Ondine - Exhausted

Labels: Polar Summer Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 10 Aug 2017

Tracklist:

1. Exhausted

2. Denial And Rejection

3. Chained

4. Decay

I'm jumping back into the back catalogue of Russian label Polar Summer Records after what seems like an age. Since my last review of the two-song self-titled EP from Saat, I've been lucky enough to add a number of the label's releases to my personal collection thanks to a very gracious seller on Discogs. I managed to get a copy of this very EP on tape much earlier though.

Russia's Ondine released this EP digitally and on tape back in 2017. They went on to release a second EP called Recycled in 2018, but haven't been heard of since. What's striking to me is that they are made up of member from Ensslin, Buran and If I Die Tomorrow, especially because Ensslin made such an impact on me when I first heard Thumbsucker. Enough about other bands though, let's focus on this EP.

Ondine are described as being a punk/melodic hardcore band and you’d be forgiven for wondering if that was true on EP opener ‘Exhausted’, as it starts with spoken-word samples and orderly instrumentation that builds up to a point where Ondine are able to show their heavier side. ‘Denial And Rejection’ is where Ondine’s melodic hardcore influence shows through. Their melodic approach to instrumentation coupled with a mix of English spoken-word/screaming is genuinely rousing, making it easy to think they could be from anywhere in the world. 

Musically, this is a beautiful release. It has a feel/sound that’s very similar to early La Dispute (I think) and that’s no bad thing as ‘Chained’ flows through a mid-paced journey that speaks louder than you’d expect. Closing with ‘Decay’, Ondine retreat into more ambient/instrumental territory where the firework-like sounds in the background are both endearing and also slightly unnerving. 

Ondine wrote a beautiful EP here. One that gives hope to humanity, which I’m sure they would agree with. In a time when UK politicians (or ex-politicians at least) are quite rightly being found guilty of accepting bribes to talk up an oppressive/communist regime, at least we can rejoice in music like this.

You can stream and purchase this EP as a name-your-price download from Ondine below:-

Tape copies from Polar Summer are sold out.

Polar Summer Records - https://polarxsummer.bandcamp.com/album/exhausted

Tetragrammacide - Cyber-Tantric Paradigm of Radical Sri-Vidya

Labels: Iron Bonehead Productions

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 26 Sep 2025

Tracklist:

1. Multi-Armed Bellicosity Of Babalon-Durga Riding On The Xeno-Beast Of Grand Apocalypse To Trigger The Outbreak Of A Pan-Dimensional Holy Pogrom

2. Techno-Tehomic Invocation Of Malignant Shadow Shakti On The World.Wide.Web Of Internet

3. Astro-Theological Gomaya Initiation With The Sacred Excretion Of Hawking Radiation Emitting From The Universe's Anus

India's Tetragrammacide continue to be an enigma within extreme metal. The band's members are cloaked in mystery, surrounded by like-minded bands that form the elusive Kolkata Inner Order (whom I have tried to interview in previous years to no avail).

Tetragrammacide's newest EP Cyber-Tantric Paradigm of Radical Sri-Vidya was released in September with help from Iron Bonehead Productions, featuring exquisite artwork and their own immersive black/death metal sound.

The aura that surrounds Tetragrammacide can seem overwhelming at times. Just as overwhelming as the nomenclature of their songs, as EP opener ‘Multi-Armed Bellicosity Of Babalon-Durga Riding On The Xeno-Beast Of Grand Apocalypse To Trigger The Outbreak Of A Pan-Dimensional Holy Pogrom’ illustrates. Despite my relatively limited experience of listening to the Kolkata Inner Order, there’s always been something very haunting and otherworldly about the music, and the spoken-word sample that begins the song proves that. What it gives way to is amongst the noisiest and most extreme music you’ll hear. Collectively, Tetragrammacide present ferocious (almost industrial) percussion, ungodly bass/guitar delivery and truly intense vocals. 

I’d like to be able to turn the volume up to a much higher level in order to truly appreciate the EP but alas I cannot. Those living around me will not appreciate it. ‘Techno-Tehomic Invocation Of Malignant Shadow Shakti On The World.Wide.Web Of Internet’ shows exactly why as it descends into a cacophony of blasting drums and mesmerizing extremity. How Tetragrammacide can keep up this pace for so long is beyond my comprehension.

The EP’s final song ‘Astro-Theological Gomaya Initiation With The Sacred Excretion Of Hawking Radiation Emitting From The Universe's Anus’ instantly continues the aural assault. There’s no attempt to slow or calm things down and there shouldn’t be a reason to either. Yes, this is very much aimed at the most ardent of extreme music freaks but that’s why it’s so engrossing to listen to. Virtuoso technicality and hook-laden song-writing is one thing, but genuine musical ferocity is something else.

This EP is like nothing else you’ll hear this calendar year. Tetragrammacide continue to blaze a sinister trail across the musical underground. Only those who dare to follow that trail will be rewarded. 

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

Tetragrammacide - https://www.facebook.com/tetragrammacide

Physical CD and vinyl copies are available to purchase from Iron Bonehead Productions here:-

https://shop.ironbonehead.de/

Iron Bonehead Productions - https://www.facebook.com/IronBoneheadProductions

Heaven Through Violence/Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave - Split

Labels: Gallowdance Records/Larry Records/Severed Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 02 Jun 2025

Tracklist:

1. Heaven Through Violence - Say No Elegies For The Melting Stone

2. Heaven Through Violence - Six Are The Walking Ways

3. Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave - Every River Will Meet The Sea

4. Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave - Every Sorrow Will Have Its Day

I finally encountered posts by a vehemently hated AI bot on a certain social media platform the other day. I'm completely against companies training chatbots in social settings and through the use of people's legitimate art. Who knows where it'll end if it's allowed to keep on going. Thankfully, this blog and the bands I feature (to the best of my knowledge), stay away from AI. 

That brings me to the split 7" featuring US screamo/emoviolence bands Heaven Through Violence and Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave. Both bands are chock full of super talented people with Heaven Through Violence featuring members of Dysthymia, Castling and ...And Its Name Was Epyon (to name a few); while, Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave includes musicians who have performed in long.way.down, Street Sweeper and The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir (amongst many others).

7” split releases seem to be reducing in number, which is probably due to the high price of pressing them now, so it’s nice to see one in the wild. Heaven Through Violence are up first with ‘Say No Elegies For The Melting Stone’, which is both sassy and screamy. Fast, grinding emoviolence coupled with extended passages of screeching feedback and melodramatic atmosphere spoil you musically. It’s not so much emoviolence in truth as it borrows from an earlier time when post-hardcore was more emotive and less violent (if that makes sense).

Obviously, whenever I make a statement about a band’s sound, there always seems to be a point where it’s proven wrong and that happens in part on ‘Six Are The Walking Ways’. It’s a very short blast of fast screamo that’s bookended by a slow build at the start and a French spoken-word sample at the end, which throws back to mid 2000’s post-hardcore.

Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave are more straightforward in their approach on ‘Every River Will Meet The Sea’ as they join brief bursts of violence with melodic screamo instrumentation and hardcore vocals. When I started collecting vinyl, split releases like this opened my eyes to so many great bands; bands that I still love to this day.

Closing this split out with ‘Every Sorrow Will Have Its Day’, Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave dispense with any dramatic passages in favour of darker yet melodic hardcore. It’s noticeable how they are able to deliver songs that sound much longer than they actually are in reality. The fact that screamo and screamo-adjacent bands continue to produce such engrossing music out of nowhere shows just how strong the DIY/Independent scene is right now.

You can stream and purchase the split digitally from both bands below:-

Heaven Through Violence Instagram - @heaventhroughviolence.ma

Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave Instagram - @rosemarynodsuponthegrave

Gallowdance Records Instagram - @gallowdancerecords

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

Severed Records - https://severedrecords.bandcamp.com/music

Zegema Beach Records - https://bsky.app/profile/zegemabeachrecords.bsky.so

Massa Nera - The Emptiness of All Things

Labels: Persistent Vision Records

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 31 Oct 2025

Tracklist:

1. A Body

2. Pèlerin

3. Avalon Cove

4. The Best is Over

5. Mechanical Sunrise

6. City of Mines

7. Lavender (feat. Tony Castrati from Crippling Alcoholism)

8. Death Shall Flee from Them

9. The Emptiness of All Things

10.  New Animism

At the end of October, New Jersey's Massa Nera released their newest album The Emptiness of All Things via Persistent Vision Records. The quartet have become one of the most productive bands in the post-hardcore sphere over the last couple of years and while it's not worth tying them down to any genre/sub-genre now, it's well worth diving into the music they create. Especially now, when the world is more fracture than ever, they're fighting the good fight for humanity irrespective of what power tells us to do what next.

We’re at a point in time where people are more polarised than ever. The environment that we live in is dying and politics, as well as the society that it built, is slowly crumbling. Massa Nera are doing their bit to turn things around with their new album. Opening with ‘A Body’, there’s an unnerving sense that what started gently will soon explode and so it does. Massa Nera switch from quiet guitar to anxiety-filled hardcore midway through, as heavy guitars, vocals and frenetic percussion take over.

‘Pèlerin’ picks up where the opener left off, with a greater sense of off-kilter noise, math-like phases and just downright abandon. It’s the angriest I think I’ve ever heard from this band and I’m here for it. The atmosphere that flows through ‘Avalon Cove’ throws you off guard a bit, as Massa Nera’s musical approach is more haunting before another switch is flicked. It’s a really good way to build the song though and its haunting backbone is heard throughout, even when things get properly heavy.

There’s a definite crust/black metal layer rolling through ‘Avalon Cove’ but that is soon banished as ‘The Best Is Over’ funnels things in a different direction. A direction that’s more screamo orientated and upbeat. The minimalist intro to ‘Mechanical Sunrise’ gives way to a danceable rhythm, subtly-melodic guitar work and sassy vocals. It shows a very different side to Massa Nera, but heaviness isn’t too far away, even if It’s buried in an art-rock vibe. 

There’s always a sense of trepidation when a band changes sound (even only slightly), but honestly there’s nothing to worry about here. ‘City of Mines’ contains so much; from its instrumental first half to its utterly insane latter which contains everything from grinding off-kilter hardcore to rhythmic punk. ‘Lavender’ sounds like a hellish country song before almost instantly turning on a dime and becoming the heaviest one you’ll probably ever hear from Massa Nera. Coupled with the guest vocals of Tony Castrati (from Crippling Alcoholism) and the almost Korn-esque melody later on, it’s something else.

Being eight songs deep into The Emptiness of All Things feels like one hell of journey already and it’s not over as ‘Death Shall Flee from Them’ delivers a brooding take on post-hardcore. Kind of in the vein of Chat Pile maybe, but also cleaner like From Autumn To Ashes. The album’s title-track ‘The Emptiness of All Things’ goes hard! Everything about Massa Nera is meant to keep you hooked right to the end.

Final track ’New Animism’ is the reason they’ve kept you hooked. It’s the album’s longest song while also being the most soulful. Acoustic guitars and clean vocals are joined by gentle keyboard/synths, and clever percussion to provide a more introspective glance into the soul. That glance turns into a loving gaze as it ends.

I started this review in a place of anger, which was aimed at society/politicians I guess. I’ve ended it in a place of calm acceptance, knowing that I can only control so much. Massa Nera have once again shown the way with their music. Its thoughtful, engrossing, angsty nature makes it so pleasurable to listen to.

You can stream and download the album below:-

Instead of charging for downloads, Massa Nera are asking for donations to the following organisations:-

Palestinian Youth Movement: goodbricks.org/cause/palestinianyouthmovement.com/donate-pym 

Middle East Children's Alliance: www.mecaforpeace.org/donate/ 

Paliroots Meal Program: www.paliroots.com/pages/philanthropy#donate 

Dahnoun Mutual Aid: chuffed.org/project/115245-dahnoun-mutual-aid 

Movimiento Cosecha: secure.actblue.com/donate/cosecha2024?refcode=ig_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeCkVTf2WoBTPjlJwsVAu8UG09PuCFjyVLAMjVCZzxTBDXqUoZxXy1q7AKa0A_aem_1_XejpPQttOGP-eNg2YwnQ 

Union del Barrio: www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/QH3E47P2CBKRW 

Immigration Legal Resource Center: www.ilrc.org/donate-now

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

Persistent Vision Records Instagram - @persistentvisionrecords

Ilon Lapset - Mykkä pimeys

Label: Rämekuukkeli Levyt/Visceral Circuitry

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date - 10 Aug 2025

 Tracklist:

1. Hukkaan

2. Sotaa

3. Rangaistus

4. Juon Yksin

5. Ei Vastausta

6. Pimeyden Sydän

A few weeks ago I received the newest release from my friend Tuukka (who runs the Finnish label Rämekuukkeli Levyt), a digipack CD of the new album from Tampere sludge quartet Ilon Lapset. Mykkä pimeys was released in August in cooperation with French label Visceral Circuitry Records and is the band's second full-length. Ilon lapset previously released two demos in 2020 and 2022 respectively, before their first full-length Kurjuuden tuijotus in 2023.

It feels like an age since I last featured a Finnish band here (sorry for the endless delays in that department!) and thanks to Tuukka for the patience. The intro to opener ‘Hukkaan’ is deceptively upbeat and Moriondor, its creator, does a great job of throwing you off the scent musically. When the intro fades, you’re greeted with grimy sludge that’s just perfect for this time of year (or any other time!). I think Finnish bands produce sludge that’s similar to those in the UK, albeit with their own personality thrown in for good measure. 

I’ve been turned onto so many bands through Rämekuukkeli Levyt, including Cicutoxin, Slave Hands, Frogskin, Taser and countless others so it’s no surprise that Ilon Lapset clicked with me straight away. ‘Sotaa’ sounds so full and enjoyable with it’s lumbering percussion, thunderously low bass, properly heavy guitar work and vocals that are scarier than a scary film. I’ve run out of ways to describe how each instrument/voice sounds, as you can probably tell!

The one thing that does stand out here is the very brief use of guitar feedback, as is evident at the start of ‘Rangaistus’. Feedback is synonymous with sludge, but Ilon Lapset prefer a more straightforward approach, which is absolutely fine because it doesn’t really suit the tone of the song anyway. It’s more stripped back and  simplistic, in a good way.

Given the sub-genre that Ilon Lapset align to (in loose terms), they make a point of filling their songs with plenty of atmosphere. The spoken-word/ambient sample approach on ‘Juon Yksin’ works a treat and propels their sound to another realm. The return of the vocals after the midway point come as a shock because the earlier instrumental element was so transfixing. 

There’s a marauding/driving feel to penultimate song ‘Ei Vastausta’ to start with, but that’s just a ruse as things take a more sinister, slower turn later on. It’s easy to get lost in tempos and the change here is subtle but very effective. Closing song ‘Pimeyden Sydän’ gives off that dopamine-induced feeling thanks to its drawn out riffs and overall dankness.

It’s not the album’s longest song but it doesn’t need to be. Ilon Lapset are able to fill it with the pure nastiness that comes from a land that in places, falls into a dark winter (known as kaamos) for two months of the year. Ultimately, this album is one that’s drenched in darkness but also one that’s oddly filled with a sense of hope. No matter how dark things get, there’s always light at the end.

You can stream and purchase the album on physical and digital formats from the band below:-

Ilon Lapset don't really use social media but you can follow them on Youtube here - https://www.youtube.com/@ILONLAPSETofficial

Physical CD copies are also available from the labels below:-

Visceral Circuitry Records - https://visceralcircuitryrecs.bandcamp.com/album/mykk-pimeys

Rämekuukkeli Levyt - https://www.discogs.com/label/426384-Rämekuukkeli

Visceral Circuitry Records - https://www.facebook.com/visceralcircuitryrecs

Rämekuukkeli Levyt - https://www.facebook.com/ramekuukkeli/