*** PODCAST #194 Best of 2025 (w/Dave Cullen) ***

    2025 is over so Dave Cullen from Crowning + Biological Fathers + ZBR USA came on the podcast as per the yearly tradition. Some topics broached: breaking all the basses, best movies/shows of the year, the EP or LP conundrum, the most screamo thing to ever happen, Jesse Mowery: a joy to behold, technical asshole music, Screamo of the Year, treasure troves of badassery, Nuvolascura has a time machine, go-fuck-yourself art, The Hives and The Freeze, what we're looking forward to in 2026, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Hynoki, Letterstoyou, Limbs May Fall, and Twins. Listen to podcast #194 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

BIOLOGICAL FATHERS

Bandcamp

1 Intro x Norman's Top EPs/Splits
HYNOKI "Newton's Third Law of Motion" (Norman)

2 Cullen's Top EPs/Splits

LIMBS MAY FALL "mistake" (Cullen)

3 Norman's Top LPs 

LETTERSTOYOU "lifted" (Norman)

4 Cullen's Top LPs x Looking Ahead to 2026

TWINS "Stories" (Cullen)

~Dave

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PODCAST #194 linked here

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*** TRESS ALLUDE exclusive music video premiere ***

TRESS ALLUDE

"falling apart"
exclusive music video premiere

For fans of: Caught In The Fall, Eyes Of Verotika, Old Soul and Straight No Chaser

Bandcamp

     If you checked out Zampler #23 (linked here) back in late 2024 then you heard the track "The Window" by TRESS ALLUDE. This song is from the 'E.P.' release that finally released today by the band who features three of the dudes that brought you Old Soul, with Adrian (drums/vox), Steven (bass/vox), and Mikey (guitar). Although it's an "EP" it's also 18 songs aaaaaand the three-piece is already done recording another album minus vocals. Steven and Adrian have another new Low Center album that's ready whenever, which is a vessel for their folky/sad/ambient-ish stuff. The two are also in a bass'n'drum band and Steven also does EDM under Watermouth, while Adrian drums for Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow.

The band told me this release is, "...rough and raw and not trying to be all deep like old soul was. Which is what we intended."

(2026) TRESS ALLUDE "falling apart" (from 'EP')

https://youtu.be/juvemGGtWis

ADDITIONAL LINKS & WHATNOT

TRESS ALLUDE bandcamp

*** PODCAST #193 Mercy Necromancy ***

    In early 2025 my wife introduced me to MERCY NECROMANCY. I don't think I've ever fallen for something so instantly and completely. So after collecting all of the released material and soaking for almost a year, I was eventually able to make contact with the artist and arrange a vinyl pressing of 'Fallen' on 12" via my label Softseed Music. After some convincing, I was able to get him to join me on the OMSB podcast and now we are here. Speaking of awesome surprises, we've got another one for you on Monday February 16th so keep an eye and ear out! Back to the podcast, a few things we touched on: Melanie Martinez the voice of inspiration, breaking into secular music, the writing process, the "Clown" conundrum and crazy video facts, the lost Demo, naming Mercy Necromancy, the shower EP, shitting on the PR machine, fuck AI, good horror movies, Mercy's mom's favorite song, working on the new album, vocals changes, Ethel Cain and Mary Mortem collabs, drawn to the opposite, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Chelsea Wolfe, Grimes, Melanie Martinez, Purity Ring, and Shedfromthebody. Listen to podcast #193 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

MERCY NECROMANCY

Instagram
12"s from Softseed Music linked here!

1 Falling Off the Cool Map
CHELSEA WOLFE "They'll Clap When You're Gone" (Mercy)

SHEDFROMTHEBODY "Linger" (Dave)

2 Horror Movie Goals

GRIMES "Kill V. Maim" (Mercy) [official music video]

PURITY RING "iamanocean" (Dave) [official music video]

3 I Need to Release an Album

MELANIE MARTINEZ "Milk and Cookies" (Mercy) [official music video]

~Dave

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PODCAST #193 linked here

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AMBRETTA

Band: AMBRETTA
For fans of: Swan Of Tuonela, Nuvolascura, Sear, Blind Girls, Shesmadefromsuede, Fainting In Coils, Ostraca, June Paik, and Atalanta.
Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Metallic Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Doom / Sludge

Related artists: ?.
Country: Lake Havasu City, Arizona U.S.A.
Years Active: 2025-present

Label(s): Self released

     I came for the album art, I stayed for the sick, doomy screamo. This incredible three-piece from Arizona released their debut 'Ephemeral' on December 10th of 2025, reminding those who don't understand calendars that their year end lists were hella flawed.

     The EP opens with "Humility", a heavy, dirty first jab that'll leave the listener bruised but ready for more. The darkness and gloom is apparent from the get-go, bringing a bit of Meth. and Orphan Donor vibes to the table where Nuvolascura and Swan Of Tuonela are already seated. "Fragments" and closer "Ephemeral" follow a different trajectory, opting for slow, brooding, lush intros that eventually lead to destruction, with the former happening relatively quickly and the latter being generally swelling and epic. Speaking of the final track, that shit is fucking ace. Brooding, dark, atmospheric, beautiful - goddamn that intro alone is worth your time, with gorgeous guitar and thunderous bass shifting perfectly into the meaty verse. At the two-minute mark the chorus kicks in and it's a fucking behemoth. It sounds like a slow-motion Nuvolascura or evil subterranean twin of Swan Of Tuonela. Gotta mention those vocals too, cuz holy smokes are they both 1) amazing and 2) provided by the bassist (additional props for double-duty). They range from spoken word to full-on shrieks as well as gutteral moments on "Soft Hands". Hot damn what a debut.

     I have no idea what they've got cookin' next but I'm fuckin' huuuuuuungry and salivating.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2025 - Demo (stream here)

2025 - Ephemeral (stream/donate/download here)

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(2025) AMBRETTA - "Ephemeral" (from 'Ephemeral')

https://youtu.be/kEx0RQZICPw

(2025) AMBRETTA - "Fragments" (from 'Ephemeral')

https://youtu.be/9Tv00zYpPeg

(2025) AMBRETTA - "Humility" (from 'Ephemeral')

https://youtu.be/PAXBXy0lxpk

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Additional links

Live Living Room Set (7/25/25)

https://youtu.be/AHSL1XqrszU

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*** 50 DAYS AT ILIAM exclusive song premiere ***

50 DAYS AT ILIAM

"Until Oxidation"
exclusive song premiere

For fans of: Comeback Kid, Enter Shikari, It Dies Today and Killswitch Engage

Bandcamp

Instagram

     I am stoked to bring you the first song from 50 DAYS AT ILIAM, the relaunched New Jersey project that began in 2022 under the name Final Resting Pose but now has a new lineup. Following up on their 4-way split with Pyre, Stress Spells, and Who Put Bella In The Witch Elm, this demo marks a clear shift in the sound, expanding into grander territories toeing the lines between metalcore, melodic hardcore, and post rock. The band has shared the stage with the likes of Massa Nera, Respire, Hosewhip, etc. and also played 2024's Dilly Dally Festival. Today's premiere is for "Until Oxidation" and frontman Jordan Emanuel had this to say about it:

"Until Oxidation" is a song about trying to find stability in the face of overwhelming powerlessness. I'll be the 800th person today to describe the times as 'trying, ' but in shorthand, things suck, and it's getting hard to maintain hope. My main weapon against my anxiety has always been exercise and deep breathing, so in an effort to remind myself how to meaningfully show up every day, I wrote this song. 'Cold is the blood in my veins until oxidation,' everything feels impossible until you find that moment to breathe deep, and take it slow for a minute. As long as you're still here, the world and its issues are as well, so take the rest you need and return emboldened to meet the call.

(2026) 50 DAYS AT ILIAM "Until Oxidation" (from 'Demo')

https://youtu.be/SVN6fHp3e9w

     "Until Oxidation" begins with metallic hardcore instrumentals that descend into hell with dissonant riffing and breakdowns that fully develops around the one-minute mark when the vocalist also steps in, uttering violent barks at the listener before the song shifts into chuggy metal territory. At 1:40 there's a wicked chip-tune break that ushers in the clean vocals that are at the forefront but not over the top, with the song then shuffling all three styles into as the song reaches its climax for the last minute and change.

DOOIE MUS

DOOIE MUS

'III'

Album Review

For fans of: Kÿhl, The Rabbit Theory, Wolverines, Tropical Ice Land and Attack Robot Attack

Bandcamp

     Full transparency, I agreed to premiere this album but simply got buried under work, family, playing a show, and trying to find money to finance my releases. So now that I'm late to the game, I figured a release review was at least owed to the band who put a lot of time and effort into their new album 'III' by DOOIE MUS from the Netherlands.

     First releasing a decade ago in 2016, this two-piece emo/screamo band has released at least five times before this new five-song album dropped at the end of January. Their stripped-down but danceable screamo bares resemblance to bands like Wolverines and The Rabbit Theory, utilizing clean guitars and screaming over groovy drums. The first four tracks follow this formula with standout being "... De Bazen Gaan Naar Hun Villa's" which is a poppy/start-stop screamo jam that gets an electric jolt a minute-and-a-half in that almost borders of emo-violence. "Kringloop Van Verdriet" is also worth a mention as it begins with heavier instrumentals and cathartic screams before jumping in and out of emo-violence and calming dreamy guitars. The album ends with a whopping 13-minute opus titled "Humans (II)" that lends a bit of its massive and epic sound to bands like Daitro and Kÿhl.

(2026) DOOE MUS "... De Bazen Gaan Naar Hun Villa's" (from 'III')

https://youtu.be/TfPuaJHqtFY

(2026) DOOE MUS "Kringloop Van Verdriet" (from 'III')

https://youtu.be/bAK3aJTGpXY

(2026) DOOE MUS "Humans (II)Kringloop Van Verdriet" (from 'III')

https://youtu.be/QJVF_vEoMb8