Mrtex/Samarra - Split

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 12 Aug 2017

Tracklist:

1. Samarra - Drama In The Walmart Restroom

2. Samarra - It Is Fine, Everything Is Fine

3. Samarra - Impulsive Semantics

4. Mrtex - That Ain't The Friggin' Xmas Star

5. Mrtex - Dolla Bills Dipped In Ice Nine

6. Mrtex - You Are Garbage Made Flesh (not reviewed here)

I'm back with another ZBR roster review tonight, featuring the 2017 split with newly crowned This Noise Is Ours house band Mrtex (please excuse my poor attempt at humour!) and US emoviolence band Samarra. It was limited to 100 tapes and was solely available via Zegema Beach Records. The split featured three songs from each band; however, the third song from Mrtex 'You Are Garbage Made Flesh' isn't available to steam online, so I can't write about it unfortunately. 

I’m starting with the Samarra side here, as that’s the order of things on bandcamp. ‘Drama In The Walmart Restroom’ is an abrasive and chaotic song complete with dual-vocals, and moments of utter beauty too. Anxious feedback sits alongside introspective melodic passages, creating something that stretches beyond it’s actual playing time. ‘It Is Fine, Everything Is Fine’ starts off by lulling you into a false sense of security before Samarra once again lets off an air-raid siren of piercing energy (especially thanks to the higher-pitched screams). There are hardcore riffs present too, but they’re subtle and the whole band seems to cohesively weave them into their sound.

Samarra’s final song could be considered long by comparison to their others. ‘Impulsive Semantics’ is their most brutal addition to the split. Raw intensity pours from the speakers as it goes and the embrace you receive when things slow down is really warming. Mrtex come out of the traps straight away on ‘That Ain’t The Friggin’ Xmas Star’ with machine gun drumming and grinding ferocity. Heck, I only realised today that the band features/featured (delete as applicable) members of Yaphet Kotto and Jenny Piccolo. The more you know!. Anyway, this opener flies by before you know it.

‘Dolla Bills Dipped In Ice Nine’ is equally as unrelenting. It shows Mrtex in a much heavier mood than maybe they have been on earlier releases, but maybe that’s just my ears. The use of melody stands out here and is helped by the slightly longer running time. Here’s where this review ends for me. I don’t know why ‘You Are Garbage Made Flesh’ isn’t online, but there must be a good reason why. That still doesn’t stop this from being a super enjoyably split to listen too. Samarra are really great. I’m not sure if anything else was released by them after this. Mrtex will always be a go to and their material here is top notch once again. 

You can stream all available songs below, where the split's also available to purchase digitally:-

Mrtex - https://www.facebook.com/mrtexrebellion

Samarra - https://samarrava.bandcamp.com

Physical tapes are available from Zegema Beach Records below:-

CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/mrtex-samarra

USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases/products/мятеж-samarra-split-cassette

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords