***PODCAST #50 Nik Velleca (Wax Vessel / Total Deathcore)***

Wax Vessel...what's that? Said no one in the know. Created in 2019 by Nik Velleca to release old myspace and deathcore records that never got vinyl treatment. I had the pleasure of working with Nik on 12 of the first 15 Wax Vessel releases through the Zegema Beach Records distro and came to the conclusion that we had a lot in common, so we did this podcast. It's packed to the bursting point with WV info and stories, as well as Nik's favourite albums of 2020 and the holy grail that he hopes to press. Wanna help? He'll give you $1,000! Listen to podcast #50 and find out, which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

WAX VESSEL

UPCOMING DROPS!!!!

OH! = Monday, Aug. 31st @1pm CST

DUCK DUCK GOOSE = Sept. 14th @1pm CST

1
no music

2
VILLIANS / YOUTH FOREVER - "Problem Child" (Nik)

3
LAVOTCHKIN - "The Kids Around Here Have a Death Wish" (Dave)

4

ROWSDOWER - "New/Old" (Nik)

5

EXAMINATION OF THE... - "Black Hair Black Eyes" (Dave)
GROUNDFEEDER - "Toothpick" (Nik)

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #50 linked here
____________________________________________________________________

***PODCAST #49 Jack Shirley (Comadre / Dangers / Atomic Garden)***

Sometimes you ask someone something (wow great intro), for example, "Hey would you be interested in being on my podcast?" and don't really expect all too much. But as a good friend once told me, all of your heroes are just regular people. So when Jack Shirley of The Atomic Garden and Dangers, as well as Comadre beforehand, said yes to the aforementioned question I was hella surprised but also...not. He's been a punk for decades and has helped countless people across a myriad of genres record, mix and/or master their art for just as long. Speaking with him was thrilling, entertaining and hilarious all at once. Please do yourself a favour and take a listen, and be sure to keep The Atomic Garden and Jack in mind when gearing up to record. Oh and holy shit check out Comadre and every band mentioned in the podcast, just click on the bandnames below for links!!! Podcast #49 is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

ATOMIC GARDEN RECORDING STUDIOS

COMADRE

DANGERS

1
no music

2
LA BELLA - "Subaltern" (Jack)
KIKEN - "Shi Hounds of the Darkest Star" (Dave)

3
MOTHERCOUNTRY MOTHERFUCKERS - "Mothercountry Motherfuckers" (Jack)

BLUE YOUTH - "Black Lung" (Dave)
SWEET LEW & THE SWEET AND LOWS - "Brown" (Jack)

4
TENTACLES - "Warm Body" (Dave)
VOID BOYS - "Cosmos" (Jack)

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #49 linked here
____________________________________________________________________

BLACK CHANNELS

Band: BLACK CHANNELS

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence
Related artists: Old Guard.
Country: Glasgow/Perth U.K.
Years Active: 2008-2010
Song: "Erroneous Rock"
Album: "Demo"
Year: 2008
For fans of: Gaff, Hot Cross, Battle Of Wolf 359, For Want Of,  Mesa Verde, Old Guard, Perfect Blue, Gillian Carter, Circle Takes The Square, Cease Upon The Capitol, New Forms, Capsule, Cassus and Maths.

Label(s): Self Released

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

You can download the very last mix: June 2020 Mix#6 here.

BLACK CHANNELS were first showed to me by my friend Matt (drums in Tentacles and Among Light) in my International Endmusic group, that was about three years ago, and I've never heard them discussed again since. Considering I recently found out that they share two members with Old Guard I'm additionally perplexed as to their lack of praise. Their technical, frantic and explosive screamo was fucking stellar and definitely worth checking out. Plus I've included their discography as a zipped download.

Matt had posted a link to their 'Demo' from 2008 so I sank my teeth into that followed by a grand applause. I even played them in this podcast with Cory and Amy of Obroa-skai. This six-track EP is definitely the quintessential BLACK CHANNELS release with surprisingly clean production and downright sick-ass music. Opening with "Erroneous Rock", the band rips through 45 seconds before sliding into Maths territory with exceptional riffing and very tight drumming. "Feral Children" is next and tears through 1:24 of breakneck, epic screamo...kind of like if Circle Takes The Square was sped up and crossbred with Battle Of Wolf 359. The intro of "A Vessel" hits the screamo guitar tone sweet spot before really delving into the sound that Maths later made popular: epic, raging and technical screamo/post-hardcore. "Visit the Windows" is another banger that might trick you into thinking they're an Orchid rip-off until the 48-second mark when they lift up their leg and urinate the BLACK CHANNELS essence all over it. By the end of said track the band detonates with a few excellent panic-chord breakdowns that would perk up any pair of screamo ears.

I only heard the follow-up 'Demo 2' when I began researching for this review and although it is a very good EP, it doesn't conjure the same set of striking, intense and cathartic emotions (for me anyway). Housing three jams, every track keeps itself under the two-minute mark and ditches the occasional slowdown found in the debut. "An Understanding" is a strong opener but the vocals seem less powerful and more taxed than before, despite the roaring instrumentals. My favourite track would have to be "Underdog, Always" that definitely dips into emo-violence territory and really maxes out those drums, followed by the closer "Some Sort Of Curse" which certainly houses its fair share of sick riffs and dual vocals.

________________________________________

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

2008 - Demo EP

2010 - Demo 2 EP

________________________________________

(2008) BLACK CHANNELS - "Erroneous Rock" (from 'Demo')

(2008) BLACK CHANNELS - "A Vessel" (from 'Demo')

(2008) BLACK CHANNELS - "Feral Children" (from 'Demo')

(2010) BLACK CHANNELS - "Underdog, Always" (from 'Demo 2')

(2010) BLACK CHANNELS - "Some Sort Of Curse" (from 'Demo 2')

________________________________________

BLACK CHANNELS out of print mp3 discography download / additional links

(download here)

Facebook

________________________________________