Labels: Kuwago Records/Zegema Beach Records
Formats: CD/Tape/Digital
Release Date: 02 Feb 2026
Tracklist:
1. Ishtar
2. Centro de Gravedad
3. Sunrise, Parabellum
4. War of Jig-saw Pattern
5. La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo
6. Song For Swans
7. Pag-aaral Sa Oras
I have two sofas in my living room (which, doubles as my music room currently). One is where I sit and the other is currently covered in records, tapes and other cool music-related things that I have received recently, I'm notoriously slow at merging new stuff with the rest of my collection, as I have over 1,400 records and nearly 300 tapes at this point. A large part of what needs merging came from Zegema Beach Records last week, which is where the link to this review comes in because I'm writing about a new 2026 ZBR release this evening.
The release I'm talking about is the fourth and final release from Filipino screamo/math/post-hardcore and Limbs. Like A Poet, Keen To The Rustle Of Leaves came out in early February on tape via ZBR, as well as on CD via Filipino label Kuwago Records and digitally via Limbs themselves. After this album, Limbs have elected to call it a day after ten years, so this acts as a legacy to their sound and their love of humanity.
We’re now at the other side of a forty-five day streak of rain (or something like that!), which accounts for almost every day so far this year! I wish I lived somewhere with a better climate. Grumble aside, my energy is better spent focusing on this new (and last) album from Limbs. Opener ‘Ishtar’ sounds absolutely huge! The volume of the instrumentation as it kicks into life is completely unexpected and when the vocals join in, things get even louder. Limbs aren’t just about high intensity though, as they soon throttle back to more post-hardcore/introspective territory, with some added mathcore thrown in. Their tempo slows as the song progresses, which suits their sound really well actually.
‘Centro de Gravedad’ builds on the foundation left by ‘Ishtar’ as Limbs go for something much longer. For a trio, they’re able to make such technical and engrossing noise as if it were easy. The atonal opening two-minutes of this second song illustrate that point before things get a lot faster, with ripping emoviolence taking hold. Percussive blasts, shattering bass, grinding yet melodic guitar and dual vocals of the hellish variety make up the first half, and then some! The latter half of more subdued, with some loverly bluesy bass lines and suspense-laden instumentation before everything gives way to more crazed mathcore.
Overanalysing music is a curse and it’s one that hangs over me, so I’m sorry if my writing is too much writing, I’ll try to cut it down some. ‘Sunrise, Parabellum’ is more concise in delivery but it’s still resplendent in what makes Limbs sound so epic. Raw yet brilliantly recorded, mixed and mastered chaos. The additional vocals performed by Angela, Nico, Terence and Therese of Kuwago Records towards the end show how tight their community is and are joyful to hear.
This is such an immersive album. ‘War of Jig-saw Pattern’ could be interpreted in so many ways as a song-title but after such an expansive intro, you’re greeted with a very different approach from Limbs. One that sounds much rawer and more immediate that you might be expecting, almost as if Limbs embraced industrial audio-terror. I’m not degrading it so don’t throw any shade on me. It sounds brilliant!
‘La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo’ is instantly different, with the gentle guitar and up-front spoken-word poetry from Terence Repelente. It sounds very real and very visceral (in a subtle kind of way), even though I can’t speak or translate Filipino. It only lasts for a few minutes though as Limbs soon break back into their characteristic heaviness. It’s heaviness that has a great deal of impact as it’s bookended by more subtle, introspective musicianship and vocals. Ending with another flourish of sludgy post-hardcore/emoviolence, Limbs are determined to go out on a high.
Penultimate song ‘Song For Swans’ has a rare glimpse of Limbs using clean vocals in English, which is a surprise as far as intros go. In fact, the opening bars bring to mind folk music before the screamo that follows soon after. It’s characteristically fast as you’d expect, with additional panic chords and mathcore-tones thrown in; that is until brass/woodwind joins in towards the end.
Limbs say album closer ‘Pag-aaral Sa Oras’ is an adaptation of the song of the same name by Kerima Tariman (also featuring additional vocals from YJ of FFPS Canada here) and it’s very much traditional in sound with percussion playing alongside soft acoustic guitar and choral singing. It builds in layers for the first half before stopping unexpectedly, giving way to more gentle acoustic music to close.
As goodbye albums go, this one is very strong. It’s very bittersweet that this is my first time hearing Limbs as well. I guess that sometimes the best ones just pass us by.
You can stream and purchase the album digitally via bandcamp below:-
Physical copies can be purchased from the labels below:-
Zegema Beach Records CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/limbs / USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases/products/limbs
I believe that Kuwago Record have sold out of their CD copies, but please correct me if I'm wrong.
Kuwago Records - https://www.facebook.com/kuwagorecords
Zegema Beach Records - https://bsky.app/profile/zegemabeachrecords.bsky.social
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