*** SMUSH release show review w/Piss + Lilex & The Apocalips ***

SMUSH Release Show

w/ PISS / LILEX AND THE APOCALIPS

@Green Auto Body in Vancouver on June 15th, 2024

Live Show Review

After falling head over heels in love with SMUSH (and somehow landing the 12"LP release with my Softseed Music label) I made the trek to Vancouver to see their release show. Not only were they amazing, but the entire bill kicked serious ass.

They have another show tomorrow Friday July 26th that I will be attending with my Softseed distro including pre-orders for SMUSH. Please come say hi!

Lastly, the band did both an interview with Idioteq.com and a podcast with (((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))) should see the light of day in the next few weeks!

LILEX AND THE APOCALIPS

I'm not sure if a set has ever pumped serotonin and smiles like this opener did. I arrived during their first song and got a face-full of sunny sounds and vocals that tickle the brain. Their banter in between songs was also great, with the members switching instruments numerous times. Honestly this was awesome and I hope I can catch them again.

(2024) LILEX AND THE APOCALIPS (live in Vancouver)

https://youtu.be/-jE_JsjkxCA

Spotify

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PISS

I had heard this band was good, but as per usual I purposefully didn't listen to the openers before the show. So after the first band I was expecting something soft still, maybe with crunchier guitars or the occasional wail...but what I got was a fucking explosion of emotion, screaming, ranting, feedback, and movement. Look the fuck out this band is gonna turn heads so fast they might twist off. That's some visceral shit.

(2024) PISS (live in Vancouver)

https://youtu.be/bZ5vNg5FzJU

Bandcamp

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SMUSH

Oh my god this band is the fucking best. Playing all of 'If you were here I'd be home now' in a staggering balancing act of beauty and crushing, their heavy shoegaze/alternative sound permeated the space and had everyone nodding along...except for that one part (maybe it was during "heartless"?) when people started moshing to a shoegaze band. That was nuts. The band's 12"s are at the plant now and should be in hand early September. 150 copies on transparent pink! Links to buy the record are at the bottom of this (click here).

(2024) SMUSH "horse drawing" (live in Vancouver)

https://youtu.be/3Y9YNKukyvs

EXTRA VIDEOS:
"goodnight moon"
"sweetheart"
"loafofyarn"
"fivefivefive"

Bandcamp

order 12"LP from Softseed Music in:
U.S.A. here
Rest of World here

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~

next SMUSH show:

July 26th in Vancouver

*** PODCAST #157 Febuary ***

    Ahhhh FEBUARY. They came, they conquered, they peaced. Somehow I scored this podcast with them less than a month before they disbanded. It pains me, especially upon listening to the interview, knowing that they will not be able to play ZBR Fest 2025 and grace us with the new material that they talk about on this podcast. CDs coming from real son cuz their single, self-titled album is truly something special and deserves a release on all formats. Some other things discussed: Deep cut lore, the emo-trifecta, dadspo, the first-band effect, Abby's unique style, full circle moments, joining the boxing ring club, humping things back into place, songs that make you want to crash cars, wow to pow factor, the soundtrack of being 20, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Converge, D'Amore, Excrucis, Kind Of Like Spitting, The Lazarus Plot, and Poison The Well. Listen to podcast #157 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

FEBUARY

Bandcamp

1 Her Dad Is So Cool

CONVERGE "The Saddest Day" (Airon)

2 The Craig Woods Surprise

THE LAZURUS PLOT "Friday the 13th" (Abby)

D'AMORE "Allergy Season" (Dave)

3 I'm Dating All These Muthafuckas

POISON THE WELL "A Wish For Things That Were" (Dylan)

4 Running Vocals

KIND OF LIKE SPITTING "Birds of a Feather" (Rila)

EXCRUCIS "Ceasefire" (Dave)

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #157 linked here

____________________________________________________________________

Watch their final show below:

https://youtu.be/jmtukpE7lds

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*** MOURN RECIF + COUP D'ETAT + ALL THAT DECAYS + CHOPPING BLOCK + BATHTUB AUTOPSY live show review ***

MOURN RECIF / COUP D'ETAT / ALL THAT DECAYS / CHOPPING BLOCK / BATHTUB AUTOPSY

@Big Fernwood in Victoria on June 29th, 2024

Live Show Review

As I went to bed on June 28th I got a message in my band chat for MOURN RECIF asking if we would hop on this Victoria show as a band needed to bow out. We were recording some songs that day, and decided to head out early so we could play this, thus leaving four of six songs unfinished. At first I didn't think we made the right call (cuz we left recording early), but by the end of the night I was smitten with the bands and show in general. Shout out Troy!

ALL THAT DECAYS

I actually missed this opening band as I came into the venue as they were finishing up, luckily local sweetheart Drue filmed part of their song so that's what I've used in the video below. Very promising emo-soaked screamo from Victoria.

(2024) ALL THAT DECAYS (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/MNyD31RUdkc

Instagram

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COUP D'ETAT

What the fuck? I heard this band was good, so we checked out their soundcloud which was cool but I didn't hear any vocals. Seeing them live was a completely different story, as despite being a three-piece they go full beast-mode. All members contribute vocals and play a darker, emo-violence akin to Senza and A Paramount A Love Supreme, and I know they're recording a buncha songs soon that'll hopefully see the light of day well before the end of the year. Definitely check this out as they were the highlight of the show for me.

(2024) COUP D'ETAT (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/jVWB6k42uV8

*Extra video: "Kids these days don't know the meaning of survelliance state" (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/CCyzr_JL5fc

Instagram

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MOURN RECIF

This was definitely our best show. I think the bill helped push us to play more intensely and the crowd was generally more receptive to screamo. We'll be back in Victoria on August 24th on a ridiculous yet-to-be-released show, but play this Thursday July 18th in Vancouver, info at bottom.

(2024) MOURN RECIF "Slow Reign" (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/ZWGXRMPqRjo

Instagram

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BATHTUB AUTOPSY

I spoke with this duo after the show and it sounds like this was only their third show, but wowza were they sick. A brutal combination of death metal and grind repeatedly stabbed at the eardrums of all in the gymnasium's attendance.

(2024) BATHTUB AUTOPSY (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/Jqd5NlGKfo8

Instagram

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CHOPPING BLOCK

This band came from the U.S. (Seattle, I believe) to kick some hardcore asses. They were super chill and put on a great live set.

(2024) CHOPPING BLOCK (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/j6hxfa0AsQA

Bandcamp

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~

next MOURN RECIF show:

July 18th in Vancouver

*** PODCAST #156 Andrew Schwartz (.gif from god) ***

Photo by: Bret Backus

    Anyone who has followed this blog knows my love .GIF FROM GOD knows no end. Therefore I extended another arm to the band and vocalist (and the original bassist) Shorts agreed to let me run through their musical history. The band ruined me at ZBR Fest 2024 and hanging out with Shorts and listening to his favourite mosh calls in the alley was a personal highlight for me. In this podcast he added to that mosh call list and we also discussed: motocross'n'music, Offspring and Green Day memories, almost an Iwrotehaikus... inspired band, extreme metal vs. screamo, LP3!, chunky sass, war metal, teenage revival and the wall of death, Swamp Fest memories and Weak Wrists shoutout, favorite recent albums, Kate Bush and Prince give Shorts a call, lotsa love, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Antichrist Seige Machine, Crowbar, Fallingwithscissors, Old Man Gloom, and Suicide Silence. Listen to podcast #156 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

.GIF FROM GOD

Bandcamp

1 The reason why I am this nightmare of a person

CROWBAR "Nothing" (Andrew)

OLD MAN GLOOM "Gift" (Dave)

2 Erase the Past

ANTICHRIST SEIGE MACHINE "Only Evil" (Andrew)

FALLINGWITHSCISSORS "blissful" (Dave)

3 It Feels Like They're Bleeding Into Your Ears

SUICIDE SILENCE "Unanswered" (Andrew) [music video]

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #156 linked here

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*** EXCRUCIS exclusive song premiere ***

EXCRUCIS

"Parasite"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Blind Girls, Dianacrawls, The Love And Terror Cult, Piper Maru, Kill Sadie, Piss and Crochet

Bandcamp

     Aight, you ain't ready. I wasn't ready. And I released the first EXCRUCIS album last year! When I was sent the new full length by Chicago's four-piece blew me the fuck away...and I still haven't landed. Sassy as fuck, mad screamy, danceable, playful, heavy and super dark, the band features members of Nouveau, Yail, Wrestle Crow and Not For You. 'There are Collectivities that Devour Souls' releases July 22nd on Zegema Beach Records via 100 cassettes. 11 tracks for fans of Dianacrawls, Indisposed, Blood Brothers, Leer, Blind Girls, etc. The band had this to say about the theme behind the album which stems from a Simone Weil quote...

DYLAN "yeah the basic context is that there are collectivities that nurture souls, and collectivities that devour souls. she's talking about this in relation to a distinction between 'rights' and 'obligations', rights being what you are 'granted' in a state which coerces your participation, vs 'obligations' that exist due to people just being social and having needs. In a nurturing society, you are still constrained, but it's by fundamental social contracts like, you still have to respect yr neighbor, whatever."

LINDA: "But I kind of attribute it to living in a fascist state, as in they are devouring our souls through capitalism. That’s the meaning I primarily pull from it, but I guess above is what the quote’s context was."

(2024) EXCRUCIS "Parasite" (from 'There are Collectivities that Devour Souls')

https://youtu.be/dX9WsMa5mJ8

     Oooo baby let's go. "Parasite" is the sixth track off this record and is exactly halfway through the album. It helps bridge the sassier/more playful first half with the staggering weight/darkness of the second, all in just a 1:21 runtime. Linda's frenzied singy yell permeates the opening 20 seconds, giving the song a simultaneous burst of melody and uneasiness. The yells turn into full blowns screams afterward as the song builds much like European screamo until they go apeshit just before the minute mark with double-speed, abrasive riffing, and stop/start drums. It's during the last 30 seconds that EXCRUCIS hit the "holy fuck" button, decimating the listener with a phenomenal breakdown laced with striking three-note bombs and poisonous screaming. Fuck to the yes, my friends. Fucking to the fucking yes.

ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT

(2024) EXCRUCIS "Ceasefire" (from 'Zampler 23 + There are Collectivities that Devour Souls')

https://youtu.be/ANidT9K35SU

'Excrucis' debut album

FOXGLOVE

Band: FOXGLOVE
For fans of: Crowning, Othiel, Youth Funeral, Iwan, Votive, To Forget, Sear, and Leveless.
Genres: Punk / Post-Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz

Related artists: Kerosene Heights, Fenris, and Profane Command.
Country: Asheville, North Carolina U.S.A.
Years Active: 2024-present

Label(s): Self-Released

     Props to Brando! My other guitar player in Mourn Recif showed me this band one night at band practice and it's the only time anyone has mentioned them to me, and holy smokes is that a travesty. Releasing four songs on their debut, self-titled EP 'Foxglove', the jams are equally dark and intense, bringing to mind Crowning and Leveless above others. The tracks are short (generally churning for around a minute-and-a-half), interesting, powerful, and screamy. That checks a lotta boxes. Opening jam "firefly pt 1" hits hard all the way through but shines brightest at the end of the track with a super playful outro. Very sick. The sequel and longest track on the release is "firefly pt 2" which spends nearly 40% of the track building to the absolute beast that is the midsection of the song. Love those call-and-response screams. "somewhere in between" is aptly titled, and includes some very sweet singing that transforms to and from screams, making it the most varied and arguably best song. "ithoughttheworldofyou" is a wild closer with tons going on to help convince the listener to give the entire EP another go, it's that good.

     Why are you still here? Go!

________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

2024 - Foxglove digital EP (stream/donate/download here)

________________________________________

(2024) FOXGLOVE - "ithoughttheworldofyou" (from 'Foxglove')

https://youtu.be/ml5OXqW9NCA

(2024) FOXGLOVE - "firefly pt.2" (from 'Foxglove')

https://youtu.be/h8Dc8hGN0CM

________________________________________

*** MOURN RECIF + HILLSBORO + BOK SUNA live show review ***

MOURN RECIF / HILLSBORO / BOK SUNA

x2

@Botched Vintage + Apparel in Victoria on May 24th, 2024

+

@Time and Space Continuum in Duncan on May 25th, 2024

Live Show Reviews

Upon starting MOURN RECIF, I immediately told Yuri aka BOK SUNA that I wanted them to come up and play with us. So we did. And as HILLSBORO is on Softseed Music along with BOK SUNA, it was a no-brainer to ask them to join us for the two shows. Oh, and aaaaaaalso, Oliver from HILLSBORO drums for BOK SUNA now...so there's that. I literally got the BOK SUNA masters for their sophomore album today, and HILLSBORO has that new EP dropping in late August. Woooo baby what a time to be alive!!!

MOURN RECIF

These were our second and third shows, so we were stoked to finally get to the initial plan we had when we first started discussing playing shows and trying to play with Bok Suna. The Victoria show was very cool, and included a giant grate falling on Dave during "Slow Reign". Our set the next night on our home turf felt a bit better than the previous, so you've got an embedded song from that show, with another link underneath for the Vic show.

(2024) MOURN RECIF "Harmonics Harm Onix's" (live in Duncan)

https://youtu.be/OYKReo15X3E

*Extra video: "Pink Lemonade" (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/PLbA66LWC9E

Instagram

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HILLSBORO

On the cusp of their new EP release we got our friends from Victoria to 1) help us out with said Vic show, and 2) play with us in Duncan. These guys play indie/shoegaze/alternative rock and are super chill, with additional hangs being had...there might even be a new band in the works! Shout out screamo.

(2024) HILLSBORO "HotGirlTM" (live in Duncan)

https://youtu.be/x-iElPUD9HU

*Extra video: "Coming Down" (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/hdfPjZLkOtY

Bandcamp

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BOK SUNA

Yuri is magnificent. BOK SUNA's recent EP + LP release on my label quickly became one of my favourites releases of 2023, and now she's back with a new album later this summer - this time on vinyl! Check out some new jams below, her live performance has a beautiful gravitational pull. I've even included the entire Victoria set a few embeds down.

(2024) BOK SUNA "gtfo" (live in Duncan)

https://youtu.be/HZ-2YoUQfAw

*Extra video: new song (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/FZanbU8dqXk

*Extra video: Full Set (live in Victoria)

https://youtu.be/uaFq-3p4qFQ

Instagram

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~

next MOURN RECIF show:

July 18th in Vancouver

SMUSH

Band: SMUSH
For fans of: Julie, Loveless, My Bloody Valentine, Duster, Slow Crush, Glaze, Glossing, Low, and Slow Pulp.

Genres: Rock / Noise Rock / Grunge / Alternative / Ambient / Shoegaze / Experimental

Related artists: Highland Eyeway.
Country: Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
Years Active: 2022-present

Label(s): Softseed Music

     My good friend Tom McCone sat on a kiwi once and told me about SMUSH. I hadn't heard of them, but after hearing/watching the two music videos on Youtube for "lizzy mcguire" and "if we didn't cry" I immediately contacted the band and asked to help out in any way I could. After getting the masters for the entire album I literally jumped at the opportunity to make vinyl for 'if you were here i'd be home now', as it truly blew my mind. The lush yet heavy shoegaze/noise rock instrumentals are the perfect vessel for Emily's syrupy sweet vocal delivery, bringing the Slows to mind (aka Slow Crush and Slow Pulp). Despite similarities to these newer bands, the root sound sprouts from 90s grunge/alternative and will likely appeal to anyone who grew up listening to that kind of music or anyone who listens to shoegaze.

     It's hard to believe this album is the band's first attempt at a full length, let alone a release. Opener "if we didn't cry" smashes the listener with tidal waves of gazey, chunky guitars whilst layering utterly gorgeous singing over it all. The balance of soft/heavy is an awesome test of dynamics and the band clearly knows how to pull on the threads and manipulate the two in order to create mesmerizing, gravitationally dangerous art. "fivefivefive" and "loafofyarn" do a similar balancing act, with tracks such as "heartless" and "new house" leaning more into the heavier/noisier side of things while "goodnight moon" and "lizzy mcguire" are prime examples of the band tackling their sound from the softer end. I'd be an asshole not to mention the most excellent vocal delivery in "horse drawing" and the way it perfectly compliments the staggering weight of the instruments. And finally, my ultimate SMUSH jam is the penultimate, writhing, trippy, sleeper hit known as "sweetheart" complete with some immaculate screaming near the close.

     Amidst the bangers are some breathers and atmosphere builders, which help lead the album in a more defined direction while providing additional substance and textures. Examples of this include bass/synth driven song "bedtime spirits" that is perfect for driving through the night, "zboy" has a lotta loopin' giving it a glitchy game intro feel, and "gates ave." is looping ambient noise.

     Worth noting, just a few weeks back I took the ferry over to Vancouver and caught the band at their release show and was, straight up, blown away. They were equally crushing and intoxicating, rocking two guitars and an acoustic in addition to the drums and bass. The sound and general feeling exuded by the members permeated the room, filling it with a mixture of anger, sadness, and acceptance - and I vibed super fucking hard with that shit. By the end of the set Emily let out a few closing shrieks as the band's set ended, giving it an conclusion that this screamo dude scarfed down in no time. On that note I'll let the music and live video I took speak for themselves below.

    I honestly don't see this being unseated as my favourite album of 2024. Please pick it up on 12" from Softseed Music (links to stores available here).

________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

2024 - if you were here i'd be home now cassette/12"LP (stream/pre-order 12"/buy here )

________________________________________

(2024) SMUSH - "sweetheart" (from 'if you were here i'd be home now') LIVE

https://youtu.be/z41gZjoe2dI

(2024) SMUSH - "lizzy mcguire" (from 'if you were here i'd be home now') official music video

https://youtu.be/RDDSfYpFFfI

(2024) SMUSH - "if we didn't cry" (from 'if you were here i'd be home now') official music video

https://youtu.be/XhgtjWpEEbQ

(2024) SMUSH - "horse drawing" (from 'if you were here i'd be home now')

https://youtu.be/8N8ZlQtTEHA

(2024) SMUSH - "don't know why" (Norah Jones cover)

https://youtu.be/0d93UU8FVyM

________________________________________

*** PODCAST #155 Craig Woods (The Feat, D'Amore, Fall On Deaf Years, etc.) ***

    Back in the early 2000s I stumbled across the Adonis Battlefield + D'Amore split and it opened my brain up to a ton of sick screamo/adjacent stuff from the likes of Craig Woods and company. After two years of momentum building, we finally shot off the starting line and did this here podcast. Craig currently plays in The Feat, The Feet, Pink Guys, and Pink Eyes. Dead serious on those band names. Some other things discussed: being in The Feat, The Feet, Elder, La Clef, Peter & Craig, D'Amore, Fall On Deaf Years, Towers, Kick Rocks, The Hubbies, The Cats, Ryerose, Hot Bagels, The Push Push, Engines: pulling a Schlatter, Pantera says "drop acid", four hundred inspirations, Good Clean Fun rolling around and pretending to cry, Towers: Too Weird to Release, the secrets of Dawntreader, Srewot regrets, documenting music, ultra running and running with bread, cat-register singing, vocal volume in mixing...time for a battle, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Dawntreader, Febuary, Four Hundred Years, Kollapse, Laura Stevenson and the Cans, and The Potential Johns. Listen to podcast #155 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

BE HAPPY RECORDS

Bandcamp

1 Headphone Hookup

FOUR HUNDRED YEARS "An Hour Too Late" (Craig)

FEBUARY "IDGAF" (Dave)

2 Secret Door

DAWNTREADER "Pandora's Box" (Craig)

KOLLAPSE "Død" (Dave) [official music video]

3 The Keeper of the Stuff

THE POTENTIAL JOHNS "Past Due" (Craig)

LAURA STEVENSON AND THE CANS "Master of Art" (Dave) [official music video]

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #155 linked here

_____________________________________________________________________

*** VOTIVE exclusive music video premiere ***

VOTIVE

"Lesser Replica"
exclusive music video premiere

For fans of: Portrayal Of Guilt, Foxmoulder and Komarov

Bandcamp

pre-order 12"

     Are you fucking stoked? If not you will be in a few short minutes, as I'm stoked to bring you the music video premiere of Austin based screamo outfit VOTIVE's first single from their first LP 'Towards The Pillory' releasing on July 12, 2024 via No Funeral Records. The one-sided record with an etched B-side across 2 variants - coke bottle clear /100 and black ice /200 follows their sensational debut cassette EP, which if you haven't heard means this is going to blow your mind. The band is made up of members who have played in Respire, Gas Up Yr Hearse, Portrayal of Guilt, Foxmoulder, Porcelain, etc. bringing a heavy blackened emo-violence sound that'll get you goin'. Go.

(2024) VOTIVE "Lesser Replica" (from 'Towards The Pillory') official music video

https://youtu.be/fCHEYTBDLzg

*** CHARGER PORT exclusive song premiere***

CHARGER PORT

"hey is for horse is"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Hella, Tera Melos and The Totemist

Bandcamp

orders open June 19th @9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST

     Holy moly this upcoming split from Tomb Tree, Fisher King, and Soft Grit are releasing 50 lathes on 25 black 12"s and 25 clear 12"s. Fans of mathcore, math rock, and mathy metal are gonna be all the fuck over this shit. Today's premiere is the final of three CHARGER PORT tracks which is the solo project of Hunter who plays in both Terror Cell and Thin. Sunday will see an additional premiere of a Serling track by This Noise Is Ours! Art by Robbie Smith. Mixed/mastered by Joey Woodward.

(2024) CHARGER PORT "hey is for horse is" (from 'I don't watch sports anymore' split w/Serling)

https://youtu.be/uYNGClDI89U

     Clocking in at a hair over four minutes, the song wastes zero time getting into catchy-yet-choppy rhythms that show even more attention to production and power, as this shit sounds super crisp, clean, and jarring. The song shifts gears about a third of the way through and relies on some wonky slides to keep things interesting before plummeting off of a cliff after the 2:10 mark with a wildly heavy breakdown. The remainder of the song sounds like the slow demise of the jumper as they die on the fucking rocks in epic fashion.

ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT

Charger Port's EP on Softseed Music

*** MYSTIC WILL exclusive album premiere ***

MYSTIC WILL

'That Is All, But That Is Enough'
exclusive album premiere

For fans of: Underdark, Circle Takes The Square, Respire, Locktender and Hope Drone

Bandcamp
Instagram
Facebook
Spotify

     I am stoked today to bring you an early premiere of 'That Is All, But That Is Enough' in its entirety from St. Louis' MYSTIC WILL. These songs were written before and during the pandemic, with the band laying down tracking from early 2022 to early 2024 and features Jack (vocals) - Miracle Whip, Smidley, Jr. Clooney, ex-Ankou, Sean (guitar) - Furnace Floor, ex-Anodes, Derek (bass) - Path of Might, ex-Hot Corpse, and Casey (drums) - The Vast, ex-Anodes. The seven mighty tracks were engineered by Ryan Wasoba and mastered by Magnus Lindberg. The painting for the cover is by Mark Stopforth.

     Ah Dave, but what does that shit sound like? Well, besides hinting at it with some of the members other projects, they cite City of Caterpillar, Welcome the Plague Year, Union of Uranus, At the Gates, Dissection, Circle Takes the Square, Thou, Birds in Row, and Jungbluth. Pretty much all of those track into the band's final sound, with Circle Takes The Square probably being at the forefront. Most tracks gravitate toward the four-minute mark with the opener and closer both stretching into five-minute territory. It's fast. It's blackened. It's pretty fackin' dark, to be honest. It reminds me of atmospheric black metal crossed over with hardcore and a bit o' screamo. The vocals are like acid, the drumming is wild, and the bass/guitars weave crushing and swirling melodies that meet halfway between death and lullabies. They have no current plans for shows or physical release but they're not ruling anything out completely, but releasing this is probably the last thing they do as a band! Please check it out <3

     This releases in full on the band's Bandcamp Friday June 14th, 2024.

(2024) MYSTIC WILL 'That Is All, But That Is Enough' full stream

https://youtu.be/cN1JV_d-n6U

*** CON.FLEX song premiere ***

CON.FLEX

"watch the hands"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: !Apeshit!, Colossamite, xbxrx, Holy Molar, Arab On Radar, and The New Flesh

Bandcamp

Releases in full June 6th, 2024 on Smoke And Mirrors

      I am very stoked to bring you this new song just two days prior to CON.FLEX debut release on Smoke And Mirrors. The self-titled album features 8 tracks and will be available on limited 7" picture disc with zine on June 6th. This opening track "watch the hands" is a clusterfuck of noises (the beginning sounds like seagulls screaming), guitar wonkery, and jarring rhythms and the rest of the album follows suit by not following the rules of hardcore. Featuring members of Under His Eye, Buried In Coal, It's All Quiet Here, Apostles Of Eris, Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow, Armagideon Time, etc.

(2024) CON.FLEX "watch the hands" (from 'Con.Flex')

https://youtu.be/p3TpetP66Xk

*** PODCAST #154 John Scott (Usurp Synapse, Displacer) ***

    On the heels of USURP SYNAPSE's resurgence into the screamo scene comes my podcast with vocalist/bassist John Scott. Zegema Beach Records was lucky enough to host the band this May at ZBR Fest as well as release their highly anticipated return release 'AssIIAss', or 'Polite Grotesqueries' if you wanna be a dick about it 😉 Some things discussed in this podcast: born of the grunge era, gushing Helmet, peacing out in 2001, moving out of Edie's house, 2009 and the death of screamo, touring with Saetia, going to film school, Antonio gets on the mic, the best unused band name, working at the Chicago Music Exchange, inspired by the Jeromes Dream reunion, Meth. friendship, the AssIIAss debacle, aggressive & gross, the birth of Ex-Members Club, etc. Bands played in this podcast: The Avenging Disco Godfathers Of Soul, Closet Witch, Colored Moth, Constantine Sankathi, Doomsday Student, and In/Humanity. Listen to podcast #154 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

USURP SYNAPSE

Bandcamp

1 Constantine Sankathi as a Doorway

CONSTANTINE SANKATHI "Esoteric" (John)

THE AVENGING DISCO GODFATHERS OF SOUL "Somewhere in the Arteries" (Dave)

2 The Goldilocks Window

IN/HUMANITY "Double Digit Fun" (John)

CLOSET WITCH "We Met On The Park Boundary Trail" (Dave) [official music video]

3 Having One Big Mid-Life Crisis Together

DOOMSDAY STUDENT "L.S.D. Mom" (John)

COLORED MOTH "Decay Accelerating Factor" (Dave)

~Dave

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PODCAST #154 linked here

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*** MOURN RECIF w/ The Grundles, Vying For Glory, Skum Shine, Kesu Fnord ***

THE GRUNDLES / MOURN RECIF / VYING FOR GLORY / SKUM SHINE / KESU FNORD

@Time and Space Continuum in Duncan on April 27th, 2024
Live Show Review

Welcome to Dakota-Fest aka the April 27th show in Duncan and the first for bands The Grundles and Mourn Recif, the latter of which I play guitar/vox for. Dakota put on this show (the dude in three of the five bands!) which was primarily acoustic folk punk and punk/hardcore merging with screamo. Mourn Recif's next show is May 24th in Victoria (linked here) then May 25th back in Duncan at the Time and Space Continuum (linked here).

THE GRUNDLES

Closing act and another first show, THE GRUNDLES played thrashy hardcore to close out the night, and it was their "Haille Sellasse, Up Your Ass" cover of Propagandhi that had me screaming along.

(2024) THE GRUNDLES (live)

https://youtu.be/FxKqjfGR9gQ

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MOURN RECIF

This was our first show. We've been a band since January 2024. We are influenced by punk and screamo, primarily. Usually I'm pretty decent at band comparisons but when it comes to projects that I play in I just draw blanks. If you have any opinions about "for fans of" or "sounds like" please let me know in the comments so I can use that shit in future posts. We have two shows this weekend, Friday in Victoria and Saturday in Duncan. Stoked.

(2024) MOURN RECIF "Slow Reign" (live)

https://youtu.be/A_bHTjJ4wL8

Instagram

extra video: "Our Kids Are Orchids"

https://youtu.be/Y75q_YmQX8o

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VYING FOR GLORY

Mixing dirty rock'n'roll with punk, this Duncan band played a buncha stuff including covers.

(2024) VYING FOR GLORY (live)

https://youtu.be/3jojzsrHulM

Instagram

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SKUM SHINE

This Victoria-based collective featured a stripped-down two members (but snagged Dakota a few days prior to triangle out that trio) and had the crowd singing along in no time. Acoustic folk punk.

(2024) SKUM SHINE (live)

https://youtu.be/-ZJ01rlYbWQ

Bandcamp

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KESU FNORD

This opener was a very cool solo act featuring vocals and an acoustic guitar. Folksy punk rock fer sure.

(2024) KESU FNORD "Democracy Is Dead" (live)

https://youtu.be/YISmzDw69qw

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~

ADDITIONAL LINKS