Sunday 31 December 2023

*** PODCAST #140 Ryan (Dreamwell) ***


     After seeing Dreamwell rip it up downstairs at ZBR Fest 2023 and delving hard into their new album 'In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You', it was obviously time to talk to guitarist Ryan from the Rhode Island five-piece. Some topics covered: the ultimate Dave Matthews Band slapper, essential Coheed And Cambria albums, being related to Celine Dion, a Modest Mouse/Minus The Bear confusion, playing with Shai Hulud at your very first hardcore show, playing in Narrow Path, Sentry, Dreamwell, the post Level Plane barren wasteland of screamo, self-stabbings, signing to Prosthetic, etc. Bands played in this podcast: The Chariot, Loftus, Modest Mouse, Roy, Shai Hulud, and William Bonney. Listen to podcast #140 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

DREAMWELL


1 The Three Starter-Pokemon of Pop Punk
MODEST MOUSE "Dramamine" (Ryan)
ROY "Rebel Hymn" (Dave)

2 Linked Up at the Starbuck's Drive-Thru
WILLIAM BONNEY "No Pizza" (Ryan)
SHAI HULUD "Two and Twenty Misfortunes" (Dave)

3 We Keep Getting More Deranged, and Bitter, and Tired, and Gross
THE CHARIOT "Sargent Savage" (Ryan)
LOFTUS "Next Stop, New Boundary" (Dave)


~Dave

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https://youtu.be/sjqUs_MYPHI

Friday 29 December 2023

SINEMA

BandSINEMA
For fans ofSaosin, Valandora, Recover, Fall Of Troy, Chiodos Bros., Kissing Chaos, Beloved, Endor, In Pieces, Excitebike, and Anatomy Of A Ghost.
GenresPunk / Rock / Post-Hardcore / Metallic Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz
Related artists?.
CountryTexas U.S.A.
Years Active2023-present
Label(s): Ephyra

     This band has been floating around my radar a lot the last month and after my man Tomcat McCone sent me another friendly reminder it seemed high time to check that shit out with a direct ear. First listen...decent. Second listen...hmmm I like those clean vocals more than expected. Third listen...oh fuck to the yes.


     2023's 'After the Flatline' is five tracks ripped straight out of 2000. Mixing emo/screamo with metallic hardcore and zesty post-hardcore singing, each song separates itself as a clear entity amongst the whole, but also blends well with the rest. A few notes:
1 - "Stutter": killer cleans, not too long, punchy screamy sections (albeit short), versatility is great, probably the most like Saosin
2 - "...And You Already Forgot": probably the weakest of the five as the singing is good but doesn't compare to the opener, really good heavy parts, balance of heavy/soft done very well, longest of the tracks, reminds me of Excitebike
3 - "Hard To Get By": very emo intro, the switchover at 1:45 is very cool and reminds me of Leer, the controlled freak-outs are amazing, a good mix of the sing/scream
4 - "Speak Your Mind": another good mixture of the soft and the heavy, pleasing to the ear but it doesn't boast the standout parts that tracks 1, 3, and 5 do
5 - "I Can't See Through The Mirror": definitely the heaviest/shortest jam and one of their best, the most "screamo" of the bunch, clean singing peppers the latter half instead of the former

     So if you need a hefty dose of nostalgia done really well then you need to follow this band, the next release might see them take right the fuck off.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2023 - After the Flatline EP (stream/buy here)

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(2023) SINEMA - "Stutter" (from 'After the Flatline')

(2023) SINEMA - "I Can't See Through the Mirror" (from 'After the Flatline')

(2023) SINEMA - "Hard To Get By" (from 'After the Flatline')

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SINEMA additional links


Instagram
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Tuesday 19 December 2023

*** PODCAST #139 Jopo (Joliette) ***

Photo: Carlos Andres

     After being friends with Joliette's Jopo (guitar) for a decade and their new 12"EP release of 'Luz De Bengala' I knew it was time for this podcast. Definitely check out the new EP and their contribution to 'Cube', bot released on my label Zegema Beach Records! A few things discussed: Nirvana and getting cds in Mexico, 120 Minutes at 2am, the Warped Tour effect, two bands become one, recording at school, moving to Mexico City, The Great Ones Collective, the Life In Vacuum connection, riff soup in riff city, the new iteration of JOLIETTE and 'Luz De Bengala', the upcoming full length, a match made in cowbell heaven, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Encarsia, Life In Vacuum, Poison The Well, and Vendetta Red. Listen to podcast #139 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

JOLIETTE


1 The Loss of Western CD Shops is Jopo's Gain
POISON THE WELL "Botchla" (Jopo) [official music video]
VENDETTA RED "Por Vida" (Dave)

2 The First Glimpse of Touring
LIFE IN VACUUM "Black Snow" (Jopo) [official music video]
ENCARSIA "Prog is for the Children" (Dave)

3 The Cowbell EP
no music

~Dave


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Sunday 17 December 2023

JORNADA DEL MUERTO

BandJORNADA DEL MUERTO
For fans ofCadyNaedrSatonInfant IslandOstracaVoyage In Coma, and Zvleta.
GenresPunk / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Metallic Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Black Metal
Related artists?.
CountryIstanbul TURKEY
Years Active2021-present
Label(s): Mevzu Records / No Heroes Records / Dead Red Queen Records / Fresh Outbreak Records / Friendly Otter / 5 Feet Under Records / Dingleberry Records / Pumpkin Records / Salto Mortale / Seitan’s Hell Bike Punks / Tenzenmen Records / No Funeral Records

     I've been on the lookout for new JORNADA DEL MUERTO ever since obtaining a copy of their gorgeous cassette box for 'One Last Flower', which was visually stunning and showed excellent promise auditorily. "Daniel-Day Lewis Will Tell You About the Rest of the Day" is still a great song, and showed the band creating an intriguing mixture of great instrumentals and multiple vocalists.

     Fast forward to 2023 and the band dropped their next full length 'Pinturas Negras' and it shattered all expectations. Moving completely away from any midwestern emo and noodlings, this album goes for the jugular in complete screamo/metallic hardcore fashion. Tracks like "Saturn Devouring His Son", "Sabbath", "A Pilgrimage to San Isidro", and "Fantastic Vision" are fucking heaters, with the album as a whole being an excellent listen with a meaty amount of tracks. A few months after they released a live version of the album complete with video which you can watch below.

     Now I'm not on the lookout, I'm hella stoked on new material.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2021 - One Last Flower cassette LP (stream/donate/download here)

2023 - Pinturas Negras cd/12"LP (stream/donate/download here)
2023 - Pinturas Negras (Live at Pur) digital/video (stream/donate/download here)

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(2023) JORNADA DEL MUERTO - "Sabbath" (from 'Pinturas Negras') official music video

(2023) JORNADA DEL MUERTO - "Saturn Devouring His Son OR A Pilgrimage to San Isidro" (from 'Pinturas Negras')

(2023) JORNADA DEL MUERTO - 'Pinturas Negras' (from 'Live at Pur')

(2021) JORNADA DEL MUERTO - "Daniel-Day Lewis Will Tell You About the Rest of the Day" (from 'One Last Flower')
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Monday 11 December 2023

*** PODCAST #138 Gifts From Enola ***



     Straight up, I have been obsessed with GIFTS FROM ENOLA for nearly two decades, so when the band agreed to a four-tape discography boxset I kinda lost my shit. Now two years after my initial email, '2006-2013' releases in full on December 22nd, 2023 via 75 of the aforementioned boxsets (45 standard, 25 swirl, 5 tests). Housing every song the band ever released as well as a bunch of demos, lost tracks, and live jams, the four tapes manage to span over five hours of incredible post-rock/post-hardcore in the vein of Pelican, Russian Circles, and even split-mates Caravels. I was lucky enough to sit down with CJ, Nate, and Andrew (aka Barnes) who played in GIFTS FROM ENOLA and now spend time in Drunk Couples, Kircher, Prayer Group, Fake Fever, and Florida Man. Here's just a fraction of what we discussed: Fisher Price record players, catering for KISS, are the Beatles overrated?, learning Garage Band, why there's no bass in "The Vision of Ruby Turpin", movie/t.v. placements & ASCAP, buried-ass vocals, Andrew W.K. rips shit up, the "rock band" album, from laptops to storage units, kicked out of the studio by Ludacris, befriending Caravels, the breakup, the reunion, resurrecting stems and the tape discography set, two inadvertent ZBR connections, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Caravels, Finger Of God, Lower Automation, Maps, Voyage In Coma, and You May Die In The Desert. Listen to podcast #138 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

GIFTS FROM ENOLA


1 Gifts From Enola Goes to College
MAPS "Breathing Water" (Andrew)
FINGER OF GOD "They Weren't So Much About Being Edge as they were About Being Betrayed" (Dave)

2 Gifts From Enola Drives the Death Trap
YOU MAY DIE IN THE DESERT "International Waters" (Nate)
LOWER AUTOMATION "Combover" (Dave) [live S/T set]

3 Gifts From Enola Gets the Guillotine
CARAVELS "Safety Jobs" (CJ)
VOYAGE IN COMA "Further" (Dave) [official music video]


~Dave
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Friday 8 December 2023

*** RIVERSLEEM exclusive music video premiere ***

RIVERSLEEM
"Eating Teeth"
exclusive music video premiere
For fans of
Since By Man, Fall Silent and Converge


     Saskatoon Canada's four-piece ear-pummeling machine known collectively as RIVERSLEEM have release two absolutely stellar EPs in the last few years while they work on a third. Zegema Beach has been enamored with these dudes and released both on 7", so if you haven't checked out the 'first' and 'second' EPs you should probably get on that...although one can make a strong argument that this post is your best starting point.


(2023) RIVERSLEEM "Eating Teeth" (from 'A Second Release by Riversleem') official music video

     The band's opening jam on their 2023 EP is 'Eating Teeth' and it's a fucking banger. The accompanying video was directed, shot & edited by Jacob Farrell, hand processed by Jacob Farrell & Kyle Zurevinski, film scan/timing by Frame Discreet, and produced by Dorothy Studios (https://dorothystudios.com). It focuses on the band and an alien, primarily, with lots of quick cuts and layered video. Wonderfully executed in every way...classic Sleem!!!

Wednesday 6 December 2023

*** PODCAST #137 Jon Tuttle (Codeseven) ***


     I found out about CODESEVEN in the early 2000s. I can't remember if I heard 'The Rescue' first or 'Division of Labor', which is relatively important as the two albums sound nothing alike, but I know I instantly fell in love with both of them. I'm pretty sure I saw Tom Schlatter or someone post about how awesome 'Division of Labor' was which is what was most likely my catalyst. The back-and-forth screaming over incredible metallic hardcore was something that still holds up to to this day. Their later material shows a move to post-rock/post-hardcore with spacey elements, which I also ate up. Soon after they broke up at around the decade mark. In 2019 they reunited for Furnace Fest and have stayed together ever since, and even dropped a new album this week titled 'Go Let It In'. Do yourself a favor and check it out, and then jam this podcast. A few topics covered: when gospel is punk, pre-CODESEVEN in high school, changing genres and the subsequent hate/love that follows, revisiting Cleveland, "doin' a Cave In", the Dave years, Radiohead is Dillinger Escape Plan, support from Chevelle, dabbling in the screamo realm, signing to Equal Vision, the first breakup, Furnace Fest and the reformation, complete musical submersion, contracts and record labels, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Fuming Mouth, Guiltmaker, Leer, Opheliac, Pyramids, and State Faults. Listen to podcast #137 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

CODESEVEN

'Go Let It In' on Spotify

"Rough Waves" music video

1 Three Brothers in a High School Band
PYRAMIDS "Indigo Birds" (Jon)
GUILTMAKER "Life Given Switch" (Dave)

2 The Shifting of Styles
STATE FAULTS "Moon Sign Gemini" (Jon) [official music video]
LEER "As Cool As Attempted Suicide" (Dave)

3 The Furnace Fest Waiting Game
FUMING MOUTH "The Silence Beyond Life" (Jon) [official music video]
*** OPHELIAC "Empty Bed" (Dave) *** exclusive song premiere!!!


~Dave


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Sunday 3 December 2023

*** CLOSET WITCH exclusive music video premiere ***

CLOSET WITCH
"Intro + Arlington Cemetery"
exclusive music video premiere

For fans ofFluoride, Full Of Hell, Insect Warfare, Malevich, Cloud Rat and Converge


     I think at this point a prodigious cross-section of punk, hardcore, metal, and screamo fans have fallen in love with 2023's 'Chiaroscuro' 12"LP by Iowa's CLOSET WITCH. The 13-track lightning train into the abyss will be splattered all over the best of 2023 lists that will pop up any day now cuz calendars are hard. I will be writing a full review of the record at some point, but I still feel that I'm unable to properly grasp the swirling ideas in my head - and this LP review deserves my best. Be sure to snag a copy as they deplete from the Zegema Beach Records stores for the U.S.A. (linked here) and Canada/International (linked here) and they've got additional copies on Bandcamp (linked here) if that's your preferred method of picking up vinyl. Check out the brand-spankin' new combo music video below!!!


(2023) CLOSET WITCH "Intro + Arlington Cemetery" (from 'Chiaroscuro') official music video

     This video combines the first "Intro" track from 'Chiaroscuro' paired with the 9th song "Arlington Cemetery" utilizing jarring cuts and superimposed film from what I imagine is from the 1930s and 40s. The intro ends around 1:45 and is immediately followed by the ear-shredding and eye-blinding song/video for "Arlington Cemetery". This latter video shifts into very quick cuts of plants, insects, humans (generally police officers), as well as surgery/medical diagrams, all with CLOSET WITCH just fucking ruining the listener.


ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT

Wednesday 29 November 2023

*** BLACK TEETH exclusive premiere ***

BLACK TEETH
'Black Teeth'
exclusive album premiere
For fans ofVersus The Mirror, Seasons Worn, We Were Skeletons, Constrain and The Fall Of Troy


     I got sent this a month or so ago and immediately asked if I could get the EP premiere for it. Voila! Today is the day!!! Tapes in December from Oliver Glenn Records! Instead of me giving the intro, you should hear it directly from the source:

"My name is Tyler Keir based out of Ann Arbor Michigan and BLACK TEETH is my solo project. I have played drums in Welman and Joyous and also mixed Morning Dew’s album pulp and their songs for their most recent split. However i have focused most of my attention towards this project for the past year and a half. My influences for this EP are mainly bands like We were skeletons, la dispute and a lot of early 2000’s post hardcore bands like Silverstein, Atreyu, Hawthorne Heights etc. All music was written, recorded, mixed and mastered by me at Dark farm studio in Michigan. There are no upcoming shows for BLACK TEETH but hopefully someday I will have a full band line up. Next release for BLACK TEETH is a split with Morning Dew."

(2023) BLACK TEETH 'Black Teeth' full EP stream


     So this thing houses five tracks which I'll fire through:
1) "Watching airplanes crash" - this sounds as in line with traditional screamo and metallic hardcore as it does with post-hardcore, giving me vibes from: Circle Takes The Square, Pianos Become The Teeth, The Jonbenet, Linger, Fall Of Troy, Seasons Worn, goddamn the list goes on, but at the same time this project really doesn't sound like a copy of any band
2) "DOG" - probably my favourite of the bunch, this one is the shortest and gives me mad metallic hardcore/Versus The Mirror vibes in the best ways possible
3) "Dying in the mouth of cancer" - this rides some punchy-ass riffs Fall Of Troy style with an excellent epic build that chills out after the one-minute mark before swinging back around again, making it just as good as the preceding track
4) "Stay out" - latches on to a catchy post-hardcore progression early, switching gears just before the halfway point to a much screamier and cathartic second half
5) "I found your limbs in the wreckage" - this closer is pretty playful and includes the most experimentation on the EP, and is probably where the most We Were Skeletons influence presents itself

Sunday 26 November 2023

*** PODCAST #136 Othiel ***

     Zegema Beach has been sitting on this OTHIEL 12"LP for a few months now and we're itchin' to let you fall in love. Those familiar with the stylings of Crowning, Old Soul, and Eyelet should eat this     very heavy yet very melodic screamo/post-hardcore from the Western US up. As I've been jamming this 24/7 and it releases this Friday, now seemed like a good time for a podcast with drummer Parker and guitarists Jacob/Isiah (and we were joined at the very end by bassist Josh). Some things discusssed: from Mai to Othiel & shoegaze to screamo, Foo Fighters = good & Led Zeppelin = bad, playing to thousands of people, the Deafheaven approach to screamo, girlsoverflowers and a crap ending, revisiting Coldplay, vinyl over tapes, "inspo" is a word, a buncha sick rock songs, bread burps, Josh's arrival (literally), Canadian sandwich definition, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Halfgrass, Kumo 99, Mansions, Mew, Old Soul, and Pinkshinyultrablast. Listen to podcast #136 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

OTHIEL
Bandcamp

LP opening track "Upright" official music video
https://youtu.be/wRO6V9PgdCg



1 The Few You Click With
HALFGRASS "Buried in Bed" (Parker)
MANSIONS "Honeymoon" (Dave)

2 Sci-Fi Choose Your Character
PINKSHINYULTRABLAST "Metamorphosis" (Isaiah)
KUMO 99 "Adjacent Casualty" (Dave)

3 Passing the Test of Goodness
MEW "Am I Wry? No." (Jacob)
OLD SOUL "Lens" (Dave)


~Dave

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Friday 24 November 2023

HORSEBOY

BandHORSEBOY
GenresPunk / Noise Rock / Post-Punk / Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Metal
Related artistsLeg Yield, Untold Want and Big Water.
CountryKansas City, Missouri U.S.A.
Years Active2023-present
For fans ofThe Jonbenét, Llewelyn, Leg Yield, The Blood Brothers, Akimbo, Terrifying Girls' High School, Lucertulus, Meth., Short Hair, Teenage Swoon, Blue Youth and Nikad.
Label(s): Self Released

     There's no better way to follow up Horsewhip then with HORSEBOY. But Dave, are they related? Not really, just by name and the fact that both kick major ass. This debut EP was released in 2023 and is a frantic, chaotic, and blissful blast through a screamo/post-punk hybrid which might end up being my EP of the year. It's that fucking good. It is my 2023 goal to get this on a physical medium in some way, shape, or form.

      The four-piece features members of Leg Yield, Untold Want and Big Water knocking out 6 tracks in just 12 minutes. Opener "Tell Me I'm Sorry" is a decent introduction to the EP and on the heavier end of the spectrum, but I'd probably argue it's the weakest of the 6. Following is the one-minute "Painless" which is heavy as fuck and totally in your face. No noodles or pretty interludes, this is staggering screamo/metal in the vein of Akimbo on speed. "Vicious Mockery" goes just as as hard as its predecessor but gets there from the opposite direction, implementing super dancey grooves, interesting guitarwork, and next-level dynamics, reminding me of The Blood Brothers and Desperado. "Honk if You're Under Suspicious Circumstances" is perhaps the most out-there track but it's a righteous number that begins with more rock and yellin' than usual (reminding me a bit of Venus Twins), but eventually unravels into a rabid jaunt of unhinged rock and screamo. You want some fucking sass? Then look no further than "Sinner Supremist" which is drowned in cathartic confidence not unlike Terrifying Girls' High School and early Lucertulus material. Closer "Deep Hunger" continues with the latter half of the EP, focusing on rock first and the heavier stuff second, using a lot of shouted vocals and unnerving guitar progressions.

     Yep, EP of the year.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2023 - Horseboy EP (stream/buy here)

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(2023) HORSEBOY - "Vicious Mockery" (from 'Horseboy')

(2023) HORSEBOY - "Painless" (from 'Horseboy')

(2023) HORSEBOY - "Sinner Supremist" (from 'Horseboy')
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HORSEBOY additional links

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Tuesday 21 November 2023

HORSEWHIP

BandHORSEWHIP
GenresPunk / Hardcore / Crust / Post-Hardcore / Metallic Hardcore / Dark Hardcore
Related artistsReversal Of Man, Guiltmaker, Sutek Conspiracy, The Dream Is Dead, Brazil, Combatwoundedveteran, Fathers, Heaven's Gate, Shroud Of Turin, Order Of Importance, Crucible, and Early Grace.
CountrySaint Petersburg, Florida U.S.A.
Years Active2018-present
For fans ofGlassing, His Hero Is Gone, Rotting In Dirt, Anna Sage, Perth Express, Ghostlimb, Yurodivy, Telos, and Trainwreck.
Label(s): Zegema Beach Records / Iodine Recordings / Roman Numeral Records / Financial Ruin Records / Tor Johnson Records


     I first became aware of HORSEWHIP early on due to my online friend Alex Bond being the drummer (check out interview here). After falling pretty hard for their 2020 LP the band happened to inquire if they could play ZBR Fest 2022 to which we quickly obliged. They are awesome people and were one of my favourite sets from the fest. Soon afterward we were asked to release their 'Yashira split' 7", and then they were picked up by friends over at Iodine Records, releasing the incredible 'Consume and Burn' just a month or so back. Their related bands run deep and include Reversal Of Man, Sutek Conspiracy, The Dream Is Dead, Combadwoundedveteran, as well as one of my personal faves Guiltmaker.

     The bridge connecting the first two releases, 2018's 'Horsewhip' and 2020's 'Laid to Waste' full lengths, is an excellent example of the band's growth from debut to sophomore effort. The former is dark, driving, and relatively confined in terms of experimentation and driving home the differences between tracks, while the latter retains the band's initial sound but branches out into much more memorable territory with songs like "Inertia Waits", "Closure", and "Holy Lies". The noticeable increase in production quality makes the second LP much thicker, heavier, and engaging.

     Voalist Mike Grantham left the band after 'Laid to Waste'. Instead of replacing him guitarist Shaun and bassist Jeff jointly took on the task (although Jeff was arguably all over the previous material too), and then added a second guitarist by name of Dave (tis a good name). I should point out at here that I think Shaun's vocals are amazingly thick and extremely powerful, plus with the additional guitar the band's output went from great to fucking incredible. Our first offering with the new lineup was my very own label's split 7" with Yashira. I immediately noticed the resemblance to their ZBR Fest 2022 performance with the same members, "Circadian Rhythm" is devastatingly full, even harsher in the vocal department, and in general just kinda fuckin' heavier. It also ended up being the closer for the band's new LP.

      This leads us very obviously to 2023's release and third full length 'Consume and Burn', without a doubt the band's crowning achievement to date and one helluva smack to the earholes. The presence on these 8 songs are unmistakable - like a imposing behemoth of a monster toying with you like you're nothing. The crushing emanations are counterbalanced with eerie, spacey guitar riffs that bring to mind some of the stuff that These Arms Are Snakes were riffin' hard during their earlier years. The heavier bits bring to mind Trainwreck, Anna Sage, and Glassing feel, but are blatantly HORSEWHIP's own concoction. I bet we'll find this on a bunch of best of 2023 lists, and rightly so!

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DISCOGRAPHY

2018 - Horsewhip 12"LP (listen/buy here)

2020 - Laid to Waste 12"LP (listen/buy here)

2022 - Yashira split 7" (listen/download/buy here)
2022 - Hundreds Of AU split 7" (contains "Buried")

2023 - Consume and Burn 12"LP (listen/buy here)
2023 - Buried flexi 7" (contains "Buried")

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(2023) HORSEWHIP - "Plague Machine" (from 'Consume and Burn') [official music video]

(2023) HORSEWHIP - "Dissolve" (from 'Consume and Burn')

(2022) HORSEWHIP - "Circadian Rhythm" (from 'Yashira' split)

(2022) HORSEWHIP - "Inertia Waits" (live @ZBR Fest)

(2020) HORSEWHIP - "Closure" (from 'Laid to Waste')

(2020) HORSEWHIP - "Holy Lies" (from 'Laid to Waste')

(2018) HORSEWHIP - "Funeral Circus" (from 'Horsewhip')

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HORSEWHIP additional links


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Sunday 12 November 2023

*** PODCAST #135 Chris Djuric (Obroa-skai, Kodama, Sun Up Sun Down) ***


     Going all the way back to the first or second show I ever reviewed on this blog...it was Mahria. Soon afterward I became obsessed with their new band Rayleigh. After they disbanded OBROA-SKAI was born and I've been following them since. Originally a three-piece, the band absorbed Chris Djuric during the pandemic. Chris was instrumental in helping craft the upcoming 12"LP 'Science Progresses One Funeral at a Time'. I caught up with him and discussed a myriad of things including but not limited to: defined by music (sick riffs), the height of practicing, dialing back the music ego, Peter Brötzmann in general, the second coming of Nirvana, the cover band, joining Kodama and Sun Up Sun Down, the Raein-esque band that never happened and how it led to Obroa-skai, terrible rhythms and sounds, the Don Caballero stutter, fantastically collaborative, "Next Door" deconstruction, the upcoming experimental EP, 'Science Progresses One Funeral at a Time' themes, late-night deployment blues, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Ahleuchatistas, Great Falls, Flooding, Last Exit, Nhomme, and Yowie. Listen to podcast #135 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

OBROA-SKAI

SUN UP SUN DOWN

1 Expression Over Technicality
LAST EXIT "Crackin" (Chris)
AHLEUCHATISTAS "Rpg2" (Dave)

2 The Bassist Who Didn't Have Any Gear
YOWIE "Tera" (Chris)
NHOMME "iii" (Dave)

3 The Reconciling of Academia and Punk
GREAT FALLS "The Starveling" (Chris)
FLOODING "Monolith Girl" (Dave)


~Dave

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Sunday 5 November 2023

FAINTING IN COILS

BandFAINTING IN COILS
GenresPunk / Hardcore / Metalcore / Metallic Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence
Related artists: ?.
CountryNew York, New York U.S.A.
Years Active2023-present
For fans ofOnewaymirror, Love Lost But Not Forgotten, Letters To Catalonia, Dispensing Of False Halos, .gif from god, A Paramount A Love Supreme, Binary, (early) SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Textbook Traitors, Long.Way.Down., Mouthing, Deers!, Me And Him Call It Us, and Ihuntmonsters.
Label(s): Self Released

     I recently caught wind of the first release by the New York two-piece FAINTING IN COILS, and straight up it's the demo of the year. Mixing chunky and nearly lo-fi screamo/metallic hardcore calls to mind Onewaymirror and Letters To Catalonia.


     This '2023 Demo' EP seriously rocked my world, and interestingly pulls together so many things that I love from a few genres. The demos are listed as one track but I broke them up for the sake of this review. Those five songs rely on chugs, panic chords, and dual screaming aka tons of Dave. Opener "Ambition" lulls you in with dreamy instrumentals, and even moves into more emo/screamo territory next, but by the 50-second mark the metallic roots really bare themselves as the chugs and nifty guitar squeals take over. Next up is the short and dark interlude "Reeling and Writhing", followed by the bangin' "Derision" that is probably about 75% breakdowns. "Uglification" takes no time going for the jugular with fury that will turn any Love Lost But Not Forgotten & Me And Him Call It Us fan into a FAINTING IN COILS believer. Closer "Distraction" is the shortest track (47 seconds) and the most progressive in terms of throwing together more melody, structure, and nods to metal.

     So yeah, demo of the year. I think there's a 4-way split coming with FAINTING IN COILS on it, but don't quote me.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2023 - 2023 Demo digital EP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2023) FAINTING IN COILS - "Derision" (from 'Demo 2023')

(2023) FAINTING IN COILS - "Ambition" (from 'Demo 2023')

(2023) FAINTING IN COILS - "Uglification" (from 'Demo 2023')

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FAINTING IN COILS additional links


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Sunday 29 October 2023

TIME TO BURN

BandTIME TO BURN
GenresPunk / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Metal / Metallic Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Experimental
Related artistsBrighton, Jin Baker, Jean Jean, Sure, Ghoster, Dawnshape, Kid North, Painting By Numbers, Radius System, Every Reason To..., HKY, Huata, and Subterraen.
CountryParis FRANCE
Years Active2003-2008 / 2016
For fans ofShora, Sine NomineTempest, Knut, Cassilis, Llynch, (early) Botch, (early) Devil Sold His Soul, and Akimbo.
Label(s): Self Released / Basement Apes Industries / Radar Swarm / Slow Death


     Sometime late 2022 someone posted TIME TO BURN somewhere (I think a friend added it to my screamo music video playlist) and I finally stumbled, hella late I might add, onto this absolutely ferocious French four-piece with dueling guitars, poignant chaos, and fantastic screaming. How in the actual fuck did I miss this? We can't blame geography as I've been into Daitro (from France) for over two decades. The style isn't one I just happened upon recently either, as I've been all over this frantic, screamy metallic/hardcore for just as long. Y'know what? Who gives a shit. This band fucking slayed and their entire discography is worth your time, especially if you like the sheer intensity and lunacy of bands like Shora and Sine Nomine.

     In 2004, just a year after the band's inception, they released their debut EP 'Burn the Lie Down'. These four songs are really sick and show the band's identity immediately...before they blow up that brain of yours. All songs are very most representative of the band's sound, but five-minute bangers "Lyksyr" and "Trauma" are my choices for strongest cuts. The former layers atmospheric post-hardcore amidst the destruction and lengthy/sustained screams while the latter lays down some seriously epic shit bursting with vigor.

     Just a year after they released their most chaotic album, titled 'Starting Point'. This thing fucking owns. The momentum this album is able to generate and subsequently prolong is astounding, and definitely gives me Sine Nomine vibes in the that department (as well as a few others). The harrowing, primal screams on this release are phenomenal and definitely bare resemblance to Shora and early Cassilis. Following a dark instrumental intro the album digs itself in with "Lost In Poetic Words", a dangerous three-and-a-half minute deluge through swirling/driving instrumentals and those aforementioned glorious screams. This is followed by the absolutely unhinged carnage that is "Jelly Roll" which clutches to prodigious and imposing riffs over speed and chaos, complete with a desperate, nightmarish unraveling of a conclusion. Title track "Starting Point" is next and follows a more streamlined approach than the preceding song, opting for big riffs and an avalanche of vocals interspersed with panic-inducing mayhem. Speaking of mayhem, no song is more of a punch in the face than "Waiting For The End" which clocks in at only 2:26 and is a literal steamroller stuck on fast-forward. Capping off the album are two more songs, "Burn The Lie Down" which I would assume was written around the time of their previous EP and is another fucking banger that would have me running around if I ever saw them live, and closer "Alma" which leans hard into creepy post-hardcore and reminds me a bit of Botch's "Afghamistam" during it's first half and an instrumental version of TIME TO BURN for it's remainder. Woot woot what a record!

     Next up is the equally awesome and more experimental 'Is.Land' full length. After another intro song "Is" we are met head-on with "Nayeli", a helluva headbanger with mad groove and even better shrieking...like, fuck me I wish I could scream like that. It sounds like his poisonous emanations reverberate in an echo chamber for a few years before finally escaping his mouth. The song itself owes a bit more to sludge and dynamics than speed, ferocity, and chaos, which can applied to the album in general. "Emma Peel" is a slower burn at 7:15 but definitely pays off, and this also includes the first clean singing from the band and in all honesty it fits so damn well. Not only that, but the vocals are actually quite good, and when coupled with the keys come 4:20 the atmosphere of it all has a tight gravitational pull. This clean singing unites again with posty perfection in the closing song "Land" which has early Devil Sold His Soul as well as obvious Deftones vibes. Following an eerie intro, "Tormenta" brings back the chaos from the previous album and gets straight up ridiculous at 1:30, holy fuuuuuuck this song is amazing. The ambient interlude "." is next and the rockin' instrumental "Isle Of Men" follows that. Then we're back in annihilation nation with the brooding "Tsering Lhamo" (good lord, those screams!), relatively short "Sang", and the almost Celeste/Hexis-esque "Gream".

   In 2008 the band also tossed up their two comp tracks as a "B-Sides" EP, with "Candle In Wind" coming out in 2008 on the 3xCD 'Falling Down' comp and "Elena Djinn" seeing the light of day two years later on the second 'Falling Down II' comp, this time on 2xCD. I don't know the info on when these were recorded but I would assume during the 'Is.Land' sessions. Both are decent tracks with the  former blazing through 2:26 and the latter having a slow start but ravenous conclusion.

     Wow, I haven't done a track-by-track review in some time, but goddamn this band was worth it.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2004 - Burn the Lie Down EP (stream/donate/download here)

2005 - Starting Point cdLP (stream/donate/download here)

2007 - Is.Land cd/12"LP (stream/donate/download here)

2008 - B-Sides digitalEP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2007) TIME TO BURN - "Nayeli" (from 'Is.Land') official music video

(2007) TIME TO BURN - "Tormenta" (from 'Is.Land')

(2007) TIME TO BURN - "Land" (from 'Is.Land')

(2005) TIME TO BURN - "Waiting For The End" (from 'Starting Point')

(2005) TIME TO BURN - "Lost In Poetic Words" (from 'Starting Point')

(2005) TIME TO BURN - "Burn The Lie Down" (from 'Starting Point')

(2004) TIME TO BURN - "Trauma" (from 'Burn the Lie Down')

(2004) TIME TO BURN - "Lyksyr" (from 'Burn the Lie Down')

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Additional links

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