*** 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

Bandcamp

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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PODCAST #140 linked here

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https://youtu.be/sjqUs_MYPHI

SINEMA

Band: SINEMA
For fans of: Saosin, Valandora, Recover, Fall Of Troy, Chiodos Bros., Kissing Chaos, Beloved, Endor, In Pieces, Excitebike, and Anatomy Of A Ghost.
Genres: Punk / Rock / Post-Hardcore / Metallic Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz

Related artists: ?.
Country: Texas U.S.A.
Years Active: 2023-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')

https://youtu.be/dsWxwXVVEPM

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

https://youtu.be/n1ENm3XhwVY

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

https://youtu.be/CglUqa0IdQk

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SINEMA additional links

Bandcamp

Instagram

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*** 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

Bandcamp

Buy 'Luz de Bengala' on 12" from ZBR

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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PODCAST #139 linked here

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JORNADA DEL MUERTO

Band: JORNADA DEL MUERTO
For fans of: Cady, Naedr, Saton, Infant Island, Ostraca, Voyage In Coma, and Zvleta.

Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Metallic Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Black Metal

Related artists: ?.
Country: Istanbul TURKEY
Years Active: 2021-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

https://youtu.be/wAVTpqH4X0Y

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

https://youtu.be/6r8bia8Beeg

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

https://youtu.be/IymIrvNQD-w

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

https://youtu.be/BTqoGfx7pLo

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*** 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

Website

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

GIFTS FROM ENOLA "Homeys"

You.May.Die.In.The.Desert- International Waters

Constants- Walking Dead in East Texas

Irepress- Samus

Caravels- Girth Impression

If These Trees Could Talk- Malabar Front

From Monuments to Masses- Sharpshooter

Beware of Safety- The Supposed Common

Delft- Sleep Through New Years

Tone- Sketch

The Summer Pledge- Who Are You?

Balmorhea- Attesa

Prawn- Two Ships

Giants- Steps in Static Progression

Gates- In The Morning

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PODCAST #138 linked here

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*** RIVERSLEEM exclusive music video premiere ***

RIVERSLEEM

"Eating Teeth"
exclusive music video premiere

For fans of: Since By Man, Fall Silent and Converge

Bandcamp

order 7"

     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

https://youtu.be/AE-lBseFSc8

     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!!!

*** 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

Website

'Go Let It In' on Spotify

"Rough Waves" music video

https://youtu.be/k8LUT7DthCU

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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PODCAST #137 linked here

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

CLOSET WITCH

"Intro + Arlington Cemetery"
exclusive music video premiere

For fans of: Fluoride, Full Of Hell, Insect Warfare, Malevich, Cloud Rat and Converge

Bandcamp

Order 12"LP

     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

https://youtu.be/pn6z14Q6gxg

     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

Buy 12"

old OMSB review

Closet Witch @ZBR Fest 2023

https://youtu.be/zXHIyh7Pjg8