Tuesday 30 October 2018

***CROWNING / MARÉE NOIRE split exclusive premiere***

"Trakata" & "Toucher la Lune"
exclusive song premieres
For fans ofLoma Prieta, Itto, Kid Feral, Curtains, Back When, Hundreds Of AU and Youth Funeral

CROWNING
Bandcamp
Facebook

MARÉE NOIRE
Bandcamp
Facebook

Releasing on cassette via Zegema Beach Records:
order in the U.S.A.
OR
order in Canada/Internationally

&
Sunsetter Studios

Aaaaaand holy shit I don't think anyone saw this coming, but Zegema Beach and Crowning are teaming up yet again, this time to bring you a sensational split cassette between the chaotic Chicago five-piece and Quebec's Marée Noire. The split came about when both bands toured together in early 2018, with this sexy cassette being the residue. Each band contributes three new tunes on the split, with the tracklisting switching back and forth between Crowning and Marée Noire, making it as much of a collaboration as a split. I am very proud to share the last two tracks off of the release today, with the entire thing becoming available tomorrow, Wednesday October 31st, 2018 on Zegema Beach Records with European copies being taken care of by Sunsetter Studios. Pre-orders are up now and both bands will have their copies by the end of November. Fucking stoked!

(2018) CROWNING - "Trakata" (from 'Marée Noire' split)
Recorded during the Envy tribute cover session, this song blazes through as aggressive as any Crowning song to date. It begins with screaming and super crunchy instrumentals but by 24 seconds it has slowed down considerably, employing more vocalists on a very dim-lit stage. By the time the first minute concludes the song has congealed to an extremely dense and heavy metalcore mass that begins consuming listeners at 1:12 with vicious screams emanating from multiple members simultaneously. I. Still. Fucking. Love. Crowning.

(2018) MARÉE NOIRE - "Toucher la Lune" (from 'Crowning' split)
Good lordy lou, Marée Noire got waaaaaaay heavier! Taking their post-hardcore/screamo from last year's demo and basically taking a torch to anything slow, melodic and pretty, this song is angry as fuck and you can definitely hear it. Comparisons to Amanda Woodward and Le Pré Où Je Suis Mort are kinda null and void at this point, as I would trade in the sounds of Ostraca, Cassilis and Hundreds Of AU instead. The rolling drums over spacey guitars from 40 seconds onward is great, especially when it climaxes at 1:11. Oooooo baby!

Sunday 28 October 2018

LE PRÉ OÙ JE SUIS MORT

BandLE PRÉ OÙ JE SUIS MORT
GenresPunk / Post-Rock / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Screamo / Ambient
Related artists?.
Country: Annemasse FRANCE
Years Active2006-2010
Song: "Une Fois de Plu"
Album: "Le Pré Où Je Suis Mort"
Year: 2008
For fans of: Sed Non Satiata, Amanda Woodward, Envy, Archives, Carcajou, Aporia, BokanovskyNous Étions, Nionde Plågan, Gantz, Mihai Edrisch, Quasar, Les Deux Minutes De La Haine, The Solexine Chapter, Milanku, Amber, Evylock, Yarmulke and Aussitôt Mort aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Denovali Records / Communication Is Not Words / In Girum Nocte / Ape Must Not Kill Ape / Moment Of Collapse Records / IFB Records / Arctic Radar Records
This post's artist is from the October 2018 Mix. This is track #10.
You can download: the October 2018 Mix#10 right here or get the new November 2018 Mix#11 here.

LE PRÉ OÙ JE SUIS MORT were shown to me by Andrew of Locktender (formerly Men As Trees) and became an instant hit with me because...c'mon now, this is exactly what French post-hardcore/screamo means. I love my Sed Non Satiata, Amanda WoodwardAussitôt Mort, The Solexine Chapter and Les Deux Minutes De La Haine so this is very much like those bands but with a very post-rock, spoken-word twist. Most songs are quite lengthy with their shortest being more than six, and they cover a lot of ground in that time, swaying back and forth between super chill spoken word and epic post-hardcore with screams slathered on thick as molasses.

Their debut EP was a self titled obviously called 'Le Pré Où Je Suis Mort'. "Vision" is a good opener, giving the listener a plain view of their obvious pillars. There's the spoken word stuff, gruff screaming, ridiculous drumming from three minutes onward and hot damn I love that guitar intertwining around the five-minute mark. "Une Fois de Plu" is next, opening with a slow, dreamy intro with beautifully whispered French lyrics, it picks up speed at 40 seconds only to revert back that sweet, lulling opening. As the song progresses we are met with more aggression and by two minutes the band starts dipping in and out of heavier moments, reminding me of a mixture of Envy and Nous Étions. The melodic passage from four minutes is also noteworthy, as it fades the song out and gives a nice, accessible bookend to the track. "Terre Promise" is a wonderful, driving track that features mesmerizing, woven guitar progressions that form a stunning setting and react with perfectly placed drums and bass to truly immerse the listener. The vocals that meet up after two minutes with the aforementioned intricate and lush guitars, create a truly emotional experience that brings Sed Non Satiata's stronger material to mind. Closer "Silence" is the true behemoth of the EP clocking in at 13:54, more than double the length of their other songs here. It does a wonderful job of covering everything that the band is capable of, but I do think the nearly 14 minutes run-time can be a bit taxing, although that entire, lengthy midsection is intoxicating.

The band's final output is the lengthy "L'Avenir Nous Appartiendra" that was released on a 4-way split 12" with Men As TreesDolcim and Dying In Motion in 2010. Leading off the release, the band pours every last drop of their passion into this 11-and-a-half minute epic swan song. After a minute of intro, the song really kicks in, harnessing a fuller sound with more higher pitched screaming instead of low-end stuff and fantastically layered instrumentals. There's a break at two and a half minutes for a mere 30 seconds before the song shoots off again in a style not unlike Daïtro before settling into a dreamy, atmospheric groove from about three to nearly seven minutes. The second half reminds me of Japanese screamo more than anything, with Yarmulke bearing a very close resemblance. This was actually the last song I ever heard by LE PRÉ OÙ JE SUIS MORT and it's ended up becoming my favourite.

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

2008 - Le Pré Où Je Suis Mort cd/12"EP

2010 - 4-Way split w/(Men As Trees, Dolcim & Dying In Motion) 12"LP (contributed "L'Avenir Nous Appartiendra")

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(2010) LE PRÉ OÙ JE SUIS MORT - "L'Avenir Nous Appartiendra" (from '4-Way' split)

(2008) LE PRÉ OÙ JE SUIS MORT - "Vision" (from 'Le Pré Où Je Suis Mort')

(2008) LE PRÉ OÙ JE SUIS MORT - "Terre Promise" (from 'Le Pré Où Je Suis Mort')

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LE PRÉ OÙ JE SUIS MORT out of print mp3 discography download

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Thursday 25 October 2018

***PIQUE exclusive premiere***

וֹט'
exclusive EP premiere
For fans of: Funeral Diner, Snag, Shotmaker, Closure, People's Temple Project, TrotskyChivàla, Lautrec and Indian Summer


I was informed of PIQUE's existence when my good friend Eric (drummer in People's Temple Project) shot me some demos of their new project with them on guitar. Eric had just recently released the Nayru tape on his new label Larry Records. The three-piece play a lo-fi, throwback screamo style which ends up sounding like a loose mix of Indian Summer, Funeral Diner and Eric's other band People's Temple Project. Each song is about one to five minutes and will bash you over the head and lull you to sleep, or the other way around. The five songs were record at Jam Rock Studios and recorded/mixed/mastered by John Shields. There are 65 cassettes (25 of them are special editions with a patch and koozie) and an additional format release of mini-cds by Friendly Otter. Mike Giurato also made 25 shirts that the band will have for sale. Very cool stuff!

(2018) PIQUE - 1 - "Aparte" (from 'לוֹט')
The opener has a light motif, using clean guitars and yelly screaming to create a welcoming but still aggressive introduction. The spoken word section bleeds wonderfully into the climax/close at the one-minute mark.

(2018) PIQUE - 2 - "In a Position of Power" (from 'לוֹט')
This song begins much more like a PTP jam, with rolling drums, a wall of guitars and fully screamed vocals. This song is only 1:10 but it packs a punch and brings The Flying Worker to mind.

(2018) PIQUE - 3 - "So Much Rope" (from 'לוֹט')
The lulling intro guitars for this song pique (ha) my interest immediately, and once the vocals and speedy drumming all line up it begins its ascent to the best song on here, as from the midsection onward the song takes a chill pill (save the last 20 seconds) and creates an eerie, moody, damp atmosphere that gives me all the feels.

(2018) PIQUE - 4 - "Our Lot in Life" (from 'לוֹט')
Perhaps the most chaotic of the five is the second last track, bringing to mind Funeral Diner during the all-out intro and Lautrec for the relaxed section. A very good song and the longest on the EP, which also happens to include a C-3P0 quote from A New Hope.

(2018) PIQUE - 5 - "These Five Lakes Can't Hide You" (from 'לוֹט')
The closer boasts dual vocals and a cool stop/start dynamic that does an excellent job of propping up the first 30 seconds before getting pretty dang epic, with a outro not unlike European screamo.

Wednesday 24 October 2018

SHORT BLOOMING, THE

BandTHE SHORT BLOOMING
GenresPunk / Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence
Related artistsThoughts Paint The Sky.
CountryEssen GERMANY
Years Active2006-2007
Song: "Abendkasse"
Album: "Zu wahr um schön zu sein"
Year: 2006
For fans ofKilled By Malaise, Welcome The Plague Year, Catena Collapse, Belle Epoque, Weak Wrists, Dispensing Of False Halos, Saetia, Danse Macabre, Moss Rose, Caught In The Fall, The Apoplexy Twist Orchestra, Deers! and Battle Of Wolf 359 aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Self Released / Yehonala Tapes
This post's artist is from the October 2018 Mix. This is track #2.
You can download: the October 2018 Mix#10 right here or get the new November 2018 Mix#11 here.

THE SHORT BLOOMING were another band whose name encapsulates their existence to a t. This particular band were around for less than two years in Essen Germany from 2006 until 2007, releasing but a single cdrLP titled 'Zu wahr um schön zu sein'. Sure, they had a few other physicals but the initial LP houses all of their released material. They played a darkened, dual-screaming and spectrum-jumping screamo that could definitely be likened to bands such as Killed By Malaise, Dispensing Of False Halos and Battle Of Wolf 359, with a touch of early Saetia sprinkled on top.

Their LP contains 8 fantastic jams, beginning with the awesome "Abendkasse" and its stop/start chaos with a few very memorable isolated guitars notes and a plethora of back and forth screaming between the primary vocalist and drummer. Gianna's vocals are very shrieky and at the forefront while her poisonous delivery is accentuated by Daniel's call and response. "Von Fingerabdrücken, Schneeflocken und so" follows and has an awesome Welcome The Plague Year-esque, dreamy, atmospheric section led by earthy bass and perfect guitars that begins at 40 seconds and builds with the screaming to a climax before briefly revisiting that sick shit. The band then shifts gears and delivers a lulling, short, instrumental, self-titled track titled, obviously enough, "The Short Blooming" before busting out more acidic hardcore with "Wishful Thinking" and the most toxic and jarring of all their recorded vocals. At the halfway point the LP likely reverts to the '2006 Demo' songs, as their recording quality is a bit more muddy and the songs, although great, aren't of the caliber of the opening four. "Kostenfrage", "Repetition Kills Peculiarity" and "Gefangen are all decent but "Nex one, please!" is my favourite of the initial recordings as its driving swings always get my head bobbing.

It's a shame there isn't more information and live videos of this pretty obscure but much loved German band. Discography download below, enjoy!

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

2006 - Demo cdr
2006 - Zu wahr um schön zu sein cdrLP

2007 - Zarathustra Has Been Killed In The 70's, Spectres & Vlado Petrik split (two songs from the LP)
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(2006) THE SHORT BLOOMING - "Abendkasse" (from 'Zu wahr um schön zu sein')

(2006) THE SHORT BLOOMING - "Wishful Thinking" (from 'Zu wahr um schön zu sein')

(2006) THE SHORT BLOOMING - "Von Fingerabdrücken, Schneeflocken und so" (from 'Zu wahr um schön zu sein')

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THE SHORT BLOOMING out of print mp3 discography download / additional links

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Sunday 21 October 2018

***BLIND GIRLS exclusive premiere***

BLIND GIRLS
"The Ghost In My Eye"
exclusive song premiere
For fans ofCommuovere, Lord Snow, Capsule, Mahria, Frail HandsУлыбайся Ветру and Loma Prieta
Bandcamp
Facebook

I've been following BLIND GIRLS for quite some time now, as the band sent me their 'Efflorescence' in late 2014. They've since released more material, gained a member, and preceding their completed 'Residue' album I visited the band on the Gold Coast in Australia earlier this year. So I've essentially been following the progression of the masters for nearly a year, and holy shit am I fucking stoked to finally share the first taste of their 11-song LP with the exclusive premiere of track six, "The Ghost In My Eye".

Before we move on, as both formats are very limited, we've got pre-orders up now for the 12" (black/150) and the tape (red/65), both of which are releasing on Zegema Beach Records and the band.

ORDER 12"/150
Canada/International (here)
U.S.A. (here)
Australia/International (here)

ORDER TAPE/65
Canada/International (here)
U.S.A. (here)

(2018) BLIND GIRLS - "The Ghost In My Eye" (from 'Residue')
The song begins with tranquil guitar effects that seem as if they'll stretch on forever, but after the 30-second mark that peace is shredded and exchanged for passionately screamed vocals over top of ridiculous drumming and Euro-inspired ax-work. The song hits a swing at 57 seconds and rides that momentum until a much-needed catching of breath from 1:20 to 1:46 and then...and then holy shit. The song dives like an arrow from the heavens with A) phenomenal guitarwork, B) incredible cohesiveness and C) unworldy speed. That parts takes my breath away even now, after 20+ listens. There are 10 more tracks on this record and this isn't even my favourite. Expect more premieres from the band soon on blogs Apathy & Exhaustion, Sophie's Floorboard and Heavy Blog Is Heavy as well as a full album review by Jesse Mowery right here on OMSB.

If you have the chance catch BLIND GIRLS on tour with their new record in Japan with fellow Zegema Beach bands Sans Visage and Komusō.




ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT

'Residue' teaser trailer

Wednesday 17 October 2018

LAUDARE

BandLAUDARE
GenresPunk / Rock / Post-Rock / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Screamo / Black Metal / Doom / Jazz / Ambient / Shoegaze / Experimental
Related artists: Amber, Todo Para Todos, Hirnprolaps and Yanos.
CountryLiepzig GERMANY
Years Active2017-present
Song: "Begging Substance"
Album: "d.é.o.m.é."
Year: 2018
For fans ofCircle Takes The Square, Deafheaven, Light Bearer, La Dispute, Heaven In Her Arms, Crows-An-Wra, Chaos Echoes, Bach, Chopin, Rosetta, Cult Of Luna, Isis, Angel Eyes, Black Mountain, Ira and Old Psychiatrist's Club.
Label(s): Self Released
This post's artist is from the October 2018 Mix. This is track #5.
You can download: the October 2018 Mix#10 right here or get the new November 2018 Mix#11 here.

LAUDARE is an art project/band from Germany that I became aware of because the drummer of Amber sent me their stuff, and I still rue the day that band broke up with a full LP ready to drop...but then the vocalist peaced two days before recording and it never saw the light of day. I still have the instrumental wav of the entire record and goddamn, fucking goddamn.

Anyhoos, LAUDARE doesn't sound like Amber. In fact, I don't really know who the fuck they sound like, as they are most definitely their own entity. Dave, are trying to tell us that they are eclectic? Bahahaha, that's putting it lightly. A few genres I noticed whilst listening: instrumental rock, ambient, black-metal, hardcore, screamo, post-rock, spoken-word and jazz. To top it all off there is an unsettling weight in the songs which, at times, is peculiarly balanced with what I can only describe as folk/carnival rock.

The band's debut album is titled 'd.é.o.m.é.' and they were kind enough to send me a physical copy. And I'm fucking glad they did, cuz it's beautiful. Here a few pictures of it, including the piece of glass taped to the booklet and an awesome silver foil sticker. Not only is the packaging fantastic, but their website has a very cool, interactive platform for listening where you can walk around and as you pass through some interesting shapes you'll hear different songs off of the record. Very cool stuff. Check that out here.

"Plethora" opens the album as a 4:47 journey through eerie, ethereal, ambient, spoken-word/crooning post-rock that is as haunting as it is lush. Things get much more intense once "Black Hole Reign" begins with its dark, screamy and spacey intro and then jumps all over the map, settling into a slower groove midway through after some black-metal/shoegaze infused bits. "Begging Substance" is my personal favourite, as it shoots fire from the get-go, coating the listener in ballistic drums, throaty female screams and heaps of tremelo. It's also 6:03 in length and gets pretty doomy during the second half, with the midsection reminding me heavily of Light Bearer. "Collision ..." is the soft, uneasy intro to "... And Coherence", an epic myriad of heads, each with its own specific purpose to build the song into a behemoth. The cleverly titled "Whoever Doesn't Shine Is Darkness" is next, weaving a dream-like netting that is hung over the listener, and definitely reminds me of rock composed by a classical composer. Closer "Nadir" reminds me of "... And Coherence" in the way it is arranged, beginning slowly and building to its epic conclusion, although it doesn't peer over the ends of the spectrum like its predecessor.

So yeah, very cool music with very cool accompanying art - both physical and digital.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2018 - d.é.o.m.é. cdEP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2018) LAUDARE - "Begging Substance" (from 'd.é.o.m.é.')

(2018) LAUDARE - "Black Hole Reign" (from 'd.é.o.m.é.')

(2018) LAUDARE - "Nadir" (from 'd.é.o.m.é.')

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LAUDARE additional links
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Monday 15 October 2018

AMBIEN

BandAMBIEN
GenresPunk / Post-Rock / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Post-Metal / Screamo / Skramz
Related artistsKilgore Trout, Loud?, War Crimes and A MARC Train Home.
CountryFairfax, Virginia U.S.A.
Years Active2017-present
Song: "Bury You By the Sea"
Album: "This House is a Ghost"
Year: 2018
For fans ofNionde Plågan, Nous Étions, Teleportoise, Leveless, Druse, IscarioteSuis La Lune, La Dispute, Deftones, O'Brother, Majority Rule, Cult of Luna, Pianos Become the Teeth, mewithoutyou, Frail, At the Gates, Defeater, Crash of Rhinos, Have Heart, Go Deep, Birds in Row and Lhasa aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Self Released
This post's artist is from the October 2018 Mix. This is track #8.
You can download: the October 2018 Mix#10 right here or get the new November 2018 Mix#11 here.

Tommy Sheffield used to do vocals in Kilgore Trout. Yep. And then for 10 years, nothing in the musical department (although he did have a book published in that time!). Earlier this year he sent me his first foray back into heavy music via AMBIEN, a post-hardcore/screamo band from Fairfax, Virginia. Not similar in many ways to his previous band, AMBIEN is a three-piece that extends to darker places, but always with a beam of shining light leading us through the black. It is interesting to note that the lyrics for this release were written the day before recording or improvised on the spot.

Their debut EP 'This House is a Ghost' opens with "New Storm" and it wastes no time getting massive, heavy and epic just a few seconds in. Right off the bat my first band comparison is Nionde Plågan due to those vocals, but AMBIEN definitely harness the aggression and shed the light melodies for the most part. I enjoy the brief slowdown and noodles after the one minute-mark that lead to a swelling breakdown at 1:14. "APA" is next, which is drowned in down-tuned guitars, gutteral, sinister vocals and some ridiculous closing drums. "Sleep Paralysis" is the dreamy, ambient interlude but dishes out more than the typical one, as this includes a build with various vocals chiming in from beautiful guest singing to distant screams and an electronic outro. There is more melodic crooning at the onset of "The House I Grew Up In" that is utilized in both verses and builds the bridge to those crushing choruses. After a few minutes the song has expanded and contracted to the point where it becomes unstable and by 3:33 it collapses in on itself in one triumphant and destructive breakdown. This is definitely the song with the most variation and it stands out as the band's most mature, complete and rewarding listen. Closer "Bury You By the Sea" is probably my favourite of the five, as the driving undertones never let up, creating a sense of urgency amidst the crushing waterfall that is the band's sound. Oh, and that guitar outro solo is the bomb.

Apparently the band is writing for another release come 2019. Hell yeah.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2018 - This House is a Ghost EP (stream/buy here)

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(2018) AMBIEN - "The House I Grew Up In" (from 'This House is a Ghost')

(2018) AMBIEN - "Bury You By the Sea" (from 'This House is a Ghost')

(2018) AMBIEN - "APA" (from 'This House is a Ghost')

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AMBIEN additional links

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Sunday 14 October 2018

***PODCAST #28 w/Sean Warkentine + Adrian Copeland (An Ant And An Atom + Alder & Ash)***

In July of 2018 we had the first visitors to our Nanaimo home, as Sean Warkentine aka AN ANT AND AN ATOM and Adrian Copeland aka ALDER & ASH stayed over during their summer quest together that should have been called the "So Many Fucking As" tour. Both play genres that are out of my current grasp of proper comparisons, so I will just say they both play noise music with drone and doom undertones. In this four-part podcast we discuss a myriad of things and it comes off as the most intellectually stimulating of the 28 casts of pod this far. Be sure to check out band of their bandcamp and social media pages, and I've also got videos of An Ant And An Atom playing live at ZBR Fest linked here.

An Ant And An Atom (Bandcamp / Facebook / Sean's other band Touching God)
Alder & Ash (Bandcamp / Facebook / Official website )



1
HIRETSUKAN - "19 Year Barrier" (Adrian)
TODAY IS THE DAY - "The Cold Harshness of Being Wrong Throughout Your Entire Life" (Sean)
BUCKET FULL OF TEETH- "Capital Distracts and Imprisons" (Dave)

2
SHOSTAKOVICH - "String Quartet No 10, in A flat, Op. 118 - 2nd movement" (Adrian)
ARCA - "Alive" (Sean)

3
CARLOS CIPA- "Wide and Moving" (Dave)
MEMOTONE - "Ritual" (Adrian)

4
FOOD FOR ANIMALS - "Tween My Lips" (Sean)
GEZAN - "Man Machine" (Sean)

TRANSISTOR TRANSISTOR - "Wartime at the Apollo" (Dave)
METH. - "The Mother's Garden" (Dave)

~Dave

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PODCAST #28 linked here
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Friday 12 October 2018

***EMMA GOLDMAN exclusive video interview***

Ever since I saw and met EMMA GOLDMAN at my first Vancouver show I've been smitten. That happened to be their debut cassette EP release show and they have just recently released a new track on the 'Red Gate Compilation Mixtape' and will be appearing alongside fellow screamo friends Diva Plavalaguna and Terrifying Girl's Gigh School this Saturday October 13th for GLAM FEST at Red Gate.

I caught up with Pavel, Victoria and Felix prior to the Dad Thighs cassette EP release back in September, as both Victoria and Felix play in that band, with Pavel having filled in on drums on a tour, as is discussed in this interview! We discuss their formation, recent U.S. tour, bands that blew them away on said tour (aka Hawak) and their future plans (gasp, LP!?). Check out the 15-minute video interview below and come say hi to the band as well as myself milling around GLAM FEST.

Thursday 11 October 2018

NEW RUINS

BandNEW RUINS
GenresPunk / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Metalcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz
Related artistsFrail Hands, Wax, Heisse, Open Border and Grief.
CountryHalifax, Nova Scotia CANADA
Years Active2018-present
Song: "Dagger"
Album: "New Ruins"
Year: 2018
For fans ofSecret Arms, Lyed, The Bled, The Fall Of Troy, Prize The Doubt, Arkata, Since By Man, Versus The Mirror, Glassjaw, Cold Craving and Birthday Boyz aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Self Released
This post's artist is from the October 2018 Mix. This is track #?.
You can download: the October 2018 Mix#10 right here or get the new November 2018 Mix#11 here.

NEW RUINS is a new band from Halifax over on the East side of Canada. I became aware of their existence relatively early on as they boast members of Frail Hands, Hiesse and Rinoa and a member was interested to hear my opinion so I was sent this. I am hella glad I was, too, cuz it's a sick debut EP. The band definitely dips into the hardcore/metalcore realm more than the screamo when, at least when comparing them to their other musical endeavours, as guitarist Yousef (sick riffs that are all over the place) and vocalist Nick (who somehow makes screaming catchy) are the most notable forces in the attack. If you were to try and pin a few bands' sounds to NEW RUINS it wouldn't surprise me if you said The Bled, The Fall Of Troy and a bit of Prize The Doubt.

So in early 2018 they released their self titled, five-track EP 'New Ruins'. The first thing that jumped out at me was the eclectic mixture of styles contained in just the first song alone. "Waltz" is definitely the most progressive song, featuring clean, almost choir-esque singing, a biting guitar lead that could hook a shark, dual screaming as well as perfect drum and bass accents. "Dagger" is a bit more straightforward, definitely giving some nods to The Fall Of Troy with those guitars, but it's the vocal lines that stick with me the most, in particular "cuz I'm spending all my time alone". There's also a cool spoken word section and some throat-shredding screams. Next up is "Flesh", my personal jam. At 2:06 it is definitely the most straightforward affair on the record which is led by a chorus of, "Waiting for me to bleed out! Holding in all my insides!" and raging instrumentals. "Jean City" was the first single released from the EP and I find it to be the weakest of the five, but it's still a very good song it just doesn't have the heaviness of the strong sections and the hooks of the memorable parts. "Narcissism" is a fitting closer, as the first half is your typical, varied and engaging NEW RUINS stuff with the second half being more chaotic and destructive than even "Flesh".

The band is currently planning on a split release with Curtains, whom also have been reviewed here, so keep your eyes and ears open for that ridiculousness.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2018 - New Ruins EP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2018) NEW RUINS - "Flesh" (from 'New Ruins')

(2018) NEW RUINS - "Dagger" (from 'New Ruins')

(2018) NEW RUINS - "Waltz" (from 'New Ruins')

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NEW RUINS additional links
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Wednesday 10 October 2018

...AND ITS NAME WAS EPYON

Band...AND ITS NAME WAS EPYON
GenresPunk / Post-Rock / Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz
Related artists: Without, She Dreamt: She Was The Sea, I Would Run That Stop Light For You, Anamanaguchi and Feed Me The Forest.
CountryLos Angeles, California U.S.A.
Years Active2018-present
Song: "Dark Histories"
Album: "...and its name was Epyon"
Year: 2018
For fans ofPeople's Temple Project, Mothlight, Saetia, Eyes Of Verotika, D'Amore, Storm The Bastille, Harrison Bergeron, Robots Don't Cry, Truman, Trotsky, Snag, Hawak, Funeral Diner, The Spirit Of Versailles and In Wolves Clothing aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Learning To Be Loved
This post's artist is from the October 2018 Mix. This is track #7.
You can download: the October 2018 Mix#10 right here or get the new November 2018 Mix#11 here.

...AND ITS NAME WAS EPYON is a new band from Los Angeles that released their Gundam-inspired, late 90s/early 2000s influenced screamo earlier in 2018 and I've been fucking smitten ever since. The band released their self titled EP digitally, with a split tape following soon after with a member's noise/ambient project Without. The three songs continue to make the hairs on the back of my head tingle and the band has told me that they have already written their next material which should be released in the near future. Keep an eye out for those, as they are apparently in line with the sound initially developed on their debut release.

Speaking of their debut release, '...And its name was Epyon' begins with "War in the Pocket" and a very odd sound clip, followed by frantic, driving and intense screamo not unlike People's Temple Project, Robots Don't Cry and Eyes Of Verotika. There are a plethora of dual vocals, soft ambient bits with Level Plane-esque clean guitars, all followed by destruction set to a beat. "Dark Histories" is an eerie, atmospheric jam with distant wails leading a slow build that climaxes in a payoff that gives me chills. I love the lyrics and placement of everything in the second half, especially that line that may or may not be "Everything hurts, the memory turns to grey" and the subsequent, broken screams/chaos that ensues. "Return to Forever" is the most emo of the trio, utilizing the wailing to a more extreme degree and combining them with twinklier, more upbeat instrumentals, in contrast to the dark ambiance of the previous song. After the two-minute mark the song crashes into its wildest moments and carries the listener forth on the shoulders of an anthemic, screamy close.

What a fucking debut, holy shit.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2018 - ...and its name was Epyon / Without split cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2018) ...AND ITS NAME WAS EPYON - "Dark Histories" (from '...and its name was Epyon')

(2018) ...AND ITS NAME WAS EPYON - "War in the Pocket" (from '...and its name was Epyon')


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...AND ITS NAME WAS EPYON additional links

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Tuesday 9 October 2018

POISON THE WELL

I have removed this post due to repeated emails from one Jeffrey Moreira of Rico Management. With the downloads of the already dead band pulled, I received another email stating further action even though the downloads were gone. Fuck you, Jeffrey. Fuck you, Poison The Well. I shall not support another one of your projects.

Monday 8 October 2018

***TEN MILLION SPIDERS exclusive premiere***

TEN MILLION SPIDERS
"Chaos to the Fly"
exclusive EP premiere
Bandcamp
Facebook

For fans of: Yung Nat$, Black Flag, Christian Death, Rudimentary Peni, Moss Icon, Ink And Dagger, The VSS, Antioch Arrow, Synodus Horrenda and John Carpenter

TEN MILLION SPIDERS is a new band formed in Baltimore, Maryland during 2018. It features members of Synodus Horrenda, StaleA/N/D as well as Lovers Touch and the four songs were recorded and mastered by Matt Redenbo (of Eyelet) in Hagerstown. The EP releases October 19th, 2018 on New York City's Serenity Now Tapes and I am pumped to share these new songs with you below. Expect dark, brooding, synthy hardcore influenced by the likes of Christian Death, Moss Icon, Ink And Dagger, The VSS and Antioch Arrow. You can pre-order the tape here.

(2018) TEN MILLION SPIDERS - 1 - "Chaos to the Fly" (from 'Chaos to the Fly')

(2018) TEN MILLION SPIDERS - 2 - "Puppeteer" (from 'Chaos to the Fly')

(2018) TEN MILLION SPIDERS - 3 - "Hog Hunter" (from 'Chaos to the Fly')

(2018) TEN MILLION SPIDERS - 4 - "Eyes Sewn Shut" (from 'Chaos to the Fly')

Sunday 7 October 2018

***2018 OMSB mp3 Mix #11 (November)***

(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain)))))
November 2018 mp3 MIX #11
 => ***DOWNLOAD HERE*** <=
https://www111.zippyshare.com/v/arx3DqOf/file.html
...and updates

Rundown of this post:
*** Zegema Beach Records Canada + U.S.A. stores open
*** September winners announced tomorrow for the 10 free packages draw!
*** Free shipping on orders over $100 in Canada w/code FREESCREAMS
*** upcoming ZBR releases


A friendly reminder that we gotz two stores now.

Canadian / International Store

United States Store


***
We ran a little promotion in September where people ordering are entered into a draw. The draw is being held tonight and winners will be contacted by email tomorrow, so hold onto your butts.

***
We recently received our copies of the COARSE 7", YOUNG MOUNTAIN 12", .GIF FROM GOD tapes and RESPIRE '' cassettes. The Envy 12" tribute compilation is 90% mastered and will go to press a bit later than initially anticipated, but Connie has started on the art and everything is ready except that final master for the vinyl. The vinyl is slated for a December/January release but we will have the thing streaming in full by December at the absolute latest.

Lastly, here's the tracklisting for OMSB mix#9 that was reviewed in September:

1) GIRL ARM - "Crimean Crimes"

2) PIPER MARU - "De-escalation Tactics"

3) A QUIET NIGHT... - "moans and cries at the gate indicate what?"

4) ARSEN aka KÖNIG DER MONSTER - "Erde Meldet Sich Zuruck"

5) MORTAR - "Escape Plan"

6) NOT DANCE - "Neither Flesh Nor Lust"
7) INFANT ISLAND - "A Preoccupation"

8) MARCOVALDO - "27 volumi"

9) TRÖPICAL ICE LAND - "Dark Souls"

10) ARCHIVES - "Divine Circuitry"

We also reviewed one from the September mix:

1) COARSE - "Hoax"

Oh, here's an album review:

'Lost Tree' by YOUNG MOUNTAIN

Much love,

Dave @ (((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain)))))

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ZBR Store/Bandcamp

RESPIRE 'Début' EP
cassette (order here)
(listen here)


YOUNG MOUNTAIN 'Lost Tree' LP
4-WAY w/MASSA NERATHISISMENOTTHINKINGOFYOUYO SBRAITO & EF'IL  'Split' LP
Massa Nera
Ef'il
(listen here)


COARSE 'I' EP
BLUE YOUTH 'Dead Forever' LP
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***Interviews/live shows/premieres coming up this month for sure:
- MASSA NERA interview
- EMMA GOLDMAN video interview
- DAD THIGHS show review
- BLIND GIRLS premiere

***Interviews/live shows/premieres posted last month:
- DIANACRAWLS premiere
- IN WOLVES CLOTHING premiere
- DIVA PLAVALAGUNA / MEIAN premiere
AU BOUT DE MES LÈVRES / YUBARI GOGO premiere
BLUE YOUTH interview
BETHARI / INQUIRY LAST SCENERY / MAR NEGRO / POETRY OF TORCH 4-way split premiere
- EUCLID C FINDER premiere
ARSEN aka KÖNIG DER MONSTER interview
- RESPIRE interview
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***The following page have changes:
- nada
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As always, on or around the 1st of every month, I will be posting a ZIP file with songs for the upcoming month with ALL specifics deleted from the tags, so unless you already know the band, there is NO information regarding each track.

During the following month, I will post reviews for those bands and link the tracks to the review so you can associate the two together. This way you can listen to a new song/band and have little-to-no bias. Below, I have re-posted the October mp3 mix that is used for this month's reviews.

OLD MIX
***2018 OMSB mp3 Mix #10 (reviewed in October)***
https://www111.zippyshare.com/v/P25JdBqd/file.html
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The new OMSB mp3 Mix #11 includes a previously unreleased track that'll knock your socks off, as well as:
*-* a new band with a hint of Yaphet Kotto
*-* a defunct band that had a written LP that I was mad stoked on 😞
*-* some sassy, screamy and dancey shit
*-* the cornerstone of Swedish emo/screamo, as well as a killer new one
*-* a Schlatter band that went unknown to me for nearly 15 years

NEW MIX
NEW => ***2018 OMSB mp3 Mix #11 (reviewed in November)*** <= NEW
https://www111.zippyshare.com/v/arx3DqOf/file.html
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Any bands/labels that are interested in having their stuff reviewed, please email zegemabeachrecords@gmail.com: with "Open Mind Saturated Brain" as the subject. Please keep in mind that I don't review everything, just what jives with the blog. I will, however, listen to everything you send me. I would recommend emailing with an idea for a song/album premiere 2 months prior to that song/album release date for a much stronger chance at being reviewed on this blog. Bands that have already had their discography reviewed can also submit new albums for review if they include song/album premieres.