*** PODCAST #152 Party Hats ***

    I caught up with PARTY HATS aka Ethan, Johah, and Chris from Denton, Texas prior to their ZBR Fest run. Besides asking them to play the fest, I've helped release 'Fatima' on cassette via Tomb Tree so they've been on my radar since then. Twinkly/screamy emo/screamo for the few readers who may not have come across this band yet, but I think they're kind of a mix between The Exploration and D'Amore. Some things discussed amidst awesome music: ripple effects of Warped Tour, laptops as babysitters, Mojo Haiku, the need for output, Dave's small net, Venus Twins' love, excitement for ZBR Fest 2024, destroying a house, Terry Green exclusive premiere, where the 'Autobiographical Autopsy' songs came from, the new 4-way split, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Fake Pollocks, Make Me, The Plan, Sinatra, Terry Green, and Zona Mexicana. Listen to podcast #152 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

PARTY HATS

Bandcamp

1 Thick'n'Sick Screams

MAKE ME "Hello Moon" (Chris)

SINATRA - "Do You Want Me to Save Dude?" (Dave)

2 Deconstructing Party Hats

ZONA MEXICANA "Waking Up Dedicated" (Ethan)

THE PLAN "3x3 Lines" (Dave)

3 Selling Out and Playing Corporate Offices

FAKE POLLOCKS "A Busy City Street" (Jonah)

TERRY GREEN "Blur" (Dave) *** Exclusive Premiere ***

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #152 linked here

_____________________________________________________________________

*** USURP SYNAPSE exclusive song/video premiere ***

USURP SYNAPSE

"Jaw One"
exclusive song/music video premiere

For fans of: Lower Automation, Whores and Jeromes Dream

     New USURP SYNAPSE. More info soon.

(2024) USURP SYNAPSE "Jaw One" official music video

https://youtu.be/_6NVhyL33lE

*** PARTY HATS + VS SELF + KNUMEARS + CATALYST split premiere/order link ***

CATALYST + KNUMEARS + VS SELF + PARTY HATS

"Split"
exclusive album premiere

CATALYST

Bandcamp

KNUMEARS

Bandcamp

VS SELF

Bandcamp

PARTY HATS

Bandcamp

LARRY RECORDS

Bandcamp

ORDER LINK ---> order link goes live at 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST <--- ORDER LINK

     I am fucking ecstatic to be the one bringing you the exclusive first premiere of the entire 7" 4-Way split featuring four of the hottest screamo bands around. Larry Records had this to say about its origin:

"This split was heavily inspired by the 4 way split series ZBR did a few years ago. I wanted to take my 4 favorite new screamo bands and throw'em together for a super split. I’m very happy it worked out, and maybe I’ll do a second volume if you guys like it!"

You heard it! Pick this sucker up so we can get another incredible 4-Way Larry split 7". In a few weeks @milkcrate_merch will be doing t shirts too!

12" Split breakdown: 900 copies total
-200 on half neon violet half black (vs self)
-200 on half neon green half black (knumears)
-200 on half neon yellow half black (catalyst)
-200 on half neon pink and half black (party hats)
-100 on black wax with an alternative cover (larry exclusive / pre-order here after 12pm EST!!!)

https://youtu.be/8XIqBFt7Wqo

CATALYST "Yesterday's Apology"
KNUMEARS "no count"
VS SELF "tide and swell"
PARTY HATS "Today's For Sale"

     CATALYST kicks this thing off with the exceptional "Yesterday's Apology", which carries an air of impatience before sliding nicely into a groove section followed by some dark-ass panic chords and a spoken word section, as well as mixtures of the aforementioned styles. KNUMEARS is next and their pretty lengthy jam of "no count" clocks in at 4:07 and is the heaviest/fastest song on the split. The song creates an excellent mood before catapulting into what is almost a mixture of Senza and Ostraca, I shit you not, and it is glorious. VS SELF begins the second half with arguably their strongest song to date, melding together D'Amore-esque screamo with the emo noodlings of The Exploration. Their grasp of making the softer stuff pop whilst continuing to take the sound into darker territory is very fun to watch in realtime. Closer "Today's For Sale" by PARTY HATS also falls into the noodlier category, but goes both more ramen and screamier than the splits previous band, teetering between the two extremes and showing off why they are playing ZBR Fest 2024.

ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT

VS SELF podcast

.22LR

Band: .22LR
For fans of: Frail Body, Othiel, Gil Cerrone, Youth Funeral, Crowning, Brahm, Elle, Beau Navire, and Heavenly Blue.
Genres: Punk / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence

Related artists: Less Dead, Low Before The Breeze, Noisy Sins Of The Insect, Stevan Filopovic, Tara Tarama, and Jornada Del Muerto.

Country: Atlanta, Georgia U.S.A. + Istanbul TURKEY
Years Active: 2024-present

Label(s): Tomb Tree / Mevzu Records

     After releasing such an incredible debut I felt it necessary to try and push it a bit more through this blog, cuz goddamn why aren't more people talking about how awesome this is?

     Born from the ashes of Less Dead and Low Before The Breeze, the origin of the band is traced by their members in this exclusive Idioteq.com piece that you need to check out if you dig this release. Essentially their final member if from Turkey but has been frequenting the U.S. enough for him to be included in the fold, and has spent time in a few bands including the most notable Noisy Sins Of The Insect and Jornada Del Muerto.

     The bands' sound is rooted in fast, short, violent bursts of screamo but manage to hit the slow motion button and insert some incredible nuances, frills, and melodies not unlike Frail Body, Youth Funeral, and Othiel. It's almost like screamo on speed then diced up with post-hardcore. 36-second opener "Once/Always" teases a lone guitar before pulverizing the listener with lightning fast instrumentals and a buncha vocalists screaming. "Sinking" shows the band showing a firm grasp of soft/hard and slow/fast dynamics with hella atmosphere that teeter into black metal territory but bring it back to pulsating screamo at the one-minute mark. Continuing the heater trajectory, "Alone" blazes through its first 30 seconds before planting firmly into some slower, very accessible, emo/post-hardcore instrumentals that showcase the band's aforementioned ability to balance a feather with an anvil. "Too Late" follows in a similar path (aka fire) and then shifts into slightly slower, but this time to a much heavier, cathartic, and sinister second half with the best vocals on the entire EP. "Gratitude Denied" and "Golden Calf" both show the band gravitating toward the emo/post-hardcore/screamo sound I mentioned earlier with injections of both beauty and chaos. Closer "Epilogue" is an instrumental number but not the throwaway kind, rather the epic-closer kind.

     I can't recommend this EP enough. I think it's fucking stellar, bias be damned.

________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

2024 - .22lr cassette EP (listen/download/buy here)

________________________________________

(2024) .22LR - "Too Late" (from '.22lr')

https://youtu.be/Jkg_MB6PTZM

(2024) .22LR - "Alone" (from '.22lr')

https://youtu.be/4hCBoaX7fRc

(2024) .22LR - "Golden Calf" (from '.22lr')

https://youtu.be/XPNvsVbJc3U

*** VOW exclusive song premiere ***

VOW

"Die Silent"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Undying, Rotting In Dirt, Pathos Departure, (early) Left Behind, Advent, Brothers and Xibalba

releases April 16th on Tomb Tree

     VOW is a new band from Chicago and holy fuckin' smokes this 'Demo' hits like a concrete slab. Vocalist Andy Klingensmith has done a bunch of drone/noise and acoustic folk but when he sent me this four-track debut I couldn't believe my ears. Pummeling yet dynamic, heavy yet melodic, this band's release comes out on cassette via Tomb Tree on April 16th. The band is generally influenced by a lot of classic 90s metallic hardcore and early 2000s metalcore bands. Citing influences Xibalba and Undying as guitar influences as well as Renounced, Falling Cycle, and Boundaries regarding the vocal/lyrical approach.

      The band started with Andy (vocals) and Aaron (guitar) bonding over heavy music at work. Andy recollects:

"I specifically remember he had sent me the song "Wasitaratisaw" by Kicked in the Head By a Horse in April of 2023 and we started talking about potentially working on something together. He wrote the music for our demo shortly after and we were practicing by that summer. There wasn't really a "why" though, we just wanted to bring stupid heavy, emotional music to the city in a style we felt a lot of other bands here aren't doing and do it well."

(2024) VOW "Die Silent" (from 'Demo')

https://youtu.be/Iuv_5jrfcBE

     The third track wastes zero time and goes directly for the jugular with a lightning intro that battles against devastating vocals for a mere 20 seconds before shifting into second gear. The vocal dynamics are on full display with gutteral growls, higher shrieks, and spoken word all going down in less than a minute. The spiral descends until the 1:30 mark when the moshpit will open up in your brain and shit gets fucked up. Seeing this part live would be a very dangerous experience lol. The song moves through a few more segments (all fucking sick) before trailing off into a beautiful piano outro drowned in a downpour.

*** LIFE IN VACUUM + THE DOG INDIANA + DASTARD live show review ***

LIFE IN VACUUM

THE DOG INDIANA / DASTARD

@Lucky Bar in Victoria on March 29th, 2024
Live Show Review

I'm starting to get back into the cycle of seeing a lot of shows and I couldn't be happier about it. Besides the most recent Emma Goldman show and this, expect reviews of the Comeback Kid/Spy show in Victoria as well as the first few Mourn Recif shows, a few of which will be with Hillsboro and Bok Suna (bands on CanaDave's Softseed Music label). Trekking out to this on my lonesome was a tad daunting but I got hugged immediately by a few friends upon entering and all of my worries dissipated, and I even made a few new ones while there. This show was all-around amazing and I can't wait to get more involved in the Vancouver Island scene over the next 3 months with at least 5 shows that I'll be playing.

DASTARD

     The opening band was very, very up my alley. Sounding like a slightly more accessible Die Princess Die (I'm looking at the first LP in particular), I absolutely loved that groovin' bass over maniacal drums, weirdo guitars, and yelled vocals. I'm hoping to get these dudes out to Duncan so they can play with my new band. Super impressed!

(2024) DASTARD "1"

For fans of: Die Princess Die and Fugazi

https://youtu.be/PjSEruYXNMU

Bandcamp

extra video

^\/`~~~~---------------00oOo00---------------~~~~'\/^

THE DOG INDIANA

     Holy shit! I'd never heard of this band but after a friend told me they jammed Unsane and The Jesus Lizard I had a grasp, but goddamn they were even better than that! It was unhinged, screamy, groovy, fun, and heavy all at the same time. I would argue that I didn't even catch their best songs, as they are even better than the below video suggests. Be sure to check them out!

(2024) THE DOG INDIANA "2"

For fans of: Tricky Woo and Ken Mode

https://youtu.be/N06epQmBajY

Bandcamp

extra video

^\/`~~~~---------------00oOo00---------------~~~~'\/^

LIFE IN VACUUM

     Oh ma gawd, ma boyeez. I met them waaaaay back at this early show in the blog's history and I've been on LIV train ever since...which is a decade in exactly two weeks! Playing almost exclusively material from 'Lost', they had the room movin' and groovin' with their slightly slower-paced and rock-oriented material mesmerizing the room. They were even chanted into an encore and played "Apartment" which I've embedded below. They've got another 7 or so days left on tour so see'em if you can!

(2024) LIFE IN VACUUM "Apartment" (from 'All You Can Quit')

For fans of: Blue Youth and Congratulations

https://youtu.be/IVdEFWR0HKo

Bandcamp

extra videos: Lost / Try Again / Lately

^\/`~~~~---------------00oOo00---------------~~~~'\/^

 

LOCKSLIP

Band: LOCKSLIP
For fans of: Converge, Horsewhip, Ed Gein, Volp, Engineer, Cult Leader, Kidnap Soundtrack, The Chariot, Cave In, Rotting In Dirt, Sectioned, Frontierer, Dillinger Escape Plan, Advent, Lavotchkin, Achilles, and Lentic Waters.
Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Metal / Metalcore / Metallic Hardcore / Math Metal / Mathcore

Related artists: House Olympics.
Country: Loas Angeles, California U.S.A.
Years Active: 2023-present

Label(s): Bad Break Records

     I've had the review queued up for over a week but have had a tough go with the exception of "this kicks major ass", so I'll make this quick.

     The Los Angeles quintet will likely make my best EPs of 2024 with a four-song banger that released the day after my birthday back in January. The debut by LOCKSLIP is very heavy, dynamic, and cathartic, without being too emo or too tough-guy, likely falling into the camp of Converge, Horsewhip, Engineer, and The Chariot. There's pretty much no letting up on the 14 minutes of this talent showcase, with opener "Guillotine Blueprint" setting the tone immediately with blazing vocals amidst wonderfully controlled chaos. Lotta chugs, lotta riffs, wails, screams'n'breakdowns, it's all here in a mere 3:09, with the maniacal solos taking the cake for me. "Bend" is next and lays on that double-bass from the get-go, amidst swirling guitars, bouts of feedback and downright venomous vocals. My personal favourite is "Evildoer" as it rides some truly powerful screams through a maze of down-tuned, chuggy, and lazer-esque mathcore/metallic hardcore that even fans of Sectioned and Frontierer will appreciate. Closing track "Payment" opens with a badass bass riff that does the audio equivalent of turning the lights off, plunging the listener into utter darkness. As the feedback slowly and inevitably consumes you the track then blows up like the big bang at the 40-second mark, expanding outward until 2:10 when the EP takes it's first breather, reverting back primarily to bass. This doesn't last long as the vocals then kick into high gear, bringing about a most bangin' breakdown at the three-minute mark. A goddamn solid EP.

     Fack, that wasn't very quick.

________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

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

________________________________________

(2024) LOCKSLIP - "Evildoer" (from 'Lockslip')

https://youtu.be/kj92LN8XmUY

(2024) LOCKSLIP - "Payment" (from 'Lockslip')

https://youtu.be/SEM9a7PnBE4

________________________________________

Additional links

Podcast with Edie of Everything Remade

________________________________________

*** FARAH RUD + OPIÁCEA + DESVIO split premiere ***

FARAH RUD + OPIÁCEA + DESVIO

"Split"
exclusive album premiere

For fans of: Orchid, June Paik and Amu Daria

FARAH RUD Bandcamp
DESVIO Bandcamp
OPIÁCEA Bandcamp

      
     Today's premiere of this incredible 3-way split featuring 7 songs in 16 minutes from Farah Rud (Indonesia), Desvio (Brazil), and Opiácea (Brazil). It releases in full March 21st via Lua Negra Records, a Brazilian screamo label, on their Bandcamp page as well as streaming platforms. The production was completely DIY: all the songs were recorded, mixed and mastered by the bands themselves. They are currently looking for labels interested in a tape release, so if that's your thing or you'd like it to start to be your thing please contact the bands! Lastly, at the end of march, Desvio is touring Brazil's southeast region, on the "ninho torto tour" ("crooked nest tour"). More info about the tour linked on Instagram here!

     Things begin with three quick FARAH RUD songs that bring to mind emo-violence ala Orchid, Senza, and Mis sueños son de tu adiós - ya know, lotsa screaming and an early 2000s feel, with the closing jam experiencing spaghettification as it breaks down into feedback and chaos. OPIÁCEA's two jams are much darker and fall on the screamo/black-metal/crust side of things, bringing to mind bands such as June Paik, Deszcz, and His Hero Is Gone. DESVIO finishes this killer split off with two songs that find the balance between the two preceding bands, as they mix post-hardcore, sludgy rock, as well as both fast and slow elements along with the skramz. I don't really have band comparisons here because they really branch off and do their own thing, maybe some heavier Joliette mixed with Amu Daria or something.

(2024) FARAH RUD + OPIÁCEA + DESVIO full stream

https://youtu.be/52874vdEPzM

*** PODCAST #151 Flesh And Blood Robot ***

    Nick Miller from FLESH AND BLOOD ROBOT joined me on the most recent podcast which I'm airing a day before their reunion show with From A Second Story Window on March 17th, 2024 at Pyramids Scheme in Grand Rapids, the band's first show in 18 years. Nick also plays in Dust Biters and is a hella funny and interesting guy. Some things discussed: stupid back injuries, being a roadie at 16, Myspace messaging board beefs, screamo and instru-metal tangents, surviving on the McDonald's $1 menu, reuniting and playing with From A Second Story Window, the Ion Dissonance trailer show, the Sunn O))) effect, the last thing recorded whilst being murdered, resurrecting social media presence, the future of FABR, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Alluviul, Deadwater Drowning, Ekbom, Johnny Truant, Nuvolascura, and The Red Chord. Listen to podcast #151 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

FLESH AND BLOOD ROBOT

Bandcamp

1 The Tech Gods

DEADWATER DROWNING "The Best Sex I Ever Had Started With a 900 Number and a Credit Card Verification" (Nick)

JOHNNY TRUANT "I Love You Even Though You're a Zombie Now" (Dave)

2 It's All Patterns and Counting

THE RED CHORD "Nihilist" (Nick)

NUVOLASCURA "Cerulean Wound" (Dave)

3 I Lost the Floor

ALLUVIUL "Colony" (Nick)

EKBOM "Elogio Alla Miopia" (Dave)

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #151 linked here

_____________________________________________________________________

*** AUTUMN exclusive song premiere ***

AUTUMN

"winter hug"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Sorecausaqich and Twinfield

orders open March 26th on Softseed Music

     Nearing summer I will begin posting more indie rock stuff, as that has dominated my ears for the past year. Just a heads up. I reckon once per month you'll see a post for that kind of stuff, with everything else remaining the same as it's been for the last 12 years.

     As I continue my immersion into the softer stuff, when I find stuff I really like I put that shit out on my label Softseed Music, which is where this post fits in. After speaking with this artist over the past year I was finally sent their EP in full and was immediately smitten. Five tracks of gorgeous, uplifting, and poppy indie rock that incorporate vocaloid, with today's premiere being the closer of 'Autumn', titled "winter hug". The vocal melody that hits in the chorus is superb. Tapes release March 26th on Softseed Music over two variants and a coupla test dips.

(2024) AUTUMN "winter hug" (from 'please be happy')

https://youtu.be/4pRdZwamZIk

     The songs begins immediately with the opening verse, skipping through the first 36 seconds, after which the first chorus kicks in with the most ethereal and gorgeous vocals I've heard this year. If the verses are like running through a flowery field (and I think they are) then the chorus is like standing atop a mountain slowly spinning arms wide in overwhelming joy. The song hits the verse and chorus twice in a row before moving into the bridge/outro that includes a focus on the instrumentals and features a lone guitar solo followed by minimal keys. So fucking good!

*** PODCAST #150 Gxllium! ***

    In December of 2023 California's GXLLIUM! came out swinging and released their debut album followed just two months later by their outstanding 'split w/Onewaymirror'. After adding the band for ZBR Fest this May and lining up our cassette order for their 'Gxllium1', I snagged Frankie, Greg, Riley, and Dj for this podcast to discuss their collective birth and tons of other things including: Nirvana exposure and "Scentless Apprentice" love, evolving beyond dub-step, dropping acid at Disneyland, geeking out about ZBR Fest 2024, sampling two girls one cup/Jurassic Park/Cloverfield, writing GXLLIUM! songs is so easy, how the Onewaymirror split came into being, Tater Tots is everywhere, Happy Birthday Jesus, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Departmefrombearisland, Me And Him Call It Us, Nova One, Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza, Unsane, and The Valdons. Listen to podcast #150 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

GXLLIUM!

Bandcamp

1 The Unbreakable Bond

UNSANE "Bath" (Riley)

TONY DANZA TAP DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA "Cliff Burton Surprise" (Frankie)
ME AND HIM CALL IT US "Innocent Bystanders Watched In Horror As Peter Jennings Drew His Murder Weapon" (Dave)

2 The Gxllium! Effect

DEPARTMEFROMBEARISLAND "Promo '23" (Dj)
THE VALDONS "Whatcha Gonna Do" (Greg)

NOVA ONE "if you were mine" (Dave)

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #150 linked here

_____________________________________________________________________

*** TERROR CELL exclusive song premiere ***

TERROR CELL

"Constant Visions of Suffering"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Meth., Majority Rule, fallingwithscissors, Abuse Repression, PG.99, .gif from god and Malevich

Bandcamp

     After becoming friends with Hunter Johnson I've gained access to a few sick bands adjacent to the screamo scene, namely his solo project Charger Port and the metallic hardcore/screamo band TERROR CELL that he drums for. Today I've got the latter's new song, still unreleased, that will show up on their next record. I'll let them fill in a few blanks below, then I'll discuss the single.

     "Constant Visions of Suffering" is the first single from TERROR CELL’s second full length LP 'All Quiet' set to release mid-to-late 2024 via Fisher King Records on vinyl as well as cassette and CD in collaboration with Soft Grit Recordings. This jam was engineered by Joey Woodard and mixed/mastered by Adam Cichoocki.

     Based in the “screamo capitol of the world” Richmond, VA, the band’s sound has been largely influenced from the start by titanic Richmond area groups such as Pageninetnine, Majority Rule, and City of Caterpillar, and 'All Quiet' sees these influences significantly dialed up. The album title itself being borrowed from the 1929 anti-war novel “All Quiet On the Western Front”, while far from being a concept album, has consistent overlying themes of the horrors of war, and the grief that accompanies it.

(2024) TERROR CELL "Constant Visions of Suffering" (from 'All Quiet')

https://youtu.be/0UP4Nu34H0M

     The metallic hardcore side of the band is still present, but the screamo elements are definitely creeping in. The song takes its time building the foundation with rolling drums, ethereal guitars, and strained yells before things lurch into what I would describe as chunky, atmospheric black metal with much more of a backbone after 1:30 mark. The subsequent section beings around 2:40 and takes the song from enveloping to homicidal in a heartbeat, bringing to mind mathcore and deathcore bands as well as Meth. and Abuse Repression complete with an ending that nightmares are made of. That's some hot shit, good lord.

*** PODCAST #149 Solvalou ***

     Being attached to Tomb Tree definitely has some perks, including getting to hear albums way before they come out. As this was the case with Wisconsin's SOLVALOU, the new project featuring members who have spent time in Under A Sky So Blue, Malevich, and Riotnine was one such band that I've been jamming constantly since being sent the masters. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Robert, Cara, Will, and Cleo to discuss their new self-titled EP 'Solvalou' as well as: Frail Body > midwest emo, public deaths, the only influence, recording strategies, bootlegged Snag swag, lyrical content, being trans in Alabama, sad dudes not doing well, folk music and screamo, why their new songs might be influenced by Gxllium!, their next split, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Gxllium!, In Reverent Fear, Justin Townes Earle, Signals Midwest, Stranger By Day, and Taking Back Sunday. Listen to podcast #149 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

SOLVALOU

Bandcamp

Listen to the EP + buy the cassette

1 The Screamo Trajectory

TAKING BACK SUNDAY "Cute Without The E" (Cara) [official music video]
SIGNALS MIDWEST "Limnology" (Robert)

2 Wisconsin and the Beginning

IN REVERENT FEAR "Fold and Tear" (Dave)

3 It's Very True To Ourselves To Like Funeral Diner

STRANGER BY DAY "The Arsenic We Speak" (Will)
JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE "The Ghost of Virginia" (Cleo)
GXLLIUM! "If Hector Was A Beaver" (Dave)

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #149 linked here

_____________________________________________________________________

THE PLAN

Band: THE PLAN
For fans of: North Of America, Faraquet, The Holy Shroud, Blue Youth, The Mark Inside, Girl Arm, Left Hand Cuts The Right, At The Drive In, For The Mathematics, Hey Predator!, Christiansen, Q And Not U, and Life In Vacuum.
Genres: Punk / Rock / Indie / Math Rock / Angular Rock / Post-Hardcore

Related artists: North Of America, The Holy Shroud, A History Of, Cold Warps, Prisoners, Equation Of State, FYM, Thrush Hermit, Essen, Kestrels, Savant Garde, State Champs, The Art Ensemble Of Halifax, The Got To Get Got, Led By Regret, Thundrah, The Breakup, Ronny Howl, The Motes, Recyclone, and Buck65.

Country: Halifax, Nova Scotia CANADA
Years Active: 1999-2002

Label(s): Self Released / Matlock Records / Rewika Records / The Jesus Sanchez Endeavour

     For a very, very long time I've been obsessed with both North Of America and The Holy Shroud due to being a Level Plane fanatic in the 2000s. Quick backstory: Level Plane released all the best screamo back in the 2000s so I followed their catalogue religiously and picked up on these sick, jangly, angular math-rock/post-punk bands. So how, how in the actual fuck, did I miss THE PLAN? Featuring members of both bands and straight up sounding like them too, this 2023 discovery sent me down a rabbit hole I thought was long swallowed up by the earth.

     In 1999 the band released their debut demo cassette which I tracked down yesterday but won't discuss as all of the songs ended up on the 2000 full length. So 'This Time Is Not The Place' is arguably better than the band's final effort, as it boasts tracks like the very North Of America-esque opener "3x3 Lines" (which mixes angular guitars with a most excellent groove), "The Arabesque" (super chill bass-led jam with a killer progression), "Beyond Action and Reaction" (great call and response whilst still being on the darker side), and "I Am All Kinds of Illegal" (quirky and pretty screamy and all-around banger). Seriously this entire album rocks and if you like angular math/indie rock with sometimes sung/yelled/screamed dual vocals you're about to ascend into heaven.

      At some point in 2000 the band released the awesome two-song 7" that houses "Ante The Essay" and "Give Me The Theory", with the former being one of the bands best songs incorporating excellent dual vocals and a coupla screams amongst the danciness. Also that bass riff is unmistakably amazing. Two of the songs from the 2000 five-song 'Demo' didn't end up being rerecorded for the 2001 full length. "The Temporary City" and "How We Make History" are actually really good, especially the former which is a driving, dancey number that sounds like essential THE PLAN to me.

     The band's final recordings showed up on the 9-track cd/12"LP 'Only These Movements Remain'. Leading off with the sensational "Lit Like A Monument", it weaves discordant yet groovy path to my heart. It should be noted that the band definitely got a bit mathier on this release as songs such as "Man vs. MIDI" is a whirlwind of frenetic energy, jazzy beats, and layered vocals. "Let's Hear It For Our School Orchestra" and "Missive" are also very good, but I do find the second half of the album much more meandering and less brain-tingling than the first.

     It's crazy to say, but track-for-track this band is even better than North Of America. I can't believe I just wrote that...but it's true. Oh by the way North Of America reformed and is playing Orchid's Toronto date!!!

________________________________________

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

1999 - Demo cassette LP

2000 - Ante The Essay / Give Me The Theory 7"EP

2000 - This Time Is Not The Place cd LP

2000 - Demo cassette cassette EP

2001 - Only These Movements Remain cd/12" LP

________________________________________

(2000) THE PLAN - "3x3 Lines" (from 'This Time Is Not The Place')

https://youtu.be/swd99nPM5Zg

(2000) THE PLAN - "I am All Kinds of Illegal" (from 'This Time Is Not The Place')

https://youtu.be/9oqogVldHTg

(2000) THE PLAN - "Beyond Action and Reaction" (from 'This Time Is Not The Place')

https://youtu.be/7XHmHCjr0RI

(2000) THE PLAN - "Ante The Essay" (from 'Ante The Essay / Give Me The Theory' 7")

https://youtu.be/8qgk9_rC7GU

(2000) THE PLAN - "The Temporary City" (from 'Demo')

https://youtu.be/ll6us7UnuSI

(2001) THE PLAN - "Lit Like A Monument" (from 'Only These Movements Remain')

https://youtu.be/GtPBVlnlW_s

(2001) THE PLAN - "Man Vs. MIDI" (from 'Only These Movements Remain')

https://youtu.be/vgCLc03f1vE

________________________________________

THE PLAN out of print mp3 discography download

(download here)

________________________________________

*** PODCAST #148 Edhochuli ***

     In 2013 I witnessed EDHOCHULI just ruin people at a show. We weren't impressed, we were fucking floored. Absolute brain annihilation linked here. Since then I've been good friends with the Pittsburgh four-piece/now five-piece, having them play ZBR Mini-Fest as well as ZBR Fest 2022 and the upcoming 2024 fest. I also had the pleasure of helping release their newest LP 'Higherlander' on Zegema Beach Records. Homies comin' around full circle. Some things discussed: late to life due to guitar, bumming out Mag from Yaphet Kotto, the creators of screamo, select groups of people shitting their pants, a song about Michael Jordan, the history of Outclassed (aka time is weird), football referees that are jacked as hell and Edhochuli's band name origin, Dallas as a hole, booking tours on tour, recording with John Nuñez, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Birthday Boyz, Red Animal War, and Yaphet Kotto. Listen to podcast #148 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

EDHOCHULI

Bandcamp

Buy 12" from Zegema Beach Records

Also available through Forcefield Records and The Ghost Is Clear Records

"Questionably Paleo, Incontrovertibly Neanderthal" official music video

https://youtu.be/brE7O94Wnwg

1 Shredding By Myself

YAPHET KOTTO "Inquire Within" (Jon)

2 Playing a Show So Bad You Gotta Change Your Band Name

BIRTHDAY BOYZ "Basketball" (Dave)

3 Touring Forever

RED ANIMAL WAR "Mouse" (Garett)

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #148 linked here

_____________________________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

OMSB + EDHOCHULI video interview from 2014

EDHOCHULI review

9 LAGOONS OF DEATH

Band: 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH
For fans of: Infant Island, Blue Noise, An Autumn For Crippled Children, My Hair Is A Rat's Nest, Sickle Eater, To Be Gentle, Life, Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket, Young Mountain, and Ostraca.

Genres: Punk / Post-Rock / Post-Hardcore / Post-Metal / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Black Metal / Blackgaze / Shoegaze

Related artists: ?.
Country: New York, New York U.S.A.
Years Active: 2023-present

Label(s): Self Released / Label Of Goods

     Woah nelly look at this prolific yet rarely discussed band from NYC. Looks like a solo project, and four LPs in 18 months is nuts for a band to accomplish, and is even pretty damn impressive for a lone ranger (if that is the case). 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH play sometimes fast, sometimes slow and droning, part black metal and part shoegaze aka blackgaze I guess, with a screamo base, aka early Infant Island.

     2022's debut/self-titled '9 Lagoons Of Death' full length shows what the project is aiming for, and pretty much nails most of the sound, except perhaps the speed (generally slower) as well as in the vocal department which are yelled more than screamed (just a personal preference, of course). My faves off this are "Crawling Out My Hands" with a stellar riff, "How Did I Get This Low" because of the balance of melody & chaos, as well as "Darker" due to that gorgeous atmosphere. It's a decent listen and a definite must for any die-hard fan, but I wouldn't recommend starting here if you wanna check the band out. Keep on reading!

     2023 was a very busy year as the band released 'Killtrocity' and 'Soon I'll Be Gone'. The former is more like a noise/grind album not unlike the quick attacks of early Old Man Gloom, but with less noise/metal and more grind/black-metal. I find this the least appealing of the four releases mostly because it doesn't sound like the same band, and perhaps could have been released under a different moniker, like oooooh I dunno 10 Swamps Of Life. So obviously don't start here if you want to listen because it very much seems to be a one-off. 'Soon I'll Be Gone' on the other hand, was where I heard my first Lagoon Of Death and led me to salivate until the release of their stellar 2024 album. Back to the 2023 precursor, which is most certainly the evolution of the debut, bringing the better parts of it and fleshing them out. A few songs feature an additional vocalist by the name of Ateş and they really work to elevate the songs along with the primary vocalist who leans more into screaming on this release. "You Wanted Me (Ateş)" is a prime example of this and my vote for President Slap while "Bleeding In My Blood" has screaming that any screamo fan will appreciate. 

     2024's 'Feels Like Home' has better recording, is much faster/screamier, and is generally pretty damn awesome, which is apparent in the first 10 seconds of opener "Arms So Tired Ill Never Let You Slip Away". There are some more serene moments as well as calmer jams (like "12 Brings Loneliness", "Heart So Cold", and "Feels Like The Last Time") but it's the head-swaying repetition of "The Things You Have To Say", the jarring momentum of "My Face In Your Eyes", and the swirling radiance of "I'm Yours Tonight" that really make this release feel like 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH hit the mark.

     I'm very stoked on this project and can't wait to hear what's next. If the speed of release continues we could definitely expect something else this year.

________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

2022 - 9 Lagoons Of Death cassette LP (stream/donate/buy here)

2023 - Killtrocity cassette LP (stream/donate/buy here)

2023 - Soon I'll Be Gone digital LP(stream/buy here)

2024 - Feels Like The Last Time digital LP  (stream/buy here)

________________________________________

(2024) 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH - "My Face In Your Eyes" (from 'Feels Like The Time')

https://youtu.be/d8ZD00BKDpI

(2024) 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH - "The Things You Have To Say" (from 'Feels Like The Time')

https://youtu.be/C1I71a6aSAw

(2024) 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH - "I'm Yours Tonight" (from 'Feels Like The Time')

https://youtu.be/69N1kKijBdQ

(2023) 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH - "You Wanted Me (Ateş)" (from 'Soon I'll Be Gone')

https://youtu.be/x1atOy_gZ80

(2023) 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH - "Cut" (from 'Soon I'll Be Gone')

https://youtu.be/Tmxkk5b8Um0

(2023) 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH - "1997" (from 'Killtrocity')

https://youtu.be/zuJFtXJqG4Y

(2022) 9 LAGOONS OF DEATH - "Crawling Out My Hands" (from '9 Lagoons Of Death')

https://youtu.be/DzauOg9QiBw

________________________________________