Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave
Photo Credit 📷 : @elizabethsechochamber
Savannah, Georgia is one of the most haunted places in America. It’s a city with a potent history, often filled with dark and horrific moments that earmark many ancient cities on this countries stolen land. It’s only fitting that a band like Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave would hail from the same place. This weeks New Music Monday sees the world premiere of the bands first ever recorded song, “I Remember Halloween”.
Opening with chords pulled from a mid-aughts GarageBand crafted screamo demo , rosemary kicks off straight into a winding riff and throaty shouted screams, it kicks forward like an extinction burst through paired shouts, syncopated drumming and windy, chuggy riffs. There’s a specter of hope that seems to be the through line here, yet it feels hopelessly bound to a house of despondency, of a painful lived experienced that still elicits a wince when remembered. Then suddenly the middle bridge caves into a colossal choral symphony of screams, shouts, riffs and bass, a begging of aural banishment, some desire to move on perhaps finally coming to fruition before al closing out to quiet.
The visceral nature of the bands sound can’t help but make me excited for what the band may have in store for us. But even more so, the narrative that seems to be slowly wheeled out, could lead us to a newer wave of bands reinvigorating this particular type of screamo. And well, that’d be just alright by me. We look forward to what the band will release next.
Follow them on Bandcamp : rosemary nods upon the grave
Writer : @letsgetpivotal
Editor : @just_reidz
09/02/24
Shortstop
Photo Credit 📷 : @portraitofsound
Sacramento’s band turned one man act turned band again Shortstop are releasing their first full length and we here at Not Just a Phase are more than excited to bring you the world premiere of their first single to be released off it.
There’s a harkening back to a time that feels distant, but really isn’t, and a scene that feels far away, but maybe wasn’t, that seems to be the winds by which “i think you should leave” has cast its sails upon. Feeling all at once influenced by the 2010s screamo scene, I hear the traces of droning emo-yell screamo, and the grimaced specter of midwest plucks and thrums. Lyrically it pulls from those dark places you’d read about on a Loma Prieta insert or while skimming through Guidelines lyrics that someone claims to have deciphered. Yet still, the track tears free from its roots to walk in its own sun and propagate its own orchard.
Other notable new cuts like “john wilkes kissing booth” and “but the heart has it’s own memory and I have not forgotten” can’t help but get me excited for the trajectory of the bands growth and evolution. It won’t be too much longer as the anticipated release date is currently set for September 6th, with physicals to be announced. We can’t wait to get our grubby hands on some hard copies of these bad boys and as always we look forward to what the band has in store for us next.
40ft to go
Photo Credit 📷 : @grima_boppin
Ah shit, it’s Monday again. We’re trying to brighten up the beginning of your brand new week with some beautiful new music as often as we can and today is no exception.
We’re amped to be debuting the latest single “Co-Op” from the Detroit based screamo band 40ft to go. 2023 saw this band emerge with some great singles, an impressive EP, and (my personal favorite) an amazing split with mis sueños son de tu adiós called “Place Twigs on the Dead”.
With hauntingly beautiful vocals complimented by scratchy screams and video game-esque keyboard leads paired with fuzzy distorted guitars, 40ft to go's high-quality-lo-fi recordings has left a mark on me as one of the most promising new acts in the game. Influenced by the likes of Suis La Lune, Brave Little Abacus, and Newfound Interest in Connecticut, 40ft to go's musical body of work has gotten better with every new track. We were happy to interview them to discuss their new music and what the recording process was like, as well as their writing style, and what's to come in the future.
WHAT WAS YOUR WRITING PROCESS LIKE FOR THIS UPCOMING RELEASE?
“Each of us wrote lyrics and led the writing process for at least a couple songs on the album. The way we do it varies depending on who is leading it and with what. For Co-Op, Dylan wrote the lyrics and outlined each section of the song on guitar in no particular order, and we worked together from there to figure out how to merge these sections together into a story.
When I (Dylan) first started writing this song, I wanted it to come from a happier place than I’m used to. I had a lot on my plate at the time and needed my mind to be on something else. The one person I can always count on to make me smile is Emil. For you it may not be your sibling, but your parents or a friend, or your cat or your partner. Whatever the case, this song is about having someone to count on.”
HOW WAS YOUR RECORDING PROCESS THIS TIME AROUND?
“While writing a song together, if we feel like we’re at a point where we have a cohesive structure for a song, we record a demo for it with our phones and then listen and sit on it for a while. Then we come back more confident and comfortable with the song with new ideas and eventually start by recording drums on an electric kit. We use our laptops as amps to monitor ourselves and record guitar and bass track outlines along with Nadia’s separate drum recording in her dining room. The guitars are later re-recorded and we mostly record the screaming in our cars. Benji recorded her vocals in our room facing a closet with an SM-57.”
“WE ALL JUST ENJOY WRITING MUSIC TOGETHER, AND GETTING TO BE A PART OF THE SCREAMO COMUNITY IS FUFFILLING IN ITSELF. IT’S A REALLY COOL AND SATISFYING THING TO MAKE MUSIC WITH FRIENDS, BECAUSE THE THINGS WE CREAT BECOME TANGIBLE, AUDIBLE EVIDENCE OF OUR FRIENDSHIP.”
- EMS @XX.DEADEMS.XX
“We’ve been spending a lot of time together writing these songs and really just hanging out. The album combines the current state of our minds and beliefs into one project. Thank you all for listening and I hope we can inspire anyone who wants to start making music, thank you Not Just A Phase for being super chill with this review.”
Their new single “Co-Op” was both mixed and mastered by the band themselves in a true DIY fashion. Physicals will be coming out early fall from BSDJ, Honeysuckle, See You Next Summer, and Daydream Records. A bunch of shows are planned after the release as well as a new split in the near future.
Indisposed
Photo Credit 📷 : @dennisperalta
Chicago is home to an ever expanding vast DIY music scene bursting with punk music of every subgenre and style you can think of, and since 2017 Chicago has also been home to a great band, that once started as a bedroom project, called Indisposed. This bedroom project gradually formed into a fulltime band and after a handful of great releases and after a seven year run we’ve been asked to help break the news that Indisposed will be playing their final shows and disbanding. There’s no easy way to say that and it’s coming at an odd time considering they’re fresh off of the release of their brand new album Steafast. The album showcases a 21 minute run time of very creative chaos and we are grateful to give their vocalist Nina an opportunity to voice their thoughts and feelings regarding the bands legacy, their message, their last shows, and their final album.
WHAT BANDS INFLUENCED THE SOUND AND WRITING PROCESS ON STEADFAST?
“We normally don’t go into writing with other bands in mind. Some older bands that resonate with us unanimously are Daitro, Raein, Native, Droughts, Sed Non Satiata, and Suis La Lune. We love older screamo that stands out from a respective period, like the French band Anomie or Le Pre Ou Je Suis Mort. George and I are big fans of 90s slowcore and post-hardcore (Unwound, Slint, Frodus, Dianogah, etc). We all love mathy bands like Pretend so our influences are all over the board. Modern bands like This Will Destroy You, Stormlight, Massa Nera, Sonagi, and Burial Etiquette also influenced us quite a bit.
Our writing process has been either Goose or myself bringing in a skeleton of a song and building upon it or just writing in the moment at the space. We’re big fans of rhythms first, scribbled out on a giant 18x24 pad of newsprint. Goose and I lead a lot on the writing and believe writing is best in the moment. ‘DARVO Dance’ was originally just drumming by Goose. ‘I’m Prepared To Lose Everything’ I wrote the guitar parts for and we went from there. ‘Staring Knives’ was a song that just happened at the end of ‘Stomaching Time’ because we magically synced on all our beats and chords.
I’m a huge believer in organic blank-slate practice space jams. I fast from music when writing and enjoy using my intuition to tune into someone else’s headspace. We’ve had jams where we show up to practice in the worst moods and come out grinning / proud of what we made. We all have a mutual love and respect for each other and have even played each other’s instruments before to write. We’re also very lucky to have that kind of musical chemistry.
‘Antiquate the Argument’ was made years ago with Goose after a night-out show hopping. We wrote out the rhythms & tabs on some newsprint with Sharpie. Thankfully, we were able to translate it afterward, ha.”
Staying DIY and raw right until the very end I was surprised to hear about their recording process as this style has almost completely gone the way of the dinosaur, despite it still being the most authentic way to capture any punk music.
“We prefer to record live and have everything mic’ed up at once. It sounds better, feels better, and forces us to fine tune our playing as much as possible. We also change our tempo a lot in each song and don’t want to lose any of the dynamic elements by recording each individual track. Tracks 1-5 were recorded at Bricktop Recording by Pete Grossman. Track 6 was recorded at Studio 8500 by Maya Chun and all tracks were mixed & mastered at Bricktop Recording by Pete Grossman
We hope people hear this album and are more inclined to honor the values demonstrated in these songs. We are about to indefinitely not be a band anymore after the fall of this year. We’ve done this for a long time. Who knows what the future holds, but for now, we are going to disband after the end of this year.”
WHAT IS THE OVERALL MESSAGE OF STEADFAST?
“Indisposed has historically been about the fallout of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. This album however is tackling that subject matter a little more head-on; It’s a cultural analysis of how the community handle callouts and our feelings towards some aspects of the music scene. We believe it the community has regressed in keeping people safe. I have had my life and friends lives entire life trajectories changed by predators that have been in the scene for 10+ years… and predators keep coming back. Having friends tell us their experiences at every level of the music industry, things get really ugly.”
“MOST PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE THAT BIGGER LABELS & PR PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN DAMN LAWYERS IN PLACE TO SILENCE OR INTIMIDATE SURVIVORS INTO SILENCE. THERE IS A WHOLE INSTITUTIONALIZED NETWORK OF ENABLERS WHO VIRTUE SIGNAL PUBLICLY BUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS HAVE THE FISCAL ABILITY & BUDGET TO SILENCE SURVIVORS AND BLACKLIST THEM. STEADFAST IS A BIG ‘FUCK YOU’ TO THAT.”
- @INDISPOSED.CHI
‘I’m Prepared To Lose Everything’ is a love song to the DIY community and meant to empower people who don’t feel safe coming forward. It’s about making the move to speak out for the sake of a collective group of people. DARVO dance is meant to spread awareness of “DARVO”, an acronym for a predatory tactic. It stands for “Deny, Attack, Reverse, Victim & Offender”. It’s dark, but the lyrics are meant to poke fun at abusers and predator's reverse smear campaigns.
‘Stomaching Time’ is about how your life freezes after abuse and how trauma can affect your sense of time. How one can turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like alchohol or addiction. I hope when people hear “Take Your Shot Now”, they resonate with the positive meaning of the double entendre, that they feel triumphant, and don’t let their trauma stop them from living life or pursuing justice. It’s meant to say “You’re here, what are you waiting for?”.
Indisposed are playing a few shows with Radura leading up to New Friends Fest this weekend! July 31st to August 4th. Pittsburgh, Akron, then off to Canada. They have a few distros in Europe, Canada, and the states that will be carrying the record, (Zilp Zalp Rercords is one) but they are mostly putting out the album by themselves.
ANY CLOSING WORDS?
“Thank you to all our fans and friends who have toured or supported us over the years. A big thank you to Jackson of Excrucis for wanting to fill-in and play with us on this run. Shout out to Radura and big shout out to the owners of Middle-Man Records and ZilpZalp DIY for being the best humans. We are also pumped as all hell to meet & see everyone at New Friends Fest 2024!”
Checkout their linktree here: Indisposed
Writer : @just_reidz
Editor : @letsgetpivotal
07/30/24
Treehouse Of Horror
Photo Credit 📷 : @fabmoreiraphoto
The global screamo scene has been growing lately, but Toronto itself is home to one of the largest and most prolific annual screamo festivals known as New Friends Fest. With the rise of screamo and the popularity it’s gained worldwide, it’s always exciting for me to cover screamo bands that are local to my province of Ontario.
Three piece act Treehouse of Horror are a Toronto based screamo band that have been turning heads since 2022 and today we have the privilege chatting about their new EP “Our Days Are Numbered…” which is out today and released by their friend Kai from boxcutter, under their label, Maraming Records.
We sat down with their lead vocalist and guitarist Ryan to discuss this new EP and what we can expect from them in the near future.
SO HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO RELEASE WITH MARAMING RECORDS?
“We basically do everything together so it felt like a perfect opportunity to collaborate on a project again. Kai also repressed our demo EP as well as the split we put out with boxcutter and Please Don't Crash. The more labels there are putting out this kind of music, the better!”
WHO DO YOU ALL CONSIDER TO BE MUSICAL INSPIRATIONS FOR THIS RELEASE?
“It goes without saying that we are continuously influenced by our fellow cohorts in the local scene; boxcutter, Basque, Terry Green, Burial Etiquette, Respire and Please Don't Crash (RIP) to name a few. It’s easy to make good music when you’re surrounded by so much of it right in your home town.”
WHAT WAS THE WRITING PROCESS LIKE FOR THIS EP?
“We had to work pretty quick to get everything out by June, since recording had to be done by late April, and since we wanted to press to a 7” each side had to be under 7 minutes. This put us in a unique bind, but I really enjoyed working under these constraints. It forced us to really trim the fat off these songs and keep things straight and to the point.
I think we've really shed a lot of the mathy emo thrills we had on the last few songs we’ve written, but i'm not mad about it, they’ve come out sounding a lot more catchy and poppy this way.”
“THIS IS DEFINITELY THE MOST CONFIDENT WE’VE EVER FELT ABOUT OUR MATERIAL AND IT REALLY FEELS LIKE WE’RE COMING INTO OUR OWN WITH THESE SONGS.”
- RYAN @MILKANDCOINS
HOW WAS THE EP MIXED AND MASTERED?
“Mixing was done in the same space it was recorded, my basement (Lucky Duck Studios). It took me a good couple weeks to get everything sounding basically how I want it. My goal with these tracks was to get them sounding like a polished blend between more modern stuff like Dreamwell, Massa Nera, or Jeromes Dream (new), with a healthy dose of crap-fi skramz like Cowboys Became Folk Heroes, Merchant Ships, or Jeromes Dream (old). Aki McCullough from Nu House Studios (and Dreamwell) mastered the EP for us and we couldn’t be happier.
Getting some of that real analogue gear on the tracks really beefed up the tracks and made all the heavy parts come across way better. I wish I could take a peek into the future a month from now and see what everyone thinks about this record, because getting to write and perform these new songs has been so much fun.”
WHAT MAKES THIS RELEASE SO SPECIAL FOR YOU?
“We are so lucky to exist at the same time and in the same place as each other, and these songs reflect that once in a lifetime opportunity. I really hope anyone going into this record recognizes the unique bonds we share between each other when it comes to our writing styles, but also the emotion we’re putting out through these tracks. To briefly summarize ‘let’s pretend’ in specific; the song is about feeling isolated for so long as a kid going into adulthood, and then finding a community in the scene. It probably goes without saying that we were all picked on growing up, so when we started writing music together and meeting all these incredible people, it felt like a light switch went off inside us.
All three of us are also gender-non-conforming, so when we came into such a large group of like minded folks, it felt like finding a second family. This subculture means everything to us and we wanted to write a song to all our friends to reflect this bond that we share, like a love letter to the scene.
Two of the songs, ‘Heads or Tails’ and ‘Loaded Gun’, are about our struggles with gender dysphoria and identity. This isn’t the first time we’ve written a song about gender expression, ‘Jeff the Killer’ being the other, but these felt more personal to us. ‘Jeff the Killer’ was more about the anti-trans laws targeting our friends across the map, whereas these new ones follow our own internal struggles. Feeling like there’s two ends of a gender spectrum pulling me from either side, where one yearns to be seen and the other longing to feel comfortable and understood. This is who we are, and we want to be transparent with these emotions to hopefully allow others to confide in these songs.
‘Day Terrors’ is our self deprecation anthem. I wrote the lyrics for that one while at work and on the subway, when I’m in my absolute most apathetic state. In that one I’m mostly talking about my depersonalization and social detachment. Riding the TTC will do that to a mf, so I captured it in a song. Toronto, I love you but you gotta stop doing track work when I got places to be.'“
ANY SHOWS OR TOURS COMING UP?
'“By some stroke of luck, Radura, one of the coolest bands out of Italy, asked if we wanted to run a small circuit around the eastern USA with them. This will be the first time we’ve ever played the states, and getting visas was a massive pain in the ass. If you are a Canadian band trying to play shows in the USA without getting banned for 10 years, you’d have more fun beating your head into a wall. We’re playing July 27-Aug 1st through Providence, RI, Brooklyn, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Baltimore, MD, Pittsburgh, PA, Akron, OH, and then New Friends Fest in Toronto on August 4th.
Not to geek out but it’s probably one of the coolest things we’ve been offered in our time of being a band, especially since touring the states is a bucket list item for all 3 of us. We’re looking forward to meeting everyone on the road and making some fun new memories!”
There will be 100 tapes and 100 vinyl copies of “Our Days Are Numbered…” on July 19th through Maraming Records, so go cop one quick before they’re gone. Check out this track below, and the full release is now streaming everywhere.
Checkout their bandcamp here: Treehouse Of Horror
Writer : @just_reidz
Editor : @ohmucollective
07/15/24
Primal Step
Photo Credit 📷 : @trumpetsmash
It’s New Music Monday here again at Not Just A Phase and we’re hyped to be debuting a single from the brand new Ontario Hardcore band Primal Step. Primal Step may be a new band on the scene but oldheads will recognize most of their members from previous projects. Their metallic hardcore sound brings out memories that echo of early 2000s bands in the genre like Buried Alive, Shattered Realm and Hatebreed in their Rise Of Brutality Era. I sat down with my old friend (and vocalist of Primal Step) Jay Scarlino to discuss his past projects and how this new one came together.
“Primal Step is a pretty cool mix of OG’s and new blood. Chris has been around the block and back in the local Toronto hardcore scene. Him and Conor were doing some projects together out Toronto way, and Conor is in Die Alone as well, Chris fills in there too. Lewis was in Battlecat and I was in Lions, early 2000s Hamilton hardcore. Our drummer Brad is completely new to hardcore and it’s been a lot of fun exposing him to what this shit is about. We work together at the steel mills, and on lunch break he was showing me a band he’s in and I showed him some of my shit, he said he’d love to be in a heavier project so I told him I can think of a couple guys that have been wanting to jam. That’s basically how Primal Step was born.”
Another notorious name in our provincial scene is Davis Maxwell who has recorded and mixed numerous bands of all genres and to no surprise was the brain behind the recording and mastering for this demo as well.
“Recording was a good time, we went with Davis at Schoolhouse in Hamilton. I met him awhile back through a mutual friend in the Niagara scene. I used him for Living Nightmare and I loved what he did with Reality Denied’s ‘Comes With A Price’ and so it was a no brainer for us. This demo feels like it was a long time coming for us. Pent up shit since the pandemic and years and years of hardcore influence dating back from the 90s.”
“THE RESURGENCE IN HARDCORE SINCE THE PANDEMIC IS UNBELIEVABLE. ONTARIO HARDCORE IS ON FIRE AND IT’S REALLY EXCITING TO BE A PART OF IT EVEN STILL AFTER 25 YEARS FOR MYSELF IT’S MORE EXCITING THAN IT’S EVER BEEN”
- JAY @NE.DESIT.VIRTUS
Tapes are being released by Jays fantasy label “Be On The Lookout” aka “Bolorecs”, tapes will be available at their first show coming up on September 1st in Toronto with Hoods and Sworn Enemy. Primal Step is open to discussions with any labels that may be interested in them.
“We’ve just been focused on putting this demo out we haven’t booked anything else. If y’all wanna book us or throw us on a set before September just holler at us on insta and I’ll get back to you. We just wanna play bomb ass shows with our friends. Whenever. Wherever.”
“This demo, for me personally, is a piece cut out from right inside me. It’s a demonstration and a protest. It’s my heart. It’s my pain and internal struggle with myself and the world in front of me. It’s all the love I have and the appreciation I have for my friends my family and this scene. As I said earlier this band was a long time coming. Past projects since Lions have mostly been for hobby but this project has meant so much more. This is me giving back to something that gave me so much. This is for hardcore. This is for you.”
Check out their first single “Cried All My Tearz” linked below and visit their bandcamp page. The full demo “Hardcore Spiritual Healing” is now on all streaming platforms and will be available on hand with them live on September 1st for their first show in Toronto with Hoods and Sworn Enemy.
Constrain
Photo Credit 📷 : @eddysage48
Constrain is our favourite K Pop band from Ontario, Canada (but not really). Constrain writes a style of post hardcore that is nostalgic and reminiscent of the 2000s MySpace era. Forging elements of metalcore, sass, math and even a touch of some of the poppier sounds of mall emo (such as Underoath, The Used and Silverstein). It’s a first rate classic sound that I personally yearn for, even though my girl jeans wont fit anymore and I’m not putting my lip ring or spacers back in.
Constrain takes inspiration from older local legends of the Ontario scene like The Gorgeous and The Holly Springs Disaster, which you can most notably hear seeping through the sonic walls of my favourite tracks “I Found a Razor Blade In My Spaghetti Once” and “Omori”.
Their vocalist Brendan Sinco sees their writing and recording process of this album to be just as therapeutic as it was memorable. “I’m very happy with the record, hearing it back it reminds me of music I would search out when I was 15 or 16 while giving it a more modern feel and to be able to personally and collectively achieve that is pretty special. The previous year has been negative in ways we couldn’t control and just had to accept. This album is us venting about the emotions we felt as well as the emotions of those who are close to us”.
“WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT THIS RELEASE TO ME IS JUST THAT I GOT TO MAKE MUSIC AND MORE IMPORTANLY, MAKE SOME MEMORIES WITH MY FRIENDS, I’M BEYOND PROUD OF ALL OF US AND PROUD OF THIS RECORD”.
- JESSE @jesse_soul
Their EP “Welcome to Club Vampire” was recorded at Hive Studios, a great studio in Hamilton that’s been around even before I was a teenager playing in bands (shoutout to Nick). “Nick Ginn is amazing. He can pick up on a vibe in an instant and he knows what we are going for. He provides a comfortable environment but will give real feedback so we have the best product possible in the end”.
So what does the future have in store for our favourite K Pop band?
“We’re planning a split with some of our friends as well as a new record! Shout out to: in her head, tennis academy and to be continued. We’re also setting up a fest that will be happening in October and we are planning on being in America with a new full length by the fall next year!”
“Welcome To Club Vampire” was released May 21st on CD via Wormwood Records and cassettes are available from Tomb Tree. There’s still a few copies available so cop one and watch the music video of their single “The Dairy Crimes I’ve Committed Against My Stomach” below then catch them live on July 12th in Hamilton at Koi and July 20th in Toronto at Dock Ellis.
The Good Depression
Photo Credit 📷 : @davidpraph
Hamilton based band “The Good Depression” have been riffing across the Canadian Ontario scene since 2016 bringing a fusion of groove based southern rock flair, with breakdowns, feedback, and unpredictable mathy rhythms that haven’t been written this brilliantly since Every Time I Die.
Influenced by many other heavy bands of the early 2000s like Converge, Norma Jean and the Red Chord, they proudly wear their influences on their sleeves but it is apparent in their playing that they have carved out their own distinct sound. At one point during “Snakes and Charmers” you can even hear a DJ scratch so it’s fair to say this band isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of hardcore with a touch of experimental style. Constant tempo changes, mathy riffs, heavy breakdowns dripping with feedback, gritty vocals screamed at one second turn to warm vocals being sung at the next. What more could you ask for?
These songs will burrow into your brain and live there rent free. Their recent release “Something Violent In The Way” is a super fun 8 minutes of dialed in energy that you can’t bottle or contain. “Our recording process for ‘Something Violent In The Way’ was with Davis Maxwell and it was a great one, as it always is. We had enough time to experiment with different recording techniques and try new things. An example of that is re amping drums through a pedal board with fuzz and delay. The album was also mixed and mastered by Davis.”
“THIS RELEASE IS SPECIAL TO US BECAUSE AS THE WRITERS, YOU CAN SEE THE EVOLUTION OF THE SOUND OF THE BAND. IT’S ANOTHER NOTCH IN OUR BELT AND WE’RE ALREADY PUSHING OUR COMFORT ZONES BY WRITING NEW MATERIAL THAT ISN’T AS SIMILAR AS THESE SONGS. IT’S EXCITING TO US. THE ALBUM EXPRESSES THEMES OF LOSS AND TRAGEDY, AS WELL AS SOME PLAYFUL THEMES.”
JUSTIN - @JUSTINHEBB
The upcoming release date for Oxblood is June 14th and all of these singles (from Something Violent In The Way) are on it as well.
When asked about their writing process:
“The writing process for this album was different from the last. Some of these songs were written during 2020 & 2021 and the restrictions made us find other ways to send ideas back and forth via computer, whether it was tablature or midi drums from logic pro. When we eventually got back into the practice space we definitely hit the grindstone and started writing things that we wanted to hear. Our influences of music released in that time definitely had a play on the writing process”.
As for what's next?
“We will keep writing and most likely releasing singles for the time being. We plan to make up our U.S. tour dates that were kiboshed in 2020 by the borders closing. We would love to play as many shows in different places as we can in a year, I think that would be the next milestone for us. If we can go as far from home as we can, and people have fun and dig the music then I believe that's a goal we have checked off.”
We are impatiently waiting for their next release titled “Oxblood” which will be self released on June 14th but until then go see The Good Depression live in Ontario at these upcoming dates listed below and checkout their first teaser release from Oxblood right here!
Saturday July 20th
OTTAWA -The Dominion Tavern
Pandemonium Fest
Saturday August 10th
BRANTFORD - Rye Field
Rye Field Studios
Checkout their Bandcamp : The Good Depression
Writer : @just_reidz
Editor : @letsgetpivotal
06/11/24
Norfair
Photo Credit 📷 : @elliot.photograph
When Norfair first came across our radar, they quickly became the subject of excited discussion. Their self-titled EP became a consistent listen for us, melding the noisy aspects of emotional hardcore with dissonant black metal guitars and ridiculously shrilled vocals melded brilliantly with their takes on 90s emocore mixed with a wealth of influences. Simply put we were really into what they were doing. A year and and half on we’re now graced with their latest single, a further exploration of their tastes as well as the lenses of how they’ve grown.
To age in a time where the planet feels steeped in immense turmoil is an awful thing. Its another thing entirely to be young as you watch the world wilt and shrivel in this way. “I Am the Architect”, the latest from Norfair feels like a clenched fist and a tight throat shout amongst it all.
The slow, thrumming intro picks up quickly into the bands signature whirl of dissonant vocals and shreddy, crackling guitars, however the bridge sections feel more melodic, the drums somehow both tighter and more frenetic all before the track switches gears into headier chugs and breakdowns.
In an unsurprising move, Norfair seems to have gotten better as the year has passed. The young band seems to have sloughed off the teenage veneer of being new and are moving into realms of purposeful and confident songwriting. If “I Am the Architect” is any indicator of what’s to come, then we can hardly wait to see what the future holds for them.
Love Spiral
Photo Cred 📷: @thejacklillian
There’s something crazy in the water over in California, but whatever’s floating in those waters produces some amazing bands. Quiet Fear, Othiel, Brahm, Clay Birds, onewaymirror, VS Self and the list goes on and on and today we’re discussing another great Cali band known as Love Spiral.
Love Spiral are relatively new to the screamo scene. Their 2023 demo blew me away and showcased some of the most unique guitar work in the genre as their peculiar version of screamo dabbles with 80s metal riffs and metalcore influences ranging from Converge to The Fall Of Troy. Add all that up with a few, quick, Primus-esque jams and we have only just begun to properly describe their truly unique sound. Their guitarist Sean says that “Tool cover started out as two separate riff systems that we sutured together somewhere in the middle, composing the transitions and some of the spacier sections together as a group. The more songs we write the more of a potluck of different ideas each song becomes.”
Today we’re hyped to debut their new single and music video. This track was mixed by Chris at Niagara Studios and mastered by Jack Shirley. Their vocalist, Lev, had a few words to say describing the inspiration for the lyrics and how the music video was created..
“Original Tool Cover is a song that ebbs and flows with grief and hope and loss and community interwoven with the rage and strength it takes to overcome tragedy. We wrote this song after the shooting that took place at Club Q in Colorado Springs on November 19th, 2022. It is not a community that we are apart of, but the ripples of loss absolutely touched our own.”
"AS MARGINALIZED PEOPLE, WE ARE SO OFTEN LEFT TO OUR OWN DEVICES IN CARING FOR OURSELVES AND ENSURING OUR OWN PATHS TO LEAD FULL AND FULFILLING LIVES, IF STOMPING ON THE FACES OF OUR OPRESSORS IS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE HEARD, THEN THAT IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE".
LEV - @lovespiralband
This single was recorded by our friend Chris (@tendersender_) and will be on a soon-to-be-recorded future full-length album, sharing the spot with newly recorded versions of our 2023 demo. The music video is an artfully crafted collection of clips of live shows from a local videographer Chris, (@one_dozen_cats), as well as sweet moments from our mini-tour with Whine. This band has received nothing but incredible support from our friends and community, whether it's in the form of art, recording, or just showing up, so it felt fitting to have a DIY moments compilation.
We eagerly anticipate the full length album coming out soon. Until then checkout the lyrics and video below.
You don't deserve to suffer the cruelties of hate
Our only agenda is to live an average life
Full of laughter and love
With a way to fight
You don't deserve to suffer the cruelties of hate
I call on our people
To resist the fear
That terror walking inside
Shove it down to the ground
And stomp its lights out
None of my friends knew they would live past twenty
And that fills me with hot white rage and fury
These souls deserve to make it to eternity
The silver lining
Is that together, we grow stronger
Checkout their bandcamp here : Love Spiral
Writer : @just_reidz
Editor : @letsgetpivotal
06/05/24
Lagrimas (HTX)
Photo Credit 📷: @iknowthedevil_israel
Hello all and welcome back to another installment of our New Music Monday series. This week's barn burner comes to us from Lagrimas by way of Houston Texas, and boy is it a ripper.
Just in time for pride month the queer punx waste no one's time, punching quick, dark rhythms rife with melody. “Silly Songs with Larry” features bouncy black metal riffs, intensely shrieked vocals and inhuman drum patterns. Opening the track with what I’m fairly certain is a clip from the cult classic film “But I’m A Cheerleader”, the bubbly scene music is cut short as the song slices in with an evil yet ass shaking riff. Shredded vocal chords stream eerily through the remainder of the song with an unmoved and unhurried rage, leaving us wanting more.
Lagrimas have been ripping the Houston scene for a while and if this track is any indication, the years have done little to temper their fury. If this quick cut is any indicator of what the band has in store for us, I feel confident in saying we really can’t wait to see what the band has in store for us next.
ACxDC
Photo Cred 📷: @acxdc_666
Twenty-one years into their time as a band, ACxDC is still going strong and is unleashing another fast, angry, and unforgiving album. But that’s not all there is to it. Due April 26th, G.O.A.T is 17 tracks with eye catching titles and no genre commitment, refusing the box of “powerviolence” and embracing the influence of a range of music. In this project, ACxDC digs deeper than ever before.
While their familiar humor remains consistent, it has evolved, as has the band itself and the world around them. Explained by vocalist and scene hero Sergio Amalfitano, “I think cosmic horror, the pandemic, death, anger at the general populace over the last couple of years, et cetera, has really sort of boiled over in me. I feel like this album is a bit more biting, a bit more straightforward, a bit more tongue and cheek, and there's less held back. Satan Is King was a Kanye diss. This is a diss towards everyone… I think we experiment with genres more than most bands. We definitely add dbeat, hardcore, punk, oi, death metal, thrash, etc AND if you really listen you'll hear the influence outside of those genres from funk, pop, musicals, and more. I think too many people are hung up on labels and we don't care. Obviously greatest of all time can be seen as a fuck you to everyone else…it kind of is, in the most tongue in cheek way, a way of saying we’re a band that stands apart because we are a band that does what we want without thinking about anyone else’s expectations. So to us, we’re the greatest band we can be”.
Handling weighty themes such as political rage, depression, failure, imposter syndrome, and self-doubt more directly than previous releases, this project holds nothing back, and expects the same from its listeners. “I think we just sort of hone in more on what we like and are able to express it better. I find that we’re less ‘afraid’ to play whatever we want however we want without regard as to how it'll be received or interpreted,” states Amalfitano, “I also think that lyrically it's a lot more on a personal level now than ever before. We used to be very adamant about using lyrics to express concepts in silly ways where you could sing along without deeper thought if you didn't want to, but now it’s just a lot more blatant… I want people to be able to relate to the energy of this album in a way where they’ll feel an emotional release. I'd love it if people hear this and get blown away on multiple levels.
“IF YOU CAN HEAR AWESOME SONGS, FEEL THE LYRICS, AND RELATE IN A WAY THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO EXERT ENERGY THEN WE'VE DONE OUR JOB”.
- SERGIO @ACXDC_666
Recorded with Taylor Young of The Pit Recording Studio, G.O.A.T is a wholesome collaborative effort, built by longtime drivers and residents of the extreme music scene. The comfortability and shared beliefs shines through in the album, working to form this cohesively jarring collection of songs. “In terms of production we are very laid back and trust our producer entirely. “Taylor Young is a beast when it comes to recording. He understands all of the extremities of the music we’re trying to accomplish and can capture it better than we can even try to translate our thoughts. Everything from tone, pedals, sheer loudness, all really is a result of him. We come in with ideas but we value his input very much and feel like he’s a close friend so he can be honest with us if he thinks something sucks, ha” Amalfitano describes the recording experience.
It had been four years since the group recorded G.O.A.T’s predecessor, Satan Is King, with Young, and since then they have undergone new experiences and gained new insights as the scene and world kept spinning through a pandemic and major political events. “It's always very relaxing to be in the hands of a professional that’s your friend AND very importantly also involved in extreme music. I think it was standard in the sense that we record individually, but I really enjoyed the vocal tracking. I came in with certain ideas that weren’t very traditional in the sense of following the music exactly and Taylor ran with it with some awesome suggestions. After years of the pandemic I think we just wanted to write something strong, cohesive, explosive, etc, and that lack of recording during Covid really pushed us (in particular the sense of isolation/depression that can be seen in the lyrics)”.
However, Sergio’s voice and perspective isn’t the only one that can be heard on these subjects, as for the first time ever, ACxDC has brought some notable friends (namely, Henry Everitt & Roger Rivandeneira (No/Mas), Alex Jones (Undeath), Elliott Morrow (Gulch), and Galax (Greenwitch)) to feature on their most synergetic project yet. “We've never had features! So it was a unique sort of thing to have happened on this album. I never really thought of having ‘outsiders' really participate in the recordings. I just always thought ‘oh well, just have the band do backup vocals’. But I was excited to have people whose artistry and bands I really respect. It's great to showcase your friends on records and collaborate and see what their take would be on something”.
After over two decades as a collective, you can expect to hear a level of mastery of a familiarized process. Falling into their natural roles, band members Sergio Amalfitano, Jorge Luis Herrera, Ryan James Corbett, and Edward Jason Oropeza, despite any differences, stand as a unit in backing DIY and innate humanity, each bringing value individually to the album. “We all sort of create what we can on our own time and bring it to the group. I hum ideas into my phone or reference other bands (usually not extreme bands) in terms of grooves or breakdowns as well as lyrical concepts that shape the song. Eddie is the main riff master so he'll come up with some killer stuff and demo it so we can morph it into something we all dig. Ryan also writes on guitar and translates stuff to bass and comes with complete songs. Jorge is the backbone so he adds his flare to stuff. Generally though it's collective and we all throw our ideas in the bowl when we do get together,” Amalfitano expresses, “We stand for us. We represent us. We don't necessarily all agree on every single thing but we love each other and we want to express ourselves together. I think at this point we just want to show people what we can create as a unit and have them take that on for themselves. Yes some of us are vegan, edge, anarchist, queer, etc. We all just believe in DIY and not being a fucking asshole”.
Besides a pithy and sonically enticing album later this month, there is more to expect coming your way from ACxDC including “one more LP” and “lots of touring”. They plan to take G.O.A.T “around the world,” to “hang out with friends, call out dumbasses, and have the usual with more fun shows and less giving a fuck”.
To conclude,
“Free Palestine. Fuck Christians. All governments are useless. Shoot more politicians.”
Checkout their bandcamp here: ACxDC
Writer : @ab.bashara
Editor : @just_reidz
04/22/24
Excuse Me, Who Are You?
Photo Cred 📷: @alexkiander
Nothing quite like some sad lyrics being yelled at full volume over twinkly guitar riffs and hard strumming patterns. Since the summer of 2021 Excuse Me, Who Are You? have been showcasing their unique style of Midwest Emo, their occasional use of breakdowns with a rougher tone and feel overall to their sound separate them from the oodles of other noodly bands out there making them stick out when being compared to the much softer, twinkly sounds you’d normally associate with the genre. Their grittier sound sets them apart from their peers who they stand side by side with at the top of all DIY emo lists amongst fans of the genre.
The four piece, Madison, Wisoncsin based band have kicked back into 2024 with two noodly new singles. “Maybe That Truck Hit Me…And This Is All a Dream” (now streaming everywhere) and we’ve got the exclusive premiere to the music video for their latest track “Let’s End All of This”.
“There are a lot of ways to interpret surrealism, but for me the way that’s always made sense is that art wants to be made, the world wants to be turned into art. After listening to the song a bunch of times it seemed that if we could get the band together in a beautiful place where we were free to explore and mess around, interesting ideas and images would happen organically. It’s an intense song, sonically and lyrically- few things in life are creepier than feeling like you can’t trust the people closest to you, or even worse, yourself. In response to this kind of subject matter, it felt crucial that the shoot had to be a lot of fun- hiking around the woods, riding four-wheelers, PBR by the fire. I think the fun is what allowed us to go into weirder, darker terrain- bright lights casting dark shadows.” - Evan McConahay (music video director).
And from the bands perspective “We spent the whole day four wheeling, drinking, and just hanging out while filming in between. We have all talked about how it may have been the most fun we’ve had together outside of music as a band. Jackson made a fire at the end of the night before we put grass and paint all over Stu with the randomized strobe light. We were all laughing our asses off to even tears inside of our masks while Stu has a vivid memory of how horrific the event was from his perspective despite it being his idea.”
The music video to “Let’s End All of This” brings a darker tone to the screen, matching up with vocalist Kyle Kinney’s lyrics “Bury me with all my friends” the compassionately yelled vocals of Kyle are more raw than ever on this track as they struggle to maintain a balance and trust within these friendships through emotional and instrumental breakdowns throughout the song.
I WROTE THE LYRICS AROUND THE LINE, “BURY ME WITH ALL MY FRIENDS”. EVENTUALLY, IT WENT FROM A CUTE SONG ABOUT LOVING MY FRIENDS TO ALSO INCLUDING STRUGGLES I DEALT WITH PERSONALLY BETWEEN MYSELF AND THEM. THE LINE I WROTE THE LYRICS AROUND ACTS MORE OF A DOUBLE ENTENDRE FOR THAT REASON NOW”.
- KYLE @EMWAY608
I only exist when you need something If I’m dead, let me rest Bury me with all my friends
Bury me with all my friends Bury me with all my friends
I’m hardly stomaching the overarching gut feeling that I shouldn't exist As it is, I’m scared to admit I’m not treating the culprit I’m a victim of myself So bury me
Bury my friends
In spite of everything you’ve done for them Eventually They will hate you Fuck you
EVIL EXCUSE ME, WHO ARE YOU? DOESN’T EVEN SAY EXCUSE ME!
Excuse Me, Who Are You? will be playing with over 150 amazing bands for the Pugdale 2: Welcome To Pugdale Festival weekend and some of the acts they’re most excited to see and play along side are Guitar Fight From Fooly Cooly, John Galm, Flight Patterns, Frail Body, Sign Language, Calicuzns, Stars Hollow, Riley!, TRSH, Mouthbreather, Palette Knife, Moosecreek Park, Kerosene Heights, Arcadia Grey, Stay Inside, Swiss Army Wife, and EDMquipment.
Keep a lookout for their next release soon to come soon from Thumbs Up Records and catch them live in Ferndale, Michigan at Pugdale Fest 2: Welcome to PUGDALE, on Day 2, June 29th.
USE CODE “NJAP2024” WHEN PURCHASING YOUR PUGDALE 2 TICKETS TO RECIEVE A DISCOUNT!
Checkout their bandcamp here: Excuse Me, Who Are You
Writer : @just_reidz
Editor : @just_reidz
04/18/24
Sinking & Arms Like Roses Split
Two great emo bands are collaborating to bring you a very special release that I’m positive will still be on everyone’s minds and at the top of their year end lists when that time comes.
Sinking, based around the Massachusetts area, and the Connecticut based emo act, Arms Like Roses, had begun sharing the same drummer, Thomas Shrieve, roughly about a year and a half ago. Aside of now sharing the same drummer they’ll also be sharing the same upcoming release date for their flawless split dropping on April 19th, physicals will be on CD and cassettes through @realoemo and @milkcrate_merch, each side containing 3 brand new songs a piece and a classic emo cover song from each band. Thomas claims despite him being the drummer for both bands now that they thought of doing the split before he even joined Sinking. “It came up when we did a weekender with each other back in 2021 and we became friends very quickly.”
Both bands are at their best on this split and it offers everything that great emo songs should have, a perfectly lawless use of dynamics and tempo in the rhythm section, emotionally introspective, poetic lyrics that tug at the heartstrings, captivating vocals that make you wanna sing along and scream as loud as you can and guitar work showcasing that the “hardest hitting” and most well written riffs don’t need to be oversaturated in distortion to pack a punch and burrow into your brain.
Sinking kicks off their side of the split with ‘“Doze” by first instrumentally setting the tone so that you know this split is gonna be nothing short of magical. The guitar work immediately gave me nostalgia for old Jimmy Eat World tracks like “Bleed American” and “Sweetness” and Matthew Good Band (Beautiful Midnight era) the early emo sound of the aughts on this track poured out of my earbuds and turned into unfiltered energy that made its way to my bloodstream and gave me goosebumps. I was later informed that the album “Bleed American” was actually used as a reference album when it came time for mixing these songs.
Vitality ensues from one track to the next as “Thistle Blossom” hits suddenly after a movie quote from well.. ”It’s actually not from a movie, it’s from a video of a drunk frat bro we met after a show haha”. Energy rises with jump happy rhythms while octaves glide, bend and melt into the vocals and rhythm guitar work on this radio friendly track.
Currently streaming online are “Untitled Love Song (Dedicated To No One)” by Arms Like Roses, (which is their first new single released since 2022) and “Thistle Blossom” by Sinking, the music video for this track originally debuted on Realoemo and can be viewed right here as well.
Sinking’s third track “Horace” I feel is their most layered and technical song. Every instrument is doing its own thing almost completely separate of their counterparts for the entirety of the song although at one point the lead guitar does match up in a similar scale to the vocal melody that sings “neighbor, bloated, sweet like swine, bent and grown, taking up our precious time” from 01:14 - 01:33 is a sync up worthy of thee highest praise.
At last we have the Apleseed Cast cover “Innocent Vigilante Ordinary” and it fits so well with their originals on this split that it’s no wonder why they chose to cover it. Often times a cover song can sound forced by bands, a joyless practice to engage audiences who may know the artist well but will know the cover song far better than the actual artist covering it. That is not the case in this cover, Sinking have put a new coat of shiny paint on an old classic and it sounds brand new again. (Not to mention that being able to hear this 21 year old classic emo heater with better production is in itself a pleasure all its own).
Arms Like Roses’ side of the split starts off with “Untitled Love Song (Dedicated To No One)”. As two clean guitar riffs dance along the fretboard romantically for a brief moment before being greeted by the beautiful vocals of Estelle Angel as the drums and bassline kick into a light gallop completing the full rhythmic framework that supports the opaque opening lyrical query “they say rejection just protects you from what could've been, well if that’s true when will these bruises fade?”. This song has everything on my checklist to be considered as an impeccable track, including all the required criteria I mentioned earlier in this article, this song also highlights some excellent backing vocal patterns and flawless vocal vibratos, guitar leads with octaves that jog through the chorus rhythm parts and exceptionally vigorous tom drum patterns to accompany the noodly riffwork in the latter half of the song.
Whisk all that up with some enchanting gang vocals and a few crackly screams yearning to be heard “I deserve to be flooded with love, I deserve to be flooded with love, instead searching through dried up wells. I deserve to be flooded with love. I deserve something” and you’re left with an emo anthem you can listen to on repeat and never tire of.
“Glass Thoughts” is quite literally a toast to mental illness (lyrical pun intended). A lonely guitar part enters and sets the stage.. “Open your eyes and face the silence, you can’t hide yourself anymore, they can see right through your glass thoughts”. These lyrics had me holding my breath in anticipation while the song lulls you in with a slow and slumberous melody, the drums punch in gradually building up the tempo and melodramatic dynamics for two minutes only to have it all stop dead in its tracks to hold you in the mid air suspense of a tame single note picked riff for a few breaths just before it smashes into another massive wall of sound from the full band that doesn’t stop evolving until it’s end when Estelle finally sings out the rest of this ballad with honest thoughts and important steps for us all to consider “You don’t have to pretend to be alright. Dust off your old jean jacket and take a good look at yourself”.
“New Moon” stumbles in with an uneasy vibe as frantic, anxious lyrics and stressed vocals tremble and quiver out a poetic spoken word monologue in a fashion that La Dispute would be very proud of. Estelle’s rant begins “Pacing miles around this vacant room. Holding hands and taking turns reliving our childhood traumas. I'm the worst kind of person that you're somehow obsessed with. Through depression we can coexist and still feel conflicted. All the question marks and made up words, they're so claustrophobic and exhausting”. Beginning to relate and feel the pain on a very personal level right as the lyrics then decided to personally attack me with “just to live another day throwing fists and slurping ramen from the bottom of the trash barrel”. As the words hit my ears I damn near spat out my ramen in a fit of depressed protest.. Seriously.
In Estelle’s own words “The song is referring to a specific friendship I had for several years that had many ups and downs. There were a lot of emotions involved because my friend had been struggling with addiction for a long time; specifically being an alcoholic. The pandemic especially made it more difficult due to having limited access to help, support, and feeling isolated. I had played a significant role in their life for such a long time, but I was beginning to have pent up resentment because I felt like I made such an effort to help, and it didn’t make a difference. It really hurt to watch such a close friend slowly kill themselves day after day.
I have struggled with plenty of my own mental health issues, and tried my best to show my empathy, but at a certain point it was just damaging our friendship. After some time there was this sort of “revelation”. I wanted to move on from my past trauma, and learn to genuinely love myself despite all the hardships I had endured, they wanted to live a sober and healthy life.”
Each band finishes their side with a classic emo cover, Arms Like Roses cover “Oh Messy Life” by Cap’n Jazz and I know I’m gonna anger the purists and oldheads who will think this isn’t allowed or will tell me this opinion is “wrong” but I really enjoy their cover more than the original. So sue me. It’s an amazing rendition of the song and no one can debate that.
Physicals will be on CD and cassettes through @realoemo and @milkcrate_merch on April 19th but until then..
Checkout the EP here : Sinking / Arms Like Roses Split
Writer : @just_reidz
Editor : @letsgetpivotal
04/14/24
beforeyouleave
Photo Cred 📷: @pasaboof
Gosh, I hate "Take me Home, Country Roads". It's up there with "My Heart will go on" and "Last Christmas" when it comes to most annoying songs ever. Thanks beforeyouleave, for putting that awful tune in a new light and wreckin' it up in good screamo fashion how it already should be done 50+ years ago.
beforeyouleave are a three-piece from California. And while they're reciding in Los Angeles, they're definitely inspired by and connected to Apple Valley. This rather small city was the birth place of a new movement in Screamo and it probably began with the formation of self versed records, the success by vs. self (who's guitar player Kyle runs said label) and the hype around widowdusk.
What followed was an exciting 2023 with lots of young bands spawning from the fruitful floor in Southern California. Bands like So Concerned, Versera, Hedonic, letsmakenothinghappen, September (istheonlytimeidontthinkofyou), Enertia and Undercard, among many others. Some of them you might not know if you're not local yourself. Could be that they already played a show without creating any social account for their band. That might seem kinda strange in 2024, but this SoCal scene is pretty oldschool in that regard. They don't care much about Social Media and rather set up some shows with their friends. It's a very youthful movement built on pure passion. But as it is, you don't know what they have in store tomorrow. They could suddenly disband without posting about it or they could put out a double LP... nah, scratch that... it's still Screamo!
Musically all of those bands are totally lo-fi and wild at their attempt of playing instruments, writing songs and screaming into microphones. beforeyouleave do it just the same way. When the heroic demolition of "Country Roads" is done, they have three more tracks to fuck shit up. If you're familiar with the mentioned bands before, you'll eat this EP up!
It's frantic and slightly chaotic, with distorted guitars, raw mosh parts, breakdowns and harsh screams that battle all those instruments which are mostly higher in the mix. In terms of rhythms and in terms of their love for apocalyptic melodies, they took notice of the real greats in screamo. Of Jeromes Dream. And Orchid. They even mix things up a bit with the title track, that closes the EP. Halfway through they throw-in moody, spoken words by a female voice and go back and forth between them and ugly blasts, before ending it abruptly. A more than promising debut, that is.
Speaking of Orchid, Jeromes Dream, local scenes, youth and all that stuff, this new movement gives me nostalgic feelings and let's me think about the Californian scene in the early to Mid-90s, where everything revolved around Gravity and Ebullition Records. Where all those young, passionate bands played bold and edgy music and eventually invented screamo without having the faintest idea.
If you want a physical version of the EP, be patient. The first run of tapes and CDs sold out, but the band has some at shows and more are on the way. Follow BSDJ on Instagram for more information.
Checkout the EP here : beforeyouleave
Writer : @borderlinefu
Editor : @just_reidz
03/25/24
BRAT
Photo Cred 📷: @generationgreta
After a few years of touring, EPs, and bedazzling their name across the metal scene, New Orleans four-piece, BRAT, are finally bestowing their debut album, Social Grace, onto the people this Friday, March the 15th. With a polished sound and grim lyrics, the album is 10 tracks of genre-fluid ear candy that combine into a single gritty experience with a smooth flow that’s gift-wrapped in pink. Brat’s brutality and dark themes in pageant-ready packaging is giving the hardcore, death metal, and grind scenes no choice but to clear space for what has generally been rejected or left out of them thus far.
Recorded with James Whitten of Hightower Studio, this album acts as proof of BRAT’s reluctance to be genre-confined, achieving a sense of freedom while still coming out cohesive. From short, sweet, and fast tracks such as Ego Death to the more defined and death-y Slow Heat, the album keeps you interested, with catchy riffs and impressive drumming acting as the reliable consistency. While being just as much fun as previous releases, Social Grace is clearly elevated, which generates excitement for the direction the group is heading and what may be in store for future music. As explained by guitarist Brenner Moate, the album “was a much more collaborative effort, which has resulted in a more dynamic sound. We took a lot of inspiration from the bands we’ve toured with, as we are constantly inspired by the musicians we meet and come to be friends with”.
Fun is certainly a main component to BRAT’s music, aesthetic, and approach, as they break down the walls of what’s to expect in heavy genres, and make a point to welcome people of all kinds into their realm with open arms. As Moate states, “We just want people to have fun at our shows, and everything we do is for that reason. The aesthetic is just a tool for that, as it tends to disarm people into letting go and just having a good time, regardless of who they are, how they identify, or whatever may be going on in their life…
“FOR ONE THERE’S NEVER ENOUGH PINK IN THE WORLD. BUT ALSO, THERE’S NOT ENOUGH BANDS OUT THERE PUTTING A GOOD TIME FIRST AND FOREMOST. THAT’S NOT TO SAY NO ONE IS (DRAIN IS A GREAT EXAMPLE) BUT I JUST WANT TO SEE MORE OF IT.”
- BRENNER, @MEET.LOCAL.SINGLES
The group’s juxtaposition between sound and imagery is one of the most celebrated and exciting parts of them. Sporting Barbie font and booty shorts while drawing on psychological horror fiction (notable on tracks such as Hesitation Wound and Truncheon) and the damnation of the Earth as key inspirations and components of their music. “Lyrically, my love for creative writing and dark literature drove the themes of futility, despair, and hopelessness that’s present on most of the songs” Moate expresses. But not all is a pit of despair in the creation of their sound, as the wholesome and productive writing and recording environment was affirmed by Brenner, who also informed that “one fun thing is for pick slides on the album, we scraped the guitar strings with the blade of a butter knife”.
Commanding a good time in a serious tone and putting on incredible live shows, this is only the start for BRAT as they plan for a slew of upcoming opportunities for you to see them in person. As Moate emphasizes, this is just their debut and a beginning to a more expansive and fleshed-out discography, “we’ll see what elements we like most after beginning to play these songs live for a while, as well as what songs our fans take the most to”.
Just as excited to begin touring with this new music, you can keep up with Moate and the rest of BRAT across social media to see when they may be in a city near you, and don’t forget to tune in on March 15th for an album you won’t want to be late to.
March 15th album debuts here : Brat
Writer : @ab.bashara
Editor : @just_reidz
03/12/24
Emocat Records: A Benefit Comp for Palestine
Photo Cred 📷: @jtph0t0s
It has been over 4 months of what has effectively been a full blown assault on the Palestinian people by the Israeli government and its armed forces. Every single day innocent men, women and children are slaughtered and spun as terrorists by major news networks. As members of the DIY punk scene, a sound that was founded on the idea of opposition to the oppressor (despite whatever the revisionist have to say about it), we have a responsibility to band together and use our agency and power to not only support our siblings suffering through this hellscape, but to push back on all oppressive forces the world over. So we do what we can. We organize, we march, we show up in the ways available to us.
Emocat Records will be releasing this tape comp in benefit of the Palestinian Children’s relief Fund (PCRF). Any profits from physical or streaming sales will be donated. They’ve given us a sneak preview of the two tracks coming out. Terrifying Girls High School is a favorite of ours.
By extension, “Deadbeat” is now a favorite of ours. The band plays well in the garden of blustery sassy, snotty punk played with great urgency and taught wire intensity. The track is riddled with panicked fret scampering, reeling and blustery drumming and twangy, sharp-turn bass licks all melding and swelling together.
Local (to me) young guns Clay Birds have been making big waves since last year and for good reason. Their wink and nod play style, pays homage to multiple genres and sounds while articulating their own adolescent fury and pain in an incredibly heavy way. “Like Stuttering and Shifting” further explains my point, the track spans multiple genres and two massive emotions all in its minute twelve run time.
Unreal that we still have to beg for a nation state to stop it’s indiscriminate slaughter of innocent people and hopefully as more voices are added to this growing sentiment of unrest we can finally help put a complete stop to this maddening violence. “A Benefit Compilation for Palestine” will be available on tape and via streaming through Emocat Records on March 23rd and will feature tracks from Terrifying Girls High School, Clay Birds, Valeska Suratt, Fainting in Coils, Geronimostilton, Theodore War and onewaymirror.
Checkout their Bandcamp here : Emocat Records
Writer : @letsgetpivotal
Editor : @just_reidz
02/22/24
solace
Photo Cred 📷: @tiretracksonherdeadlawn
The bristle of pain has a key. A resonance, some type of tangy frequency that just seems oddly saccharine before it's icy burning bitterness. solace understand this. The New York based outfit explore this concept with oh so vulnerable abandon on their debut self-titled 3 song EP.
It cannot be understated how little time this EP wastes getting to the point. “only wednesday” honors no silence other than the vacuum between play being pressed and the immediate anguished convergence hitting your ears. A short melodic pluck, then the vocals, shrill and crisp, occasionally approaching but balking before a black metal infused howl, careen into shreddy wall of sound guitars licks and terse snappy drumming. Think Knumears listening to an awful lot of Ampere. A short and sweet build up bursts straight into the songs closing moments of joined screams and buzzsaw riffs.
“i watched you die” rocks back and forth hastily shredding throat, feet and tom. Even in their slower more demure moments solace still manages to utterly crush in so much intensity, you'd think that some gravity would begin to exert itself. In a manner of speaking it still manages to as the impactful push and pull noodling plays call and response to the vocal work, guttural based undulating like a hissed gurgle caught in your throat.
It's a rare treat when you hear something so utterly enjoyable (you know what I mean), that you actually can keep it on loop for a good long while and not get tired of it. We've been looping this one quite a bit over here and I can say with absolute certainty that this is one of my favorite new projects of the year. “solace” is now available for streaming everywhere.
Checkout their Bandcamp here : solace
Writer : @letsgetpivotal
Editor : @just_reidz
02/19/24
Pedestrian
Photo Cred 📷 : @hippiedippiedooo
We are however many some odd years removed from the birth of “crescendocore”, a term that eventually was used to mark a band following a formula of musical dynamics: slow build, triumphant release, rinse and repeat. Unfortunate, because the progenitors who were unwillingly ascribed this term had made something that was as powerful as it was fun to listen to. And despite the “magic” becoming often duplicated but hardly replicated, every now and again I’d listen to a band and think “they got it right”. Pedestrian dissolved into their long dormancy after dropping 2015’s “Healthy Ways to Die” a continuation and further exploration of the fuzzy heavy indie alternative with intensely cathartic post-rock sensibilities found on their 2013 EP “Everyone I Know Who Skis Is Dead”. After a lineup change and some retooling, Pedestrian return, not just to their roots, but to the deeply rich soil from which their influences first sprang.
“By The Grace of Outer Space” is the second single the band has released since their auspicious return, preceded by “Earth Exit”, a richly textured aural experience that meanders into wave after fountainous waves of feedback laden riffs, drums and vocals. Almost in contrast, “By The Grace” omits the wooly warmth of shoegaze for somewhat cleaner, crisper tones and atmosphere. Swapping “The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place” for “Tunnel Blanket”, the opening silence begins to crack and glint as the track begins to dilate and pause, almost as if to take a slow measured breath before fulminating into gorgeous hyperstrumming and spacey but forceful drumming. Winding down into a sequence that wouldn’t feel out of place on an early God Is An Astronaut release, the calm measured wind down feels almost like an atmospheric exit, before the guitar returns back to dot stars in the sky and sprawls the opalescent melody of exploratory wonder into your heart.
Pedestrian are a local band to me, one I very much cherished because no one was (or still really is) making music like them. To not just have the band release new music, but to also see them already eager to get back into a live environment is admittedly exciting to me, and if “By The Grace of Outer Space” and Earth Exit” are any indication of what's to come then we are possibly on the precipice of a return to form in the world of post rock, both locally and at large. We look forward to what they have in store for us next. Go stream “By The Grace” now, available on all streaming platforms.
meth.
Photo Cred 📷 : @vanessaivaladez
What do you do with shame? Internalise it? Have it live in you and metastasise, become a cancer of self-loathing that feeds on low self esteem and ultimately consumes you? Or do you take ownership of it, hold yourself accountable for your "shameful" actions, exercise self-love and self-forgiveness, and take control, reverse the cancer, as it were? Or, do you outright live in it, dive headfirst into the deep end, and in a different shade of control, sublimate its destructiveness into an act of creation that you release into the world, so that others can feel the depth of your shame, perhaps see a reflection of their own, experience catharsis, and be inspired to find a way out of the shadows and into the light.
You'd be forgiven for wondering what all that armchair psychobabble preamble is doing kicking off an album review, but bear with me, as we're talking about the new LP by Chicago multi-metal-sub-genre straddling experimental heavy band, meth., whose vocalist and lyricist, Seb Alvarez has been bedfellows with shame evidently for some considerable time and the result, 5 years after the band's last LP, 2019's 'Mother of Red Light', is an album bearing that feeling's name in ALL CAPS. It's an album that in its monolithic heaviness, uncompromisingly dread-filled and discomfiting atmosphere, and the brutal self-evisceration expressed in its lyrics, earns its portentous title with blood, tears and metaphysical terror.
A band that started as a grind and emoviolence influenced chaotic hardcore act, has over time evolved into a many-headed cerberus of noise, sludge, post-metal and metallic hardcore, seemingly hellbent on creating the most nerve-shredding, uncomfortable experience imaginable whilst still being discernibly listenable and often thrilling. With that in mind, album opener, ‘Doubt’ functions as a litmus test for the listener: it’s a riff-free exercise in rhythmic bashing, the sound of a lumbering giant chasing you down a tightening corridor, all whilst Seb Alvarez trades screams and growls pulled from the bile-soaked depths of his being about having no sense of self. It’s anti-music, a gauntlet thrown down: get through this and you might enjoy what meth. have in store for you; find yourself turned off by its sheer ugliness, its seeming unmusicality, its inexorable beat like the deafening sound of death’s clock ticking down, and you should probably take it as a sign that you might be a bit too faint-hearted for SHAME.
Across the album’s seven tracks, meth. never let up the intensity; this is dissonant, confrontational music that captures and reflects the emotional and mental turmoil that Seb Alvarez went through whilst grappling with addiction, undiagnosed bi-polar disorder and the consequences of his own resultant problematic behaviour. Whether it’s the exhausting blast beats that drag ‘Compulsion’ across the floor, the nausea-inducing waves of guitar squall on ‘Blush’ or the mathy, anxiety-inducing chaos that opens ‘Cruelty,’ the aim at all times seems to be to disorientate, to discomfort, to disturb. SHAME is in that sense, a visceral portrait of one man’s extreme sense of alienation from self, of disgust at his thoughts and actions, all soundtracked by intricately sound-designed aural hellscapes, in which songs seems to be in the process of pulling themselves apart as they are being performed.
Amongst all of these challenging compositions, however, are truly thrilling moments. The album’s title track sees Alvarez embody and give voice to shame itself, trading clean shouted vocals with gut-wrenching roars. The band locks into a queasy noise-rock groove, creepy synths float overhead, and the listener is left positively reeling. Closer, ‘Blackmail,’ shape-shifts over its 8 minute runtime, pummeling us with discordant chugs and elaborate drumfills, bringing us to the verge of a panic attack with perpetually rising guitar notes, tightening like a noose, slowing down then speeding up at the apparent whim of jumbled, intrusive thoughts. It’s bewildering, exhausting, but undeniably effective, with the build to the final crescendo being particularly wrenching in its unbearable tension. However, above and beyond everything else on SHAME, the highlight is the towering track at the centre of the tracklisting, ‘Give In.’ Immediately differentiating itself from the rest of the album with its idiosyncratic drum sound and pattern, and the guitar that buzzes from channel to channel like a swarm of robotic bees, ‘Give In’ injects the noise-rock and grindy industrial post-metal aesthetic with a bit of modern era Swans style post-rock. “It’s growing inside” is the repeated refrain whilst the band conjures up a perfect storm of oppressive sound that somehow manages to be as emotionally rousing as the lyrics are a terrifying portrayal of giving into one’s worst impulses.
With SHAME, Alvarez and his bandmates Zack Farrar, Michael McDonald, Nathan Spainhower, and Andrew Smith have peered into the recesses of the human psyche, have rifled through the bloody viscera of our darkest thoughts and feelings and sublimated self-destructiveness into an an act of brave and often brilliant creation. It’s something to be proud of, something to offset a little bit of that shame.
Purchase and listen to SHAME here: meth.
Writer : @stopcallingthemscreamo
Editor : @just_reidz
02/04/24