Hillsboro - White Trash

Labels: Self-Released/Softseed Music

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 23 Aug 2024

Tracklist:

1. POV

2. Sleep Dealrr

3. White Trash

4. Fell

5. White Trash (Demo)

6. Fell (Acoustic)

Canadian five-piece alternative/shoegaze band Hillsboro released their latest EP White Trash last month. They self-released it on CD, tape and digitally (containing six tracks), while Softseed Music also handled a limited tape pressing as well (containing four tracks). This EP is described as being Hillsboro's transition from an indie-rock sound to a more alternative, shoegaze approach that might appeal to fans to Title Fight and Superheaven (amongst others). I'm going to be reviewing all six tracks here.

White Trash opens with ‘POV’, which is a noisy, sample-filled intro. First song proper ‘Sleep Dealrr’ is a blossoming modern rock song brimming with melancholic vocals that straddle the line between grunge and indiemo. They were name-checked alongside Deftones in the promo e-mail I received and the similarities are there during the heavier moments.

The title-track ‘White Trash’ has more of a garage-rock approach early on before morphing into a more distorted cross between alternative rock and shoegaze soon after. It switches between the two throughout it’s short-ish playing time, keeping the momentum high. ’Fell’ reminds me of the pondering yet beautiful early sounds of Time In Malta and even Antenna-era Cave In. I love how catchy and accomplished it sounds. An absolute joy.

Onto the additional tracks starting with the demo version of ‘White Trash’, which as expected sounds a lot rawer than the final version above. That being said, it’s not too different from the final version. Ending the EP with a dreamy acoustic version of ‘Fell’ is classy, especially as soothing violin comes to the fore. It’s an easy-going way to close the release.

As if this wasn’t enough, they’ve recently released their self-titled album on vinyl via Softseed Music too. We all know that “exposure” doesn’t pay the bills, but getting your music out there for sale on various formats goes some way to help. It’s been a whirlwind couple of months in that regard for Hillsboro and long may it continue.

You can stream White Trash below where you can also purchase directly from Hillsboro on all available formats:-

Hillsboro - https://www.facebook.com/hillsboroinc

A limited amount of Swirl and Clear tape copies are available from Softseed Music here:-

https://softseedmusic.bandcamp.com/album/white-trash

Softseed Music - https://www.facebook.com/softseedmusic

Qoya - Karma

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 04 Oct 2024

Tracklist:

1. Ascend

2. Ghost

3. Mantra

4. Karma

5. Anima

6. Timeless

7. Sheol

8. Mirrors

9. Temple

10. Altar

Way back in December 2022 (how has it been that long already?) I reviewed the 2nd Stellar Frequencies Session from French post-punk/post-rock/shoegaze band Qoya. On 4th October the trio are due to self-release their latest album Karma, which follows their 2021 full-length Yokai. I really enjoyed what I've heard from Qoya to date and coupled with a broadening musical palette courtesy of Pelagic Records (Thot, Sugar Horse etc), and a more recent deep-dive into French punk thanks to Crapoulet Records, I can't wait to get stuck into this release.

As I hit play on Karma’s opener ‘Ascend’, the extremely slow build has me worried. It takes a good fifteen seconds for any sound to come out of the speakers and I’m not gonna lie, I thought I’d been sent a faulty promo. Thankfully and obviously that isn’t the case, and as intro song’s go this one is beautifully delivered.‘Ascend’ was wholly instrumental, whereas ‘Ghost’ sees Qoya fully open up with both vocals and heavier musicianship. The vocals are clean and definitely lean towards the haunting sounds of high-profile goth/post-punk/pop vocalists gone by (Robert Smith, Tony Hadley) and even have some similarity to the clean tones of Vice Martyr (of Hateful Abandon). The instrumentation is made up of subtle percussion, synths, and melodic guitar work. 

Qoya’s sound is a melting pot of many different styles that are effortlessly woven into one. I recently watched (the newly reformed) Linkin Park live-stream and while that fact bears no real importance here, there is a subtle synergy between both bands musically as ‘Mantra’ flows. Maybe you’ll understand what I’m on about one day! With title-song ‘Karma’ it really feels like Qoya are looking to breakout of their small musical cosm and into the wider consciousness, and why shouldn’t they? After all, there are millions if not billions of music fans out there. Yes there needs to be an element luck thrown in as well but sometimes a band make’s their own.

Atmospheric, Cinematic music like this has become an ever growing love of mine and ‘Anima’ proves exactly why as it navigates through nearly four minutes of flowing guitar work, and glacial percussion. ‘Timeless’ is a very apt choice of song title as one day Qoya’s blend of slow and mournful post-rock could become just that. I for one hope it does! The most expansive side of Qoya shows through during in their five plus-minute songs, starting with ’Sheol’, which has a much doomier outlook while still sounding easy on the ear. At times, it reminds me of UK post-punk/indie band Franz Ferdinand, which is not a bad comparison in my opinion (tell me if you agree or not). 

Effervescence comes with ‘Mirrors’, which is amongst the most shoegazey of songs on Karma thanks in no small part to the effortless delivery of those now familiar, and epic guitar tones. This is starting to get a bit emotional and as if my general verbose gushing wasn’t enough, we still have two songs to go! ’Temple’ is the first of those two and Qoya straddles a (by now) familiar path, while also performing their most expansive song on Karma. Heavily instrumental for it’s majority, it’s grandiose beyond compare. When the vocals do appear, they’re soaring first and then buried deeper later on. A brooding dynamic that really works for the band.

Album closer ‘Altar’ is at the opposite end of the song-length spectrum while being up front when it comes to ambience. It rounds out the album in haunting brilliance, allowing you to truly take stock of what you’ve just witnessed. With a few more months of 2024 to go there’s no doubt going to be records that really hit hard. When Karma is released in early October, it will definitely be one of them.

You can stream 'Karma', 'Timeless' and 'Sheol' prior to full release below, where you can also pre-order the album directly from Qoya:-

Qoya - https://www.facebook.com/qoyamusic

Frail Body/Infant Island/Massa Nera/Dianacrawls - Hymnes aux désarrois de la peau 4-Way Split

Labels: A Fond d’Cale/Blessed Hands Records/Dance Happy Doom Crew/

Dasein Records/Dickcrush Records/Dingleberry Records/I.Corrupt Records/Left Hand Label/Le Blast Records/Listen To Aylin Records/Middle-Man Records/No Funeral/People, Places, Records/Pundonor Records/R.I.P In Peace Records/Santapogue Media/Zegema Beach Records

Formast: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 16 May 2019

Tracklist: 

1. Frail Body - Fixed

2. Infant Island - Death Portrait

3. Massa Nera - Nunca Seremos Lo Mismo

4. Dianacrawls - Melancholia

5. Dianacrawls - Kinky Kills

6. Dianacrawls - Cycle Of The Abused

If you've taken a moment to read the names of the bands that have made up this split, also take a moment to think about what they have achieved since it's 2019 release. All four of them have grown so much and have become synonymous with modern post-hardcore/screamo. Released in collaboration with all of the labels above, Hymnes aux désarrois de la peau heralded a new era. This is where I pick up my ZBR roster review series again.

This beautiful split is a sight to behold. It takes pride of place in my personal collection, alongside many other releases from each band. Starting off hard, Frail Body’s ‘Fixed’ wastes no time thanks to a mix of emoviolence and post-hardcore that they have become known for, especially on recent album Artificial Bouquet. While kicking off with so much intensity, it ends with so much beauty.

Infant Island are up next with ‘Death Portrait’ and there’s a much more brooding atmosphere at play, showing a glimpse into how their blackened screamo has evolved over recent years. The full soundstage is used here to raise the heart rate, while the strings later on provide a warmth that’s sometimes missing from this form of music.

The privilege of having the split’s longest song is left for Massa Nera, as ‘Nunca Seremos Lo Mismo’ stretches past the five-minute mark and almost seems to follow on from Infant Island’s previous song, if only due to the additional use of strings. That aside, it’s a much more pensive song overall, eschewing the use of heaviness and tempo during some passages. It’s expansive delivery is striking,

While the above three bands contributed a song each, Dianacrawls provide three; albeit two are very short. ‘Melancholia’ is a brilliantly off-kilter screamo song with a subtle nod to jazz and the weirdness of Primus. ‘Kinky Kills’ follows in the same vein with some excellent bass/guitar coupled with exasperated screams and raw percussion. Their final song ‘Cycle Of The Abused’ barely hangs around long enough for you to take it in, yet somehow it leaves it’s mark.

This is one of those records that you instantly become engrossed in, but one that also goes by in a blur. A snapshot in time maybe, but one that will stay with you forever.

You can stream and grab this split as a name-your-price download from Zegema Beach Records below:-

Frail Body - https://www.facebook.com/frailbodyil

Infant Island - https://www.facebook.com/infantisland

Massa Nera - https://www.facebook.com/MASSANERANJ

Dianacrawls - https://www.facebook.com/dianacrawls

Physical copies can be purchased from the labels below:-

Dasein Records - https://sadreact.bandcamp.com/album/hymnes-aux-d-sarrois-de-la-peau

Dingleberry Records - https://www.discogs.com/seller/dingleberryrecords/profile

I.Corrupt Records - https://www.icorruptrecords.com/products/frail-body-infant-island-massa-nera-dianacrawls-split-12-lp

Left Hand Label - https://dogknightsproductions.com/collections/12-lhl

Pundonor Records - http://pundonorrecords.limitedrun.com/categories/pundonor-releases

R.I.P In Peace Records - https://ripinpeacerecords.storenvy.com/

Blessed Hands Records - https://www.facebook.com/BlessedhandsRecords

Dance Happy Doom Crew - https://www.facebook.com/Dancehappydoomcrew

Sad React Records (previously Dasein Records) - https://www.facebook.com/SadReactRecords

Dickcrush Records - https://www.facebook.com/DICKCRUSHRECORDS/

Dingleberry Records - https://www.facebook.com/DingleberryRecordsandDistribution

I.Corrupt Records - https://www.facebook.com/icorruptrecs

Left Hand Label - https://www.facebook.com/lefthandlabel

Le Blast Records - https://www.facebook.com/leblastrecords

Listen To Aylin Records - https://www.facebook.com/listentoaylin

Middle-Man Records - https://www.facebook.com/middlemanrecords

No Funeral Records - https://www.facebook.com/nofuneral8

People, Places, Records - https://www.facebook.com/peopleplacesrecords

Pundonor Records - https://www.facebook.com/pundonorecords

R.I.P In Peace Records - https://www.facebook.com/r.i.p.inpeacerecords

Santapogue Media - https://www.facebook.com/santapoguemedia

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

Reia Cibele - Reia Cibele

Labels: Self-Released/Tomb Tree

Formats: Digital/Tape

Release Date: 10 May 2024

Tracklist:

1. Solaris

2. Ego/Cristal

3. Lótus

4. Não é, nunca foi, nunca será!

5. 31039 ORI

New Portuguese screamo/mathcore quartet Reia Cibele released their debut EP on digital platforms in May. Last month it saw a tape release via Tomb Tree, consisting of 31 copies with 20 swirl, 6 white and 5 test-dips with matching swirl cases. As of this post, only a few copies are still available. The EP was recorded by a member of fellow Portuguese band Hetta. Reia Cibele have recently played alongside Hexis and Tenue, to name a few.

It’s crazy that there’s now less than four months till 2025 rolls around. I’ve lost count of how many bands have been added to my ‘to listen to’ list and are still on it. Portugal’s Reia Cibele are one such band, having been sent my way by Tomb Tree last month, when they released this debut self-titled EP on tape. Reia Cibele plays some crazed mathcore with noise-rock elements and emoviolence. Opener ‘Solaris’ is fast and chaotic to being with, before turning groovier later on. 

‘Ego/Cristal’ starts with jarring feedback, putting you slightly on edge before Reia Cibele deliver a super heavy slice of post-hardcore with sludge-like tempos for about two-minutes. The second half is much calmer, building slowly with quiet guitar and percussion, increasing in volume as it goes, leading to dramatic treble-filled conclusion. Off-kilter, panic-laden mathcore violence at it’s best.

The next two songs on the EP are very much shorter, starting with ‘Lótus’. It magnifies the intense emoviolence that Reia Cibele inject into their debut. It’s over long before it should be and it gives way to ‘Não é, nunca foi, nunca será!’, which is even more intense. There’s a proper rawness to it at the beginning that soon gets enveloped by yet more madness.

Closer ‘31039 ORI’ pretty much ends the EP in the same way that ‘Solaris’ opened it; with a mix of sassy math-rock, gentle progressive guitar and enjoyable groove. It’s safe to say that Reia Cibele are greater than the sum of their parts. This EP sums up why it’s so important to strike while the iron is hot (when it comes to new bands). In recent years Portugal has become known for black metal (Black Cilice et al), but now there’s another musical reason to look toward South-West Europe.

You can stream and purchase the EP digitally from Reia Cibele below:-

Reia Cibele - https://www.facebook.com/profile

Tape copies are (still) available from the online stores below:-

Tomb Tree - https://tombtreetapes.bandcamp.com/album/reia-cibele

ZBR USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/tapes/products/tt123 / CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes/tt123

Tomb Tree - https://www.facebook.com/tombtreetapes

Impending Annihilation - Idiopathic Osteonecrosis Of The Femoral Head EP

Labels: Gore House Productions

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 19 Apr 2024

Tracklist:

1. Rapidly Destructive Coxarthropathy

2.  Idiopathic Osteonecrosis Of The Femoral Head

Death metal has taken influence from a whole host of pathological/morbid subjects ever since it's inception. From the early days of Carcass when death and grind mixed to the guttural technicality of Cannibal Corpse, the gory side of the sub-genre has always been pushing forward. There are many reasons for that thanks to labels like New Standard Elite, Pathologically Explicit Records and of course, Gore House Productions.

Gore House released the newest two-song EP from Japanese tech/brutal death metal duo Impending Annihilation in April, after what was a seven year hiatus for the band. Starting out in 2015, they self-released a demo, an EP and an album before their sudden halt. With their second album on the way, this release acts as a mere sliver of what's to come.

Reading about Impending Annihilation before writing this review got me all excited. I love old-school death metal and won’t turn my nose up at slam/brutal death metal either; however, I’ve grown to really love technical music over the last few years and this ticks all the boxes. The EP’s first song ‘Rapidly Destructive Coxarthropathy’, while ostensibly being a brutal song, is chock full of excellently played virtuoso guitar/bass work. The percussion is utterly smashing while the vocals are pretty much as you’d expect, gnarly and thankfully on the right side of becoming pig-squeals.

The title-track ‘Idiopathic Osteonecrosis Of The Femoral Head’ is an even briefer affair at one-and-a-half minutes. Despite it’s short length, it’s chock full of technical riff-wizardry and general extreme intensity. Before you even have time to settle in, the EP is over. Impending Annihilation definitely know how to tease the listener as these two tracks really don’t seem like enough. Clever ploy though and one that does work. 

Chances are (and correct me if I’m wrong), you’ll be unfamiliar with Impending Annihilation. With a brand new album on the horizon it’s a perfect time to discover them, especially if you like your death metal fast and technically tight. It only take four minutes to realise what you’ve been missing.

You can stream and purchase the EP as a digital download from Gore House Productions below:-

Impending Annihilation - https://www.facebook.com/impending.annihilation

CD copies are available from Gore House here - https://store.gorehouseproductions.com/collections/cd/products/impending-annihilation-idiopathic-osteonecrosis-of-the-femoral-head

Gore House Productions - https://www.facebook.com/GoreHouseProductionsOfficial

olth - Every Day Is Someone's Special Day

Labels: Larry Records/Mob Records/Partymouse Records/Vamonos Tapes/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 02 Jun 2023

Tracklist:

1. Thinking Of You...

2. Oh My God I Hate This Feeling, My Heart Won't Stop Beating

3. Somebody Tell Me, Am I Alone

4. Memories Last Forever, So Do Scars

5. >_<

6. Looking Through The Hole In My Head

7. Song For Jordan

8. Screamo Sucks

9. The Last Song

I'm in the midst of another music buying spree. Maybe it's because the cold nights are starting to draw in again and I'm not already surrounded by enough records! Who knows how long it's going to last. In between catching up on what I have picked up and waiting for what's to come, I'm starting this month off with some good old NYC screamo in the form of olth and their 2023 album Every Day Is Someone's Special Day. 

Originally released digitally by the band, as well as on tape/LP via Larry Records/Zegema Beach Records and on cdr through Partymouse Records in 2023, it has very recently been released on vinyl by Larry and ZBR, while seeing tape and cd represses via Mob Records and Vamonos Tape respectively. Bandcamp recommends olth for fans of Portrayal Of Guilt, G.L.O.S.S., Respire and Chat Pile (to name a few), which is a pretty diverse pool to draw from. 

I must start by apologising for not using the same random capital letters as olth do in their album and song titles. I’m trying to be as efficient with my time as I can be. It’s not often that a screamo album kicks off with a properly lengthy song and the same is true here, as ‘Thinking Of You…’ launches at you with shrieking vocals, manic riffs and an intense low end of bass/percussion. At times it seems to venture into chugging hardcore/sludge realms but that’s fine with me!

The album as a whole is more emoviolence than powerviolence though, as ‘Oh My God I Hate This Feeling, My Heart Won't Stop Beating’ delivers upbeat punk vibes that quickly transition into something that could have be dreamt up by From A Second Story Window and The Body (if they were ever left alone in a room together). 

The two-minute flat ‘Somebody Tell Me, Am I Alone’ hits the spot without going gung-ho. It’s more tempered back, relying on atmosphere, which is actually pretty cool set against olth’s more chaotic songs. ‘Memories Last Forever, So Do Scars’ picks up the pace yet it goes hard on the groovy/danceable tempos before settling back down again. Evidence that olth’s song-writing is already superior, even on their debut!

Right at the album’s midway point, ‘>_<‘ delivers the most expansive auditory experience so far. It’s gentle to build and while olth’s yearning to explode does overspill, the so-called explosion is a controlled one. It’s a glorious way to shine light on the latter half of the album. 

That latter half begins with the vivid yet imaginatively named ‘Looking Through The Hole In My Head’, which after an amusing sample opens out into an unflinchingly great mathcore song. It’s over far too quickly but it leaves a mark for sure. Surprisingly, after such a heavy track, the gentle guitar and spoken word of ‘Song For Jordan’ is perfectly placed. It again gives way to heaviness later on but heralds yet more brilliant song-writing also.

Before you know it you’ve reached the penultimate and (maybe?) tongue-in-cheek ‘Screamo Sucks’, that literally banishes any such notion within seconds thanks to it’s top notch screamo. After sixty-seconds or so it retreats into subtle ambient noise and soft piano, leaving you guessing as album closer ‘The Last Song’ takes over. It’s start/stop, loud/quiet dynamic is employed seemingly at random yet in perfect order too.

Just when you think you’ve heard every possible iteration of a particular musical style (or styles), there’s always another one waiting just around the corner. This evening olth was waiting around that corner and I’m so glad they were. If you missed this album last year, then now is a good time to right that wrong. It’s excellent!

You can stream and grab the album digitally from olth below (there were some super limited leftover tapes but they're sold out):-

Physical copies can be still be purchased from ZBR below:-

Zegema Beach Records - CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases / USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases

Additional links:-

Larry Records - https://www.facebook.com/larryscrammo

Mob Records - https://www.instagram.com/mobeightrecords/

Partymouse Records - https://partymouse.bigcartel.com

Vamonos Tapes - https://vamonostapes.bandcamp.com

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