FARAQUET

Band: FARAQUET

Genres: Punk / Math Rock / Indie Rock / Post-Hardcore
Related artists: Smart Went Crazy, Beauty Pill, Loomis Slovak, Medications, Sabine, The Mary Timony Band and The Effects.
Country: Washington D.C. U.S.A.
Years Active: 1997-2001
Song: "Cut Self Not"
Album: "The View From This Tower"
Year: 2000
For fans of: Riddle Of Steel, No Knife, Fugazi, Frodus, Medications, Kid Kilowatt, Girl Arm, North Of America, Modern Rifles, Q And Not U, Dakota/Dakota, Hey Predator, Primus, Nada Surf, Ahleuchatistas, Russian Circles, Cave In, Moneen, Slint, Shellac and Hella.

Label(s): Self Released / Dischord Records / Mis En Scene / DeSoto Records / 

This post's artist is from the February 2019 Mix. This is track #?.

You can download: the February 2019 Mix#2 right here or get the new March 2019 Mix#3 here.

FARAQUET were introduced to me very recently, in October of 2018 to be exact, by my good friend Vanessa of Crowning in this podcast that we did together. She prefaced the track by letting me know that it was a mixture of post-hardcore and math rock, not unlike Fugazi. I like Fugazi, but hadn't delved in enough for the comparison to get me excited. Then, about halfway through the first listen, her partner Andy became worried that something was wrong, as my mouth dropped and fingers clenched tightly to my chair, and I realized that this, fuckin' THIS, was the precursor to all the jangly, mathy, post-hardcore rock that I have been addicted to ever since first hearing North Of America back in the early 2000s. It can most certainly be likened to other one-word F-bands such as Fugazi and Frodus.

FARAQUET released a few 7"s and a split before releasing their widely known first and only proper LP titled 'The View From This Tower' in 2000 and broke up the following year. All of the early material was released on a discography of sorts (it doesn't include the LP) written and recorded from 1997-1998, and released in 2006 via Dischord, who also released their 12". They played angular, driving, mathy, groovy, danceable, disjointed, catchy and experimental rock with post-hardcore elements. Most of these are prevalent from the first 7" in 1998 with "Parakeet" and "Um Die Ecke", but it wasn't until their 1999 releases that they started firing on all cylinders. This is more than evident on "The Whole Thing Over", which is pretty bouncy but has a midsection that shows a massively heavy instrumental side that slides into a nice, chill, dreamy Slint bit before reverting back to the poppier/mathier verses. This is followed by "Call It Sane", an unbelievably angular and disjointed math rock jam that is my favourite song by FARAQUET. That unreal stop/start, noodley riffing and exceptional bass and drum work hit at 19 seconds and lead to a tranquil but driving first verse that reminds me a bit of Q And Not U during their 'Different Damage' era. The song moves around and spends some time in drawling note rings and a boppin' instrumental midsection, all of which leads back to that exceptional opening riff. The rest of their early work is good, but never tops "Call It Sane". "Study in Movement" sounds like early Nada Surf, "Rex" has country influence and the demo of "Sea Song" is mostly a trippy, nauseating jam whose section from 1:49 to 2:40 (but only on the LP version, sadly) might just make you seasick. There's also a bonus track (I've titled it "Secret Song") after this which is a jazzy instrumental clusterfuck not unlike Ahleuchatistas and Hella , being one of most enjoyable rides on the 'Anthology'.

Without a doubt FARAQUET's crowning achievement, 'The View From This Tower' opens with one of the greatest openers I've ever heard, "Cut Self Not". Just before 30 seconds in they drop more of that ridiculously noodley math-rock and quickly shift into very relaxing jams coated in warm, controlled singing. "Carefully Planned" sounds like No Knife and is as precise as you can get. "The Fourth Introduction" is spastic and unbalanced and I fucking love it. Oh, it also has a Cave In section (1:20) and sick stop/start Primus part (1:48). "Song for Friends to Me" is short, playful and awkward, almost sounds like Ben Folds with it's rhythm, lyrics and vocals, as well as the trumpet. On the other end of the spectrum lies "Conceptual Separation of Self" is nearly seven minutes of dark, eerie and slow orchestral rock that reminds me of the Waking Life soundtrack. Title track "The View From This Tower" hits so many different genres that even on a quick listen you'll likely find similarities to the Primus, The Advantage, The Strokes and Russian Circles, and it's all spot-fucking-on. This is an excellent album that has a wonderful flow and zero duds.

If you're still mad smitten with FARAQUET and haven't checked out Medications then I know your future, cuz it's the same guitarist vocalist.

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

1998 - Parakeet / Um Die Ecke cassette/7"

1999 - The Whole Thing Over / Call It Sane 7"
1999 - Akarso split cdEP

2000 -The View From This Tower cd/12"LP

2008 - 97/98 Anthology cd/12"LP (compiles everything but the LP)

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(2000) FARAQUET - "Cut Self Not" (from 'The View From This Tower')

(2000) FARAQUET - "The Fourth Introduction" (from 'The View From This Tower')

(2000) FARAQUET - "The View From This Tower" (from 'The View From This Tower')

(1999) FARAQUET - "Call It Sane" (from 'The Whole Thing Over / Call It Sane')

(1998) FARAQUET - "The Whole Thing Over" (from 'The Whole Thing Over / Call It Sane')

(1998) FARAQUET - "Secret Song" (from '97/98 Anthology')

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FARAQUET out of print mp3 discography download / additional links

(download here)

Podcast w/Vanessa of Crowning

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MILLIONS OF THEM

Band: MILLIONS OF THEM

Genres: Punk / Chaotic Hardcore / Metalcore / Grindcore
Related artists: Reply, Minus 45°, Nervous Mother and Am I Dead Yet?.
Country: Antwerpen BELGIUM
Years Active: 2008-2012
Song: "Write My Father"
Album: "Failures"
Year: 2010
For fans of: Norma Jean, The Chariot, Botch, Lavotchkin, Coarse, Birch, Stuntman, Die Abete, Trainwreck, Belladone, Thumbscrew, DSGNS, (early) Every Time I Die, Barque, Canyons, Warsaw Was Raw, Llynch, Engineer, The Minor Times, Training For Utopia and Von Wolfe.

Label(s): Adagio830 Records

This post's artist is from the February 2019 Mix. This is track #6.

You can download: the February 2019 Mix#2 right here or get the new March 2019 Mix#3 here.

MILLIONS OF THEM were a four-piece chaotic hardcore, mathcore metal band from Belgium. They only released a single 12"LP from what I can tell, but it's a banger. If you enjoy the mayhem of Botch, Coarse, Norma Jean or Von Wolfe you'll probably eat this up.

Released in 2010 the 10-track 'Failures' LP is over in less than 20 minutes, making it a short, volatile and explosive listen. Things get hectic quick, as "Vow" is a banger that summons call-and-response vocals at 1:30 that take the opener to the next level. "Dramatize Revolution" is a rolling behemoth with some seriously thick vocals that scream Josh Scogin, which is never, ever a bad thing. "Write My Father" is a phenomenal tune that goes on a rampage but deploys a commanding ending from 1:25 that erupts into a pulverizing stop/start breakdown at 1:40. There's no relaxing here, and the band doesn't give you time to catch a breath, it's just slap in the face after slap in the face and "Consume Them" is a driving number that encapsulates the unrelenting onslaught of the record.

I thought I saw they were in the studio in 2015, but maybe that was just their new band Nervous Mother. I think they're dead and that's just a shame.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2010 - Failures 12"LP (stream/buy here)

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(2010) MILLIONS OF THEM - "Write My Father" (from 'Failures')

(2010) MILLIONS OF THEM - "Consume Them" (from 'Failures')

(2010) MILLIONS OF THEM - "Vow" (from 'Failures')

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MILLIONS OF THEM mp3 download / additional links

(download here)

Bandcamp

Facebook

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***MODERN RIFLES exclusive interview***

I have already recounted to story a few times, but long story short I got hella obsessed with MODERN RIFLES back in 2010 upon my return from South Korea. When I started this blog in 2013 MODERN RIFLES were one of my first posts, but it was short as I was still figuring out how to write these posts. Fast forward to 2018 and the bassist Daryl emails me with three unreleased tracks from their only recording session, which I quickly ask if I can release along with the LP 'I Was Young, It Was Dark' on cassette. He asked the band (who were long since disbanded) and got back to me with new art from Greg Rozum and the masters. In January of 2019 we released the tape along with the unreleased tracks in this bigass post that I did. Go to the Zegema Beach Records bandcamp page to listen, donate, or download the 14-track album. Links to buy the tapes in both Canada and the U.S. are below:

U.S.A. store

Canada/International store

Today I'm back again to gush all over MODERN RIFLES, but do so in an exclusive interview with bassist Daryl Thompson. I've had questions brewing in my intestinal tract for nearly a decade so these questions were half screamed at Daryl in excitement. I hope you enjoy learning more about this relatively obscure rock/emo/post-hardcore band from San Diego. A million thanks to Daryl for taking the time to send me those tracks last year, believing in me enough to release and premiere them, as well as combing his brain to search for answers to questions that should have been asked long ago.

Exclusive Interview with:

Daryl Thompson of:

MODERN RIFLES

How did Modern Rifles form?
Modern Rifles started with Dan and Jonny (guitars) posting a Craig’s list ad in San Diego. I responded and they tried me out. It worked out for me because I was wearing a Les Savy Fav t-shirt. Then we tried out lots of drummers until we found Garb who had recently moved to SD from Pittsburgh. We hit it off right away because we listened to a lot of the same bands, and he played with dudes from bands like Don Caballero, etc. He is one of those guys who just beats the crap out of the drums, but can still get really technical if he wants to. We all were from different places in the U.S.  Dan is from Louisiana, Jonny is from San Diego, Garb is from Pittsburgh, and I’m from North Carolina. Crazy to think that people from those very distinct areas could have lots of the same influences.

What were these collective influences you speak of?
We were into all kinds of stuff...some of these bands I’m only speaking for myself, but most of them we all liked. The Jesus Lizard, Don Cab, Unwound, No Knife, Sunny Day Real Estate, Engine Down, Converge, Russian Circles, These Arms Are Snakes, Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu, Polvo, Archers Of Loaf, Superchunk. I mean, that list could go on forever. I left out a ton.

What bands did y'all play in beforehand?
I can’t remember the bands that Jon and Dan played in but they weren’t in them for very long. Garb played in a bunch of cool Pittsburgh bands like Jumbo and Teddy Duchamp’s Army. I was forced to play in my dad’s terrible cover band in my teens and later tried to form a two piece Godheadsilo/Unwound cover band with my friend Greg Rozum who did the art for the cassette you put out. We had one show booked at the local pizza place. It was fortunately canceled.

What was the first song you wrote together?
Hmm.  I think it was “Illegal Dracula.”

Did writing come easy? Did the band have a favourite song to play live?
Writing came easy as far as coming up with new song ideas, but it took us a long time to piece things together which was probably why we finally broke up. We have almost a whole album of demos that we never finished.

Did you have a primary songwriter or were all of you bringing material to the table?
It was a pretty collaborative effort. Sometimes the guys would come in with a guitar riff or I would have a bass riff and we would develop the songs around that. I think playing a lot of shows also slowed up the process because we would mostly practice the set and we didn’t have a ton of time for extra rehearsals because of our work schedules. We actually reunited for a short period but just couldn’t get enough time in to finish songs.

How many shows did you play (appx.)? Did you do any touring outside of your city?
We didn’t do any touring really. We played some one-off shows in Pittsburgh and some up the CA coast. It was something we always wanted to do but our work schedules were too messed up to make it happen. I think the jam we liked to play most was “Feck Me if I’m Wrong, but is that a Ham Sangie in your hands?”  People really dug that one. The name of the song is very Pennsylvania if I remember correctly. I’m not sure how many shows we played. Maybe around 75-100? I have no idea!

And I noticed three people are credited with vocals, were songs shared or are they doing backups or what? I always thought the vocals were top fucking notch.
The lead vocalist was Dan Deaton, and the others were backup vocals including the drummer. I actually sang some backups live, too, but I’m kind of shy so I didn’t sing on the album besides maybe some gang vocals.

When was the band's lifespan?
I believe we started in 2005 and broke up in 2009.  Reunited for a show in Pittsburgh in 2010, and started playing again probably from 2011-2014. I’m really foggy on those dates, but either way, we should probably have more than one album!

Do you think more songs will ever see the light of day?
No. Probably not. The demo was very sloppy, and there were no vocals recorded on it. We all play in different bands now, and we can barely even keep up with that because of work, family, etc.

Who released your cd?
We released it ourselves. I don’t think any label was interested because of our lack of touring.

Why weren't these three songs on the original release?
I really don’t know why these songs weren’t on there. I think we were having trouble with getting lyrics together on a deadline so they were finished a little last minute.

What's your favourite Modern Rifles song?
A 3-way tie between Kip Winger, Feck Me, and Say A Prayer To Saint Happenin’.

What "for fans of" bands could you recommend for Modern Rifles?
Cursive, No Knife, Boilermaker, Drive Like Jehu, Unwound, Russian Circles, Shiner? Shit, that’s a tough one!

What are you doing nowadays?
Garb (drummer) and myself (bass) play in 2 bands together. One is a parody band called Shades McCool which is a project started by Tony Gidlund from the band, Fever Sleeves. We just finished recording our first LP with Ben Moore who recorded all of the Hot Snakes albums. Should be released this year. The other band is brand new and we don’t have a name yet.

Dan Deaton and Jonny Fong (the two guitarists/singers) started a band called Snakes and Crowes.

What is it like looking back on the band now, in 2019?
It’s cool. We are all still really good friends and we met so many people through playing in M.R. We even share a rehearsal studio even though we’re in different bands. Garb is one of my best friends ever now and has a new baby girl. Jonny and I surf once in a while together but we are both currently injured. Jonny slashed his leg surfing, and I got hit by a car walking in Oregon last week, haha. I think we wrote some really catchy songs, and I can still go back and listen sometimes, step away, and appreciate them a little more than when I was playing them all of the time.

What were your favourite 10 releases from last year?
I’m really bad with time periods, so these may have come out earlier than last year but here’s some stuff I’ve been into:
Birds In Row-We Already Lost The World
Drug Church- Cheer
Turnstile-Time & Space
Cursive- Vitriola
Axis- Shift
Hot Snakes- Jericho Sirens
Fiddlehead- Springtime and Blind
Tera Melos- Trash Generator
Converge- The Dusk In Us
Ken Mode- Loved


Can you tell us anything about these song names individually?
Haha. I can’t remember where all of those dumb names came from. They were mostly just tongue in cheek jokes from band practice. "Lie to me Ian" came from a demo recording session we tried to do with a guy named Ian who had no idea what he was doing, so he just kept lying to us.

"Kip Winger" is the name of a drink we made up after the terrible band Winger. It’s vodka/Diet Rockstar because we all know Kip Winger was just a Diet Rockstar.

"Hot Stone Meaty Party" was a dish at an Asian restaurant we used to frequent.

"Man The Ramparts! Bananalyze The Tradewinds" was a mixture of us stealing from the band Botch and also creating a new word, “bananalyze.” It’s when you’re completely bananas and overanalyze things. Dan Deaton used to bananalyze everything.

"Manbird" came from a time when an old friend of mine said out of nowhere, “I like birds.”  And then he was trying to be tough, and said, “You know, like Manbirds. Eagles, vultures and hawks.” I think he was stoned.

"Terroplane" was the name of a horse I bet on in Del Mar and lost.

"United Lead" I think I just made up. It’s Lead, like pencil lead or metal, not leader. I just liked the way it sounded.

"Illegal Dracula" Garb thought it would be funny to envision Dracula getting held up at customs or the TSA when his paperwork didn’t check out.

"Chuck Woolery is Leviathan" because he is Leviathan and we are all in Jeopardy.

NULAJEDNANULANULA

Band: NULAJEDNANULANULA

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Post-Metal / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence / Black Metal
Related artists: ?.
Country: Prague CZECHIA
Years Active: 2014-present
Song: "Räikkönen, se zlatou hvězdou na čele"
Album: "mit Liebe aus Sudeten"
Year: 2018
For fans of: Rutka Laskier, Tenue, Red Water, Still, Ostraca, Perfect Blue, Malevich, Old Soul, We Watch Clouds, Mar Negro, Mesa Verde, A Flower Collapsed, Masada, Lost Boys, Past, Jeanne and Drei Affen.

Label(s): Self Released

This post's artist is from the February 2019 Mix. This is track #5.

You can download: the February 2019 Mix#2 right here or get the new March 2019 Mix#3 here.

NULAJEDNANULANULA is a band from Prague and they released an incredible LP last year of crusty, violent and epic screamo/hardcore titled 'mit Liebe aus Sudeten'. I'll be revisiting this in my best of 2018 list, methinks, but here I'll go through the discography in more detail.

NULAJEDNANULANULA first released a 'Demo' way back in 2014, a full four years before their next endeavor. It's a four-track EP with a few songs that were rerecorded for the LP and one exclusive song. Opener "Raikkonen se zlatou hvězdou na čele" shows almost exactly what the LP will sound like, complete with dueling vocals and a killer closing riff. Also from the LP, "Pravděpodobnost výskytu" is next and has a stellar first few sections that lead to some less refined parts that were smoothed out for the finalized version. "Mono" is next and provides another excellent look into the band's future, as this track is a mere 1:21 of chaos followed by epic post-hardcore/screamo. Closer "Trnová cenzura" is the only track not rerecorded for 'mit Liebe aus Sudeten', and it's a pity as it is a very good tune. Without a doubt the most jarring and disjointed song here, things get nuts from the get-go and by the 30-second mark we're swaying along to a lone, broken but beautiful guitar progression that eventually dissolves into looped feedback. A very good demo, says I.

Speaking of good, 'mit Liebe aus Sudeten' is not that. It's fucking awesome. You can tell they spent a few years tinkering with their songs in between releases, as the polished and complete feel is obvious. Opening with an instrumental intro that Gantz fans will likely take to, as "Svoboda smrti" follows floating guitar notes and a few basic keyboard notes to construct a wonderfully engaging and chill first look at the LP, despite its very different approach and sound when compared to the subsequent 8 songs. Showing up again but with a much stronger rendition is "Pravděpodobnost výskytu", the 5:40 epic jam that reminds me of early Rutka Laskier in the way it molds destruction and melody into a concoction that goes down like water. After an initial slap in the face, the song recedes and hooks into a massive guitar riff that carries the track to its atmospheric midsection which goes nebula at 3:10, with the ultimate climax throttling the listener at 3:51 with an apolyptic ending that is probably my favourite minute of the entire release. "Nagano, 1998" is another excellent track that contains none of the restraint of the preceding song, as it rips through 3:32 of abrasive, seething and violent hardcore. There are some deceptive jazz injections that manage to take root by 1:35 and entangle themselves to the band's sound, leading the epic Fall Of Efrafa-esque close. My other quintessential jam on this LP is "Räikkönen, se zlatou hvězdou na čele" is short but packs a ridiculous punch with excellent dual-vocal work and a beast of a riff. The rest of the LP continues along the same lines but I find myself coming back to tracks one to four on the regular, and my four-and-a-half year-old son has heard them enough to properly say NULAJEDNANULANULA. "Bejt někdo druhej, někdo třetí" is rooted much more in post-hardcore than blackened screamo, while the title track "Mit Liebe aus Sudeten" is short and prickly to the touch, but again they layer this gloss of epic and driving screamo over the madness, giving it a fantastic sheen. The vocal range in "Černá nemůže bez rudé být" is excellent, as is the rest of the song, especially the climax from 1:40 onward. "Mono" shows up again and kicks serious ass in just 1:21 while closer "Z vůle k moci" paints a lovely, sprawling canvas a whopping 9:11 in length.

I don't know what the band has planned next but I'm beyond keen. Also, NULAJEDNANULANULA does a pay what you want for cassettes and cds by emailing the band at 0100pride@gmail.com

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DISCOGRAPHY

2014 - Demo cassetteEP (stream/download here)

2018 - mit Liebe aus Sudeten cd/cassetteLP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2018) NULAJEDNANULANULA - "Nagano, 1998" (from 'mit Liebe aus Sudeten')

(2018) NULAJEDNANULANULA - "Räikkönen, se zlatou hvězdou na čele" (from 'mit Liebe aus Sudeten')

(2018) NULAJEDNANULANULA - "Pravdepodobnost výskytu" (from 'mit Liebe aus Sudeten')

(2014) NULAJEDNANULANULA - "Trnová cenzura" (from 'Demo')

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NULAJEDNANULANULA additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

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***BIG WATER exclusive interview***

Band: BIG WATER

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Grunge
Related artists: Canyons, Bad Dinner, Regret The Informer and Bummer.
Country: Kansas City, Missouri U.S.A.
Years Active: 2018-present
Song: "my name is chappie johnson and i can’t open this damn pickle jar"
Album: "Drink More Water"
Year: 2018
For fans of: Snag, People's Temple Project, Slow Fire Pistol, Heritage Unit, Robots Don't Cry, D'Amore, Daniel Striped Tiger, Sometimes Walking, Sometimes Running, Hawak, Yaphet Kotto, L'Antietam, Wolves and Ten Grand/Vida Blue.

Label(s): Zegema Beach Records / The Ghost Is Clear Records

This post's artist is from the February 2019 Mix. This is track #8.

You can download: the February 2019 Mix#2 right here or get the new March 2019 Mix#3 here.

Like a lot of posts seem to begin, I first heard about BIG WATER through my label buddy Bobby Johnson from The Ghost Is Clear Records. We developed a rapport back in the early days of Zegema Beach when we coreleased two amazing/overlooked releases by Cassilis and Seventeen Again, and this is our first corelease since then, with at least five more in the pipe!

Anyhoos, I jammed their EP (pre-release) and quickly decided to hop on helping with the cassette, as the Kansas City three-piece bang out six seriously discordant, dirty and screamy jams that fans of Snag, People's Temple Project, Slow Fire Pistol and Ten Grand/Vida Blue should be salivating over. Following a quick review by yours truly, the band was kind enough to give us a track-by-track breakdown of the 'Drink More Water' EP. Be sure to pick up a copy from The Ghost Is Clear here or Zegema Beach (Canada store here / U.S.A. store here).

So, the band's debut material housed on the 'Drink More Water' cassette EP is, to put it bluntly, fuckin' sick. Opening with the absolute beast of a track in "B.M.", this track is fucking awesome. It wastes no time and reaches full speed right from the get-go, complete with crashing drums, hyperactive bass, frenzied strumming and thick, broken screams. At 42 seconds the song transitions into a palm muted build that'll get your blood pumping, and by 53 seconds it has morphed into a an extremely driving, slightly jarring beast of section that brings older, playful, dancier screamo jams like Robots Don't Cry, D'Amore, Daniel Striped Tiger and Sometimes Walking, Sometimes Running.  "My Name is Chappie Johnson and I Can't Open This Damn Pickle Jar" is exactly one minute of writhing stop/starts, frantically punctuated double notes and a bunch of screaming. By track three we begin to see longer songs, with the next few clocking in at more than two minutes instead a minute and change, as "Typical Porn" hits more Daniel Striped Tiger and Wolves than anything else. There is a twinkly slowdown with gang vocals at 51 seconds that lead to powerful midsection with a cacaphony of noise, held together by some pretty exceptional drumming. "Highest Number is 24" is the loner of the EP, as it throws around some wild and wacky singing that gives the song a bit of a country vibe, although the rest of the song is typical BIG WATER and boasts some sick bass riffs. "Half-Eatin' Sandwich" is another of my favourite jams from this debut, as it has a bunch of jaw-dropping parts. The introductory instrumentals are driving and chaotic, likely leaving you excited and wanting do dance. It then shifts at 26 seconds with a pulsating section led by a twinkly guitar, rolling drums and sassy/shouted vocals that help lead the slow/fast dichotomy that is abandoned at 54 seconds as the band grabs the riff by the balls and rides it around whilst palm-muting the fuck out of the midsection. The song then moves into another one of their patented dark swings which will have you swaying violently before it eventually exhausts itself. Phenomenal tune, good god. If there's an extreme mashing of their extremes it's gotta be closer "Drunk Punch Love" and the mudskippin' flip-flops of melodic noodling and chaotic clusterfucks.

The band is currently writing an LP but took the time to discuss the meaning behind each of their songs, which you can read below.

BIG WATER's Track-By-Track:

'Drink More Water'

"B.M."
We still don’t really know what B.M. stand for. It’s kind of a catch all of things we all enjoy. Black & Milds, Black Metal, Big Money, Big Mistakes. The list could go on. A lot of the theme of this song comes from Big Mistakes though. I felt very much in a cloud when I wrote these lyrics. Always fucking up, always saying something wrong, always feeling like I was wasting my time or someone else’s time. Something felt like it was shrouding my insights to the point I felt like I was drowning. That’s where the last line of “drinking. sinking. I don’t really like how this feels” came about.

"my name is chappie johnson and i can’t open this damn pickle jar"
About every line (as well as the title) in this song is taken from Season 9 Episode 2 of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Also known as “the pickle jar gambit”. Within this episode Larry David points out a very true reality we must face. Everybody wants to be the hero. Everybody wants to the spotlight. Everybody wants their 15 seconds of fame. What damage does that do?

"typical porn"
I wrote this in a daze of monotonicity and repetitive cycles, about how I know no matter how hard I try i’m always going to feel the way the way I do deep down. It’s been there for as long as I can remember and it will be there until the day I die. Sometimes i feel there’s not much else I can do other than keep my head down and ride it out.

"The highest number is 24"
This song is a reference to a Mr. Show skit (duh). At the moment i’m writing this. I turn 24 in 10 days. Thus the reference meant something more personal to me. What does the next year of my life have in store for me? What is going to be so different than the mediocre year that was 23? What can I take? What CAN’T I take? It’s about accepting what's in front of you. Sometimes things work out for the best, and sometimes they collapse right before your eyes. What’s the difference? You win some, you lose some.

"Half-eatin' sandwich"
Let go of things that hold you down. Free yourself from everyday burdens. Dig your hole as deep as you want to. You are stuck with this life whether you like it or not. You can’t lose if you don’t try to win. Remember that.

"Drunk Punch Love"
People will go to any lengths to justify their shitty acts and behavior in the name of self-righteousness. This song pulls a lot from witnessing that behavior unfold around me. How some people are so oblivious to the pain they cause baffles me. The last line is pulled from a poem I wrote years ago. I felt it summed up my feelings quite succinctly.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2018 - Drink More Water cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here) [buy from the U.S.A. store here OR Canada/Internationally here]

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(2018) BIG WATER - "B.M." (from 'Drink More Water')

(2018) BIG WATER - "Half-eatin' Sandwich" (from 'Drink More Water')

(2018) BIG WATER - "Punch Drunk Love" (from 'Drink More Water')

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BIG WATER additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

song premiere on Apathy & Exhaustion

song premiere on This Noise Is Ours

song premiere on OMSB

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***LOW RELIEF exclusive song premiere***

LOW RELIEF

"Plane Crash"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Shizune, Envy, Rutka Laskier, Reveries, Lucas Kane, Chalk Hands and Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket

Bandcamp
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I had never heard of LOW RELIEF from Poitiers, France before being sent this premiere, and wooooaaaahhh nelly I need to sit down and go through their 2017 EP cuz this new track is fire. We are premiering "Plane Crash" here today which will reside on 'Shades and Paper Faces', a 15-minute 1-sided 12" releasing in June 2019 through Bike Punk (ES), Dead Punx Records (BE), Non Ti Seguo (IT), Culture Famine (CH), Smart and Confused (FR), Skatepizza (FR) and Fireflies Fall (FR). The band is playing a bunch of shows in late February, March and April before a tour in support of the 12", all which you can find on the band's event page linked here.

(2019) LOW RELIEF "Plane Crash" (from 'Shades and Paper Faces')

The song spends the first 30 seconds suspended in space dancing with a lone guitar riff, after which the instrumentals meet up and give the song an obvious French screamo feel before the vocals chime in and give the entire song a strong Shizune vibe. The song weaves an excellent screamo tapestry in its 2:45 tenure, while never going to fast or too heavy, and even includes some well-placed gang vocals. I gotta say that I'm itching to hear this entire thing.

'Death Calls, Fear Ceases' by: HEEL TURN

HEEL TURN's 'Death Calls, Fear Ceases'

Year: 2019
Label: The Ghost Is Clear Records

For fans of: Medusa, Combatwoundedveteran, Mother Of Mercy, Full Of Hell and Daughters.

pre-order here

Review by DAVE NORMAN:

My friend Bobby Johnson from The Ghost Is Clear Records turns me on to all kinds of awesome stuff, today's being HEEL TURN's new cd and cassette EP that is the precursor to an upcoming 7" split with Ekumen. It features a member of Dead Heroes and friends devouring the listener over three tracks of dirty, raw and seething hardcore. Opener "Choices" rides an eerie guitar into town surrounded by death drums, with the vocals chiming in when the rest of the band meets up with the leader 30 seconds in. The vocals soon drop into a distorted snarl that'll take chunks out of your eardrums, making this a romp of 80s themed Alabama hardcore. The title track "Death Calls, Fear Ceases" is a fucking behemoth and not what I was expecting at all. Over 7:12 it crashes around like an noise prototype, smashing into walls seemingly randomly but injecting a heavy amount of experimental noise and ambiance. In the end it kinda feels like a seven-minute nightmare that may or may not have been influenced by new Daughters material, as the last half sounds like the cumulative audio of our complete annihilation. Closer "Serpent's Kiss" is the shortest song and is driven by some seriously cavernous bass and pretty sassy vocals. The shift at 30 seconds to more straightforward hardcore with a hook is very welcome and perhaps my favourite bit of the EP. Check out their debut EP 'Territories' here and be sure to catch their release show on March 1st, 2019 in Huntsville, Alabama, linked here.

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(2019) HEEL TURN - "Choices" (from 'Death Calls, Fear Ceases')

(2019) HEEL TURN - "Death Calls, Fear Ceases" (from 'Death Calls, Fear Ceases')

(2019) HEEL TURN - "Serpent's Kiss" (from 'Death Calls, Fear Ceases')

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Bandcamp

Facebook

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RED WATER

Band: RED WATER

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence / Noise / Black Metal / Sludge / Experimental
Related artists: The Sold Outs, Autism, No Real Pioneers, Zlp Gnr, Serdnation..
Country: Vilnius LITHUANIA
Years Active: 2012-present
Song: "plague"
Album: "No life left to take"
Year: 2018
For fans of: Still, Minaret, Nulajednanulanula, Tentacles, We Are Among Stars, Telos, Tenue, Hexis, PG.99, Parents, Remote, Ostraca, Perfect Blue, Celeste, Thurm, Converge, ['selvə], The Pax Cecilia and Milkman.

Label(s): Ghia Records / Deadmikke Records

This post's artist is from the February 2019 Mix. This is track #4.

You can download: the February 2019 Mix#2 right here or get the new March 2019 Mix#3 here.

RED WATER are a Lithuanian band that I first heard in late 2018 after checking out their 'No life left to take' EP and was floored. They play a dark, subterranean screamo/black-metal hybrid that are equal parts Tentacles and Hexis, with a few more digestable interludes and general ambiance.

In 2014 they released a single song as an online 'Demo' titled "To never change" which is pretty raw and poorly recorded, but you get the idea of where they're going and it's still an entertaining listen, just don't expect it to sound like their later material as it is much more focused on sludgy, expansive hardcore than black metal or screamo. The following year they released a split cassette with 70 cm³ Of Your Chest that is now sold out and labeled as the 'Red Water' EP. The recording quality and production with this material is much better, with the instrumentals taking a noticeable step in a faster, mathier and more chaotic music, stepping into screamo and black metal territory but without the throat-annihilating screams housed on the 2018 EP, as they are higher pitched and distanced.
There's a chill instrumental opener ("i"), a fuckin' rager ("fall apart"), a rerecorded demo ("to never change"), a European screamo jam ("nebučiuosiu švenčiausios mergelės"), righteous neo-crust/hardcore ("nothing to say") and a closer that resembles New Zealand's Parents ("bury in flames").

In late 2018 they released their crowning achievement thus far, the unbelievably good 'No life left to take' EP. The band takes the listener deeper into their dark and vicious musical consciousness, with opener "plague" making this blatantly obvious. The song crawls along like some morbid monster occasionally ripping through sections as if they were human flesh. "flicker" is similar but has some excellent swings that add a much appreciated layer of melody to the noise and chaos, most notably at 2:48. This song as well as the rest of the album remind me of Still, Minaret, Thurm, Hexis, We Are Among Stars and ['selvə]'s shorter material. "guidance" is devilishly sinister and therefore very Converge, while "will" builds until 1:51 before unleashing the drums that will trample you to death. Oh, and that close from 4:23 is fucking amazing. Closer "defeat" attempts to contain the explosion that erupts at 3:??, but obviously fails to do so cuz that blast is deadly. A truly devastating release that is gonna make my best of 2018, methinks.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2014 - Demo digital single (stream/donate/download here)

2015 - Red Water / aka 70 cm³ Of Your Chest split cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here)

2018 - No life left to take cassetteEP  (stream/donate/download here)

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(2018) RED WATER - "will" (from 'No life left to take')

(2018) RED WATER - "guidance" (from 'No life left to take')

(2018) RED WATER - "plague" (from 'No life left to take')

(2015) RED WATER - "nebučiuosiu švenčiausios mergelės" (from 'Red Water')

(2015) RED WATER - "bury in flames" (from 'Red Water')

(2014) RED WATER - "To never change" (from 'Demo')

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RED WATER additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

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***KAFKA. exclusive song premiere***

KAFKA.

"Partir et découvrir"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket, Rutka Laskier, Indian Summer, Raining, Yarostan and Daïtro

Bandcamp
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pre-order cassette from No Funeral Records here

My good friend Nate who runs No Funeral Records sent me KAFKA. from Prague's new two-song EP and asked me to choose one song to premiere. After jamming it, twas a tough decision, but I gotta go with the second, title-track "Partir et découvrir". The EP is being released by No Funeral Records on 25 limited cassette with handpainted splatter shells. I strongly recommend picking this up, it's A) fantastic and B) very limited.

(2019) KAFKA. "Partir et découvrir" (from 'Partir et découvrir')

Having previously jammed the band's 'demo', this was much better than I had anticipated. The recording and production and better while the band is much more focused on expanding on the parts of their songs that were the best, and shedding the excess. The European screamo/post-hardcore influence is undeniable (think Daïtro) and the opening is chock-full of dancey, driving emo. At 50 seconds the song slides seamlessly into a dreamy groove that brings to mind Swedish powerhouse Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket and comparisons to fellow Czechs Rutka Laskier being quite accurate indeed. A very good song and EP indeed!

Lyrics:

je ne me sens pas très bien
assurément je me fais vieux, mais ce n´est pas grave
c´est la nature - vivre pour la mort
ce qui me rend inquiet ce sont les circonstances
surtout la possibilité de mépriser cet appel
et de ne tirer des conséquences de notre situation fondamentale

j’essayais d’exprimer la raison de l´amertume, la raison de la distance
j’essayais d’exprimer pourquoi le malentendu entre moi et vous
je ne peux pas perdre mon temps à suivre le même chemin

laisse la foule! les mots qui résonnent dans ma tête de plus en plus
comme je me trouve dans des situations qui ne me donnent aucun sens
quitte cette ville et laisse ces gens! oh je connais cette demande
mais ce n´est pas facile: ne sommes-nous pas nous-mêmes à travers les autres?
et d´ailleurs qu´est-ce que celà veut dire: d’être seul?

mais ces mots m´appellent encore: “laisse la société et ses habitudes vénéneuses”
mais ces mots m´appellent encore: “cherche à te reconnaître dans l´inconnu”

*

I do not feel very well
certainly I got old, but it doesn´t matter
itès nature, living for death
what makes me worried are the circumstances
especially the possibility to ignore this appeal
and not to draw consequences from our fundamental situation

I´ve been trying to express the reason for my bitterness
the reason for the distance
I´ve been trying to express why the misunderstanding
between me and you
I can´t waste my time following the same path

leave the crowd! the words that resonate in my head more and more
as I find myself in situations that make no sense to me
Leave this city and leave these people! oh I know the command
but it is not easy: are we not ourselves through the others?
And besides what does it mean &quot;to be alone?

yet these words still call me: &quot;leave society and its harmful habits
yet these words still call me: &quot;try to recognize you in the unknown

*

necítím se moc dobře
samozřejmě že stárnu, ale tím to není
je přirozené, že žijeme ke smrti
tím, co mě trápí, jsou okolnosti
především fakt, že mohu přeslechnout tuto výzvu
a nevyvodit důsledky z naší základní lidské situace

snažil jsem se vyjádřit důvod mé hořkosti, mé distancovanosti
snažil jsem se vyjádřit, proč je mezi námi podivné nedorozumění
nemohu již ovšem ztrácet čas následováním stejné cesty

odejdi!&quot; rezonuje mi v mysli stále častěji, když se nacházím v situacích, které mi dávají čím dál
menší smysl
odejdi z tohoto města a opusť tyto lidi!&quot; - ach ovšem, znám tento příkaz
ale není to snadné: nejsme snad sami sebou skrze druhé?
a co ostatně znamená &quot;být sám?

stále však slyším tato slova: opusť společnost a očisti se od jejích zhoubných návyků
stále však slyším tato slova: hledej sebe sama v neznámém

ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT

No Funeral Records
Bandcamp
Facebook

***SENKETSU exclusive premiere***

'Titan Steam EP'
exclusive album premiere

For fans of: Mares Of Thrace, Made Of Babies, Bloodpheasant, Converge, Amber, Savage Spirit and I Hate Sally

Bandcamp
Facebook

Today's exclusive premiere is both amazing and saddening, as Tampa Bay hardcore/metal/mathcore band SENKETSU shares their first and final EP with us, as they decided to disband following the recording after falling into their drummer void (temporarily filled in by Mung Parker on this EP). These six songs are an amazing concoction of mind-boggling math metal, caustic screaming, serene singing, chaotic hardcore and anime/horror film references and you can jam them below or head over to the SENKETSU bandcamp for cassette and t-shirt bundles. If you are smitten and are curious about the members' other bands, Melody used to play in Gorikoza and No More Victims while Mark was in The Veal Union, Shot Heard 'Round The World and now plays in Jolly Fuckers.

No more waiting, let's go!

(2019) 1 - SENKETSU "Botched Butcher If You Please" (from 'Titan Steam')

A stellar opener that barely eclipses the two-minute mark. If you like the dark, evil flavor of bands such as Mares Of Thrace and I Hate Sally then you will fall in love with this. The vocals here are sinister and that additional inclusion of subtle ringing at around 1:15 as well as subsequent chugs are fucking ace.

(2019) 2 - SENKETSU "Evil Schon" (from 'Titan Steam')

A devastating track that takes flight during the second half with classically-trained vocalist Melody's soaring singing.

(2019) 3 - SENKETSU "¡TICK!" (from 'Titan Steam')

This is the shortest song on the record, as in 1:21 they blast through some hellish hardcore with an appearance from Satan himself right before the close.

(2019) 4 - SENKETSU "You are the Cure" (from 'Titan Steam')

Opening with rolling drums and spoken/barked vocals, this song begins rather disjointed and awkward (in a good way) and it slides into a nice post-hardcore groove at 50 seconds. Once the distant shrieking kicks back in the song really takes flight, with an exceptional interlude complete with intricate plucking and crooning. Both the singing and instruments sound akin to Rhode Island's Bloodpheasant, and by 2:50 the song hits its climax with a spacey guitar progression that blasts the song into space.

(2019) 5 - SENKETSU "Mori" (from 'Titan Steam')

This is probably tied for my favourite track along with the opener, as "Mori" is a deep, rolling and epic jam that brings to mind Mares Of Thrace, Made Of Babies and even Converge. The entire second half ditches the more straightforward hardcore/metal in favor of a repetitive instrumental loop with one helluva hook, topped off by Melody's very selective "aaawwwwwww"s.

(2019) 6 - SENKETSU "Buried Alive" (from 'Titan Steam')

This song carries the most restraint and is able to do so until 1:10 when, like Harrison Bergeron, they shed their chains and show their true selves. What does that mean? It means they go apeshit and take the most prodigious aspects of SENKETSU and zap them with radiation, creating a behemoth that is equal parts Jesus Lizard and Bloodpheasant.

(2019) 7 - SENKETSU "Dark Work With Dark Friends" (from 'Titan Steam')

The closer begins even more relaxed than the previous track, but nearly reaches the five-minute mark and includes a ton of different sections. Following the tranquil intro we are met with sludgy chugs and throat-tearing screams, then it dips into a post-rock instrumental section before ripping the listener's face off again with that chug part that resembles a bear attack. By 2:15 the song begins to transform (or possibly implode) as it shifts and falls in on itself due to its extreme malleability, eventually seeping into the floorboards and disappearing forever.

ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT

Jeromes Dream cover / buy cassette in the U.S.A. here or Canada/Internationally here

CAPE LIGHT

Band: CAPE LIGHT

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence / Noise / Thrash
Related artists: Komusō, 5000 and Margaret.
Country: Tokyo JAPAN
Years Active: 2016-present
Song: "tooihiwakasundeikizanzoudakeganokoru"
Album: "Cape Light"
Year: 2018
For fans of: Loma Prieta, Seyarse, Eyelet, Curtains, Kid Feral, 5000, Komusō, Sailboats, Textbook Traitors, Blue Friend, Isodora Crane, Means To An End, Deers!, Raein, Forget Me Not, The Third Memory, La Quiete, State Faults, Frail Hands, Blind Girls, Heisse, Sans Visage,  and Beau Navire.

Label(s): Zegema Beach Records / Adabana Records

This post's artist is from the February 2019 Mix. This is track #2.

You can download: the February 2019 Mix#2 right here or get the new March 2019 Mix#3 here.

I remember watching a video of 5000 a few years back and being blown away but was unable to purchase their online stuff at the time, so I essentially forgot about them. Fast forward to 2018 when my friend Gabriel from Careless posted about his new band that was formed in Japan called Komusō which I instantly fell in love with and subsequently released on both tape and vinyl formats. He let me know that members of Komusō were also in 5000 and CAPE LIGHT, and so I was finally reminded to check those bands out again. Upon hearing CAPE LIGHT, in particular, I was flabbergasted. Beyond that, I pretty much instantly asked the band to release their discography on tape as nothing was available over here and the 2019 'Cape Light' EP was never released physically, from what I can tell. Each track is titled as the Japanese word but using English phonics to spell it out, which I think is pretty neato.

The band's first effort is titled '3 Songs' and was initially released on cdr. It's an incredible debut that I really wish I'd unearthed back when it was released in 2016. It's a very apt introduction to the band, as in these three songs they touch on everything that makes them great both on this release and their following two. The first track, like their split release, is short and devastating as "senbou" absolutly explodes at the end and includes some righteously destroyed vocals. The second track, again like their split release, is a bit more tame than the opener as "sei-shinka" has a strong Loma Prieta. "mushisareru" is bursting with ridiculousness, as there are like six parts in this song alone that are worth mentioning, but I'll limit myself to that unreal ending that kicks in at 1:35. Ya got dual vocals screaming constantly amidst a mesmerizing guitar lead all inside a stop/start breakdown that literally gets me air guitarin' every time I hear it, regardless of where I am. Good golly that's like the ultimate screamo candy.

I was pretty floored after hearing that initial EP, so I quickly jammed the '5000 split' cassette, and I was definitely not disappointed. Opner "chigai" is blown-out and destroyed, showing a noticeable increase in ferocity and power, as after 1:08 you'll need a breath of air. It was upon hearing "yowatari" that I shat myself officially. This thing toys with you at first with a low volume intro that might trick you into turning up the volume, but at 8 seconds in the band purple murples the volume nobs and may very well blow you speakers as well as your eardrums. At 39 seconds the song shifts into annihilation-mode and scorches the listener with unrelenting blasts of hardcore/noise that lead into a jangly transition. This transition awkwardly sets the stage for an absolute beast of a second half, as the "dun dun, da-na-na" breakdown at 1:04 and bass explosions continue to bring my hands to head in utter amazement. Closer "mukishitsu" breaks three-and-a-half minutes, but it annihilates for the first 50 seconds with zero disregard for your safety. After that it's a mish-mash of pieces that are sewn together to make a wonderfully punishing and engaging listen, not unlike every song that the band ever released.

In 2018 the band released a self titled digital EP containing four new tracks called, quite obviously, 'Cape Light'. Opener "kotaewohitsuyoutosurusekainiikiru" wastes no time letting you know that the band hasn't chilled out in the slightest, as in 1:17 they lay waste in a manner likely inspired by Loma Prieta's 'IV' material. Those drums, transitions and shifts are mindboggling. "machigaeteirunohaitsumobokuda" is nearly double in length and relies on thick, raw screaming that is definitely matches the intensity and amazingness of the instrumentals. The section that begins after 1:00 is both deafening and dancey, a combination that I was unaware existed, and that ending'll put you into a coma. "tooihiwakasundeikizanzoudakeganokoru" is ridiculously fast, and the throat-wrenching screams somehow match the drums. The guitar climbs at 1:14 are pretty sick, and the slowdown right before the two-minute mark is fantastic, with each instrument taking a subdued role and the vocals morphing into a yell. The climax right before the third minute is sensational and so fast you should prepare yourself cuz you might miss it. The final track "nanimokaesukotonodekinaibokuwowaraudarouka" is very bass heavy and includes an uncommon intro to the song that builds for nearly 35 seconds before rupturing intense screamo that washes over the listener in waves until the all-too early conclusion at 2:19.

Seriously, track for track this is one of the best discographies I have ever had the pleasure of hearing, and I am beyond stoked to be releasing it on tape. The 50 cassettes are available as of today on Zegema Beach Records, with 40 coming on smokey grey tapes with 2-sided sparkle j-cards. The remaining 10 are on sexy platinum silver and come with the same j-card but are wrapped in printed tissue and sealed with silver foil tape. Each come with a download code but you can donate/download this essential discography at the Zegema Beach bandcamp page linked here. The buy links are below in the discography section.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2016 - 3 Songs cdEP (stream/donate/download here)

2017 - 5000 split cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here)

2018 - Cape Light digitalEP (stream/donate/download here)

2019 - A Discography cassetteLP (stream/donate/download here) [buy tape in U.S.A. here OR Canada/Internationally here]

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(2016) CAPE LIGHT - "mushisareru" (from '3 Songs')

(2017) CAPE LIGHT - "yowatari" (from '5000' split)

(2018) CAPE LIGHT - "tooihiwakasundeikizanzoudakeganokoru" (from 'Cape Light')

(2019) CAPE LIGHT - full stream (from 'A Discography')

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CAPE LIGHT additional links

Buy 'A Discography' in the U.S.A. here

Buy 'A Discography' in Canada / Internationally here

Buy 'A Discography'

Adabana Bandcamp

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