KUROI AME

Band: KUROI AME

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Dark Hardcore / Neocrust / Screamo / Skramz
Related artists: Helter Skater, Piolun and Torpur.
Country: Tarnów POLAND
Years Active: 2011-2015
Song: "Black Rain"
Album: "Demo"
Year: 2011
For fans of: Craneo, Virginia On Duty, Mališa Bahat, Rêche, Saligia, We Watch Clouds, Crossed, Drei Affen, Foxmoulder, The Usual, Black Kites and Furnace.

Label(s): D.I.Y. Kuroi Ame / Quatuka Records

This post's artist is from the April 2020 Mix. This is track #1.

You can download: the May 2020 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2020 Mix#6 here.

Yet another incredible band that I have no idea how I found about. It looks like I downloaded the 'Demo' in 2013 (two years after its release) but only ended up listening to it in early 2020. KUROI AME were from Poland and only released said 7-song 'Demo' in 2011 on both cassette and cd. Their crusty, dark hardcore and screamo concoction with dual vocals is reminiscent of bands such as Mališa Bahat, Virginia On Duty and Craneo.

The EP opens with "Intro", a fully instrumental jam that sets the tone and bleeds wonderfully into one of the ultimate bangers "Black Rain". This thing is huge, teetering and groovy hardcore/screamo track that goes from good to great come 1:25 with excellent call-and-response dual screaming, lots of bell hits and a killer outro. "Reinvent the Moves" is another rager with the band's signature bass-driven transition and a stellar second half that has both vocalists sweeping across the instrumentals, giving the track a supercharged finale. "False Needs" digs even deeper than the two previous songs and navigates beautifully through subterranean passages, taking more from hardcore than screamo and burying it deep beneath the Earth. "Grace" is punishing but injects some noodles and nice melodies in now and again, creating a much more diverse and mature sound that leads me to believe it may have been one of the final songs written for this. I should probably mention that the vocals on this demo as for the entirety of "Follower" I'm just thinking "damn, I love these vocals." They are top-notch and the perfect mixture of screaming, one a bit higher and one a bit lower. Closer "Production Line" is the final audio boot to the face, with explosive drums and vocals that could strip paint off of a door. The climax hits at about 1:35 with a staggering start/stop and subsequent organized destruction.

I've almost never seen this band posted about and think they are very overlooked, as this lone EP is fanfuckingtastic. Enjoy!

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DISCOGRAPHY

2011 - Demo cd/cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2011) KUROI AME - "Black Rain" (from 'Demo')

(2011) KUROI AME - "Production Line" (from 'Demo')

(2011) KUROI AME - "Grace" (from 'Demo')

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KUROI AME additional links

Blogspot

Bandcamp

Facebook

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STREGA MORTA

Band: STREGA MORTA

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz
Related artists: Back When, Caught In The Fall, Hercules, Powerslop and Eyes Of Verotika.
Country: Omaha, Nebraska U.S.A.
Years Active: 2019-present
Song: "Hedge Apple"
Album: "Demo"
Year: 2019
For fans of: Caught In The Fall, Eyes Of Verotika, D'Amore, Synodus Horrenda, Under Glass and Karloff.

Label(s): Self Released

This post's artist is from the April 2020 Mix. This is track #2.

You can download: the May 2020 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2020 Mix#6 here.

I was sent STREGA MORTA by Aaron Broveak, as it is his solo screamo project that was recorded in January of 2019, releasing 'Demo' the following month. Who's Aaron Broveak? Well holy shit, he played in Back When, Caught In The Fall, Eyes Of Verotika, and if none of those names ring a bell you got some mad homework, my friend.

'Demo' houses four songs, all of which focus a combination of raw hardcore, screamo and the occasional death growl. It opens with "Blossom", a callback to the Caught In The Fall days of Omaha screamo. The rhythmic shifts and dual vocals are awesome, with a very sick groove transition just before half-way through and pretty aggressive subsequent behaviour. "Hedge Apple" is next and my pick for strongest track, as it lays on some seriously driving, cathartic and explosive screamo following its one-minute ambient intro. "Levitation / / Mediation" is by far the most somber of the lot at 2:04 of distant, discordant, ambient and experimental screamo that leads nicely into closer "Preghiera Delle Streghe". At 1:22 this thing is a fucking beast, complete with some massive drums, ridiculous timing and a shit-ton of back-and-forth screaming/growling, making it the most chaotic and least accessible song here...so it's one of the best!

We'll see what's in store for Aaron later this year, as I'm hoping he'll have time to write a follow-up during the quarantine. Fantastic demo.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2019 - Demo digitalEP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2020) STREGA MORTA - "Hedge Apple" (from 'Demo')

(2020) STREGA MORTA - "Preghiera Delle Streghe OR Blossom" (from 'Demo')

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STREGA MORTA additional links

Bandcamp

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***PODCAST #42 - Chris(New Forms/Casper Elgin)***

A few weeks back I spoke to Chris, the drummer of NEW FORMS and ex-Casper Elgin. We geek out over screamo pretty hard and he even premieres the skeleton of what will hopefully become a new NEW FORMS song! Podcast #42 is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

1
L'ANTIETAM - "Boxes" (Chris)
BUCKET FULL OF TEETH - "Capital Distracts and Imprisons" (Dave)
SEABREEZES - "Nothing is Real But Blue" (Chris)

2
Реклама На Канале Снов - "32" (Dave)THE CABS - "キェルツェの螺旋" (Chris)
LOFTUS - "Crusty" (Dave)

3

CHRIS/NEW FORMS - "skeleton/demo" (Chris)
VEIN - "Gust" (Chris)

BACK WHEN - "A Hero's Welcome" (Dave)

~Dave

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PODCAST #42 linked here
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VON WOLFE

Band: VON WOLFE

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Metalcore / Metallic Hardcore / Mathcore
Related artists: ?.
Country: Daytona Beach, Florida U.S.A.
Years Active: 2010-2012
Song: "The Great Kneer"
Album: "Life's a Beach"
Year: 2011
For fans of: Dead Hour Noise, Every Time I Die, Norma Jean, My America Is Watching Tigers Die, Coarse, Breather Resist, In The Name Of Havoc, Bleeding Kansas, Karat's Gold, Millions Of Them, Llynch and Botch.

Label(s): Self Released

This post's artist is from the April 2020 Mix. This is track #4.

You can download: the May 2020 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2020 Mix#6 here.

I don't know where I first heard about VON WOLFE, but if you like Every Time I Die, early Norma Jean and that sick new 'Sleeping Dogs' LP by Dead Hour Noise then I highly recommend this snarky, playful, chaotic, short-lived and awesome Daytona Beach band. Releasing but a single cdEP in 2011 titled 'Life's a Beach', the album still kicks ass to this day.

'Life's a Beach' opens with "Out of Workaholic" which gets the Every Time I Die and Norma Jean mix going nice and early. There are half-yelled/half-screamed vocals, breakdowns and changeups galore, making it a great introduction to the band. Their ability to combine melody with a flurry of precise and focused aggression is most excellent, and put on full display on the following track "The Great Kneer". Despite a bunch of great material, it does lack some diversity as the tracks kind of blend together without many distinguishing features. I'd be a fool not to mention the awesomeness of "Scumbaguh Doughnuts", the fan-favourite and obvious choice for one of the more unique songs on the EP.

I guess there isn't too much left to say. They released just this one EP, but you can check out a full live set below if you're hankering for more.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2011 - Life's a Beach cdEP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2011) VON WOLFE - "Scumbaguh Doughnuts" (from 'Life's a Beach')

(2011) VON WOLFE - "16 Roman Candles" (from 'Life's a Beach')

(2011) VON WOLFE - "The Great Kneer" (from 'Life's a Beach')

(2012) VON WOLFE - full set @Festivus For The Rest Of Us

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VON WOLFE additional links

Bandcamp

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***PODCAST #41 - Lucas Norman (my son)***

Every year my son Lucas and I will do a podcast together. The first one was last year and this year we hiked to the top of a mountain, had a picnic and did this podcast, during which he was able to describe the music and he straight up loves all six songs on here. Podcast #41 is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

Here's us dancing to the chugs of LIFE:

1
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - "Sick Sick Sick" (Lucas)
CROWNING - "Trakada" (Dave)
BLUE NOISE - "One" (Lucas)

2
LIFE - "ametic" (Dave)
FALL OF TROY - "F.C.P.S.I.T.S.G.E.P.G.E.P.G.E.P (demo)" (Lucas)

ZMAR - "Vytratit se" (Dave)

~Dave

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PODCAST #41 linked here
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BURIAL DANCE

Band: BURIAL DANCE aka Low Light

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Metallic Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz
Related artists: Weather Lore, What Of Us, Capacities, The Saddest Landscape, etc.
Country: New Jersey U.S.A.
Years Active: 2018-present
Song: "A Shadow"
Album: "A Shadow / A Vessel"
Year: 2019
For fans of: Hawak, What Of Us, Capacities, L'Antietam, Hundreds Of AU, Furnace, Capsule, Dim Into Dross, New Forms, Ampere, Foxmoulder and Massa Nera.

Label(s): Self Released

This post's artist is from the April 2020 Mix. This is track #?.

You can download: the May 2020 Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2020 Mix#6 here.

BURIAL DANCE (formerly Low Light) features a ton of people that know Tom Schlatter. You've got members from Capacities, What Of Us and more creating a unique and emotional twist on modern screamo. Thus far the band has only released two tracks digitally via 'A Shadow / A Vessel', leaving me primed for more.

Recorded by the incredible Steve Roche (Off Minor, etc.) the two tracks combine for only three minutes but pack a helluva punch. "A Shadow" begins with back-and-forth vocals amidst pounding-yet intricate hardcore. The change-up at the 30-second mark is fantastic, with the looping slowdown creating a cliff that BURIAL DANCE pushes the listener over come 54 seconds. I love the lyrics of, "Will I cast a shadow or disappear into the dark? Will I cast a shadow or fade and disappear? Will I cast a shadow or disappear into the dark? Will I cast a shadow or disappear like a shadow? And disappear like a shadow." "A Vessel" goes ballistic right from the get-go with sensational drumming and includes so many change-ups that I can't keep count. The final 15 seconds culminate in an excellent climax that swaps out power for speed and it's fucking explosive.

I hope we get new material in 2020 cuz these two songs kick some serious ass.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2019 - A Shadow / A Vessel digital EP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2019) BURIAL DANCE - "A Shadow" (from 'A Shadow / A Vessel')

(2019) BURIAL DANCE - "A Vessel" (from 'A Shadow / A Vessel')

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BURIAL DANCE additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

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***2020 OMSB mp3 Mix #6 (June)***

(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain)))))
June 2020 mp3 MIX #6

 => ***DOWNLOAD HERE*** <=
https://www5.zippyshare.com/v/VORyDevW/file.html

...and updates

***

I'm busy, you're busy (maybe not) so let's get to it.

Here's the tracklisting for OMSB mix#4 that was reviewed in April:

1) coming as soon as the North American copies arrive, which is May for sure

2) ARMYWIVES - "Thoughts + Prayers"

3) HIROSHIMA | NAGASAKI - "世界は残酷"

4) SERPENT COLUMN - "Mirror in Darkness"

5) COUVER - "Rusty Titanium / Tarnished Palladium"

CARA NEIR - 'Part III / Part IV' + 'Akumu' review by Dave Norman

Much love,

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

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ZBR Store/Bandcamp

MAHRIA - 'Analemma' cassetteLP

cassette (order here for US / here for everywhere else)
(listen here)

IN WOLVES CLOTHING - 'It Eats Itself' cassetteLP

cassette (order here for US / here for everywhere else)
(listen here)

ARMYWIVES - 'armywives' cassetteEP

cassette (order here for US / here for everywhere else)
(listen here)

ORPHAN DONOR - 'Old Patterns' cd/cassetteEP

cassette (order here for US / here for everywhere else)
(listen here)

BONEFLOWER 'A(r)mour' LP

cassette (order here for US / here for everywhere else)

(listen here)

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***Interviews/live shows/premieres coming up this month for sure:
- a Tarquin review
- DEAD HOUR NOISE exclusive interview
- Lucas Norman (my son) podcast
- Chris Topher (New Forms) podcast

***Interviews/live shows/premieres posted last month:
- NUVOLASCURA exclusive song premiere
- ARMYWIVES exclusive EP premiere
- CASSUS / NIBOOWIN / CROWNING / SWALLOWS NEST live video premiere
- PODCAST #40 w/Durell (Mahria / Obroa-skai)
- ZILPZALP / PROBABLY NOT exclusive premiere

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***The following page have changes:

- nada
________________________________________________________________________

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 May mp3 mix that is used for this month's reviews.

OLD MIX
***2020 OMSB mp3 Mix #5 (reviewed in May)***
https://www5.zippyshare.com/v/y2vtSfBi/file.html

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The new 2020 OMSB mp3 Mix #6 includes:

*-* a Russian band that had hella Via Fondo vibes...or is it the other way around?
*-* Canada's answer to Daitro
*-* fantastic U.K. screamy hardcore

NEW MIX
NEW => ***2020 OMSB mp3 Mix #6 (reviewed in June)*** <= NEW
https://www5.zippyshare.com/v/VORyDevW/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.

'Part III/Part IV' + 'Akumu' by: CARA NEIR

CARA NEIR's 'Part III/Part IV' + 'Akumu'

Year: 2019

For fans of: Dawn Ray'd, Circle Takes The Square, Mare and We Came Out Like Tigers.

You can download: the April 2020 Mix#4 right here or get the new May 2020 Mix#5 here.

CARA NEIR has been a band for quite some time, and last year's 'Part III/Part IV' showed a huge amount of progression, and was remastered and re-released on Tomb Tree Tapes today. What does the two-piece sound like? Mostly like CARA NEIR, but I hear bits of Circle Takes The Square and We Came Out Like Tigers, but even more eclectic and interesting. It's kind of like if two demons learned how to play hardcore and metal, thus starting a band. It's dark, evil, but accessible, catchy and sometimes beautiful. Due to their massive discography I'm just posting this album review first because I love it, and will revisit a full discography post after I have properly ingested everything.

Coincidentally, right before I posted this CARA NEIR released a new digital single, which I will promptly review now. "Akumu" was recorded a few years back for a split that fell through and is 6:03 in length. This thing bounces all over the place, but the breakneck drumming is pretty constant. It's got a playful feel to it despite the sinister vocals, most likely due to the almost fantasy-esque guitars at times. The vocals feel a bit gruffer than the material reviewed below but overall this could have ended up on the full length and I wouldn't have noticed.

Back to the LP. On 'Part III/Part IV', the band wastes no time revealing one of their best tracks in opener "Penance", as the mixing of styles is like a hardcore/screamo/metal witch concocting one helluva cauldron brew. The post-black metal intro, the slowdown just after the minute-mark, the following distant screams during the groove are all superb. But it's that hooky-fucking guitar progression that is first laid down at 2:42 that takes the cake as the unforgettable moment on the track, and holy smokes does it soar. "Absolution" is an absolute treat and includes another brain-hook come 50 seconds. There's also a very Mare-esque outro during the final minute-and-a-half with vocal harmonies that are utterly gorgeous. "Suffocating" closes with an ambient noise piece and surpasses the six-minute mark, as does closer "April Ruin". "Time is Terrifying" is a pretty quick slap in the face before the gargantuan "Humanity Lost". I love the eerie atmosphere of this one and the clean guitars have an intoxicating tone, giving them a bit of Italian flavor. "Choke" is the album's most experimental song and sounds like it could have been culled from 'Kid A'-era Radiohead but with a bassline that's as groovy as it is mysterious. The dense, phosphorous atmosphere and those crippling lyrics provide an amazing effect that leads to the epic conclusion of the album that is the aforementioned "April Ruin".

There's a ton more material coming from CARA NEIR so keep your eyes peeled and dig into that back catalogue with me 💘 

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(2019) CARA NEIR - "Akumu" (from 'Akumu')

(2019) CARA NEIR - "Penance" (from 'Part III/Part IV')

(2019) CARA NEIR - "Absolution" (from 'Part III/Part IV')

(2019) CARA NEIR - "Choke" (from 'Part III/Part IV')

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Bandcamp

Facebook

Buy tapes from ZBR:

U.S.A. store

Canada/International

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COUVER

Band: COUVER

Genres: Punk / Rock / Hardcore / Grunge
Related artists: ?.
Country: Vancouver, Washington U.S.A.
Years Active: 2017-present
Song: "RustyTitanium-TarnishedPalladium"
Album: "Evilution"
Year: 2019
For fans of: Shadow People, Billy Talent, Black Flag and Slint.

Label(s): Tomb Tree Tapes

This post's artist is from the April 2020 Mix. This is track #5.

You can download: the April 2020 Mix#4 right here or get the new May 2020 Mix#5 here.

COUVER is a gritty, snotty punk band that balances hard-rock/hardcore with some softer elements and clean singing, with Black Flag being the closest comparison I can come up with. They released the raw and drunken 'Evilution' a few months ago that features seven tracks of widely varying length. Opener "No One Won" fuses hardcore with hard rock, as they switch between raucous yellin' and gang vocals, sometimes isolated and others simultaneously, and is one of the heavier songs here. "Caring Lover" is sarcastic, warbly, and rock-driven with vocals that have an intoxicated charm at times, and are emitted as projectile vomit on occasion. The tracks strengthen with "Don't Tell Me That Romance Is Dead" that includes screaming over some nice licks and find further focus and groove on "Get Mike Laid", which I find myself singing after every listen. The vocals hereafter take on a bit of a snotty Billy Talent vibe which I dig, but with hoarser yelling and less screaming. The layered yelling vocals on track six are probably the hardest-hitting on the album, and closer "Rusty Titanium-Tarnished Palladium" is my favourite of the heavier songs. It sounds like it could have been on the radio in the nineties (save its 8:35 runtime) and intertwines more of the soft and heavy vocals, utilizing excellent bass, drums and guitars during the eerie verses.

Moving forward the band a strong grip on songwriting but I'd like to see them pin down a style and refine it, with my recommendations being the delivery of tracks 4, 5 and 7.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2017 - Garage Demos digitalEP (stream/donate/download here)
2017 - Fieldmines digital single (stream/buy here)

2018 - Présentez​-​vous digitalLP (stream/buy here)

2019 - Evilution cassetteLP (listen/buy here) [buy tape from ZBR distro in U.S.A. here or everywhere else here]

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(2019) COUVER - "Get Mike Laid" (from 'Evilution')

(2019) COUVER - "Rusty Titanium-Tarnished Palladium" (from 'Evilution')

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COUVER additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

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***ZILPZALP + PROBABLY NOT exclusive split premiere***

ZILPZALP / PROBABLY NOT

"Split"
exclusive album premiere

pre-order from Probably Not
pre-order from ZilpZalp

I've been following ZILPZALP from Germany since their excellent 'unter dem Eis' which I premiered here. This time I'm back to announce their pre-orders and split 12" with the UK's PROBABLY NOT. The ZILPZALP side is the seven killer, riffy, screamo tunes from 'unter dem Eis' (think Via Fondo and Kid Feral), while the PROBABLY NOT side consist of 10 new songs resembling jammy, screamed emo not unlike Bright Calm Blue and early Frameworks.

The 12" is being released May 15th, 2020 on marble/pink splatter by the following fantastic labels: Smart and Confused Records (France), CGTH Records (Spain), Entes Anomicos (Germany), Tanz auf Ruinen (Germany), Schadelbruch Platten (Germany), Sunsetter Records (Germany), Callous Records (United Kingdom), Vollmer Industries (Italy), Trace in Maze Records (Germany). Enough info, to the split!

(2020) PROBABLY NOT 'More Than Skin' (aka the 'ZilpZalp' split 12")

Bandcamp

Facebook

(2020) ZILPZALP 'unter dem Eis' (aka the 'Probably Not' split)

Bandcamp

Facebook

ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT

OMSB 'unter dem Eis' song premiere

PROBABLY NOT music video