post-hardcore sound before reaching its unstable and volatile conclusion.

In 2015 or so news was made public indicating that an unreleased CAROL 12"LP was recorded back in the 90s but never saw the light of day. A song popped up in 2017 on the Heart Circle Part II digital comp, with "Dark Side of Genius" likely being taken from said LP. ????
I've also included this in the audio discography download but I boosted the mp3 volume by about 8 decibels as the mix was crazy low, making this download far superior to others online. Modest, much?

Good goddamn, CAROL was amazing and will always be my gateway into Bremen hardcore. Thanks, Chris.

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DISCOGRAPHY
Click )==>here<==( to download the band's complete discography in mp3 form.

1995 - Prefabricated 7"EP

1996 - Cry Now, Cry Later: Volume 4 2x7" compilation (contributed "Raw Abstraction")

1997 - South of Hessen - Welcome to Bremen split (w/Stack) 7"EP

2017 - Heart Circle Part II compilation (contributed "Dark Side of Genius")

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(2017) CAROL - "Dark Side of Genius" (from 'Heart Circle Part II' comp)

(1997) CAROL - "Pandemonium" (from 'Stack' split)

(1996) CAROL - "Raw Abstraction" (from 'Cry Now, Cry Later: Volume 4' comp)

(1995) CAROL - "Apathie" (from 'Prefabricated')

(1995) CAROL - "Try" (from 'Prefabricated')

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CAROL out of print MP3 discography download

(download here)

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